breakfast Archives - Page 5 of 11

breakfast

Almond Scones with Raspberry Jam and Clotted Cream

There are the stories I don’t want to tell, and then there are the stories I haven’t been able to tell. Probably some of the most important stories.

Namely, the stories about Ranson.

Ranson was the first school that I taught at: a poorly run, urban middle school with a low-income and historically low-achieving population. I came in as a promising, energetic new teacher determined (pigheadedly and presumptuously, I’d say) to change the entire world.

Throughout the year I did effect change — on a smaller scale than I’d originally hoped. I raised students’ mastery and reading comprehension, but also became aware that when a kid had no breakfast, or when a kid’s dad was in prison, or when a kid was being raised by a saint of an aunt who had to work back-to-back 12-hour shifts at the hospital just to feed and clothe him . . . well, there was much more of the world that needed changing than I had first anticipated.

Anyway, I still can’t tell every story. I can’t tell most stories. But today I realized that I’m ready to tell you about Darius. Maybe over afternoon tea?

It cracks me up that Darius left the most indelible mark on my memory, because I pegged him as trouble within a week of starting school. First off, he was loud. Not just chattery, but LOUD. He involuntarily projected every remark, making my cinderblock science classroom sound like a cathedral reverberating with bells and song.

He also struggled to manage his emotions. Certain triggers made it even harder. For instance, that boy loved his mama. I can remember trying to talk him down in the middle of the cafeteria after someone had inadvertently insulted her. He was near tears with frustration. Suspension, expulsion — none of it meant a thing to him if he could defend her. What did cause a visible change in his demeanor was when I asked, “What would she want you to do right now, Darius? What would make her proud?”

I cared so much because it was easy to see that Darius was a fabulous kid. He was smart. He was an incredibly talented dancer. He was hilarious — oh my gosh, I can’t even describe how funny he was. I ran a tight ship in terms of classroom management, and he was about the only kid who could make me just fall out LAUGHING. He also had a deep well of empathy and concern for others — things you didn’t always see at Ranson, because some kids seemed to have learned to hide the tender personality traits that made them vulnerable. But Darius wore his heart on his sleeve.

I still remember Darius asking every day when I was going to let his mom, who was a hair stylist, do my hair. I never got around to it, and now I regret it. It would’ve meant a lot to him.

I know I’m supposed to make this a happy story, but it isn’t.

To be blunt and a little crude, it pisses me off that Darius had to go to a substandard school and that didn’t get a shot at a snazzy education. It pisses me off to think of this kid struggling to find a job and keep his life on track now, at 19 years old: trying to climb out of a socioeconomic level and a neighborhood he was born into through no fault of his own. When I googled him to write this entry, just to see if maybe a Facebook page would pop up where I could send him a message of encouragement, I found his mugshot — arrested for stealing ground beef, spaghetti noodles, a pack of beer, and some candy.

Oh MAN it pisses me off when other people aren’t similarly pissed off by this! When they throw up their hands and suggest perhaps people should just work harder instead of revising how our nation deals with poverty. Oh man! It’s because they don’t know Darius, the 14-year-old kid I knew, who hadn’t made those “bad choices” we always speak of yet, whose mom worked so hard for him, who worked just as hard as any 14-year-old kid does, who could’ve been helped.

Indeed, I can picture a different history: Darius here at my little project-based school set on a lush, green campus. I know he’d have worked dance into every nook of the curriculum. I know he’d have had the students in stitches each day with his witty remarks. I know he would’ve worked hard to make his mom proud. He would’ve performed in plays and he would’ve loved art and music class. I can picture that kid heading off to Juilliard in New York City and eventually wowing audiences on Broadway. I’m not being generous, here. That’s who he was. That’s who he should be.

Sitting in my anger and stewing like a chicken won’t help (and what a nasty, bitter stock it’d produce.) In the long term, idealistic Ms. Ruble who wanted to change the world will never be able to stop trying. I want the school systems to be small and creatively managed. I want teaching to be a prestigious profession where extremely qualified people are hired and then compensated well and treated like professionals. I want school systems to bus kids around and balance school populations. I want a full-out multi-front assault on poverty that provides people immediate assistance, addresses education issues (for adults and children), provides job training, focuses on creating jobs, addresses drug and alcohol abuse, provides appropriate basic healthcare for all people, effectively treats mental illness. I get it: I’m talking about huge things in this flippant, simplistic way. It’s harder than that. I get it. But that’s what I want.

