Posts made in January, 2021

Bready or Not Original: Honey Cornbread Loaf

Posted by on Jan 27, 2021 in Blog, Bready or Not, quick bread, side dish | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Honey Cornbread Loaf

Cornbread is good ol’ basic American comfort food, perfect to warm up bellies at this time of year.

Bready or Not Original: Honey Cornbread Loaf

Sometimes, though, you don’t want a huge batch of cornbread. Just enough for a meal or two, maybe. That’s where this recipe comes in.

Bready or Not Original: Honey Cornbread Loaf

It makes a 9×5 loaf pan of delicious cornbread. Leftovers keep well wrapped up at room temperature, and the bread can also be frozen to eat later.

Bready or Not Original: Honey Cornbread Loaf

This cornbread is soft with a strong cornbread flavor highlighted with a touch of sweetness. Heat it up, add some butter, and you’re set.

Bready or Not Original: Honey Cornbread Loaf

Eat it by itself for a warming snack. Make it to go along with chili or soup or a roast. However you eat it, it’ll be yummy.

Bready or Not Original: Honey Cornbread Loaf

This small loaf is perfect for one person or a small family. It keeps well at room temperature for days, and can be frozen for later enjoyment, too.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: quick bread
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • 9x5x3 loaf pan

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup golden flax meal
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or substitute plain yogurt or crème fraiche
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 large eggs room temperature

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×5-3 loaf pan with a parchment paper sling along the long side, with enough paper sticking up on each side to grip it.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together cornmeal, flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, and salt.
  • In a big bowl, beat together oil, sour cream, honey, and eggs. Add in the dry ingredients until just mixed. Pour batter into the pan.
  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Let cool at least 10 minutes before using paper sling to set cornbread on cutting board.
  • Cornbread keeps well for days well-wrapped at room temperature. It can also be frozen for later enjoyment.

OM NOM NOM!

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    Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies

    Posted by on Jan 20, 2021 in Blog, Bready or Not, brownies, chocolate | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies

    Cocoa nibs add chocolate flavor and a crunch to baked goods, and they are fantastic atop these Cocoa Nib Brownies!

    Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies

    Cocoa nibs are strongly flavored like dark chocolate. You don’t need a lot of them to add a boost to these brownies.

    Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies

    The original version of this recipe involved melting the chocolate and butter on the stovetop. Ain’t nobody got time for that. I ended up reworking the entire recipe.

    Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies

    I’m all about using the microwave whenever I can. Fast to heat up, convenient to stick the bowl in the dishwasher afterward!

    Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies

    Of course, you can go back to the stove top method if you want. Either way, you get a delicious, chewy brownie packed with chocolate flavor plus a crunch.

    Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies

    This recipe results in a luscious brownie with an extra crunch and flavor boost courtesy of cocoa nibs.
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: brownies, chocolate, cocoa nibs
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • 9×13 dish
    • big microwave-safe bowl
    • uneven spatula

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
    • 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
    • 1 3/4 cups white sugar
    • 4 large eggs room temperature
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/4 cup cocoa nibs plus 1 Tb

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
    • In a big microwave-safe bowl, in short bursts melt together the butter and 1 1/4 cups of the bittersweet chocolate chips, stirring well between each pass, until everything is melted together and smooth.
    • Whisk sugar into the chocolate. It’s okay if it still looks somewhat grainy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, following up with the flour and salt. Once no streaks of white remain, fold in the last 3/4 cups of chocolate chips.
    • Pour batter into the pan and use an uneven spatula to spread it to corners. Sprinkle the cocoa nibs evenly all over the stop.
    • Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Set out to cool completely. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board, and slice into pieces. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not Original: Browned Butter Coffee Bundt Cake

      Posted by on Jan 13, 2021 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, bundt, cake, nutty | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Browned Butter Coffee Bundt Cake

      This Browed Butter Coffee Bundt Cake is moist, delicious, and packed with a flavors that will get your day off to a good start.

      Bready or Not Original: Brown Butter Coffee Bundt Cake

      And by a good start, of course, that includes CAFFEINE. Espresso powder is included in the icing!

      Bready or Not Original: Brown Butter Coffee Bundt Cake

      What I love about this cake is that it has all the luscious flavors of a coffee cake without the crumbly mess of the topping. In this cake, that crunchy, extra-sugary layer is in the center!

      Bready or Not Original: Brown Butter Coffee Bundt Cake

      This is a great cake for a breakfast or brunch, and it’s a fantastic one to cut into individual slices, wrap up, and freeze for later.

      Bready or Not Original: Brown Butter Coffee Bundt Cake

      If 2021 is anything like 2020, it’s a very good idea to have a stash of quick-thaw cake in the freezer.

      Bready or Not Original: Brown Butter Coffee Bundt Cake

      Modified from Fall Baking Magazine 2013.

