strawberry brioche danish

Who doesn't love a danish, especially when it is made with brioche?

Yield: 16

230 calories per danish

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: Overnight proof required, about 16 hours
Looking for a no-knead brioche? Check out this blog posting.

ingredients

the dough

3/4 cup lukewarm water

2¼ teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 eggs

1/4 cup agave nectar

3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

3¾ cups all-purpose flour

the filling

½ cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups sliced strawberries
See step 10 for alternative fillings

preparation

the day before:

1. In a cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. In your stand mixer bowl, combine the flour and salt.

3. Crack your eggs into a drinking glass, or small bowl, and lightly beat. I use a drinking glass because of the high walls.

4. Add the agave nectar to the frothy eggs and stir.

5. Combine the agave/egg mixture with the yeast mixture.

6. Add the wet mixture and melted butter to the stand mixer bowl, and “stir” until a loose dough forms. You may have to scrape down the side of your bowl.

7. Increase the stand mixer speed to 2 and knead until a shiny, smooth, cohesive dough forms, about 5 minutes.

8. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

9. Place the bowl in the fridge to rise overnight.  

10. In a Tupperware container, combine “the filling” ingredients, stirring well to blend. Place in the fridge. Want to keep your danish more on the fruity side? Leave out the yogurt, but use an additional cup of fruit. Or, use creme fraiche  instead of yogurt, laying the layer the fruit on top of a scoop of creme fraiche. Better yet, go savory!

the day of:

11. Remove the dough from the fridge, turn it out onto your counter top, and divide into 16 equal pieces.

12. Shape each piece into a ball, place in a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet, allow to rise until very puffy, about 1 hour.

13. Using the back of a ¼ cup measuring cup (lightly dusted with flour), press a semi-circle into each of the dough balls.

14. Using a tablespoon, scoop about 3 tablespoons into each Danish. You may want to start with 2 tablespoons and adjust as needed.

15. Brush the dough with an egg wash, staying clear of the filling.

16. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Original recipes found here and here.

sourdough brie boule

This bread is un-brie-lievable!

Yield: 2 large boules or 16 medium rolls
1,860 calories per loaf or 230 calories per roll
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 4 1/2 hours

ingredients
1 cup fed sourdough starter
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
6 ounces brie
5 cups high gluten flour

preparation
1. In a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Cut the brie into small pieces and set aside.

3. In your stand mixer bowl, combine the fed sourdough starter, flour, spices, and brie.

4. Pour in the yeast mixture and "stir" until a shaggy dough forms.

5. Increase the stand mixer speed to 2 and knead until a smooth and cohesive dough forms.

6. Turn the dough out onto your counter top, knead by hand a few turns, and shape into a ball.

7. Place the ball in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

8. Turn the dough out onto your counter top, deflate, and shape.

9. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until very puffy, about 90 minutes.

10. With about 30 minutes left in the final proof, preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

11. Brush the loaves with an egg wash and score.

12. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. For the boule, I baked it covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for about 10 more minutes. The boule took a bit longer because I split the dough in step 8, I used half for the boule and the other half for the loaf and rolls.

Original recipe found here.

carrot cake cookies

This recipe delivers a deliciously soft cookie that isn't too sweet and perfectly balances the textures of cake and chewy cookies. With 3 cups of carrots you're getting a super serving of beta carotene!

Yield: 24 cookies
140 calories per cookie
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

ingredients
5 large carrots
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cup oats

preparation
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat.

2. Using your food processor, shred the carrots, and set aside.

3. In your stand mixer bowl, with the whisk attached, cream the butter, egg yolks, and sugar.

4. Add the flour, salt, and nutmeg to the stand mixer bowl, and "stir" until well-blended, about 1 minute.

5. Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment, add the carrots and oats to the stand mixer bowl, and "stir" until well blended, about 2 minutes.

6. Using a tablespoon, scoop heaping portions onto the lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. (This equals out to about 2 tablespoons per cookie.)

7. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Original recipe found here.