Cowboy Cookies

These are some really good cookies if you like a lot of chips and bits- Personally, I find that they've got just the right amount of stuff going on without going overboard. They're definitely easy to make and homey (ideal with a glass of milk!) but the sheer amount of chocolate, nuts and coconuts accentuated with the hint of spice and oaty backdrop makes them special. 

Surprisingly, despite the relatively large amount of leavener, these turned out thin and chewy, the way I like 'em. I think that using pastry flour, which is lower in gluten, helped me get them this way, though I'd need to try with all purpose and pastry flour for comparison. 

Possible adaptations that I would try include adding instant coffee granules, using chocolate covered peanuts instead of chips, or using milk chocolate chips. While I can't say why they're called "cowboy" cookies, I can say that these are definitely worth making.

Cowboy Cookies

1 C. Flour (I used pastry flour, all purpose is fine too)
1 Tsp. Baking powder
1 Tsp. Baking soda
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Cinnamon (I used mixed cake spice)
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1/2 C. (113 g.) Butter, room temperature
1/2 C. Brown sugar
1/2 C. Sugar
1 Egg
1 C. Rolled oats (not instant)
1 C. Chocolate chips (I used bittersweet)
1 C. Walnut or pecan pieces
1 C. Unsweetened desiccated coconut

Preheat oven to 180℃.

Beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon until fluffy and homogenous. Add the vanilla and egg and beat until incorporated.

Add the baking powder and soda and beat in, then add the flour and beat until just combined. Using a big spoon, spatula, or you hands, mix in the oats, chocolate, nuts and coconut.

Divide into 12-18 balls and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just slightly browned. Let cool on the tray.

Vegan Banana Nut Bread, Take 2

Ahh, nothing like the basics! Yes, I know that the world is overflowing with banana bread recipes as it is, but it's my firm belief that you can never try out too many, lest you miss out on "the one"- the banana bread that has just the right flavour, texture, moisture, sweetness and so on for your tastes. Everyone's is different, and since this recipe didn't require me to go get organic eggs, milk or butter from the natural foods shop (though that's the only way I'll buy them) I think it's definitely worth a shot. 

This is a good one to make with limited kitchen equipment on hand- I didn't even have a loaf pan, so I used a large square cake tin, which worked very well and reduced the baking time. In spite of its very basic nature, it was well-received by those who tried it before me - someone at the lab asked for the recipe- that's a good sign!

My verdict is that despite having less oil and sugar than most banana breads, this one is still delicious in it simplicity- no egg replacers, no milk replacers, you don't even need baking soda! It's very tender, soft and fluffy, and adding the sugar sprinkle on top makes it have a nice caramelized crust. Just don't let the bottom burn by putting it too low in the oven and close to the heat element- I made that mistake. Oops. Well, it still tasted good! You can also add chocolate chips or pecan pieces, or use some different spices to make variations. Consider this recipe the next time you're stuck with too many bananas!

Vegan Banana Nut Bread II
Adapted from BBC Good Food

225 g. Cake flour (All purpose is fine; I only had cake or bread flour available as options)
100 g. Brown sugar
75 g. Neutral oil (I used canola)
3 Tsp. Baking powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
3 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Nutmeg, optional
2 Tsp. Vanilla
3 Large or 4 medium sized bananas, as ripe as possible
50-75 g. Walnut pieces

Some raw cane sugar or granulated sugar to sprinkle on top- optional

Preheat oven to 200℃. Grease a large loaf pan or square pan with a bit of oil and cover the bottom with greased baking parchment. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar and cinnamon

Sift or whisk together the dry ingredients (excluding the walnuts). Separately, mash the bananas finely and add the oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well, until homogeneous.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix until just combined, then stir in the walnuts.

Pour into the greased pan and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon and sugar, if you like. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes to an hour, or until a fork poked in comes out clean- cover with aluminium foil if it is browning too quickly.

Let cool before slicing.

Coffee-Shop Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Back to another episode of "kitchenette baking"... I've been going through my repertoire of recipes looking for ones that don't require a stand mixer (surprisingly few) and of course, muffins being one of the simplest and easiest batters to prepare, I decided on my second favourite kind after lemon-cranberry.

