Estonian kringle

How pretty is it?! So pretty. Now down to logistics. Here's the deal. I used the original recipe from Just Love Cookin for this dough, but found it to be  pretty dense and not as soft as I like. So I have the original recipe at the end of the post, but decided to post my go-to pull-apart loaf recipe because it's so much more light and airy. It makes the same type of dough, so if you prefer a softer bread like me, use the recipe below; if you decide you want a denser bread that doesn't rise as much but is still bread-y, go for the original recipe from Just Love Cookin.

For the Dough:

2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125°F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together. Keep stirring. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.

At this point, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. 

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. Seriously? Just go for it.

Roll the dough into a log so it stays 20-inches long. Using a large knife, cut the log in half length-wise. Braid the two halves together, keeping the inner dough layers exposed and the thickest outer layer facing the pan (confused? see the Just Love Cookin photo post, linked at the end of this recipe). 

Place the braid on a cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the braid to loosen the bread. Serve warm on a plate or platter.

Original recipe from Just Love Cookin
This recipe from Joy the Baker

Sticky buns are my obsession

Like I'm actually obSESSED with them. These are better than any store-bought sticky buns by faaaaar. So doughy and perfect.

For the dough:

4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
3 1/2-4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the filling:

3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

For my awesome glaze:

4 tablespoons salted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the eggs and half the sugar. Microwave the milk until just warm to the touch. Whisk the remaining sugar, salt, and yeast into the milk and let stand for five minutes to ensure that the yeast is good. (It should foam.) Add the milk mixture, the butter, and 3 ½ cups of the flour to the standing mixer. Fit the mixer with a dough hook and churning on medium speed until a ball of dough forms. Sprinkle with flour as needed, or until the ball separates from the sides of the bowl about 5-8 minutes. Transfer to an oiled metal bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cover, additionally, with a dishtowel and place the bowl somewhere warm to proof for 4 hours.

Take the proofed dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Kneed a couple time and sprinkle with flour until the dough is still sticky, but workable. Roll the dough into a 16 by 12 inch rectangle about ¼ of an inch thing. Spread the dough with the tablespoon of butter. Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt and sprinkle evenly over the dough. Roll the dough up into a spiral log. Stretch the dough into an 18-inch cylinder. Cut the dough with a serrated knife into 12 portions. (For easy cutting, cut the log in half, then in quarters, then cut each quarter into thirds.) Arrange the 12 portions, cut side down for the two end buns, in the baking pan with the glaze, three rows by 4 columns. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.

If using refrigerated buns, remove from the fridge the night before baking or at least six hours before baking. Leave, covered, in a warm place until ready to use. This allows the buns to rise a second time. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the proofed buns, uncovered, for about 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the buns register 170ºF on an instant-read thermometer. 

Using an electric mixer, beat together all glaze ingredients. Once the buns are out of the oven, immediately frost the tops with the glaze. Then swoon and foodgasm.

Sticky bun recipe from Bakelist, frosting by me

Gingersnap molasses cookies

It's definitely holiday season. The supermarkets are playing holiday music, people are bringing out their sweaters in full-force, and Starbucks Christmas cups are back. And seeing as I now live in a state with nearly 6 months of winter, it seems fitting to embrace this cold weather as much as I can. So on come the holiday treats. Starting with.... gingersnap molasses cookies!

For the gingersnaps:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (6-ounces) vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 extra large egg at room temperature
1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, clove, pepper, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again. Add the flour in three additions and mix until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour to firm. (Dough can be made in advance and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month).

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the 1/3 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place the balls 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 12-15 minutes (12 minutes for a chewier cookie, 15 minutes for a crisp cookie). Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!

Recipe from The Galley Gourmet

Pumpkin cheesecake muffins

There's nothing like cooking with friends. Everything tastes better, calories count less, and you get to be with the people you love. I highly recommend this recipe with friends on the side. So0o0o corny but so true.

