Whole-Grain Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Bread:
5 cups (635 grams) white whole-wheat or regular whole-wheat flour
Approximately 1 1/4 cups (160 grams) mixed whole grains (rye flour, cornmeal, rolled oats or oat flour, amaranth, ground flaxseeds - not more than 30 grams, or cooked polenta, brown rice, or barley, or 7-grain cereal mix)
2 teaspoons table salt or 1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
2 1/2 tablespoons honey, or 4 tablespoons brown or granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg

Filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins or currants
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Make the dough:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together flour, grains, and salt.  In a separate bowl, mix together water, milk, and honey or sugar, then whisk in yeast until dissolved.  Add egg and oil and whisk until combined.  Add to the flour mixture in the mixer bowl.  Combine with paddle attachment at the lowest speed for 1 minute.  (Or,  mix by hand; use a large spoon and stir for 1 minute.)  The dough will be wet and coarse. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Switch to the dough hook and mix the dough on medium-low for 2 more minutes.  (If mixing by hand, stir for 2 minutes with the spoon).  The dough will seem firmer and more smooth; ideally, it should be supple and sticky, but a bit more flour can be added a spoonful at a time if it is still very wet.  If it seems excessively stiff, add a little more water, a spoonful at a time.  Continue to stir with dough hook or by hand for 4 minutes.

Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured counter.  Knead a few times, then form the dough into a ball and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.  Repeat this process - kneading a few times, then resting for 10 minutes - two more times.  

Allow dough to rise for 60 to 70 minutes, until doubled in bulk. 

Make the filling:
Combine the sugar, cinnamon, raisins or currants, and flour in a food processor or blender, processing until the fruit is chopped.

Fill the bread and form loaves:
Turn the dough out onto the floured counter and divide it into two equal pieces.  Roll each into a long, thin rectangle, about 16x8 inches.  Brush the dough with with beaten egg and water mixture.  Sprinkle half the filling evenly over the egg.  Beginning with a short edge, roll the dough into a log.  Gently press the side seam and ends closed, and place the log in a lightly greased loaf pan.  Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour at room temperature, or until it has crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 45 to 60 minutes.  About halfway through the rising time, heat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for about 40 minutes, rotating the loaf once for even color.  When done, it will sound a bit hollow when tapped and the internal temperature will read 190°F.

Makes 2 loaves.


From Smitten Kitchen, with minor changes to directions

Chipotle Beef Chili with Lime Crema

1 pound ground beef or buffalo
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
5 cups vegetable broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup stout or dark beer
2 tablespoons pureed canned chipotle chilies
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2 15 ½-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Heat heavy large pot over high heat.  Add beef; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with a spoon, about 8 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Add onion and garlic to the same pot.  Sauté until onion is tender, 8 minutes.  Add chili powder.  Sauté util fragrant, 3 minutes.  Add beef, broth, tomatoes, stout and chilies.  Cover partially; simmer until chili is thick, stirring often, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.  

Gradually stir cornmeal into chili.  Stir in beans.  Simmer until heated through.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  (Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover and chill.  Rewarm over medium heat.)

Whisk sour cream, lime juice, and lime peel in a small bowl.  Season with salt.

Spoon chili into bowls.  Spoon lime crema atop chili.

Serves 4 to 6.


From Bon Appetit, with some changes

Chocolate Soufflés

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
Large pinch of salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Butter and flour 10 3/4-cup ramekins.  Melt chocolate and butter in a medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally (or melt gently in the microwave).  Remove bowl from over water and cool chocolate mixture to lukewarm.

Using an electric mixer at high speed, beat sugar, eggs, yolks, and salt in a large bowl until batter falls in a heavy ribbon when the beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes.  Sift flour over the mixture and fold in.  Gradually fold in lukewarm chocolate mixture.  Divide mixture among prepared ramekins.  (Can be prepared ahead.  Cover soufflés individually with plastic and refrigerate up to 1 day or freeze up to 1 week.)

Heat the oven to 400° F.  Place ramekins on a baking sheet; bake soufflés until puffed and beginning to crack on top (centers will still be soft), about 18 minutes (19 minutes if frozen), and serve.

Makes 10 soufflés.


