Sticky Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

The first signs of autumn have arrived in D.C. and I am in a baking mood!  So I pulled out my Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day cookbook and started drooling over recipes.

There are several different no-knead bread recipes you can make from scratch (these recipes are SO easy... all you need is patience to let the dough rise... and I, of all people, know patience is usually the hardest to come by when you want fresh-baked deliciousness right out of the oven).  So you can use the simple master recipe OR the AMAZING, buttery, calorie-packed brioche recipe from the book (What? 8 eggs and 3 sticks of butter??? Mmmm... believe me, it's worth it!)

This is what it looks like when it comes out of the oven...

This is what it looks like when you flip it onto the plate...

And this is what it looks like before you devour your first piece and try not the eat the rest (because you remember all the butter, sugar and eggs!)

The best thing is that the bread recipe makes at least 2 more loaves that you can keep in the fridge for a week or freeze.  I froze my extra dough because I wanted to fit into my pants this winter but I'm definitely making this again... maybe for Christmas when there are more people around to share the calories!

Brioche Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
7 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast, salt, eggs honey and melted butter with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or lidded (not airtight) food container.

Mix in the flour, using a spoon until all of the flour is incorporated.

Cover (not airtight), and allow to sit at room temperature for about two hours.

Sticky Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

INGREDIENTS

The Dough
A cantaloupe sized chunk of dough (about 1.5 lbs)

The Gooey Sticky Caramel Topping
6 tbl unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
30 pecan halves

The Heavenly Sweet Cinnamon Butter Filling
4 tbl unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped and toasted pecans
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

On baking day, cream together the butter, salt and brown sugar. Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan. Scatter the pecans over the butter-sugar mixture and set aside. (Note: If you have a pan with high sides, that might work best. Otherwise, place a pan (disposable or not) on the rack below your pan to catch the spillage.

Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1.5 lb piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 1/8-inch thick rectangle. As you roll out the dough, use enough flour to prevent it from sticking to the work surface but not so much as to make the dough dry. If the dough is being stubborn, let it sit for 20 minutes, then come back to it with the rolling pin.

Cream together the butter, sugar and spices. Spread evenly over the rolled-out dough and sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Starting with the long side, roll the dough into a log. If the dough is too soft to cut, let it chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. With a serrated knife, cut the log into 8 equal pieces and arrange over the pecans in the prepared, with the “swirled” edge facing upward. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise 1 hour.

Bake buns about 40 minutes or until golden brown and well set in center. While still hot, run a knife around the inside of the pan to release the caramel rolls, and invert immediately onto a serving dish. If you let them sit too long, they will stick to the pan and be difficult to turn out.

Curried Lamb Potpie

Autumn has arrived... and we could think of no better dish to celebrate the crisp weather and early setting sun.  It was in this month's Food & Wine and Michael wasted no time trying out this delicious recipe.

It doesn't look like a traditional Marie Calendar pot pie, but believe me... it's better!  The crust and the filling are just as delicious as they look!

We hope your first weekend of Autumn is off to a good start!

INGREDIENTS
Pastry
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/4 cup ice water

Curry
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds trimmed boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1-inch dice (10 ounces)
2 cups chopped Tuscan kale
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

MAKE THE PASTRY
In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt. Add the butter; pulse to the size of peas. Sprinkle the ice water over and pulse until the pastry starts to come together. On a work surface, gently knead the pastry a few times. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 1 1/2 hours.

MAKE THE CURRY
In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and add half to the casserole. Cook over high heat until browned on 2 sides, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a bowl; repeat with 1 more tablespoon of oil and the remaining lamb. Pour off the oil in the casserole.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the lamb to the casserole. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the flour, then slowly stir in the wine until smooth. Add the stock and bring to a boil, stirring, until thickened, 1 minute. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lamb is very tender, 1 hour. Add the squash, kale, carrot and coconut milk to the casserole and simmer over moderately low heat until the vegetables are tender, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spoon the curry into a buttered 8-by-11-inch baking dish. Brush the dish rim with beaten egg. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 14-by-12-inch rectangle. Fold the pastry in half, unfold it over the curry, and gently press onto the edge of the dish. Brush with beaten egg; cut 4 small steam vents in the top.

Bake the potpie for 40 minutes. Raise the heat to 450°; bake for 20 minutes longer, until the pastry is browned and cooked through. Let rest for 20 minutes, then serve.

Warm Chocolate Budino

So it was our wedding anniversary yesterday.  Can you believe it's been 3 years already?  We totally can't.  It's crazy how time flies when you're having fun!

So as usual, Michael cooked a delicious dinner featuring bison filets and I made a new chocolate dessert!  It was not very difficult to make and REALLY super yummy (totally my style!).  Who would think to serve this soft, rich, not-too-dense chocolate cake with drizzled olive oil and salted roasted almonds???  Food & Wine of course!  Definitely worth a try for those chocolate lovers out there.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/3 cup sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Hot water
Salted roasted almonds and vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and baking powder. Chop the chocolate and, in a large microwave-safe bowl, heat it with the butter at high power in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the dry ingredients until evenly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Set the cake pan in a small roasting pan. Transfer the roasting pan to the center of the oven. Carefully pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to reach one-third of the way up the side of the cake pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the budino is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Transfer the cake pan to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the budino and invert it onto a plate. Peel off the paper and invert the budino again. Cut into wedges and serve with roasted almonds and vanilla ice cream drizzled with olive oil.