{ The 1st Meal } A Conclusion

It’s December.  How did that happen?  Wasn’t it September just twenty minutes ago?  We are just a few short weeks away from the new year.  A new year, with new recipes, new inspiration, and a new series.  Although we have a few weeks left in this beautiful year, it is time for one series to come to a close. 

I began The 1st Meal series back in the beginning of Fall and I have had so much fun creating recipes for it each week.  Some of them were a bit over the top, some were pure and simple, but all were undoubtably delicious.  

We have twenty-seven mornings left in 2015 to eat as many chocolatey, streusel-covered, and cranberry-studded breakfasts as we can bake!  If you missed some of The 1st Meal entires, or need some refreshment, I have compiled a list of all the entries below.  

If you are looking for something quick to make for that hoard of holiday company, these muffins will not let you down.  Make a double batch, as they have a naughty tendency to “disappear” before your company has a chance to find their way out to the kitchen.  Oops.  

“I was just making sure they were good…”

The inspiration for this Turtle French Toast was twofold.  I have long-admired Jessica's blog, How Sweet It Is, and her superpower to create over-the-top, ridiculously wonderfully decadent recipes, and I was longing to create something absurdly indulgent of my own.  My other inspiration was the product of eating too many Quin's Turtle Caramels and trying to contrive an excuse to eat them for breakfast.  

I think I would be perfectly content to eat Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast every day for the next five years.  These biscuits are fluffy and packed with sharp, white cheddar, and topped with a generous ladle of thick, creamy black pepper gravy and crispy pancetta.  Just make me a biscuit bed and give me a hot tub full of gravy.  

I will take banana bread any time, any way.  These Banana Bread Pancakes are topped with a big ol’ spoonful of cinnamon pecan butter.  Game over. 

Though each breakfast recipe stands on its own, breakfast is not complete without a strong brew of your favorite tea.  In this post, I shared some of my favorite blends and tips for morning brewing. 

I hope that this series inspired to you move slowly, to soak in the mornings, to take your time enjoying your first meal - to begin well.

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

{The 1st Meal} Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans

Good morning.!  Are you still deep in the gravy hangover?  Or are you, like me, too busy fawning over your pile of Black Friday treasures?  I thought so.  Do not worry, you definitely needed two more sweaters - they were on sale and you look so good in them!  Oops.  Fell into the Friday game again.

Remember how we made these Cinnamon Sugar Cheese Buns last week?  Yeah, they were really good.  Hey, that was pretty sneaky, eating all the cream cheese centers and leaving the outer crust.  I bet you pulled all the marshmallows out of the cereal box as a kid too.  Heehee, I like you.  Let’s be friends.

Do you also remember my promise to bring you yet another scrumptious application for that bundt dough you wisely stowed away in the freezer?  I made good on this promise, unlike the promise I made to myself to back off the carbs.  I’ll get to it.  I still have a few weeks before wedding dress shopping, right?  Meh.  That’s depressing.  I’m going to eat some more bread to ease my guilt.  Don’t be like me.  But make this bread.  Yes, do that.

If you cannot tell, I binged watched some Great British Bakeoff and now I’m making fancy breads. 

Making this bread was a euphoric experience.  It was as if a warm, candlelit, old English kind of glow swept over my kitchen and I pretended that I was Mrs. Cratchit making the sweet, cherished Christmas bread for her adoring family.  There’s just something about this bread that sings of the holidays.

Baking bread feels so good.  It’s rudimentary, yet so momentous when baked at home.  It makes the kitchen feel cozy in a way that salads simply cannot.

For this recipe, our bundt dough is coated with melted butter, then sprinkled generously with orange sugar, chopped dark chocolate, and pecans.  The combination is unsurpassable - the perfect treat for these cold, wintry mornings.

After the filling has been pressed into the dough, the dough is rolled and shaped into a loop - forming lovely swirls of chocolatey orange filling throughout the bundt.  

While the bundt is still warm, it is brushed with a syrupy orange glaze that makes the outer crust sweet and sticky. 

This is one time where you can politely lick your fingers without shame.

Brew a pot of coffee and cut yourself a slice (or two).  Breakfast is served.

