Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits

Tags

biscuits, bread, butter, buttermilk, Cook's Illustrated

I love biscuits and scones. There’s something about butter and flour being mixed into a fluffy, tender baked good that is just divine. Now I’ve made other biscuits before (including pumpkin of course!), and those were awesome, too, but I just can’t help but try new recipes. These are relatively simple as far as biscuits go, though being a Cook’s Illustrated recipe they do have some additional steps. They’re essentially drop biscuits, and they kind of bake up like pull-apart rolls.The results are nothing short of biscuit perfection. They’re light and delicious and were the perfect choice to bake up while my weeknight bolognese cooked on the stove. If you’re like me, constantly looking for new biscuit (or any bread) recipes, give this a try. You won’t be disappointed!One Year Ago: Pizza Dough and Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits
Yield: 12 biscuits

Dough
2 cups (10-ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1½ cups low-fat buttermilk

For Shaping and Finishing
1 cup (5-ounces) all-purpose flour, distributed on a rimmed baking sheet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan and the inside and outside of a ¼ cup measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the dough: In a food processor bowl fitted with the metal blade, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda; pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter, dispersing evenly over the dry ingredients, then pulse 8 to 10 times, or until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Pour the flour-butter mixture into a large bowl; add the buttermilk and stir with a rubber spatula just until everything is incorporated. The dough will be wet, sticky, and somewhat lumpy.

To form the biscuits: Use the prepared ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop level ¼ cup mounds of dough, then drop them into the flour on the baking sheet. Continue until all the dough has been scooped (there should be 12 mounds). Use some of the flour from the baking sheet to dust the top of each mound. Flour your hands, then, one at a time, pick up each piece of dough and gently shape it into a rough ball, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Shake off the excess flour and place in the prepared cake pan. Repeat with the remaining mounds of dough, fitting 9 biscuits around the outer edge of the pan and 3 in the middle.

Gently brush the top of each biscuit with the melted butter. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and continue baking for another 13 to 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are deep golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let the biscuits cool for 2 minutes, then invert them onto a clean kitchen towel. Flip the biscuits over and break them apart. Allow to cool 5 minutes longer before serving. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container and reheat at 475 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated via Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

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Eggplant Parmesan

Tags

basil, breadcrumbs, Cook's Illustrated, eggplant, garlic, Italian, tomato

I’m a little late in getting in the Christmas spirit. I’m still trying to get there, and am starting to feel like I’m really running behind. I’ve just now sort of started my Christmas shopping, and in terms of Christmas baking… well, I have ideas and plans, so now I just need to motivation and spirit to get started! Hopefully soon. 🙂

In the meantime, it is super cold  here. Not compared to places where it snows and whatnot, but it’s cold for my area, and it’s very cold to work outdoors in! It’s times like this that warm comfort food is perfect. And for me, at least, Eggplant Parmesan fits that bill. It’s my favorite Italian dish of all times. Yes, it is a little time consuming with multiple steps and components, but so worth it! Especially since this recipe is baked instead of fried, so it’s healthier than your standard Eggplant Parmesan, and certainly doesn’t lack in flavor like some healthier alternatives sometimes do.

Salting the eggplant helps remove some of the bitterness from the eggplant, and remove some excess liquid so you don’t end up with watery Eggplant Parmesan. You make your own simple sauce, which could be skipped to make things a little simpler if desired. And the really unique thing about this recipe is that you leave edges of the eggplant exposed while baking it, so it doesn’t end up all soggy and mushy, but instead has some crunch to it! Gotta love a variety of textures! I serve it alongside some spaghetti with tomato sauce, olive oil and garlic, or butter and Parmesan to keep things simple and purely Italian! 🙂 Enjoy!Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant:
2 pounds globe eggplant, cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick rounds
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
8 slices high-quality white bread, torn into quarters
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Tomato Sauce:
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
10 fresh basil leaves torn, for garnish

To prepare the eggplant: Toss half of eggplant slices and 1½ teaspoons kosher salt in large bowl until combined; transfer salted eggplant to large colander set over bowl. Repeat with remaining eggplant and kosher salt, adding second batch to colander. Let stand until eggplant releases about 2 tablespoons liquid, 30 to 45 minutes. Arrange eggplant slices on a triple layer of paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible, then wipe off excess salt.

While eggplant is draining, adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions, place a rimmed baking sheet on each rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Pulse bread in food processor to fine, even crumbs, about fifteen 1-second pulses. Transfer crumbs to pie plate and stir in 1 cup Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

Combine flour and 1 teaspoon pepper in large zipper-lock bag; shake to combine. Lightly whisk eggs in a second pie plate. Place 8 to 10 eggplant slices in bag with flour; seal bag and shake to coat eggplant. Remove eggplant slices, shaking off excess flour, then dip in eggs and let excess egg run off, then coat evenly with bread crumb mixture; set breaded slices on wire rack. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

Remove preheated baking sheets from oven; add 3 tablespoons oil to each sheet, tilting to coat evenly with oil. Place breaded eggplant on the sheets in a single layer; bake about 30 minutes, until eggplant is well browned and crisp, switching and rotating baking sheets after 10 minutes, and flipping eggplant slices with wide spatula after 20 minutes. Leave oven on.

To make the tomato sauce: While eggplant bakes, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until garlic is light golden and fragrant; stir in the crushed and diced tomatoes. Bring sauce to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Spread 1 cup tomato sauce on bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish. Layer in half of eggplant slices, overlapping slices to fit. Spread 1 cup sauce over eggplant and sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Layer remaining eggplant and dot with 1 cup sauce, leaving majority of eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425 degrees F for 13 to 15 minutes, until bubbling and cheese is browned. Cool 10 minutes; scatter basil over top, and serve, passing remaining tomato sauce separately.

