-Me, age 10 to 15

That’s the whole list.

It was a fragile time, the ill-famed awkward stage, one I filled with activities like: making water balloon families and naming them after the cast of Full House, plastering every square inch of my bedroom walls with posters of Disney Channel stars to “take a rebellious stance” against the ”hideous lavender paint for babies,” cutting my own side bangs to be just like everybody else an individual, misunderstanding the concept of eyeliner … oh, how vivid is the ghost of braces past.

In retrospect, I think the first defining moment of my awkward stage was when I opened up a box of Pop-Tarts to find that I had WON A FREE IPOD and literally ran in circles around my house singing “I’VE GOT A GOLDEN TICKET!!” because clearly I had just won a trip to the Wonka factory. (shout-out to my parents for laughing only behind my back)

That sleek, sexy (chunky, made-in-2006) piece of mp3-playing metal defined me as a real live “preteen,” and when that term comes into play in any young female’s life, things immediately take a turn for the worse. I filled that iPod with lots of High School Musical and thus my awkward stage was born. A Kellogg’s miracle.

(I will not be including any photographs of myself from this time as I do not condone publicizing early adolescence. Which is why I will never understand bat mitzvahs.)

I ate so many Pop-Tarts as a child that I actually ended up with the prize-winning box. I ditched them as a regular snack around the same time that kale started being a thing that I thought about, so it’s been a hot minute since I’ve tasted their genuine chalky goodness. (That’s a lie, I ate Pop-Tarts on prom night, but I’ve decided to omit all of prom from the list of “things that have happened in my life,” so they don’t officially count).

When it dawned on me that Pop-Tarts could be homemade, it also dawned on me that I could fill them with Biscoff spread. So the next morning at dawn (just kidding, I’ve never once functioned at dawn) I embarked on an adventure to build a better Pop-tart, 0% chalky preservative awkward stage mess, 100% flaky rich goodness with some seriously awesome caramel-y depth of flavor. I made them tiny because I generally prefer tiny things (this does not apply to bags of kettle corn or closet space), but it turns out that these are so overwhelmingly flavorful and satisfying that a smaller-than-average serving size is perfect. If you’ve never experienced the magic of Biscoff, it is an ethereally smooth cookie spread made from ground Belgian ginger cookies, and there are few things more delicious/addicting on the planet. Stuff it in Pop-Tarts and your life will improve exponentially.

In conclusion, I have managed to make icing covered cookies filled with ground cookies and call them breakfast. ‘Impossible’ is no longer a word in my vocabulary.

Biscoff Pop-Tarts

10 ounces all-purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

8 ounces cold butter, cubed

6 ounces light corn syrup (I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup instead of corn syrup because its what I had on hand, because I’m that girl. I think it added a whole new dimension to the dough, so if you can’t find Lyle’s Golden Syrup because you are a normal human, maybe try using a combination of honey or maple syrup and corn syrup.)

Biscoff Spread (you will need less than a jar, but you will eat the rest of the jar. Trust. ALSO, the Trader Joe’s version is NOT GOOD, Lotus Brand is the absolute best!)

3 egg whites (or 3 tablespoons of meringue powder + 4 tablespoons of water. Again, I tend to have the stranger ingredients on hand.)

4 cups confectioners sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cut the butter into the flour, along with the salt, until reduced to pea sized lumps. You can use a hand/stand mixer or a food processor, or just do it with your fingers. Then add the corn syrup all at once and mix until it forms a ball. Dust your hands with a little flour, scoop out the dough, and knead lightly until smooth.
Flatten the dough into a squarish shape, cut it in half into two rectangles, wrap each in plastic, and chill 30 minutes or as long as you like. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.Preheat oven to 350. Once the dough is thoroughly chilled, roll out one of the rectangles to 1/4”, and no thicker. Even slightly less than 1/4″ thickness is ideal Remember, each Pop-Tart will have two layers of dough, Biscoff filling, and icing on top. If the dough is rolled too thick, you could end up with a 1″ Pop-Tart. Not ideal. What I did was roll each rectangle into a very long and skinny rectangle, about 6″ wide and 16″ long. If it’s longer, that’s fine, just keep it 6″ wide. Then, I sliced the rectangle into two 3″ by 16″ strips, and then sliced those strips crosswise every 2 inches. You should end up with a bunch of symmetrical 2×3 squares of dough. It’s fine if they’re not perfect, as long as each rectangle has an equal sized counterpart to pair it with.

