Pipe Dream #344: To Be a Bad Moon Rising – Pear Whole-Wheat Crumb Cake

I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin’.
I see those bad times today.

I don’t know why this cake brought CCR lyrics about the moon to mind.

Maybe it is because is is perfectly circular.

Maybe it is because its surface was pitted like the moon.

Maybe it is because it rose to my expectations.

It will cause earthquakes and lightning in your heart. It won’t signal trouble on the way.

Only good times can come of this. Provided you include orange zest or some other spices in the crumble. It wasn’t flavorless, per se, and the interesting ingredients gave this cake a lot of depth, but I thought it could have used a little something more.

Good times,

Lauren

Pear Whole-Wheat Crumb Cake

Adapted from Huckleberry

For the crumb:

1/2 cup/110 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons/55 g almond flour

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons/20 g rolled oats

1/4 cup/50 g granulated sugar

1/4 cup/30 g whole-wheat flour

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons oat flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup/20 g sliced almonds

For the cake:

3/4 cup/170 g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature

1 cup/200 g granulated sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups/160 g all-purpose flour

3/4 cup/55 g oat flour

1/4 cup/25 g almond flour

3 tablespoons rye flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup/240 ml whole Greek yogurt

3 pears, peeled and thickly sliced

To make the topping: In a bowl, combine the butter, almond flour, oats, granulated sugar, whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour, brown sugar, salt, and sliced almonds and blend with your fingertips until homogenous. Refrigerate until needed.

To make the cake: Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350°F/180°C. Grease a 10-in/25-cm round springform pan.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Incorporate the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl well. Pause mixing and add the all-purpose flour, wheat germ, almond flour, rye flour, baking powder, baking soda, yogurt, and orange zest. Mix cautiously, just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and cover evenly with the pears. Top with the crumble, allowing a little fruit to poke through. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan.

Run a knife around the cake in the springform, then remove the outer portion of the pan. Gently slide the cake onto a serving plate, being careful not to break the cake. This tasted even better second day.

Pipe Dream #343: To Let Experience Be a Good Teacher – Bacon Parmesan Muffins

In my experience, trying to tell people what’s good is a futile exercise. They will learn their own lessons regardless of what you say. It’s probably a good thing.

Here is a recipe you should try if you haven’t already used up all the bacon in your house from making those maple bacon biscuits six times this week. I actually hated the holey, knobbly texture. Like literally every recipe from the Huckleberry cookbook that is not a biscuit or the whole wheat pear crumb cake (yes, that’s coming your way shortly), this recipe was WAY OFF. I don’t even know what to make of it. But I couldn’t deprive you of this flavor combination. It reminds me of the ham and cheese cornbread from last year. Go for that if you want dense and salty and rich. Maybe chuck in some chives this time for green. The rosemary sprigs are just for looks. Don’t eat that unless you want to gag and be labeled a cRaZy homie.

If you want individual muffins, go for it. Like what I’ve said has ever stopped you before.

Teaching,

Lauren

Bacon Parmesan Muffins

Adapted from Huckleberry

6 tablespoons butter, cubed, room temperature

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 eggs

3/4 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons rye flour

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 cup canola oil

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1/2 cup (70 grams) Parmesan cheese, cubed

1/4 cup (35 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated

11 slices cooked bacon, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons bacon fat from cooked bacon

1/4 cup fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped

Rosemary for garnish

Prreheat to 400°F/ 200°C. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with 15 paper liners, spacing them evenly between the two pans.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt for 1 to 2 minutes until nice and fluffy. Incorporate the eggs slowly, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, rye flour, and baking powder and mix until incorporated. Add the canola oil, maple syrup, and buttermilk. Scrape the mixer bowl well, making sure everything is well incorporated. Add all the diced Parmesan, and half of the grated Parmesan, the bacon, and chives. Mix just until dispersed, folding by hand to be sure.

Fill the muffin cups to the very top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp Parmesan evenly over the muffins. Bake for about 15 minutes, until nicely browned but not overbaked inside. Garnish with chopped rosemary.

Pipe Dream #342: To Go Ham – Sticky Toffee Pudding

The first time I ever had a sticky toffee pudding was in a small gypsy pub on a dreary day in Northern England. The sky was dim and the rain was sheeting when my friend and I set out on our little Saturday adventure. As we trekked along, we grabbed at our hoods to keep the wind from whipping them off, while the muddy road became more and more difficult to navigate. By the time, we arrived in town, we were more than ready for a comforting meal. We had chicken soup and this pudding (which is British for cake).

There are dates in it, cry me a river of tears. It is the best, most moist cake, with a caramel flavor and EXTRA SAUCE. It brings me loads of nostalgic feelings and homey associations, and there is a reason it is a classic British staple cake. If it’s raining where you are, go ham on this one, lads.

Went ham. Going ham,

L

P.S. Went ham is my new favorite phrase, and I can’t even apologize.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Find the recipe at smittenkitchen.