Eton Mess

A happy mess of fresh strawberries and whipped cream, Eton mess may be named for its haphazard looks or, more likely, for the mess hall (cafeteria) at Eton College, where it has long been a warm-weather favorite. 

Serves 8

1 pint heavy cream

8 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 pounds fresh strawberries

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces (about 24 two-inch) vanilla meringue cookies, homemade or packaged (Trader Joe’s come in handy)

1. For the whipped cream: Pour the 1 pint cream into the bowl of the food processor. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Cover and chill. Chill the metal blade as well.  

2. For the berries: Rinse the 4 pounds of berries and blot them dry with paper towels. Hull them, which is to say use a small knife to cut away each leafy crown. Cut away any bruises. Slice large berries crown to point into two or three triangular slices. Heap berries in a bowl, sprinkle with the remaining 5 tablespoons sugar, the 2 teaspoons zest, and the ¼ teaspoon salt. Fold gently and thoroughly with a silicone spatula. Let stand at room temperature one hour, folding together berries and their juices a few times.

3. For the cookies: Take a deep breath. Is it humid out? If not, make meringue cookies. If so, open a package of prepared meringues. You’re welcome.

4. To finish: Twist bowl onto food processor; fit with blade. Process until cream turns thick (like sour cream), about 2 minutes. This version of whipped cream is more dense and stable than the sort made with a whisk or electric mixer. If you prefer another method, no worries!

5. To serve: Choose a big (3-quart) glass serving bowl (or eight 12-ounce glass bowls). Break up the 8 ounces of meringues. (Easiest method: set one meringue on the countertop. Using the heel of your hand over the cookie point, give it a good shove. Repeat with remaining meringues.) Heap half the meringue pieces into the bowl. Scrape in half the berries, along with their juices. Top with half the whipped cream. Repeat, building three more layers. Chill 1 hour, letting flavors mingle. Dig in.  

Milk Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

For roux:

22 grams/2 tablespoons bread flour  

59 grams/¼ cup milk (any fat percentage)

59 grams/¼ cup water

For bread:

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

15 grams/2 tablespoons warm water

57 grams/4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up

118 grams/½ cup milk (any fat percentage)

1 large egg

325 grams/2½ cups bread flour

50 grams/¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Softened butter, for greasing the bowl and pan

For top:

Milk, any fat percentage

or

1 egg, whisked

1. Thicken: Make the roux by whisking together in a small, heavy saucepan the 22 grams flour, the 59 grams milk, and the 59 grams water until smooth. Set over medium heat and cook, whisking, until the whisk leaves tracks in the thickened roux, about 4 minutes. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside to cool down. No need to wash that saucepan.

2. Proof: In a cup or small bowl, stir together the 2 teaspoons yeast and the 15 grams warm water. Set aside until yeast looks creamy.

3. Scald: Drop the 57 grams of butter chunks into a 1-quart heat-proof measuring cup. Pour the 118 grams milk into a saucepan (how about the one you just used for the roux?). Set the pan over high heat. Milk will bubble, then foam up dramatically. Pour milk over butter. Stir, melting butter. Stir in the egg. When no longer hot to the touch (90 degrees), stir in the cooled roux and the dissolved yeast.  

4. Mix: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the 325 grams bread flour, the 100 grams sugar, and the 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Pour in the liquid ingredients and mix with a soft spatula until no dry flour specks remain. Fit mixer with the dough hook. Knead on low speed, about 20-25 minutes. When properly kneaded, the soft dough will pass the windowpane test: Take a small lump of dough and stretch it out. If you can see through it (without the dough tearing), you’re all set.

5. Rise: Butter a large bowl softened butter. With lightly buttered hands, scoop up the dough. Smooth the top over and tuck the ragged ends under, shaping a (wiggly) ball. Set the ball smooth side down in the bowl, and turn to coat with butter. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

6. Deflate: Slide your hands down the sides of the bowl and lift the dough from underneath, deflating it. Settle dough on a work surface; cut it in thirds (about 240 grams each). Smooth the the top of each portion over, tucking ragged ends under, shaping each into a ball. Cover with the kitchen towel and let rise, 15 minutes.