Brush the squares with a little milk or water to act as your “glue” when you seal the layers together. Spread about 2 tablespoons of Biscoff on half the 2×3 squares, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edge. Top these with the remaining pieces of dough. Smooth the dough over the filling and press out any air bubbles before gently sealing the edges of the dough together. Crimp the edges of the dough with a fork to up the cuteness meter. I then trimmed the ragged edges of my sealed pop tarts with a pairing knife for even more cuteness.

Poke several holes with a fork in the top layers of the pop-tarts to create steam vents, so they don’t explode in baking. Transfer your Pop-Tarts to a parchment lined or well-greased baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until they just start to become golden brown around the edges.

While those bake, repeat this entire process again with the second half of the dough you forgot was still in the fridge. Let all Pop-Tarts cool completely before icing.

Make the icing: beat the egg whites (or meringue powder and water) with the vanilla extract with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the confectioners sugar gradually and beat on low until the mixture is shiny. Increase speed to high and beat until icing forms stiff, glossy peaks, about 5-7 minutes. If using meringue powder, beat until it reaches soft peaks. Spoon a very small amount of icing on the center of each Pop-Tart, and carefully spread until it reaches the crimped edge. Top with sprinkles for over the top cuteness. Let the icing harden before eating… in fact, these Pop-Tarts are even better the second day, if they last that long.

If you never had an awkward stage, you’re probably still in one. Embrace it.

Jordana

(Excuse my merciless adjective abuse.)

I’m sitting here trying to think of things to say about how much I love spring and I just can’t. I cannot put it into words. I guess it’s like Mother Nature went down the pastel aisle at Michael’s and drew all over everything in the world. That’s what spring is like. It’s like all the puppies and kittens and bunnies and baby chicks are parading around flaunting their cuteness and snuggling in fluffy white blankets because that’s what cute baby animals are supposed to do. Cuddle with things. Spring is one big cuddle fest of nature. There. I found words.

Note to self/everyone: when faced with writer’s block, start talking about baby animals and everything will be okay.

In all aspects of life, the springtime has brought many beautiful things. Like cookies for friends, mason jar candle lanterns, pottery, and pizza night.

And when I wake up and the birds are singing, I like to open all the windows and make breakfasts like this.

Is it just me, or is more than just the earth in bloom this season? In a matter of months I’ll be embarking on this new cool adventure called my dream college, in New York City nonetheless. (!!!!!!) I feel like my brain is a cauldron of bubbling ambitions… it’s the best feeling in the world. There are a bazillion new babies and everyone’s in love and the sky is blue and it’s beautiful. Maybe it’s the whole apocalypse deal. I dunno. But I love it.

Okay, lemon cake. I made some. It was Spring, in the form of a dainty tangy light and lovely little cake. It is the edible embodiment of ‘chic.’ If Breakfast at Tiffany’s was a dessert… okay, you get it.

Lemon Lavender Tea Cakes

Adapted from Bon Appétit, 1993

• 3 cups cake flour (don’t want to buy cake flour? click here!)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried lavender (available at Whole Foods, many natural markets, or online)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 eggs, at room temperature (place them in a bowl of warm water for several minutes)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (pro-tip: zest lemons before juicing)
• 1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 16-cup bundt or tube pan, or 2 mini-bundt cake pans. Dust pans with cake flour; tap out excess flour.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Stir in the lavender. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Scrape down the bowl a few times to incorporate all of the butter evenly. Beat in lemon juice and peel. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in dry ingredients. Fold in sour cream. Transfer batter to prepared pans, and bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the visible edge is golden brown, about 1 hour 30 minutes for a large bundt or 20-30 minutes for minis. Let cake(s) cool completely before turning out onto cooling racks.

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups powdered sugar (or slightly more to reach desired consistency)
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dried lavender, for sprinkling on top

Whisk together the lemon and vanilla. Gradually incorporate the powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over cake immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until use. Sprinkle dried lavender onto the freshly glazed cakes. Enjoy!

Spring has sprung!!!