Source: Slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated January 2004

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tags

chocolate, Cook's Illustrated, cookie

Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I hope everyone has lots to be thankful for, and you all have a wonderful day and a fantastic feast!! 🙂Best. Chocolate chip. Cookie… Ever. Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies. They’re a basic, go-to cookie, good for any occasion and super versatile. I’m sure everyone has tried the Nestle Tollhouse cookies. Don’t get me wrong, those are good cookies. They’re just a little flat to me, and not quite chewy enough. These, on the other hand, are delish! Chewy, buttery, crispy around the edges but soft in the middle. Divine! I still need to try the New York Times chocolate chip cookies, which are apparently really amazing, too, but I’ll save those for another day.In case you happened to forget to make dessert for tonight, these cookies would be perfect! They whip up really quick, you should have the ingredients on hand, and all you need is a bowl and a spoon! It can even give you a little bit of an arm workout after your big meal! 😛

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Note: Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or kept frozen for up to 1 month.

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; set aside. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugars by hand or with a mixer until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix slowly until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll a half-cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull apart into two equal halves. Place each dough piece on the cookie sheet, with the jagged surface facing up, leaving ample room between each ball. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Source: Annie’s Eats, from Baking Illustrated

Thick and Chewy Triple-Chocolate Cookies

Tags

chocolate, Cook's Illustrated, cookie

I love reading cookbooks. Especially dessert cookbooks! Whenever I get a new one, I sit on the couch reading over each recipe making a mental note of which recipes I want to try until I read over the book again, and again. When I was trying to decide which cookbook I wanted next, I was trying to decide if I should get Baking Illustrated, from Cook’s Illustrated/America’s Test Kitchen. I was browsing through the book in the bookstore and two recipes really jumped out at me. Chewy chocolate chip cookies, and these thick and chewy triple-chocolate cookies. I was so close to buying the book just so I could try these recipes, until I remembered seeing other bloggers referencing Cook’s Illustrated and their website. Instead of the book, I opted for a membership to the website and sure enough, both cookie recipes were there. Yay for me! And you… because now you can try these amazing cookies!

Melted chocolate, chocolate chips, and Dutch-processed cocoa powder make for a triple whammy of chocolatey goodness. Even after a couple of days, if they last that long, they’re still gooey in the middle! Amazingly chocolately, fudgy, and downright delicious. This cookie is any chocoholic’s dream come true!

Thick and Chewy Triple Chocolate Cookies

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate (about 2⅔ cups)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1¼ sticks), softened
1½ cups packed light brown sugar (10½ ounces)
½ cup granulated sugar (3½ ounces)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

Melt chocolate in medium heatproof bowl set over pan of almost-simmering water, stirring once or twice, until smooth; remove from heat. Alternatively, to melt the chocolate in a microwave, heat at 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir, then continue heating at 50 percent power for 1 more minute. If not completely melted, heat an additional 30 to 45 seconds at 50 percent power. In a small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla lightly with fork, sprinkle coffee powder over to dissolve, and set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; mixture will look granular. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add melted chocolate in steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula. With mixer at low speed, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until consistency is scoopable and dough is less sticky, up to 30 minutes. Scoop dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets with 1¾-inch ice cream scoop, or shape dough into balls the size of golf balls. Leave about 1½ inches between each ball.

Bake, reversing position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until edges of cookies have just begun to set but centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes. Do not overbake; cookies will continue cooking as they cool. Cool cookies on sheets about 10 minutes, slide parchment with cookies onto wire racks, and cool to room temperature. Cover cooled baking sheets as needed with new piece of parchment paper. Scoop remaining dough onto parchment-lined sheet, bake, and cool as directed. Remove cooled cookies from parchment with wide metal spatula and serve.

Source: Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, September 1999

Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Lemon

Tags

Cook's Illustrated, lemon, pasta

More lemon! As spring intensifies, I’m craving even more lemon and citrus. The light, fresh flavors of citrus just scream spring and sunshine, both of which are plentiful right now. I’m on a big lemon kick right now, adding it to whatever I can while I have a fresh and abundant supply. So when I came across this recipe on Cook’s Illustrated, I knew it was something I was going to have to try. Lemon and pasta… My type of dish!
This pasta was so good that I made it twice within a few weeks, and I normally don’t repeat meals that often. It was mildly creamy, but oh so lemony. And the more lemon flavor you want, the more lemon juice you can add to adjust it to your liking. As for the basil, it adds a nice splash of color, and it’s nice to use if you have it on hand, but I didn’t feel it added much to the flavor.

Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Lemon (al Limone)

Table salt
1 pound spaghetti
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil , plus more for serving
¼ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons finely grated zest
¼ to ⅓cup juice (from 3 lemons)
1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves (optional)

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water; cook, stirring frequently, until al dente. Reserve 1¾ cups cooking water, drain pasta into colander, and set aside.

Heat oil, cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 cup pasta water in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat and bring to simmer; cook for 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat, return pasta, and stir until coated. Stir in ½ cup more pasta water, and remaining lemon juice if you want more lemon flavor. Add the cheese and pepper and toss until the cheese is evenly distrubuted.

Cover and let pasta stand 2 minutes, tossing frequently and adjusting consistency with remaining ¼ cup reserved pasta water if necessary. Stir in basil, if using, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, drizzling individual portions with oil and sprinkling with more cheese.

Source: Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, January 2011