Maritozzi

 

I could literally kick myself for never having tasted Maritozzi, a traditional Italian breakfast treat consisting of a brioche bun filled with freshly whipped cream, whenever I visited Italy.  This enticing Instagram post from Bread by Elise motivated me to correct that grievous error. 

 

What especially drew me to Elise's bun recipe was the use of tangzhong.  This flour and milk roux added into the dough ensures that the bread maintains a soft interior long after baking.   As I was making the dough I could tell straightaway that the buns were going to be fantastic because the dough's texture was so elastic, light and easy to work with.    

Who doesn't love freshly whipped cream and maritozzis are filled to the brim with it, along with a layer of homemade tart raspberry jam.  A marriage made in breakfast heaven.  The only drawback, if you consider it one, is that the maritozzi tastes best when consumed à la minute, i.e., right away.    Next time I think I'll freeze some of the unfilled, baked buns and then reheat and fill them at a later time.  Now that I'm confident in my maritozzi-making skills I can save myself the price of a plane ticket to Italy, although I'd happily still go for pasta and shopping!

Hot Cross Buns

 

Yesterday (Holy Thursday) I decided to make a batch of Hot Cross Buns, which are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but I like to enjoy them throughout the Lenten season.  To make the buns I used my all-time favorite fluffy dinner rolls recipe from Cook's Illustrated. The only revision I made to the original version was to add cinnamon, nutmeg and plenty of raisins.  

 

 

While I was making the buns an idea came to me that I think was quite ingenious.  As I finished shaping the buns it just so happened that my dishwasher beeped, signaling the end of a recent cycle.  When I opened the dishwasher door I was reminded of how warm and humid the interior was.  EUREKA! Why not proof the dough buns inside the turned off dishwasher since it had the optimum conditions?  

 

 

After only 30 minutes the dough doubled in size beautifully and validated my hypothesis.   Normally the ambient temperature in San Francisco is too cold to proof dough without some assistance so the dishwasher solution is perfect.  Who says you need an expensive dough proofer?  Not me!  I will definitely be using this funny technique going forward.   

Mardi Gras King Cake

 

 January 6 marks Epiphany (sometimes called Three King's Day) in the Catholic faith.   When I was a student living in Dijon I came to learn that the French celebrate this holiday by enjoying galette des rois throughout the month.   Because I've already made that puff pastry and frangipane treat before I wanted to try my luck at making this Mardi Gras King Cake from Murmurs of Ricotta's blog.  This year Mardi Gras falls on March 1st, but King Cake can be enjoyed starting at Epiphany.

 

Although I've never visited Louisiana or New Orleans before (it's on my list!) I have actually tasted a traditional NOLA king cake before.  A former co-worker of mine grew up in Louisiana and her mom used to send her a king cake every year.   The "cake" is actually an enriched bread, filled with cinnamon and frosted and decorated with purple, gold and green sprinkles.  I think it tastes similar to a cinnamon roll.   What intrigued me about this recipe in particular was the claim that it was soft and fluffy and inspired by the in-demand cakes sold at Dong Phuong, a popular Vietnamese French bakery in New Orleans East.

 

 

The enriched dough couldn't be easier to make, but it does require some patience, as it needs to proof in the fridge at least overnight.  When forming the king cake be sure to roll out the dough evenly, otherwise you'll end up with a plump middle section and skinny ends, like I did.  My King Cake really lived up to the fat moniker of Mardi "Gras".  Still tasted great though!  Just as the blog described, the brioche-bread was soft and fluffy, and quite delicious.   

 

The hardest part was waiting for the cake to cool completely before frosting it with the brown butter cream cheese frosting.  A final flourish of Mardi Gras colored sprinkles and the King Cake was complete.  NOTE: For some reason my purple non-pareils look more indigo in these pictures, but I can assure you they are purple!

Kanelbullar (Swedish Cinnamon Buns)

 

I'm a huge fan of bread recipes using tangzhong, a cooked flour and liquid paste, because it creates a super soft and fluffy interior.  When I saw that the Jan/Feb 2022 issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine featured a recipe for Kanelbullar (Swedish Cinnamon Buns) using tangzhong I knew I had to make them.  About five years ago I made kanelbullar for this blog, but while they tasted good, I found that after a few hours the finished buns were a bit too dense and hard.  Tangzhong to the rescue!

 

The difference with a Scandinavian cinnamon bun compared to the American version is the addition of cardamom spice and pearl sugar and the omission of an icing.  I like a hint of cardamom, but too much of it can be off-putting for me so I reduced the amount from the recipe.  Without a sticky icing to deal with you can easily freeze these buns to enjoy later, although you may not have any leftovers..they're so good!