From Aperto, San Francisco, via Bon Appetit

Hot Milk Cakes

Serve with sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

Oil
2 extra-large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
2/3 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat oven to 425° F.  Oil six 3/4-cup custard cups.  Using electric mixer, beat eggs at high speed until thick, about 3 minutes.  Gradually beat in 2/3 cup sugar; beat until thick and pale yellow, about 1 minute longer.  Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Add the flour and beat for 30 seconds.

Bring milk and butter just to boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the butter melts.  Add the hot milk mixture to the batter.  Beat until blended and smooth, about 30 seconds.  Divide batter among prepared cups.  Place cups on rimmed baking sheet.

Bake cakes until tops rise (tall rounded peak will form in center of each), turn pale golden, and are firm to the touch, about 16 minutes.  Cool in cups for at least 20 minutes. (Can be made 8 hours ahead.  Cool completely in cups, then cover and let stand at room temperature.)

If serving with strawberries, toss 1 pound sliced strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl to coat. Let stand for 20 minutes for juices to form. 

Makes 6 servings.


From Bon Appetit

Yogurt Pound Cake with Marmalade Glaze

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain or vanillla whole-milk yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon (packed) finely-grated lemon or orange peel
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon, orange, or grapefruit marmalade (for glaze)
1 teaspoon water

Heat oven to 350° F.  Grease and flour an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch metal loaf pan.  Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.  Combine yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon peel, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Whisk until well-blended.  Gradually whisk in dry ingredients.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in oil.  Transfer batter to prepared pan.  Place pan on baking sheet.

Place cake on baking sheet in oven and bake until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.  Cool cake in pan on rack for 5 minutes.  Cut around the pan sides to loosen the cake, and turn the cake onto the rack; cool completely.  (Can be made 1 day ahead.  Wrap and store at room temperature.)

Stir marmalade and 1 teaspoon water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the marmalade melts.  Brush hot mixture over the top of the cake. Let glaze cool and set.

Make 8 servings.


From Bon Appetit

Yogurt Cake

1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
2/3 cup sugar
Zest of one lime, lemon, or orange, or 1 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/4 cup lime, lemon, or orange juice, or maple syrup (use only 1/3 cup sugar)
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, or 1 cup all-purpose flour and 2/3 cup oat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan with oil or butter.  Line the bottom with parchment paper if the pan is not springform.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, sugar, zest or flavoring, and juice.  Add the eggs one by one, whisking well after each addition.  Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, right over the yogurt batter.  Stir with a spoon until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let stand for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the pan to loosen.  If using a springform pan, unclasp the sides; otherwise, flip the cake onto a plate and flip it back on the back.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

The cake keeps very well for up to three days, wrapped in plastic at room temperature.

Makes one 9-inch cake.


From Smitten Kitchen, with some changes

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

1 large egg or equivalent egg substitute

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 cup fresh raspberries (or substitute blueberries, blackberries, or bits of strawberries)

Heat oven to 400° F with rack in middle.  Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.  In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla, and zest, if using.  Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mixing until just combined.  Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing the top.  Scatter raspberries evenly over the top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more.  Invert onto a plate.

Makes one thin 9-inch cake. Serves 4 to 8 people.

From Gourmet via Smitten Kitchen

Flounder with Creamy Guacamole Sauce

1 avocado, pitted and peeled
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water 
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion or chives
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne, or to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 to 2 pounds flounder filets, seasoned with salt and pepper
Canola oil
Tomato, seeded and finely chopped, for garnish, or Avocado and Corn Salsa

In a blender, puree the avocado, lime juice, water, scallion or chives, cumin, cayenne, sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste, scraping down the sides of the blender, until the sauce is smooth.  Add more water if necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency.

Heat oil in cast iron skillet. Cook flounder in for a few minutes on each side, until lightly browned and cooked through. Serve with avocado sauce, and tomato or avocado and corn salsa.

Note: You can also halve the avocado, puree one half into the sauce, and reserve other half to serve, thinly sliced, with the fish.

Serves 2-4, depending on amount of fish used.