Jordana

I am going to state some true facts. I know that it is redundant to say ‘true’ before ‘facts’ because facts are true by definition but I did anyway for emphasis so don’t judge.

1. Everybody loves bread because bread is the best thing ever.

I also know that this is a gross generalization but really, is someone going to argue with me? You’re going to try to find someone who doesn’t like a really good slice of bread? Have fun with that one, hoodlum.

2. My new year’s resolution was to become really good at making really good bread.

I did not resolve to eat healthier. I did not resolve to regain the work ethic that slipped out of my life as soon as the titles of “senior” and then “going to college” were placed upon my head. I should have done both of those things but I figured the whole bread deal would be a lottttt more fun. And it totally was.

3. I am now capable of making really good bread. Useful, versatile, delicious, legitimate bread.

Technically this is subjective, but once again, I would have a hard time finding someone who would argue that this bread is not completely on top of the sandwich bread food chain. It’s basically a black bear, while Wonder Bread is a small rodent of sorts. This bread comes from Sarabeth Bakery’s epic and beautiful cookbook, which I highly recommend to anyone, and basically encompasses everything that a sane person would want in a loaf of standard sandwich bread. It’s about half whole wheat and half white, but if whole wheat isn’t your cup of tea, it would work fine using 100% white flour. For me, the whole wheat makes it okay to smother the bread in butter/biscoff/jam and still trick my head into thinking it’s “healthy.”

A side note: has everybody tried Biscoff spread yet? If you just said no in your head, then you need to get your hands on a jar RIGHT NOW! It is the greatest thing of my life. But really.

Perfect Sandwich Bread

From Sarabeth’s Bakery

3 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

¼ cup honey

2 ¼ cups cold water

2 ¾ cups whole wheat flour

2 ¾ cups bread flour, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons stone-ground yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (I omitted this)

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons hulled sunflower seeds

Solftened unsalted butter, for the bowl and pans

1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

1. Sprinkle the yeast over ¼ cup warm water (105-115 degrees F) in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes to soften the yeast, then stir to dissolve. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add 2 cups cold water and the honey and whisk to combine.
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer and fit with the paddle attachment. Combine the whole wheat flour, 2 ¼ cups of the bread flour, the cornmeal, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and salt in a large bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and seed mixture. Beat until a dough begins to form. Gradually add enough of the remaining bread flour to form a rough dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky, about 5 minutes, again adding a little more flour only if necessary- keep the dough soft. During the last minute or so, add the sunflower seeds.
3. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Knead with your hands to check the dough’s texture: it should be slightly sticky but not stick to the work surface. Knead in more flour only if needed. Butter a medium bowl. Shape the dough into a taut ball by pulling the sides of the dough together into the middle of the dough ball and sealing the ends together. Place in the bowl, turn to coat with butter, and turn smooth side up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until the dough doubles in volume, about 1 ¼ hours.
4. Cut the dough in half. Shape each piece into a ball. Place on a lightly floured work surface and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 15 minutes. Butter two 8 by 4 by 2 1/2 –inch loaf pans. Working with one ball of dough at a time, gently press on the dough ball to deflate the dough. Pat the dough into a thick 8-inch-long rectangle. Starting from the long side, roll and shape the dough into an 8-inch-long loaf and pinch the long seam closed. Place, seam side down, in the pan. Repeat with the second dough ball. Place the pans on a half-sheet pan.
5. Choose a warm spot in the kitchen for proofing. Slip the pan with the loaf pans into a tall “kitchen-sized” plastic bag (I used a trash bag… don’t judge. It worked great!) Place a tall glass of hot water on the pan between the loaves to keep the plastic from touching the dough. Tightly close the bag, trapping air in the bag to partially inflate it. Let stand until the loaves gently dome about an inch above the tops of the pans, about 45 minutes. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
6. When the dough is ready, remove the glass from the bag, then the pan with the loaf pans. Brush the tops lightly but thoroughly with the beaten egg. Bake until the loaves are browned and sound hollow when tapped with a wooden spoon, about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool completely on the rack.

Bread is my religion.

California fails at seasons.

