Cranberry Shortbread Bars

What's_Baking_BadgeEvery month I think things are going to settle down, and every month seems to get busier and more chaotic than the last. I can’t tell you how many times I earmarked a day on the calendar to make bars for this month’s What’s Baking? theme, how many times I pulled butter out of the fridge to soften only to put it back in the fridge later that day.

Thankfully, this month’s hostess, Nichole from Cookaholic Wife, was completely understanding when I emailed her this past weekend to see if I could get this post out a few days late. My in-laws, husband and daughter had just went to the movies and my Little Man was down for a nap, so I was going to whip up the bars, start this post, and hope the photos came out well. Nichole had agreed to to my plan just minutes before and the butter was melted… and Little Man woke up.

Needless to say, I managed to get the bars baked, photographed them before the family could eat them, and here I am, night before it’s due, writing my post. Big thanks to Nichole for letting me submit late!

Cranberry Shortbread Bars

These bars are part of my Operation Clean Out Freezer. Spring cleaning. My two freezers is in desperate need of it. (There’s inspiration for ya!)

Every year, I stash an extra bag of cranberries in my freezer for some recipe that is sure to strike my fancy during the year. As I was baking this, I couldn’t help thinking that this would be a great recipe for fall. The tart cranberries have a touch of sweetness from the sugar (and of course, the slightly sweet shortbread crust and streusel). This recipe is halved from the version in Fine Cooking Magazine, and rewritten, but not heavily adapted.

Cranberry Shortbread Bars

Adapted from Fine Cooking, Dec 2006 (p. 75)

Makes 16 Bars

Ingredients:

  • 11 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 c. granulated sugar, divided
  • 1/3 tsp. salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 c. + 1 1/2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  • 6 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries

Make Crust: Line an 8×8 inch pan with aluminum foil and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine unsalted butter, 1/4 c. plus 2 Tbs. sugar, and salt. Whisk in egg yolk. Transfer 2/3-3/4 of it to the prepared pan, pressing along the bottom to cover. Use a fork to prick all over. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm.

While crust is in fridge, move a baking rack to upper third of the oven and preheat to 325F.

Bake the Crust & Prep the Rest: Remove from fridge and bake crust for 18-22 minutes, until crust is set and edges are beginning to brown.

While crust cooks, combine remaining dough with 2 Tbs. sugar, crumbling with clean fingers. Set aside.

In a small pan over medium heat, combine remaining 1/2 c. sugar, cranberries, and 2 Tbs. water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the sugar doesn’t burn. Lower heat slightly and continue to simmer until cranberries break down and mixture becomes a thick syrup, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

When crust is ready, remove oven and allow to cool slightly. Increase temperature on oven to 350F.

Assemble and Bake the Bars: When crust has cooled slightly, top with cranberry mixture, spreading to cover. Crumble streusel topping throughout.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and set. Do not overcook.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before cutting.

Serve at room temperature.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Cranberry Shortbread Bars_Pint

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Mini Zucchini Quiche

What's_Baking_BadgeI feel like I just joined the What’s Baking? group and all of a sudden, it was my turn to choose the theme. Since my hubby and I have been trying to eat well (in other words, avoid the sweets) and we’ve been spending a lot of time entertaining around brunch time, I knew immediately that I wanted to go with quiche.

Unlike a frittata (my other go-to type of dish for brunch) which starts off being cooked stove-top and then is finished in the oven, a quiche is baked entirely in the oven. Quiche frequently are baked with a crust, but this time, I went with a crustless quiche, for something extra light. The zucchini was really not noticeable, making this a good recipe for picky eaters (my 3-year old daughter) and uses whole wheat flour for a nutritional boost. The star of this recipe is really whatever herb you choose to use in this recipe.

Come back next Wednesday (April 27) to see what other quiche recipes the What’s Baking? group has cooked up this month!

Mini Zuchini Quiche

Also pictured: fruit salad with mint and poppy seed vinaigrette.

Side Note: Quiche are also a wonderful, light option for a savory appetizer. I like to make mini quiche when entertaining a large crowd. Simple make ahead of time and warm in the oven before serving.

