Chocolate Bread With Sergeant Terry Jeffords from Brooklyn Nine Nine!

I posted this 3 years ago but wanted to revive it because Terry Crews from Brooklyn Nine Nine bakes a yeasted chocolate coffee cake with Martha Stewart. The video is charming and the bread is delicious!

When I saw this yeasted chocolate coffee cake on the Martha Stewart website, I about fell out of my chair.  Yeasted bread?  Yum.  Chocolate?  Yum.  Cinnamon as well?  Woo hoo!  Another great plus about this recipe is that there is a video of Martha Stewart making the bread with former NFL linebacker Terry Crews.  He is the kind of person who appreciates a recipe that has lots of butter, sugar and chocolate.  Great guy.

Warning:  I cannot stop eating this bread.  I baked it yesterday and the loaf is almost finished!  

Warning Number Two:  Do not cut into this loaf until it is completely cool.  The whole thing will collapse if you do.  I may have discovered this on my own.  After all, you know that I really have no self-restraint.

Dough
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup plus a pinch of granulated sugar
3/4 cup warm milk, about 110° F (43° C)
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick salted butter, room temperature

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of granulated sugar over the warm milk. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, the whole egg, and the egg yolk. Stir into the yeast mixture. Add the flour and salt and mix until combined. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Add the salted butter and mix until the dough is soft and sticky, about 10 minutes.

Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Filling
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream, for egg wash

Butter a 9- or 10-inch loaf pan and place some parchment paper inside (see photo).  

In a small bowl, mix together the chocolate, brown sugar, and a cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture is uniform. Reserve 1/2 cup for later use.

Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is an 18-inch square. Brush the egg wash around the edge of the dough to make a 1-inch border. Spread the chocolate mixture (except for the 1/2 cup that you put aside) evenly throughout the dough, leaving the 1-inch border intact. Starting at one end, roll the dough tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch the edges closed. Fold the dough in half into a U-shape.  Then, twist this U 2-3 times to make it look kind of like a braid (see photo). Place the dough into the loaf pan. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of filling over the top of the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow the dough to double in size, 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the loaf for 55 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden.  Using the parchment paper to help you take out the loaf, transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.  Do not cut until the loaf has cooled considerably!

Fall is Here! (Allegedly)

The First Day of Autumn came some while ago and there was even an adorable animated Google Doodle to commemorate the occasion!  It's a little strange to think of autumn, Halloween and fall-ish things when the kids and I are walking home from school here in Southern California.  The sun is shining very brightly and with the weather at 90F, there is not even a hint of that crisp, smoky air that usually accompanies this time of year.

To celebrate the arrival of a new season, I baked this ginger apple cake.  Yes, I will cling to any excuse to bake something sweet.

The cake was a big success and it packed well for the kids to enjoy at school the next day.  Upon tasting, I remarked, "Wow, this tastes better than I thought it would.  It's pretty good!"  Dr. Obvious gushed, "No, it's not pretty good.  It's freakin' amazing."  Now, to me, if a dessert is "freakin' amazing" and there isn't any chocolate in it, I think that is freakin' amazing.  It's certainly noteworthy, at the very least.

Ginger Apple Cake – Food 52.com by "drbabs"

• 3 large apples (I used Honeycrisp and Fuji.)
• 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter + ~2 TB butter + more for pan
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (if you want more of a gingery kick; optional)
• 3/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (I peeled a 2 inch piece and grated it with a microplane grater)
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 10 walnut halves

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9” springform pan. If you are concerned about your springform pan leaking, wrap the bottom with aluminum foil.
2. Core and peel apples, and cut into thin slices. Melt ~2 TB of butter in saucepan and cook until it is lightly browned. Stir in apple slices until all slices are covered with browned butter. Sprinkle ~2 TB turbinado sugar over apples, and continue to saute, stirring occasionally, till apples are softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger (if using) and salt. Set aside.
4. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar till fluffy. Beat in two eggs. Beat in lemon zest, ginger, molasses, rum, and vanilla extract. (The mixture will look curdled. It's OK.)
5. Stir in the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring after each addition so the batter is thick and smooth. Fold in the milk and yogurt till batter is smooth and thoroughly combined.
6. Scrape half the batter into the prepared springform pan. Cover with apple slices, and spread the other half of the batter over the apples. Smooth top with spatula. Place walnut halves on the top of the cake, and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar over the top of the cake.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake may slightly pull away from the sides of the pan.
8. Transfer to a cooling rack. Run a knife along the edges of the cake to loosen it completely from the sides of the pan. Open the ring and remove it. If you want to remove the cake from the base of the springform pan, wait until it has cooled completely, then slide a long thin spatula between the cake and the base. Use a large spatula to then move it to a serving plate.
9. Serve as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a blob of barely sweetened softly whipped cream.

Asian Delights!

