Prosciutto Ring Bread

I don't know what possessed me to bake bread on a 95-degree day, but it sure was good bread.  It finished baking before I headed out the door.  Later I got a call from Joe...

J: Can I have some bread?
Me: Can't you wait? I was going to take more photos.
J: I can't eat it because you haven't finished documenting??
Me: Fine, but don't hack it apart too badly!!

Only another blogger would understand.  Anyway, a good deal of it was missing when I got home, which you can take as testament to how good it was.

Clockwise from top left: Prosciutto di Piccolo was the more affordable alternative to Prosciutto di Parma ($16.99/lb!), but we agreed the bread could have used more since the pieces seemed to have shrunk during baking.  I'd also consider substituting small chunks of sausage next time.  The dough looks curdly at first, then kneads out smooth.  Roll it into a ball on a floured surface, then into a rope, and finally into a ring.

Clockwise from top left: The ring before rising; the ring after rising; brushing with melted butter; and using a wooden peel to ease the bread onto a baking stone.

It's a very rustic bread, with a nice crisp crust and a sturdy but moist crumb.  Try it!

Birthday Banana Cream Pie

What do you make for someone who doesn't like chocolate?  I could drown happily in a bowl of pure chocolate ice cream, no toppings needed.  I know several of my (crazy) friends dislike chocolate in favor of flavorings like vanilla and caramel.  I don't get it, but my friend Charmie is one of them.  But I know she loves whipped cream, and who doesn't like bananas?  So banana cream pie it was.  Sliced bananas are folded into a pastry cream and spooned into a flaky pie crust, then topped with whipped cream.  This pie is simple but delicious, not too sweet, and has great mouthfeel with clouds of airy cream.  Charmie loved it, and it was her first-ever birthday pie.  Will it be cake or pie on your next birthday?

Rose's Banana Refrigerator Cake

A quickie post on Rose Levy Beranbaum's Banana Refrigerator Cake, since I'm playing catch-up.  This one is a lot like banana bread, but less dense and with a tender crumb, and topped with Rose's Dreamy Creamy White Chocolate Frosting (silly name).  I normally dislike white chocolate, but the thin layer was a nice and not-too-sweet accompaniment.

Rose writes that the cake stays soft even in the refrigerator because oil is used instead of butter, hence the name.  The cake is simple enough to make, although you may not have the white chocolate and turbinado sugar on hand, but it's nice for an occasional Sunday.  Think of it as a fancier banana bread.  If you want the recipe, shoot me a message or leave a comment!

White Velvet Cupcakes & Buttercream

I was craving childhood cupcakes.  My mom used to make the yellow cake from the box and top it with frosting from the can, and little could make me happier as a kid.  This is like the grownup version.  The flavors are essentially the same, but with that baked-from-scratch goodness and slight sophistication.  After all, I dressed them up with sugar pearls.  This White Velvet Cupcake is moist and has such a tender crumb, and the Chocolate Buttercream is better than anything ever sold in a can.

The recipes come from Rose Levy Beranbaum's new book, Rose's Heavenly Cakes.  This is not a book of the quick and easy, not for whipping up on a random Sunday afternoon.  This book is for making grand cakes, wedding cakes, cakes to impress the pants off someone.  They're beautiful, of course, and no doubt delicious, but many looked so time-consuming.  This cupcake was great because it didn't require too much effort or time, and a photo editor at work told me it was "the best cupcake I've ever had."

I watched a video of Rose's where she pointed out that your average frosting usually has a slight grainy texture.  This is because the sugar or confectioners sugar is uncooked, and all those granules are just beaten in.  This buttercream, on the other hand, dissolves the sugar over heat and makes use of some corn syrup, resulting in the smoothest buttercream imaginable.

Apple Pie, 2.0

I can't help it -- it's an old favorite, especially in the fall!  I'm kind of recycling a post, but I really do use my tried and true recipes over and over again.  And with the weather getting chilly, it's been perfect lately for turning on that oven and making something comforting.  Plus, it fills your home with the most wonderful aromas of apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

This time, I added some apple cutouts for a decorative touch. Bake them on a sheet pan for 10 minutes while the pie is baking. When the pie has cooled a bit, affix your cutouts using some corn syrup.

This recipe is from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Pie and Pastry Bible.  Her cream cheese pie dough has become my favorite for its flakiness, slight tang, and ease in rolling out.  She explains in the book that cream cheese has a high water content that's great for the pastry.  My other reasons for liking this pie (the baking reasons, not the obvious eating ones) include baking the pie on a baking stone on the floor of the oven to avoid that awful soggy bottom crust, and cooking the juices of the apples to concentrate the flavor.  True, I spent a good few hours making this, but the extra steps are rewarding in the end.  Keep in mind when planning that you can't eat it for a few hours, or the juices will run out everywhere before they've had a chance to set.  I won't repost the recipe, since you can find it here.