Andrea is staying cozy in the kitchen by baking sourdough bread with her new “old” starter. Passed on by a friend, the sourdough has traveled from Spain and has been through four generations of bakers! She loves the flavor and history it gives to her favorite no-knead, cast-iron bread.
Meantime, Stefin reminds listeners that the Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies introduced in Episode 45 are a perfect way to celebrate National Apple Month. If you’re looking for a portable, delicious, slightly naughty (but mostly healthy) breakfast or snack on the go, look no further!
Pumpkin. Cake. Donut. Three words your hosts dearly love! This easy and quick fall treat was a hit on both sides of the pond, though both gals were a bit put off by the “mystery of the disappearing cinnamon sugar.” Andrea believes some of her donuts were too warm, causing the sugar to melt. Stefin thinks they’re best eaten the day they’re made so the sugar doesn’t sink into the top of the donut. So, to avoid two very unappetizing words (clammy and moist) shake your donuts while they’re still warm (not hot), and eat them all in one go!
Listeners: When making homemade, do you prefer to bake or fry donuts?
To celebrate National Cookbook Month, both hosts are challenging themselves to recipes they’ve never made before. Andrea is trying a Valencia Orange Cake from Melissa Forti’s The Italian Baker, and is literally singing the praises of the key ingredient. This so delights Stefin she forgets the prime reason she’s chosen her own recipe (Victoria Sponge from Lucy’s Bakes) — there’s no measuring! She’ll be pulling out the kitchen scale and playing with proportions for this classic English teatime treat.
Speaking of treats, Andrea has a review of Ottolenghi’s new cookbook, Sweet, which is chockablock with delightful recipes, baking philosophies, tips and techniques. Most of the recipes are better suited for a long, leisurely bake (not a weeknight), and Andrea appreciated that there were 20 “naturally” gluten free recipes, as well as 13 cakes with fruit and five with booze! Also, Sweet addresses the difference between U.S. and U.K. cream cheese, which has complicated Stefin’s life (U.K. cream cheese is much softer than U.S. “block style” cream cheese) though suggestions for what to do about those differences are a little vague. (Stefin plans to check out the U.K. edition to see if that helps.)
Finally, Stefin gives a shout-out to all the listeners who weighed in on their favorite cookbooks. From the tried-and- true to the truly humorous, thanks to everyone who took the time to share!
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