Orange Poppy Seed Challah

I was in the mood to bake bread. On a weeknight. On a night when I didn't get home from work until 7:30pm. The baking project probably wouldn't start until 8pm. So I wasn't feeling too adventurous; I mean, if the bread got challenging and had unexpected fancy technique involved, I might be up really late...on a work night.

Enter: challah. Challah is something I can practically do in my sleep. So all that was left was choosing a challah recipe. I decided on a challah from Marlene Sorosky's Jewish holidays cookbook. And I was inspired by a note she had at the end of the recipe for alternative flavors to traditional challah. I tweaked the orange date alternative she had listed there, and the same old tried and true plain jane loaf quickly became orange poppy seed challah! It just so happened I had orange juice and an orange in my fridge.

The little flecks of orange peeking out of the shaped, risen, ready-to-bake dough got me excited. The aroma of baking bread combined with the citrus in this special version made my place smell amazing. Slicing through the cooled, baked bread, the orange flecks are still apparent. The taste is definitely citrusy, but not over the top in any way. The crumb is perfect, and I'd describe it as feathery rather than chewy or gummy bread. My mom had the brilliant idea to take slices of this orange poppy seed loaf and make french toast sandwiches with a layer of cream cheese and a layer of orange marmalade in between. The thought of that makes me salivate.

To turn a conventional challah into something extra special, try this orange poppy seed version. It will be even better if you knead in a cup of chopped semi-sweet chocolate. I think I'll do that next time.


Orange Poppy Seed Challah
Adapted from a recipe by Marlene Sorosky in Fast & Festive Meals for the Jewish Holidays

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus about 1/2 cup more
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, beaten then divided
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup orange juice, preferably pulp-free
Zest of one medium-size orange, grated
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Poppy seeds for topping

To make the dough, in a small bowl, combine yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until foamy.

In a large mixing bowl with beaters, mix 3 1/2 cups flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar on low speed until combined.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs until frothy and then measure out 1 tablespoon to place in a separate tiny bowl to reserve for the egg wash when it comes time to bake the challah. Add the egg (all but the 1 tablespoon reserved) to the flour mixture. Then add the foamy yeast mixture to the flour. Add the boiling water, orange juice, grated orange peel, and oil, and mix for a few minutes on medium-low speed. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Switch to the dough hook and add flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth and elastic. You shouldn't need more than about a half a cup of flour for this. You can also do this by hand; just be sure the board and your hands are well-floured and try not to touch the dough with your fingers. Kneading in the mixer will take about 8 minutes but watch it closely because you don't want to overmix it thereby introducing too much gluten into the dough. Transfer the kneaded dough from the mixer onto the dough board and gently knead it for another minute so it forms a nice ball. Kneading by hand will take about 12 minutes.

For the first rise, spray a large bowl with Pam, place dough inside so the bottom of the dough is greased, and then flip the dough so the other side is greased, too. Cover with a lightly dampened towel and place in a warm, draft-free place until double in bulk, 60 to 90 minutes. When you poke the dough with your finger, an imprint should remain. Punch dough down, remove to a lightly floured board, and knead until smooth and shiny, about 2 minutes.

To shape into a long braid, divide dough into 3 pieces. With your hands, roll each piece into a long, smooth rope, about 20 inches long by 3/4 inch wide. Place on a greased baking sheet or silicone baking mat. To braid, bring left rope under center rope and lay it down. Bring right rope under new center rope and lay it down. Repeat to end. Pinch ends and tuck under to seal. If you want to finish the challah tomorrow, you can refrigerate the loaf overnight at this point. If chilled, the second rising will take at least twice as long.

For second rising, let loaf rise at room temperature, covered, in a draft-free place until double in bulk; about 45 minutes if at room temperature, at least 1 1/2 hours if chilled overnight.

To bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush loaf with the 1 tablespoon beaten egg you had reserved (you can use a pastry brush or your finger) and sprinkle poppy seeds on top right away (the egg wash will dry quickly and then the seeds won't stick). Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. If crust starts to get dark before the bread is done baking, cover loosely with foil for remainder of baking time. With a giant spatula, remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack. Cooled bread may be stored at room temperature, sealed in a plastic bag overnight, or frozen.

Makes 1 loaf.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and warm water and let stand a few minutes until foamy...

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and the one tablespoon sugar, then add the eggs...

Then add the foamy yeast mixture to the flour...

Zest the orange...

Add the zest, orange juice, boiling water, and oil to the flour...

Switch to the dough hook and add a tablespoon at a time of flour until the dough starts to pull away from the bowl and becomes smooth and elastic...

Knead on a dough board to form a ball...

Place in a greased bowl, then turn dough over to grease other side...

Let rise, covered, about 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled in size...

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into three pieces...

Roll each piece into a log and place all three strands on a baking sheet...

Shape into a braid on the baking sheet (I started in the center and worked outward in one direction and reverse braid in the other, in order to create a more even-looking loaf)...

Tuck the ends under and pinch to seal...

Cover and let double in size, about 45 minutes...

Brush with the reserved beaten egg, then sprinkle with poppy seeds...

Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes. Cover with foil during baking if the loaf gets dark too quickly...

Let cool completely, then slice and serve!

The Iguana Cookbook and Other Weird Cookbooks I Admittedly Do Not Own...YET

At various times, I've mentioned my extensive collection of cookbooks. Hundreds and hundreds of them. But not until today have I seen a list of cookbooks where I do not own a single one. That's because The Huffington Post has compiled quite the list! A list they call "The Most WTF Cookbooks of All Time."

You have got to take a look at their slideshow of cookbook covers! From a serial killer's cookbook to trailer park down home cooking to cooking with iguanas and a book dedicated exclusively to testicles. And lots of other random, unusual cookbooks.

Now my cookbook collection, as large as it is, feels a bit boring! Maybe I should start eating iguana. Where does one purchase a cooking iguana? And are they kosher?

Oh-No-She-Didn't Avocado Ice Cream

Way back in March, I asked around for suggestions on what to do with a bunch of avocados I had acquired from a coworker. I received some very strange suggestions, like avocado pudding, avocado cupcakes, and avocado milkshakes. But the most common suggestion was avocado ice cream. Really guys? Look what you've gone and made me do!


Mitchell's Ice Cream in San Francisco has a famous one. So it couldn't be that bad, right? I went online to research avocado ice cream recipes. I looked at forums, blogs, and recipe websites. A lot of online reviews complained of the ice cream tasting like rotten bananas. That scared me. It's one thing if one person makes that comment and has a strange taste experience, but when multiple people say the same negative thing, and about completely different avocado ice cream recipes? That's when the red flag appears. I got to thinking, yeesh, what if pureed avocados mixed with milk and sugar do taste like rotten bananas? It would be a bizarre discovery, but also a fascinating one!


I looked for tips on how to make the ice cream more pleasing to the tastebuds, and ultimately decided to modify Alton Brown's recipe to eliminate any chance of it tasting like rotten bananas. I added a pinch of salt to his recipe, as well as increased the quantity of sugar significantly.

The result is an amazingly creamy ice cream. The high fat content in avocados negates any need for eggs and requires much less heavy cream than most ice cream recipes. The color is a beautiful light, sort of milky, green. And let's talk about taste. No essence of rotten banana. Hooray! But weird? Yes! It definitely tastes like avocado, which is strange, but fortunately, I added enough sugar to mask any offensive or overwhelming taste. It's refreshing, and friends discussed with me how this recipe might be used alongside the meal, rather than as dessert. Think of it as frozen guacamole. You can't dip chips in it, but maybe a small scoop would be the perfect accompaniment for enchiladas, or served as an amuse bouche before the main course.

