Momofuku Bagel Bombs

I have a confession to make, I’m a little bit in love with those little Bantam Bagel bites at Starbucks. I would probably eat them every day if I could.

These bagel bombs are not the Bantam Bagel bites, but they certainly suffice in a pinch, and they were a huge hit at Christmas brunch last year. They’re not as soft as the Starbucks version, they’ve got a bit more heft and chew to them which I think makes them more bagel-y. I tried boiling a batch of them like you would with a regular bagel recipe, but I was surprised to see it really didn’t make much of a difference. So I say skip the boil, it’s not worth it (and wasn’t part of the original recipe anyway). They also don’t brown very much, which can be a bit confusing when trying to judge doneness, so don’t be afraid if they still look a bit pale when you pull them out of the oven.

Made as written, this recipe will make a slider-size bagel bomb. I like to make smaller ones so I cut the dough into twice as many pieces so I can have more bite-sized bombs. This can, however, make filling them a bit more difficult. Just be careful not to over-fill them so that as much filling stays inside the bomb as possible. As for the ‘everything’ bagel topping, you should probably make double because you’re going to want to sprinkle that stuff on everything.

I made the Momofuku savory version, then a sweet version as well. The filling for the sweet version was tough to nail. I wanted it to be maple-flavored but as you can imagine, adding a bunch of maple syrup to cream cheese makes it a bit…. runny. In the end I settled on just a tiny bit of maple and threw in some cinnamon and brown sugar for good measure, with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top.

Momofuku Bagel Bombs

For the bombs

  • ½ recipe Mother Dough, proofed*
  • 1 recipe cream cheese plugs, frozen (below)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 recipe Everything Bagel Mix or cinnamon sugar (below)

Making the Bombs

  1. Make desired cream cheese filling (below) and freeze until firm, at least four hours or up to one month.
  2. Make mother dough (below, takes about 1 hour).
  3. Make your egg wash by mixing the egg and water together until well-combined.
    Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. *If you’re feeling brave, pop up the oven to 350, they never get as brown as I’d like at 325 but I don’t remember until it’s too late. Keep in mind you may bake them a bit shorter if you use a higher temperature.
  4. Gently punch down the dough and turn out and divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. **Alternatively, you can divide the dough into 12 to 16 pieces, about 1.5 to 2 ounces each) They get pretty thin when you do the 1.5 ounce version, though. 
  5. Use your fingers to gently stretch each piece of dough out into a mini pizza between 2 to 3 inches wide.
  6. Put a cream cheese plug in the center of each dough circle. **If using the log method, just cut the log into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces depending on how big of bombs you are making.
  7. Bring up the edges of each round and pinch to seal so that the cream cheese plug is completely contained (I mean, it’ll probably leak out anyway, but at least you can say you tried your best).
  8. Once pinched, gently roll the ball between the palms of your hands to make it into a round shape.
  9. Arrange the bombs on your prepared baking sheet, leaving a few inches in between each one (they will grow).
  10. Brush each bomb generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with a generous coating of everything bagel mix all over the savory bagel bombs. If doing sweet, cover with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
  11. Bake the bagel bombs for 20 to 30 minutes. They will probably leak a little bit but don’t worry, no one will know. Enjoy warm or allow to cool completely and store at room temperature for one day, in the fridge for a couple days, or wrap individually with foil and put into a large ziploc bag, freeze for up to a month.
  12. Reheat by zapping for a few seconds in the microwave or, even better, in an oven or toaster oven. From room temp or fridge, just about 3 to 5 minutes at 375 will do it, from frozen reheat while still wrapped in foil, I put them in the oven while it’s preheating and then check them about 3 to 5 minutes after it comes to temperature.

For the Mother Dough (Full recipe) 

  • 3½ cups (550g) flour
  • 1 tablespoon (12g) kosher salt
  • ½ packet or (1 generous teaspoon / 3.5g) active dry yeast
  • 1¾ cups water, at room temperature
  • grapeseed (or other neutral) oil

Make the Mother Dough

*The book calls for a half recipe of the mother dough, this will make 8 large or 12-16 small bombs. Math can be hard so if you want to make the full recipe of dough, there’s nothing wrong with having extra bombs on hand (your future self will thank you). Alternatively, you can wrap half tightly in plastic wrap and drop it into a freezer bag and stash it in the freezer for a couple weeks. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge then set on the counter (1 to 2 hours) to come to room temp. 

