​How you doin’? I’m a little old fashioned… a balanced dinner to me is a small salad, entrée, starch (potato or corn) and a green veggie. But what dinner could be complete without dessert? Well, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. This is a great everyday dessert that everyone will love! Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
 
Apple crisp is a dessert made with a streusel topping. An apple crumble is a dessert of baked apples topped with streusel topping. In the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, the term 'crumble' refers to both desserts, but in the US the two are distinguished. In Canada, both terms are used ambiguously.
 
Ingredients usually include cooked apples, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and often oats and brown sugar, ginger, and/or nutmeg. One of the most common variants is apple rhubarb crisp, in which the rhubarb provides a tart contrast to the apples.
 
Other optional fruit crisps can be made by substituting peaches, berries or pears for the apples.
 
Surprisingly, apple crisp or crunch is a relatively modern dish. It is notably absent from the first edition of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook (1896), which is a comprehensive collection of American recipes.
 
The earliest reference to apple crisp in print occurs in 1924, with a recipe in the Everybody's Cook Book: A Comprehensive Manual of Home Cookery, Isabel Ely Lord. In 1924, apple crisp also makes an appearance in a newspaper article in the Appleton Post Crescent on Tuesday, December 9, 1924 (Appleton, Wisconsin). Its popularity further spread during World War II, when food rationing limited access to pastry ingredients used for making apple pies.
 
Despite its relatively recent invention, apple crisp or crumble has become an American and British tradition especially during the autumn, when apples are plentiful. The dish is also very popular in Canada, especially in areas where berries and fruit are readily available.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  40 mins
Yield:  9 x 13-inch baking dish / 8 to servings
 
Ingredients
1 package refrigerated rolled pie crust dough
 
For the crisp topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
 
For the apple filling
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced, or more to taste
 
Optional white icing (see ChefSecret)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Roll out the pie crust onto a work surface to desired thickness; press into the bottom of a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

To make the crisp topping and assemble

1. Mix the flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, brown sugar, oats and salt in a medium bowl; add butter and mix until crumbly; set aside
2. Mix the granulated sugar, flour and 2 teaspoons cinnamon together in a large bowl and toss in the apples.
3. Pour the apple mixture over the crust and spread into an even layer.
4. Using your fingers pinch and sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 350⁰ F and continued to bake for another 30 minutes or until the apples are tender and the top is crisp.
7. Mix all the optional icing ingredients and set aside.
8. Pour the white icing over crisp when cool.

ChefSecret:  Create a fast and easy white icing. It’s incredibly versatile and gives almost any cookie, cupcake, brownie or other dessert a delicious boost when spread or drizzled on top. You can also use it on a pound or Bundt cake, quick bread or as a sweet fruit dip.
 
The icing requires 4 ingredients you likely have in the kitchen: confectioners' sugar, milk, butter and vanilla extract. It doesn't require any cooking, just a quick whipping with a whisk. It is a fantastic last-minute icing for all your baked goods.
 
Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
 
Directions

1. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in small bowl.
2. Mix well until the glaze is a smooth consistency.
3. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix until the butter is completely incorporated.
4. Pour over your warm apple crunch and enjoy!

Quip of the Day: “A core belief is that apple puns make me smile.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Dessert CinnamonAppleCrunch #AppleCrumble #AppleCrisp #FallApples #Yum #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? I spent a wonderful summer researching Tivoli Gardens—an amusement park and pleasure garden located in the center of Copenhagen, Denmark. The park opened on August 15, 1843; it is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg, also in Denmark.  
 
There is a cookie bakery in the park that bakes up butter-vanilla and butter and almonds into the most delightful crisp cookies imaginable.  These cookies are my very favorite cookies to make around Christmas time… or any time of year for that matter.  They are simple to make, unique and pretty.  

Prep time:  10 minutes
Bake time:  15 minutes
Yield:  40 to 45 cookies
 
Ingredients 
For the cookie dough
1/2 cup unsalted Danish butter (see ChefSecret)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons milk
 
For the icing
1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup milk
 
Directions
To make the cookie dough

1. Preheat an oven to 325⁰ F.
2. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
3. Add the egg and almond extract; mix until light and fluffy.
4. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt; mix well.
5. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each one into a log about 12 inches long.
6. Place 2 logs per cookie sheet 4 to 5 inches apart. Using 2 sheet of parchments paper, flatten each roll by hand or with  a rolling pin until it is about 3 inches wide.  
7. Brush the flattened roll with milk and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Lightly press the almonds into the dough.
8. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Some ovens run hotter than others—keep your eyes on the edges.
9. While the cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal, into slices about 1 inch wide.

To make the icing and decorate the cookies

1. While the cookies are cooling make the almond icing.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, almond extract and milk until thickened and smooth.  
3. When the cookies are cool, drizzle with the almond icing.

ChefSecret: Danish or European cultured butters have a higher fat and lower moisture/water content than those traditionally produced in the U.S.  The result is a creamier, milkier butter that tastes freshly churned. It’s growing in popularity and is readily available in most supermarkets. Look for Plugrà or Danish brand butters.