      Bready or Not Original: Browned Butter Coffee Bundt Cake

      This cake has all the delicious flavors and textures of a coffee cake, but without the crumbling, messy topping!
      Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
      Cuisine: American
      Keyword: bundt cake, cake, coffee, pecans
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • large bundt cake pan

      Ingredients

      Bundt cake

      • 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks
      • nonstick spray with flour
      • 2 cups pecan pieces finely chopped, divided
      • 2 cups brown sugar packed, divided
      • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
      • 3 cups all-purpose flour
      • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
      • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
      • 3/4 teaspoon salt
      • 3 large eggs room temperature
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt or plain yogurt, crème fraiche, or sour cream

      Coffee icing

      • 4 teaspoons milk or half & half, or more as needed
      • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
      • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar or more as needed

      Instructions

      • First of all, brown the butter. (Note that this can be done a day ahead of time with the butter stashed in the fridge; set at room temperature to soften again or briefly and carefully, zap in microwave before mixing into recipe.) In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until it becomes brown and embodied by a nutty fragrance. Remove from heat and cool for a while, then transfer to a small bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2 hours, at minimum, to make firm.
      • Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Apply nonstick spray with flour to coat inside of a large bundt pan. Soften the browned butter a bit.
      • Prepare the filling. In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 cups of chopped pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons of flour. Add 3 Tablespoons of the browned butter and work it in with a fork until it makes a crumbly mix.
      • In another bowl, mix together the 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
      • In a big mixing bowl, beat together the remaining browned butter with the rest of the brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Take turns mixing in the dry ingredients and the yogurt until just combined. Fold in the remaining 1 1/4 cups pecans.
      • Pour about half the batter into the prepared pan and even it out. Sprinkle filling over it all the way around. Pour in the rest of the batter and spread it even again.
      • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test in the middle. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then invert it onto a rack to completely cool.
      • Make the coffee icing. Stir together the milk, espresso powder, and confectioners’ sugar, adding more milk or sugar as needed to make an icing of a good consistency. Drizzle over cake.
      • Store at room temperature. Can be sliced and frozen for later enjoyment.

      OM NOM NOM!

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        Bready or Not: Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

        Posted by on Jan 6, 2021 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies, nutty | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

        These Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies take some extra work, but that is evident in their final appearance and flavor.

        Bready or Not: Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

        Seriously, these cookies are amazing. The shortbread-like base is filled with frangipane and crowned with a pecan. You get layers of flavor and texture in a single bite.

        Bready or Not: Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

        “What is frangipane?” you may ask. It’s an almond custard found in various fine European baked goods. You’ll find it in past Bready or Not recipes like last week’s Galettes Des Rois.

        Bready or Not: Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

        I wouldn’t rate this recipe as difficult, just outright laborious.

        Bready or Not: Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

        Plan to make these cookies over a day or a few days, and then try to space out the eating of the cookies like that, too. They are sooo dangerously good.

        Bready or Not: Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

        Modified from the original found in Bon Appetit December 2018/January 2019.

        Bready or Not: Double Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

        There’s no denying these cookies take extra work, but they look like it and taste like it! A shortbread-like base is topped with luscious from-scratch frangipane with a whole pecan crown. These cookies are delicious decadence.
        Course: Dessert, Snack
        Cuisine: American
        Keyword: cookies, pecans
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • food processor
        • stand mixer

        Ingredients

        Frangipane

        • 2 cups pecan halves
        • 1/3 cup white sugar
        • 1 large egg white
        • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
        • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
        • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
        • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

        Dough and Assembly

        • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
        • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
        • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
        • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature
        • 1/4 cup white sugar
        • 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar divided; plus more for serving, if desired
        • 1 large egg yolk
        • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste

        Instructions

        Make the Frangipane

        • (This stage can be done as much as 3 days ahead of time. Cover the finished frangipane and store it in the fridge. There will be leftovers, but it’s great toasted on bread or mixed into other cookie dough recipes.)
        • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spread out the pecans on it to mostly be in a single layer. Lightly toast them for a total of 6 to 8 minutes, with a pause in the middle to stir them. Let the pecans cool. Set aside 1 1/4 cups to go into the cookie dough.
        • Pulse the 3/4 cup of pecans and white sugar in a food processor until nuts are very finely ground, which will take less than a minute (don’t let them become paste!). Divide the egg, adding the egg white to the processor; place the yolk in a small bowl, add a sprinkle of sugar to help preserve it, then stash it in the fridge to go into the dough later.
        • Into the food processor, add the butter, espresso powder, salt, and almond extract. Pulse until everything is smooth and combined. Scrape the frangipane into a small bowl and chill for anywhere from 30 minutes (minimum) to 3 days.

        Cookie Dough

        • In the clean food processor, pulse the flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 cup of the reserved pecans until nuts are very finely ground, about 1 minute. (Note that there is still 1/4 cup of pecans reserved for topping the cookies.)
        • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, white sugar, and 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated, about 1 minute.
        • Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until it is firm enough to be scooped and hold its shape, 30 to 45 minutes.

        Make the Cookies

        • Set oven racks in upper and lower thirds, and preheat at 350-degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
        • Place 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Scoop out dough by the tablespoon and roll into balls, then roll in confectioners’ sugar, knocking off any excess. Set balls on baking sheets, spaced a few inches apart.
        • Bake cookies for 6 to 8 minutes, until puffed but edges are still soft. Remove sheets from oven. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with the handle end of a wooden spoon or a similar heatproof object. Spoon a heaping 1/2-teaspoon of frangipane into each well and top with a pecan half from the reserved 1/4 cup.
        • Return cookies to oven and continue to bake until edges are set and very lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes more. Let cool on baking sheets.
        • If desired, serve with a dusting of extra confectioners’ sugar on top. Cookies keep well in a sealed, room temperature container for up to 5 days.

        OM NOM NOM!

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