Category Archives: Sweet

sweet flavors

Poppy Seed Muffins With Orange Glaze

Week Forty-Two: Muffin Week The minute the calendar declared it was officially Autumn (and I do mean the very minute), the weather up here ended the charade and stopped pretending like Summer had ever arrived.  Me, I was never fooled; a … Continue reading

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Franzbrötchen

Week Forty-One: German Breads Hailing from Hamburg, these spiralled breads are the German cousins of the French croissant — literally.  The name “franzbrötchen” translates to “little French breads”, and the parallels are obvious.  Both are flaky Viennoiserie, made as they … Continue reading

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Ensaïmadas, One More Time

Week Forty: One More Time Generally speaking, I fall into the “Cook’s Illustrated” school of thought, which is to say that I prefer to produce the ideal example of whatever item I happen to be cooking.  (Though who wouldn’t?)  But … Continue reading

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Tortas de Aceite, One More Time

Week Forty: One More Time Can you believe it?  It’s already the end of the third quarter!  The year is mostly done, and soon this project will be over.  Not to spoil the surprise, but I do plan to continue … Continue reading

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Hazelnut Fig Bread

Week Thirty-Eight: Spanish Breads We end this week with a recipe that, while not strictly Spanish in origin, carries itself with a decidedly Spanish air.  This is a slightly dry and firm bread, perfect for stacking with whatever delicacies you … Continue reading

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Ensaïmadas

Week Thirty-Eight: Spanish Breads The sun is just up, beginning to turn the dusty light a flattering shade of terra cotta.  The patisseria offers, among many other things, an ensaïmada; but the small, sweet spiral is all you care to breakfast … Continue reading

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Tortas de Aceite

Week Thirty-Eight: Spanish Breads Thank you, first of all, dear readers, for bearing with me as I’m still running a day behind on my posts.  I’m working furiously trying to get everything done, and it never seems there’s enough time … Continue reading

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Danish Pastry Dough

Week Thirty-Seven: Viennoiserie In the morning, before the thundering traffic tide rolls in, a million underpaid hotel workers set up the Continental breakfast buffet.  Complimentary, of course.  All the regulars are there: purple-hued blueberry muffins, tops slicked over like some 50’s greaser … Continue reading

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Chocolate Babka

Week Thirty-Seven: Viennoiserie No, I didn’t just make babka.  That was baba.  Totally different. Well, except for the name: “baba” is Slavic for “grandmother”, and “babka” is the diminutive form, “little grandmother”.  That bit is similar. Oh, and there’s the … Continue reading

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Chouquettes; Or, Pâte à Choux For Dummies

Week Thirty-Seven: Viennoiserie I don’t know if it qualifies as a classic Viennoiserie, but for me, pâte à choux (or, choux paste) has always fallen into that same netherworld, not quite bread and not quite pastry.  Undeniably, most of the items … Continue reading

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