Quip of the Day: “Which type of cookie can make a person become a rich man from a mere pauper? It definitely is a fortune cookie!"
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Baking #Cookies #DanishAlmondCookies #TivoliGardens #Plugra #Aldmonds #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

 How you doin’? There are those who find traditional crème brûlée to be a little too sweet for them. What a difference a little bitter orange makes! The aromatic citrus and vanilla notes of this recipe add a gourmet touch that goes from ordinary to extraordinary.
 
Just one spoonful of the creamy custard and you can taste the bright, tangy, fruity side of the zest.  Orange is both the perfect foil for all that creamy sweetness and a wonderful complement to its burnt caramel top.
 
And who doesn’t love the way the dark caramel crackly top presents in a clean, white ramekin?   Crème brûlée just feels sophisticated, and when you set it in front of your guests (even if they’re just your family)—they’ll go wild for it. 
 
Prep time:  20-25 minutes
Bake time: 35-40 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours up to 2 days
Yield: 6 servings
 
Ingredients
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
Grated zest from two oranges
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean seeds
12 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 6 Tbsp, divided
Mint sprigs and/or Orange slices, for garnish
 
Special equipment: Fine mesh sieve, Six 4-oz ramekins, kitchen blowtorch
 
Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream, milk, orange zest and vanilla bean seeds stirring until steam begins to rise, about 10 minutes.  Do not let it boil. 
3. Remove the pot from the heat and nestle it in an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until the cream mixture cools to room temperature; 5 to 10 minutes.
4. While the cream mixture is cooling, combine the egg yolks and the 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl and whisk until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved and blended with the yolks. 
5. Gently whisk the cream mixture into the cooled egg mixture.
6. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large glass measuring pitcher or bowl with a pouring lip to strain out any solids.  Discard the solids.
7. Divide the custard evenly among six 4-oz ramekins. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and add 1 inch of hot water to the pan.  Bake until the custards are firm; about 35 to 40 minutes. 
8. Remove the ramekins from the oven and let the crème brûlée cool in the water bath to room temperature.  
9. Remove the ramekins from the water bath. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
10. To serve, remove the plastic wrap and gently lay a clean paper towel on top of each custard. Gently press down on the towel to remove any surface moisture buildup, being careful not to dent the custard. 
11. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over each custard as evenly as possible. Using a blowtorch, pass the flame above the sugar until it melts and turns golden brown. Alternatively, preheat the broiler and place the custards 4 to 6 inches under the heat source to melt the sugar. Leave the oven door open slightly and watch closely, as the sugar can scorch.
12. Let the crème brûlée stand at room temperature before serving until the sugar hardens, 1 to 2 minutes.

 
ChefSecret: To ensure your crème brûlée cooks evenly, fill the ramekins evenly. This can be done by weighing the amount of custard poured into each ramekin or by using a measuring cup to portion out the custard. Also, to ensure even cooking, be sure to place them on a shelf in the middle of the oven… not too close to the top and not on the bottom. This allows for even heat, air flow and cooking.

Quip of the Day: “What do you call a custard when it goes bad? Off-pudding!"
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 
#Dessert #CremeBrulee #BitterOrange #VanillaBean #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? We often think of great bread as originating from in Europe. But as strange as it may seem some of the best French breads, baguettes and pastries I ever tasted came out of Asia. Both baking and breading-making take a certain amount of time and patience which shows itself in the amazing breads made of Asia.
 
This beautiful bread is to die for. It is soft, sweet and fluffy and unlike any commercial bread you can find in the States. The bread is started with an unfermented starter—tangzhong—which is a technique that mixes a cooked flour mixture into bread dough to keep the bread tender and fresher longer. The heating of the flour and water to a temperature of 150⁰ F helps to gelatinize the starches in flour, which improves water absorption and results in a bread that’s soft and more elastic. Milk bread recipes frequently claim tangzhong’s ability to produce ultra-tender bread with a prolonged shelf life. This is a somewhat complex recipe but is well-worth the time.
 
Prep time:  1 hour
Proof time:  2 hours to 30 to 40 minutes
Bake time:  35 to 40 minutes
Cool time:  35 to 40 minutes
Yield:  2 loaves
 
Ingredients 
For the tangzhong
1/3 cup high-gluten bread flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
 
For the milk bread:
1 recipe tangzhong (see above)
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature
4-1/2 teaspoons or 2 (1/4-ounce) packets active dry yeast
4-3/4 cups high-gluten bread flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at warm room temperature
1 large egg yolk, for the egg wash
 
Directions
To make the tangzhong

1. Whisk together the bread flour, milk, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Whisk for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture comes together and forms a smooth, doughy paste. It will start out completely liquid; after it comes to a boil it will get thicker and thicker until it finally leaves a trail in the pan and is more like a soft paste.
3.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

