Bake from Scratch

MAKING SUMMER MEMORIES My favorite part of this time of year—besides the ripe peaches and cherries that are always in my kitchen for baking—are memories of summer vacation. Visits to my Mimi’s house happened more often when I was out of school, and, of course, summer was when we took our family trips. I’m so excited to finally feature one of my favorite travel destinations—San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The beautiful city is filled with stunning architecture, blooming flowers that line the doors and windows, and, best of all, panaderías (bakeries). As you walk their historic streets, you can feel the pride that San Miguel has in its culture and traditions. Over the course of my visits to San Miguel, I’ve adopted a tradition of my own, sitting with the doors flung…

BARS AND COOKIES Birthday Cake Macarons 49 Black-and-White Cookies 71 Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies 72 Ladyfingers 78 Milk-and-Cereal Cookies 69 Pretzel-Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies 71 BREADS Banana Bread Sweet Rolls 34 Cemitas 5 Cinnamon-Sugar Popovers with Peach Compote 111 Corn Tortillas 91 English Muffin Loaf 33 Jumbo Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins 113 Mexican Street Corn Bread with Lime Butter 77 Pan de Muerto 97 CAKES Angel Food Cake with Orange-Vanilla Glaze 30 Cherry-Pecan Cake 20 Confetti Bundt Cake 51 Confetti Snack Cake 49 Mango Sour Cream Cake 64 Sprinkle Cheesecake 51 DOUGHS All-Butter Pie Dough 62 Classic Puff Pastry 38 Chocolate Pastry Dough 61 Masa Empanada Dough 106 Pizza Dough 79 Pâte Sablée 80 Rough Puff Pastry 60 FROSTINGS, FILLINGS, AND TOPPINGS Almond Swiss Meringue Buttercream 50 Blueberry Compote 78 Cherry Crème Légère 61 Coconut Rum Whipped Cream 79 Confetti Streusel 49 Lime Butter 78 Peach Compote 111 Pineapple Curd 80 Vanilla-Almond Buttercream 20 Vanilla Whipped Cream 108 MISCELLANEOUS Blueberry-Lemon Tiramisù 78 Piña Colada Pavlova 79 Ratatouille Pizza 79 Stone Fruit Clafoutis 60 PASTRIES Beef Empanadas 106 Cheesy Corn Empanadas 106 Concha…

PASTRIES IN THE CITY OF DREAMS DEMEL Exploring the world of pastries and desserts is the best kind of adventure, and our assistant editor, Chessa Parker, hopes to one day visit Demel. A bakery and coffeehouse in the heart of Vienna, Austria, Demel was established in 1786 to showcase artisanal baking fit for royalty. Through the pastry chefs’ incredibly detailed craftmanship, doughs are transformed into stunning works of art, yet baked goods aren’t the only art in the bakery worth noticing. The bakery’s décor is welcoming while still maintaining an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere. With a history as rich as its desserts, Demel is a must-see in the baking world. GO THERE: Demel, Kohlmarkt 14, 1010 Vienna, Austria demel.com A GRAND COOKBOOK FOR EVERY KITCHEN EVERYDAY GRAND BY JOCELYN DELK ADAMS Jocelyn Delk Adams, the personality behind the…

How did your love of baking come about? Ginger Johnson: My childhood kitchen was a constant place of activity, filled with wonderful smells and treats that my mother produced. She was incredibly concerned with the quality, taste, and presentation of her food. She instilled in her seven children a true love and appreciation of cooking. Why do you enjoy baking? GJ: There are several reasons. I love the challenge of combining ingredients and techniques to create something new. I like the science behind baking and how you can alter variables to change the outcome. Mostly, I think giving homemade goods is the best way to show love and care to others. How long have you been a reader of Bake from Scratch, and what drew you to the magazine? GJ: I have the first issue…

A stone fruit is a summer-grown fruit with a thin-skinned exterior covering a juicy flesh that surrounds a hard round or oval pit called the stone, which encases and protects the seed. Stone fruits include apricots, cherries, coconuts, mangoes, nectarines, peaches, and plums. Cherries and apricots start arriving in late spring, and once midsummer hits, peaches, plums, mangoes, and nectarines take over the scene. Coconut lovers can rejoice because they’re actually in season year-round. To determine whether stone fruit is ripe, first pay attention to the smell. It should have a sweet, slightly floral aroma. Ripe stone fruit also should give a little when gently pressed but not be squishy. But be careful when handling the fruit—squeezing too hard will bruise it. Finally, inspect the fruit for mostly smooth skin with…

In Birmingham, Alabama, home to the parent company of Bake from Scratch, Hoffman Media, and founder Phyllis Hoffman DePiano, the Pizitz family’s retail legacy dates back to 1899 when Louis Pizitz opened a small store that ultimately became the family’s namesake department store. But past the elaborate window displays, shimmering chandeliers, and towering escalators was where the true magic resided. Tucked away in the store’s gleaming bakery case were rows and rows of perfectly decorated cakes, but the crown jewel was the Cherry-Pecan Cake. “My mom was a fabulous cake baker, but she bought us a decorated Cherry-Pecan Cake from Pizitz every year for our birthday,” says Phyllis, also known as “Mama BFS” (Bake from Scratch) to participants in Baking School with Williams Sonoma. Swathed in a smooth blanket of snow-white frosting,…