Baking and Chocolate

Loving Nancy Silverton: Pastries from the La Brea Bakery

I have purchased a lot of cookbooks over the years and most of them are worn out. I have all sorts of books; baking (obviously), lots of ethnic books, books by famous chefs, including Nancy Silverton. I used to frequent her “grilled cheese” nights at Campanelli, back in the early 90′s and oh do I miss those early morning breakfast’s before heading off to create in my first furniture studio. Tartine in S.F. reminds me of what Campanelli used to be; intimate, delicious and casual.

I like the food at Mozza (not the wait or the crowd) and I have saved every Food and Wine Magazine that she contributed to (a particular Thanksgiving meal in 1994(?) was one of my all time favorites). My most favorite marinade for flank steak is in her book Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton at Home. Also in that book is one of the BEST Meyer Lemon Tarts, ever!!!! I have a meyer lemon tree for this very recipe.

I recently got Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery. I read it cover to cover before deciding on what to make first. I started with her scone recipe. I love making scones and have made all kinds. I like to make lots of different flavors at once and then flash freeze. This way, my kids have scones on any given morning and scones are only good when right out of the oven.

Green Market Baking

Laura C. Martin wants you to have your cake and eat it, too. That is, only if it's baked with all-natural, preferably locally sourced ingredients. Think it can't be done? Martin proves it can in her new book, Green Market Baking Book: 100 Delicious Recipes for Naturally Sweet & Savory Treats.

The recipes, some created by Martin and others by influential chefs and food writers including Alice Waters and Dan Barber, are made with all-natural, organic, sustainable ingredients. Refined sugar is out. Brown rice syrup, agave nectar, and barley malt syrup are in. White flour is used, but many recipes suggest substituting at least part of the flour with whole-grain alternatives such as rye or spelt.

This is the type of the cookbook that you really must peruse first before delving right into a recipe. Otherwise, you'll likely find that you don't have many of the listed ingredients in your pantry. Here's where Martin helps: In the book's opening, she explains unfamiliar ingredients, suggests sugar substitutions, provides guidelines for using oils and dairy in baked goods and even tells you how to stock your pantry.

Easy Artisan Bacon Cheese Bread

easy-artisan-bacon-cheese-bread- This. Bread......Wow.

This bread dough recipe is inspired from the amazing book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. I have been baking their regular bread recipe for what seems like forever. If you've tried it, you know it's about the easiest, no fail recipe out there.

Their bread formula has been a life-changer for me. It allows me to bake bread several times a week that tastes delicious and looks like I've spent hours in the kitchen. No kneading or punching down is necessary. And the taste and texture are spot on.

I can highly recommend their books, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. These are some of the best recipes for those of you who are a little intimidated about making bread. You will be surprised how easy it is to achieve some gorgeous loaves.

The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Cookies

For the best cookies

Buy The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Cookies

Alice's New Classic Brownies

Oh.

No, really, oh. Oh as in “Oh my, these brownies” and “Oh damn, these brownies.” Oh as “Oh I can’t believe this recipe is so amazing” and “Oh there goes any bit of self control I had.”

Get the picture?

You can roll your eyes a bit when you say “Oh”. It helps.

Even though I don’t claim to have the world’s largest sweet tooth and go for salty over sweet most days, I can’t help but claim this brownie recipe as one of the best I’ve ever tasted. Because to me, brownies seem like the perfect treat in theory. Chocolately, studded with fun things like nuts or fruit, small and compact and enough to satisfy thanks to their rich nature. But sometimes, well, you can’t help but feel let down sometimes when you bite into a brownie that’s dry, too moist or not moist enough, tastes like a mix or worse, doesn’t resemble a brownie at all.

Baking and Chocolate