Big changes for us - Dr. Obvious has become a civilian and now we're living in the Los Angeles area in San Gabriel Valley near Pasadena.  For the first time in our lives, we're close to an abundance of Asian grocery stores, bakeries, cafes and restaurants.  We love exploring the new delicacies and seeing what treats abound.

Baby Octopus!

Little Man saw these baby octopi at 99 Ranch and exclaimed, "Let's get that!  Pleeeease?!"  My reply (naturally), "You know that you're going to have to eat that, right?"  "Yes, yes, I know.  Come on, Mommy!"  Well, we bought the little guys.  I sliced them open and took out their glands or stomach sacks or whatever those things are that are lodged in their "heads."  Wow, those octopi smell STRONG.  My hands reeked like I'd been on a fishing boat for 5 days.  That smell, by the way, does not wash off easily.

So was all the effort worth it?  The smell?  Um, no.  We love squid and scallops.  These, however, were tough and didn't really taste delicious.  But everyone in the family ate them and we chalked it up as a fun adventure.

Rambutan or Dr Seuss Tree Fruit

Speaking of new adventures, Sweet Pea has a new favorite fruit these days.  They're known as rambutan.  The Chinese call them "Hong Mo Dan" which translates to "Red Hairy Fruit."  We like them better than lychee because they're not as cloying and somehow taste more refreshing.  Little Man named them Dr Seuss Tree Fruit which made us all giggle whenever we ate them after dinner.

Marvelous Meatballs!

Ah, the struggle perpetuates.  The search for the convenient weeknight meal that all 4 of us will enjoy spans on some kind of infinite road to the skyline!

So, this was not a complete home run for all 4 of us.  The 2 grown ups liked these meatballs, and the 2 little ones ate them without complaint...I think they gave them an 8.5 out of 10.  These days, I consider that a victory.

I like this concept because it provides a template for numerous possibilities.  You could do ground lamb with dried apricot.  You could do ground turkey with dried apples.  Basically, you are taking some kind of ground meat and pairing it with a dried fruit that's been chopped up.  Feel free to add chopped fresh or dried herbs as well!

Marvelous Pork Meatballs with Dried Pineapple

1 lb ground pork
1/4 cup dried pinapple, chopped
handful of minced green onion or 2 shakes onion powder
splash soy sauce


1.  Get the broiler ready.  Prepare a broiler-safe baking tray with foil.  Mix all ingredients in a bowl and make about 20 meatballs, placing them on the baking tray.

2.  Broil the meatballs for about 8 minutes until done.  Serve with fresh vegetables, pita or tortilla, yogurt, and fresh herbs.

Epiphany Stars

“I think it is fun to have another cookie to bake after the rush of Christmas. These cookies symbolize the story of La Befana (pronounced La Bay-fah-nah), who travels around Italy on the Feast of the Epiphany, which falls on January 6 and celebrates the visit of the three Magi to the Christ Child. I like to bake these on the eve of Epiphany and eat them the next day, when I take the Christmas tree down. Rich, rolled sugar cookies spiked with a bit of anisette, they are superb with a cup of hot chocolate.”

- Gina dePalma, pastry chef at Babbo Ristorante, NYC

You have got to love a person who comes up with an excuse to bake another cookie after everyone else has made their resolutions.  Amen, sister.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 3 ½ cups unbleached flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups (3 sticks/12 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons anisette
• Freshly grated zest of 1 orange

For the glaze:

• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Multicolored sprinkles

Directions

To make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk the four, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract, anisette, and orange zest. Beat in the dry ingredients on low speed to form a stiff dough. Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill until it is firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or butter or line them with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces; work with 1 piece at a time, keeping the remaining pieces refrigerated. On a floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a floured 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut the dough into stars. Place the cookies ½ inch apart on the baking sheets. Gather the scraps together and repeat rolling and cutting until you have used all the scraps; it may be necessary to refrigerate the scraps until they are firm enough to roll again.

To make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the cream. Using a small pastry brush, lightly brush the surface of the cookies with a bit of glaze and decorate them with the sprinkles.
Bake the cookies until they are lightly golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets 180 degrees halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets, then gently remove them with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment paper, for up to 4 days.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Veggie Feast! Chickpea Fritters, Homemade Naan and Tzatziki Sauce with Heirloom Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Cilantro

On Sundays I'm supposed to either try new recipes out and experiment because I have more time to cook or I'm supposed to make a ton of food for the rest of the week because I have more time to cook.  How often does either happen in real life?  Rarely.  There have been so many times when we've just gone out to eat instead or I've served doctored-up leftovers.  

But tonight I did it!  I did something new!  In fact, I made two new things!  And my kids ate these new things!  And, most important of all - everyone in the family loved these new dishes!  Success! 

These are chickpea fritters from Martha Stewart Everyday Food.  Inspired by falafel, they're simple and delicious.  In honor of the official start of the NHL season, we decided to call these Hockey Pucks.