And in the short term, that idealistic Ms. Ruble knows that Darius himself has an indomitable spirit, and that he can overcome tremendous odds. I just know it. Or at least that’s what I have to hope. And I want him to know that about himself.

For now, I think we need to have a little rest with a pot of hot tea, maybe with sugar sprinkled in and some cream for good measure. And a fluffy almond scone or three would not go unappreciated. Afternoon tea party for the world? Maybe I’m still oversimplifying a bit, but that might go a long way toward inspiring world peace and prosperity.

These scones are quick and easy to throw together, but they do make your world a brighter place. They’re fluffy, tall, buttery, and boast a sweet almond glaze and a crunch from the sugar sprinkled on top. Smear them with clotted (also called Devon) cream if you can find it at a fancy grocery store; otherwise, you can whip some mascarpone cheese or cream cheese and use it instead. Add a smear of raspberry jam for perfection.

What’s your pie-in-the-sky idealist dream for your world or community right now? (Other than lots of scones, which is a given.)

One year ago: Chocolatey Red Velvet Pull-Apart Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze
Two years ago: Deep Fried Cake Batter Cookie Dough
Three years ago: A&P Spanish Bar Cake

Almond Scones with Raspberry Jam and Clotted Cream

Recipe by: Adapted from Barefoot Contessa’s Cranberry Orange Scone recipe
Yield: about 14 scones

I love scones because they’re so quick and easy, but are absolutely divine in terms of texture and flavor. These scones are very lightly sweet, and the glaze adds a much needed dimension, along with a sprinkle of crunchy sugar. Serve with clotted cream and raspberry jam while hot out of the oven. This recipe also provides instructions for freezing the scones for amazing, speedy weekday breakfasts!

Ingredients:
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling (I used coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling)
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash

Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup milk (or cream — I used cream, but it does separate and probably isn’t quite as pretty as milk)
raspberry jam, for serving
clotted or Devon cream, for serving (or substitute whipped mascarpone)

Directions:
Note: You can make scones, shape them, egg wash them, and then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can drop them in an airtight container or bag separated by sheets of wax paper. You can then bake them straight from frozen any morning you want one — just by baking a few minutes longer than normal. So convenient!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor, mix together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse about 10 times or until the butter is the size of small peas (you can also do this by hand in a large bowl, using a pastry cutter or two knives to cut in the butter). In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together lightly beaten eggs, heavy cream, and almond extract. While mixing the flour mixture on low, pour in the wet ingredients slowly. Keep mixing on low until the mixture forms a dough and begins to form a ball. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead a turn or two, forming into a disc.

Roll the dough out to 3/4-inch thick, moving it around on the floured surface often to make sure it’s not sticking. Flour a 3-inch round cookie cutter and cut round scones, laying each on the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll the dough and continue cutting scones. When all scones are cut, egg wash just the tops of each one and sprinkle on the coarsest sugar you can find (the crunch is so nice). Bake in the 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until risen, lightly golden, and done on the inside.

While the scones bake, whisk together all glaze ingredients. Add more sugar or milk as needed for consistency. Drizzle over hot scones and serve immediately with raspberry jam and clotted cream (also called Devon cream). If you can’t find clotted cream, grab some mascarpone cheese and whisk it a bit until fluffy. Use that instead.

*Darius’s name has been changed to protect his privacy.

March 27, 2013 by Julie Ruble | 40 Comments

other

Breakfast Stuffed Mushrooms (Portobellos Stuffed with a Leek and Gruyère Scramble)

There are lots of stories to tell right now. But I don’t want to tell any of them. Reality does not suit me at the moment. Instead, I will tell you a different sort of story.

Something that gives me hope and joy lately is the little Writing Club that meets in my classroom each Thursday. One of my students, Aubrey, started this club of her own initiative. She plans lessons each week and leads a handful of her fellow students through creative writing exercises. Then they share what they’ve written and scamper off to their homes. Last week they created a superhero and wrote a story about him. Another week they listened to songs and wrote stories inspired by them.

