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Recipe Mutiny steals recipes from food blogs and recipe sites. Then we publish them. With credit (Naturally).
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Mom’s Stovetop Turkey Stuffing
Classic Thanksgiving turkey stuffing recipe made with French bread cubes toasted in butter, walnuts, onion, celery, apple, green olives, and stock made from turkey giblets. No stuffing is better than Mom's!
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The Best Black Friday Kitchenware Deals from Walmart, Target, and More
Like it or not, Black Friday is coming and bringing with it a tidal wave of deals and savings that can be overwhelmingly difficult to sift through if you, well, have a life (#jealous). Luckily, we’re doing all the hard work for you by plucking the very best in cooking and kitchenware sales from all of your favorite major retailers. This means you’ll have more time to sit by the fireplace, enjoy some hot cocoa, and go back for your sixth slice of grandma’s famous pumpkin pie. No traffic, no waiting in lines, and no interacting with humans. Everything is at your fingertips with the simple click of a mouse, so get your holiday shopping done early without all of the headaches.
Walmart
Featured Product: Instant Pot 6-quart 7-in-1 multi-use programmable pressure cooker: $49
You know it, you love it, and now’s your chance to buy it and share it with those on Santa’s Nice List. It’s 50 percent off and only while supplies last, so soups, stews, chilis, and more are right at your fingertips.
Target
Featured Product: KitchenAid Professional 5-quart mixer: $229
Best Buy
If you don’t have a KitchenAid stand mixer, are you even a baker? Sure, you may be, but you won’t exactly look the part. This 10-speed appliance will knead, mix, and whip up all of your favorite holiday treats, including the most important treat of all: cookies (the bowl yields up to nine dozen cookies in one batch!).
Sur La Table
Featured Product: Nespresso VertuoPlus Deluxe by De’Longhi with Aeroccino3 frother: $162
You’re going to need caffeine to keep you going during this notoriously busy season and Nespresso always delivers with its single-serve coffee, espresso, cappuccino and latte capsules that brew directly from this VertuoPlus machine (marked down at nearly 50 percent off!). There is also an attached milk frother to whip up cold and hot milk in a matter of seconds. Snazzy.
Macy’s (TO COME)
Nordstrom (TO COME)
Wayfair (TO COME)
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Best New Baking Cookbooks for Fall 2019
With summer fully melted away and fall in full swing, we’re hunkering down and cozying up—and with ovens happily back on again, the agenda includes a lot of baking. Good thing that among all the new fall cookbooks, there are several super exciting baking books we’ve added to our shelves. We’ll rely on them for holiday baking, holiday gift giving, and staying occupied all the way through winter.
Whether you want to tackle famous bakery recipes (from bread to pastries), make showstopping cakes from a great British baker, finally perfect your pie game, or just crave casual, cozy cookies and tarts, there is a perfect baking cookbook fairly fresh off the presses for you too.
“Baking with Kim-Joy: Cute and Creative Bakes to Make You Smile” by Kim-Joy, $17.49 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: September 3, 2019
If you watched season 9 of “The Great British Baking Show,” you know Kim-Joy has an incredible knack for charmingly whimsical creations (often as not involving animals), and that’s what you’ll get from her brand new book. Think profiteroles turned into pigs in a pool of chocolate mud; delightful llama cookies; a cosmic space turtle cake; and a pillowy, honey-brushed bread wreath with oozy camembert baked in the middle (oh, and bread kittens nestled in among the plain buns, of course). The title is accurate: We defy you not to smile.Buy Now
“Bigger, Bolder Baking: A Fearless Approach to Baking Anytime, Anywhere” by Gemma Stafford, $21 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: September 3, 2019
Professional chef Gemma Stafford’s blog and online baking show (Bigger Bolder Baking) is full of fabulous dessert recipes and great advice for making better…well, everything sweet, from brownies to homemade cream cheese for frosting and filling. Her first book is rife with practical, expert advice and easy step-by-step recipes for perfect desserts from no-bake wonders and “In Case of Emergency” Mug Brownies to Baked Cinnamon Sugar Churros and Chocolate Lava Pie.
The chapters are organized by what tools you’ll need (think “Wooden Spoon & Bowl” or “Rolling Pin”), making it easy to search for sweets by how ambitious—or not—you’re feeling.
“The Perfect Pie: Your Ultimate Guide to Classic and Modern Pies, Tarts, Galettes, and More” by America’s Test Kitchen, $24.50 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: September 10, 2019
Anyone who’s not on team pie might just be converted by this ode to and instruction manual for perfect pies (and pie’s close cousins like tarts and galettes). You expect rigorously tested recipes and spot-on instructions from America’s Test Kitchen and that’s what you’ll get, whether you want to make a classic mile-high apple pie with a lattice crust or a rich chocolate tart with the inspired additions of tahini in the filling and sesame brittle on top.