7. Heat: Adjust one rack to the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

8. Shape: Using a lightly floured rolling pin and a light touch, roll one dough ball into a rectangle, about 10 x 5 inches. Fold the top down and the bottom up, forming a square. Starting at one open end, roll the square into a log. Repeat with remaining dough balls. Arrange the three logs in the pan crosswise and seams down.

9. Bake: Cover the pan with the kitchen towel and let rest in a warm spot about 30 minutes, until the dough rises to the rim of the pan. If you like matte finish, brush the top of the loaf with a little milk. Bake until golden brown and at least 190F inside, 35 to 40 minutes.

10. Gild: For a shiny finish, wait until the bread is baked. Brush the top of the hot loaf lightly with egg wash. Let the bread cool in the pan 10 minutes. Turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

Provenance: Adapted from a New York Times recipe by Julia Moskin, with inspiration from justonecookbook.com and drivemehungry.com.

Honey Butter

Prep: 5 minutes

Makes: 1 cup

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1⁄4 cup honey

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Mix: Drop all ingredients into the a mixer bowl. Fit with paddle attachment, set on medium speed, and beat smooth.

2. Roll: Use soft honey butter immediately, or mound onto a stretch of parchment paper. Roll into a sausage shape. Chill.

3. Enjoy: Good on almost anything, including grilled corn, fish, hot biscuits, or straight from the spoon on a dark night.

Chocolate Pudding

Serves: 8

8 ounces dark (70 percent) chocolate, broken up

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

2½ cups whole milk

1½ cup heavy cream

5 large egg yolks

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped cream for serving, optional

1. Prep: Set 8 half-cup ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. In a large bowl (preferably one with a spout), toss together chocolate and butter. Set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl. In another large bowl, sift together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt; whisk to combine. Slide yolks into a small bowl.

2. Scald: Find a ladle and keep it handy. In a large saucepan, heat milk and cream over medium-high heat. In about 5 minutes, a skin may form (that’s ok). In another minute or so, the milk will roil beneath the skin, then foam up dramatically. Pull pan off heat. Scoop about ½-cup hot milk into the sugar mixture; whisk smooth. Slide in yolks; whisk smooth. Scoop in another ½-cup milk; whisk smooth. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Set pan over medium heat.

3. Boil: Whisk until pudding thickens and lazy bubbles pop in the center, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Whisk: Pour the hot pudding through the sieve onto the chocolate and butter. Let rest, 2 minutes. Drop in vanilla; whisk completely smooth. Let cool, 5 minutes.

5. Chill: Pour the warm pudding into the ramekins. When cool, cover and chill completely (2 hours will do, but overnight deepens the flavors).

6. Serve: Guild, if you like, with whipped cream.

Provenance: Adapted from a recipe by pastry chef Sarah Critelli.

Berry Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

Pie shell and shapes (recipe follows)

2 cups whole raspberries

2 cups sliced strawberries

1½ cups whole blackberries

1½ cups whole blueberries

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1-2 tablespoons sanding sugar (or granulated sugar)

1. Macerate: Heap berries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and salt and mix gently with a flexible spatula. Let rest at room temperature, 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Berries will release some of their juices.

2. Thicken: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Set a colander over a wide saucepan. Slide berries into the colander and let the juices drip into the saucepan. Return berries to their bowl along with the lemon zest. Dissolve cornstarch in a spoonful of water, then whisk this slurry into the berry juice. Set saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking, until juice snaps from cloudy and thin to brilliant and thick, about 2 minutes. Scrape thickened juice over berries. Mix gently.

3. Fill: Scrape berries and juices into the pie shell. Cover the top of the pie with cut-out shapes, overlapping.  Brush with a little water or milk. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. 

4. Bake: Set pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake until crust is golden brown and juices bubble thick and purple, about 30–35 minutes. If the perimeter browns too quickly, shield with a pie halo or a hoop of crumpled foil. Cool completely. Enjoy.