For the muffkeys:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup canola (or /vegetable) oil)

For the cream cheese swirl:

8 ounces cream cheese

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add eggs, oil, milk, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. 

Grease muffin trays. Pour half of the pumpkin batter into 12 muffin cups. Then add half of the cream cheese filling on top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect. Scoop the remaining half of the pumpkin mixture into the 12 cups. Top with the second half of the cream cheese mixture. Swirl again with your knife to combine. Dust with ground cinnamon. Bake until knife comes out clean when inserted into muffin, about 20 minutes. 

Mini apple pies

Mini apple pies are the definition of cute.

Makes ~9 mini pies

For the pie:

2-3 granny smith apples, cored and cut into very small pieces

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

pinch salt

For the crust:

2 store-bought pie crusts (from my experience, it's better to use a high-quality crust, as the pies will be much more flakey and yummier).

... or make your own!

1 egg 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix your cut apple slices with the cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and vinegar. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out your pie crusts and, use a 3-inch (or anywhere around that diameter) cookie-cutter to make small rounds. Create a small bowl with the dough in your hand, then scoop a small amount of apple mixture into the center of the dough. Brush water around the outside of the dough, then stack a second circle over the dough and seal it by pressing the edges together. Using a fork, create little indentations around the outside of the mini pie. Set on a parchment-lined baking tray.

Scramble your egg and brush it liberally onto the tops of the mini pies. Finally, use a sharp knife to make air pockets on the tops of the mini pies. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops of the mini pies are golden brown. 

Cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread

This bread is irresistible. Can't you tell? The top left corner is eaten off in the photo because I had to test for done-ness. Then the crew boys- wait I'm supposed to call them men- started whining if you can eat it now we want to, too. So we had many taste-testers tasting before it was even out of the oven. I die.

Hands down the best thing I've made all month.

Update: It's two days later and I'm still thinking about it. Of course it was a short-lived bread. Gone in, oh, 4 hours? Regardless...

Makes one 9x5x3-inch loaf

For the Dough:

2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125°F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together. Keep stirring. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.

At this point, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. Seriously? Just go for it.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares. Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board. Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up. Serve warm with coffee or tea.

Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker

Apple roundup and a cinnamon apple cake

I ruvv fall. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and the colder temperatures mean I can start wearing sweaters again. Oh, and it's apple season. Apples. My favorite fruit. Crunchy, sweet, tart, fresh, and absolutely delicious. So naturally I jump at any opportunity to make apple desserts. Here's a quick recap of my previous apple adventures:

Upside-down apple biscuits: delectable little guys. 

Scrumptious apple pie: an elegant pie perfect for company. 

Applesauce spice cake: one of the best cakes I've ever eaten. 

Apple cinnamon coffeecake: my go-to fall cake. So dense and flavorful. 

And now to add to the list, this cinnamon apple cake! It's super moist but also light, and makes a lot of cake, seeing as half of the volume is apples. So that means half the calories, right? No, who am I kidding. It means twice the portion size.

Yaaaay. Fall. 

For the cake:

4 1/2 cups diced apples (roughly 3 apples)
3/4 cups medium brown sugar

3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

6 ounces plain or greek yogurt

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
whole or slivered almonds to decorate (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a medium baking pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, and the rest of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, gently mixing the ingredients just until combined. Mix in chopped apples.

Pour the batter into the baking pan, making sure it is evenly distributed. Decorate the top of the cake with a handful of almonds.

Bake in an oven for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the pan. Allow to cool completely before serving. 

Recipe adapted from the whinery. 

Best. Buns. Ever.

holy buns.

Man, I gotta start making more Cook's Illustrated recipes...

Makes twelve 3 1/2-inch buns.