For the milk bread

1. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, place the tangzhong, cream, milk, whole eggs and yeast. Mix on low speed for about 2 minutes, until combined.
2.  Add the bread flour, sugar and salt. Mix on medium-low for another 4 to 6 minutes, until the dough has come together and is starting to feel a bit elastic.
3. Add the butter piece-by-piece and mix on medium-low for another 8 minutes. The dough should be supple and smooth and a little tacky.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lint-free towel and let the dough proof for about 1 hour at warm room temperature.
5. Punch the dough down bringing up all of the edges into the center. Scoop the dough up and turn it over.
6. Re-cover and let proof for another 30 minutes at warm room temperature.
7. Generously sprinkle some flour over the work surface.
8. Generously butter two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans or spray with pan spray.
9. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and divide it in half. Divide each half into 4 equal pieces.
10. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a rough oval about 5 inches wide from side to side and 8 inches long from top to bottom, with the narrow end facing you.
11. Fold the right side of the dough into the center and the left side of the dough into the center so it meets the right side. Press down so you now have a long skinny piece of dough.
12. Starting from the bottom, roll the dough upward away from you so you have a little jelly-roll piece of dough. Place it seam side down in one of the prepared pans. Repeat this with 3 other pieces of dough so the rolls are lined up crosswise in the loaf pan, nestled next to one another.
13. Repeat with the other 4 pieces of dough and the second loaf pan.
14. Cover the loaves with plastic wrap or a lint-free towel and let proof at warm room temperature for 60 to 70 minutes, until the loaves are puffy and jiggly when you poke them.
15. Place a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to 350° F.
16. Whisk the egg yolk for the egg wash in a small bowl with a fork.
17. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash evenly on the tops of each loaf.
18. Bake the loaves for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans midway through the baking time, until the breads are golden brown and sound hollow when you thump them on top.
19. Remove the loves from the oven and let them cool in the pans on a wire rack until they are cool enough to remove from the pans, about 15 minutes.
20. Tip them out, place them directly on the wire rack and let cool until room temperature.

Excerpted from Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes © 2019 by Joanne Chang.

ChefSecret: Tangzhong can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Milk bread is best served the day it is baked, but you can store it at room temperature in a paper bag for up to 2 days, or well wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. If frozen, milk bread is best sliced and toasted to freshen it up.

Quip of the Day: “Why was the baker so grumpy? She woke up on the wrong side of the bread.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Baking #Bread #JapaneseMilkBread #Tangzhong #HomemadeIsBest #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup
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                                                  ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’?  This is one serious blog! If you are as addicted to great Cinnamon Rolls as I am the following will allow you to use store-bought Poppin’ Fresh pressure packed cans of cinnamon rolls and make some really good breakfast goodies. No recipe required. No need to proof overnight. No messy bowls to clean up—just let the little Pillsbury guy do all the work.
 
Now that many of us are going back to work time doesn't allow for those slow, idyllic mornings that begin with homemade cinnamon rolls and leisurely cups of joe. Sometimes you wish there were shortcuts to give you that fresh-baked, county fair flavor. Luckily there are several ways you can tweak that can of store-bought cinnamon roll dough to make them taste like you made them from scratch in your very own kitchen.
 
1. Add Heavy Cream
Just pour heavy cream in a baking dish to cover the bottom of the pan. Arrange the premade cinnamon rolls in the pan, cover with foil and bake according to package directions. The cream adds moisture to the rolls for extra tender and pillowy pastries.
 
2. Increase the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
Don't stop by just adding cream into the pan—most versions also include the addition of drizzle of a butter, brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over top the buns before baking. Just melt 4 tablespoons butter and stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Drizzle the mixture over the rolls, cover with foil and bake according to package directions.
 
3. Make Your Own Icing
Toss the pre-made stuff that comes in the can and instead mix together 2 tablespoons softened butter with 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and 1 cup powdered sugar. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time to thin the icing to your desired consistency. Slather over warm rolls as they come out of the oven and enjoy for that fresh Cinnabon flavor with no effort.
 
4. Layer On Some Caramel
Spread a layer of caramel sauce in the bottom of your baking pan and sprinkle a cup of chopped pecans atop. Place the rolls on top of the caramel/pecan mixture and bake according to package directions. Flip the cinnamon rolls upside down when they are finished baking for gooey caramel sauce-pecan topped buns.
 
5. Add a Fruit Filling
Canned cinnamon rolls can be unrolled pretty easily. Once you have a flat strip of dough, cover it with some fresh fruit like berries or sliced peaches or spoon on your favorite pie filling. Roll the dough back up in that classic cinnamon roll shape, place in a baking dish and bake according to package instructions.
 
6. Brûlée the Tops
Before baking, set one oven rack to the top position. With five minutes left of cooking, remove the rolls from the oven and dust the tops with sugar. Return rolls to the top rack in the oven and set it to broil. Broil just until the sugar is golden and crisp.

You can use any one of these hacks to make better Cinnamon Rolls or combine 2 or 3 hacks to create the best ever, easy rolls.
 
ChefSecret:  The cinnamon roll remains one of the least-changed cultural pieces brought by German and Swedish immigrants to America since their arrival in the 17th Century.

Quip of the Day: “What was Poppin Fresh's new name after he was put into the witness protection program?  John Dough!”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Baking #Breadkfast #CinnamonRoll #Poppin'Fresh #PillsburyDoughBoy #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup
                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022