Happy 2014! I’m kicking off the new year making my second favorite pastry dough, puff pastry. It loses out to pate a choux for the sole reason that it takes SO LONG to make. I’m specifically talking about inactive time, which may not sound bad but when it is in intervals, 2 hours each x 4 in this particular recipe, you really need a day at home for this project. Perfect snowed-in activity.
Gracing the front cover of the Model Bakery cookbook are the Napa bakery’s famous English muffins. I’ve made muffins before but they look authentically like store-bought ones versus these golden puffy pillows that sell out every morning at the downtown St Helena shop.
When I tasted my first Model Bakery muffin it was unlike anything I’ve ever had – this is how it’s supposed to taste? – I thought. The muffin had been in the freezer for about a week and I placed in a toaster oven to re-crisp. It was so flaky, crisp and buttery. Thank goodness for the book, because I had to have them, at any time I wanted. Lucky for me, shortly after my experiment I got to meet the owners of the bakery so I could see firsthand how the muffins were made and get some tips in the process. So here we go, my muffin adventure!
Speculoos cookies are similar to gingersnaps but the spice here being cinnamon. These are a great alternative to the traditional spice or gingerbread cookie because they are more mild and they don’t have that strong molasses flavor.
These Halloween treats are decadent versions of s’mores with a Speculoos cookie brim (delicious on it’s own), piped homemade marshmallow for the point and a chocolate covering to give them a wicked look.
