1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika or sweet paprika
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (recommended: Abita)
1 cup chicken or seafood stock-in-a-box
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce, to taste
1 1/2 pounds medium-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the butter and melt. Stir in the peppers, onion, garlic, chile pepper, thyme, and bay leaves, and cook until tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle in the paprika and stir, then add the flour and stir for 1 minute more. Pour in the beer and cook down for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock and Worcestershire, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes to combine flavors. Stir in hot sauce to taste.
Stir in the shrimp. Cover and cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the shrimp mixture to a serving bowl and serve with rice flavored with scallions or creamed corn.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in sugar, slowly bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the candied orange peel and sliced almonds and mix well.
Whisk whipping cream until thick and gently stir into the almond mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes until cool and thick.
Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the mixture for each Florentine to fill both baking sheets. Space well apart as the cookies will spread.
Bake for 5 minutes until lightly set. Using a knife, shape the spread mixture into neat rounds pulling in the edges. Return shaped cookies back into the oven for another 4 minutes. Reshape again and allow to cool for 3 minutes. Carefully lift them onto a wire rack to cool.
Melt 2/3rd of the chocolate in the microwave by heating it in 30-second intervals at 50% power. Stir between intervals as the chocolate can hold its shape even though it might be melted. Near the end, you may want to use smaller intervals. Once the chocolate is melted, add the remaining 1/3rd and stir until all is melted. Cool the chocolate to room temperature. Using a flexible bladed knife, spread on the smooth underside of the Florentines. Return to the rack until the chocolate is just setting. Run a fork through the chocolate to make wavy lines an set at room temperature.
They will store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Once well combined, add almond flour and sifted all-purpose flour to form the cookie dough.
Pipe the dough onto two parchment-lined baking sheets.
Optional: If your oven runs hot, stack the baking sheets with the cookies into empty baking sheets and slide both into the oven.
Bake cookies for about 15 – 20 minutes until they are golden brown.
In the meantime, temper the chocolate. Chop chocolate or use chocolate chips. Set aside 1/3rd (40g) and melt the remaining 80g in the microwave by heating it in 30-second intervals at 50% power. Stir between intervals as the chocolate can hold its shape even though it might be melted. Near the end, you may want to use smaller intervals. Once the chocolate is melted, add the remaining 1/3rd and stir until all is melted. Cool the chocolate to a temperature between 88- 89°F.
After the cookies are completely cooled, dip half of each into tempered chocolate and let cool for another 30 min until the chocolate is set.
300 g ground nuts (almond meal, ground walnuts or ground hazelnuts)
Ingredients for chocolate buttercream topping
4 egg yolks
1 egg
3 tbsp (18 g) cocoa powder
3 tbsp (37.5 g) sugar
250 g butter (room temperature)
150 g powdered sugar
Ingredients for chocolate glaze
50 g coconut butter
200 g dark chocolate
Preheat oven to 325°F.
To make the base, beat 2 eggs with 250 g powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in nuts. Pipe dough onto two prepared baking sheets into 1 ½-inch rounds. You should get about 40 – 50 rounds. Bake at 325°F for about 15 – 20 minutes.
To make the chocolate buttercream, combine the egg yolks, the egg, the cocoa, and the sugar. Stir until well combined over a water bath. Cool. Meanwhile, In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the cooled cocoa mixture.
Pipe the buttercream onto the nut bases and let them cool.
Melt the chocolate and coconut fat and dip cooled cookies to glaze.
1/2 small bulb fennel, cored and cut into large chunks
1 small celery, cut into large chunks
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 large shallot, cut into large chunks
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp curry powder
1 cup lentil, rinsed
1 quart homemade chicken stock, dilute with water depending on how concentrated you made it
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Optional: Mustard to taste
Optional: Worcestershire sauce to taste
Pulse the garlic and ginger in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the fennel, celery, carrot and shallot and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring until softened for about 3 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lentils, broth, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer, cover, and cook until the lentil are tender, 25 – 30 minutes.
Transfer 2/3rd of the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth in batches. Stir the puree back into the soup along with the remaining butter. Season to taste and adjust the consistency with water if necessary.
Heat sugar and water to melt the sugar, add vanilla. Add the nuts and coconut and slowly bring up to temperature until a thick paste forms. Set aside to cool.
Spread a layer of apricot jam onto the rolled out dough. Spread cooled nut mixture onto the apricot jam.
Bake at 350°F for 30 – 35 minutes.
Let cool on baking sheet. Once cooled cut into triangles and dip corners into tempered chocolate.
¼ cup/60 milliliters buttermilk, milk or water, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Sprinkles, toasted coconut flakes or chopped nuts, such as pecans, pistachios or hazelnuts, cardamom, whatever you like on your doughnut
Heat milk to 100°F. Whisk in the yeast and 1/2 tablespoon of the sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Combine the flour, yeast mixture, remaining sugar, salt, milk, butter, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until smooth (about 8 minutes).
