But... last week it was a cool as a cucumber 74 degrees. Brrrr! Laugh if you must, all of my friends who are watching actual leaves change color instead of putting out faux fall foliage as I am forced to do. But, if you live in Arizona as I am blessed to do, you know anything below 80 degrees in November could qualify as a true miracle of God. And, as miraces are not to be wasted, last week I donned my apron, made just for me by my bestie in Texas, and took to the kitchen for some much anticipated baking.
The firs thing I made, by request from E, were snickerdoodles. Come to think of it, everything I've made lately has been by request from E. Hmmm... good thing I'm still head over heels for this guy.
E came to discover he liked snickerdoodles when he tried one just to be nice to his wife who had labored in the kitchen all day doing some holiday baking a few years ago. For years he claimed he was not a sugar cookie fan and the snickerdoodle was just a dressed up version of the same. If you are a snickerdoodle fan, you know what a grave error of assumption he made. Now, when I bake them, he enjoys one every morning with his coffee. If you have not had a snickerdoodle, um, why? Try one. You will be hooked, especially if you use this recipe adapted from the queen of holiday baking, Martha Stewart. By the way, these are the perfect accompaniment to my favorite fall tradition, the pumpkin spice latte.
Two of my favorite baking tools: my jadite mixing bowl and sifter. The sifter was my grandmothers and the one I have used since I was a young girl. I love thinking of her everytime I use it. Sifting the flour is key in this recipe! I know it's one extra step, but the end result is so worth the effort.
It takes longer, but I only bake 8 at a time and I don't double up on trays in the oven. I find I get a more even bake and the cookies have room to spread out a little. Don't we all need our space?
See? They're super fluffy and oh so soft. Make sure to eat one while they're still warm, preferably with a cup of coffee. That's when they're best and hey, after all, you deserve it!
Make sure to get enough flour on the towel so your bread doesn't stick. I'm pretty sure
I wish I had a legit Dutch oven, but I don't. However, my stainless steel pot works just fine.
My sweet family ate this carrot cake so fast after I made it I a) didn't get a picture of the complete cake, and b) was barely able to get this slightly blurred pick before my girlies had dessert.
All you need to make these yummy little treats. In fact, you don't even need the baking soda. I know, prop picture fail. Am I lazy since I didn't reshoot the picture?
Mix the dough until it is very light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. This is key for a fluffy cookie as opposed to a very flat cookie. But, I can tell you from experience, a flat cookie still tastes pretty darn good!
Also, I pop the dough in the freezer while I prepare the cinnamon sugar. It's easier to roll slightly chilled.
The cinnamon / sugar mix. Play with the ratio if you want. After trial and error, I found my family definitely prefers more sugar than cinnamon.
Snickerdoodles
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar (for the dough)
2 tablespoons sugar (for the cinnamon sugar coating)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Tip: Spray your baking sheet with a little cooking spray first to help the parchment paper adhere better to the tray.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Put butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and mix until just combined.
4. With speed set to low, gradualy mix in the flour mixture. Tip: put the dough in the freezer now while you prepare the cinnamon sugar. Chilled dough is much easier to work with.
5. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Roll the dough into 2 inch balls. Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar and place on the baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
6. Bake about 10-12 minutes. I have a gas oven and found that my cooking time is reduced to 10 minutes. Depending on your oven, your time may be a little longer. Just watch them. When the edges are golden, so are you. Cool on a wire rack.
Yummo - my new favorite breakfast. Homemade bread and butter. Oh baby.
Next up in my baking bonanza could be my new favorite recipe for it's ease and the amazing results you get from such little effort. Homemade bread, using only 4 ingredients, none of which include dairy or sugar and, the best part, no kneading. Seriously. I was skeptical too, but I am a convert now. In fact the whole family loves this bread. If you are a traditionalist who needs the bread to be in a pretty loaf shape, this may not be for you. But, if you are a rule breaker like me, have a go. I think you will be delightfully surprised.
Super Simple Bread
Super Simple Bread
Combine in a large mixing bowl the following: 4 cups bread (high gluten) flour, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Slowly add cool water, about 2 1/2 to 3 cups. Add it slowly and work it in with your hands until the ingredients have come togther. The dough should be sticky and moist, but not dripping wet. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise 8-10 hours, or overnight.
After the first rise, remove the dough from the bowl and fold it over just a couple of times until it forms sort of a ball. I promise, that's all the kneading there is to do! Place the dough, seam side down, on a smooth, cotton towel sprinkled generously with flour. Do not use a terry cloth towel. A linen napkin will work as well. Fold the corners up over the dough and let it rise again for about 1 1/2 hours.
this is one of the best gifts I've ever unwrapped!
At the one hour point on the second rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a dutch oven or large pot with a lid in the oven as it preheats. You want the oven and pot very hot when it's baking time.
After the second rise, carefully place the bread in your preheated pot. You may need to shake the pot a little bit to help the bread even out and settle.
Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking another 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Now, some people save carrot cake for the spring, and more specifically for Easter. Not sure why, but for us, carrot cake has always been a autumny recipe. Yes, before the grammar police, a.k.a. E, start firing off comments, I know the correct word is autumnal. But, I have a rule. Simply add a 'y' to any word and it become an adjective. Hence. autumny. So, try my carrot cake. It may be just the fally recipe for which you've been searching.
Now, some people save carrot cake for the spring, and more specifically for Easter. Not sure why, but for us, carrot cake has always been a autumny recipe. Yes, before the grammar police, a.k.a. E, start firing off comments, I know the correct word is autumnal. But, I have a rule. Simply add a 'y' to any word and it become an adjective. Hence. autumny. So, try my carrot cake. It may be just the fally recipe for which you've been searching.
That concludes this week's carb celebration. I hope your autumn is in full, fiery red and orange, leaf falling, apple picking swing. May it be cold enough to have a fire and snuggle, yet mild enough to get out and enjoy this most wonderful of seasons.
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