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast until combined.
  2. Using a silicone spatula, add the water and stir, mixing until the mixture has come together into a shaggy mass.
  3. Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on the lowest speed for 3 minutes, or until the dough forms a smooth ball. Continue kneading for another 4 or 5 minutes on the lowest speed. The dough should look like a wet ball and should bounce back when gently poked.
  4. Brush a large bowl with oil and add the dough, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let the proof at room temperature for 45 minutes. (If you want to hit the “pause” button, throw the bowl in the fridge overnight. Be sure to take it out about an hour or two ahead of time when you’re ready to continue the next day).

Bacon, Scallion, Cream Cheese Plugs

  • 4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled or finely chopped
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 2 scallions (greens only), thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  1. Line a quarter sheet pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
  2. Put the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until it is soft and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the chopped bacon, scallions, sugar, and salt and paddle briefly to incorporate.
  3. Scoop the cream cheese mixture onto prepared pan in 8 even lump. Freeze until rock hard, 1 to 3 hours. Alternatively, you can scrape it out onto the plastic wrap then use the plastic wrap to roll it into a log about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick (depending on if you plan to make larger or smaller bombs)
    *Once the plugs are frozen solid, they are ready to be used, or they can be stored in an ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Plugs

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (dark brown is best)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Powdered sugar, if needed
  1. Put the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until it is soft and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the maple, brown sugar, and cinnamon. If it looks too runny, throw in a teaspoon or two of powdered sugar to thicken it up. Taste and adjust as needed to your preference, I make mine a little less sweet (since the bombs will be dusted with cinnamon sugar) but you could use more or less brown sugar to your preference.
  2. Scoop the cream cheese mixture onto prepared pan in 8 even lump. Freeze until rock hard, 1 to 3 hours. Alternatively, you can scrape it out onto the plastic wrap then use the plastic wrap to roll it into a log about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick (depending on if you plan to make larger or smaller bombs)
    *Once the plugs are frozen solid, they are ready to be used, or they can be stored in an ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Everything Bagel Mix

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
  • 1 tablespoon dried onions
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  1. Mix together the salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onions, onion powder, and garlic powder in an airtight container. The mix keeps forever in the pantry, but it is best used within 6 months.
    Note: You can now buy pre-mixed everything bagel mix at your local Trader Joes 🙂 Amazon also it (for a higher price tag) as well as a few options if you don’t feel like buying 6 different jars of spices.

Cinnamon Sugar Sprinkle

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  1. Stir together ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Notes

  • If you do not plan to use your mother dough the day you make it, you can store it in an airtight container at least twice its size (or in its bowl, covered securely with plastic wrap) in the fridge for up to 3 days. Take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature 30 to 45 minutes before using.
  • If you’re making both fillings, split each recipe in half and fill half of the bombs with the savory cream cheese and the other half with the sweet cream cheese.
  • Reheat by zapping for a few seconds in the microwave or, even better, in an oven or toaster oven. From room temp or fridge, just about 3 to 5 minutes at 375 will do it, from frozen reheat while still wrapped in foil, I put them in the oven while it’s preheating and then check them about 3 to 5 minutes after it comes to temperature.

babka rolls

Babka has been on my to-do list for a long time now. So when King Arthur Flour featured their babka recipe as their Bakealong Challenge back in April, I Jumped on the opportunity to finally make my own.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with babka, it’s like cinnamon swirl bread but on crack. Often filled with chocolate or cinnamon and nuts, then topped with a sweet, crunchy streusel topping – this stuff is irresistible.

 

Though it looks very intimidating, having finally made it I can honestly say it’s not nearly as scary or daunting as I thought it would be. It’s a lot like making cinnamon rolls except you don’t have to cut the log into individual pieces, although once I made these all I wanted to do was turn them into rolls… which is why my April post turned into a July post (oops?).