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper. Brush a thin layer of vegetable oil on the paper. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop and divide into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round and then flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Place the rounds seam side down on the oiled paper. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. If you want to make doughnuts with a hole in the middle, use a 1 ¼-inch ring cutter, punch out the center of each circle. Those will be your doughnut holes.
Add 3 inches of oil to a deep pot. Attach Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Line a large platter or baking sheet with several layers of paper towels.
Working in batches, gently lower doughnuts into the oil. Fry on one side until deeply golden brown, about 1 – 2 minutes. Flip with tongs or a skimmer and continue to fry until golden brown and cooked through, another two minutes or so. Drain doughnuts on a wire rack lined with paper towels and proceed with remaining doughnuts, making sure the oil returns to temperature between batches.
To fill the doughnuts, place the jam in a bowl and stir it thoroughly so that there are no lumps. Scrape it into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Insert the tip into the soft spot of each doughnut and squeeze about 1 tsp. of the jam into the center. Serve immediately.
To make the vanilla glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract and salt until no lumps remain. Add additional buttermilk if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin the glaze.
Dip each doughnut into the glaze on one side, letting excess drip back into the bowl, and return it to the wire rack. Sprinkle immediately with sprinkles, chopped nuts or toasted coconut.
2 cups bread flour plus extra for flouring work surface
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vegetable oil spray for greasing bowl
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Powdered sugar for dusting
Heat milk to 110°F. Whisk in the yeast and 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, whisk together remaining sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. Switch to the dough hook and add yeast mixture and slightly warmed buttermilk and vanilla while mixing on low speed to moisten ingredients. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until dough comes together in a ball. Dough will still be wet and tacky.
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and transfer the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 hours.
Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface, sprinkle the top with flour and roll out into a large rectangle that’s approximately 1/3-inch. Use a sharp knife or pizza wheel to cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares.
Fill a Dutch oven or deep fryer with 2 inches of oil. Heat oil over medium heat to 350°F. Using a heat-resistant spatula or shallow, heat resistant strainer, carefully drop beignets in the oil. Be careful not to crowd the beignets in the pan (no more than 2 to 3 beignets at a time). After about a minute the dough will begin to puff up, turn the beignets and fry until deep golden brown on both sides (about 1-2 minutes per side, use the color as your guide keeping a close eye on keeping the oil temperature as constant as possible). Remove doughnuts immediately from the pan using a heat resistant strainer or tongs. Set on paper towel lined baking racks to cool. Once cooled slightly, heavily dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.
640 g (5 cups) all purpose flour + up to 1 cup for dusting
Filling
100 g (1 stick) unsalted butter softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp ground cardamom
Egg Washand Glaze (optional)
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
orange zest and juice from 1/2 orange
cardamom to taste
1.) Making the dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine water, melted butter and sugar. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand for about 8 minutes until foamy.
Add the eggs, milk powder and salt and stir everything together. Add 5 cups of flour, one cup at a time, stirring until a soft dough is formed. Turn it over into a floured surface and knead for about ten minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Use just enough flour from the remaining 1 cup during kneading until the dough is no longer sticky.
Shape kneaded dough into a ball and place back into the bowl for the first rise. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about an hour, until doubled in size.
2.) Making the filling
Stir together softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom until combined. Set aside.
3.) Assembling the buns
Roll dough into a 15×21 rectangle. With an offset pastry knife, spread the soft butter on the surface and sprinkle with sugar, cardamom and cinnamon. Starting on the short side of the dough, fold 1/3 of it into the center, then fold the other third over to center too, covering the first flap (letter fold). Roll the folded dough to 10 inches wide.
Cut 1/2 inch wide strips of dough so that folded side is on the top and bottom of the strip. You will be able to make about 16 strips. To assemble the rolls, take one strip, hold one end with your thumb and next three fingers. Wrap the strip around your fingers two times, covering the thumb as well, then pull the dough under and slip it through the opening where your thumb is. Pull it upwards and let it cross over the bun and tuck it in the other side.
5.) Final rise
Prepare 2 baking sheets with a Silpad or parchment paper. Place each roll on the sheets and cover loosely with a clean dish towel for another hour long rise.
6.) Baking
Preheat oven to 325°F. Make egg wash by combining an egg with 1 tbsp milk and brush it on the risen rolls before baking them. Sprinkle with a little sugar and bake for about 18 minutes until lightly golden.
7.) Glazing
Using a whisk, combine orange juice, zest, cardamom and powdered sugar in a medium sides bowl, stirring until it is uniform in consistency. Spread the glaze over your warm rolls.
Enjoy!
Variation: Meyer Lemon Buns
Instead of cardamom and cinnamon filling, use lemon.
100 g (1 stick) unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup sugar
Zest from 2 – 3 Meyer lemons
While the dough is rising, in a small bowl, mix together the sugar and lemon zest. Set aside. The sugar draws out moisture from the zests to create a wet sand consistency (so don’t be alarmed when you see this). Spread butter and lemon/sugar mixture on the rolled out dough (step 3 above). Proceed as outlined above.