In fact, most recipes have a unique twist that takes them from ordinary to something special (chai spice in a blackberry pie, Earl Grey tea in a blueberry version), and there are tons of tips for troubleshooting common pie problems (hard-to-roll crust, weepy meringues), plus walk-throughs for upping your game with intricate braided crusts and herringbone tops.
But there are also options for when you want to keep it casual, including crowd-pleasing slab pies, mini muffin pan pies, and easy mousse pies with store-bought puff pastry crusts.
“Tartine: A Classic Revisited” by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson, $31.50 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: October 10, 2019
San Francisco’s Tartine Bakery (with locations in Los Angeles and Seoul as well) is consistently ranked as one of America’s best, and their first cookbook has been a staple baking tome since its release in 2006 (we’ve also loved their subsequent books, including “Tartine Bread” and “Tartine All Day,” from which we were able to snag a few recipes when it came out)—but this year, we’ve gotten a completely revised edition of the beloved original Tartine baking bible that is essentially a brand new book.
With 55 updated recipes you may already know and love (only even better), plus 68 totally new recipes to try, including gluten-free options and the swoon-worthy, sought-after Morning Bun, this is a must-buy. As you can see by the cover, the photographs are stunning too, making this one a treat in every way.
“Martha Stewart’s Cookie Perfection: 100+ Recipes to Take Your Sweet Treats to the Next Level” by Editors of Martha Stewart Living, $18.20 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: October 15, 2019
Martha Stewart has been in the baking game for a long time, and while she did not directly author this cookie collection, it comes from the editors of Martha Stewart Living and that’s good enough for us. In addition to basic cookie know-how, expect to find upgraded versions of old favorites like Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies, Giant White Chocolate-Pecan Cookies, and Brown Butter-Honey Cookies—plus brownie cups, whoopie pies, and large-format skillet cookies for sharing straight out of the oven. Naturally, there are cookies fit for every holiday of the year as well, from Easter to Christmas Eve.Buy Now
“Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland” by Shauna Sever, $30 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: October 22, 2019
Longtime blogger, baker, and book author Shauna Sever is also a native Midwestener, and this cookbook pays homage to all the wonderful baked goods of the region, many of which have roots in various immigrant cuisines. Bake your way through savory Smoky Cheddar-Crusted Cornish pasties and beefy Runzas, sweet Schaum Torte with peaches and cream, Cherry Slab Pie with a secret ingredient, and Lebkuchen, plus more commonplace (but no less delicious) brownies and Bundt cakes. You’ll be throwing more potlucks just for an excuse to bake these recipes.Buy Now
“Poilâne: The Secrets of the World-Famous Bread Bakery” by Apollonia Poilâne, $30.60 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: October 29, 2019
The recipes of the famed French bakery Poilâne (Ina Garten, Martha Stewart, Alice Waters, and David Lebovitz are all big fans) are revealed in this book, which also tells the story of third-generation baker Apollonia Poilâne, who took over the globally expanded family business at 18. Find pitch-perfect recipes for rustic artisan bread and delicate pastries, as well as recipes for whole grains, and others that show you ways to use the bread you’ve baked (think filling croque madame-style sandwiches and even bread-bolstered parsley pesto).
If you’re new to baking, rest assured, everything is patiently explained with helpful tips like what type of vessel you should use (a heavy Dutch oven is perfect for a sourdough miche), but you’re also encouraged to take notes and trust your senses, because baking always varies with the environment. (In case this one isn’t intense enough for you, also check out “Flour Lab,” which not only includes rigorous baking recipes, but shows you how to mill your own flour first.)
“Weeknight Baking: Recipes to Fit Your Schedule” by Michelle Lopez, $35 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: October 29, 2019
This weeknight baking book by Michelle Lopez of Hummingbird High brings sweet treats within reach any time you want ’em. Some of the recipes are ones that come together in a flash, while others are easy to break apart into several components over a couple nights (great, for instance, if you’re planning a weekend dinner party and only have a little time on work nights to prep). They’re all delicious—from Black-and-White Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies to vegan Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie—and most rely on common ingredients, or give you substitution options that you probably have in your pantry.Buy Now
“Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes” by Joanne Chang, $28 on Amazon
Amazon
Publish Date: November 5, 2019
James Beard Award winner and professional baker Joanne Chang is the pastry pro behind Boston’s Flour bakeries, and has published two previous books with recipes from those dreamy destinations. This one includes lots of solid foundational recipes (like how to make puff pastry) as well as bakery case worthy confections like a many-layered Passion Fruit Crepe Cake, but also includes things like Strawberry Slab Pie, Malted Chocolate Cake, and Lemon Sugar Cookies. They’re all equally worthy of your flour, butter, and eggs—including this Homemade Nutella Babka recipe from the book.Buy Now
Check out our full list of the best cookbooks for fall 2019.