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Glazed Orange Bundt with Chocolate and Pecans

*This dough recipe will make two bundts if you use the entire batch of dough, or 1 bundt when divided.  If you wish to make the full recipe, rather than freezing a portion of the dough, double the recipe for the orange chocolate filling.

for the bundt dough  

• 1/2 cup warm water (about 95 degrees F)
• 3 packages active dry yeast (3 scant tablespoons) 
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature 
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 3/4 unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3 large eggs 
• 6 cups bread flour 
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

In the bowl of your stand mixer combine all ingredients and mix on low speed, using the paddle attachment, until just combined.  Then, change to a dough hook and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, until smooth, shiny, and elastic.  The dough will look rather loose, but resist the urge to add more flour.

Coat a large bowl with butter and place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in volume, about one hour.  

When the dough has doubled, turn it out unto a floured surface, punching down the dough to release some of the air.

This is where you have to make your decision. 

If dividing and freezing, cut the dough into two equal pieces and fold each portion into a rectangle by folding the ends in towards the center.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap.  The dough can be frozen for up to one week.  

If using immediately, shape each portion into a rectangle and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.  While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. 

for the filling

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
• 1 medium naval orange, zested
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• egg wash (1 egg and 1 teaspoon water whisked together)

In a small bowl, combine sugar and orange zest.  Use the tines of a fork to press the zest into the sugar. 

Roll the dough into a 12x8 rectangle and brush with melted butter.  Rub the sugar over the dough and then sprinkle with pecans and chocolate.  

Roll the dough lengthwise, tucking the dough under itself to form a tight roll.  Squeeze the dough gently to extend the roll.  You should be left with an 18-inch roll of dough.  Form a loop by tucking one end into the other and pinch to seal the ends together.

Grease a bundt pan liberally with butter.  Place the loop into the bundt pan and use kitchen scissors to snip eight small slits into the top of the bundt.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

When the dough has finished rising, brush with egg wash and place in the oven.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the dough is deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped.  

While the bundt is baking, prepare the glaze. 

for the glaze

• juice of 1 naval orange 
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 whole cloves

In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, sugar, and cloves.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often.  Cook for 10 minutes, until a thick syrup has formed.  Strain to remove cloves.  

Remove the bundt from the oven and brush with orange glaze.   Glaze until the dough no longer absorbs the syrup - you may not use all of the glaze.  Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing from the pan.  Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and store for several days. Enjoy!

{The 1st Meal} Cinnamon Sugar Cheese Buns from A Jewish Baker's Pastry Secrets

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I love the holiday season because everything is familiar.  In a world where life becomes more mercurial with each setting sun, and where a bustling city can fall apart in a day, familiarity is a precious treasure.  I thrive on sameness, and during this time in my life when I sit on the brink of the most enormous of changes, the holidays could not be more welcome. 

When I want to evoke some holiday nostalgia I turn to the oven.  A long day of baking serenaded by an erratic Christmas playlist always brings some coziness to the house.

We need to arm ourselves with some tools.  We need tools for feeding people because, if your holidays are anything like mine, they are characterized by company.  Company is wonderful, but mealtime can seem overwhelming, especially, when you have focused all your attention towards diagramming your grandiose plans for that one great meal.  

Though the brine for the turkey and the homemade rolls are salient, breakfasts for your hungry guests cannot be ignored.  This is when we break out our tools and pull off a specular breakfast that will stand up to the fabulous turkey you have been meticulously preparing.

Several weeks ago I received this lovely book, A Jewish Baker's Pastry Secrets, and it took me a long while to decide which recipe I would attempt first.  This collection of family-created and well-loved recipes is beautifully written.  Though some of them are quite daunting, even to someone who makes her own puff pastry, the book utilizes classic recipes and adapts them to create many a loved family treat. 

After much deliberation, I settled on what was really the only reasonable option - Cheese Buns.  I remember eating these pastries as a child, though the ones of my childhood were far inferior to these soft, pillowy buns.

The basic bundt dough recipe is enhanced with several handfuls of golden raisins, and filled with a soft, lightly sweetened, cream cheese filling and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.  The cinnamon sugar and raisins were my idea.  After the initial testing of the recipe, I decided to amp up the flavor a bit.  These adaptations were not necessary, but I fancied them, and, as we all know, I cannot leave things well enough alone.

Now before you huff off with rolled eyes because this recipe in no way sounds like something you can simply whip up in the morning, let me tell you the best part.  The very best, most wonderful part of this recipe is that the dough can be made well in advance and frozen.  After the dough is defrosted you are just a few steps away from hot, homemade rolls.  Just in time for a late breakfast for your sleepy house guests.  They will greatly appreciate the fresh pastries and you will be glorying in the fact that you whipped them up almost as easily as opening a can of biscuits.  

P.S. Please do not ever buy canned biscuits. Please.