Parbaked Pie Shell (adapted from Bravetart: Iconic American Desserts by Stella Parks)

1½ cups / 211 grams all-purpose flour such as Gold Medal, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons / 17 grams corn flour

1 tablespoon / 16 grams granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons Crystal Diamond kosher salt

14 tablespoons / 199 grams cold unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes

½ cup ice-cold water

1. Smash: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Drop in butter cubes and toss to coat. With a strong thumb, mash each cube flat against the bowl. Drizzle in water and fold with a soft spatula, bringing pastry together in a big, ugly clump.

2. Fold: Flour a work surface. Settle on pastry clump on it and pat into a square. Dust with flour. Roll out to a big rectangle positioned vertically. Using a bench scraper or metal spatula to lift pastry, fold the top edge down and bottom edge up to meet in the center. Fold left edge to meet right, as though closing a book. Fold top down to meet bottom. Cut pastry in two, one “half” larger than the other.

3. Punch: On a floured work surface, roll out the smaller portion of dough and, using cookie cutters, punch out large and small stars, circles or other shapes. Set shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. You’ll cobble these together to form the top pie crust.

4. Roll: On a floured work surface, roll out the larger portion and trim to a 13-inch circle. Fit into a 9½-inch pie plate. Trim (no folding or crimping), leaving ½-inch overhang. With one set of knuckles inside and the other outside, press edge into a soft zig-zag. Freeze 2 or more hours.

5. Bake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line frozen pastry with parchment (crumple it first to make it pliable), then foil. Fill with sugar, uncooked rice, dried beans or other pie weights. Bake 50 minutes. Lift out parchment, foil, and weights. Continue baking until barely golden, another 5-7 minutes.

Profiteroles

Prep: 15 minutes

Bake: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

1 cup milk

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up

4 teaspoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 pints vanilla, coffee, or caramel ice cream (get the good stuff)

1¼ cups warm chocolate syrup, recipe follows

1. Boil: In a large saucepan, heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil.

2. Mix: Dump in flour, all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon to a big soft lump that looks like mashed potatoes. Reduce heat and stir another minute. The bottom of the pan may develop a patina of flour; ignore it.

3. Beat: Scrape dough into the food processor. Process a few seconds. Drop 1 egg down the chute; process completely smooth before repeating with each remaining egg. Swirl in vanilla.

4. Shape: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small ice cream scoop (about 2-tablespoon capacity, 2-inch diameter, AKA #30) dipped in water, portion out 18 domes of dough.

5. Puff: Bake at 400-degrees until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Pierce each puff once with the tip of sharp knife, to release steam. Let cool.

6. Serve: Slice puffs along their waistlines and open, hamburger-bun style. Set out 6 shallow bowls and place three puffs in each. Using the same scoop, stuff each puff with ice cream. Close tops. Drizzle (or douse) with chocolate syrup. Voila.

Chocolate syrup: In a large saucepan, whisk 1 cup brewed coffee, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, and a pinch of salt over medium heat. Let bubble, whisking steadily, until shiny and thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Pour into a serving pitcher. Let cool 10 minutes. Makes about 1 ¼ cups.

Flakeless Coconut Cake

Prep, bake, cool, and frost: 1 lazy afternoon

Makes: One three-layer, 8-inch cake

2¼ cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1¼ cups unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (whisk smooth before measuring)

1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature

1½ cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs at room temperature

Cloud frosting, recipe follows

¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut (entirely optional)

1.  Prep: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-inch cake pans. Line bottoms with rounds of parchment paper; butter the paper. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Briefly whisk together coconut milk and vanilla; set aside.

2.  Mix: Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed, scraping down sides as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating a full 30 seconds after each. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add about ½ of the milk  mixture, mix just until incorporated. Repeat, working in remaining doses of flour, milk, flour.

3.  Bake: Dividing evenly, scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake on the center shelf at until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Turn out on a rack. Peel off parchment. Cool.

4.  Frost: Set one cool layer, flat side up, on a cake plate. Cover with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers, covering top and sides of cake. If you like coconut flakes, sprinkle a few on top. Enjoy at room temperature.