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Melissa Clark’s Maple Syrup Pecan Pie Recipe Is a Star
Pecan pie is right up there with pumpkin pie when it comes to iconic holiday desserts, but it has the potential to be overly sweet and gloopy. Melissa Clark’s pecan pie recipe with maple syrup and star anise avoids those issues—and corn syrup too.
Instead of the traditional Karo syrup, she cooks down maple syrup on the stove with star anise for a thick, spicy-sweet reduction that joins eggs, butter, a bit of rum, and the all-important pecans in a tender, flaky crust. This is sure to be the rightful center of attention on any Thanksgiving table.
And don’t fear homemade pie dough; Melissa makes hers in the food processor. See how she does it (and learn the proper way to pronounce pecan!), then get the recipe below.
The Game Changer: Infused Maple Syrup
Infused maple syrup is a wonderful thing (for pancakes, drinks, fried chicken, and more), and it’s easy to make. For this pie, star anise is the flavor agent and Demarara sugar is added too. The syrup is simmered longer than usual to reduce it and make it thicker. That will help it give the proper ooey-gooey body to the filling when whisked with eggs and butter—plus a couple tablespoons of rum if you please.
Feel free to try other spices—Clark herself advocates for switching things up every year. Cinnamon is an obvious choice, as are cloves, or you can do a mix of all of the above. Boris Portnoy’s Pumpkin Pie recipe is full of those and other spices like cardamom and Sichuan peppercorns, so check it out for inspiration and experiment. Just use whole spices in the syrup, not ground.
Chowhound
The Other Must: Toast Your Nuts
Toasting your pecans before folding them into the pie filling ensures a crunchier, more deeply flavored pie. Just take care not to burn them. Stir every so often so they toast evenly, and trust your nose; as soon as they start to smell nutty, they can come out of the oven.
Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Baking Sheets, 2 for $19.99 on Amazon
Use to toast your nuts, and make pulling your pie pan out of the oven easier too.
Top It Off: Whipped Crème Fraîche
Whipped cream is never unwelcome when it comes to pie, but whipped crème fraîche is a nice upgrade that brings a sophisticated tang and a silkier texture. Add a bit of sugar and vanilla (as you would when whipping cream) to sweeten it slightly, but use a light hand, as the pie is already quite sweet, which is what makes the tanginess of the unconventional topping so good with it. Whip the crème fraîche in a stand mixer or with a handheld beater until peaks form.
Melissa Clark’s Pecan Pie with Maple and Star Anise
Reprinted with permission from “Cook This Now: 120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can’t Wait to Make” by Melissa Clark. Copyright 2011. Published by Hyperion Books.
Melissa Clark's Spiced Maple Pecan Pie with Star Anise
The original version of this post was by Meredith Smith and Blake Arthur.
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What Is the Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet potatoes and yams are often grouped together into the same category: They’re round, fleshy root vegetables, a lovely orange (thanks, beta carotene!) on the inside, frequently perched next to one another in the grocery store, and both vegetables are commonly tucked into the oven to bake for roasting. But the two products yielded from the ground have different names; so what’s the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?
Related Reading: How to Get Creative with Sweet Potato Casserole
“In the U.S., there is no difference between a sweet potato and a yam,” says Sue Johnson-Langdon, executive director of the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission. What Americans commonly refer to as a yam is simply a variety of sweet potato with a particularly moist, bright orange flesh, explains Johnson-Langdon.
It’s all the result of a potato marketing ploy on the part of Louisiana sweet potato growers in the 1930s who wanted to differentiate their variety of sweet potatoes from the drier, white-fleshed varieties that were being grown on the East Coast, says Tara Smith, a sweet potato extension specialist at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. The potato growers chose yam, the English word that derives from West African words meaning either true yams or “to eat.” (The USDA requires that the vegetables still be identified as sweet potatoes though, so the label will say both yams and sweet potatoes.) So while many people in the U.S. use yam and sweet potato interchangeably, these two tuberous root vegetables are actually very different.
What Is a Sweet Potato?
Tom Grill/The Image Bank / Getty Images Plus
There are actually a wealth of sweet potatoes varieties. These tubers hail from the morning glory family. You’ll find a rainbow of skin colors—from brown, purple, red, white, and yellow—and the meaty flesh can often be found in orange and yellow.
Related Reading: 12 Ways to Serve Sweet Potatoes at Your Holiday Feast
In the U.S., a large amount of sweet potatoes are grown, but there are two kinds that are the most popular: firm sweet potatoes and soft sweet potatoes. The difference between these two is that firm sweet potatoes are golden on the outside, boast a light flesh inside, and are a little tougher after roasting, while soft yams are bright orange inside, with a copper skin, and after cooking are very soft and creamy.