Now that colder weather is upon us in the Bay Area it's the perfect setting for hygge (comfort and coziness) and a fika (Swedish coffee break) featuring the kanelbullar and a steaming cup of coffee. 

 

Roasted Cherry Tomato & Garlic Focaccia

 

Liguria Bakery in San Francisco makes the best focaccia in the city and I've been going there for years.  They only sell focaccia, nothing else, so you know their signature product is top notch.  My favorite flavor is the pizza focaccia with it's tangy marinara sauce on top, but you can't go wrong with any of the flavors.  I'd been craving the classic Italian salad of prosciutto and melon (prosciutto e melone) and wanted to have some focaccia to go with it.

 

Being too lazy to get in my car and make the drive to North Beach (and deal with parking) I decided to look for a quick and easy focaccia recipe; one that didn't require  hours of preparation or a starter.  A quick internet search and I found this one from ATK Young Chefs' Club for Roman-style focaccia.   Add in some cherry tomatoes that were on their last leg and I made this fantastic Roasted Cherry Tomato and Garlic Focaccia.

 

Seriously, anyone can make this focaccia and yield amazing results.  The recipe is written for kids so that should tell you how easy it is to make.  [My only updates were to omit rosemary and add a mixture of halved cherry tomatoes, chopped garlic, olive oil, herbs and salt & pepper as the topping.]  The bread's texture is super light and fluffy and the tomatoes and garlic really elevate it to the next level.  It was the perfect accompaniment to the salad and dare I say could rival that of Liguria's famous focaccia?  I'll definitely be making this recipe again.

Korean Fish Bread or Bungeoppang 붕어빵

 

A few months into the pandemic and I became hooked on K-drama (Korean drama). I mean seriously HOOKED!  It all started by binge watching Crash Landing On You on Netflix.  It's gotten to the point where all I'm watching these days is Korean television, be it a drama or reality show.  I even enrolled in a virtual Korean language course at the beginning of the year in an attempt to understand the shows without the aid of subtitles...hahaha...ㅋㅋㅋ!  

One common element you'll notice in any K-drama is the omnipresence of food.  From ramen to tteokbokki, gimbap to jjajangmyeon, the delicious looking food could really be its own character. Previously, my foray into Korean cuisine was limited to the bbq, but watching the dramas has introduced me to so much more.   My cravings for Korean food has increased exponentially in the last year because of it.

 

 

A decade ago I had visited Seoul and I still remember the amazing selection of street food that was offered. In particular, I distinctly recall Korean Fish Bread or Bungeoppang 붕어빵 being sold everywhere.  Despite it's name Korean Fish Bread is really a filled waffle based on Japanese taiyaki.   The ones I had seen back then were filled with sweetened red bean paste, but nowadays there are so many options to choose from, e.g., custard, chocolate or savory like cheese, pizza, etc. 

 

I wanted to recreate the bungeoppang at home and it started with getting the right equipment, a fish shaped waffle iron.  Luckily I was able to find a relatively inexpensive one quite easily on Amazon.  The next challenge was finding the right batter recipe.   I tried multiple homemade batter recipes (documented on my Instagram highlights) and none of them delivered what I was looking for: a fluffy interior and a crunchy, golden brown exterior.  The taiyaki sold at SomiSomi is the gold standard I was after.  Ironically, the batter that came closest (so far) to producing the results I wanted was a pre-made hotcake mix from the Japanese brand Morinaga.  Go figure?  Obviously I would prefer a from scratch batter but when none is to be had I'll happily go the mix route.  To make things easy for myself I used a store bought sweetened red bean paste for the filling    I'll continue searching for a homemade bread recipe but for now I can buy the mix and enjoy 붕어빵 anytime I want.

Tangzhong Hot Cross Buns

 

When Easter rolls around there's nothing better than a really good hot cross bun.  You can't beat the combination of a bread roll spiced with cinnamon and studded with raisins.  My only complaint about traditional buns is the flour and water paste that adorns the top.  When it bakes up I've found it to be too hard and too tasteless.  I made this comment recently on Instagram and someone suggested making the cross out of an Asian bun topping.  It was such a brilliant idea that I wish I had thought of it myself.

 

I was then inspired make Tangzhong Hot Cross Buns, a variation of the traditional Easter bread made with tangzhong dough.  I started with my favorite tangzhong dough from Cook's Illustrated and simply added cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins. For the cross that goes on top I used a modified version of the sugary topping for pineapple buns, another favorite from Cook's Illustrated.   

