A New Way to Bake: Classic Recipes Updated with Better-for-You Ingredients from the Modern Pantry

512 Pages·2017·146.16 MB·English

by  Editors of Martha Stewart Living

Contents
FOREWORD by Martha Stewart
Breakfast
Cookies, Brownies, and Bars
Pies, Tarts, Crisps, and Cobblers
Cakes and Cupcakes
Breads and Rolls
The Basics
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
FOREWORD
If you’ve ever kneaded a soft, fragrant mound of yeast dough, mixed up
a batch of biscuits, or crumbled streusel over coffee cake batter, you will
understand why I am extolling the virtues of this, our newest cookbook,
A New Way to Bake. From cover to cover, this book fulfills its promise to
provide you with extraordinary recipes and information about
alternative ways to bake old favorites. Using a new repertoire of grains,
flours, and sweeteners, your muffins, pancakes, cookies, and tarts will
taste different, and you, the baker, will learn a whole new vocabulary.
Millet and amaranth, buckwheat and spelt, seeds and nuts, among many
ingredients, will transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, and your
family will experience tastes and textures heretofore unknown.
During the development phase of the recipes in this book, I made a
point of visiting the test kitchen on a daily basis to savor and enjoy
unusually delicious creations fresh from the ovens. It was impossible to
choose my favorites because each and every recipe was unique,
flavorful, beautifully complex, and positively wholesome.
For those of you trying to cut back on the use of white flour, you will be
pleasantly surprised how other grains can easily take its place, resulting
in pleasurable surprises like graham-flour tart crust, spelt blondies,
yeasted whole-wheat waffles, or vegan French toast. And the special
section devoted to easy cake finishes, chocolate varieties, and glossaries
of grains and sweeteners will prove a valuable addition to your
cookbook library. Enjoy yourself as you explore this “new way to bake”!
cookbook library. Enjoy yourself as you explore this “new way to bake”!
BAKING FROM THE MODERN
PANTRY
1 Seek out the best ingredients.
Opt for minimally processed whole-grain flours, full-fat milks
and yogurts, natural sugars, and organic eggs whenever
possible. You can find small-batch, artisan-made items—like
freshly milled flours and traditional buttermilk—at farmers’
markets and specialty grocers. Likewise, choose locally
grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Buy whole spices and
grind them yourself. Remember that the best ingredients will
produce the best-tasting baked goods, every time.
2 Store things well.
Whole-grain flours, nuts, and seeds all contain fat, which
makes them prone to rancidity. To extend their shelf life,
keep them in resealable plastic bags in a cool, dry place—or
better yet, in your freezer or refrigerator. To check for
freshness, sniff the ingredient: Grains, nuts, and seeds should
smell sweet, never rancid.
3 Make it your own.
With the wider availability of alternative flours, milks,
sweeteners, and oils, the rules of baking are constantly being
revised and rewritten. Think of these recipes as great
jumping-off points; don’t be afraid to play around to create
something distinctly your own. (Use the chart on this page as
a guide.) Try swapping in a small amount of one type of flour
or sweetener for another, and pay attention to the
differences. Keep a record of changes in taste or texture.
Start out with small tweaks, then slowly increase or decrease
the proportions as you like.
4 Take your time.
Baking should never be rushed, especially when working with
many of the ingredients featured in this book. Some whole-
grain flours can take longer to hydrate than all-purpose. Pie
doughs, which are always chilled before rolling, will benefit
from a longer rest when they are made with whole grains
than those made with all-purpose flour. It’s an optional step,
but if you have the time, let muffin and quickbread batters
rest for 15 minutes before baking; the results will be more
moist and fine-textured. And letting yeasted bread rise slowly
overnight allows it to develop a more complex flavor.
5 Keep freshness in mind.
Most recipes indicate how far ahead a recipe can be
prepared. Sometimes that means making different
components at different times, then combining and
assembling just before serving. Follow these suggestions as
you bake, so you are sure to present—and enjoy—baked
goods when they will taste their very best.
Breakfast
Gluten-Free Quinoa Pancakes
Whole-Wheat Pancakes
Chickpea-Vegetable Pancakes
Vegan Banana-Oat Pancakes
Vegan French Toast
Buckwheat Waffles
Overnight Yeasted Granola Waffles
Double-Apple Bran Muffins
Blueberry Muffins
Blackberry–Oat Bran Muffins
Cranberry-Almond Muffins
Parsnip-Rosemary Muffins
Corn Muffins
Quinoa Crumb Cakes with Pecans and Dates
Double-Chocolate Rye Muffins
Sprouted Spelt Banana-Nut Muffins
Spiced Apple and Oat Scones