 

However you decide to shape it, your babka will start with a simple sweet yeast dough. Once properly kneaded, you let it rise, shape it, let it rise again, then bake it off in the oven.

I know what you’re thinking… You’re looking at all those twisties and and saying to yourself that clearly this is some kind of trick. It must be harder than expected because just LOOK at how beautiful these babies are. I assure you, it’s no trick. Though time consuming (as all yeast breads are), these are not actually “difficult”. I made these three ways so you can choose your favorite and run with it.

The original recipe provided by King Arthur Flour gave enough for two loaves, so I’ve halved the recipe assuming you will only want to make one loaf (or 12 rolls). If you want to make two loaves (or two batches of rolls), feel free to double the recipe and divide it into two pieces after its first rise to work one loaf at a time. I did NOT halve the filling or the topping, you will use all the filling in the rolls and you’ll have leftover topping but that stuff is good on everything so feel free to stash it in your fridge or freezer for the next time you want to jazz something up with a bit of streusel on top.

babka rolls

Ingredients

    For the dough
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cups warm water
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 cups + 2 tablespoons (13.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk*
  • 1 tablespoon instant (rapid rise) yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • For the filling
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup dutch cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • For the streusel topping
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • For the egg wash (make right before baking)
  • 1 large egg, beaten (set aside)
  • For the glaze (make after the rolls come out of the oven)
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions

    Make the dough
  1. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine all of the dough ingredients, using the lesser amount of water. Mix the ingredients together until everything is moistened, adding additional water if necessary to enable the dough to come together. It will still be a little lumpy and not very pretty. Once the dough comes together, cover the bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
  2. After resting, knead the dough by hand or with the dough hook until it becomes soft and smooth like a normal bread dough.
  3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside to rise for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the dough becomes very puffy (it may not quite double in size).
  4. If you need a break, now's the time to take it. Instead of allowing to rise now, you can cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, remove from fridge and allow to rise, covered, for 2 to 3 hours until it's nice and puffy.
  5. Make the filling (I make mine while the dough is rising then warm it a bit to loosen before filling the dough)
  6. Stir sugar, cinnamon, cocoa, and espresso until the butter is fully incorporated. Set aside, covered, until ready to use. (Do not mix the chocolate chips or nuts in with the other ingredients).
  7. Make the streusel (I also make this while the dough is rising, and then stash it on the counter or in the fridge until I need it)
  8. Combine all ingredients in a bowl until moistened. You should be able to press the streusel into clumps with your hands.
  9. Extra streusel can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. Throw it on top of banana bread or muffins, or toss some into pancake or waffle batter. You can also freeze it for a month or two if you like.
  10. Shape the dough
  11. Line a 9-by-13 inch pan with parchment and grease lightly with butter or cooking spray.
  12. Pour dough onto counter and gently deflate, stretching/patting into a rectangle.
  13. Roll dough into a rectangle approximately 15 by 20 inches. If it's being stubborn cover it with a towel and let it set 5 to 10 minutes to relax. I usually use a combination of rolling and stretching until I achieve my desired size, it doesn't have to perfect, just something in that vicinity.
  14. Spread filling over the dough and sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.
  15. Starting at the long end, roll the dough into a log about 20-inches long. Trim about a half inch or so off of each end to get rid of the straggly edges.
  16. Using a serrated knife, cut into 12 equal-sized rolls and place cut-side down into prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until rolls become puffy and begin to crowd each other in the pan.
  17. Bake the rolls
  18. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  19. Once ready to bake, lightly brush the tops of the rolls with egg wash and sprinkle generously with streusel topping.
  20. Bake rolls for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown on top and baked through.
  21. Glaze the rolls
  22. In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and milk until no lumps remain. If too runny, add more powdered sugar, if too thick add more milk. The glaze should be on the thicker side, sort of like Elmer's glue but more delicious.
  23. Drizzle glaze over slightly-cooled rolls. Best served the day they are made (and still slightly warm).
  24. OK, but what if you want to make that impressive fancy babka loaf you see at the bakery? Well, I've got steps for that too!
    To make a loaf
  25. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment and grease lightly with butter or cooking spray.
  26. Shape each half of the dough into a 9" x 18", 1/4"-thick rectangle.
  27. Smear dough with the filling, coming to within an inch of the edges and scatter nuts and chocolate chips over the filling
  28. For the fancy (split top) twisty loaf
  29. Starting with a short end, roll the dough gently into a log, sealing the seam and ends.
  30. Use a pair of scissors or a sharp knife to cut the log in half lengthwise to make two long pieces of dough.
  31. With the exposed filling side up, twist the two pieces into a braid, tucking the ends underneath. Place into prepared baking pan
  32. To make a less fancy (twisty) loaf
  33. Starting with the long end, roll the dough gently into a log, sealing the seam and ends.
  34. Fold the dough log in half (like a horse shoe) and twist the horseshoe. Place log into prepared baking pan.
  35. To make an easier less fancy (non-twisty) loaf
  36. Starting with a short end, gently roll the dough into a log about 10-inches long, sealing the seam and ends. Place log into prepared baking pan.
  37. To bake either of the loafs
  38. Place loaf into a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap, allowing to rise about 2 hours. Right before baking, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with topping.
  39. Preheat oven to 300°F and bake for 35 minutes. Tent with foil then continue baking an additional 15-25 minutes, for a total baking time of 50-60 minutes.
  40. Remove loaf from the oven, and immediately loosen the edges with a heatproof spatula or table knife. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Notes

