Bake from Scratch Nov/Dec - HOLIDAY 2017

I MIGHT BE BEHIND ON MY GIFT SHOPPING, but one thing I’m certainly not behind on is holiday baking! I love how autumn’s pumpkin spice and cinnamon transition seamlessly to the flavors of gingerbread, peppermint, and nutmeg. Until now, I’ve never thought about Chinese five-spice as a seasonal staple, but thanks to my friend Rebecca Firth (of the blog DisplacedHousewife), my must-bake list just got a lot longer. From her Cranberry Streusel Bundt that graces our cover to Satsuma Marmalade Hand Pies, her amazing holiday bakes incorporate her spice cabinet favorite into recipes that are comforting and familiar, yet all twirled up. This issue is full of festive and traditional recipes from around the world, including vibrant northern European wreath breads and classic Canadian desserts. Plus, we even take you inside…

BILL BOWICK AND DAVID BOUFFARD Bill Bowick and David Bouffard are architects, bakers, and life partners. They met in New York City and, after a short stint in London, left for Charleston, South Carolina, to open Sugar Bakeshop in 2007. Since opening, the bakery has appeared in Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Taste of the South, and Travel + Leisure. David and Bill reside in Charleston and, come every holiday season, bake masterful gingerbread homes—and sell baking kits—modeled after the classic Charleston single house. Favorite holiday cookie: “Sugar cookies—my mom’s recipe—because they’re sweet, buttery, and beautiful.” —Bill “Gingerbread cookies because they warm your soul.” —David JOE SCHMELZER Recognized for the use of natural light in his images and his knack for making even the prickliest subjects feel at ease, Joe Schmelzer has worked with many…

1. JOHN JULIAN DESIGN’S PORCELAIN MORTAR + PESTLE Both a mod décor statement piece and a functional baker’s tool, this mortar and pestle impresses with an unglazed, matte porcelain finish to help you pulverize spices in style. $146, herriottgrace.com 2. LOSTINE BAGUETTE CUTTING BOARD XL Doubling as a cutting board and a colorful serving platter, this nautically inspired board brings function and flair to your table. $150, shophorne.com 3. PAIN BAGUETTE TOTE Àplat, a San Francisco-based company devoted to creating sustainable culinary tote bags, has a new entry in the game: the baguette tote, the best way to take your love of boulangerie on the road. $48, aplatsf.com 4. ATELIER TREMA CERAMIC BUTTER DISH With a nod toward European style, this oatmeal clay and white-glazed ceramic butter dish is the elegant container your high-quality butter deserves. $39.69, chicbasta.com 5. MYKILOS BREAD BOX Keep…

Bake from Scratch has partnered with the industry’s most exciting artisans to create handcrafted, exclusive products with you, our beloved bakers, in mind. Head to bakefromscratch.com for one-stop shopping. 1. FACTURE GOODS BENCH SCRAPER, OFFSET SPATULA, AND CAKE SERVER Hand-forged brass blades and hand-carved walnut wood handles combine to create a stunning and sturdy trio of essential baker’s tools. Extra-Wide Bench Scraper $100, Offset Spatula $60, Cake Slicer/Server $80 2. HEDLEY & BENNETT APRON With a hint of French blue and brass hardware, this stain-resistant, wrinkle-proof blue herringbone apron packs two pockets, a towel loop, adjustable straps, and a snug top pouch for your phone. $110 3. AHEIRLOOM CAKE STAND Handcrafted with the same attention to detail you devote to your baking, this walnut wood-based cake stand offers a low (3.5-inch) and steady perch—the perfect platform…

In your book Flavor Flours (Artisan Books, 2014) and the newly released paperback version, Gluten-Free Flavor Flours , you delve into the world of baking with non-wheat varieties of flour, making them the hero ingredient instead of just a mere substitution for wheat. From sorghum and teff to rice and corn flour (and not to mention nut flours galore!), there are lots to choose from. Of these, do you have a favorite to bake with? I love buckwheat. It has a reputation for bringing robust, earthy flavors, but different approaches can coax delicate characteristics from it. I found that it lends these incredible notes of honey and floral flavors like rose. It’s a great example of how any given flour can produce contrary results, depending on how it is handled and…

Eggnog: the most polarizing of holiday cocktails. Some love it for its rich, creamy consistency, its intense booziness, and its warm winter spices. Others believe that heavy cream and raw egg have no place in a cocktail. Personally, the two of us are split right down these lines, so we decided to take on the challenge of creating a cocktail that bridges the gap. We turned to a classic cocktail technique (and when we say “classic,” we mean “historic”): clarified milk punch. Once used to prevent cocktails from spoiling in the days before the electric refrigerator, this method involves creating a cocktail with a citrus component, then adding hot milk to the mix, which curdles on contact. After straining the resulting mess, you’re left with cocktail-scented curds and a clarified…