Despite my lack of recent postings (thank you, senior year) I have been spending the -15% of free time that I have in the kitchen. I’ve been drinking hot apple cider more frequently than my inevitable cavities probably appreciate. I made several pies. Thanksgiving was cobbler-y and cornbread-y and pumpkin-y. Things have been tasty and Autumny and nicely spiced. However, I feel kind of… disrespectful, almost, consuming all of these things when there is a blatant lack of clouds/rain/snow/anything fall-ish to make this season feel real. Here in Southern California, our seasons are like botoxed vampires. They don’t change. 

Please stop grumbling about your frozen driveways. There are snow-deprived children in Los Angeles. Shovel for us.

However, I don’t know if I’m just more observant this past week, or if someone actually drove little bits of New England across the country and planted them in my town. I almost drove over a curb today because I couldn’t take my eyes off of the most beautiful patch of crimson and orange trees that anyone could ever imagine. Did I just admit that? Sometimes I get lost in the leaves.

Why am I talking about leaves and showing you pictures of apples? I don’t know. I like apples just as much as I like leaves, I guess. And also, I made caramel apple cinnamon rolls for you. Well actually for my French class but I won’t tell you that because I want you to feel more special than I already think you are. They were sticky and messy and sweet and salty and delicious and a lot more adjectives but I’ll stop there. They feel like fall.. even in eternal summer land. So whether you’re covered in snow or covered in barely anything because it’s so freakin’ hot out, I advise you to make cinnamon rolls, fill them with apples and drown them in salted caramel sauce. You’ll be happy either way.

Bon appétit.

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

First, make the caramel sauce:

recipe via Smitten Kitchen

1 cup sugar
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) salted butter, the better you can get, the better it will taste
1/2 cup plus two tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature

Melt the sugar over medium to moderately high heat in a larger pot than you think you’ll need–at least two or three quarts, whisking or stirring the sugar as it melts to ensure it heats evenly. Cook the liquefied sugar to a nice, dark copper color. Add the butter all at once and stir it in, before turning off the stove and pour in the heavy cream (The sauce will foam up quite a bit when you add it; this is why you want the larger pot.), whisking it until you get a smooth sauce. Pour it into mason jars until your cinnamon rolls are complete. Refrain from eating with a spoon.

Now, make the cinnamon rolls:

recipe via Paula Deen

Dough:

• 1/4-ounce package yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced

Glaze:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 6 tablespoons hot water

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

I know that I’ve professed my love for Whole Foods here before, but really, once is not enough.

I make an event out of my trips to Whole Foods. Sometimes I get dressed up. I usually wear lipstick. I may or may not have a crush on the produce department but nobody needs to know that. I would be beyond embarrassed if someone found out that I sometimes write about heirloom tomatoes in my diary. Or that I have this reoccurring basil dream. Or that one time when I was trying to decide between red or green kale I…  wait. Oh no. This is so awkward.

I’m talking about Whole Foods today because last week, in the citrus section, I finally found my first bag of Meyer Lemons. I could have cried. It felt like I just saw a sign that said:  ”Free room full of Christian Louboutin pumps, Mac lipstick, and gift cards to Neiman Marcus.” I’m pretty sure there was a Hallelujah Chorus present because when I spotted those tangy hybrid oddities, I swear I heard singing from the heavens. Meyer lemons, for those of you who think I’ve gone mad and made up my own citrus fruit, are Japanese hybrids of regular lemons and mandarin oranges. They’re little, smooth, deep yellowy-orange in color, and much sweeter than regular lemons. They have a distinct perfume-y smell, and make things sound fancy and gourmet (!).

According to my taste buds, lemon curd is king of the dessert kingdom. I couldn’t imagine doing anything with my first bag of Meyer lemons but cooking them down into Meyer lemon curd… and then using it to fill the most precious baby doughnuts ever. Mini things, rare lemons, hot oil… it was an all around good time.

Bless you, Meyer Lemons.

Meyer Lemon Doughnuts

Adapted from Gourmet, December 1999 & December 2006

**If you can’t find Meyer lemons, regular lemons would do just fine. I’d increase add a few extra tablespoons of sugar into the lemon curd, just to be safe.