What Are True Yams?
Lars Mensel / EyeEm / Getty Images
True yams have rougher, scalier skin than sweet potatoes and are often pale-fleshed. The flesh of a yam comes in a slew of colors, from red to purple and white. They are generally starchier in texture. True yams belong to the family Dioscoreaceae, whereas sweet potatoes are in the Convolvulaceae family. Unlike sweet potatoes (which originate from Peru and Ecuador), true yams are from West Africa and Asia. One popular way to cook yams included candied yams, where the flesh of yams are sliced, mashed, and baked in the oven with butter and brown sugar.
Although sweet potatoes are ubiquitous in grocery stores, yams are much harder to come by in the United States (though Chowhounds have tried). Your best chance of finding yams is to seek out any specialty or international grocery stores.
So next time you’re perusing your grocery store and wander by the potato section, take a peak and see if you can tell the difference between a yam and sweet potato. You might be surprised what you find.
Related Video: How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
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Tips for the Perfect Pie Crust
The two imperatives of Thanksgiving pie crust (whether cradling pumpkin or pecan)fillings) are make it tender, and make it flaky. Those things don’t happen by accident, though. These tips for perfect pie dough will ensure your holiday desserts are perfect to the last bite.
Keep Things Chill
The key to producing flaky, tender pie crust is starting with very cold fat and super-frigid ice water. For pointers, check out our quick video tip on how to ensure a tender pie crust:
Cut It In
When you cut the butter in, you’re aiming for pea-size pieces, but beware of the butter getting too warm (see above)—especially if you’re using your fingers to work the butter into the flour, instead of two forks or a pastry blender.
Related Reading: The Best Baking Tools to Have in Your Kitchen
If you have a food processor, you can use that to cut the butter in, which will only take a couple pulses. See Melissa Clark demonstrate the method for her Anise-Infused Maple Syrup Pecan Pie recipe:
Don’t Overwork It
The next step involves mixing your ice water into the dough, and you only want to do that until it comes together—manipulate the dough too much and it will get tough. Sprinkle the water evenly over the dry ingredients so it doesn’t pool in one spot (and don’t use the full amount of water to begin with as you may not need it all), then gently mix it into the dough, which will be shaggy. That’s okay.
Turn it out onto your floured counter and knead it gently only until any unincorporated flour disappears. The dough should not be too crumbly or too sticky, but it should mostly hold together and you should still see specks of butter. You may need to add more water or more flour to correct the texture, but do it a tiny bit at a time.
Chowhound
If you’re nervous, you can try adding vodka to your pie crust in place of some of the water.
Pat your dough into a disc, wrap it up in plastic, and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, if not an hour (or longer).
Give It a Break
Do you really need to rest your dough in the fridge like we just told you to? The short answer: Yes! Letting your formed or rolled pie dough rest gives the gluten a chance to relax, the moisture a chance to distribute evenly throughout the dough, and the fats a chance to firm back up—all of which ensure your pie will be flaky, tender, and memorable in a good way.
Watch this quick and emphatic video reminder on why you should rest pie dough:
If you have time, you can rest it again after you roll it out and transfer it to your pie pan.
Work That Pin
When rolling out the dough, the “keep things chill” rule still applies! You can even chill your rolling pin while your dough is resting. If you have trouble with rolling out an even circle (which should be a bit bigger than your pie pan so you have a margin of error when crimping), you might find a silicone mat with rolling guidelines helpful:
But rolling it out is only the beginning—you’ve still got to transfer that sheet of pastry to your pie dish. The easiest, least traumatic way to do this is by using your rolling pin as a transport device. Simply roll the dough onto your pin like it’s a pig in a blanket, then unroll into the dish. Check out this quick video tutorial on transporting pie dough:
But What If It’s Stuck?
No worries! You can use an offset spatula to work it free—or if you don’t have one of those, look in your medicine cabinet. See what we mean in this video tip on how to get stuck pie dough off the counter:
Pie Dough Recipe Perfection
So what are you waiting for? Put these tips to work with our basic All-Butter Pie Dough recipe (or try a butter-and-shortening Flaky Pie Dough recipe).
Chowhound
If you’re still trying to decide what to put in it, see the best Thanksgiving pie recipes for inspiration. And check out the prettiest pie pans for showcasing all your blue ribbon desserts too.
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This Upgrade on Babka Swaps Chocolate for Homemade Nutella (!)