From Gourmet, with many changes

Irish Scones

4 cups bread flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 heaping teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 heaping teaspoon granulated sugar
2 cups buttermilk

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly flour a baking sheet and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add the buttermilk.  Mix together by hand until thoroughly combined.  Be careful not to overwork the dough; it should be light and springy to the touch.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and form into a large rectangle.  Using a rolling pin and extra flour as needed, roll the dough into a 9x6-inch rectangle about 3/4 inch thick.

Cut the dough into 9 strips about 1 inch wide, then cut each of the strips into six 1-inch squares.

Arrange the dough squares on the prepared baking sheet in nine rows of six, so they are just barely touching. (As they rise in the oven, the scones will merge together.)  Bake until the scones are golden brown, 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time.  Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove them from the sheet and gently separate them before serving.

Makes 54 small scones.


From The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook by Tracey Medeiros

Celery Root, Fennel,and Leek Chowder Baked in Winter Squash

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
2 leeks, white part only, halved lengthwise, cleaned and julienned
1 fennel bulb, fronds removed, chopped and reserved/bulb quartered and trimmed
4 cups vegetable stock, plus extra as needed
1/4 cup light cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 celery root (about 1 pound), peeled and diced
4 (2- to 3- pound) kabocha or acorn squash, cut in half horizontally

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the leeks and fennel and sauté until the leeks are translucent and tender, about 8 minutes.  Whisk in the stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  Working in batches, purée half of the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Return the purée to the stockpot with the remaining soup and stir in the cream, thyme, and liquid smoke.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  If the soup is too thick, thin with additional vegetable stock.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the celery root and sauté, stirring often, until light golden brown, about 8 minutes

Scrape the seeds and pulp from the squash halves with a melon baller or spoon.  Sprinkle the inside of each squash bowl with salt and pepper and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.  Divide the celery root among the squash bowls and ladle the soup evenly into each bowl.  Bake until the squash is tender when tested with a fork, 60 to 65 minutes.  Garnish with the reserved chopped fennel fronds and serve.  

Serves 8.


From The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook by Tracey Medeiros

Orecchiette with Caramelized Turnips, Kale, and Cracked Pepper

1 pound orecchiette
1/4 cup canola oil
3 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 pound Tuscan/lacinato kale, stems and center ribs removed, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly cracked black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for garnish

Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil in  large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.  Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta water.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.  Add the turnips and reduce the heat to medium.  Cook, stirring often, until the turnips are tender and golden, about 6 minutes.  

Add the kale and cook, stirring often, until the kale is very tender, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute.  Add the reserved pasta water as needed and season with cracked pepper to taste.  Add the butter and stir gently until melted.  

Add the pasta to the kale mixture and toss until the pasta is well-coated.  Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with salt and additional cracked pepper to taste.

Divide the pasta into warm bowls, sprinkle with additional cheese if desired, and serve.

Serves 4.


From The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook by Tracey Medeiros

Tomato Salsa

1 large tomato
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch dice (about 1/4 cup)
1 scallion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive or safflower oil
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Prepare a bowl of ice and cold water.  Bring a 3-quart saucepan of water to boil.  Cut an X in bottom of tomato with sharp paring knife and blanch tomato in the boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer tomato with a slotted spoon into the ice-water bowl and cool. Peel off skin with paring knife and discard. Halve tomato crosswise and seed it, then cut into 1/4 inch dice.

Stir together tomato and remaining ingredients. Season salsa with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

From Epicurious/Bon Appétit

Poblano Chilies with Black Beans and Cheese

8 large poblano chilies
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced onions
2 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
Tomato salsa
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat the broiler. Arrange chilies on a baking sheet.  Broil until charred on all sides, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes.  Enclose in a paper bag; let stand for 10 minutes.  Peel chilies.  Cut 1 lengthwise slit in each chili; carefully remove the seeds.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add onions; sauté gently until golden about 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread onions evenly in a 13x9x2 baking dish..

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Mash half the beans with the cayenne in a medium bowl.  Mix in remaining beans. Spoon mixture into chilies.  Arrange chilies seam side down atop onions.  Sprinkle cheese over.  Cover with foil.

Bake chilies for 15 minutes. Uncover, and bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes longer.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Serves 4 to 8.


