Bake from Scratch January/February 2019

OUR FIRST ISSUE OF 2019 IS HERE, and it’s piled high with baking inspiration that’ll have you adding a few new items to your New Year’s resolutions. Fight winter’s cold with our recipes that will give you an excuse to keep the coffee pot on all day. Speaking of winter, we’ve got your snow day baking covered with a cozy collection of recipes that require only a few pantry staples. Then, meet my latest FOMO (fear of missing out) cookie obsession: Hamantaschen, the classic Purim cookie with the triangular shape and endlessly customizable fillings. And for those who are here for the buttery goodness—you know who you are—check out our flaky, sugary Essential Morning Buns (page 63) and the St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake (page 107). With a new year comes a…

“Maybe it’s a nod to my childhood, but is there anything more comforting than a piece of warm, fudgy brownie fresh from the oven? ” “A crumble made from whatever fresh or frozen fruit I have lying around. A warm, steamy bowl (or two) is perfect for days spent snuggled under blankets. ” “A family heirloom dessert, like my great-grandmother’s seven-layer vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. I have her frosting recipe carved into a cutting board, so it’s never far away. ” “I always make sure I have the ingredients for a batch of super chewy chocolate chip cookies! ”…

CONTRA CHEF APRON “These aprons are used by pastry chefs and bakers around the world, and for good reason. The apron is made of waxed cotton, so it’s extremely durable but still lightweight and thin. Plus, I love how the pockets are sewn into the apron rather than sewn onto the outside. Not having bulky pockets makes the design extremely functional and also looks sleek.” tilitnyc.com, $85 WECK JARS “I love that these jars transition seamlessly from wet to dry ingredients. For storing wet ingredients, the glass lids with the metal clips ensure perfect preservation. For dry ingredients, I swap out the glass lids for the wooden ones. They’re easier to open and are a stylish addition to my pantry.” williams-sonoma.com , $29.95 for set of 2 (91.3-ounce) jars, $24.95 for set of 3…

I It’s hard to say no to your children. That’s why I bought my son Dan’s elementary school cookbook in the fall of 1987. He was 8 years old and so proud to be peddling a cookbook that supported his school. I knew I had to get it. That night when we brought the book home, I searched for a recipe I could bake for my three kids as an after-school snack. I landed on a simple apple Bundt cake made with crisp Granny Smith apples and loaded with cinnamon. It sounded like the perfect comfort food for a chilly day, so I decided to give it a try. Little did I know it would become my go-to cake recipe for every year to come. I’ll never forget how Dan’s face lit…

APPLE CRUMB CAKE WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE GLAZE Makes 1 (8-inch) cake Filled with layers of roasted apples and topped off with an Orange-Cinnamon Streusel and tangy glaze, this crumb cake is sweet to the core. We used Honeycrisp apples for their sweet-tart flavor, but if you can’t find Honeycrisps, any other bright baking apple like Granny Smith or Braeburn will do. 3 cups (300 grams) thinly sliced Honeycrisp apples1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar, divided1½ teaspoons (3 grams) ground cinnamon1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature¼ cup (60 grams) crème fraîche, room temperature1½ teaspoons (6 grams) vanilla extract⅛ teaspoon almond extract Orange-Cinnamon Streusel (recipe follows) Crème Fraîche Glaze…

It’s 5:15 a.m. in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Bottega Restaurant and Café kitchen is deserted save for one busy set of hands: those belonging to Dolester Miles. This is the 61-year-old pastry chef’s favorite time in the kitchen—just before dawn, as the morning light begins to pour through the floor-to-ceiling windows just beyond the dining room’s white tablecloths and the café’s Pompeii red walls. “It’s peaceful, and I have a chance to get my thoughts together without worrying about anybody messing with the temperature on my oven,” says Dol, as friends and family lovingly call her. “Because come 8 a.m.,” she says with a laugh, “it’s go time.” Recently named Outstanding Pastry Chef at the prestigious James Beard Awards in 2018, Dol creates desserts for all three of award-winning restaurateur Frank…