Easy Yeasted Cinnamon-Nut Coffee Cake

This easy yeasted cinnamon-nut coffee cake is what I had in mind last month when I said about my Pan Bread recipe: You can even turn it into a coffee cake by using melted butter instead of olive oil and giving it a swirl of cinnamon sugar and a streusel topping. 

And you can certainly do just that, but this recipe takes it just a step further, while still keeping it super easy. I've enriched the dough with an egg, milk and a bit more butter. And I have you easily shaping the dough on the countertop before plopping it unceremoniously into the pan.

Still no need to knead or drag out the heavy-duty stand mixer; just stir it with the handle of a sturdy wooden spoon. I'll be making this again soon. And as soon as I can get my hands on some good yellow peaches, I'll be making Peach Kuchen, another easy coffee cake.

Of course, I eat it with tea. How about you?

Easy Yeasted Cinnamon-Nut Coffee Cake

(Makes one 13x9-inch coffee cake)

The Dough

3 1/4 dip-and-sweep cups (16.25 ounces/461 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 dip-and-sweep cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, set aside for shaping 

1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package/0.25 ounce/7 grams) instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons (0.25 ounce/7 grams) salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cardamom
2/3 cup (5.33 fluid ounces/158 ml) milk plus 2/3 cup water, heated to very warm (120 to 130F/49 to 54C)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter, melted, divided

1 large egg

The Filling

1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

The Cinnamon-Nut Topping 

1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) finely chopped pecans or walnuts 
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Pinch of salt

The Glaze 

1/2 packed cup (2 ounces/57 grams) unsifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon water, milk, juice or brandy

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 Start dough 3 hours before you plan to serve the coffee cake. In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, salt and cardamom. Add heated milk and water, egg and all but 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and stir vigorously with dough whisk or large spoon until combined and then for one minute. Cover and let rest for about 20 minutes while you make the filling and topping and prepare the baking dish.

Note: I always use one of my ThermoWorks thermometers (Thermapen or ThermoPop) to check the temperature. It's important that the temperature be in the given range. If the liquid is too hot, it can kill the yeast.

2 Make the filling; in small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon. Make the topping; in small bowl, stir together nuts, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.

3 Spray sides and bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with a sheet of parchment paper long enough to go up the short sides of the pan. Spread 1 tablespoon of the oil or melted butter over the parchment. 

4 Working from the reserved 1/4 cup of flour, lightly flour work surface. Scrape the sticky dough onto the flour. Lightly flour the dough and press it into roughly a 13x9-inch rectangle. Spread cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the dough loosely and place it lengthwise in the prepared baking dish. Press the dough down to fit the dish. 

5 With fingers, rub on the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle the nut topping evenly over the buttered dough. With buttery fingers, press the nut topping into the dough. Cover loosely and let rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

6 During last 15 minutes, preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. 

7 Let stand 5 minutes before turning out onto wire rack (This is when you'll be so happy that you used the parchment paper!) or leave it in the pan.

8 Let the coffee cake cool about 20 minutes; make glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, liquid and vanilla extract. Drizzle over lukewarm cake. Cut into 15 or more squares.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Decided to make chocolate chip peanut butter cookies when Mr Delightful mentioned a craving for peanut butter cups. So that he wouldn't resort to buying candy, I thought I'd add some chocolate chips to my peanut butter cookies, even though I am not a huge chocolate fan myself.

Many recipes for peanut butter cookies make a point of insisting that only processed peanut butter can be used. One thing I insist on, though, is organic natural (also called "old-fashioned") peanut butter, just peanuts and a little salt, must be stirred--no stabilizers, shortening or sugar.

If you happen to live someplace where peanut butter is not readily available, you can easily whip some up with a food processor. Natural peanut butter is just shelled and roasted peanuts, skins removed, processed (food processor or blender) with perhaps a bit of peanut oil (maybe 1 tablespoon to 8 ounces of peanuts, just guessing) and salt to taste.

Texture is everything in a cookie--can't stand a gummy peanut butter cookie! You can use 1 1/4 cups (6.25 ounces) of unbleached all-purpose flour for my recipe, but I really like the texture and extra nutrition you get by using some coarsely ground old-fashioned oats in place of part of the flour. Try it and let me know how you like it!

Of course, you can double this recipe. I just made a small batch because I'm low on my favorite flour and there is none to be had anywhere these days.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

(Makes 22 3-inch cookies)

1/3 cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

1 dip-and-sweep cup (5 ounces/142 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon non-GMO baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup (2.33 ounces/66 grams) sugar

1/4 packed cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (4.5 ounces/128 grams) natural peanut butter

1 large egg (medium in UK)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup (3 ounces/85 grams) semi-sweet chocolate mini chips

1 In food processor with metal blade in place, process oats for about 30 seconds until ground into coarse flour. The mini food processor that goes with my immersion blender (also known as stick blender or hand blender) is perfect for small amounts like this.