When the buns baked up the cross on top wasn't as clearly distinct as you would find in other buns, but I was more than ok with that because they tasted amazing!!  Tangzhong breads are popular because of their soft and fluffy texture and these buns had it in spades.  Add in spice and raisin and I think I've found the perfect hot cross bun.  I'll definitely be making these every year.

HAPPY EASTER!

 

Buttermilk Biscuit Jammers

Every now and then I'll see a bake posted on Instagram and think to myself, "Now why didn't I think of that?"  This exact thing happened recently when I saw SF Cooking School post a picture on their Instagram stories of their take on Grand Central Bakery's famous buttermilk biscuits filled with jam.   These Buttermilk Biscuit Jammers are a genius combination of flaky, buttery biscuit filled and sweet, fruity jam.  I had to make some for myself.   

 

 

If you search google you can find Grand Central's recipe for their jammers pretty easily, like this one, but since I still had plenty of White Lily self-raising flour leftover from a past trip to Charleston I made my version of the buttermilk biscuit jammers with that instead.  The recipe was one I found on White Lily's Instagram account and only requires four ingredients: self-rising flour, butter, buttermilk and jam.     

The key to getting super flaky biscuits is to make sure all of your ingredients are COLD!  It also doesn't hurt that this particular recipe has a lamination technique that produces multiple layers.  Once I combined the flour and grated butter in a bowl I left it in the freezer overnight to ensure it was at the ideal temperature.  The next day I mixed in the cold buttermilk and shaped, folded, cut and filled the dough.  Use your favorite jam to fill the biscuits.  I used some store bought as well as homemade jams so I had a nice variety. 

As I write this post I literally just polished off my third biscuit.  They are THAT good and everything you'd want in a buttermilk biscuit.  Next time I make them I'll adjust for the following: cut the biscuits with slightly smaller cutter (using a 2" round cutter) and make the jam indentation a bit wider (so you get more jam!).  

 

Soft Cinnamon Rolls

I didn't get the chance to make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning so I decided to make a batch to bid a "not so fond" farewell to 2020.  If any year needed to end on a high note I think it was this year, am I right?  

 

What I knew for sure was that I wanted a recipe that used the tangzhong (flour roux) method to ensure a super soft and fluffy bread.  My love for tangzhong-based bread dough has been well documented on this blog but ironically enough I never posted a cinnamon roll recipe before.  After a quick search I found this recipe for Soft Cinnamon Rolls on the King Arthur Baking website and it did not disappoint.  In fact, I think it's one of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had, bar none!    

 

 

So that I would have freshly baked rolls in the morning I prepared the dough the night before.  The shaped rolls then had their second proof in the fridge overnight.  First thing the next morning the rolls just needed to come to room temperature before being baked off to a delicious golden brown.  After a slight cool on the counter they were smothered in a delicious icing.  One bite and I was in heaven!   

Scallion & Ham Bread

Scallion Bread is a staple item sold at most Chinese bakeries you come across.  My favorite place in San Francisco to get them is Sunset Bakery in the Inner Sunset District.   There they add bits of ham to their scallion buns which are, in my opinion, the ne plus ultra: incredibly delicious, super soft and beautifully browned.  Since they're so easy to buy I never really thought of making it at home, that is, until I saw this post on Healthy Nibbles blog.  Lisa's bread looked exactly like Sunset Bakery's so I had to give it a try for myself.

The dough uses tangzhong, or a roux made of milk and flour, which gives the baked bread a lovely, soft texture.  In my experience any bread using this technique always turns out amazing.  The main modifications I made to Lisa's recipe were to replace the water in the tangzhong with milk, use instant yeast and add pieces of chopped ham.  

I made the recipe twice in a week so trust me when I say it's a good one.  The first time I shaped the dough into a very large four-strand braid.  For the second I shaped it into smaller knots because I wanted individual portions.   You wouldn't believe how excited I was that the bread turned out completely authentic!   Another plus is that it freezes beautifully so I can enjoy this yummy treat anytime I want.

Braided Challah

I don't have much experience braiding bread dough but when I see beautiful loaves twisted in such interesting ways I'm determined to give it a go.  My colleague Inna makes challah every Friday for the sabbath and recently she made a mini loaf so I could try.  Her bread had the deepest, mahogany crust and such a beautiful braid.  As soon as I got home I cut a few slices and enjoyed them toasted with butter.  Delicious!  

Straightaway I asked Inna for the recipe she used and she referred me to this one from Chen Shukron.  The original post is in Hebrew but one click on Google and you can easily get the English translation.  To shape the bread she referred me to this Instagram post, but to be honest it seriously intimidated me!   I needed to start with something more for the beginner.