To go with these, I thought it'd be fun to try my hand at homemade naan.  Ok, it didn't taste like restaurant naan.   But for a first attempt, they turned out all right.  My kids said at first, "This doesn't taste as good as regular naan."  Then the next thing I knew, they were cramming seconds and thirds into their faces and requesting naan for lunch the next day. Hmmmm....must've been passable.  To gild the lily, I whipped up a quick tzatziki.  Thanks to the ubiquitous nature of Greek yogurt, this can be made in no time at all.  Serve everything with sides of chopped heirloom tomatoes, cucumber sticks, fresh cilantro, and plain Greek yogurt if your kids don't like tzatziki.

• • Chickpea Fritters - Martha Stewart Everyday Food
  • (This recipe doubles the Martha Stewart recipe and makes a few minor changes).
  • 2 cans (15.5 ounces) rinsed and drained chickpeas
  • 3/4 cup sliced scallions
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (leave out and serve on the side if someone in your family doesn't like cilantro...you can also replace with basil)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • Canola oil or olive oil
  • In a food processor, pulse together chickpeas, scallions, and cilantro until a coarse paste forms. Pulse in flour, egg, and salt. Heat 1/4 inch olive oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add chickpea mixture to skillet, 1/4 cup at a time, pressing to form patties. Cook until golden brown on both sides, turning once, 4 to 5 minutes. 

Homemade Naan - Carey Nershi 
Makes 16 naan

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

3/4 cups warm milk

1 cup plain yogurt

Melted butter or ghee (for brushing)

Optional toppings or add-ins: garlic, onion, herbs, cheese

1. Combine yeast, sugar, and warm water and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy. In the

meantime, combine flours, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl. Make a well in the center.

2. Stir milk and yogurt together. Once the yeast mixture is foamy, stir it into the yogurt and milk. Pour into the well of the dry ingredients.

3. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, then knead dough until smooth. Place dough in a well-oiled

bowl, cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size.

4. When dough is ready, punch down and turn out on a well-floured surface. Divide in half, then divide each half into eight pieces of equal size. Roll each piece out into a thin oval approximately 6 inches long and 1/8 inch thick. Heat a cast iron skill over medium-high heat on the stove top.

5. Once pan is hot, brush each side of the naan with melted butter/ghee. (If adding toppings like

onion/garlic/spice, add them to the second side you brush with butter and gently press them into the

dough.)

6. Place dough into your skillet. (If you’ve adding toppings, place it topping side-up.) Let cook for

around 1 minute, or until dough puffs and bubbles form on top.  Flip and cook for another minute.  Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

Tzatziki - Barefoot Contessa
(this recipe is slightly altered from the original Barefoot Contessa recipe)

2 (7 ounce) containers Greek yogurt, such as Fage Total 
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled and seeded  
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill 
1½ teaspoons minced garlic 
2 teaspoons kosher salt 
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Place the yogurt in a medium bowl. Grate the cucumber on a box grater and squeeze the grated cucumber with your hand to remove some of the liquid. Add it to the yogurt along with the lemon juice, dill, garlic, salt and pepper and stir. If you have time, you can refrigerate this to let the flavors combine, or you can serve right away.

Summertime Treat - Nectarine, Plum, Apricot & Blueberry Cobbler

Woah - that's a lot of different kinds of fruit, right?  The truth is, I think you can put any kind of fruit or berry into this and it will work.  So if you only have nectarines and blueberries, that's fine.  In fact, that's what was in the original recipe.

This cobbler qualifies as a "true cobbler," in that the top resembles cobblestones.  They're crunchy biscuit-like clumps.

Oh, and I will post a recipe for real food soon, I promise.  I realize that we're getting a little treat heavy over here.  But when there's so much beautiful summer fruit available...

Nectarine and Blueberry Cobbler - Food Network Kitchens

Fruit:
6 ripe nectarines, about 1 pound (I did 3 huge nectarines, 2 teeny apricots, and 2 smallish plums)
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant tapioca
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into small pieces, plus more for the pan

Cobbler Top:
1 1/2 cups all­-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced into small pieces 1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
zest of 1 lemon, perhaps?
Serving suggestions: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Directions
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

For the fruit: Halve the nectarines along their natural seam, but leave skins on. Cut each half into 3 wedges. Toss nectarines with blueberries, sugar, and tapioca and put into a buttered 9­inch round gratin or casserole dish. Dot the top of the fruit with the pieces of butter.

For the cobbler top: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Rub in 2 tablespoons of the butter with your fingertips until no visible pieces remain. Rub in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter just until it is in even, pea­size pieces. Whisk together the egg and cream and stir into the dry ingredients to make a shaggy, loose dough.  (I think I will also put the zest of 1 lemon into the egg and cream mixture next time to give the topping more flavor).

Spoon large spoonfuls of dough on top of the fruit in clumps (it should look like rough, old­fashioned cobblestones, hence the name cobbler). Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the topping comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cobbler on a rack, about 20 minutes.

Serve warm or room temperature, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.