Mostly my decision was made by dollar-each boxes of blueberries in Chinatown. It's been a while since I've made something fruity, and these are not unlike the overpriced but very delicious muffins sold at various chain coffee shops. The streusel on top gives it a little something extra, a crunchy contrast to the soft pillowy innards and gooey roasted berries, flavoured with cinnamon. I've been fixated on blueberry muffins for quite a long time (since learning that a certain Canadian coffee chain can't even be bothered to put real fruit in theirs) and this might be the champion of all muffins for me.

As I said before, it's really easy and fast to prepare. I did it while waiting for my laundry to be done, and within the hour I had a really good batch of 14 muffins to share amongst my peers in the lab (they liked them a lot, especially that they were not too sweet and had tons of berries) as well as for myself. I made a couple of modifications but including brown sugar and adding more blueberries, because why not? I also added some lemon juice to give some more lift to the baking powder through its acidity. Buttermilk would also work well.

I can't wait to make these muffins again back in Mississauga when I get my hands on some pick-your-own berries at the farm to take home. I've got a lot of ideas for modifications that could be good- for instance, using some cornmeal, a flavoured oil like olive oil, lemon zest, or replacing the streusel with a simple sprinkle of raw sugar for a little texture. However, no modifications are needed- these are good just as they are, and perfect with coffee or tea and the smug satisfaction of doing what coffee shops do yourself, and so much better.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Adapted from Edible Garden
Makes 8 large or 16 small muffins

1 1/2 C. All purpose flour
2 1/4 Tsp. Baking powder, preferably aluminium-free
Pinch of salt
3/4 C. Sugar
1/3 C. Neutral oil, such as canola
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract (optional, or use 1 Tsp. Cinnamon or the zest of 1 lemon)
1 Egg
1/3 -1/2 C. Milk, or buttermilk
 1 TBSP lemon juice
1 - 1 1/2  C. Fresh or frozen unthawed blueberries

For the Streusel:
1/4 C. (60 g.) Butter, softened
1/3 C. Flour
1/2 C. Light brown sugar (or white)
2 Tsp. Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200.

Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder (and cinnamon, if using here). Separately, mix 1/3 C. of the milk, oil and the egg, as well as vanilla or zest if using. Mix into the dry ingredients, adding more milk if the batter is too thick - you want it to be about as runny as toothpaste, thick enough to spoon but still smooth and paste-like.

Stir in the blueberries and distribute into paper-lined or greased and floured muffin pans, filling them up to the rim so that the "muffin-top" can form.

For the streusel, mix all well with your hands or a pastry cutter until very crumbly and well-mixed. Spread evenly over the surface of each muffin- there's a lot of streusel, but be generous, nobody's ever complained about too much streusel.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a fork poked inside comes out clean. Let cool before removing from the pan.

Brown Butter Banana Walnut Cake

After mysteriously being locked out of my account after resetting browser history (can you tell I'm bad with computers?) I once again tune it to share this unassuming, humble-looking but delicious banana cake recipe.

I accidentally added too much sugar to a banana bread recipe, but it still turned out delicious and very worthy of sharing. It's made with browned butter instead of oil for an added layer of nutty flavour, and uses a combination of sugar and golden syrup to give it a twist. I also add plenty of cinnamon and something that I've only recently discovered... the mysterious "mixed essence" of the Caribbean, which contains a variety of essences and flavourings to lend a unique taste to baked goods. Of course, you can just as well use vanilla, but the mixed essence is interesting enough to seek out at your local Caribbean specialty store (I got mine in Kensington!). It disappeared way too fast for me to take better photos, so you'll have to take my word for it- this is an unusually light banana cake, more fluffy than dense, so don't expect it to be like a traditional pound-cakey banana bread. It actually reminds me more of the walnut cakes sold in Toronto's Koreatown, with the added flavour of bananas and browned butter.

This recipe made about 16 pieces of cake for me, in 2 small round pans, but you can also bake it in a couple of loaf pans or a large square pan. Serve with milk or coffee for a fantastic pick-me-up.