Mini Zucchini Quiche

Adapted from Weight Watchers

Makes 3-4 dozen mini quiche

Ingredients:

  • cooking spray (optional, depends on your muffin tin)
  • 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 small zucchini, finely chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 c. fresh basil or rosemary, finely chopped
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. If you have a silicon muffin mold, use that, placed on a baking sheet. Mini Zucchini QuicheIf not, spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside. (May need to cook in batches.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cheese, baking powder, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Add diced zucchini, onion, and herbs, tossing to coat in flour. Set aside.

In a small bowl, gently whisk together eggs and olive oil just to combine. Stir into dried ingredients until just incorporated.

Portion into prepared muffin cups – a heaping tablespoon per muffin cup.

Bake for 15 minutes, until quiche are golden brown and quiche are cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from pan.

Serve hot.

Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia

What's_Baking_BadgeThis month’s What’s Baking? theme was chosen by Nicole from Seven Ate Nine – Bake With Garlic. At first I was excited by the theme, the chance to do something a little more savory. But then I started worrying about what to make. With Easter entertaining on the agenda, I decided to accompany my usual Beef Wellington with fresh bread, inspired by this month’s theme. The “baking” was twofold – first roasting the garlic until soft and sweet, flavoring good olive oil, and then using the two components to bake into bread.

I’ve made fresh focaccia bread once before and was impressed with both the ease and the wonderful flavor. This recipe produced the same results. Like most fresh breads, it’s takes a little while to make, due to the rising time, but the result is worth the effort. (For your convenience, I added the time required for each step in bold, at the step, in case you need to break up the steps or plan your day around them.)

Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Foccacia

Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia

Adapted from Kitchen Konfidence

Makes a 9×13 pan

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c. good-quality olive oil
  • 1 large head of garlic, top cut off
  • 2 1/4 tsp. (1 envelope) active dry yeast
  • 1 3/4 c. warm water
  • 4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. fine sea salt
  • 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary (from 4 springs)
  • flakey sea salt

Roast the Garlic and Flavor the Olive Oil: Preheat oven to 300°F.

Place olive oil in a small oven-safe bowl. Add garlic, top-side down. Cover bowl with foil and cook until garlic is soft, 45-60 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing garlic from oil and removing garlic cloves from the skin, setting aside the cloves to use on the bread later. If needed, pour oil through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove solids. Set aside.

Time: 1 hour

Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, gently stir warm water and yeast with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula to dissolve yeast. Allow to sit until the mixture begins to foam, about 5 minutes.

Transfer bowl to the stand mixer and fit with the dough hook. Add flour, fine sea salt, and 2 Tbs. roasted garlic olive oil. Mix on low speed, stopping periodically to scrape dough off hook, until mixture is smooth and slightly sticky, 10-15 minutes.

In a clean bowl, place 1 Tbs. reserved olive oil. Add dough ball to bowl and turn to coat completely in oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise. Dough should double in size, about 2 hours. (Note: In my house, I find that dough rises best when placed in the kitchen while I’m using the stove/oven or by my gas fireplace, left on. I apparently keep my house too cool for dough to rise easily without an additional heat source.)

Time: 2 to 2 1/2 hours

Rest: Place 1 Tbs. reserved olive oil in a 9×13 baking dish (I used a Pyrex dish). Spread, ensuring bottom and sides are coated.

Uncover and punch down dough. Transfer to prepared baking dish, stretching so that it covers the entire dish. Cover again with clean towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Time: 45 minutes

Bake the Bread: When dough is resting, preheat the oven to 450°F.

After dough has finished resting, use clean fingers to a dimple dough (pressing slightly with fingertips, all over). Brush with remaining roasted garlic olive oil (you may have some leftover) and add reserved garlic cloves. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and chopped rosemary.

Place in oven and immediately lower temperature to 375°F. Bake until golden brown, 20-30 minutes.

Allow to rest on a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Time: 30 minutes + time to cool slightly (additional 15ish minutes)

Gingerbread Cookies

What's_Baking_Badge

Ok, so I was terrible with keeping up with the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats this year. Call me lazy if you’d like. I’ve been super busy and frankly, exhausted over the past few (the first trimester does that to me, apparently!). It’s a wonder I’ve been able to get any posts out over the past few months.