Cloud Frosting

½ pound cream cheese, cold 

Seeds scraped from ¼ vanilla bean

¾ cup granulated sugar

1½ cups cold heavy cream

Chill mixer bowl and the whisk attachment. Drop cream cheese into the cold bowl. Whip fluffy, 15 seconds. Whip in vanilla seeds. While whipping, cascade in sugar until smooth. Drizzle in cream, still whipping, until a nice thick frosting is achieved. Delightful, right?

Grandma's Cookies (Hamantaschen)

Prep: 20 minutes (not counting filling)

Bake: 15 minutes

Makes: About 36 cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed

8 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into chunks

3⁄4 cup apricot filling (see recipe) or apricot jam

1. Pulse: Measure flour and sugar into the food processor. Add butter cubes and cream-cheese chunks. Pulse just until pastry comes clumps. Gently shape two disks; wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour or more.

2. Cut: Roll 1 pastry disk out on a floured work surface to about 1⁄4 inch thick. Punch out circles using a 3-inch fluted (or plain) cookie cutter. Transfer circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Fill: Drop 1 teaspoon apricot filling (or jam) into the center of each circle. Fold edges of circle in over the filling, forming a triangle-shaped cookie, with apricot center showing. Press corners to seal. Repeat with remaining dough.

4. Bake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until just golden, about 15 minutes. Cool. Enjoy.

Apricot filling: Measure 1⁄2 pound dried apricots, 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 split and scraped vanilla pod (optional) into a large saucepan. Add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover, and let cook, stirring now and then, until very thick, about 45-60 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice and (if you skipped the vanilla bean) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. One tablespoon almond liqueur is nice too. Cool completely. If mixture seems too chunky, run it through a food mill.

Provenance: Inspired by my grandmother, Etta Hoffmann.

Salted Caramel

Makes 64 small squares

113 grams/½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

100 grams/½ cup sugar

100 grams/½ cup light brown sugar

164grams/½ cup light corn syrup

232 grams/1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

125 grams/1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1¼ teaspoons fancy flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

1. Focus: Candy making isn’t hard, but it demands attention. Turn off the phone and banish the dog. Multitasking only abets disaster. Locate the thermometer. It’s your friend.

2. Prep: Clip the thermometer to a large saucepan. Line an 8 x 8 baking pan with 2 lengths of parchment, crisscrossed. Melt the butter and brush about 1 tablespoon onto the bottom and sides of the parchment-lined pan. Set pan on a cooling rack. Keep the brush and a pot of hot water handy.

3. Boil: Pour the remaining butter into the saucepan along with both sugars, the corn syrup and the cream. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Wash down any stray sugar with the brush dipped in hot water. Lower heat, keeping caramel at a steady boil and continue cooking, stirring now and then, until temperature reaches 238 degrees, about 20 minutes.

4. Cool: Pull pan off heat. Carefully stir in vanilla, nuts, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour into prepared pan; do not scrape out saucepan. Sprinkle caramel with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let cool to room temperature, 1 hour. 

5. Cut: Lift out caramel by its parchment overhang. Peel off paper. Use a large knife to cut into 1-by-1 inch squares. Wrap each in a twist of wax paper. Enjoy post-exercise, or whenever a sweet/salt hit appeals.

6. Clean-up: Fill saucepan with water to cover caramel residue. Bring to a boil. Scrape sides with a wooden spoon. Drain.

Truffles

Danielle’s Truffles

Prep: 25 minutes

Wait: 4 hours

Makes: 36 truffles

10 ounces/283 grams unsalted butter*, softened

7 ounces/198 grams high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Ghirardelli), broken up

1 ounce/28 grams unsweetened chocolate, broken up

1 pinch salt

¼ cup/64 grams brewed strong coffee, cooled

3/4 cup/98 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Prep: Slice softened butter and settle in a medium bowl.

2. Melt: Use a double boiler (or improvise by setting a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water) set over medium heat. Tumble in both types of chocolate. Sprinkle in salt.

3. Mix: When chocolate has melted, pour it over the butter. Stir until completely smooth and glossy. Stir in coffee. Cover and chill until firm, 4 or more hours.