* If you don't have dry milk, substitute liquid milk for the water.

* If the dough doesn't want to roll/stretch out, cover it with a clean towel and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten, then stretch it some more.

* For those (like me) who like to rely on thermometers, the bread should reach an internal temperature of at least 190°F

https://wee-eats.com/2017/07/01/babka-rolls/

 

baked occasionally october – peanut butter and jelly muffins

baked-occasionally-pbj-muffins

It’s no secret that Shannon and I are big fans of peanut butter and jelly.

Shannon’s pbj ice cream, and my pbj birthday cake, we can hardly get enough of the stuff. Hardly a week goes by where I don’t consume at least one of my favorite pbj sandwiches (Jif Natural, creamy of course, with Favorit raspberry jam, and maybe a couple fruit slices or potato chips stuffed in for crunch). It’s impossible to resist.

So, it should surprise no one that Shannon’s choice for October’s Baked Occasionally series was the Peanut Butter & Jelly muffins from Baked Occasions.

You will have some batter (and streusel) left over, don’t try to stuff it into the muffin tins (or, read that line after you’ve been stuffing, whatever). If you use the fancy leaf muffin liners, you can use more batter and streusel than normal because they are taller and will hold more. This, however, will also add a few minutes to your baking time.

Tender, slightly sweet peanut butter muffins, filled with just a bit of sweet, sticky jam and topped with crunchy peanut streusel. There’s really not a single thing wrong with these.

pbj-muffin

What I liked:

  • Easy to make – Despite being a filled and topped treat, these muffins were pretty easy to make, actually. I used a large scoop for the batter and a small scoop for the filling and it seemed to work out perfectly!
  • Not too sweet – The flavor melds perfectly with sweet filling paired with a peanut-buttery muffin and topped with sweet, crunchy streusel. The muffin itself isn’t too sweet, which is good because it helps to keep this recipe nice and balanced without being tooth-achingly sweet.

What I didn’t like:

  • The filling – Of course you need jelly for it to be “PB&J” and I didn’t really “dislike” the jelly, I just wasn’t sure how much it added to these guys. It felt like, if anything, it didn’t add enough jelly flavor for it to be worth the effort. I remember thinking that someone should invent “jelly chips” (like chocolate chips, but filled with jelly and without any chocolate!) and they would be great here because you could evenly dispense the jelly flavor. ANYWAY – If you weren’t up to the effort of dropping tiny spoonfulls of jelly into your muffin cups, you could definitely just serve it on the side, with the added bonus of everyone being able to choose their own jelly flavor!
  • One more super tiny note – Again, more of a ‘note’ than a “dislike” really. A couple of my peanuts burned while baking, so you could either tent the muffins with foil for the last five minutes or so of baking, or you can just leave out the peanuts, either way will work just fine.