The only week (so far) that I’ve been able to participate in the writing exercise was the first week. That week, they came up with a list of ten random words and then wrote a story with them. The words were:

                  persnickety                                    flummoxed

      flabbergasted

                        pumpernickel

cockroach                                    banana

                                    chapstick

      backpack            animal crackers                                                grocery

Here’s the story I came up with:

The sun was dying. I sat on the last patch of grass on the last hunk of dirt on the last chunk of Earth. Just me and the cockroach. I pulled out my chapstick and slathered it on my sunburned lips. For the millionth time since the war, I wished for a grocery store. I wasn’t persnickety, but the weevils I dug out of the moist earth each day for my meager meals were infinitely less satisfying than a plump banana, a pack of animal crackers, or a slice of freshly baked pumpernickel bread. I found myself thinking of my grandmother. I would never see her again. I would never see any of them again.

It was a Tuesday — not that that meant anything anymore — the 159th day since the end of the war, according to the notes I’d been keeping religiously on my arm with a sharpie I’d found in the bottom of my torn backpack. I was flabbergasted to see the sun rise over my tiny vestige of Earth. It was bright red, hot with the anger of death I recognized from my memory: I’d seen so many of the Frontier soldiers fall with that same anger, combusting in their hearts as their bodies combusted literally, smouldering in a spray of enemy fire. There’s only one thing that sun could mean: it was almost time.

I looked down at the cockroach, my only friend left in the world. I might have been imagining it, but he looked just as flummoxed as me at the sight of our dying star. I let him crawl up into my hand and held him, my tiny family, while the heat grew stronger and stronger. Soon it would become too much for us. Soon, my little friend would perish. Then finally, I, too, would be consumed: the last of the human race.

Apparently when given words such as banana, animal crackers, and chapstick, my first thought is doom and destruction. This reminds me of my 7th grade student who, while doing a word association with the word marigolds, first thought of the word “death.” I kid you not. That little girl is basically a younger version of me.

Anyway, since I don’t love any of my real-life stories right now (or at least, not at this particular point in their plot arch), I thought I’d share that one.

…And some stuffed mushrooms, which are much more cheerful. I think we need some cheer after all that. Well good news: these were basically the highlight of my week. They’re luxurious (cream! mushrooms! leeks! Gruyère!), indulgent, and altogether such a delicious, hearty way to start the day. The two forks may suggest that someone shared these with me, but I’m going to admit that I ate them both myself and was not sorry.

Now it’s your turn to tell a story. Write a mini-story using these 5 words: disco, poodle, tangerine, shallow, and rutabaga.

One year ago: Twice Baked Cranberry & Pancetta Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Glaze
Two years ago: Three Safe-to-Eat Cookie Doughs: Chocolate Chip, Sugar, and Cake Batter!
Three years ago: Majestic Imperial Fantabulous Sheet Cake o’ Love

Breakfast Stuffed Mushrooms (Portobellos Stuffed with a Leek and Gruyère Scramble)

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, inspired by Alexandra’s Kitchen
Yield: 2 servings

Who says you can’t have stuffed mushrooms for breakfast? These giant portobello mushroom caps are stuffed with a caramelized leek scramble and topped with melty Gruyère cheese.

Ingredients:
2 large portobello mushroom caps
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1-2 leeks
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and few grinds pepper, divided
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon cream
1 tablespoon butter (Plugra or Kerrygold or another European brand is great if you have it)
1/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese (or Fontina, Swiss, Parmesan)
4 eggs

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Clean the leeks: Slice off the tough, dark green top and the root and discard. Slice the leek lengthwise down the middle. Then slice horizontally into thin half-moons. Fill a bowl with cold water and place the sliced leeks in it, separating the layers with your fingers and agitating them a bit in the water. Let these sit for 1-2 minutes until the dirt and sediment trapped in the leeks has settled to the bottom. Scoop the leeks off the top of the water with a slotted spoon and place them on a bed of paper towels to blot them almost dry. Elise over at Simply Recipes has a great photo tutorial of this step.

Clean the mushroom caps by brushing gently with a wet brush. Remove the stems from mushrooms and gently remove gills with a spoon. Brush the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a couple of grinds of pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the mushroom) or until they are nicely roasted but still holding their general shape. After you remove the mushrooms, turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.

While roasting the mushrooms, preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Pour in 2 teaspoons of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add minced shallots and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add the leeks and toss them to coat with oil. Sauté until they start to brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain for a bit.