For the dough:

3 large eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
4 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting work surface
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

For the caramel glaze:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
3 tablespoons corn syrup, light or dark
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Pinch table salt

For the cinnamon sugar filling: 

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch table salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

For the pecan topping:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
3 tablespoons corn syrup , light or dark
Pinch table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pecans (3 ounces), toasted in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant and browned, about 5 minutes, then cooled and coarsely chopped

In bowl of standing mixer, whisk eggs to combine; add buttermilk and whisk to combine. Whisk in sugar, salt, and yeast. Add about 2 cups flour and butter; stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until evenly moistened and combined. Add all but about 1/4 cup remaining flour and knead with dough hook at low speed 5 minutes. Check consistency of dough (dough should feel soft and moist but should not be wet and sticky; add more flour, if necessary); knead at low speed 5 minutes longer (dough should clear sides of bowl but stick to bottom). Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand about 1 minute to ensure that dough is uniform (dough should not stick to work surface during hand kneading; if it does stick, knead in additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time).

Lightly spray large bowl or plastic container with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, spray dough lightly with cooking spray, then cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set in warm, draftfree spot until doubled in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for glaze in small saucepan; cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture is thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into nonstick metal 13- by 9-inch baking dish; using rubber spatula, spread mixture to cover surface of baking dish. Set baking dish aside.

To assemble, store, and reheat buns: For filling, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined, using fingers to break up sugar lumps; set aside. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Gently shape dough into rough rectangle with long side nearest you. Lightly flour dough and roll to 16 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush dough with 1 tablespoon melted butter, leaving 1/2-inch border along top edge; with butter remaining on brush, brush sides of baking dish. Sprinkle filling mixture over dough, leaving 3/4-inch border along top edge; smooth filling in even layer with hand, then gently press mixture into dough to adhere. Beginning with long edge nearest you, roll dough into taut cylinder. Firmly pinch seam to seal and roll cylinder seam side down. Very gently stretch to cylinder of even diameter and 18-inch length; push ends in to create even thickness. Using serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, slice cylinder in half, then slice each half in half again to create evenly sized quarters. Slice each quarter evenly into thirds, yielding 12 buns (end pieces may be slightly smaller).

Arrange buns cut side down in prepared baking dish; cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in warm, draft-free spot until puffy and pressed against one another, about 1 1/2 hours. Place baking dish in freezer; store for up to 1 month.

To bake, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove buns from freezer, remove plastic wrap, wrap dish tightly with foil, and set on baking sheet. Bake buns for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown and center of dough registers about 180 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes longer. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; invert onto rimmed baking sheet, large rectangular platter, or cutting board. With rubber spatula, scrape any glaze remaining in baking dish onto buns; let cool while making pecan topping. For the topping: Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally to thoroughly combine. Off heat, stir in vanilla and pecans until pecans are evenly coated. Using soupspoon, spoon heaping tablespoon nuts and topping over center of each sticky bun. Continue to cool until sticky buns are warm, 15 to 20 minutes. Pull apart or use serrated knife to cut apart sticky buns; serve.

Published May 1, 2007 in Cook's Illustrated

Monkey bread tulips

... are quite possibly the cutest little guys out there. I have to admit, they're not too photogenic, but I can't convey enough how amazing they are. Mom rarely likes a recipe that's not her own Katharine Canfield Cookies or the occasional brownies. But this time she actually took the time to proof her own batch of dough and we made the recipe a second time together (yes, aww so cute mother/daughter bonding). They are surprisingly easy for a yeasted recipe and we super enjoyed them. I have to say, it's a Top 5 Broma Recipe right here. Yessir.

Also, I totally owe credit to Sofra because they gave me the idea based on their morning buns, which are out of this world.....


Makes 12 tulips

For the dough:

1 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees)
1/3 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package instant (rapid rise) yeast
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for surface work
2 teaspoons salt

For the coating:

2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk 

Note: I got my tulip molds from work. If you can't find them at your baking specialty amazing everything store, normal cupcake molds will do just fine!

Place rack in middle-low position of your oven, making sure that there are no racks placed above it. Spray bundt pan generously with nonstick spray.