2 In small bowl, whisk together flour, ground oats, baking powder, soda and salt.

3 In medium mixing bowl, by hand or with electric hand mixer beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in peanut butter, egg and vanilla. Slowly beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and place in refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.

4 Preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Shape #40 scoops* (0.8 ounces or approximately 1.5 tablespoons) of dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Shaping into balls before pressing results in perfectly smooth cookies, edges and all. (If you don't mind a less smooth look, just press the scooped dough down. That's what I often do!) Place 3 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment. With your fingers, flatten into a 2 1/4-inch round (or use a fork to flatten each in a crisscross pattern into a 2 1/4-inch round). Bake for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden.

5 Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container. 

* If you don't have one of these 7/8 Ounce Size 40 Stainless Steel Round Squeeze Disher, you need to get one now! How do people make cookies without it!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Pan Bread - Super Easy No-Knead Yeast Bread

For some reason this pandemic spurred a worldwide wave of breadmaking. A lot of novices weren't thrilled with the results, I'm told, and the run on flour and yeast is dying down. If you're disenchanted with your efforts at traditional yeast bread, this is for you. All the flavor, none of the work. 

Pan bread is the name I gave years ago to a yeast bread that anyone can make. Even if you've never made yeast bread before, if you have a bowl and a 13x9x2-inch pan, you can make this bread. In fact, if you're planning to dine in 3 hours, stir up a batch right now!

If you like, you can turn it into focaccia by giving it a sprinkling of herbs before baking. You can even turn it into a coffee cake by using melted butter instead of olive oil and giving it a swirl of cinnamon sugar and a streusel topping. But if you're a fan of the flavor of yeast bread, you'll even like it perfectly plain.

Mr Delightful likes it with butter. Always good, yes, but sometimes I like to dip it in a little dish of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs. Makes me feel like I'm in a nice restaurant. Remember restaurants? And, yes, I do consider "the bread basket" a legitimate appetizer!

This bread is so versatile, you can even make 12 slices of sandwich bread or toast by cutting it into 6 squares and splitting each square, as I did for the plain and perfect tomato sandwich above.

Check the Bread category of my Recipes page for all kinds of breads, including Classic White Sandwich Bread and Wild Yeast True Sourdough Bread.

If you like it, please Pin it and share it!

Pan Bread 

(Makes one 13x9 "loaf")

3 1/4 cups (16.25 ounces/461 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package/0.25 ounce/7 grams) instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons (0.25 ounce/7 grams) salt
1 3/4 cups (14 fluid ounces/414 ml) very warm (120 to 130F/49 to 54C) water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter, divided

Options: caramelized onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs

1 Start dough 3 hours before you plan to serve the bread. In large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast and salt. Add water and 1 tablespoon of the oil or melted butter and stir vigorously with dough whisk or large spoon for one minute.

2 Spray sides and bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with a sheet of parchment paper long enough to go up the short sides of the pan. Spread 1 tablespoon of the oil or melted butter over the parchment. Scrape the sticky dough into prepared pan and press it into pan with oiled fingers. Cover loosely and let rest for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

This is the Nordic Ware Half Sheet Cover. I use it over buns proofing in the half sheet pan, over bread pans and over this 13x9x2-inch baking dish. It has saved yards and yards of plastic wrap over the years!

3 During last 15 minutes, preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Just before baking, dimple (gently poke) the dough with oiled fingers and drizzle lightly with 1 tablespoon of the oil or melted butter. Sometimes I skip the dimpling and just rub on the oil or melted butter; it's fine either way. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. 

4 Let stand 5 minutes before turning out onto wire rack. (This is when you'll be so happy that you used the parchment paper!) Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 16 or 24 squares and serve warm. 

Or cut it into six squares and split them horizontally to make 12 slices of sandwich bread or toast.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Sheet Pan Home Fries - New West KnifeWorks Review and Giveaway

We all need comfort food, like my Sheet Pan Home Fries, now. And I thought giving away a really good knife would be a real perkative in the midst of all this this. But first ...

The Sheet Pan Home Fries

While there's nothing difficult about making home fries, it's more trouble (and mess) than it needs to be when you're in the middle of making other things as well. Too much checking and turning, and I always end up using too much oil to keep them from sticking. 

It took me a long time, but I finally wised up and haven't looked back since. I thought, why not just throw them on a sheet pan and put them in the oven? I didn't want to get fussy about that either. I know a lot of people roast vegetables in the oven and do a lot of turning, and I didn't want to be bothered with turning.

So I lined a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking problems, tossed my potato chunks with a few simple ingredients (you can season them however you like) and just a modest amount of oil, popped it in the oven and just let it go. Fabulous! All part of my streamlined cooking strategy to save time.

It also saves time on cleaning because there are no grease splatters on the stove to clean up. No skillet with stuck-on bits to soak and scrub. And, even more important for those of us who really care about making every simple dish as good as it can possibly be, the potatoes are perfectly cooked, evenly cooked.