Whisk together the eggs, cream, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds pepper really well — until there’s no more gloppiness in the eggs. Turn the skillet up to medium and let it preheat for a bit. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in it (it should sizzle but not brown). Pour in the egg mixture and scramble until the eggs are just underdone (they should still appear wet.) Add in the leeks and scramble for another few seconds. The eggs should still have the soft just-undone look but not look quite wet anymore.

Spoon equal amounts of eggs onto each roasted mushroom cap. Top both stuffed mushrooms with grated Gruyère cheese. Place the stuffed mushrooms in the oven until the cheese is melted and the eggs are just done — just a few minutes. Remove from the oven, grind on a last grind of pepper, and serve immediately.

March 18, 2013 by Julie Ruble | 13 Comments

other

Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

You know the saying, “Don’t dress for the job you have; dress for the job you want”? I like to adapt that statement for my own ridiculous purposes on occasion.

Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

The other day it was roughly 40 degrees outside, which is basically winter-in-Antarctica weather for me (some New Englander with a snowdrift the size of a Hummer outside their door is about to beat me up). Despite being pathologically repulsed by cold weather, I was too lazy to put on a coat. I ran out in a gauzy t-shirt and jeans to pick up some dinner.

When you make a wardrobe choice like this, you can’t curl up in a ball on the sidewalk, acknowledging defeat. You have to grit your teeth and pretend your choice was appropriate for some secret reason only you are aware of. I therefore ignored my goosebumps and impending hypothermia as I walked along the sidewalk to the restaurant, swinging my arms as if enjoying a gentle summer breeze. Upon noticing a guy in a t-shirt clearly doing the exact same thing, I gave him a nod. “We’re dressing for the weather we want, not the weather we have. It’s strategic!” I yelled toward him.

He responded, “Exactly. And it’s only 40 degrees. We’re not even cold, right?”

“NOPE, not one bit.”

Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

I also often bake for the weather I want, not the weather I have. Naomi at Bakers Royale just acknowledged she sometimes uses out-of-season produce, so I might as well make my confession, too, though I might get excommunicated from the blogosphere. I promise I do care about being green and supporting local business. But sometimes I also want raspberries. My lifestyle is admittedly imperfect.

Now that we’ve gotten that admission out of the way, I can tell you that I’m baking for spring.

Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

When it’s cold and rainy like it has been in Charlotte lately, my already sun-sheltered apartment windows let in an even more dreary landscape than usual. The courtyard of my apartment complex, where the grass has stubbornly refused to take root, becomes a muddy landslide. My morale slides right off into the stormdrain along with the river that forms in my parking lot.

On days like this, I need some lemon. And some bright summer berries. (And a sunlamp and some vitamin D and maybe a tropical vacation, but I digress.)

Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

Since I first made Savory Sweet Potato & Chorizo Cinnamon Rolls and Buttery Coconut & Almond Morning Buns, I’ve been looking for new ways to use my favorite overnight yeast dough. I could’ve just made buttery lemon-glazed rolls, but I decided stuffing some tangy lemon cheesecake in my morning buns was a better idea. This yeast dough is a cinch to whip up and is so forgiving — and its second proof takes place overnight in the fridge. The resulting rolls are soft, buttery, and tangy. They almost have the texture of a flaky bread pudding. And needless to say, they’re delicious. I served them with some raspberries and a tall glass of cold milk. Enjoy!

One year ago: Thick Chocolate Cake with a Big Red (Velvet!) Heart
Two years ago: Heart-Shaped Palmiers and a Pesto Giveaway
Three years ago: Billion Cheese (Heart-shaped) Ravioli with Red Pepper Pancetta Sauce

5 from 1 reviews

Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

These Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns could easily double as dessert. They are fluffy, gooey, tangy, buttery, and beyond delicious. I hope you’ll find a space for these rolls on your breakfast or brunch table. They definitely belong in the spotlight.

Author: Willow Bird Baking

Serves: 24

Ingredients

Roll Ingredients:

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 cups milk minus 2 tablespoons, room temperature
2/3 cup cold shortening
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
5 cups flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted, for after baking

Filling Ingredients:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
zest of 1 lemon (reserve a little for topping)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 egg, room temperature
1 stick salted butter (or 1 stick unsalted butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt), melted

Glaze Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar
1 table lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
about 1/4 cup milk
extra lemon zest

Instructions

Note on proofing: This yeast dough proofs for a couple of hours after you mix it up, and then the assembled rolls proof in the fridge overnight, so allow for this when planning to make this recipe. With most cinnamon rolls recipes you could switch this and proof in the fridge overnight and then assemble and proof on the countertop, but I opted to switch that method with these because I didn’t want the cream cheese filling sitting out too long.