From Epicurious/Bon Appétit

White Bean and Black Kale Minestra with Farro

1 cup navy, cannellini, or other white beans, soaked
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
A few sage leaves, a bay leaf, 4 parsley sprigs
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
3/4 cup farro, covered with cold water for at least 1 hour

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup diced carrot
3/4 cup diced celery
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Splash of red or white wine or water
4 cups shredded black, Russian, or regular kale leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
One 15-ounce can organic diced tomatoes with juice

Extra virgin olive oil
Parmigiano-Reggiano for grating
1 cup bread crumbs browned in oil with minced rosemary (optional)

Drain and rinse the beans and put them in a pot with 10 cups water and the aromatics.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for an hour.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and continue cooking until the beans are tender, another 30 minutes or so.  Pick out the garlic cloves and herbs.  Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.

Heat the oil in a wide soup pot.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, herbs, and garlic.  Cook over medium heat, giving the contents a stir every so often, until softened, aromatic, and golden, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until there is a glaze on the bottom of the pan, then add the wine to deglaze the pan.  

Add the kale, the drained farro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup water.  After a few minutes, when the kale has wilted, add the tomatoes and the beans and their liquid.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer slowly until the farro is plump and tender, about 25 minutes.

Taste for salt and serve with freshly ground pepper, a spoonful of good olive oil, a grating of cheese in each bowl - and bread crumbs if desired..

Makes 3 quarts.


From Vegetable Soups by Deborah Madison

Green Cabbage Soup with Potatoes and Sour Cream

1 small green cabbage, preferably Savoy (about 1 pound)
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
1 large leek, white part only, quartered lengthwise, chopped and rinsed
1 large Yukon gold or russet potato, peeled and roughly cubed
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Sour cream or yogurt
Minced parsley or dill

Quarter the cabbage, remove the cores, and thinly slice the wedges crosswise.  You should have 5 to 6 cups.  Bring 3 quarts water to a boil, add the cabbage, cook for 1 minute, then drain.

Melt the butter in a soup pot.  Add the leek and potato, give them a stir, and cook for a minute or two, then add the cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt.  Pour over 5 cups of water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the potato is tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls, the add to each a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of parsley, and a final grinding of pepper.

Makes 7 to 8 cups


From Vegetable Soups by Deborah Madison

Roasted Turnip Soup with Caramelized Turnips

1 1/2 pounds turnips
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive or sunflower seed oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk

1 to 2 tablespoons butter
1 or 2 pinches of sugar
2 teaspoons minced tarragon

Heat the oven to 425°F. Peel the turnips, then dice two-thirds of them into roughly 1-inch pieces.  Set the remainder aside.  Simmer stored turnips in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then drain.  Fresh turnips (those with greens) needn't be parboiled.

Toss the turnip chunks with the onion, garlic, thyme, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then put them in a large baking dish in a single layer.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, shuffling the vegetables every 15 minutes so that they brown on all sides.  Transfer to a soup pot.  Add 1/2 cup water to the roasting pan, scrape up the caramelized juices, and pour them into the pot.

Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, add the milk and 2 cups water to the vegetables, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the turnips are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.  Puree until smooth and return to the pot.  Season with salt to taste.

To finish, dice the remaining turnips into 1/2-inch cubes.  Melt the butter in a small skillet, add the turnips, sprinkle with sugar, and cook over medium heat until golden, about 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in most of the tarragon.  Ladle the soup into bowls, spoon the caramelized onions into each one, garnish with remaining tarragon, and serve.

Makes 6 cups - serves about 4.


From Vegetable Soups by Deborah Madison

Chocolate Sour Cream Icing

6 ounces semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup sourcream

1/8 teaspoon salt

Melt the chocolate in a small bowl set in a pan of simmering water (or gently in a microwave).  Remove from the water, add the sour cream and salt, and stir until thoroughly blended.  Spread while still warm.

Makes about 1 cup, enough to cover the top of an 8-inch square cake or about 15 cupcakes.  Double the recipe to frost and fill an 8- or 9-inch two-layer cake.

From The Fannie Farmer Baking Book by Marion Cunningham

Coffee Fondant

1/4 cup espresso, cooled
Approximately 3 cups (600 grams), confectioners' sugar, sifted
A squirt of lemon juice

Pour the espresso into a small bowl.  Add about 2 cups of the sifted confectioners' sugar, little by little, stirring constantly with a whisk and trying not to create bubbles.  Stir in the lemon juice, then continue to add as much additional confectioners' sugar as needed to produce a fondant that evenly coats and stays where it is spread.


From Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan

Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk
1 moist, plump vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract*)
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons (1 3/4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats, at room temperature

Bring the milk and vanilla bean (pulp and pod) to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cover the pan, turn off the heat, and allow the milk to infuse for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.  (If necessary, reheat the milk until hot before proceeding.)

Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and set aside a smaller bowl that can hold the finished cream and be placed in this ice bath.  Set aside a fine-mesh strainer, too.  

Whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan.  Whisking constantly, drizzle one-quarter of the hot milk over the yolks. When the yolks are warm, whisk the remainder of the milk into the yolks in a steadier stream; remove and discard the pod, or save it for another use.

Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, bring the mixture to the boil.  Keep at the boil - still whisking energetically - for 1 to 2 minutes, then pull the pan from the heat and press the cream through the strainer into the small bowl.  Set the bowl into the ice bath (you can add some cold water now) and, stirring frequently, cool the cream to 140°F.

Remove the cream from the ice-water bath and whisk in the butter.  Return the cream to the ice-water bath and keep it there until it is thoroughly chilled.

To keep: Covered tightly with plastic wrap (press the plastic against the cream's surface to create an airtight seal), pastry cream can be refrigerated for 2 days.  To smooth the chilled cream, whisk it for a few seconds.

Makes about 2 cups.

*If using vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean, add it after you've stirred in the butter.

To make coffee pastry cream:
Whisk 1/3 cup espresso, cooled, into the pastry cream.


From Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan

Eclairs

Cream Puff Dough:
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
Pinch of sugar
Pinch ofsalt
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, at room temperature

Vanilla Pastry Cream or Coffee Pastry Cream

Coffee Fondant, or
Chocolate Ganache, or
Chocolate Sour Cream Icing

To make and bake the cream puff dough:
Position the rack to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and keep them close at hand. Fit a large pastry bag with a large star tip and keep this nearby as well.

Bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a rapid boil in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over high heat.  Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium-low, and quickly start stirring energetically with a wooden spoon.  The dough will come together and a light crust will form on the bottom of the pan.  Keep stirring - with vigor - for another 2 minutes to dry the dough.  The dough should now be very smooth.

Turn the dough into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or, if you're feeling strong, continue by hand.  Add the eggs one by one and beat, beat, beat, until the dough is thick and shiny.  Don't be concerned if the dough falls apart - by the time the last egg goes in, the dough will come together again.  Once the eggs have been incorporated, the still-warm dough must me used immediately.

Spoon half the dough into the pastry bag and pipe out thin fingers of dough that are each about 5 inches long and 1 inch wide onto the lined baking sheets, making sure to leave about 2 inches puff space between them.  Repeat with the remaining dough.

Slide the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 8 minutes before slipping the handle of a wooden spoon into the oven to keep the door slightly ajar. When the éclairs have baked for 12 minutes, rotate the pans front to back and top to bottom.  Continue baking until the éclairs are golden, firm, and, of course, puffed, another 8 minutes or so (the total baking time is about 20 minutes).  Transfer the éclairs to a rack and cool to room temperature. (The éclairs can be kept in a cool, dry place for several hours before filling. Alternatively, you can pipe out the éclairs and freeze them for up to 1 month before you bake them. There's no need to defrost the frozen éclairs; just bake them for a couple minutes more.)

To fill the éclairs:
Carefully cut the éclairs horizontally in half (a natural line can be found at the puff point of each éclair); lift off the tops.  Spoon the pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and fill each éclair base with cream, or do this with a spoon. (You will have pastry cream left over; it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)  Tuck the filled bases into the refrigerator, covered lightly with wax paper.  

To finish:
One by one, hold the éclair tops over the bowl of fondant or ganache or icing,and, working with a small icing spatula, spread them with fondant/icing. (If using ganache, dip the éclair top into the room temperature ganache.) Settle each éclair top on a filled base and refrigerate the éclairs for at least 1 hour before serving.

Note: The cream puff dough can also be used to pipe round cream puffs to be filled with pastry cream or ice cream.

Makes 20 to 24 éclairs.


From Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan