Chocolate-Hazelnut Swirl Cake

Streusel: 

2 T. all-purpose flour

2 T. light brown sugar

1 pinch kosher salt

2 T. cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 c. toasted chopped hazelnuts

Cake:

Cooking spray

Parchment paper

2-1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 t. pure vanilla extract

2/3 c. whole milk

1/3 c. hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)

2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 T. warm water

Aluminum foil

To make the streusel, whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. With fingers or a fork, work butter into mixture until crumbly. Stir in chopped hazelnuts and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 5" loaf pan with cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on long sides. Coat parchment with cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

With mixer on low, add half of flour mixture to butter mixture. Then add half of milk, beating until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk.

Transfer half of batter to empty flour mixture bowl. Add hazelnut-chocolate spread, cocoa powder, and  water. Stir until combined.

Place 1/4-c. scoops of batter into prepared pan, alternating chocolate and vanilla. Use a knife to spread each scoop of batter to edges of pan. Gently run knife through batter lengthwise a few times to swirl. 

Bake until puffed and top is set, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with streusel. Continue baking until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. (Cover with aluminum foil during final 10 minutes to prevent excess browning.) Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour.   

Makes 1 loaf (about 10 slices).

Adapted from Real Simple magazine, Sept. 2023, p. 136.

Brown Bread

1 c. raisins

1 c. cornmeal

1-1/2 c. wheat flour

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

2-1/2 t. baking soda

2 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. molasses

1 egg, lightly beaten

Butter or cream cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray two 9 x 4 x 4" or 11 x 4 x 2" loaf pans. 

Place raisins in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together baking soda and buttermilk. Stir in molasses and egg.

Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Then fold in raisins. 

Pour the batter into the loaf pans, dividing evenly, filling each pan two-thirds full.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester in the center comes out clean and the bread is nicely browned. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. When the pans are cool enough to handle, remove the loaves and let them cool completely.

Serve warm with butter or cream cheese, or to accompany baked beans.

Makes 2 loaves.

Adapted from New Hampshire Home magazine, March/April 2021, p. 34. 

Tutti Frutti Scones

 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring hands

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. sugar

4 T. cold butter, cut into bits

1/4 c. golden raisins or currants

1/2 c. dried apricot pieces, cranberries, strawberry pieces, or blueberries

1/2 c. chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, or almonds

1-1/4 c. heavy cream

2 T. melted butter

2 T. coarse white sugar

Additional butter or jam, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Blend in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the raisins, dried fruit, and nuts. Add the cream and mix just until the mixture comes together as a sticky ball of dough.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the dough to the baking sheet. With floured hands, pat the dough into a 10" round. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the coarse white sugar.

Score the top of the round with a knife to create 8 equal wedges. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and separate the wedges. Serve warm with jam or butter.

Serves 8.

Adapted from New Hampshire Home magazine, March/April 2021, p. 36. 

Mother's Cornbread

1 c. flour

2 c. cornmeal

3 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1 egg

1/4 c. oil

About 1 c. milk or water (enough to make a runny paste)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine egg, oil, and milk or water. Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture all at once, in the center of the well. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).

Grease an 8" square baking pan. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares.

Makes 9 servings.

Note: This recipe is from Estella Bergere Leopold, wife of conservationist Aldo Leopold. "The recipe dates back to 1926 and was often cooked in a Dutch oven over open fire. For those looking to re-invent the recipe in the front country, you might consider adding dollops of melted butter, sour cream, and/or honey."

Adapted from a recipe card published by The Aldo Leopold Foundation, Dec. 2020.

Gingerbread-Pear Loaf

Cooking spray
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 t. ground cinnamon
3/4 t. ground ginger
3/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. plus 1/8 t. baking soda
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 c. buttermilk
6 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 firm but ripe Bartlett pear, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 4" loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine molasses and buttermilk. Set both aside.

Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture and molasses mixture alternately, starting and ending with flour mixture, until just incorporated.

Fold in pear pieces and transfer to prepared pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 servings.

Adapted from Country Living magazine, Dec. 2018. p. 109.

Marbled Maple-Butter Cornbread

Maple-Butter Swirl

1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1/2 stick (4 T.) unsalted butter, melted
2 T. dark brown sugar
3/4 t. kosher salt
1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Cornbread

1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/4 c. stone-ground cornmeal (not coarse)
1 T. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. baking soda
3 large eggs
1-1/2 c. buttermilk
2 T. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for dish
1 T. pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat an 8"-square baking dish with butter.

Make the swirl: Whisk syrup, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Gradually whisk in flour until incorporated.

Make the cornbread: Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, butter, and syrup in a separatel large bowl until evenly combined. Gradually whisk wet mixture into dry mixture until evenly incorporated.

Transfer batter to prepared dish and smooth the top. Dollop swirl all over the top of the batter and with the tip of a knife (not to deepyly) swirl to create a marbled effect. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Real Simple magazine, Nov. 2018, p. 115.  

Whole Wheat Muffins with Variations

2 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. oil
1/4 to 1/2 c. honey or molasses
1-1/2 c. milk

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Fold quickly wet and dry together, just until flour is moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Festival Spice variation: Add 1/2 t. cinnamon, 1/2 t. mace, 1/4 t. nutmeg, 1/4 t. allspice, 1/4 t. ginger to dry ingredients.

Marmalade variation: Use 1/2 c. marmalade in place of other sweetening.

Dried Fruit variation: Add 1/2 c. raisins, chopped dates, or chopped apricot to wet ingredients.

"Oriental" Spice variation: Add 1/2 t. cinnamon, 1/2 t. cardamon, 1/4 t. cloves, 1/4 t. nutneg, and 1/4 t. ginger to dry ingredients.

Nut or Seed variation: Add 1/2 c. of chopped walnuts, chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, or roasted sesame seeds to wet ingredients.

Makes 12.

Adapted from The Tassajara Bread Book, p. 108 et seq.

Olive Puffs with Feta

2 thawed sheets of puff pastry, 5 x 5"
3-1/2 oz. feta cheese made with goat's or sheep's milk
1 T. olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lemon
18 pitted kalamata olives
Salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut each puff pastry sheet into 1-1/2 x 1-1/2" squares. Place the squares, leaving a little space between them, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make a small depression with your thumb in the middle of each square. Cut a large piece of the feta and break it into small pieces. Brush all the squares with olive oil. Place a piece of cheese into each hollow and top it with a little lemon zest. Firmly press an olive into the cheese so it stays in place during baking when the pastry rises. Crumble the rest of the feta over the squares and season with salt and pepper.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve warm or cold.

Makes 18 pieces.

Adapted from The Summer Table, p. 126.  

Cornbread with Lemon-Thyme Butter

3 T. canola oil
1 c. stone-ground cornmeal
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. granulated sugar
2 T. baking powder
1 t. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1-1/4 c. whole milk
2 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 t. lemon zest
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. fresh thyme leaves
1 t. kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 10" cast-iron skillet with oil. Place skillet in preheated oven until hot, about 5 minutes.

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, milk, and melted butter in a separate bowl, then add to the cornmeal mixture, stirring just until combined. Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Cool to room temperature in skillet, about 30 minutes.

While cornbread is cooling, stir together butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, and salt. Serve with cornbread.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Southern Living magazine, Feb. 2017, p. 114.     

Nutty Berry Crumble

1 c. blueberries
1 c. raspberries
1 c. blackberries
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. plus 1 T. unbleached all-purpose flour (divided)
1 c. mixed chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds with skins, etc.)
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
3 T. butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in the middle position.

In a small baking dish (about 1-1/2 qt.), toss the berries with the sugar and 1 T. of the flour.

Mix the nuts, remaining 1/4 c. flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter with your hands in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Place the mixture on top of the berries.

Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and serve.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Sweet Paul Eat & Make, p. 154.

Baked Snug Eggs

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1 T. butter, plus more for the pan
8 medium-thick slices good-quality smoked ham (or salmon or another substitute?)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
8 large eggs
4 T. heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Butter four small gratin dishes.

Fry the potatoes in butter in a large skillet oven medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5-7 minutes.

Place 2 slices of ham in each dish. Divide the potatoes and scallions evenly between the dishes, then add 2 eggs and 1 T. cream to each dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Serve warm.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Sweet Paul Eat & Make, p. 25.

Baked French Toast with Strawberries

Butter for the pan
1 brioche loaf (about 1 lb.)
1-1/2 c. milk
4 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 T. granulated sugar
Strawberries, hulled and quartered, for serving
Maple syrup

Butter a 9" square baking dish.

Cut 6 slices of the brioche and set aside. Cut the rest of the bread into 1" cubes. Place the cubes in the baking dish.

Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out stars from the 6 brioche slices (or use a drinking glass to make circles). Place on top of the cubes in the dish.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together the milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Pour over the bread in the dish, pressing down gently so the bread absorbs all the liquid. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight so the liquid is completely absorbed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the sugar. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes.

Serve warm, with strawberries and syrup.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Sweet Paul Eat & Make, p. 20.

Butter Pecan Bread

2-1/4 c. sifted flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
1 slightly beaten egg
1 c. buttermilk
2 T. melted butter
Cream cheese for serving

Grease at 9 x 5 x 3" loaf pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices; stir in sugar and nuts.

Combine egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add to flour mixture, stirring only until moistened. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done. Cool slightly before removing from pan.

Serve spread with cream cheese.

Adapted from The Pecan Cookbook, p. 61.

Apple Cheese Nut Bread

3 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking powder
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 c. chopped pecans
3/4 c. grated cheese
1 c. brown sugar
2 well beaten eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 c. unpeeled apple, grated with juice

Grease a 9 x 5 x 3" loaf pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Toss with pecans and cheese.

Gradually add brown sugar to eggs, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in buttermilk and apple. Mix with dry ingredients until flour is moistened. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from pan and cool.

Adapted from The Pecan Cookbook, p. 59.

Shortcake Lemon Loaf

4 c. biscuit mix
1/2 c. sugar, divided
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c. broken pecans
1 egg, beaten
1 c. milk
1/2 c. melted butter, divided
1 T. grated lemon rind

Combine biscuit mix, 1/4 c. sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk, and 1/4 c. melted butter. Add all at once to biscuit mixture. Stir with a fork until evenly moist.

Melt butter in a 9 x 9" baking pan. Shape dough into 36 walnut-sized balls.  Roll each ball in melted butter in pan until coated. Place in 6 even rows.

Mix remaining 1/4 c. sugar and lemon rind; sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Adapted from The Pecan Cookbook, p. 58. 

Grapefruit Upside-Down Cake

1/4 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 pink grapefruit
1-1/2 c. Bisquick
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. mascarpone cheese
1 egg
2 T. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a 9" cake pan, melt butter in oven; sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter.

Peel and thinly slice grapefruit; fan over bottom of pan.

Combine Bisquick, sugar, milk, mascarpone cheese, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat on low to combine, then on medium for 4 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Pour over grapefruit in pan.

Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn pan over onto a serving plate; leave plan in place for a few minutes so the sugar mixture drizzles over cake. Remove pan and cool 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Family Circle magazine, Jan. 2017, p. 74.

Orange Palmiers

3/4 c. Demarara sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 17-oz. package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
2/3 c. orange marmalade, divided

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 c. sugar mixture over a 12" square work surface. Unfold 1 pastry sheet on top of sugar and roll sheet into a 12 x 9" rectangle. Spread 1/3 c. marmalade over dough, leaving a 1/2" border around edges. Starting with one long side, roll up pastry, jelly-roll fashion, to center of pastry sheet. Roll opposite to the center, also. (Shape will resemble a scroll.) Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze 20 minutes. Repeat with another 1/4 c. sugar mixture, remaining pastry sheet, and remaining 1/3 c. marmalade.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove one pastry sheet from freezer and cut into 1/2" thick slices; place 2" apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each slice with a small amount of the remaining sugar mixture.

Bake until light golden brown on the bottom, 14 to 16 minutes. Remove and carefully turn each cookie over. Return to oven and bake until crisp and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining pastry roll.

Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.

Adapted from Southern Living magazine, Dec. 2016, p. 228.  

Lemony Sandwich Cookies

1 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. yellow food coloring gel
2 T. lemon zest, plus 1 t. fresh juice (from 1 lemon), divided
2 c. self-rising flour
1/2 c. sanding or sparkling sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
4 t. whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with oven racks in the top third and bottom third of oven.

Beat granulated sugar and 1/2 c. of the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla, food coloring gel, and 1 T. of the lemon zest; beat on low speed just until combined. Add flour and beat on low speed just until the flour is incorporated.

Place sanding sugar in a shallow dish. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into sugar, rolling to coat, and place 2" apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake until cookies are just set, about 8 minutes, switching pans top rack to bottom rack halfway through baking. Transfer to wire racks and cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pans to wire racks and cool completely.

Beat powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 c. butter and 1 T. lemon zest on medium speed until light and fluffy. Pipe 2 t. lemon filling onto flat side of half of the cookies. Cover and gently press with remaining half of cookies to make sandwiches.

Makes about 20 sandwich cookies.

Adapted from Southern Living magazine, Dec. 2016, p. 214.

Seven-Minute Frosting

12 large egg whites
3 c. granulated sugar
3 T. corn syrup
1 t. salt
1/2 t. peppermint extract (optional)
2 cake layers, chocolate or otherwise

Pour water to a depth of 2" into bottom of a saucepan or double boiler; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir together egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a heatproof bowl or the top of double boiler. Place bowl over simmering water, and whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot, about seven minutes. Remove from heat. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks form and mixture is completely cooled, about 10 minutes. Beat in peppermint extract, if using.

Frost cake as usual.

Adapted from Southern Living magazine, Dec. 2016, p. 168.    

Sweet Potato Bread with Buttermilk-Lime Icing

Salted butter, for greasing pan
1-3/4 c. self-rising flour
1-1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. cloves
1/2 t. kosher salt
1-1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. mashed roasted sweet potato
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla
3 large eggs, at room temperature

Icing:
2-1/2 c. (about 8-1/2 oz.) sifted powdered sugar
2 T. buttermilk
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 t. vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" loaf pan with butter and set aside.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, cloves, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, sweet potato, oil, and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, to brown sugar mixture, whisking to combine after each addition. Slowly add brown sugar mixture to flour mixture, whisking until well combined.

Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan. Bake on middle rack in oven until a wood pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove bread from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar, buttermilk, lime juice, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack. Drizzle bread with icing while bread is still warm.

Serves 16.

Adapted from Southern Living magazine, Nov. 2016, p. 126.