Note on yield: I don’t recommend halving yeast recipes; instead, if you don’t want 24 rolls at once, consider freezing some for later.

Note on freezing: To freeze some of the unbaked rolls, just wrap them well before the second rise and freeze them. Once frozen, pop them out of the pan all together and store in the freezer, wrapped in plastic wrap and in a zip top bag or wrapped in foil. When you want to bake them, stick them back in a greased pan, thaw them in the fridge overnight, proof for the instructed amount of time, and bake like usual.
Mix the warm water and yeast in a medium bowl and let the yeast foam for about 10 minutes. Put 2 tablespoons white vinegar in a measuring cup and then add milk up to the 2 cup line. Set this aside. In a separate large bowl (or the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook), whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and cut the shortening into the mixture with two knives or a pastry cutter until the shortening looks like small peas. Stir yeast mixture and milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well, kneading just a few turns. Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly sprayed with cooking spray, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and proof in a warm, draft-free place (such as a closed, turned-off oven), for around 2 hours or until doubled in size.
After proofing the dough, lightly spray two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes with cooking spray. Cream the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl until fluffy before adding lemon zest, sugar, lemon juice, and the egg. Mix together until well combined.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle about 1/8-inch thick (I carefully cut the dough in half and worked with half at a time to make it more manageable; if you do this, just spread on half of the filling ingredients for each half you roll). Spread the melted butter over the surface of the rolled dough and then dollop the cream cheese mixture all across the surface, spreading gently to create an even layer. Gently roll the dough up into a spiral (I find using a bench scraper to encourage the dough to roll up during this process incredibly helpful) and cut it into 2-inch rolls, placing them close together in your prepared baking dishes (at this point, you could wrap and freeze the rolls for later if you wanted).
Cover the rolls let them rise in the fridge overnight (they will have nearly doubled.) When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, letting the rolls rise on top of the preheating oven covered by a clean dish towel. Bake them for about 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned on top (don’t underbake or they’ll still be doughy in the center). Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter and return to the oven for 1 more minute. Whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls. Sprinkle with reserved zest and serve immediately.

February 12, 2013 by Julie Ruble | 120 Comments

other

“Magic” Chocolate, Coconut, and Pecan Pastry Braid

Things I learned this past weekend in Lexington, Kentucky:

1. I’m a master at betting on horse races. I doubled my money betting on a spunky little horse named Get Runnin’ with 8-1 odds.

Okay, so I guess it’s not fair to leave out the part about the second race, where my horse came in dead last. When everyone cheered for the winner trotting by, I was yelling to my horse, “It’s okay! You tried your best!”

I still came out ahead overall. But I guess it’s not fair to leave out the fact that by “came out ahead,” I mean that I had a whopping $2.60 more than I started with.

2. You know those calendar photos that depict a peaceful street meandering between a row of bright honeycrisp-apple-colored trees? Or maybe the ones where a trail disappears behind an outcropping of rock lined with whispers and splashes of fall foliage? Or maybe the ones that show a rustic ferry piddling its way across a narrow river with old railroad trestles in the background? Yeah, every single one of those pictures is apparently taken in Kentucky.

3. Wine is gross. I tried and tried, y’all. How do you drink this stuff? Bloody Marys are acceptable, though. And margaritas are pretty darn good, particularly with a salted rim and some chips and salsa! Can I salt the rim of other beverages? Coke Zero? Trying it.

4. There’s a castle in the middle of Kentucky. I was surprised, too. You drive around a bend in the highway and BAM! Camelot. Yes, we posed for princessy pictures in front of it, duh.

5. Sports fans have uniforms just like the players: for University of Kentucky football fans, it seemed necessary to wear that deep blue sweatshirt everyday, everywhere. For the horse racing crowd, however, the uniform was a bit more upscale: heels, skirts, and blazers, y’all!

6. My sister’s boyfriend, Alain, apart from being an all-around great guy, is a superb chef: think meatballs filled with melty Fontina cheese on a bed of al dente spaghetti and shredded Parmesan. Heaven.