For the lemon curd: 

1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice

2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Small pinch of kosher salt

Place the zest, juice, sugar, salt, and eggs in a metal bowl. Whisk away. Add in the butter, clamp on an instant-read thermometer, and set the bowl over a tiny pot of simmering water. Don’t ever stop whisking gently or you’ll end up with a layer of scrambled eggs on the edge of your bowl. Keep cooking and stirring until it’s thick, and the thermometer reads 160°F, 5-10 minutes. Place a fine-mesh sieve over another metal bowl and press the curd through it with a rubber spatula. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap, cool completely, and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the doughnuts:

1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons warm water (105–115°F)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for sprinkling and rolling out dough
1 cup whole milk at room temperature
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar + 3/4 cup to roll the finished doughnuts in
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
About 10 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesn’t foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

Mix together flour, milk, butter, yolks, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and yeast mixture in mixer at low speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 3 minutes more.

Scrape dough into a ball in the center of the bowl, then sprinkle lightly with flour to keep a crust from forming. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Alternatively, let dough rise in bowl in refrigerator 8 to 12 hours.)

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out as many rounds as possible with a small round cookie cutter (mine was about 2 inches in diameter). Transfer doughnuts to a lightly floured large baking sheet. Cover doughnuts with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes (45 minutes if dough was cold when cutting out doughnuts). Do not reroll scraps (if you feel bad wasting them, don’t hesitate to fry the extra scraps and then roll them in cinnamon-sugar…)

Heat 2 1/2 inches oil in a deep 4-quart heavy pot until it registers 350°F on thermometer. Fry doughnuts, 3-4 at a time, turning occasionally with a wire or mesh skimmer or a slotted spoon, until puffed and golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 350°F between batches.) Let cool.

Once the doughnuts are completely cool, get creative to fill them with the lemon curd. I used plastic squeeze bottles with long tips, but a long-tipped pastry bag, mini baster, or flavor injector (food syringe type situation) could work just as well. Alternatively, you could poke a large hole in each doughnut with a skewer and use a small funnel or spoon and steady hand to fill the doughnuts. There are about a million ways to go about this, so use your imagination! When the doughnuts are filled, roll them liberally in granulated sugar (powdered sugar could be delicious, too) and enjoy.

Life’s short. Fry things. 

Jordana

I have a confession to make. This is kind of embarrassing. I don’t know if I should be revealing this to the world.

I’ve never had a caramel macchiato. Not one. Not even a taste. In fact, I didn’t even drink coffee until June. Oh man oh man oh man… I was missing out.

I lived in Manhattan for a while this summer. Seven weeks. It was vibrant. It was lively. It was hot. My God, it was hot. 100 something degree weather mixed with 5 million percent humidity does something to a person. Something unimaginable. Something unthinkable… something that Starbucks lives for. That extraordinary heat turned me, a coffee-loathing, religiously devoted tea drinker, into a downright iced coffee fiend. Maybe the three Starbucks that I passed by on my 5 block walk home (yeah.) from dance sent me subliminal messages. Maybe that green mermaid is a spy. (*insert illuminati joke here*) Whatever it was, it worked. Hello my name is Jordana and I am obsessed with coffee.

I can now go out for coffee and not be that awkward one drinking tea. I can indulge in cappuccinos and lattes and caffe mochas like sophisticated coffee shop hipsters do. I can drink caramel macchiatos (still haven’t.. but at least I know I can), and more importantly, I can make coffee-inspired baked goods without the whole “well, I don’t actually like coffee” situation going on. Thank you, mystical Starbucks gods. You’ve changed me.

These are fancy pants cupcakes. They have a sufficiently snobby name. They’re suitable for a brie cheese, fois gras, and truffle oil dinner. They have really ideal table manners and they’re very haute couture. However! If you were, hypothetically, to eat these while watching the VMA pre-show and several episodes of Jersey Shore… I don’t think anyone would judge.

**ALSO! Does anyone notice my new snazzy header?! Thanks to the awesome Patrice Bedard, Flour Child is all spiced up! Check her out!

Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

1/4 cup whole milk

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cupcakes: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour water over espresso powder; let cool. Combine espresso with milk. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with espresso-milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour (batter may look broken).

Fill 15 cups (of two 12-cup muffin tins) three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely on cooling racks before frosting.

For the coffee glaze: (don’t skip this!)

1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons instant coffee (not espresso)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir all ingredients in a small bowl until sugar is completely dissolved. Poke several small holes in the top of each cupcake, and drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of glaze on each. Do not be afraid to over-moisten the cupcakes, they will soak up the liquid perfectly. Also- it is okay to glaze the cupcakes when they are still warm, just let them cool before frosting!