4.  Roll: Sift ½ cup cocoa into a shallow bowl. Use a small ice cream scoop (or a teaspoon) to scoop balls about 1-inch in diameter. (No need to aim for uniform spheres—wild truffles are lumpy sorts.) Drop truffles into the cocoa. Sift remaining 1/4 cup cocoa over the truffles. Shake the bowl gently to roll truffles in cocoa.

5. Chill: Working over the sink, gently roll the truffles into a fine-mesh strainer, letting excess cocoa drop away. Roll truffles into a glass or plastic container. Chill. 

*Now’s a good time to break out the fancy butter, like Plugra or Kerrygold. Standard unsalted butter works fine, too.

Midnight Mint Cookies

Prep: 30 minutes

Bake: 7 minutes

Makes: About 3 dozen

170 grams/6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken up

57 grams/4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up

46 grams/1/3 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

266 grams/1 1/3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

36 striped chocolate mints (make your own with recipe below, or buy cute ones, like Andes)

1.       Prep: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Heat oven to 350F.

2.       Melt: Drop chocolate and butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Zap in two 1-minute bursts, just to melt. Stir. Let cool down.

3.       Mix: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

4.       Beat: Crack eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment and medium-high speed, whip fluffy. Cascade in sugar and whip until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Scrape in chocolate mixture; whip. Sprinkle in flour mixture; whip. Pour in vanilla; whip.

5.       Bake: Portion dough into 1-tablespoon balls or domes and arrange on the prepared pans with 2 inches of space between cookies. Bake until just set, about 7 minutes.

6.       Gild: While hot, center one (unwrapped!) mint on a cookie. Set a fork flat again the mint and press gently. Repeat with remaining cookies and mints. Let cool. Enjoy, wide-eyed.    

Mints:

Mark out an 8x8 square on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn paper over (to avoid getting pencil smudge on your chocolate). In a small bowl, zap 70 grams (2½ ounces) dark chocolate, just to melt. Stir in ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract. Using an offset knife, spread out chocolate into an 8-inch square, using the marks as your guide. Let set until no longer shiny or sticky, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, zap 70 grams (2½ ounces) white chocolate and one drop of canola oil (use low power, white chocolate is finicky), just to melt. Stir in ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract and (if you  like) one dot of green food coloring. Spread over dark chocolate. Repeat, creating a third layer with dark chocolate. When chocolate has set, slice into rectangles or squares. There’s a good tutorial here.

Orange-Pistachio Biscotti

Prep: 30 minutes

Bake: 50 minutes

Makes: About 16 cookies

1¾ cups/225 grams roasted, salted pistachios (no shells)

12 tablespoons/150 grams granulated sugar

About 1¼ cups/175 grams all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons/57 grams unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons sanding sugar or turbinado sugar 

1. Prep: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Heat oven to 300F.

2. Grind: Measure ¾ cup/100 grams of the pistachios into the food processor. Pour in half the sugar (6 tablespoons/75 grams). Pulse several times to sandy grit. Drop in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to combine.

3. Beat: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, beat the butter and remaining sugar fluffy. Slide in eggs, one at a time, beating each fluffy. Beat in vanilla and zest. Slide in the nut mixture and mix on low speed until a soft dough comes together. Mix in remaining 1 cup whole nuts.

4. Roll: Lightly flour a work surface and turn out dough. Dough should be soft, but not sticky. If need be, work in 1-2 tablespoons more flour. With lightly floured hands, divide dough in two and shape into two logs, each about 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the sanding sugar on the work surface. Roll each log in sugar, coating it lightly. Set logs on the prepared baking sheet. Pat down logs to about 1-inch high.

5. Bake: Bake just until set, about 28-30 minutes. Let cool, 10 minutes.

6. Double bake: Using a serrated knife, slice crosswise into 1-inch-wide cookies (discard end pieces). Separate cookies by at least ½ inch. Return to oven and bake until biscotti turn golden and dry (they will still be soft in center), 20-25 minutes. Cool (cookies will firm up). Enjoy, standing or sitting.