7. My sister is wonderful. Okay, I didn’t learn this in Kentucky; I already knew it. But visiting her in her new Lexington apartment just reminded me. First off, she flew me up to Kentucky in the first place. Then she took me to enjoy all sorts of great food: take-out pizza; gorgeous croissants; giant plates of Mexican tortillas, chiles, beef, and over-easy eggs; a bacon, eggs, and blueberry cornbread breakfast with salted European butter; and fresh sandwiches from the market.

She also let me hog her fancy massager-heater-recliner the whole time I was there. She gave me the guest bed with the awesome mattress (though I was skeptical while I was there, I now have to concede that it’s even better than the one I have at home.) She took me to see all the above attractions — horse races, beautiful countryside, and castles, for goodness’s sake. And, more than all that, she’s always, always, always loving and supportive. Thank you, Sarah!

In tribute to Kentucky Derby Pie, which combines chocolate and toasted pecans, I give you the “Magic Bar” pastry braid. This tender, almond-scented pastry envelopes melty chocolate, pecans, and coconut bound together with sweetened condensed milk. It’s pretty, but don’t be fooled: this pastry braid is super easy to prepare!

What are some things you love about your siblings?

One year ago: Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles
Two years ago: Handmade Cheese Ravioli in Meaty Red Sauce (and the most special post I’ve ever written.)
Three years ago: Cardamom Pumpkin Macarons

“Magic” Chocolate, Coconut, and Pecan Pastry Braid

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 8-10 servings

If you love Magic Bars, you’ll love this pastry braid! The cream cheese dough is very easy to work with, so don’t be intimidated if it looks a little fancy — you’ll look like you did a lot more work than you actually had to do.

Dough and Filling Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
3 ounces best quality cream cheese, cold
1/2 cup milk, minus 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Filling Ingredients:
1 cup coconut, toasted
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks (I use Ghirardelli 60% cacao), plus more for topping
3/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted, plus more whole pecans for topping
about 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
NOTE: To prepare this braid in advance, complete all steps and assemble the braid but do not bake. Cover the braid on its parchment lined baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Set out in the morning as you preheat the oven and then bake as usual.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture and pulse to cut the fat into the flour (about 6 pulses). Add the milk and almond extract and blend into a loose dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead VERY LIGHTLY for 4-5 strokes. (NOTE: This is the step at which you can ruin the braid. If you overwork the dough, the pastry will be tough. Just gather the dough together and don’t worry about making it smooth. It will still look a little rough. That’s perfect.)

Between two sheets of waxed paper, roll the dough to an 8- by 12-inch rectangle. Turn dough out onto a lightly greased baking sheet and remove the waxed paper. Measure and mark the dough lengthwise into thirds. Sprinkle the coconut down the middle third of the dough (saving a bit for the top), keeping it about 1/2 inch from the mark on both sides. Sprinkle the chocolate chunks over the coconut. Sprinkle the pecans over the chocolate chunks. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top.

Make 2 1/4-inch slight diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals on each the long sides (see photos at the bottom of this post for visual example.) Do not cut into the center filled area. Fold strips, first one from one side and then one from the other side in a rotating fashion, over the filling. It will now resemble a braid. Bake in a 425° oven for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the top is lightly browned, rotating once halfway through.

Melt extra chocolate chips for topping according to package instructions (usually in 15 second intervals on half power, stirring between each heating.) Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the braid. If desired, sprinkle on extra toasted coconut and pecans while the chocolate is still wet. Serve warm.

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October 26, 2012 by Julie Ruble | 32 Comments

challenges

The Big Reveal: Willow Bird Baking Challenge #2 Breakfast Braids and a New Challenge!

Willow Bird Baking Challenge is a 5-week series wherein I introduce a new challenge each week. The challenges require you to get creative and innovative in the kitchen. You create your dish, bake it, and send me a photo before the following weekend, when I show off the masterpieces on Willow Bird Baking!

Challenge #2 was to innovate breakfast braids. This gorgeous cream cheese dough is so easy to work with, but comes out looking beautiful and fancy. I couldn’t believe all the gorgeous fillings and toppings you guys used — there were so many lovely savory and sweet braids!