The Verdict:

  • All in all? These are a winner! Bake some up for your next brunch or take them to work (your co-workers will thank you, trust me).

As always, my PIC (that’s “partner in crime”) Shannon has her own beautiful post right here where she shares her thoughts on the recipe, but with much prettier pictures. 🙂

wee-eats-pbj-muffin

peanut butter & jelly muffins

Ingredients

    For the Crumb Topping
  • ½ cup (75 g) salted, roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1?3 cup (75 g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 ounces (¾ stick/85 g) unsalted butter, melted and warm
  • For the Muffin Batter
  • 1¾ cups (225 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (110 g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • ½ cup (115 g) sour cream (not low-fat), room temperature
  • ½ cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter
  • 1?3 cup (75 ml) canola oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1?3 to ½ cup jelly of choice

Instructions

    For the crumb topping
  1. Finely chop peanuts and put in a medium bowl.
  2. Whisk in the flour, brown sugar, and salt.
  3. Pour melted butter over the mixture and fold the ingredients together until the mixture is crumb-like. If you press some together inside your fist, it should form a solid piece. Set aside.
  4. For the muffins
  5. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Lightly spray each cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and use a paper towel to spread the oil evenly along the bottom and up the sides of each cup. Alternatively, you can line the muffin tin with liners.
  6. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, until well combined. Be sure to break up any lumps of brown sugar.
  7. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, peanut butter, oil, egg, and vanilla.
  8. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well.
  9. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
  10. Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter into each cup of the prepared muffin pan. Use the back of a clean, lightly oiled spoon (or silicone spoon) to flatten the batter and make a slight indentation into the center.
  11. Place 1 rounded teaspoon of jelly onto the muffin batter in each cup, being careful to keep it in the center of the cup.
  12. Top the jelly with another 2 tablespoons of muffin batter to cover the jelly completely, using the back of a spoon to gently spread the batter into an even layer. It's best to start on the outside of the muffin cup so that you don't spread the jelly towards the outside. The muffin cups should be not quite full.
  13. Note: You might end up with excess batter. Do not try to force it into the cups; simply make one or two extra muffins.
  14. Cover the surface of each muffin cup with a small handful of crumbs, pressing the mixture ever so gently so that it adheres to the top. If you use the pretty muffin liners , you can probably fit a very generous amount of streusel onto the top of the muffin, but will likely have some left over.
  15. Bake muffins, rotating halfway through the baking time, until the crumb topping turns a golden brown, 14 to 18 minutes.
  16. Baking the muffins:
  17. If a toothpick inserted into a muffin near the edge (avoiding the jelly center) should come out clean (disregarding any topping or jelly that might stick), bake them for a minute more—these muffins might sink in the middle if not baked all the way.
  18. Let the muffins cool almost completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
  19. If you used the aforementioned liners, removal is easy peasy. Otherwise, angle the muffin tin slightly and use a small offset spatula or a butter knife to coax the muffins out of their tins. Place muffins on the cooling rack until completely cool.
  20. These can be stored in an airtight container for 1 day, or wrapped in saran and stored in the freezer for up to a month.

Notes

- You will have extra batter and streusel topping from this. You can make an extra muffin or two, if you like and save some of the streusel, refrigerated, for another use.

- If you don't feel like filling your muffins, I think jelly would be just as good if not better served alongside these muffins, rather than filled.

- If you notice your topping browning a bit too quickly, tent the muffins with foil for the last 5 or 10 minutes of baking.

https://wee-eats.com/2016/10/03/baked-occasionally-october-peanut-butter-and-jelly-muffins/

Bake along – Get the book here!

Check out Shannon’s post here.

This post contains an affiliate link – purchasing through this link will help to support the existence of this blog. 

Baked Occasionally September – Orange Pancakes with Honey Butter

DSC_1636 Orange Pancake

Can you believe it’s already September? I can’t. While most of you are probably BBQ-ing and hanging by the pool, let me take a minute to talk about the last thing on your mind … pancakes!