Currant Buns

Currant buns

Prep: 45 minutes

Wait: 2 hours (plus overnight soak)

Bake: 16 minutes

Makes: 15 buns

About 3 tablespoons softened butter (salted or un) for pan, bowl , and bun top

1/4 cup dried currants, soaked overnight in rum, orange juice, or both to cover

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons warm water

1 cup warm milk

1 whole large egg

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, ground ginger

About 3½ cups all-purpose flour

Glaze, recipe follows

1. Prep: Butter a 9x13x2 inch baking pan. Drain currants; pat dry with paper towels.

2. Test: Pour the warm water into a small bowl; stir in the yeast and a pinch of the sugar. Let rest until creamy, about 5 minutes.

3. Mix: In a large bowl, mix together the drained currants, milk, egg, remaining sugar, melted butter, salt, and spices. Stir in yeast mixture. Stir in enough flour to form a sticky dough—about 3 1/4 cups.

4. Knead: Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with flour as needed, to form a soft, smooth dough, about 3 minutes.

5. Rest: Brush a large bowl with softened butter. Settle in dough ball, turning it to coat with butter. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Let rest until dough has doubled, about 1½ hours. Slide a hand under the dough and gently lift the edges, letting it deflate.

6. Shape: Cut dough into 15 portions (scale for uniformity). Shape each into a ball, pulling the top smooth and tucking any raggedly bits under. Line up 3 rows of 5 balls in pan. Heat oven to 400F.

7. Rest: Cover buns with a kitchen towel. Let rest until puffy, about 30 minutes. Brush tops with softened butter. Meanwhile, make glaze (recipe below).

8. Bake: Bake until buns reach 190 degrees inside and turn golden brown outside, about 16 minutes. Brush with glaze, twice. Nice warm.

Glaze: In a small saucepan set over high heat, bring 1/4 cup milk and 6 tablespoons sugar to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Stir in ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract and a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Gingercake Houses

Prep: 15 minutes

Bake: 25 minutes

Makes: About 6 small houses

2½ cups all-purpose flour

5 teaspoons ground ginger

3⁄4  teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1½ cups packed dark brown sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup regular molasses

1 cup whole milk

Whipped cream, for spackling and serving

Basic buttercream (recipe follows), for decorating

Lemon sauce (recipe follows), for serving

1. Whisk In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.

2. Fluff: Using a stand mixer, the paddle attachment, and medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time; beat fluffy. Beat in molasses and milk.

3. Mix: Sprinkle dry ingredients and mix to combine.

4. Bake: Scrape into a 9-inch square cake pan (or 12 buttered and floured gingerhouse molds or 12 square muffin cups). Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick poked in center comes out clean, 25 minutes for small cakes, 50 for large. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold. Cool.

5. Build: Cut the 9-inch cake into cubes (house bases) and triangles (roofs). (Say, nine 3 x 3 x 3 cubes. Cut three of those cubes in half into triangles, yielding six house bases, six house roofs.) Simply set roofs on bases or cement with whipped cream. Decorate extravagantly with candy (use buttercream, below, as glue) or simply with a shake of powdered sugar.

6. Admire: A few gingerbread houses make a nice neighborhood tabletop. Before dinner they can serve as place cards. After dinner, doused with lemon sauce and accompanied by whipped cream, they double as dessert.

Basic buttercream: Beat together 1 stick softened butter and 2 cups powdered sugar. Flavor with 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract if you like. Use to stick candy to house.

Lemon sauce: Whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, zest and juice of 2 lemons, zest and juice of 1 orange, and 3 egg yolks in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until hot, frothy and thickened, 10 minutes. Stir in 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed. Strain. Serve warm.

Very Chocolate Cake

Serves 12

 Softened butter, for pan

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken up

11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up

¾ cup granulated sugar

5 eggs, separated

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Chocolate glaze, optional (recipe follows)

1. Prep: Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line with a round of parchment paper and butter the parchment. Heat oven to 350F.

2. Melt: Drop chocolate and butter into a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Zap to melt in two 1-minute intervals. Stir smooth. Set aside to cool down, about 10 minutes.

3. Mix: Whisk sugar into chocolate. Whisk yolks into chocolate. Whisk flour into chocolate.

4. Fluff: Beat egg whites to soft peaks.

5. Fold: Vigorously whisk one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate batter. Switch to a soft spatula. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites.

6. Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is firm and springy, about 32-34 minutes. Cool completely on a rack before releasing cake and inverting it onto a cardboard round.

7. Glaze: Serve as is, perhaps with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Or glaze: Set cake (on its round) on a rack. Set rack over a rimmed sheet pan to catch the drips. Pour all the warm glaze into a big puddle on top. Use an offset spatula to nudge the glaze toward the edges, where it can drip becomingly down the sides. Let set a few minutes. Stun guests.

Chocolate glaze

Chop 4 ounces semisweet chocolate and tumble it into a medium bowl. Heat ½ cup heavy cream to boiling. Pour hot cream over chocolate. Cover with a plate and let stand 5 minutes. Gently whisk smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon cognac, if you like.

Provenance: Adapted from Patricia Wells’s masterpiece Bistro Cooking.

Raspberry Brown Butter Shortbread Sandwiches

4 ounces/113 grams unsalted butter

⅓ cup /75 grams granulated sugar

1 cup/135 grams bleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Raspberry preserves, I like Bonne Maman

1. Brown: Set up ice bath (ice water in a skillet or other low vessel). In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring and scraping bottom with a soft spatula, until butter is riddled with golden-brown specks, about 12 minutes. Pull pan off heat and settle it into the ice bath. Let butter cool completely.

2. Mix: Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt. Scrape in cooled butter. Mix with a wooden spoon. Drop in extract. Mix.

3. Shape: Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of parchment to ¼ inch thick. Cut out 1¾-inch circles, half of them punched with stars and such. Repeat with scraps. It dough seems dry, zap in microwave for 10 seconds before re-rolling. Set aside cut cookies, lightly covered with parchment, at room temperature for 1 hour.

4. Bake: Bake at 325 F until just beginning to color, about 13-14 minutes.

5. Fill: Turn plain cookies bottom up. While still just a bit warm, pipe or spoon on raspberry preserves. Top with cut-out cookies, twisting to adhere the pair.

6. Resist: Settle cookie sandwiches in a plastic bin or other airtight container and set aside (at room temp) for two days. Don't cheat. Cookies will transform from crisp and tasty to tender and heartbreakingly delicious. Share.

Pumpkin Pie

Prep: 1 hour

Bake: 50 minutes

Serves: 8 to 12

1 (2- to 3-pound) green or red kabocha squash*

Canola oil

1 cup (packed) dark-brown sugar

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon fine salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups heavy cream

3 eggs

Ginger crust (recipe follows)

Whipped cream, optional

1. Roast: Slice squash in half, north to south. Use an ice cream scoop to scrape out seeds and any stringy innards. Brush with a little oil. Set squash cut side down on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Slide into a 400-degree oven and roast until tender (pierce with a fork, right through the skin), about 40 minutes.

2. Swirl: Scoop out orange flesh (discard skin) and drop it into the food processor. Swirl completely smooth. Measure 2 cups puree.

 3. Toss: Use a fork to toss together sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in small bowl.

 4. Mix: Return squash puree to the food processor. Pour in cream, eggs, and sugar mix. Swirl smooth.

5. Bake: Pour squash mix onto baked ginger crust (still in its pan, still on a baking sheet). Slide into the center of a 400-degree oven and bake until pie is jiggly all the way across, about 50 minutes. Cool completely. Unsnap sides of pan, release pie. Slice and serve with whipped cream, if you like.

Ginger crust:

Stir together 1½ cups gingersnap crumbs, 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Press firmly across the bottom of a deep 9-inch springform pan (the sort used for cheesecake). Set pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Slide into the center of a 400-degree oven and bake until crust is fragrant and slightly darkened, about 12 minutes. Cool.  

*Kabocha squash, also called Japanese pumpkin, has sweet, dense flesh that makes excellent pumpkin pie. I got mine at Whole Foods. Check the farmers’ market or pumpkin patch. If you can’t find one, substitute one (2- to 3-pound) pie pumpkin.