Now that the first trimester has past, I’m trying to get back into the swing of things. If you’re still looking for a holiday cookie for a party, some care packages, or just to have around the house, then this week’s post, something “gingerbread,” to satisfy the What’s Baking? theme chosen by Catherine of Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness, will work for you. I’ve never been particularly interested in gingerbread flavored baked goods, but I did have to stop myself from eating these. The flavor was fairly subtle and the cookies were super soft, just the way I like them.

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

Adapted from All Recipes via One Little Project At A Time

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

  • ¾ c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 c. + 4 Tbs. granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbs. water
  • ¼ c. molasses
  • ¼ c. all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.Gingerbread Cookies

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 1 c. sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Lower speed slightly and one at a time, add egg, water, and molasses. Scrape down sides of mixer and add all remaining ingredients (except for the 4 Tbs. sugar), mixing until just combined.

Use a cookie scoop to form 1-inch balls, shaping them between the palms of your hands as needed. Roll in remaining sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are browned slightly. Allow to cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Chocolate-Flecked Babka

What's_Baking_BadgeThis month is my first to participate in a blogging event called What’s Baking? Every month or two, a blogger will choose a theme, and the rest of us will bake something that fits in with the theme. It’s a great way to try out new recipes, sometimes out of your comfort zone.

This month, the theme of “Heritage Dish” was chosen by Ali from Sparks from the Kitchen. This theme couldn’t have come at a better time, as I recently saw my Polish grandparents. What’s Baking? was the perfect excuse to make something that my grandpa always enjoyed – babka.

Babka is a sweet yeast bread or cake from Eastern Europe. Growing up, my family served the Jewish version, a bread (the cake version is associated with Christian Easter and other holidays). I don’t recall anyone ever making it but it was ordered from bakeries a time or two around both Easter and Christmas.

This version is streaked with semisweet chocolate. My coworkers polished off two loaves of this bread before noon one day. My grandfather, however, was not as impressed. He reminded me every time he had a slice, that I should have used raisins in it, and that it was a little heavy. But he ate two or three slices a day, so it couldn’t have been that bad. 🙂

Baking Note: The original recipe made 4 loaves of bread. I halved the recipe below, because even though it’s freezable, four loaves is quite a lot. If you choose to freeze the dough, it can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge 24-hours before using. Then roll out the dough, allow it to rest and rise, and bake.

Chocolate-Flecked Babka

Chocolate-Flecked Babka

Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois), p. 221

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients: 

  • 1 1/2 c. lukewarm milk
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 3/4 Tbs. granulated yeast (1 packet)
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 6 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. finely chopped or shaved semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate
  • 1/8 c. rum, divided (for soaking the bread)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together milk, yolks, salt, and butter with a wooden spoon until fairly well combined. Attach bowl to mixer and fit with dough hook. Add flour and stir on speed 2 (the highest speed my mixer could handle using the dough hook) until all of the flour has been incorporated. The mixture will be fairly loose.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), about 2 hours. (I tend to place the bread near the oven/stove, when it’s turned on to help it along a little).

When the dough has risen, brush with half of the rum and refrigerate (still covered loosely with plastic wrap) until chilled.

Here, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to a month. If using dough from the freezer, allow to defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before resuming recipe below. 

On baking day, grease a standard loaf pan and set aside. .

Lightly flour a work surface with flour. Remove dough from fridge and cut dough in half. Dust with flour and shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the below around to the bottom. Roll out into a rectangle, approximately 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle the entire piece of the dough (including edges) with half of the shaved chocolate (1/2 c.). Roll into a log, starting at the short end. Fold the ends of the log into the middle, so that the ends meet. Place in prepared loaf pan and allow to rise and rest, about 2 hours.

Repeat with the second portion of dough, if you’re baking both at once.

Shortly before before baking, ensure that a rack is in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and firm.

Remove from the oven and brush with rum. Allow to rest for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve at room temperature.

Store, tightly wrapped, at room temperature.