STICKY CINNAMON ROLLS

From the Secret Family Cookbook

Makes approximately 15 rolls, 9 in a 9" square pan, 6 in a loaf pan.

Ingredients:

1 c milk

2 1/4 t yeast, or 1 packet

4 T butter, melted

3 T sugar

1 1/2 t salt

1 egg

3 c flour

1 T butter, softened

1/2 c nuts, chopped 

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c corn syrup

1 T butter, softened

1 t cinnamon 

1 T sugar

1/4 t mace

1/4 t nutmeg

Methodology:

Combine all ingredients in the first group but the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix using the whisk attachment, until smooth.  Switch to the dough hook and add the flour, mixing on low until smooth, 10-15 minutes.  Add more flour if necessary, to achieve a smooth, workable dough.  

Cover with wax cloth and allow to rise in a temperate place for 40-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the pans.  Spread the softened butter over the bases of both pans.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and nuts, and drizzle with corn syrup.  Set aside.

Knock the dough down and roll out on a floured work surface to a 20" x 12" rectangle.  Spread with the softened butter and sprinkle evenly with the spiced sugar mixture.  Roll up from the long edge, resulting in a long roll of dough, and cut into 1" to 1 1/2" rounds.  Distribute the rolls into the pans (9 in the square pan and 6 in the loaf pan is my usual breakdown), and either place somewhere cool to rise overnight, or allow to rise on the counter until doubled in size.

If baking the following morning, set the oven to 375°F and place the rolls in the oven as soon as you turn it on.  They will continue to rise as the oven heats.  Bake for 20-30 minutes.

If you're baking the rolls after rising on the counter, allow the oven to preheat completely before baking the rolls 20-30 minutes, to prevent over-proofing.  

Either way, allow to cool 5 minutes, and then invert each pan over a plate, scrape any remaining caramel onto the rolls, and enjoy. 

RICH CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Adapted from Serious Eats 

Not to be confused with the Milk Chocolate Pudding, also on this site

Ingredients:

1/4 oz powdered Knox's gelatin (1 packet = 1 T)

475 g milk, divided

85 g sugar (was 100g)

25 g cocoa powder (was 20g)

1/2 t salt

1 t vanilla (was 2 t)

Methodology:

Combine 75 g milk with the powdered gelatin in a medium bowl, and whisk briefly.

Whisk all remaining ingredients but the vanilla in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until tiny bubbles form in the liquid around the sides of the pan.   

Remove from heat and pour one half cup of the hot cocoa mixture into the gelatin bowl.  Whisk, then pour back into the pot, and whisk until smooth.  Pour into a resealable container, add the vanilla, and refrigerate, uncovered for 15 minutes.  Cover and refrigerate until set, a couple hours.  

Whisk well before eating, if you want the texture to be smooth and creamy.  Serve topped with cream whipped to soft peaks.

HAND-PULLED NOODLES

From the NYTimes

Ingredients:

374 g bread flour (2 3/4 c)

3/4 t salt

1 c lukewarm water

oil

Methodology:

Combine first 3 ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix on medium for 5-7 minutes, until smooth.

Remove from bowl, oil, cover tightly in plastic wrap, and rest for 20 minutes on the counter.

Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.  

Working with one quarter of the dough at a time, keeping all the rest tightly wrapped, roll out into a 12"x4" rectangle, 1/16" thick.  Place on the baking sheet, oil the top surface of the dough, and cover with another piece of plastic wrap.  Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, fitting two pieces of rolled out dough under each piece of plastic.  Set aside to rest on the counter for 6 hours (or a minimum of 3 hours).

Once dough has rested, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, then reduce to simmer.

Meanwhile, lightly grease another baking sheet. 

Working with one piece of dough at a time, cut into 6 slices, widthwise, and gently pull each strip until it's 2 - 2 1/2 feet long.  Place on the greased sheet; overlapping if necessary.

When the first batch of noodles is formed, bring the pot of water back to a rapid boil, and add all the noodles at once, stirring with tongs or chopsticks once they're submerged.  Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove to a colander with the tongs.  Drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking.  Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. 

OVEN PANCAKE

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Scaled up Fall 2025, scroll down for original amounts.

Ingredients:

Small       Large     cast iron pan

1 1/2T          3T          butter

Batter:

3              6             eggs

3/8 c        3/4 c       flour

3/8 c        3/4 c       milk

1/4 t         3/8 t       salt

1 1/2 t      2 T         sugar

Methodology:

Heat the oven to 425°F.  Place the skillet(s) in the oven to preheat.

Mix the batter.

Remove the skillet(s) from the oven and add the butter.  Once it has melted, swirl to coat the sides of the pan.

Pour the batter into the skillet(s), return to the oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden and set.

Original Smaller Volume:

Ingredients:

Small       Large     cast iron pan

1T            2T          butter

Batter:

2              4             eggs

1/4 c        1/2 c       flour

1/4 c        1/2 c       milk

1/8 t         1/4 t       salt

1 t            1 T         sugar

ROASTED CARROT CAKE

Cake adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction, frosting from Alexandra's Kitchen

Cake:

Ingredients:

157 g AP flour

1 t baking powder

3/8 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/2 t mace

120 ml vegetable oil

125 g light or dark brown sugar

50 g white sugar

1/2 c roasted, puréed carrots

2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 t vanilla

105 g shredded carrots (approximately 2 medium)

Methodology:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two 6" cake tins, by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper circles.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.

Whisk the wet ingredients together in a large bowl.  Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine.  Fold in the shredded carrots. 

Divide batter evenly between both cake tins, and bake for 30 minutes, rotating tins halfway through. 