Brown Butter Banana Walnut Cake
Adapted from Scientifically Sweet

1 2/3 C. All purpose flour
1/4 Tsp. Salt
3/4 Tsp. Baking soda
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
2-3 Ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 C. mash)
1 C. Sugar + 2 TBSP golden syrup, or 1 C. golden brown sugar (or 1 C. fine cane sugar) Note: the original recipe used half as much sugar, so you can certainly get away with reducing this!
1 Tsp. Mixed essence or vanilla extract
1 Egg
1/2 C. (115 g.) Butter 
1 TBSP Lemon juice
1 C. Walnut pieces

Preheat the oven to 170℃ for a deep pan (like a loaf pan) or 180℃ for a shallow pan. Grease the pans you plan to use, lining the bottom with additionally-buttered parchment paper to prevent sticking. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook while stirring frequently until the butter begins to turn brown and smell toasty. You will see small brown pieces in the butter- these are caramelized milk solids, and you can leave them be. Once the butter is about the colour of a hazelnut, remove from heat and let cool.

Mix the butter, sugar and syrup (if using). Mix in the banana, egg, essence/extract and lemon juice until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the walnuts and spoon the batter into your pans, evening the top with a spatula.

Bake for 40-55 minutes, checking frequently in that time- once a fork or toothpick poked inside comes out clean, remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes before cutting into pieces.

Sour Cream Easter Bread With Honey-Walnut Filling

This year I decided to combine the shape of a babka and the taste of a twisted, nut-filled Hefezopf for easter by making a huge round Easter bread rolled up with a walnut-honey-cinnamon filling. It straddles the line between a cake and a bread, but in any case it's incredibly good and definitely making a comeback during future holidays.

The nut filling is mildly sweet and spiced, and complements the aromatic, yeasty dough well. It's very moist when fresh thanks to the sour cream and oil, but tastes fantastic even when dried out.

You don't need to use the nut filling- or any filling at all. This dough would also probably taste good with an almond, chocolate or poppy swirl, or you could just add some raisins and/or nuts to the dough. You could even make it plain, perhaps adding a bit of lemon or orange zest in that case.

No matter what else is used, this is a champion amongst sweet yeast doughs!

Sour Cream Easter Bread
From Angellovescooking

For Dough:
3 Eggs and 1 yolk
200 g. Sour cream
150 g. Sugar
60 g. Butter, melted
40 g. Neutral or walnut oil
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1/2 Tsp. Rum extract or 1 TBSP rum, optional
1/2 TBSP Lemon juice
30 g. Fresh yeast, or 10 g. Active dry yeast
650 g. Bread flour, sifted

Butter and sugar, for the mold

Find a mold for the bread- a large kugelhopf mold, bundt mold or other loaf pan. Grease with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
Mix sour cream and yeast to dissolve. Add eggs and yolk, sugar, vanilla, rum and lemon juice.

Whisk together the salt and flour. Add the above wet mixture and knead until smooth. Add salt, oil and butter and knead until well incorporated.

Let rise for 1 hour to 90 minutes, or until doubled, in an oiled covered bowl.

Divide dough into 3 pieces. Spread each with filling and roll up, then twist and the whole twist in half. Place each piece into the kugelhopf or other bread mold to fill it up, then cover and let rise another 1 hour-90 minutes.

Bake at 180℃ for 45-50 minutes, covering with aluminium foil if it browns too quickly.

For the Filling:
200 g. Walnuts
150 g. Honey, liquid
1-2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 TBSP Rum
1 Egg white, lightly beaten

Grind nuts in a food processor until some coarse bits remain, but most are smooth. Add honey, cinnamon, rum and egg white and mix well.

Nusskipferl I and II

Nusskipferl I, in the middle, and II around the perimeter.

These crescent-shaped nut cookies are probably the most essential Christmas cookie of all- and for good reason. Not only are they pretty with their curvy shape and coat of powder sugar, but they're buttery and nutty with a soft, crumbly texture. I tried two different recipes as an experiment, and I honestly can't choose a favourite. The recipe without eggs is a little more like a classic shortbread and is a bit simpler, but the one with yolks is easier to work with and holds its shape better when baked. You can use almonds or hazelnuts, but in my family they'd be unthinkable without at least some of the latter. I made one batch with Bourbon-vanilla sugar, and one with a hint of cinnamon- both flavours are highly complementary to the hazelnut. Try one, or the other, or both, Christmas or not.