For anyone who’s taken a trip to Boston—or, for that matter, resides there—Flour Bakery stands as the proverbial bakery destination. James Beard Award-winning baker Joanne Chang boasts the kind of pastry temple you could seemingly spend the rest of your life in, teeming with rounds of dark sticky buns crowned with pecans, wedges of sour cream coffee cake, and tart lemon pies finished off with towering swoops of meringue.
So it should come as no surprise that Joanne’s newest book, “Pastry Love,” is filled with pages of delightful concoctions, a wonderfully intimate baking journal. You’ll find the likes of maple-blueberry scones, delicate palmiers, and rum butterscotch pudding parfaits—comforting recipes for skilled and novice bakers. Many of the recipes peppered throughout the cookbook are treats she could never serve at Flour: desserts that are meant to be prepped à la minute (a dish prepared and served immediately), ones that desire a final pillow of fresh whipped cream, or are best enjoyed straight out of the oven.
Related Reading: Dorie Greenspan’s Favorite Baking Tool Is Only $6
The book is also filled with detailed master lessons. Joanne provides easy-to-follow instructions for bakers who want to up their baking projects to the next level: Flip to the back of the book to discover recipes for puff pastry dough, lemon curd, and frangipane, among many more.
Kristin Teig
Joanne’s recipe for housemade Nutella babka is excerpted below. The dense loaf is swirled with homemade Nutella (though easily swapped for the store-bought variety, too) sliced and braided into one thick log, then drenched in a nutty, hazelnut syrup. It’s the kind of thing you want to wake up to in the morning or serve during a Hanukkah feast (or really almost any Jewish festivity). Once you slice into the wonderfully chocolatey mess, you’ll be thanking Joanne for crafting an unbelievably flawless recipe.
Housemade Nutella Babka is excerpted from “Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes” © 2019 by Joanne Chang. Photography © 2019 by Kristin Teig. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Housemade Nutella Babka Recipe
As Flour has grown, one of our biggest challenges has been to keep our menu consistent with all our—and your—favorites while also offering enough new items to entice our guests and keep our bakers engaged. We have many exceptional bakers on our team and we wanted a way for them to showcase their skills—hence Pastry of the Month, or POM. Every bakery is encouraged to come up with a POM, and every now and then a POM is so good we decide to offer it as a holiday special. This babka was created by one of our longtime bakers, Matt, who worked for months to make buttery, chocolatey, tender babka that blew us all away. I had never made babka before and loved learning all the tricks from him. The slicing and twisting and shaping of the babka is really fun, and serves to help the filling bake evenly into the dough so you minimize air pockets and have gorgeous swirls in the final product.
This isn’t a difficult recipe but you do need to plan ahead because the brioche dough needs time to rest to be the most flavorful. Toast all the hazelnuts for the different parts of the recipe together to save some time.
Homemade Nutella Babka
Makes: 2 loaves
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Master Brioche Dough (see below)
- ¼ cup/40 grams blanched hazelnuts Homemade Nutella (see below)
- 1 ½ ounces/40 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
- Hazelnut Syrup (see below)
Instructions
- Mix the brioche dough and let proof for 6 hours or up to overnight in the fridge as directed.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 6 to 8 minutes, until light golden brown and fragrant; break a few open to check. Remove from the oven (turn off the oven), let the nuts cool, then rough-chop them. Line two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper or butter them generously, and set them aside. Make the Nutella.
- Generously flick flour over the work surface. Divide the brioche dough in half and roll out one half into a rectangle about 20 inches wide from side to side and 12 inches long from top to bottom. Brush off any loose flour from the surface of the dough. Mix the Nutella vigorously with a spoon to soften and loosen it. Using an offset spatula, spread half the Nutella evenly over the dough. Sprinkle half the chopped nuts and half the chocolate evenly over the Nutella. Roll the dough tightly, starting from the top and rolling downward in a spiral like a jelly roll. Repeat with the other half of the brioche dough. Place the dough rolls on a flat plate or baking sheet in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. (This will make twisting them together a bit easier to handle, and they’ll be less likely to fall apart.)
- Remove the dough rolls from the freezer. Cut one of the dough rolls lengthwise straight down the middle completely in half, exposing the layers. Place one cut half across the center of the other cut half, making an X shape. Twist the dough on either side of the center around each other, keeping the exposed cut sides of the dough visible, so that you have a long twisted braid of dough. Fold the dough braid in half like a horseshoe, give it a twist so the Nutella is now hidden inside, and place in a prepared loaf pan, tucking in any overhanging or loose dough. Repeat with the second dough roll. Cover both babkas with plastic wrap or lint-free towels and place in a warm area in the kitchen. Let the babkas proof and grow for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until they are billowing and soft and full.
- Make the hazelnut syrup.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Remove the plastic wrap or towels and bake the babkas for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans and switching their positions midway through the baking time, until the babkas are medium golden brown and sound hollow when you thump them on the bottom.
- Remove the babkas from the oven and while warm, brush them with the hazelnut syrup. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack.
- Babka can be stored in a paper bag at room temperature for 1 day. You can also freeze it, well wrapped in plastic, for up to 2 weeks. Refresh in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes before serving.
Master Brioche Dough
Makes: 2.5 pounds dough
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups/245 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 cups/300 grams high-gluten bread flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons/7 grams/ 1 (¼-ounce) packet active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup/65 grams sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 large eggs (about 200 grams), at room temperature
- 18 tablespoons/2 ¼ sticks/255 grams unsalted butter, cut into 10 to 12 pieces, at room temperature
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, ½ cup/120 grams cold water, and the eggs. Mix on low speed until the ingredients have come together, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl as necessary to make sure all the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. Mix on low for another 3 to 4 minutes once the dough has come together. It will be very stiff.
- Add the butter to the dough piece by piece and continue mixing on low for about 10 minutes. The butter needs to mix completely into the dough, so stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl and break up the dough with your hands if necessary to help the butter mix in.
- Once the butter is completely incorporated into the dough, mix on medium for another 15 minutes, until the dough becomes sticky and soft and somewhat shiny. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and mix for about 1 minute — you should hear a slap-slap-slap sound as the dough hits the sides of the bowl. Test the dough by pulling at it — it should stretch a bit and have a little give. If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoons of either all-purpose or bread flour and mix until it comes together. If it breaks off into pieces when you pull at it, continue to mix it on medium for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it develops more strength and stretches when you grab it. When it’s ready you should be able to gather it all together and pick it up all as one piece.
- Place the dough in a large bowl or plastic container and cover the top with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the dough to prevent a skin from forming. Let the dough proof in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. The dough is now ready to use.
Homemade Nutella
Makes: 2 cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup/75 grams blanched hazelnuts
- 1 cup/240 grams heavy cream
- 6 ounces/170 grams milk chocolate, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 ounces/85 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are light golden brown and fragrant; break a few open to check. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a small saucepan, combine the cream and hazelnuts. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Place the milk and dark chocolates in a medium metal or heatproof glass bowl. Pour the hot cream and nuts over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolates are melted. Add the salt. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl or storage container and let cool to room temperature. It will thicken and become spreadable.
- Nutella can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Bring the Nutella to room temperature before using.
Hazelnut Syrup
Makes: ½ cup
Ingredients
- ½ cup/75 grams blanched hazelnuts
- ½ cup/100 grams sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Place the hazel-nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until light golden brown and fragrant; break a few open to check. Remove from the oven.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and hazelnuts with 1/2 cup/120 grams water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the hazelnuts have softened. Remove from the heat and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until the nuts are completely ground into tiny pieces. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids.
- The syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months.
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How to Spend a Perfect Long Weekend in Chicago This Christmas
New York City may get most of the attention as America’s idyllic Christmas destination, but it’s Chicago that is truly the winter wonderland of your dreams. Among the bustling food scene, awe-inspiring productions, and world-famous museums, there is an abundance of restaurants and activities for anyone landing a spot on this year’s Nice (and even Naughty) List. But if time is of the essence and you’re not entirely sure where to begin, we’ve combed through all of the Windy City’s festive offerings to present a comprehensive guide to our favorite December hot spots. All you need is a coat, some cash, and the ability to put your everyday stresses aside. It’s time to surrender to the holy holiday spirit and let it take over your body. Praise be to Chitown.
Chicago Events and Productions
Joffrey Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”
Cheryl Mann/The Joffrey Ballet
Even the biggest of Scrooges will have something to smile about at Chicago’s most popular holiday production, now in its fourth season. With the city itself as the backdrop, show-goers will revel in the most adorable, whimsical, and nostalgic performance of the season, complete with world-class dancing, intricate costumes, dazzling lights, and the familiar Tchaikovsky numbers you’ll be humming for the entire rest of your trip. You’d be remiss to miss out! Click here for tickets.
Chicago Museums
You won’t find a shortage of museums in Chicago, with most presenting holiday exhibits that not only thrill, but educate during this busy time of year. The Museum of Chicago + Industry presents a “Christmas Around the World” that highlights cultural holiday traditions, while the Art Institute of Chicago channels their inner Nate Berkus with the tiniest of Holiday Thorne Rooms. Either way, consider these annual staples a necessary respite to Chicago’s notoriously bitter cold. You’re going to need it.
Macy’s (The Walnut Room)
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There’s no department store more famous on the Magnificent Mile than Macy’s, and Christmastime is where Santa’s headquarters truly shines. Beyond the ornate window displays is the Walnut Room, a wood-paneled restaurant boasting Russian and Austrian chandeliers among a cozy, decked-out dining space. Order Mrs. Hering’s Chicken Pot Pie, admire the giant Christmas tree, and allow yourself to be immersed in the contagious spirit. There may be no better place to capture the sights and sounds of the holidays that you so desperately crave during this time of year. Click here for more information.