Remove tins from the oven, cool 15 minutes, and then remove the cakes from the tins and cool completely on a cooling rack.

Trim off rounded domes, if necessary, and frost with the following:

Frosting:

Ingredients:

4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold

1/4 c (50 g) white sugar

2/3 c heavy cream

Pinch of salt

1/2 t vanilla

Methodology:

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl once, 2 minutes.

Add the cream, salt and vanilla, and beat until fluffy and thickened.  Add a dash more cream, to loosen, and another pinch of salt, if necessary.

This makes enough frosting to frost the cake, top, sides, and as generous filling between two layers.

SOME CRUST MOCHA COOKIES

From the LA Times

Ingredients:

2 1/4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

4 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 T butter, unsalted

2 eggs

1 1/2 T instant espresso

7/8 c sugar

1/4 c pastry flour

1/8 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, 1/2" chunks

Methodology:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Melt first group of ingredients, don't cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the second group of ingredients on high 2-3 minutes, until mixture lightens in color and thickens.

Pour in the melted chocolate mixture, and mix to combine.  Add third group of ingredients and mix gently until just combined.  Remove from stand mixer and mix in chocolate pieces.

Scoop 1/4 c amounts of dough onto parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.  

CROISSANT BRITTLE

For every 1 croissant:

3 T milk

3 T sugar (+ more for sprinkling)

1/4 t salt

300°F for 35 minutes

SUSHI RICE SEASONING

For 2 cooker cups of rice:

1/2 t salt

4 t sugar

1/2 c rice vinegar

For 1 1/2 cooker cups of rice:

3/8 t salt

1 T sugar

3/8 c rice vinegar

For 1 cooker cup of rice:

1/4 t salt

2 t sugar

1/4 c rice vinegar

HONG KONG EGG SANDWICH

From Lucas Sin

Ingredients:

2 slices brioche bread, crusts removed

Butter for toasting one side of the bread

2/3 t oil

2 large eggs

2 t cornstarch

2 t milk

1/8 t salt

1 pinch pepper

2 t water

Methodology:

Toast one side of each slice of bread in a buttered pan until golden.  Set aside.

Whisk the eggs and subsequent ingredients in a small bowl.  Heat the oil in a non-stick pan until almost smoking, then turn off the heat.  

Add the egg mixture to the pan, scooting the cooked portion of egg out of the way and allowing all the egg to cook, without scrambling it into small pieces.  Once almost set, scoot to the side of the pan and form into a shape the same size as the bread.  Transfer to a slice of bread, toasted side up, and top with another toasted-side-down slice of bread.  

SAUCE MORNAY

For 8 oz pasta:

1 T butter

1 T flour

1/2 c milk

1 c grated cheese 

SAVOIARDI BISCUITS / LADY-FINGERS / SPONGE COOKIES

From Marcellina in Cucina

Ingredients:

2 eggs, separated, room temperature

50 g sugar, or caster sugar

1/4 t lemon extract

3/4 t vanilla extract

A pinch of kosher salt

50 g flour

25 g cornstarch

4 T powdered sugar

Methodology:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In a stand mixer, beat egg whites to stiff peaks, adding a spoonful of sugar every 30 seconds, until the sugar is dissolved and the eggs form glossy peaks.

Add extracts and salt to egg yolks and whisk to combine.  Gently fold the yolks into the whites.  

Sift the flour and cornstarch over the egg mixture and gently fold to combine, making sure no pockets of flour or egg remain. 

Pipe 4" lengths of batter from a piping bag fitted with a 1/2" tip (or the tip snipped off), leaving space between lengths to allow for spreading.  

Sift half of the powdered sugar over the cookies.  After 5 minutes, sift the remaining powdered sugar over the cookies.  This forms the crispy shell.  

Bake cookies for 10 minutes, then rotate the trays and bake for another 5 minutes.  

Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the parchment paper and allow to finish cooling on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container.

TIRAMISU

Adapted from the Pioneer Woman website

Ingredients:

3 egg yolks

2 T + 1 T sugar, divided

1/4 c + 1/4 c marsala wine, divided

1/2 c whipping cream

8 oz mascarpone, room temperature

1 1/2 c espresso, or 1 1/2 c hot water with 5 t nespresso, cooled

2 t vanilla

7 oz savoiardi, or lady-finger cookies

Cocoa powder, for dusting

Methodology:

In the bowl of a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks with 2 T sugar until the yolks turn pale.  Whisk in 1/4 c marsala.  Heat the custard over simmering water in the double boiler, whisking or stirring constantly, until it thickens considerably, holding its shape when spooned.  Remove from heat, pour into a large lidded container and refrigerate until cool.  Once the custard is chilled, whisk mascarpone into it until smooth.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cream and remaining 1 T sugar until firm peaks form (begin with the machine running at a high speed; it'll take a while to start whipping, since the volume of cream is low).  Scrape in the chilled custard/mascarpone mix, and fold the cream in until combined.  

Combine the espresso, 1/4 c marsala and vanilla in a bowl just large enough to fit a lady-finger.  

----The recipe can be prepared ahead of time up to this point----

Dip the lady fingers into the coffee mixture one by one.  They should be saturated, but not falling apart - break one in half, and make sure the coffee mixture has penetrated to the center.  If it hasn't, soak the cookies longer.  Arrange the first layer of cookies in the dish (4"x9", or a bread pan).  Spread with 1/3 of the custard, and cover the cookies completely.  Sift over the cocoa.

Repeat twice more.  Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, to allow the cookies to soften and the custard to set.

Double the recipe to fill an 8"x8" pan.