Paula

Paula Made: Chorizo and Mozzarella Danish Braid (see more at her blog, Vintage Kitchen Notes)

Comments:“Sometimes a moment of doing nothing, idly opening a blog, reading about a challenge, going over and checking it out on another blog is just that. Another moment. But there comes a time when that same chain of events leads to an innovated recipe that blows your hat off. This is that recipe. And it left me hatless and with a crooked bow.”

Eric

Eric Made: Bruschetta Braid (see more on his Google Doc, here)

Comments: “As soon as I heard about Challenge #2, I knew what the plan was! Bruschetta Braid! Now, I know it’s not really bruschetta. The whole thing that makes bruschetta bruschetta is the toasted bread. With things on top, if you want to get fancy. But basil, tomatoes, cheese, and garlic! Yum! No. No garlic. You’re using a cream cheese base, you don’t get to use garlic. You know how hard that is for me? I love that stuff. Seriously, if I had to pick a team, I’d have to be on Team whoever-the-werewolf-is, because the vampires sure would never get near me.”

Amy H.

Amy Made: Cheese Onion Bacon Date Braid (see more on her Google Doc, here)

Comments: “I decided on a sort of onion bacon date filling, with blue cheese to cut the sweetness of the dates. I made a feta bread as well for the blue cheese haters in my house, and so far all the blue cheese lovers who have tried both prefer the feta version as well! Both are good, but the tangy feta wins.”

Trudy

Trudy Made: Spinach, Ricotta and Bacon ‘Mini’ Braids

Comments: “Ever since Kelly made the braid last year I wanted to try it too but it just seemed so daunting I never got around to it. Man, making these braids brought me back to prep school when I would make friendship bracelets! I absolutely loved this challenge. It was so easy I feel like I totally missed out for not having done them sooner. I’ll definitely have these on my breakfast menu in future.”

Shanna

Shanna Made: Pumpkin Butter And Brown Sugar Ginger Poached Pear Braided Pastry with Spiced Caramel and Vanilla Glazes (see more at her blog, Pineapple and Coconut)

Comments: “I had recently made a batch of pumpkin butter with leftover roasted sugar pie pumpkin puree I had made for a previous recipe and was trying to think of what it would go with, besides just a spoon headed straight for my mouth. When I saw this challenge posted on twitter I knew the pumpkin butter would be perfect as a filling, but I wanted something more than just that. I had also just gotten a bag of gorgeous fresh pears in my latest CSA box this week and thought the combo of the pumpkin and pear would go awesome together in a pastry. I didn’t want to just slice up the pears and add them in, I wanted to give more depth of flavor, so they were poached with brown sugar, fresh ginger and cinnamon stick. I then went a step further and reduced the poaching liquid and made the spiced caramel glaze with it. These flavors scream ‘fall’ in one delicious, light and not too sweet pastry. My family gave me rave reviews and my 8 year old nephew even asked for seconds.”

Heather

Heather Made: Nutella Breakfast Braid (see more at her blog, Bake, Run, Live)

Comments: “This was a really easy dough to make and to assemble. It goes together quickly and bakes quickly too! I plan on making these again, but making individual sized ones.”

Ala

Ala Made: Pineapple Custard Coconut “Bun” Breakfast Braid (see her blog Wallflour Girl)

Comments: “For those of you who have never eaten a pineapple bun: first, we need to fix that. Second, the bun gets its name from the pineapple pattern this layer forms on the bun post-baking, rather than any actual pineapple ingredient in the bun itself. I usually peel this part off and eat it while sneaking away in triumph. It is, unquestionably, the best part of the pastry.”

Robyn

Robyn Made: Mock Cherry Braid (see more at her blog, Almacucina)

Comments: “Well, I had so much fun in the Willow Bird Baking Challenge #1 that I couldn’t wait to start on Challenge #2. Julie again provided another stellar dough recipe. And this time I went with a Mock Cherry filling. I’ve been hankering to make a mock cherry pie anyway so I was excited to see how it would work in Julie’s cream cheese pastry.”

LeAndra

LeAndra Made: Pear, Ginger, Cinnamon, & Feta Braid drizzled with honey (see more at her blog, Love & Flour)

Comments: “I filled this braid with slices of a pear tossed with honey, ginger and cinnamon. I sprinkled a little feta cheese in the braid and on top. When it came out of the oven, I drizzled some extra honey over the braid. I got the idea from some baked pears I made long ago. Since I had been wanting to try those again, I just figured I would incorporate them into this braid.