Chicago Brunch Spots
Funkenhausen
Funkenhausen
Cue “Funky Town,” except replace the song’s lyrics with Funkenhausen. This is one of the most buzzed-about restaurants to hit Chicago’s dining scene, offering a unique mash-up of Southern and German cuisines (think schnitzel meets grits) in a beer-forward environment. It’s the perfect prerequisite to Chicago’s Christkindlmarkt, where you can enjoy even more German-inspired treats and libations. Fröhliche Weihnachten, everyone. Click here for more information.
Mott St
Let’s give ‘em something to Mott about. And that something is an award-winning burger served only from 6-7 p.m., or exclusively at their bar and during brunch service. Selected as Thrillist’s Best Burger in Chicago, this Asian-inspired delight features a drool-worthy miso butter atop jalapeño pickles, American cheese, double patties, Hoisin aioli, and fried sweet potato sticks. Needless to say, you’re going to need some sake to wash it all down. Click here for more information.
Chicago Dinner Spots
Odyssey Chicago River Dinner Cruise
Odyssey Chicago River Cruise
The weather outside may be frightful (it’s Chicago, after all), but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the sights and sounds of the city from the comfort of a boat. Odyssey boat tours continues to run daily (no icy lakes or Titanic-esque icebergs to get in the way), including a glass ceiling dinner cruise with an open bar. It’s the perfect outing with friends and an excellent excuse to get out of sweatpants for an evening full of food and dranks. Just be sure to monitor your champagne intake. Not everyone wants to see those “dance moves” you’ve been saving for under the mistletoe. (Two cruise offerings are also available on Christmas Eve, in case you’re not entirely sure what to do with those pesky in-laws.) Click here for tickets.
Monteverde
The Feast of Seven Fishes may be an important Christmas custom for Italian families across the country, but for this Italian, it’s all about pasta, pasta, pasta. And nobody serves more innovative tagliolini, agnotti, and gnochetti than Monteverde. From spicy arrabbiata to cacio whey pepe, there’s a hand-made noodle and sauce combo for every type of personality. You may even find yourself asking which elf your tastebuds tipped to get on the culinary Nice List this year. Pro tip: Don’t leave without ordering the burrata appetizer, which is my favorite appetizer in Chicago. Click here for more information.
Momotaro
Galdones Photography
Even Santa has to pace his cookie consumption during the holidays. If you’re looking for a necessary break from gluttony to reboot and recover from rich food overload, look no further than what is arguably one of the best Japanese establishments in the city. Aside from fresh, innovative sushi, you’ll find dozens of small plates, both hot and cold, that will satisfy any craving. And we do mean literally any craving, from soy marinated quail eggs wrapped in bacon to sweet tomato tartare on Japanese milk bread. Click here for more information.
Entente
Casual fine dining has never felt more chic. In an ever-changing list of dishes based on ingredient seasonality and chef collaborations, this Lakeview gem offers an approachable menu with inspiring takes on familiar favorites. Plus, it’s only a short drive from Lincoln Park’s Zoo Lights, making it an ideal first stop for a night full of LED-enhanced magic. Click here for more information.
S.K.Y.
This Pilsen hidden gem has become a permanent staple on the locals’ “must-try” list…and deservedly so. Offering innovative, beautiful, and tasty dishes in a chic and industrial atmosphere, Chef Stephen Gillanders wows with a seasonal menu that doesn’t lend itself well to the indecisive. To help, start with the signature Cornbread Madeleines and Black Truffle Croquettes before diving into Asian-inspired entrees like the Foie Gras Bibimbap or Organic Fried Chicken with fermented hot sauce. And definitely save room for dessert. Pastry chef Tatum Sinclair is a master with sugar…and a blow torch! Just check out her fiery Black Truffle Pavlova here. Click here for more information.
Chicago Hotel
W Chicago – City Center
Marriott
It’s important to feel like you’re in the middle of all the lights, bells, and garland that define the holiday season and there is, perhaps, nowhere more central than the appropriately-named W Chicago – City Center. This modern and trendy property boasts spacious rooms with eclectic furniture, branded and adorned with the W’s iconically inspirational (and sometimes hilarious) daily affirmations like “settle in and mix it up” above the minibar. The hotel also offers a dramatic MSC Bar within its lobby and Midland Social Club for food, so you’re never far from a delicious meal or an even-more-delicious libation (or seven…depending on how the family has been treating you this trip). Click here for reservations.