In a microwave-safe bowl, mix milk, water, melted butter, sugar and yeast. Place flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the dough hook attachment to mix them together. With machine on low, slowly add the milk mixture. When the dough begins to come together, increase speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough is shiny and smooth. If the dough is too wet and isn’t coming together, add 2 to 4 additional Tablespoons of flour (stop the machine once to scrape sides if you need to); this should take 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work with your hands a little bit to form a smooth, round ball. Coat a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place dough in the bowl and spray the top lightly with nonstick spray as well. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel. Turn your oven on 400 degrees and let it warm up for 1 minute. Turn it OFF. Turn ON the oven light. Place your covered bowl of dough into the warmed oven until the dough doubles in size- 50 to 60 minutes.

When dough is almost done rising, prepare the ooey gooey coating. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, melt the butter. Set aside.

Remove dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat into an 8-inch square. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 256 pieces (cut the square into 4 pieces and then cut each piece into 16 pieces. Further cut those pieces into 4 pieces). Roll each piece into a ball and place on a large cookie sheet. Douse the cookie sheet in the melted butter and, using your hands, roll the butter evenly so each piece is coated. Then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the buttered balls, again spreading things evenly until each ball is coated in a healthy dose of butter and sugar. Evenly distribute the balls into 12 buttered cupcake molds. (If you can find tulip molds at the store, more power to you. Just give them a quick spray with oil and you're ready to go!) Cover the cupcake pan with a clean dish towel, and place back into the warmed oven to let the dough balls rise for another 50 to 60 minutes (they should get puffy and rise almost to the top of the pan.)

Remove the pan from the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the dishtowel. Bake about 30 minutes, until the top has browned and ooey gooey caramel is bubbling around the edges. Cool in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Let sit in cupcake pan for a few more minutes to cool slightly before glazing.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to mix powdered sugar and milk. Continue to mix until lumps are gone (scrape sides of the mixing bowl, if needed). Spoon glaze over the top and sides of the monkey bread.


Serve warm and eat with your bare hands!
Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl

Cinnamon twisties

I love cinnabuns. And these are like cinnabuns but in twisty form, which makes them like four and a half times more fun to eat. Let's do it!

Makes about 14 twists

For the dough:

4 cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

For the filling:

1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Milk

In a large bowl stir together 1 ½ cups of flour and the yeast; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat and stir ¾ cup milk, sugar, 1/3 cup butter and salt until mixture is warm and butter almost melts. Add to flour mixture along with eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3-5 minutes). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface; cover. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 2 hours).

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or coat them with cooking spray; set aside. Roll dough into a rectangle.

In a small saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter over low heat. Add brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; mix well. Cool slightly and spread mixture evenly over dough. Cut dough crosswise into 1-inch strips. Fold each strip in half, end to end, and twist several times. Arrange twists 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (45 minutes).

Bake in preheated oven (375F) for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and enough milk (2-3 tablespoons) to make of drizzling consistency. Whisk until smooth and drizzle over rolls when warm.

Recipe from Pip and Ebby!

Chocolate chip coffee cake

I'm watching Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa right now. She's talking about bringing dinner to a woman who's just moved down the street from her posh East Hampton digs. And guess what she says? She says, "This will be a great way to welcome her to the hood." What, Ina? If there were one place on earth that was the opposite of a hood, it would be East Hampton, NY. Sorry. I know this has nothing to do with coffee cake. I just couldn't stop laughing when I heard her say this, and now it's on my mind.

So, uh, how about that coffee cake. I feel bad because it really deserves more recognition than I'm giving it. It hits your craving for a chocolate bar, a cake, and a moist gooey thing all in one. Yuh-hum. My mom has made this coffee cake since I was little, and every time it is a new experience in my mouth. And it's one of the few desserts I've had that tastes just as good room temperature as fresh out of the oven. It's great! And I cannot stress enough how overcooking this will seriously detract from its full potential of greatness. So reeeally stick close to your oven so do a knife check for cooked-ness. As soon as your knife comes out clean, take the cake out! Trust me, you'll be happy you did :)

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup plain yogurt/sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour a large bundt pan and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together butter, sugar, yogurt, and vanilla. Add in eggs, stir. Incorporate flour, baking soda, salt.