For the frosting:

First, make a caramel sauce:

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fleur de sel (or any other sea salt. even kosher salt will do in a pinch.)
1/4 cup sour cream

Combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, mix together cream and salt over a very low heat, stirring often. Be careful not to let the cream burn or boil, but keep it warm.

When the caramel mixture has reached 350 degrees, Carefully add the hot cream to the caramel and stir rapidly. It will bubble frantically. Remove from heat, and whisk in sour cream. Cool completely, and then reserve 1/3 cup of the caramel sauce on the side to drizzle on top of the cupcakes once they are finished.

Then, make the frosting:

1 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 large egg whites

Pinch of kosher

1 pound (4 sticks) butter

Cooled caramel sauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

While the caramel cools, place the sugar, the egg whites and the salt in the metal bowl of a standing mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water. Whisk continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 160° Fahrenheit. Be sure to stir from the moment that the bowl touches the heat, or else the egg whites will cook onto the bowl. *If this happens, simply strain the cooked egg white mixture through a fine mesh sieve before using in the frosting.

Fit the standing mixer with the whisk attachment and put the bowl in place. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks have formed

Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and begin adding the butter, a tablespoon or two at a time (it really needs to be room temperature/soft before doing this). Beat until the butter is no longer visible, and add in more, until it is all added. At some point it will look curdled and broken, but just keep on beating and beating until it gets smooth again. This could take a few minutes, but have no fear. It will come together! Just keep beating!

Slowly add in the caramel (still reserving the 1/3 cup that you left out from before) and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-low until combined and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

Frost each cupcake, and then drizzle with the remaining caramel sauce. Indulge.

Starbucks is taking over. C’est la vie. 

Hello. Hi. It’s summertime. Has the livin’ been easy? Flour Child is back in business and there’s a cobbler involved.

It’s been a jam-packed summer (pun intended. I ate a lot of jam. Jam post coming asap) and I apologize for the 3-lightyear gap between my last few posts. However! I am back home and stoked to tackle the best of summer fruits. August is produce promise-land.

Let me talk about this cobbler that I made. It’s borderline Amish simple. It cooks in a cast iron skillet, so you feel like a peasant in the best possible way. The crust tastes like cornbread. It has blueberries. It’s gonna be a good time.

Additionally, I jumped off of a cliff yesterday. Literally.. that’s not a metaphor for something. It was the greatest celebration of summer ever of all time in the world. If you’re ever given the opportunity to cliff dive, please take it. For me. For you.

Nectarine Blueberry Cobbler

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

For the fruit:
1 1/2 (about 4 cups) pounds nectarines, pitted and cut into slices*
1 pint (about 2 cups) blueberries, rinsed and dried
2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the biscuit topping:
3/4 cup (3 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fine stone-ground cornmeal (yellow or white)
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).Toss nectarines with blueberries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt in the bottom of a large cast iron skillet or 2-quart ovenproof dish. (You will have extra filling if using a cast-iron skillet. You can either fill another small baking dish with it, or cook it in a small saucepan and put it over vanilla ice cream. Delicious.)

Make the biscuit dough: Stir together the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry mixture with your fingertips, a fork or a pastry blender. Stir in buttermilk with a rubber spatula until a wet, tacky dough comes together.

Plop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough over the filling; don’t worry about covering entire surface. Bake until the cobbler’s syrup is bubbly and the biscuit tops are browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly and scoop it into bowls. Top with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, of if you’re having an accidental run-in with this cobbler before noon, plain yogurt.

* Want to peel your peaches? Here’s how: Cut a small “x” in the bottom of each peach. Dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds, and the skins will slide right off.

Cliff dive if you can. If not, eat cobbler. Better yet, do both. 

Jordana

Greetings to all! Happy July 10th! Every day should be a celebration, right?

On this special day I’m proud to announce to you fellow flour friends that Flour Child has jumped on the Facebook bandwagon.

Since most of you are already smooth riding on that same bandwagon, I hope you’ll take just a quick moment to hit that convenient little ‘like’ button for me. For me! Come on! Don’t be a couch potato.