A few years ago I attempted a challah, but the braiding technique was a "cheat" version because you stacked a simple plait one on top of another.  What I wanted was to make the intricate, multi-strand braids that you see in bakeries, but for a novice.

I remembered seeing a Braided Round Challah from an issue of Cook's Illustrated that looked so appealing because it used the tangzhong technique, or cooked flour paste, and was shaped so beautifully.   In the end, I decided to make Inna's recipe and the Cook's Illustrated version using the braided round technique because two challah are always better than one! 

The aroma of homemade bread permeated throughout my kitchen and it was heavenly!  Both loaves baked up gorgeously, if I do say so myself.  I should definitely practice my braiding more because now it's not as daunting as it used to be.

Shabbat Shalom y'all!  

Bánh Mì

The Vietnamese Baguettes I made were destined to become Bánh Mì sandwiches.  I filled the baguettes ith char siu pork, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh cucumber and a bunch of cilantro.  By way of condiments I prefer lots of mayonnaise and a splash of Maggi seasoning.  The only thing missing was some pork pâté but I'll get some for next time.

Vietnamese Baguettes

Bánh mì (or Vietnamese baguette sandwich) is one of my all-time favorite things in the world.  It's the perfect food if you ask me.  Crisp, crunchy, soft and airy baguettes filled with meat, pickled vegetables, fresh cucumber and herbs.  Heaven in a bite!  Almost a decade later and I still think about the most delicious bánh mì I ever ate from Bánh Mì Phượng in Hội An, Vietnam.  

The key to a really good bánh mì boils down to the bread.  Viet baguette is slightly different than the French variety.  Yes, it was introduced to the country by the French in the 19th century but there's definitely a Viet spin to it.  The Vietnamese kind is much lighter and airier than the traditional baguette.

When I saw Uyen Luu had posted a recipe for homemade Viet baguette on her Instagram and website I could not contain my excitement.  Hers looked totally legit so I had to give it a go.

It's always intimidating trying a new recipe, especially when you have such high expectations for it.  Turns out I didn't need to worry.  The recipe wasn't complicated but there were a few steps you had to follow.  What I found very helpful was the YouTube video that was included in Uyen's post that showed how the baguettes were made.  Forewarning though, the video is in Vietnamese, but even if you don't understand the language you can still watch the video for visual clues on how the recipe works.

I literally jumped up and down when I pulled the baked baguettes out of the oven.  They totally looked authentic, down to the beautiful split on the top.  Straight away I FaceTimed my mom to show her the results and she even said the baguettes looked really good.  [And she's a tough critic!] I promised her that once I was able to visit again I would make them with her.

I'm planning to fill the baguettes with char siu or Chinese bbq pork.  Stay tuned!

The Model Bakery English Muffins

I love an English muffin for breakfast and for most of my life the Thomas' variety suited me just fine, thank you very much.   But then I tasted The Model Bakery's English Muffins and all the sudden I was like, "Thomas' who?"   You may recall that many years ago these muffins were included in Oprah's Favorite Things and with one taste you'll understand what all the hype is about.  There are two bakery locations in the Napa Valley and it just so happened that I recently had a business meeting up the road from the downtown Napa shop.  How could I not stop by and try some for myself?   

The first things I noticed about these English muffins: they were big and soft with the heavenly aroma of butter.  What a combination!  I toasted one straight away and slathered it with salted butter.   One bite and I was hooked.  The light and airy texture was unreal, something I'd never tasted before. They were without a doubt the best English muffins I'd ever eaten in my life.

At $14 for a bag of six muffins they weren't cheap, nor was it super convenient to drive an hour north of San Francisco whenever I got a craving.  Then I remembered that The Model Bakery had a cookbook and sure enough the English muffin recipe was included.  I found my next baking project!

Prior to testing the recipe I had watched a YouTube video that showed the bakery's process for making the muffins.  Unfortunately my first attempt had less than stellar results.  The muffins were alright but lacked the light and airy texture I was looking for.   Back to the drawing board it was. 

In my second attempt I switched to King Arthur's flour (higher in gluten) and kneaded the dough longer.  Straight away I could tell that this dough was different from the one before because it was so light!  Also, after the dough balls had their second rise I didn't pat them down, which was a mistake I made in the first attempt.    Frying the muffins in a skillet with clarified butter is key and you can't skip this step.  That's what makes these muffins so delicious.    

I'm happy to report that the second batch of muffins was pretty darn close to Model's, if I do say so myself.  Not 100%, but perhaps 90%?  Either way, it's close enough for me that it saves a drive up north and keeps cash in my wallet!