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Christmas Crack: The Easiest and Most Addictive Holiday Gift
Want some crack? I mean, crackle? People who have had it love it and it takes less than an hour to make. I mean, really, who can say no to salt, chocolate, toffee, and seasonal garnishes? Not I, say the wise.
Christmas crack is the gift that the Martha-Stewart-of-my-college-clique used to give us wrapped in foil and red ribbon. It was a gift that we swore to share with housemates, but we actually just locked it in our rooms to selfishly snack on it for 24-48 hours. There literally is no way to prevent yourself from eating as much of it as you can.
Related Reading: A Last-Minute Guide for Those Hosting Christmas Dinner
What Is Christmas Crack?
So, just what is it? Christmas crack is a sweet toffee sandwiched in between crackers (hence, crackle, or crack), and chocolate. It is basically a life hack method of making a salty sweet treat when you don’t want to get too involved with baking or making a lot of components from scratch. It’s simile to bark, brittle, and brickle.
French Bull 19-inch Rectangular Platter, $19.99 on Amazon
Serve your homemade treats on the perfect platter.
How Do You Make Christmas Crack?
Here is what you need:
- Crackers (preferably salty and square; enough to cover a baking sheet)
- Toffee (made from equal parts brown sugar and butter; 1 cup butter and 1 cup sugar should be enough for one pan)
- Semisweet chocolate (2 cups, no matter what your particular recipe says)
- Seasonal toppings of your choice: toasted nuts; dried fruit (like cranberries); crushed peppermint candy; toasted coconut; candied orange peel or crystallized ginger; more chocolate (shavings or chips, or even M&Ms); flaky sea salt; colored sprinkles
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Medium saucepan
- Silicone spatula
What on earth could be simpler to make? I was so shocked when I looked up the ingredients, I didn’t believe that the recipe was correct. To put it to the test, I tried a recipe that I found with one hour to spare and it really was that easy. Here’s how to do it:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange it so there is a rack in the middle.
2. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This keeps the toffee from sticking; allegedly, you could also simply grease the dish and/or just cook it in a non-stick pan, but I didn’t want to take any chances.
3. Arrange the crackers in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Set aside.
4. Make the toffee by melting the butter and sugar in the saucepan. You’re basically making a thin caramel sauce here. Set the pan over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to stir the butter and sugar until they’re melted together and begin to boil. Let boil for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat. Add a splash of vanilla and a sprinkle of salt at this point if you want.
5. Pour the toffee over the crackers. Use the silicone spatula to help spread it in an even layer if need be, but it should be fairly thin and easy to pour.
6. Bake the crackers and toffee for about 10 minutes. There should be a fragrant, toasty smell from the oven, but if you even think it’s starting to burn, pull it out.
7. Evenly sprinkle the chocolate over the surface and let sit for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Use your spatula to help spread the chocolate in an even layer.
8. Sprinkle desired toppings over the chocolate layer.
9. Allow to cool. If you have room in your freezer, you can pop the pan in there once it’s been at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to speed up the cooling and setting process.
10. When completely cooled and set, cut or break into pieces. Voila: Christmas crack!
Walking into the room with a baking dish full of this addictive crackle was a weird but fabulous feeling. Christmas crack looks much more involved than it actually is, so everyone was very impressed and the pan only lasted 15 minutes. Crazy, I know, but the name exists for a reason.
Christmas Crack Recipes
Here are some variations on Christmas crack to get you started, including keto and gluten-free versions of the treat:
S’mores Crack
Chowhound
You can replace the Saltines in regular Christmas crack with graham crackers, but if you do that, why not do s’more and add mini marshmallows too? We throw in pecans for extra crunch. Get our S’mores Crack recipe.
Keto Cracker Toffee
This keto Christmas crack covers a base of almond flour crackers with a buttery, sugar-free toffee and dark chocolate coating. It’s a perfect treat for the low-carb sweet eaters on your list. Get the Keto Cracker Toffee recipe.
Gluten Free Christmas Crack
If it’s only gluten that’s the issue (not sugar), swapping in a gluten-free cracker is all you need to do to get your crack on. Get the Gluten Free Christmas Crack recipe.
White Chocolate Christmas Crack
Dreaming of a white Christmas? You can’t control the weather, but you can use white chocolate to top your Christmas crack. Red and green sprinkles stand out against the snowy shade, but try sanding sugar for an icy sparkle, or chopped dried cranberries and chopped pistachios. Get the White Chocolate Christmas Crack recipe.
Matzo Crack (or Matzo Brittle)
Chowhound
Consider this Hanukkah crack, made with matzo in place of Saltines and garnished with slivered almonds and sea salt. Get our Matzo Crack (or Matzo Brittle) recipe.
Related Video: How to Get Stuck-On Caramel Out of Your Pan
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