SWEET TOOTH

I have a sweet tooth that incentivizes my desire to bake and I refuse to buy any supermarket or packaged products.

We were so lucky to have the experience of ethnic bakeries - French, Italian, Greek, Portugese - growing up - and worked in them packaging pastries by the dozen and cookies by the pound. Unfortunately box stores led to the demise of the local bakery because when you move shoppers off villege streets and into chains stores and malls, you eliminate the possiblility of Mom and Pop venues on any level.

I recently had a conversation about baking for Thanksgiving with the holiday coming up, and when asked what they bake and how they do it - the answers I got were canned pumpkins for pumpkin pie and Pillsbury refrigerated dough in the red box. This is undoubtedly a big seller. I will list below my pumpkin pie recipe using heirloom pumpkin (preferably Marina di Chioggia) or any dense flesh type, ask your farmer what they recommend. And for the pie crust, use the Pasta Frolla or another pie crust from scratch - it really is not hard, so long as you prebake it with dried beans to hold the shape of it. Even if you don't bake yourself, look for home bakers and farmers that make something from scratch. The Amish farmers make alot of money on baked goods so it is a good way to support every farmer year round. We offer these baked goods at our farm store as time permits.

For me, home baking is key. These are simple recipes with good results along with the original source where you can read instructions on "how to". I hope to be able to supplement our farm income as the Amish do with our own Sweet Tooth Bakery. Happy Sweets!!
Pinched Orange Macaroons
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/orange-macaroons?lnc=4ef2dc5bfca40110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD

2 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus more for rolling and coating
1 pound almond paste
Zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

Alternate
http://foodandstyle.wordpress.com/
these are called sienese almond cookies

Buddy's Biscotti - twice cooked!
I prefer recipes without butter, these are such...named for one of my hound dogs - they have a big appetite, like me!
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 flour
salt and baking soda-I use self rising flour
2 eggs
1 cup dried fruit
vanilla
bake at 350 for 20 min, slice and lay cut side down - bake again crisp/golden brown
Alternate
1 1/3 Cups Dried cranberries (approx 4 ounces)
peel from one orange finely grated
2 ½ Cups Unbleached all-purpose flour (stir the flour and spoon it into
the measuring cup and level it off. Do not pack it into the cup.) Set aside additional flour for bench flour to turn out the dough and form a loaf
1 Cup Granulated sugar
½ Teaspoon Baking soda
½ Teaspoon Double acting baking powder
½ Teaspoon Fine sea salt
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 Cup Shelled natural pistachio/almonds or other nuts*
Biscotti allow you to be creative - with nuts, dried fruit, and spice combinations...

Cinnamon rolls
1 pkg yeast
3 tbls sugar
1/2 cup warm water
combine these 3 items to activate yeast

3 cups flour
salt and baking soda
1 cup sour cream
vanilla extract
cinnamon
2 tbls melted butter
-knead dough
rollout and brush with melted butter(tbls) brown sugar(1 cup) half and half (3tbls) and vanilla extract
roll up and cut into 1 in slices
bake at 375

Alternate
two hours of resting and another 20-30 minutes of bake time.
¾ cup, butter, unsalted
1 cup, milk, whole
¾ cup, sugar, granulated
1 teaspoon, salt
1 Tablespoon, yeast, instant active
½ cup, water, 100 degrees
1 teaspoon, sugar, granulated
6 eggs, large
9 cups, flour, bread
½ tablespoon, cinnamon

Pasta Frolla
http://lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/glossary/pasta_frolla

I use this for tarts and cookies - frolla means 'crumbly' - as a pie shell, as well. The ingredients for pasta frolla are flour, eggs, sugar, unsalted butter, and a pinch of salt; the classic recipe calls for mixing 1⅔ cups flour with 3½ ounces of butter, ½ cup of sugar, and 3 egg yolks; vanilla extract and grated lemon or orange zest are often worked in as flavorings. When making pasta frolla, it's important to combine the ingredients quickly and to have the butter thoroughly chilled before starting, otherwise the dough will develop too much gluten - Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

pumpkin pie filling
1 1/2 cups pumpkin farm fresh puree
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 brown sugar
cinamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves
3 eggs
3/4 cup half and half
Bake at 375 in pre baked pie shell

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE-LAYER-CAKE-101275

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting
1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

variation on above for a simpler treat - Holiday Spice Muffins
use 2 cups sugar instead of 3
use molasses, cinnamon, allspice instead of choc and coffee
use 1/4 buttermilk instead of 1 1/2
sprinkle powdered sugar instead of ganache

Magnolia Cupcakes
2 sticks butter
1 cup milk
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
2 3/4 cup flour
vanilla
bake at 350

Yogurt Cake, PICTURED ABOVE
I turn these into cupcake sized baking molds
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp finely grated lemon or orange zest
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (you can use 3/4 cake flour and 3/4 all purpose)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp poppy seeds, if desired
1/3 cup canola oil
vanilla to taste
salt

Glaze
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Cream Puff
4 3/4 ounce all purpose flour
1 cup water
2 ounces (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup eggs (5 large eggs)

ChocolateMousse
1/2 Cup gran sugar mixed with enough water to make wet sand over low heat and cook to 250 on candy therm
whisk 2 eggs and 5 egg yolks and gradually add sugar mixture and cool completely
fold in 1 1/2 cups melted choc
then fold in 2 cups heavy cream whipped into soft peaks

key lime cheesecake
For crust
7 ounces blanched whole almonds (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar

alternate crust
similar to "crisp" topping
flour
butter
sugar
molasses
egg whites
vanilla
pre bake crust


For filling
2 pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar or less, if desired
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half - optional
1 large spoonful of sour cream - optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 10-inch springform pan.
Make crust:
In a food processor pulse almonds until finely ground and transfer to a bowl. Dust sides of springform pan with about 3 tablespoons ground almonds, knocking excess back into bowl. Melt butter and cool slightly. Stir butter and sugar into almonds until combined well and press evenly onto bottom of springform pan. Pre bake light golden brown.

Make filling:
In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed 2 minutes. Add lime juice and a pinch salt and beat until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour filling into pan and bake cheesecake 45 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven (keep oven at 350°F.) and let move to refrigerator to chill. Top with fruit, optional.

CHEESECAKE
from NYTimes

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:



1 1/2 cups cream cheese



1/2 cup fresh goat cheese



1/2 cup sugar



1 1/2 cups crème fraîche



1 teaspoon vanilla extract



1/4 teaspoon black pepper



4 large eggs





FOR THE CHERRIES:



2/3 cup sugar



2 pints sour cherries, pitted



2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar.









1. To make the cheesecake, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Wrap the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with foil and place on a baking sheet.



2. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese until very smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating until no lumps remain. Beat in the crème fraîche, vanilla and pepper. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions, and beat until combined.



3. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 250 degrees and bake until the cake is just set (it will still wobble a little in the middle), 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.



4. While the cheesecake is cooling, make the cherry topping. Pour the sugar and



2/3 cup water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the cherries and balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cherries soften and release their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cherries to a bowl. Continue cooking the liquid in the pan until the sauce reduces by half, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir the cherries and any juice from the bowl back in.



5. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake from the pan before