by Emily Nolan
3Bake, uncovered, until the apples are tender, from 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the apples. Let the apples cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Place each apple on a serving plate. Drizzle each apple with some of the sauce in the pan, the butterscotch topping, and the remaining nuts.
Per serving: Calories 426 (From Fat 138); Fat 15g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 150mg; Carbohydrate 76g (Dietary Fiber 7g); Protein 5g.
Peach Cobbler
A cobbler gets its name from the appearance of the cobbled dough on the top. It tastes best the day it’s made. And having a touch of whipped cream or a bit of peach ice cream on top never hurts.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Filling:
4 cups sliced, peeled peaches
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2Prepare the filling: Mix together the peaches, sugar, butter, cornstarch, lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt and place in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan.
3Prepare the topping: In a mixing bowl or food processor, use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt (or pulse several times) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk. Drop the dough onto the filling by the tablespoonful (you can leave a little space between the drops because it spreads as it bakes).
4Bake until golden brown, 30 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
Tip: To peel peaches, make a small, light X (don’t cut through the flesh, only the skin) on the bottom of each peach. Dunk the peach in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and plunge into iced water. The skin should slip off easily. If some is still resisting, return the peach to the water for 15 more seconds and try again.
Per serving: Calories 359 (From Fat 91); Fat 10g (Saturated 6g); Cholesterol 26mg; Sodium 305mg; Carbohydrate 66g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 4g.
Custards and Puddings
In truth, custards and puddings aren’t much more than eggs, milk, and flavoring cooked together, then baked, thickening it into a delicious satiny creamy dessert. This is comfort food at its best.
The recipes in this section are basic, but you should be aware of what you’re doing scientifically, to avoid some pitfalls. Simply put, you’re combining your ingredients and baking them until they solidify. However, baking them too long or at too high a temperature can make them dry or grainy or expel their moisture.
To avoid this, you bake custards in a water bath, which helps control the heat of the oven. Although this may sound complicated, it isn’t. All you need is a baking pan with a wire rack that fits in it (try a cooling rack or a roasting pan with the rack that your turkey sits on) that comfortably fits the custard cups (see Figure 11-1).
Figure 11-1: Custard cups in a water bath.
You can also cover the custard cups with aluminum foil to prevent water from sloshing into the cups as you transport them to and from the oven. This also serves as an additional heat regulator, allowing the custards to cook slowly and minimizing cracking.
If finding a rack that fits your pan is too troublesome, forget it. You can place a clean kitchen towel, folded in half, in the bottom of the baking pan and place the custard cups on top. Essentially, your goal is to place the custard cups in the pan so they don’t touch the walls of the baking pan (and that includes the bottom). I find it much easier to arrange the custard cups on the rack in the water bath pan, place the pan in the oven, pour the hot water around the cups, and bake. Others prefer to add the water first and then carefully transfer the ensemble to the oven to bake. You decide which method works best for you.
Bake the custard just until the center is a bit shaky, but no longer liquid. It should shake like gelatin. You can also insert a knife into the center about halfway in. If it comes out clean or with a small smear of custard, it’s done. If liquid is on the knife, bake it longer. If it’s too firm, then it’s likely overbaked.
If you’re afraid that you cooked your custard too long, don’t fret. Just remove it from the oven and transfer the cups into a cool water bath to stop the cooking (don’t make the water too cold or else you may crack the custard cups). Then refrigerate the custard.
Pumpkin Custard
Custard is baked in a water bath. If you’re worried about pouring hot water into the custard cups, just fill the baking pan about one-third full of hot water, then add the custard cups. The water should be 1 inch deep. Top these little beauties with some whipped cream just before serving.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 to 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups evaporated milk
4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Divide the mixture into 8 custard cups or small ramekins (they look like miniature souffle dishes). Place the cups on a rack in a baking pan to fit. Pour very hot water around the cups to the depth of 1 inch.
3Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool. To serve, invert the custard cups onto a serving plate and remove the cup.
Tip: If you have a turkey baster, use it to adjust the water level of the water bath. You can add or subtract just the right amount of hot water without burning yourself or spilling any water into the custard cups.
Per serving: Calories 208 (From Fat 77); Fat 9g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 129mg; Sodium 230mg; Carbohydrate 26g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 7g.
Custard 101
The word custard is derived from “crustade,” which is a tart with a crust. After the 16th century, fruit creams became popular, and it was about this time that custards were made in individual dishes rather than a filling in a crust.
Rich Chocolate Pudding
There is nothing like delicious homemade pudding. If you don’t have custard cups, you can use any ovenproof material, such as ceramic mugs or small Pyrex bowls. Don’t overbake the pudding or else it may burn. If you want to make butterscotch pudding, substitute butterscotch chips for the chocolate.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
4 ounces semisweet chocolate or 3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
3 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Boiling water
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2Chop the chocolate into small bits (if using the squares). In the top part of a double boiler placed over simmering water, melt the chocolate and cream together, stirring often. After the chocolate has melted, stir in the sugar. Set aside to cool.
3Beat the eggs and vanilla together. Gently stir 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Slowly add the egg mixture to the remaining chocolate, stirring constantly. Carefully pour the chocolate mixture into 4 or 6 little custard cups. Cover each cup with foil. Set the custard cups on a rack in a large baking pan, and carefully pour the boiling wate
r into the baking pan until the water comes halfway up the side of the dishes.