I admit, there's a lot left in my freezer, but that's because when given the option, my friends are going to go for my chocolate or vanilla ice cream over something so unconventional. Still, they all tried the avocado flavor and were pleasantly surprised! Maybe the trick is to add chocolate chips or a swirl of fudge ripple so I can finish off the batch once and for all! Any takers then?


Avocado Ice Cream
Adapted from Alton Brown's recipe in the Good Eats episode "Curious Yet Tasty Avocado Experiment"

12 ounces avocado meat, 3 to 4 small to medium
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup - 1 cup sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream

Peel and pit the avocados. Add the avocados, lemon juice, milk, salt, and sugar to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a medium mixing bowl, then add the heavy cream and whisk to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and place the mixture into the refrigerator to chill overnight.

Process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. For soft ice cream, serve immediately. If desired, place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours for firmer texture.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Peel and pit the avocados. Place in the food processor...

Add lemon juice, milk, salt, and sugar..

Puree until smooth...

Pour the mixture through a strainer into a medium bowl...

Add the heavy cream...

Whisk to combine, then cover and chill overnight in the fridge...

Churn in the ice cream maker, then serve as is or place in the freezer to set more...

Be brave. Try it! :-)

Miniature Chile Frittatas

I've been on a creative salad kick. Practically every night lately, I've been making my own salads at home, where I keep experimenting with different fruits, vegetables, nuts, cheeses, and other toppings to mix in. My current obsession is thinly sliced apple, dried cranberries, feta cheese, carrots, celery, and my friend's homemade spicy challah croutons all on a bed of romaine lettuce and a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Maldon sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. So far so good, right? Well, the only thing missing from this salad craze is the word "comfort." As delicious as these salads are, they aren't comfort food and I'm not sinking my teeth into something soft or chewy or substantial.


The perfect addition to a main course salad is a little slice of quiche or...this miniature chile frittata! The recipe comes from the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park, a place I remember fondly for its beautiful gardens. It's so easy to make these I'd wager just about anyone could do it. There's very little technique involved, aside from, perhaps, identifying when they're done baking.

This frittata is a dairy frittata, stuffed to the brim with Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses and cottage cheese. If you're making this for a dairy Shabbat (because yes, dairy meals are awesome!), it would go great with a salmon main course. You stir in diced green chiles, which, just to clarify, are NOT very spicy, and there are five eggs, but to cut down on the unhealthy factor, I used Egg Beaters for three of the five eggs. Worked like a charm! The result is an adorable, fits-in-your-hand mini frittata with flecks of green and red and a golden hue from the cheese on the surface. Best of all, it screams "comfort"!


Miniature Chile Frittatas
Recipe adapted from Tastes, Tales and Traditions, presented by the Palo Alto Auxiliary For Children
Makes about 40 mini muffin-sized frittatas or about 16 regular muffin-sized frittatas

1 cup small curd cottage cheese
5 eggs, beaten (I used 3 Egg Beaters eggs and 2 regular)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (I substituted a few drops of Tapatio hot sauce instead)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 (4-ounce) cans diced mild green chiles, drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese or a mixture of Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese or lite shredded cheese mixture
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Blend the cottage cheese in a food processor or mixer until smooth (I actually left some lumps; it doesn't matter).

Add the eggs, flour, cayenne pepper (or hot sauce) and salt. Do NOT add the baking powder yet. Beat until well blended.

Stir in the butter, chiles and cheese.

Chill, covered, for 2 to 24 hours before baking. I waited about 3 hours and the mixture was perfectly thickened and set.

Line the muffin pan with paper liners or spray the muffin pan directly with Pam. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the baking powder to the chilled mixture and mix well.

Spoon 1 tablespoonful of batter into each muffin cup if using a mini muffin pan; fill 3/4 full if using a regular size muffin pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for miniature muffin pan, 20 to 24 minutes for regular size pan, or until frittatas are puffed and golden brown. Let stand until slightly cool; run a sharp knife around each frittata to loosen. Serve hot or at room temperature.