Nusskipferl I
From chefkoch.de

560 g. Flour
160 g. Sugar
400 g. Butter, cold
200 g. Ground hazelnuts
1 Packet of vanilla sugar, or 1 TBSP homemade

about 1/4 C. Powdered sugar and one additional packet/tablespoon of vanilla sugar

Preheat oven to 180℃.

Cut the butter into small cubes. In a food processor, or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix all of the ingredients until homogeneous. Wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cut the dough into small pieces. For each piece, roll with the palm of your hand to form a log, then curve it to form a crescent shape. Press down lightly. Repeat until all the dough is used.

On a baking sheet with parchment, bake the crescents for about 12-15 minutes depending on size, or until the bottoms are just beginning to brown.

Allow the cookies to cool and set. Mix the powdered sugar and remaining vanilla sugar and use a sifter to dust the cookies.

Nusskipferl II
Adapted from Dr.Oetker: Backen Macht Freude

250 g. Flour
1/4 Tsp. Baking powder
Pinch of salt
125 g. Sugar
1 Packet vanilla sugar, or 1 TBSP homemade
3 Egg yolks
200 g. Cold butter
150 g. Ground hazelnuts, almonds, or a mix
2 Tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 C. Powder sugar and 1 Tsp. Cinnamon, to dust

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a food processor or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the ground nuts and sugar. Add the butter in small pieces and mix until crumbly. Add the egg yolks.

Once a homogenous dough forms, wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180℃. Shape the dough into small crescents and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly brown. Let cool before sprinkling with the powder sugar and remaining cinnamon through a sieve.

Ginger-Walnut-Date Granola

I'm not a granola person... at all. I love oats, and I love muesli, and those crunchy bars with the oats and nuts... but granola itself has always disappointed me in the past. It's too sweet, too bland, with not nearly enough of the mix ins, and usually too expensive. Still, the idea of sweet, crunchy clusters of flavoured oats with dried fruit and nuts is a very welcome one, so I figured that a homemade granola might be better. And indeed, it was.

This granola was probably the first that I've ever really, really liked. It's sweet and crunchy, but not too oily or sweet. The spices and vanilla make it almost cookie-like, but not too rich. And the combination of walnuts, dates and ginger is just right- the dates add some fruity sweetness and chewiness, the ginger is both sweet and zingy, and the nuts are toasty and crunchy in a perfectly complementary way. Walnuts and dates are well-known to go well together, but they make a wonderful menage-a-trois with ginger as well.

It's very satisfying to make granola- and easy. All you need to to is mix your dry ingredients- I added some oat flour to help cement my clusters together- and pour on the wet ones, mix the whole affair up well, and spread it on a baking pan. Once it smells ready, you just let it set, add the fruits, and break up your nice oaty chunks. This recipe is a little unusual in its inclusion of egg whites, but since I've always got a few left over from some custard or pudding, and it adds a little protein, I don't mind. You can just as easily leave them out, but they do help to make the granola clustery. The golden syrup is easy enough to find if there's a British products section in your local supermarket, but can also be substituted with agave nectar or, probably, corn syrup. I like golden syrup because it isn't too sweet, and has a unique raw-sugar flavour. It's definitely worth looking for.

Because of the sweet dates and crystallized ginger, no further sweetness is needed, so this granola is best eaten with plain yogourt or milk. It retains its crunchy character for well over a week, but shouldn't be kept out indefinitely (I froze half of my batch for later) and needs to be in an airtight container all the while. It also can be eaten all on its own as a snack.

And thus, I dream of the possibilities for many more granola variants over a bowlful...