4Bake for about 20 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Tip : If you’re afraid to pour the boiling water into the pan, you can always use a ladle and carefully transfer the water from the pot to the baking pan. Don’t pour the water on top of the custard cups.
Per serving: Calories 293 (From Fat 222); Fat 25g (Saturated 14g); Cholesterol 161mg; Sodium 47mg; Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 5g.
Chapter 12
Quick Breads, Muffins, and Biscuits
In This Chapter
Great ideas for tasty quick breads
Muffins for any time of the day
Savory and delicious breads
The secret for tender muffins
Recipes in This Chapter
Amish Applesauce Bread
Banana Bread
Cranberry-Orange Bread
Crumbcake
Sweet Chocolate Chip Pull-Apart Bread
Boston Brown Bread
Southern Corn Bread
Blueberry Muffins
Corn Muffins
Gingersnap Muffins
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Buttermilk Biscuits
Cheese Biscuits
Although everyone loves tender coffee cakes, muffins, and hot biscuits, oftentimes people find themselves buying them from the bakery, from the deli, or in the refrigerated sections of the grocery store for convenience. If this sounds familiar, maybe it’s because you think you don’t have the time or talent to whip up a batch from scratch. As you prepare to discover the joys of home-baked goods, quick breads and muffins are the perfect introduction. The batters are not difficult to put together, most can be done in less than 15 minutes, and you can find a recipe that’s right for any occasion.
Quick breads, such as banana bread, are popular favorites for many people. In this chapter, I let you know how to whip up batters for these breads. You discover how easy jazzing up quick breads with ingredients such as nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and dried fruits can be. I also offer advice on making a variety of muffins, plus give you helpful hints for making tender, flaky biscuits.
Quick Tips for Quick Breads
Quick breads are quite popular because they’re a snap to put together and can satisfy either a sweet or a savory desire. Because they’re leavened with baking soda or baking powder, they don’t require the rising time yeast breads do, which means they’re fast and easy to make. Just make sure your leaveners are fresh, so they’ll have optimal rising power.
What I like best about quick breads is that they’re relatively indestructible when it comes to add-ins. If you want to experiment, try adding 1/2 cup of any of the following:
Nuts
Dried fruit
Chocolate chips
Coconut
What differentiates quick breads, muffins, and biscuits is the proportion of liquid to fat, flour, and eggs — quick breads having the most moisture and biscuits having the least.
Quick breads are generally baked in metal loaf pans. Shiny pans are best, but if you have dark, nonstick pans or glass pans, lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees if you find the breads are browning too quickly. Grease only the bottoms of the loaf pans for nut or fruit quick breads; the ungreased sides give the batter something to cling to as it rises and give you a nicely shaped loaf with a gently rounded top. For more on baking pans, see Chapter 3.
Overmixing the batter can toughen the bread, so just mix until the ingredients are combined, unless specified otherwise by the instructions. You may even want to consider mixing the breads by hand to avoid toughening the dough.
If your bread develops a large crack lengthwise down the center of the loaf, don’t worry that you’ve done anything wrong. The crusts of quick breads are usually thinner and have a tendency to crack. I think it gives the bread a great homemade look.
I find that many quick breads taste even better the second day, although they don’t always stick around until then! You can wrap the cooled loaves in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for up to one week. Check out Chapter 17 for more tips on storing your baked goods.
Sweet breads
Sweet quick breads are usually made with fruits or vegetables (banana, zucchini, and so on) and are redolent with spice. They can be served for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or even as a not-so-sweet dessert at the end of a meal. They are great to bring as housewarming gifts and share with co-workers. They are also great batters that can easily be enhanced with chocolate chips, raisins, nuts or other such treats.
Amish Applesauce Bread
If you’re looking for a moist, dense apple-y Fall bread, look no further. I like to serve slices of this bread, toasted with butter, and my favorite butternut squash soup. They go together perfectly.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 50 minutes to 1 hour
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan.
2In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
4Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter. Stir in the applesauce and, if desired, the walnuts, mixing just enough to blend all the ingredients.
5Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the loaf on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to finish cooling.
Tip: Look for an all-natural or homemade variety of applesauce for this bread. It really makes a difference in taste.
Per serving: Calories 215 (From Fat 79); Fat 9g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 56mg; Sodium 343mg; Carbohydrate 31g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g.
Banana Bread
This is a great recipe to use when you want to use up over-ripe bananas. Don’t use underripe bananas for this recipe. The mushier and riper the banana, the better the banana flavor.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 55 minutes
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 medium-size ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup brewed coffee, warm or cold
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped walnuts
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease just the bottom of a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan.
2In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and stir together just to moisten the flour.
3Combine the bananas, coffee, and buttermilk in a separate bowl and stir into the batter. Fold in the nuts. (For information about folding, check out Chapter 5.)
4Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
Per serving: Calories 375 (From Fat 153); Fat 17g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 36mg; Sodium 209mg; Carbohydrate 52g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 6g.
Cranberry-Orange Br
ead
Fresh cranberries usually appear in markets from late October through December. These tart berries keep very well in the freezer, so stock up when they’re in season, and you’ll always have some on hand to make this moist, tasty bread. See the color section for a photo.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 60 minutes
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (peel)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan.
2In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cranberries, sugar, nuts, baking powder, and salt.
3In a small bowl, mix together the egg, orange zest, orange juice, and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
4Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Finish cooling the loaf on a wire rack.
Tip: The easiest way to chop cranberries is to place them in the bowl of a food processor and give them a few pulses, no more than three or four. You can use the same technique for the nuts.