The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (124 page)

5.
Carefully transfer the log to a prepared baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make 6 cuts, about 2 inches apart, along 1 long side of the log, cutting three-quarters of the way across. Lift the first segment, turn it cut side up, and lay it flat. Repeat with the next segment, twisting so it sits on the opposite side of the roll. Continue down the log, alternating sides. Repeat with the remaining dough, butter, and filling; place on the second baking sheet.

6.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Loosely cover the dough with buttered pieces of plastic wrap, and let rise until almost doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Brush the dough with egg wash, avoiding the filling. Bake on the upper and lower racks, switching the positions of the sheets halfway through, until cooked through and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Carefully slide the cakes onto wire racks, and let cool completely before slicing.

MAKING PANCAKES

Even the most basic pancake recipe can be improved upon when you keep a few key components in mind. To start, you need the right ingredients. The best flour for pancakes is all-purpose; for a change of pace, substitute cornmeal, buckwheat flour, or whole-wheat flour for half the all-purpose flour. When leavening with baking powder and/or soda, mixing the batter is critical. There are two stages: whisking together the dry ingredients, and whisking the wet ingredients into the dry. Don’t whisk until smooth and even, or the gluten in the flour will develop and produce a tough texture. Instead, stop mixing while the batter is still slightly lumpy, with a few clumps of unmoistened dry ingredients remaining. It is the interaction of liquid and the pockets of dry ingredients during cooking that produces fluffy pancakes. For best results, cook the pancakes right away; do not let the batter sit longer than it takes to heat your pan.

Next, be aware of your cooking surface. The ideal surface is very flat and distributes heat evenly. The best option is a griddle, followed by a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick frying pan. Whichever surface you use, make sure it’s at the right temperature when you begin. You can test for this by flicking a few drops of water onto the surface; if they bounce, sizzle, and disappear in a second, your pan is ready.

Poor quality in the first batch is a common problem with pancakes, but it needn’t be this way. The culprit is often too much fat on the griddle. If more than a very thin layer is used, it gathers in tiny puddles beneath the batter, which in turn lifts small bits off the griddle so they never have the chance to brown properly. Instead, melt only a small amount of butter or fat, and wipe the excess away with a folded paper towel. This should ensure that your first batch is as fluffy as the last.

Now it’s time to ladle in the batter. If using fruit, place on top of the batter right after it’s poured, distributing the fruit evenly. When the batter surface is covered with little bubbles, some of which have begun to break, it’s time to flip. The bursting bubbles are letting gas escape, so flip at just this moment, before too many have popped.

whole-wheat buttermilk pancakes

SERVES 4

1 cup whole-wheat flour

²
/
₃
cup all-purpose flour

¹
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₃
cup toasted wheat germ

1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2¾ cups low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Vegetable oil cooking spray

Pure maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Raspberries, for serving (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Whisk together the flours, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2.
Heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Stir together the melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs in a medium bowl. Stir the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture until just combined (the batter will be slightly lumpy).

3.
Generously coat the griddle with cooking spray. Working in batches, pour ¼ cup batter for each pancake onto the griddle. Cook until the surface is bubbling and the edges are slightly dry, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the pancakes; cook until the undersides are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet, and keep warm in the oven. Divide the pancakes among 4 plates. Serve with syrup and berries, if desired.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 396 CALORIES, 14 G FAT, 124 MG CHOLESTEROL, 53 G CARBOHYDRATE, 873 MG SODIUM, 17 G PROTEIN, 5 G FIBER

fluffy pancakes

SERVES 6

You can make your own pancake mix by combining the dry ingredients and storing them at room temperature in a resealable bag until ready to use.

2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons nonfat dry milk

¼ cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4½ tablespoons butter, melted

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Maple syrup or maple butter, for serving (optional)

Fresh berries, for serving (optional)

1.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, nonfat dry milk, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

2.
Heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. In a medium bowl, combine 4 tablespoons melted butter and the dry ingredients. Mix in the eggs and 1¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water. Stir until just combined; the batter will be slightly lumpy.

3.
Add the remaining ½ tablespoon butter to griddle, swirling to coat. Pour a scant ¼ cup batter per pancake onto the griddle, and cook until the surface bubbles and the edges are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes, and cook until the undersides are golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the pancakes immediately with syrup and berries, if desired.

cinnamon-raisin french toast

SERVES 6

Any bread is lovely in this buttermilk batter.

6 large eggs

1½ cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

6 1-inch-thick slices cinnamon-raisin bread, preferably day-old

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pure maple syrup (optional)

1.
Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2.
Place the bread in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the bread slices in a single layer. Pour the egg mixture over the bread; soak 10 minutes. Turn the slices over; soak 10 minutes more, or until soaked through.

3.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry half the bread slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack; place in the oven while cooking the remaining bread. Wipe out the skillet; repeat with the remaining butter, oil, and bread. Serve warm with maple syrup, if desired.

banana-nut french toast

SERVES 6

1½ cups walnuts

6 large eggs

1½ cups heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

6 ripe but firm bananas, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds

1½ cups packed dark-brown sugar

12 slices bread (each ½ inch thick), such as brioche or challah, preferably day-old

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pure maple syrup, for serving (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Set aside. When cool, chop the walnuts coarsely.

2.
Whisk together the eggs, cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside. Combine the bananas, dark brown sugar, and walnuts in another bowl; set aside. Lay out 6 slices of bread on the work surface. Top each slice with
¹
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cup banana mixture. Top with the remaining bread slices; press gently to seal the sandwiches.

3.
Place the sandwiches in a shallow baking dish (or 2 dishes) large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, and soak 10 minutes. Carefully turn the sandwiches over, and soak 10 minutes more, or until the bread is soaked through.

4.
Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet; set aside. Heat the remaining banana mixture in a small skillet over medium-low heat until the sugar is melted and the bananas are soft and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons butter, and stir to combine; keep warm.

5.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry half of the sandwiches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack, and place in the oven while cooking the remaining sandwiches. Wipe out the skillet, and repeat with the remaining butter, oil, and bread. Keep in the oven until ready to serve. Cut into triangles, and serve with warm banana mixture and maple syrup, if desired.

savory french toast

SERVES 6

5 ounces bacon (about 6 slices)

2 onions, cut into ¼-inch dice

12 ounces button mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

6 large eggs

1½ cups heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1½ ounces), plus more for serving

1 teaspoon coarse salt

6 1-inch-thick slices bread, such as sourdough, each cut into 3 long strips, preferably day-old

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon; cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bacon with tongs; drain on paper towels; set aside. Add the onions to the skillet with the bacon drippings; cook, stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms; cook until tender and most of the liquid released has evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool. When cool, set aside half the mixture; finely chop the other half.

2.
Whisk together the eggs, cream, Parmesan, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the finely chopped vegetable mixture; set aside.

3.
Place the bread strips in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the egg mixture over the bread; soak 10 minutes. Turn the strips over, and soak 10 minutes more, or until the bread is soaked through.

4.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry half the bread strips until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack; place in the oven while cooking the remaining bread.

5.
Wipe out the skillet; repeat with the remaining butter, oil, and bread. Heat the remaining onion mixture in a small skillet until warm. Serve the French toast warm, topped with the remaining onion mixture, crumbled bacon, and Parmesan, if desired.