The Seasonal Baker

by Barricelli, John

• ISBN13: 9780307951878
• ISBN10: 0307951871
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-08-21
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Summary

Known for his delicious and gorgeous baked goods, John Barricelli of the SoNo Baking Company in Norwalk, Connecticut, has become a local celebrity. In The Seasonal Baker, he brings everyday baking with fruits and vegetables within reach for home cooks, offering 135 sweet and savory recipes for all seasons. John patiently walks readers through his recipes for breakfast treats, quick breads, poached fruits, cookies, pies, cakes, quiches, pizzas, and more. He shares his Pears "Belle Hélène," using the fall's bounty and including suggestions for how best to submerge fruit for poaching. His Strawberries Romanoff-perfect for summertime-comes with tips on how to gently clean the berries so they retain their beautiful shape. The Blueberry Cheesecake in Glass Jars offers a delightful, picnic-style presentation for company. He presents Joan's Carrot Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting and Spiced Pecans for a cozy winter treat. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon Cream are a hit with all ages, perfect for Thanksgiving when pumpkin harvest is in full swing. He steeps and softens sun-dried tomatoes for Cheese Focaccia with Summer Squash, and guides you through making Grilled Pizza with Figs and Ricotta, great from summer through early fall, and which can be made in the oven. In his follow-up to his acclaimed The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook, John showcases the diversity of the produce, keeping us connected to the seasons. He also includes a definitive shopping guide on how to buy and prepare fruits and vegetables, and how best to store them for later use. This rich collection of recipes, great for beginning bakers and pros alike, is accompanied by gorgeous four-color photography, as well as Barricelli's family stories. These are the recipes that he makes at home with his children, and they will inspire you to add his seasonal family favorites to your own standbys. Often simple enough for anyone to make, these dishes are mouthwateringly beautiful and approachable enough to make during the week. Through fall, winter, spring, and summer, this is the book you'll turn to again and again for recipes that feel like home.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 8
Ingredient Checklist	p. 15
Equipment Checklist	p. 16
Shopping Guide to Fruits and Vegetables	p. 18
Muffins, Quick Breads, Buns, and Other Breakfast Treats	p. 32
Just Fruit, Poached and Otherwise	p. 56
Cookies and Bars	p. 76
Fruit Pies and Tarts	p. 108
Cupcakes and Cakes	p. 146
Crisps, Cobblers, and Other Fruit Spoon Desserts	p. 196
Frozen Fruit Desserts	p. 216
Tarts, Quiches, Pastas, and More	p. 232
Focaccia and Pizza on the Grill	p. 256
Acknowledgments	p. 280
Sources	p. 281
Index	p. 282
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Peach-Raspberry Crisp
Serves 8
 
Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
2 pounds fresh peaches, halved, pitted, and sliced into ½-inch-thick wedges
2 (6-ounce) baskets raspberries
1⁄3 to ½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
 
1. Set the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set a 12 by 9-inch or 14 by 10-inch oval baking dish on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone baking mat.
 
2. To make the topping: In a medium bowl, use a fork to stir together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, quickly work it into the dry ingredients until pea-size crumbs form. Add the oats and toss gently. Set aside in the refrigerator.
 
3. In a medium bowl, toss together the peaches, raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt. Transfer to the gratin dish. Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the top.
 
4. Bake, rotating the baking sheet about two-thirds of the way through the baking time, until the juices bubble up and the topping is golden brown and very crisp, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.