Meanwhile, using a fork, whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour half of the batter into the bundt pan and smooth using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture over the batter and swirl into batter using a fork or knife. Pour in the second half of the batter and swirl the rest of the brown sugar mixture over it. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then plate and serve for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Gingersnap cookie dough truffles

Mmmm, 3 days until Christmas! That means more holiday baked goods for the Fennel family YAAY. Yesterday my mom, sister, and I went over to our family friends' house and had ourselves a little sweets-making party (we also made this Peppermint Bark and these Salted Chocolate Caramels!). It was so nice to spend the afternoon baking with 4 girlies, listening to Akon and Moby (great combo, eh?) while little Maeve showed us her hip hop moves. Great success.


For the truffles:

1 cup white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup very finely chopped walnuts
2 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs, pulsed in food processor until crumbly*
1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips in 20 second intervals, stirring between each heating as to not burn the chocolate. Once melted, whisk in the corn syrup, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In a second bowl, combine the gingersnap crumbs, powdered sugar, spices, and salt. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl and stir until combined. Lastly, add the chopped nuts.

Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the mixture and pat down to remove air. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until the dough is nearly hard when you touch it. Roll the dough out into teaspoon-sized balls and dip into the granulated sugar to coat them. Place on wax paper and refrigerate for another 30 minutes. Voilà!

*I chose Whole Foods brand gingersnaps because they are super spiced and I figured it would counter the sweetness from so many of the other ingredients. But if you're making these truffles for kids, or you don't like spiced things, don't use this brand! It's super spicy! In that case, any old brand of gingersnaps will do.

Original recipe can be found here.

Applesauce spice cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting

Hello, cake of my dreams. You are, like, the most fabulous, flavorful, superb, moist cake out there. I have to say, before meeting you I was a chocolate girl all the way. But after seeing your work, I think I have a new love. Oh, you want me to share you with the world? Well, OK, I guess I can do that. You're kind of the messiah of cakes, so I think it's only necessary that I pass on your righteousness.

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups  unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup chopped and toasted walnuts

For the frosting:

1 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Thickly butter a 9"x9" pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time, beating in between each addition. Then beat in applesauce. Turning the beater to low, pour in dry ingredients until homogenous. Last, fold in walnuts.  The batter may look curdled, but this is OK!

Pour batter into pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until knife come out clean when inserted into the middle. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

While the cake is cooking: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. In batches of 3, beat in confectioner's sugar and cinnamon, beating until incorporated. Cool frosting in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Once cooled, frost cake! Sho gooood.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen and can be found here!

Apple cinnamon coffee cake

My mom has been baking this coffee cake for years, and each time it's like a new experience in your mouth. It's dense and caky at the same time, and the cinnamon adds a smidgen of autumn-ness. It's a simple recipe that begs to be made over and over throughout the cold months!

For the batter:

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups plain yogurt
1 stick butter
2 green apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (~1/4 centimeter thick)

For the swirlies: 

3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon


Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, mix together with a fork the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large microwavable bowl, melt the butter until soft. Add sugar first, then eggs, vanilla, baking powder and soda, yogurt, and salt. Once mixed, add the flour in batches, making sure to stir between additions.

Butter and flour a large bundt pan. Pour in half of the batter and sprinkle half of the swirlies mixture over it. Using a fork, push in swirlies to integrate them into the batter. Place half of the apple slices over the batter. Repeat with the second half of the batter, sprinkling almost all of the swirlies (leave ~2 tablespoons) over the top and then place the remaining apple slices on top. Sprinkle the remaining swirlies over the apple slices. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until knife comes out clean when inserted into cake. Eat it right out of the oven, or let cool and refrigerate for days!