And if what you're looking for is Roasted Potatoes for Sunday Lunch, just hit that link and make a batch of the most perfect Roasties. Are you a home fries person or a hash browns person? If the latter, you must try my Pomme Rosti.

The New West KnifeWorks Knife

I grew up with a mother who was a world-class cook with the worst --THE WORST--knives in the world, so I was determined that when I grew up I would have good knives. And I gradually acquired very good knives. But a couple of years ago I discovered the truly remarkable knives made by New West KnifeWorks (NWKW).

The NWKW knives are as beautiful as they are useful and a joy to work with. Call me shallow, but the first thing I noticed about the Ironwood 5-Inch Chopper was that it is the most gorgeous knife I've ever seen. That desert ironwood handle is beautiful. It is a richly textured, incredibly dense hardwood that with minimal care will last forever, making this an heirloom.

The handle is ergonomic, the blade is razor-sharp, and together they make a well-balanced knife that is just big enough to be my go-to "chef" knife for most of my cutting board work. For the tasks that require a bigger blade, I can pull out a chef knife; but this should take care of about 90 percent of my slicing and chopping. It cuts through tough potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower like butter. Chopping chocolate and nuts is effortless.

Go to the section below the recipe for details on this very generous giveaway. If you don’t happen to need a knife, you know someone who does; and this knife would make a great and generous gift.

Sheet Pan Home Fries

(Serves 4 or 5, can be easily doubled*)

2 to 2.2 pounds (32 to 35.27 ounces/0.9 to 1 kilogram) russet potatoes

2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce/ml) extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon thyme

* To serve a crowd, double ingredients and bake on 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan.

1 Preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6. Line a 13x9x1-inch quarter sheet pan with baking parchment paper.

2 Peel potatoes and cut into roughly 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. In 1.5- to 2-quart bowl, toss potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, marjoram and thyme. Spread in a single layer on parchment-lined quarter sheet pan.

3 Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.

New West KnifeWorks Knife Giveaway

This giveaway is open to readers in the US* who are 18 years of age or older. To enter, leave a comment below (one entry per person). Tell me the first thing you'd make with the knife. Please include your email address in the body of your comment. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday April 22.

* If you are outside the US but would like to have this sent to someone you know in the US (you would have to send them a gift card separately on your own), go ahead and enter!

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday April 23. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Sunday April 26, a new winner will be selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline). 

Disclosure: New West KnifeWorks provided a knife for review purposes and one for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Spiced Crab Apples

Spiced crab apples and spiced peaches, as well as pickled eggs and pickled onions, were things I grew up with. I never really thought about their origin, but given my mother's origins, I'm wondering if these foods are British. 

I had childhood friends whose mothers were from various parts of the world, but I never encountered any of these foods on their tables. Suppose I could Google it, but maybe one of you can tell me.

Crab apples are, I'm told, called such because of their size and not their cultivar. Crab apples are 2 inches or less in diameter, and the ones I used for this recipe, an organic heirloom variety, were way less than 2 inches in diameter.

If you do canning, I'm sure you could do that with spiced crab apples. But my mother was not into canning for long-term shelf storage, so she made this kind which you can store in the refrigerator for up to a month. She served them with things like pork roast and turkey. 

This seems like a lot of bother for something so small as to be more of a garnish than a side dish! But the spiced crab apples are rather adorable and quite fun to serve for a special occasion. They also work well on a cheese board or charcuterie platter.

But plan ahead. They're ready in a week, but even better at 2 or 3 weeks, and they keep for up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. I just made 1 quart, but you can easily double or triple the recipe.

If you like it, please remember to Pin it and share it!

Spiced Crab Apples

(Makes 1 quart)

1 3/4 cup (12.25 ounces/347 grams) sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves
7/8 cup (7 fluid ounces/207 ml) apple cider vinegar
7/8 cup (7 fluid ounces/207 ml) water

1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) tiny crab apples

1 Have ready a wide mouth 1-quart canning jar. In a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan, whisk together the sugar and spices. Whisk in the vinegar and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Take off heat for 5 minutes.

2 In the meantime, wash the apples well, leaving the stems intact but removing the fuzzy blossom ends. Pierce the blossom end twice with a skewer or very sturdy toothpick. 

3 Add the apples to the slightly cooled liquid. Bring up to a gentle simmer and simmer the apples for about 15 minutes. Don't let the mixture boil or you might end up with skins falling off the apples and the apples getting overcooked. 

4 Carefully remove the apples from the liquid and put them in a wide mouth 1-quart canning jar. Pour the pickling liquid into the jar. The apples should be completely immersed. If some are floating above the liquid, you can weight them down with something. I have a bunch of 2.6-inch porcelain ramekins and use one of those. These 2.6-inch porcelain dipping sauce dishes would probably also work well. Put on the lid.

5 Let cool for an hour, and then refrigerate for at least a week or up to 4 weeks.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean