Apricot Braid

What do you do for someone who just had a baby? You bring them food, and plenty of it. My friend Holly just gave birth to her daughter Alice Mae (is there a cuter name? No.), and I wanted to bring her something comforting for breakfast when I went over to meet the little monkey. I had just been reading about this recipe over on Smitten Kitchen, and so I decided to give it a whirl. It calls for a lovely sweet yeasted dough, a cream cheese spread and lemon curd. Well, I have a weird problem that makes no sense- I don't like lemon curd. I think it tastes metallic and sometimes sweet lemon breads remind me of lobster. I never claimed to be fully, you know, with it. 

So anyway I thought I would swap out the lemon curd for homemade apricot jam, and then things would be right in the world (besides the whole oil spill thing, etc.). I was right! Apricot was just right in this pastry. It was still as tart as I imagine the lemon would be, but also warm and golden flavored. The cream cheese was essential, and next time I might even add a little bit more. I served this with dark cherries and pineapple soaked with booze, cause thats what new moms need. 

Apricot Braid

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen (Really the only thing I did differently was swapping lemon for apricot.)

Sponge
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup (1 ounce) unbleached all-purpose flour


Dough
Sponge (above)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) sour cream or yogurt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, 1 beaten for dough, 1 beaten with 1 teaspoon water for brushing bread
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
Large, sparkling white sugar for sprinkling


Apricot cream cheese filling
1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons (5/8 ounces) sugar
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sour cream
2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (2 ounces) homemade apricot jam


First make the sponge. In a small bowl, combine the sponge ingredients. Stir well to combine, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to proof for 10 to 15 minutes.


Then make the dough! Combine the sponge, sour cream, butter, egg, sugar, salt and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add flour and mix with the paddle attachment until the dough is a rough, shaggy mass. Switch to the dough hook and knead on until a soft, smooth dough forms, about 5 to 6 minutes. ??Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until quite puffy and nearly doubled.


For the cream cheese filling, combine all the filling ingredients (except the apricot jam) in a small bowl, mixing until smooth and lump-free. Reserve the filling and apricot jam until ready to fill the braids.


To make the bread, gently deflate the dough and roll it out on a very well floured counter to a 10″ x 15″ rectangle. Transfer rectangle to a large piece of parchment paper. With the side of your hand, lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise, dividing it into three equal columns. Spread the cream cheese filling down the center section, leaving the top and bottom two inches free of filling. Spread the apricot jam over the cream cheese filling.
To form the mock braid, cut crosswise strips one inch apart down the length of the outer columns of you dough (the parts without filling). Make sure you have an equal amount of 1-inch strips down the right and left sides. Remove the four corner segments. To “braid”, begin by folding top flap down and bottom flap up over the filling. Lift the top dough strip and gently bring it diagonally across the filling. Repeat on the right side, and continue down the entire braid, alternating strips until you are out. You can tuck the last couple that hand off decoratively under the end of the braid.
Carefully transfer the dough and the parchment paper to a baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic and set it aside to rise for 45 to 50 minutes, until quite puffy.


To bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the loaves with egg wash, and sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Blueberry Muff's

When we spent that grueling day constructing Fancy Acre Farm in the back yard, I knew I had to feed my workers right. So I made muffins like a lady. I had a giant tub of Nancy's whole-milk honey yogurt in the fridge that I wanted to use up, and so in it went. They were moist on the inside and had a nice brown sugar crust on top. I might not be much of a muffin person (too healthy) but I found these to be very good, especially when served with butter. 

• Blueberry Muffins made with Yogurt
• 3 cups of a-p flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 10 T unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
• 1 t grated orange peel
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries
• brown sugar to sprinkle on top
•  
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a standing mixer, cream butter and sugar together, then add eggs one at a time. Slowly add some dry mix, then some yogurt, then some dry mix, until both are thoroughly encorporated- do not over mix. Gently fold in blueberries and orange zest. After greasing them with butter, fill muffin tins about half way with batter. Sprinkle brown sugar and a little sea salt on top and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Christmas, Etc.

Yesterday I made an apple custard danish, got a new coon-skin cap, put a bow on Jacky- the usual holiday business. I also got a few extra special gifts, including my dream typewriter. You may remember, I wrote about it in March!!! And now it's mine!!! I'm going to write a cookbook on it, whilst drinking vermouth and eating smoked almonds.
I don't know about anyone else, but I woke up today and ate a huge bowl of oatmeal. Then I immediately started in on my stocking candy. We have finished most of the maple candies and a lot of chocolates, and polished off the cassoulet from last night. It's disgusting. I can't wait to put on a bathing suit in a few days.

Best I Ever Had

Breakfast with Ryland and Tessie today was perfect despite my case of the shakes (ps I was drunk when I posted last night). I have now seen versions of this item on two menus in the old NYC, so today I ordered it at Five Leaves: Fresh Ricotta with thyme, olive oil, cracked pepper, figs and honey comb served with raisin walnut bread. Are you kidding me? Honey comb? It really was perfect and also I got the best orderer award which is something I cherish.

The rest of the day I continued the uphill battle with my hangover and we walked all over town and over some bridge to look at Ryland's favorite building. It was spooky and certainly haunted by handless mill girls. For dinner: Marlo and Sons. I don't have the strength to describe the meal right now- but you can count on it tomorrow.

Grains & Butter are Perfect

I'm reading this book called "Nourishing Traditions" that is all about eating traditional foods for health rather than stylish "low-fat" "health" foods. I won't get into it too much, unless you call me and then I will blabber in your ear for a looong time all about it, but essentially this book explains that butter is a perfect food that is easily digested and should not be feared. And that is why this is my new favorite book. This lady loves natural animal fats of all kinds, and fermented foods and drinks (AKA duck fat, full fat yogurt, kimchi, and kombucha, to name a few). These are the things I love! Give me a drink with some weird cloudy stands floating in it and I'll be happy as a clam.

I have always felt that butter just HAS to be good for you, and now I have found someone who is on my side. My grandmother is not afraid of butter. If she is going to have a piece of toast, she is going to have a nice thick spread of butter along with it. She is my hero, my inspiration, my role model, and so it makes sense that we both connect over a nice stick of real butter.

But anyway. The other thing this book reminds us all to eat is whole grains. I love me some grains, and I can't stop eating them lately. Last night I made mujadara. I could have sworn I wrote about making it a while back but I can't find the post. Mujadara is one of my favorite vegetarian dishes. It is made with rice, lentils and caramelized onions. I make mine with wheat berries instead of rice, and serve it with feta cheese and lemon juice. Last night I ate it with tomatoes and bitter greens right out of the back yard.

For today's grainy delight, I made granola. I could eat granola every day, and from now on I probably will. Here is my recipe, full of grains and joy.

JENNY'S SWEET & SALTY GRANOLA

2 cups organic steel cut oats
1 cup organic rye flakes
1/2 cup coconut flakes
3 T flaxseeds
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup almond slivers
1/3 cup dried cherries

3/4 cup raw agave
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cardamom

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients and spices in a small bowl, and then pour over the granola mix. Stir very well and spread on a large baking sheet. I baked mine in a large braising pan so that I could stir it. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, stirring often at the end. This stuff burns quickly and easily, so be careful.