Ginger-Walnut-Date Granola
Adapted from Food in Jars, by Marisa McClellan

3 1/2 C. (300 g.) Old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 C. (40 g.) Oat flour (or 1/2 C. rolled oats ground finely in a food processor)
1 Tsp. Ground ginger
1 Tsp. Cinnamon (optional)
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1 TBSP Flaxseed meal (optional)
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/4 C. (60 ml) Neutral oil, e.g. sunflower or canola
1/2 C. (120 ml) Golden syrup, or agave nectar
2 Egg whites, stirred until frothy
1 C. (140 g.) Crystallized ginger, diced
100 g. Pitted dates, diced
1 C. (130 g.) walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 160℃.

Mix salt, spices, flaxseed (if using), walnuts, oats and flour. Add oil, vanilla and syrup and mix until well-coated, then add egg whites. 

Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, mixing well every 10 minutes.

Sprinkle ginger and date pieces onto the granola and mix in quickly while still warm, then leave to set in a dry place overnight.

Break up the cooled, dried granola into little clusters. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze for several months.

Honey Custard French Toast with Chocolate Honey Sauce and Pecans

I normally don't use so many eggs in my French toast, but I wondered if I could get a better result if I was more extravagant. Indeed- this is the richest, custardiest, pillowiest french toast I've ever had. It's soft but not soggy, not too eggy, and does my nice brioche loaf justice. The cinnamon compliments the mild sweetness of the honey, and it practically doesn't need any toppings.

Of course, it's better if you do. I made a simple sauce of chocolate and honey, puddinglike and bittersweet, creamy and perfectly balanced with the gentle flavour of the toasts. A topping of crunchy nutty pecans seals the deal- definitely a worthy weekend breakfast. 

Honey Custard French Toast
From Mr. Breakfast

10-12 Slices of brioche or challah
1 3/4 C. Whole milk
1/2 C. Honey
1 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 TBSP Rum
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
6 Eggs, beaten
About 2 TBSP Butter
Oil, to fry

Whisk together the salt, cornstarch and cinnamon. Set aside.

Mix the eggs, milk, honey, vanilla and rum. Whisk in the cinnamon mixture. Pour the mix into a shallow pan to a depth of about 2 cm.

Soak the bread slices for about 30 seconds per side. Heat a skillet pan with oil on medium and fry until golden brown, about a minute on each side. 

Pat the excess oil off the finished pieces with a paper towel. Overlap the slices with a small sliver of the butter on top of each. Keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.


Chocolate Honey Sauce

1 C. Whole milk
2 Tsp. Cornstarch
1 Tsp. Vanilla sugar
1/4 C. Honey
40 g. Semisweet chocolate

About 1/2 C. Toasted pecan pieces, to serve

Heat 3/4 of the milk until steaming. Mix the cornstarch, honey, remaining milk and sugar in a small bowl. Pour into the hot milk and whisk thoroughly, cooking on medium-low until thickened. Stir in pieces of the chocolate until all are dissolved. Serve warm with the french toast. Serve pecans on the side.

Vermillion Veggie Burgers, Cinnamon-Cumin-Ginger Sweet Potatoes & Nutty Garlic Sauce

I've been experimenting with TVP recently- it seems like such a retro, hippie, first-wave vegetarian thing, but it's rightful in its longevity. It's very versatile and adds texture and protein to any number of vegetarian foods, including veggie burgers.

I made these with leftover pink beans, some TVP and quinoa flakes for a high-protein burger. I can't stand it when a meat substitute lacks any of the protein of the original thing- so I continue my search for how to make more sustainable protein-rich foods. These burgers also contain grated carrots for moisture and colour, which in combination with the paprika makes them vermillion-hued. I topped them with breadcrumbs and hazelnut flour for some crispiness and toasty flavour.

Instead of buns, I used slices of sweet potato roasted with cumin seeds, lemon olive oil, ginger and cinnamon to layer over and under the burgers. Even without the burger, though, they're a delicious side dish. Then again, I love all things cumin.

I also made a sauce from almond butter, vegan nut-based yogurt, and garlic to give a cool, creamy, tangy condiment to go with the burgers. It goes very well with the burgers, provided you can find nut yogurt. If not, you can use regular yogurt, or premade vegan mayonnaise. I also served them with red onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles, olives and hot peppers for a complete meal.

While my search for a replacement for the classic burger continues, these are delicious, colourful, healthy fare. They look nice when composed, too.

Vermillion Veggie Burgers

1 C. Pink beans or pinto beans
1/2 C. Quinoa flakes or quick-cook oats
1/4 C. TVP
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Egg, or equivalent egg replacer (to make it vegan!)
1/4 C. Water
1 Tsp. Dried oregano
1 TBSP Smoked paprika
1 Tsp. Coriander
1/2 Tsp. Cumin
1/4 Tsp. Cayenne
1/4 Tsp. Mustard
1 1/2 C. Grated carrots
2 TBSP Ketchup
1 TBSP Vegetarian hoisin sauce or 1 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 C. Olive oil
1 TBSP Ground flaxseed
1 Medium onion, diced
3 Cloves of garlic, minced

Soak beans overnight in 6 C. of water. Cook for about an hour, until completely tender.
Mix all and mash together with a potato masher, or by hand, until a somewhat sticky mix forms. Shape into 9 patties and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 230℃.

For the Topping:
1/4 C. Hazelnut flour
1/4 C. Breadcrumbs
Oil, to brush
Salt and pepper, to taste

Brush patties with oil and sprinkle with hazelnut flour and breadcrumbs. Add a quick dash of salt and pepper. Bake until the topping is browned, about 20 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes with Cumin and Ginger

4 Large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into slices 1 cm thick
1 TBSP Cumin seeds
1 TBSP Lemon-infused olive oil, or 1 TBSP olive oil and the zest of half a lemon
1 TBSP Ginger, grated finely
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 TBSP Canola or safflower oil

Mix all but the sweet potatoes and 1/2 TBSP of the canola oil. Use the reserved oil to coat a aluminium foil lined baking tray. Preheat the oven to 230℃.

Use a silicone brush to coat the sweet potatoes evenly with the spiced mixture. Try to arrange on the baking tray for minimum overlap. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Nutty Garlic Sauce

2 TBSP Roasted almond or hazelnut butter
1/2 C. Nut milk yogurt, or plain yogurt
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP Lemon juice, or 1 Tsp. Rice vinegar
1/2 Tsp. Cumin
Black pepper and salt, to taste
Spring of thyme, minced

Whisk all together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Hoddeok- Korean Yeast Pancakes with Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Walnuts

I adore these pancakes. They're sold in Toronto's Koreatown with either a brown sugar or red bean filling, and sometimes the walnuts are replaced with roasted sunflower seeds, but they're always delicious. They can be eaten for breakfast, as a snack, with tea, and so on- just make sure you serve them hot so that the brown sugar is in its syrupy, gooey state.

These are really, really easy to make, even if you're not experienced with yeast doughs. Just make sure the water isn't hot, and you're good to go. The ingredients are simple, and probably already in your pantry. The rise time is quite short, and you don't even need to knead it too much- just mix well with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. The only step requiring any real work is shaping the dough into balls and filling them, which is quick work as long as your surface has enough flour to prevent sticking. They're vegan, too. What's not to love?

These are the best on a cold, wet, or otherwise gloomy day when you want something sweet with a drink of tea or coffee, but don't have the energy to make the whole shebang of a pastry. Of course, syrupy and fried things are always rather comforting, and these have the added bonus of making the vicinity smell like cinnamon and brown sugar.

If you want to switch it up, the filling options are very versatile. I made half of mine with a cup of grated mozzarella, a clove of minced garlic, a teaspoon of oregano and a fat pinch of red chili flakes to make a savoury version. Really, anything melty is very good. Suggestions include choco-hazelnut spread and banana slices, chocolate and mini-marshmallows, tomato sauce and cheese, maple sugar... whatever you happen to have on hand. I'd definitely try the more classic red bean paste option, too.

Have a big pot of tea ready so that both are hot and fresh at the same time. Commit the recipe to memory as I have and enjoy the wizardry of cinnamon and brown sugar together in fried yeasted dough as often as desired.

Hoddeok
Makes 8
From Messy Witchen

1 C. Water, lukewarm
2 Tsp. Active dry yeast (I used 25 g. fresh yeast)
2 C. Flour, All purpose or bread
2 TBSP Sugar
1 TBSP Oil
1/2 Tsp. Salt
Oil, to fry

For the Filling:
1/2 C. Brown sugar
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 C. Walnut pieces

Dissolve the yeast in the water and add the sugar. Mix into the flour and add the oil and salt, kneading together to form a sticky dough. Let rise, covered, for an hour.

Knead and let rest 20 minutes. Mix all of the filling ingredients and set aside. Form 8 balls on a floured surface. Flatten each and wrap around an eighth of the filling. Seal in well and form balls.

Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium-high. Add some oil and cook 1 1/2 minutes, pressing down with a spatula after 30 seconds to flatten. Flip oven and cook another minute.  Reduce heat to low and let cook one more minute, covered, to melt the sugar. Repeat until all the pancakes are fried, and serve hot.

Monkey Bread Loaf

Sometimes I come across a recipe that it seems everyone else has been familiar with since birth, but is completely alien to me. I've seen all kinds of renditions of monkey bread on the net, but never in bakeries or grocery stores- I guess it's one of those cultural phenomenons that only exists in the homemade state. And that makes perfect sense- it's very easy, and also tastes the best fresh out of the oven. 

It can be made in the cheatey way probably invented by '50s housewives in the dawn of a glorious age of premade baking mixes and doughs, with canned biscuit dough and plain old sugar. Just take bits of dough, roll them in sugar, adhere them together and bake. Add whatever spices or enrichments you like, but it all comes back to that simple formula. Of course, yeast doughs are also a possibility, such as this recipe here (you could use store-bought bread dough... but why you'd want to do that is completely lost on me) and the dough itself can be further varied to be a sort of brioche or egg bread, simple white bread, t cetera. 

The top sugar is crispy, yet conceals a gooey underbelly, like a lava flow! Only safer and better tasting.

I really like this buttermilk-based, very simple dough that I've jazzed up just a tad with orange extract and vanilla. It's tangy and mildly sweet, tender, and requires no eggs. The orange goes really well with the vanilla- lemon is also good, or even tangerine zest would be excellent.

The sugar itself is the basic brown sugar plus a bit of cinnamon and cardamom for what I'd hoped would be some Nordic flair. I lived in Finland as a toddler, and while I remember nothing of it, my mother always tells me of how all the pastries were flavoured with cardamom. I like to think this spice has imprinted itself on me that way- I now use it in biscuits, on oatmeal, in puddings, even on plain old bananas. You can imagine how much I like Indian sweets, which use a lot of cardamom. But you can always try another spice- maybe replace the cinnamon and cardamom duo with 1 1/2 Tsp. of apple pie, pumpkin pie, or even gingerbread spice. You don't really need any spices, but they definitely add something to the sugary buttery aura of the bread.

Speaking of butter- you don't need to use it, so long as you get the sugar to stick to the dough bits in some way or another, but it adds a lot of flavour and welcome richness. Not too much, not too little. Just right for breakfast, with tea, or to pick off with a fork while reading on a rainy day. 

Definitely a party favour favourite. The Carnage has already begun, as the missing chunks indicate.

Monkey Bread Loaf
Adapted from Baking Bites

2 1/2 Tsp. Active dry yeast
1 1/2 C. Buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 Tsp. Orange extract, or the zest of one orange
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 C. Sugar
3 to 3 1/2 C. Bread flour

Topping Mixture:
1/2 C. Butter, melted
1 C. Light brown sugar, or a mixture of white and dark brown sugar
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Cardamom

Grease a 9" loaf pan with butter and set aside.

Mix the yeast, buttermilk, extracts and sugar. Add just enough flour to form a sticky, cohesive dough and knead until elastic- it will remain sticky. Let rise covered for about an hour, or until doubled.

Divide into small pieces, about 16. Form balls. Mix the light brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. Dip the balls of dough firstly into the butter, then into the sugar mixture. Place the balls into the pan and once all the dough is used up, pour any remaining butter and sugar on top. Let rise 45 minutes covered.

Bake at 190℃ for about 35 minutes, or until the inside of the bread registers 190℉ with a thermometer. Let cool before unmolding- or eat straight from the pan while warm.

Graham Crackers

These are some of the most useful things for the aspiring American-style baker. Commercially available almost everywhere are boxes and bags of crackers and crumbs, used to make crusts for pies and tarts, bases for bars, all manner of no-bake sweets, not to mention s'mores. However, a brief look at the ingredients list and you'd never guess that these were originally meant to be a sort of pure, all-natural food created by a reverend to help stave off lustful urges (well, if you say so...). Mind you, the original crackers didn't contain nearly so much sugar either, but that's an adjustment that I certainly don't mind. Otherwise they wouldn't be nearly so good for baking with.

Though the original recipe used only white sugar, some of the distinctive graham flavour comes from molasses and/or honey, so a bit of brown sugar and honey is called for. You also need whole wheat pastry flour (or alternatively, white whole wheat flour) since the whole wheat content is one of the hallmarks of graham crackers. One might not be familiar with the leavener- baker's ammonia. Baker's ammonia usually refers to ammonium carbonate, but I used ammonium bicarbonate (a.k.a Hirschhornsalz or hartshorn), which works just as well - it's sold more and more commonly at well-stocked grocery stores, especially those with lots of Italian or North European products (as the ingredient is used extensively in biscuits there). You need to dissolve the ammonia in water to prevent any lumps from being left in the dough- you really don't want to bite into that. But mixing it with the liquid portion is all you need to do. 

The cinnamon is a matter of taste, but I don't think it'd taste like a proper graham cracker to me without it. Likewise, you don't need to sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar, but it does add a nice touch of flavour and texture.

This recipe is remarkably easy to make vegan- egg replacers won't work everywhere, but since you only need one egg here as a binding agent, an equivalent amount of egg replacer works just as well. This was very handy when I was making these for my Jain friend, so that she could also enjoy some campfire s'mores (along with vegan marshmallows). That also means you don't need any fresh ingredients whatsoever, so you can whip these up whenever. With such an untemperamental and easy to work dough, the only caveat is letting them dry properly for full crispiness- but that's completely effortless, just switch off the oven and let the door stay open a while. Think about how cool you'll look when you tell everyone you make your own graham crackers. It's some domestic goddess level stuff right there.

If you need any more motivation to make these cheap, delicious, preservative-free biscuits in lieu of shifty, extra ingredient-laden, and often expensive storebought ones, consider that they last weeks in a well-sealed container, and months in the freezer. You can keep them on the ready for whenever you feel like making a cheesecake base, an oven-broiler emergency s'more, or something decadent like a seven-layer bar. I have a boxful in my freezer right now! Go for it.


Graham Crackers (easily vegan!)
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 C. Whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
2 TBSP Honey
1/2 Tsp. Baker's ammonia (ammonium carbonate) or ammonium bicarbonate
1/4 C. Vegetable oil (or melted butter)
1/4 C. Water (or orange juice)
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Egg, or egg replacer equivalent (I used Ener-G Egg Replacer)
Additional cinnamon sugar (optional)

Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and sugar. Add the egg (or replacer), honey, and oil. Dissolve the baker's ammonia thoroughly in the water (make sure there's no clumps, lest they burn your mouth if you bite into them) and add. Mix well until a cohesive dough forms, and chill for about 15 minutes to make it easier to work with.

Preheat the oven to 160℃. Divide the dough into two halves. Between sheets of baking parchment, roll out the first piece of dough as thin as possible without tearing it. Remove the upper sheet of parchment, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (if desired). Poke with a fork all over and repeat with the second piece of dough. Bake both sheets of dough for 10 minutes. 

Remove from the oven briefly and score lines with a sharp knife to make rectangles of the desired size of your crackers- don't separate them, you can snap them apart later. Place back in the oven for an additional 20-25 minutes, switching the positions of the trays in your oven halfway through for even baking. The crackers will be slightly browned when done, but still soft to the touch- don't keep baking, as they get crisp during the cooling process.

Turn off the oven and let the crackers cool gradually with the oven door ajar. When the air in the oven is at ambient temperature (hover your hand in front of it to see how warm it is) remove the crackers. When completely cool they can be snapped along the lines you cut earlier into individual crackers, or you can leave them as sheets. Keep in a well-sealed container for about 3 weeks in a dry place, or freeze for several months.