I first learned about brioche in culinary school, and first began producing it when I worked in North Carolina. I never understood the appeal; all the brioche I tasted was pretty unappealing. As it turns out, that was because the formula didn’t call for enough salt. Once corrected, it became a much nicer product. And versatile! As a plain dough, brioche makes very nice dinner rolls, and upscale hamburger buns. But why stop there? I ran an onion poppy seed…
Hello friends! I just got back from a wonderful trip to Las Vegas. While it wasn’t a working trip, the baker in me never really turns off. Every time I saw a pastry display, I geeked out and took pictures. Photos to follow, in an upcoming post. As of this morning, I hadn’t baked anything in over a week, and I was jonesing to get back in my kitchen. So at 6 a.m. there I was, preheating the oven and…
Bear claws deserve to be more popular. They have this fantastic shape, one that allows a little bit of the filling to escape from the inside, giving a preview of what’s to come. Plus, the naturally smooth top of the pastry begs for some extra adornments. Some coarse sugar, crisp topping, or chopped nuts do a great job adding visual appeal, and should be added before baking. After baking, a dusting of powdered sugar, or some striping with water fondant…
Hello everyone, and welcome to my blog! There’s not much I love more than baking, and this is definitely a baking blog. Within the world of baking, my favorite food to produce is viennoiserie, that amazing combination of yeast and pastry. Y’all know what I’m talking about: Danish pastries overflowing with fruit, or cheese; blistery croissants so flaky they shatter in your mouth; and cinnamon rolls that melt like butter on the tongue. Unfortunately, many otherwise-skilled bakers avoid these items, viewing the…