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Schnecken - German Cinnamon Buns

Leave it up to Nigella to conjure up the most intriguing names for everyday food. Schnecken means snails in German. The rolled up bun sort of resembles them. Making cinnamon buns from scratch makes you feel like the ultimate kitchen princess. Not because they're hard to make, but because it's truly a labor of love: watching your dough rise, rolling it into a tight log, testing your baked good when it's finished. These are so insanely delicious and perfect, I think I could shop them around my neigborhood bakeries. Best. Buns. Ever. I think it's the syrup that does the trick! Rating: 5+ out of 5.


Schnecken: Nigella Lawson - How To Be A Domestic Goddess

Ingredients for dough:
- 3 ⅓ cups bread flour (I used all-purpose flour)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 package (¼ ounce) rapid-rise yeast or 1 tablespoon freash yeast
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 large eggs

Ingredients for syrup:
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans

Ingredients for glaze:
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk

Ingredients for filling:
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup turbinado or demerara sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions:
- Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Melt the butter in the milk, use a microwave and measuring cup for ease. Beat in the eggs and stir into the dry ingredients to make a dough. Knead for 10 minutes, or 5 minutes with a dough hook. When it's springy and satiny, form it into a ball, put into an oiled bowl, turn to coat and cover with plastic wrap. Leave it in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Using an electric mixer, start on the syrup: beat the butter until soft and smooth, and add the sugar, still beating. Beat in the maple syrup and light corn syrup. Divide the mixture among a 12-cup muffin pan (I put in cupcake liners). Top with walnuts or pecans, about a tablespoon for each cup.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C. When the dough is ready, knock it back, knead once or twice and then roll out to a large rectangle, approximately 24 by 12 inches (61 by 30 cm), with the long side nearest you. Beat the egg and the milk in a small glass, glaze the dough, using a pastry brush to paint, or just your fingers.
- Mix the filling ingredients in a little bowl and sprinkle onto the dough. Now, roll up the long side and away from you, carefully but firmly, keeping a firm sausage shape. Cut into 12 even slices, and lie each slice spiral-swirly cut side up, on top of the nuts and syrup in the muffin pan. Leave to rise for 20 minutes. When they're risen and puffy, put into the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, by which time they should be golden and cooked: crisp in parts, voluptuously gooey in others.
- Place a parchement-paper-lined roasting pan or baking sheet on top and turn the whole thing the other way up. You will need oven mitts and a degree of caution to do this. Remove the muffin tray and dislodge any nuts that are still stuck in it, adding them, along with any residual syrup, to the upturned buns.

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Pear Ginger Crisp

A fruit dessert is well-known to a person who cooks a lot for others; they are humble in appearance and easy to prepare but have sophisticated flavors. An experienced hostess knows it will always please everyone at the end of their meal. This rosy crisp I've made it bursting with pears and scents of ginger. Eating a crisp is so comforting. As you generously scoop it onto a plate or into a bowl, you catch the warm, running juices and broken bits of topping. Sweet, juicy and lots of crunchy, sugared oats on top. What's not to love about a crisp? Rating 4.5 out of 5.




Pear Ginger Crisp: adapted from Martha Stewart's 'pear-and-berry crisp'

Ingredients:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light-brown sugar
- 10 tablespoons granulated sugar or vanilla sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 pounds (5 to 7) ripe pears, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Vanilla ice cream, or frozen yogurt (optional)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Make oatmeal topping: In a large bowl, mix together flour, light-brown sugar, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Stir in oats. Using a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers, incorporate butter into flour mixture until large, moist clumps form. Refrigerate.
- In a large bowl, combine pears with lemon juice, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch; toss well. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with chilled topping.
- Bake until fruit is tender and topping is golden, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, if desired.




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My Summer in Food & Drink

It's obscene, I know.

Pictures from Paris, Barcelona and cruisin'.
Brings back good memories :)

Bisous,