My first thought was “Orange pancakes?” I mean, lemon, sure. Banana, of course. But orange? Never really thought about it, I guess. Shannon and I resolved not to tinker and forged ahead with the recipe.

So, when I gathered it all together to get started, I didn’t really know what to expect. Well, one sore arm and a lot of pancakes later, I can say I was a bit underwhelmed, to be honest. The original recipe yielded a batter that was much too thick to use for pancakes, not even remotely pourable and too thick to even spread.

I did, however, attempt to cook them anyway and ended up with a dense, dry pancake that was less than appetizing.

pancakes thick

Gross, right? No thank you.

So, I added some extra buttermilk and orange juice to thin out the batter and make it more pourable, and then we were on our way! The pancakes (once corrected) had a great texture, light and fluffy and perfectly tender! However, they didn’t have much flavor, especially considering the copious amounts of orange juice and zest I knew were in the batter.

orange pancake gif

Topped with honey butter and maple syrup, however, the notes were somewhat floral with a hint of orange, but not nearly the ‘slap you in the face’ flavor I expected. Though I wouldn’t eat them on their own, once I topped them with syrup and butter it was hard to stop eating them.

DSC_1674 2

What I liked:

  • The texture, once corrected, was great! I love fluffy pancakes and these babies fit the bill just right!
  • Honey butter perfectly complemented the pancakes and, along with the maple syrup, brought out the orange notes.

What I didn’t:

  • The original recipe didn’t have nearly enough liquid in the batter, so I had to add extra orange juice and buttermilk to thin out the batter. I have not seen other complaints about this, though, so maybe I just had some weird blond moment…
  • Despite ALL of the orange zest and juice in this recipe, the orange flavor wasn’t as strong as I expected. I expected a brighter flavor, although maybe it was muted by additional buttermilk.

DSC_1655 orange pancake

orange pancakes with honey butter

Ingredients

    For the Honey Butter
  • 8 ounces (225 g) unsalted European-style (cultured) butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons clover honey
  • For the Orange Pancakes
  • 2 cups (255 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (240 ml) orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 cup (230 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt, strained
  • ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, well-shaken
  • 4 ounces (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons orange zest (from 2 oranges)
  • For making and serving the pancakes
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • Maple syrup, preferably warmed
  • Honey butter (recipe above)

Instructions

    Make the Honey Butter
  1. If your butter is very soft, you can just place it in a bowl with the honey and stir with a spatula until completely combined. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside or place in refrigerator for up to 1 week. (Hint: also great on dinner rolls, corn bread, toast, or anything else you might butter).
  2. If the butter is still somewhat firm, cut into cubes and place into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter and honey on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes. Scrape the honey butter into a ramekin to use immediately with the pancakes.
  3. Make the Orange Pancakes
  4. If you want to make a lot of pancakes and keep them warm, preheat the oven to 200°F (90°C). Otherwise, you can skip this step.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice, yogurt, buttermilk, 4 ounces (115 g) of the butter, the eggs, sugar, and orange zest.
  7. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour the wet ingredients into the well, stirring just until combined.
  8. If the batter is too thick, add additional orange juice until slightly thinned and pourable.
  9. Cook the pancakes
  10. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat until water splashed on it bubbles and dances, but doesn't immediately evaporate.
  11. Brush the pan with some of the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter and pour 1?3 cup batter to the pan per pancake (you can use more or less, depending on what size of pancake you are looking for).
  12. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on the tops and the bottoms are browned.
  13. Flip and continue cooking them until they are completely browned on both sides, another minute or so.
  14. You don't have to butter each time, but you can if you like (I don't). Otherwise, continue buttering the pan and making pancakes until all the batter is used, transferring cooked pancakes to the oven to keep warm, if desired.
  15. Serve immediately as the pancakes are made, or keep them in the oven on a baking pan or heatproof plate just until you’ve cooked them all (don’t leave them in the oven longer).
  16. Serve with maple syrup and honey butter.

Notes

* The liquid as stated in this recipe was not enough for my batter, feel free to add extra liquid, a tablespoon or two at a time, until the batter becomes pourable. Be careful not to over-mix.

* I felt they could also use a bit more orange zest, but maybe my oranges just weren't super orange-y. Feel free to cook a mini 'test' pancake and see how the flavor is before continuing.

https://wee-eats.com/2016/09/05/baked-occasionally-september-orange-pancakes-with-honey-butter/

[ Get the book HERE ]

[ Check out Shannon’s post HERE ]

nonnie’s blueberry buckle

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This month’s Baked Occasionally is brought to you by the August chapter and was chosen by Mrs. Table. Just like this wonderful summer month this cake is sweet and fill to the top with fruit. Not to be confused with a blueberry coffee cake, the buckle is… well, to be honest I’m not quite sure why it’s not a coffee cake. But it’s not.

Cake batter? Check. Berries? Check. Stresuel? Check! Delicious in the morning and even more delicious alongside coffee? Double check. But no, definitely not a coffee cake.

She may not look like much but what she lacks in presentation she makes up for in flavor. Baked’s blueberry buckle is a sweet, tender cake bursting with blueberries and topped with a sweet, crunchy streusel topping. It’s perfect for breakfast or dessert, or an afternoon snack.

What I liked:

Everything – it was delicious!

What I didn’t:

As per usual, the Baked recipe called for a special tube pan (which my frugal self has yet to purchase). While not nearly as gorgeous as Shannon’s tube pan cake, I did learn that it would fit perfectly into a 10 inch round cake pan. Of course, it will affect your baking time. I ended up using a 10 inch spring form pan so that I could still have the removable bottom feature.

I also threw a little batter into some muffin tins because everything is better in mini form.

You can see Shannon’s post over at A Periodic Table, or pick up the Baked Occasions book and bake along with us next month!

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nonnie's blueberry buckle

Ingredients

    For the Blueberry Cake
  • 1½ cups (170 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups (170 g) cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 ml) canola oil
  • 2 ounces (½ stick/55 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
  • ½ cup (115 g) sour cream
  • 4 cups (14 ounces/395 g) fresh blueberries
  • For the Streusel
  • ¾ cup (165 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1?3 cup (40 g) all purpose flour
  • 1?3 cup (40 g) cake flour
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 ounces (¾ stick/85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Instructions

    Make the cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a 10-cup tube pan or a 10 inch round springform cake pan by lining with parchment and spraying with nonstick cooking spray. (Or butter the pan and dust it with flour, knocking out the excess flour)).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, salt, ginger, and baking soda. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and sour cream and whisk until combined; set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl,
  6. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest, and beat for another 10 seconds
  7. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in the standing mixer in three parts, alternating with the cream mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (flour-cream-flour-cream-flour). Beat at medium speed after each addition until incorporated, about 10 to 15 seconds each.
  8. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the blueberries into the batter. The batter will be very thick.
  9. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
  10. Make the Streusel
  11. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flours, and cinnamon until combined (lumps are okay).
  12. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and combine until the sugar mixture is thoroughly moistened. You can do this with your hands, a fork, or a spatula.
  13. Pinch off chunks of the topping and drop them over the top of the buckle batter. Use all of the topping and cover the batter completely.
  14. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs, 50 to 60 minutes. (Note: Baking time for muffin size was between 15 to 20 minutes)
  15. Set the cake pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a paring knife, then push the bottom of the pan up (If using a removable bottom) to release the cake. Use the knife to loosen and remove the cake from the bottom of the pan, then cool completely, topping side up, on a cooling rack.

Notes

* If you don't have a tube pan, feel free to use a 10 inch round cake pan or spring form pan. Preferably something with a removable bottom.

* Portion into muffin tins and bake for 15 to 20 minutes for bite sized treats.

* If the streusel topping browns too much while cooking, just cover it with some foil while the cake continues to bake.

https://wee-eats.com/2016/08/02/nonnies-blueberry-buckle/

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[ CHECK OUT SHANNON’S POST ON A PERIODIC TABLE ]

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