Raspberry Clafouti

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 40 minutes

Serves: 8

1 pint fresh raspberries

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon liqueur (raspberry, pear, or almond)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Butter and sugar for pan

3 whole eggs

¾ cup whole milk

½ cup heavy cream

⅓ cup crème fraîche

½ cup flour

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

1. Soak: Tumble berries into a bowl. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons sugar, the liqueur, and vanilla. Mix once, gently. Let sit, about 20 minutes.

2. Prep: Butter and sugar a 9-inch ceramic baking dish. Set on a rimmed baking sheet.

3. Mix: Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, crème fraîche, flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, and salt until smooth.

4. Fill: Scoop up berries with a slotted spoon and settle them in the prepared baking pan. Whisk remaining juices into egg mixture. Pour egg mixture over fruit.

5. Bake: Slide into a 375-degree oven and bake until puffed, golden, and set, about 35-40 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Enjoy warm or room temperature.

Cake Sandwiches

Makes: About 4 full-sized and 4 mini sandwiches

About 2 tablespoons softened butter (I liked salted), for pan

About 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for pan

2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons/9 ounces/255 grams unsalted butter, softened

1½ cups/300 grams granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 whole large eggs, cracked into a measuring cup with a spout 

1 cup/4 ounces/113 grams almond flour

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup/4 ounces/113 grams sifted cake flour

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Buttercream, recipe follows

1. Prep: Lightly butter a half-sheet (18x13x1-inch) pan. Line with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment. Tap out any excess flour. Set rack in the upper third of oven. Heat oven to 325F (conventional) or 300F (convection).

2. Mix: Drop butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl as needed. Still beating, cascade in sugar and salt. Beat fluffy. Slide in eggs, one at a time, beating fluffy after each. Beat in almond flour and extract. Total beating time: about 4 minutes.

3. Fold: Pull bowl off stand. Sift cake flour (again!) over the batter and, using a soft spatula, fold in gently.

4. Bake: Scrape batter onto prepared sheet pan. Smooth evenly with an offset spatula. Scatter on sliced almonds. Bake until golden and springy, about 20-21 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

5. Cut: When cool, punch out (or freehand) bread-slice shapes. Spread the sliced-almond side of one slice with buttercream. Top with a second slice, almonds-down. Repeat, composing all sandwiches. Chill. Cut sandwiches in half on the diagonal. Slip each into a waxed paper bag. Makes a wholesome lunch.

Chocolate Buttercream

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

6 ounces/1½ sticks/170 grams softened unsalted butter

1 pinch salt

2 large egg whites

7 tablespoons/88 grams granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons espresso powder dissolved in 1½ teaspoons coffee

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Prep: Break up chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Zap 1 minute to melt. Stir smooth. Let cool. Drop butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Toss in salt. Beat fluffy. Set butter aside. Make sure mixer bowl is perfectly clean and dry before starting next step.

2. Heat: Slide egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in sugar. Set this bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until egg mixture looks foamy and reaches 165F, about 5 minutes.

3. Whip: Carefully wipe the bottom of the bowl dry, and snap it onto the stand mixer. Whisk on high speed to fluffy, glossy peaks, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and whisk in the fluffy butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Whisk in the chocolate. Whisk in espresso and/or vanilla.

Brown-butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep: 15 minutes

Bake: 14 minutes

Makes: 36 cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut up

1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1½ cups dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 whole eggs

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate disks or chips

 1. Brown: Settle butter in a medium sauce pan. Set over medium heat. Butter will melt, foam and—after about 5 minutes—brown. When the bottom of the pan is speckled with brown bits, pull pan off heat. This brown butter will give your cookies a rich, nutty taste. Scrape into a mixing bowl.

2. Mix: Stir in, in order: salt, soda, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and flour. Check that dough and bowl are cool (so as not to melt chocolate). Stir in disks (or chips).  

3. Shape: Using a 2 tablespoon ice-cream scoop, shape 36 dough balls. Settle balls in a bag (I like those reusable silicone bags) and freeze until cookie time.

4. Bake: Set oven rack in the center position. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Choose the optimum number of cookie balls and settle them on baking sheet, leaving 3 inches space in-between. Bake until shiny on top and just set, about 14-16 minutes. Let cool (a bit). Munch.