Oh, and the other wonderful thing that I absolutely love about this dough?  It is so versatile.  One batch makes a huge amount of dough - enough for two separate breakfasts recipes.  Make the whole batch and divide it to pull out of the freezer whenever company calls.  I’ll be sharing my own recipe with this dough next week! 

I think we should all make a big batch of bundt dough this weekend and bake ourselves some warm, creamy, cheese buns for Saturday morning pleasure, and freeze the rest for next week’s recipe.  Yes, do that.  

On a side note, your rolls probably shouldn't overflow with cream cheese filling like mine did.  But then again, cream cheese frosting is one of the most glorious substances on this earth, so why not put a little extra in there?  In fact, you could double the recipe and really spread the love.  That's a bit extravagant though.  I definitely did not do that. Nope.  I did not.  

Okay, I did... No regrets. 

There is something so satisfying about pulling a warm sheet of hot rolls out of the oven.  I need to find a candle that smells like that moment. 

This is the moment where Paul Hollywood tells me that my rolls were too close together and that the edges are rubbish and then I unapologetically shove a bun into his mouth.  I happen to find great joy in tearing the rolls apart and I have never turned up my nose to a shabby edge. 

If you don't watch The Great British Bake Off, I apologize for that tangent.  But seriously, you should stop whatever you are doing right now and have a little marathon.  Netflix it.  

This is the very essence of beginning well.

Sincerely,

  Pedantic Foodie

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. As always, all opinions are completely my own.

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Cheese Buns with Golden Raisins & Cinnamon Sugar

makes up to 18 buns (see note) / recipe adapted from A Jewish Baker’s Pastry Secrets

for the cream cheese filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract  

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and butter and use an electric mixture to beat until smooth.  Add egg yolk and sugar and beat on medium speed, until fluffy.  Mix in vanilla extract.  

Transfer the filling to a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use.  Allow to soften for 10-15 minutes before piping. 

Note: When doubling the cream cheese filling, do not double the amount of egg.

for the bundt dough* 

• 1/2 cup warm water (about 95 degrees F)
• 3 packages active dry yeast (3 scant tablespoons) 
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature 
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 3/4 unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3 large eggs 
• 6 cups bread flour 
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 2/3 cup golden raisins

*This dough recipe will make 18 buns if you use the entire batch of dough, or 9 buns when divided.  If you wish to make the full recipe, rather than freezing a portion of the dough, double the recipe for the cream cheese frosting. 

In the bowl of your stand mixer combine all ingredients and mix on low speed, using the paddle attachment, until just combined.  Then, change to a dough hook and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, until smooth, shiny, and elastic.  The dough will look rather loose, but resist the urge to add more flour.

Coat a large bowl with butter and place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in volume, about one hour.  

When the dough has doubled, turn it out unto a floured surface, punching down the dough to release some of the air.

This is where you have to make your decision. 

If dividing and freezing, cut the dough into two equal pieces and fold one portion into a rectangle by folding the ends in towards the center.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap.  The dough can be frozen for up to one week.  

Shape the second portion of the dough, into a 12x8 rectangle and press the golden raisins into the surface of the dough.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes. 

If you are using the entire batch of dough, you should form two rectangles and double the amount of raisins.  

Roll the rectangle(s) up, lengthwise, tucking the end under itself tightly as you roll and squeezing gently to extend the roll.  You should be left with an 18 inch log.  Cut the log(s) into 9 or 18 equal portions, rolling each portion to form a tight bun. 

Place the buns on sheet pan(s) lined with parchment and allow to rise for 45 minutes, until almost doubled in volume.

Using a small glass, press into the center of each bun to form an indentation.  You may need to dust the bottom of the glass with a bit of flour so that it does not stick.  You should be left with a fairly deep well and a well-rounded rim.

assembly

• cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon)
• egg wash (1 egg + 1 teaspoon water)
• cream cheese filling

Brush the edges of each bun with egg wash and then fill each well with prepared cream cheese filling.  Allow the buns to sit, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the rims are dry and have risen slightly. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

When the buns have finished rising, brush with another coat of egg wash and sprinkle the edges with cinnamon sugar.  

Place the buns in the center rack of the oven* and bake for 25-30 minutes, until deep golden brown.  The rims should feel firm to the touch.  Cool for 10-15 minutes before serving or wrap in plastic wrap and store for up to 2 days.  Enjoy!

*If baking the full batch of buns, you will have to bake in two batches - 9 buns per sheet pan.