Facebook! Facebook! Facebook! Facebook! Facebook!

And in the meantime, keep on baking. Cookies make the world go round.

And so does pie.

Love love love love love,

Jordana

Dear world/lord/universe/god/lady gaga/divine being,

Thank you for summertime.

Thank you for summertime, for strawberries, for ovens, and for New York City.

Do you have any idea how much I love those four things? Any idea at all? Well I’m sorry if you don’t, because there’s absolutely no way that I can put it into words. No way possible. Not even worth an attempt. Just don’t even.

It’s clear why I’ve chosen to mention my intense adoration for summer, strawberries, and ovens. It’s summer, I made strawberry cake, and without ovens, well… I’d be blogless. That’s a no brainer. But New York City? What? Yeah.. I’m here. In Manhattan. For six weeks. Why? Well, I don’t think I’ve ever previously mentioned that I’m a dancer… but I am. I spent last summer working my dessert off at a dance program in the city, and fell so in love that I couldn’t resist coming back again. It pretty much rocks more than The Rolling Stones.

Manhattan is foodie paradise. My friends and I ended up in Chelsea Market a few days ago, and I was speechless. Literally considered moving in. I’d sleep in the basket shop. They have a basket shop! All baskets! We drooled over the railroad track ceiling and hearty brick walls.

Moving on, have you ever eaten Ray’s Famous Pizza of Greenwich Village? Because it’s ridiculous. The slices are like… the length of my torso.

We have a (tiny) (but cute) kitchen in our suite-style dorm, so I’ve been spending plennnnty of time taking in all of the incredibly precious markets here, and cooking cooking cooking. This vegetarian chili and cheddar cornbread got me the Roomie of the Night award. Thank you and you’re welcome.

And this strawberry-banana-chocolate chip-brown butter bread (thank you Joy the Baker!) fed 12 rambunctious dancers staring at a tiny t.v. to watch Beyonce on the BET awards. Dorm life is awesome. Especially with loaves of things.

There’s a gourmet Belgian Waffle truck here. We ate gourmet street cart pretzels (truffle cheddar, anyone?) on the steps of the Met. The Whole Foods is like Disneyland. This city.. I can’t get enough of it. Ever.

On a sadder note.. my camera broke. It straight up broke. I didn’t drop it, didn’t get it wet. It just stopped. So that’s cool… but hopefully it’ll be fixed soon!

Anyway.. back to this cake I made. It’s called a Summer Strawberry Cake, because it’s just that. A dollop of softly whipped cream and it’s a picnic treasure. 4th of July loves this cake. Pool parties love this cake. Those farmers markets strawberries that were calling your name? Please turn them into this cake.

Summer Strawberry Cake

Via the NYC Queen herself, Smitten Kitchen

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 pound (450 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan

Whisk flour  baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

It’s summer. Eat cake. 

Jordana

Fact #1: I made Oreos. I didn’t think it was possible, either.

Fact #2: They tasted just like the real ones.. on crack. So much better. So. Much.

Fact #3: They are extraordinarily better for your body than those blue plastic wrapped gems. (Goodbye gross high-fructose-I-don’t-even-know-this-looks-like-my-chemistry-homework ingredients.) Score. Double score.

Fact #4: You will become 700 times more popular if you bring a batch of these to school/work/anywhere else where humans congregate. I’m talking It Girl popular. Might as well just change your name to Kate Middleton. These are the #1 most crowd-pleasing cookie I have ever made. I mean, homemade Oreos…who does that? You. You do that. You’re awesome.

Sorry about all the paparazzi.

Falling short in the friends department? Whip out a batch of Oreos. Too much surplus milk in the fridge? Oreos. Little kid’s birthday party? Oreos. Grown up’s birthday party? Fruit tart.

Just kidding.. obviously Oreos.

Homemade Oreos

From Smitten Kitchen

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of the dough (yes, just a teaspoon. these cookies spread a lot while baking) and roll them into uniform rounds, then place them 2-3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Slightly press down the rounds with your fingertip, and then refrigerate the sheet for 10 minutes. Once the dough is chilled, bake the sheets for 6-8 minutes, just until the tops are cracking. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. The cookies will crisp up sufficiently after cooling.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, using a pastry bag or ziplock with the end snipped off, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in milk.