If you want, you can bake the frittatas ahead. Just cool completely before wrapping tightly. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat in a preheated 350-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Mix the cottage cheese until you get rid of most of the lumps...

Add the eggs, flour, cayenne, and salt...

Beat until well blended...

Add the butter, cheese, and chiles, then chill, covered, for 2 to 24 hours...

Take the mixture out of the fridge and stir in the baking powder...

Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full...

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes...

Let cool, then enjoy!

Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream

My Uncle Gary recently suggested I make a butter pecan ice cream with Kentucky bourbon. He has an incredible sweet tooth that is practically unmatched, though I think my mom (his sister!) could give him a run for his money. We have yet to put that to the test, but I will say, this obsession with baked goods and sweet things definitely runs in the family.

I saw this Butterscotch Pecan recipe in David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop, which called for scotch whisky, and I was on my way to sort-of fulfilling my uncle's request! The funny thing is, while looking to see if I had scotch whisky in stock, I also discovered I had Kentucky bourbon, and a whole lot of other liquor. I'm not really a drinker, but my liquor cabinet is pretty impressive. Mostly so I have every option under the sun to bake with! You never know when a recipe will call for a tablespoon of brandy or a splash of sherry, a little tequila or a capful of amaretto. I've got it all! Pastry chefs across America would be proud.

Uncle Gary, my inspiration for making this ice cream. I wish I could mail him some!
And by the way, he happens to be ordering ice cream in this photo!

This butterscotch pecan ice cream is fantastic. Don't expect it to taste like those suckable butterscotch candies. It's more of a brown sugar-butter flavor with nuts, or what most people call butter pecan. You prepare the pecans separately first and then toss them into the ice cream maker during the final moments of churning. I've served this to several friends now, and it is quite a crowd-pleaser! Try it!


Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream
Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz in The Perfect Scoop
Makes about 1 1/4 quarts

5 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon scotch whisky
Buttered Pecans - see recipe below

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar and salt. Whisk in 1 cup of the cream (you'll still have 1 cup remaining) and all of the milk.

Warm this brown sugar and cream mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour a tiny bit of the warm brown sugar mixture into the egg yolks (maybe a few tablespoons, one tablespoon at a time, but do not add ALL of the mixture into the egg yolks), whisking constantly, then scrape all the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coast the spatula (you've just made custard!). Pour the custard through the strainer that's resting on top of the bowl with cream, then stir. Add the vanilla and scotch, and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (I recommend a full 24 hours), then churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. During the last minute or so of churning, add the Buttered Pecans that you prepared ahead. I tend to prefer to chill my ice cream in the freezer and let it set more, but you can also serve this ice cream straight from the machine and it will be very soft serve.

Buttered Pecans
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a skillet (the microwave works just fine!). Remove from the heat and toss the pecans with the melted butter until well coated, then sprinkle with the salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with foil and toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once during baking. Watch to make sure you don't burn the nuts.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

To add the buttered pecans to the ice cream, chop them coarsely and add them to 1 quart of ice cream during the last minute of churning, or you can just sprinkle them over when serving the ice cream.

Note: Buttered Pecans can be stored for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the sugar and salt...

Whisk in 1 cup of the cream and the milk...

Add a little bit of this warmed cream-sugar mixture into the egg yolks, then pour all of the warmed egg yolks into the saucepan and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spatula and make a custard...

Pour the cream-sugar-egg mixture through a strainer into a bowl containing the remaining cream over an ice bath, then add the vanilla and scotch whisky...

To make the Buttered Pecans, first melt the butter...

Toss the pecans in the butter to coat, then sprinkle with the salt...

Bake the nuts for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees F...

Churn the ice cream in the ice cream maker, and toss in the buttered pecans during the last minute of churning, then freeze the ice cream in a container until set...

Enjoy!