I have thought of so many different things I want to try in a braid now, it’s ridiculous. I am definitely looking forward to seeing what everyone came up with this round.”

Kelly

Kelly Made: Spicy Chicken Salad Braid

Comments: “After all the guava & white chocolate last week, it was time for some vegetables. I made an extremely spicy chicken salad braid. It has chicken, kale, carrots, tomatoes, cream cheese, scotch bonnet peppers, red pepper flakes & cayenne plus a bit more cheese on top. It’s extremely spicy and extremely delicious. I’ll definitely do this filling again for some baked samosas.”

Shelley C.

Shelley Made: Chicken Taco Braid (see more at her blog, C Mom Cook)

Comments: “Well, you’ve done it again! Another awesome challenge! I didn’t think I was going to have a chance to participate this week, due to some total craziness going on around here, but I just couldn’t NOT. And with how simple this dough is, Oh. My. Gosh. I am so glad I did. I chose to make a chicken taco braid, with seasoned, shredded chicken and cheddar cheese as the filling and salsa and sour cream as my ‘glazes.’ This dough was so flaky and delicious, and so quick and easy! I can’t wait to make tons and tons of variations of this, sweet, savory, breakfast, dinner – anything! I am super excited to see all the amazing versions in the roundup.”

Abby

Abby Made: Cranberry Braid with Chocolate Drizzle (see more at her blog, Seaweed & Sassafras)

Comments: “Thank you so much for hosting these challenges! It’s been some much needed inspiration for me and I love that you’re pioneering the way of google hang outs 🙂 I’ve never made a braid before and I held my breath the whole time haha, but it came out great! I made a cranberry braid with chocolate drizzle, completely decadent. Using fresh cranberries to make a sauce for the filling and well…what’s better than chocolate for a topping?! It’s a great mix of flaky, buttery crust, tangy filling and then a sweet chocolate finish.”

Dianna

Dianna Made: Brie & Jam Braid with Candied Walnuts (see more on her blog, The Kitchen Prep)

Comments: “I wasn’t even sure I was going to participate in this round, but I just couldn’t resist! I’m really glad I did because this is probably one of the tastiest things I’ve made in a while and I think it will be perfect for sharing with family & friends around the holidays.”

Jenni

Jenni Made: Roasted Grape Braid (see more at her blog The Gingered Whisk)

Comments: “Good choice in the cream cheese braid! I did an interpretation of this one for Christmas (did citrus and cranberry) so I already knew this was a great one to reinvent! I’ve been seeing roasted grapes everywhere lately, and have been itching to try them. Since cream cheese braids are typically done with some sort of preserve, I thought it would be fun to throw in the roasted grapes instead of a preserve. I paired the cream cheese filling with ricotta, and then after baking the braid I poured a honey thyme glaze on top. It was delicious – sweet without being too rich, and I loved the combination of the flavors!”

Amy

Amy Made: Spinach, Feta, & Olive Braid with Myzithra (see more at her blog Snozzberries? Who Ever Heard of a Snozzberry?)

Comments: “Thank you for this, I’ve never used braided dough before, but it was WAY easier than I thought and SO yummy!”

Nance

Nance Made: Sausage and Gravy Braid: An Homage to Flo’s Cafe (see more on her document here)

Comments: “They serve biscuits, topped with country style hash browns, 2 fried eggs, then DRENCHED in there sausage gravy. Buts its the gravy that I’ve never been able to figure out. The cream gravy was WHITE not discolored from the sausage drippings and they made there own sausage. Oh how I miss that place. […] Just took [my braid] out of the oven, asked my husband what he thought. He never just says good or bad, he feels that I’m asking for a critique so he’ll say, ‘Cookies make too many crumbs’ or something. I’ll have to badger him if it’s a make again or don’t bother. This time all he said was ‘It’s a 10!'”

And here are some innovated “cinnamon” rolls left over from Challenge 1!

Abby

Abby Made: Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Swirl Rolls (see more on her blog, Seaweed & Sassafras)

Comments: “I’m going out on a big limb here…but I think these make the cut…and will be on our Thanksgiving table this year. I know I’d be excited to see a plate of these rolls waiting next to the mashed potatoes and bowl of olives. But you don’t have to save them for a special occasion either. I have to warn you they won’t last long, I think my guy ate 3 the first day, I had 2. Yea..that reminds me I need to go to yoga tomorrow morning.”