TartQueen's Kitchen

Few foods scream “TEXAS” louder than Chicken Fried Steak. Along with Chili (The Official State Dish of Texas), few things cause more arguments amongst friends and rivals over whose is the best.

By the way, Chicken Fried Steak is the Official State Dish of Oklahoma. Go figure.

The origins of Chicken Fried Steak are a little murky, but conventional wisdom generally believes German immigrants to Texas in the early- to mid- 19th Century invented Chicken Fried Steak as a way to not only enjoy something similar to the Viennese/German dish Wienerschnitzel (traditionally a breaded and fried veal cutlet), but also to make tough cuts of beef palatable. (As we know, bovine back then weren’t the chemically enhanced behemoths we know and eat today; they were just as hardscrabble as the land and the people living on it.)

Another story is that it was accidentally invented by a short order cook in Lamesa, Texas, in 1911. When a waitress turned in an order for “chicken, fried steak”, the cook, Jimmy Don Perkins, misread it. He dipped the steak in the fried chicken batter, and a legend was born.

One of my favorite food writers, Robb Walsh, describes 3 different types of Chicken Fried Steak in his book, Texas Eats:  1) The Southern/East Texas version is dipped in egg and then flour, similar to the way Southern fried chicken is prepared; 2) Central Texas’s version is made with bread crumbs rather than flour, much like Weinerschnitzel; 3) A West Texas version that is made without dipping the meat in egg; this is related to what cowboys called pan-fried steak.

Robb Walsh also talks about the three most common ways people mess up a Chicken Fried Steak: 1) Over- or Under-seasoning  – “If you use a salty seasoned flour for the batter, the steaks end up too salty. Underseasoning is just as bad. Even the batter on a perfectly cooked steak can taste pasty if it isn’t seasoned”; 2) Too much tenderizing – The ratio of batter to meat is crucial, and it’s determined by the thickness of the meat. If you pound the meat too flat, the steak is all batter and the steak is overcooked by the time the crust is done [this also leads to the meat shrinking in the crust].” ; and, 3) Overheating the oil – To cook a Chicken Fried Steak so the crust is golden and the meat is cooked trough, it is critical to keep the temperature of the oil at around 350F.

My recipe is much like the Southern/East Texas Version. It’s what I grew up eating and the one that most people know.

A few notes:

1.  The best cut of meat for a chicken fried steak is going to be round steak. It’s a flavorful, lean, and relatively cheap cut of beef. You can buy it in the grocery already tenderized (where it may also be called “cube steak”). If you buy it un-tenderized, you’ll need to do it yourself with a tenderizing mallet. It looks like a square hammer with spikes on each end of the mallet’s head. You very likely have one in the recesses of your knife drawer.

2.  It’s best to have everything at room temperature before you start. This way, everything cooks at the same speed and there will be less chance of the meat being cooked improperly.

3.  You don’t want to have too much breading on your steak. If you have too much breading, it’ll take too long for it to cook all the way through and the steak will overcook and shrink.

4.  Correct fat temperature is important when frying. If the oil is too cool, the breading will soak up the oil and you end up with a greasy steak. If it’s too hot, the coating will burn before the meat is cooked. The fat but come to a full sizzle when you put the steaks in.  Proper frying temperatures help seal the coating and keep as much of the oil out as possible while still cooking everything evenly.

5.  This goes for overcrowding the skillet, too. Don’t do it. The oil temperature will drop too much and the steaks won’t cook properly.

6.  Purists will be appalled, but if you like, you can substitute chicken (Chicken Fried Chicken) or pork (Chicken Fried Pork) in place of the beef.

7.  Speaking of appalled purists, I genreally do my frying in an electric skillet. It’s much easier for me to control the temperature of the oil. Purists, however, will insist on using a cast iron skillet. It’s up to you.

8.  You have to have gravy. Period. There are no exceptions to this rule.

The Ingredients

Peanut Oil, Vegetable Oil, Shortening, or Lard for frying

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste

Clockwise from top left: salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

1 1/2 c. buttermilk

2 large eggs

6 ea. 6 – 8 oz. tenderized round steaks

1.  Mix together the flour and spices in a large, shallow bowl or on a large plate.  Set aside.

The spices waiting to be mixed into the flour.

Done. Be sure to mix as thoroughly as possible; especially if your spices (esp. the cayenne) are a little lumpy.

Beat together the buttermilk and eggs in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Eggs and buttermilk batter. Be sure that you beat the eggs thoroughly so the whites are completely broken down and incorporated.

2.  Take each steak and dip it first in the flour and lightly coat.  Be sure to shake off any excess.

The first dip. This will help the batter adhere to the steak.

Next, dip the steak in the batter and coat completely. Take the steak out of the batter and allow the extra liquid to dip off.

Make sure the steak is completely submerged in the batter.

Dip the steak back into the flour and evenly coat all over.  You want to be sure there aren’t any wet spots.

Nicely coated.

Shake off any excess flour.  Lay the steaks out in a single layer on a rack. (This will help allow air circulation around the steaks and help keep them fairly dry.)

The steaks on a rack. If there are any wet spots, be sure to sprinkle a little flour on them.

3.  Have a 1″ depth of fat in a large skillet. Heat the fat to 375F, or until flour sprinkled in the oil immediately sizzles (but doesn’t burn) or a drop of water will make the oil pop (be careful of oil spatter).

4.  Once the oil has heated to the correct temperature, take the steaks, no more than 2 at a time, for 5 – 7 minutes total, turning once.  The temperature will immediately drop once you put in the steaks, so be sure to adjust the temperature as necessary to keep the fat at 350F.  (This is the optimal temperature to cook the steaks without making the batter soggy or overcooking the batter before the meat is done.)

Don’t overcrowd the pan. The temperature of the oil will drop too far and will result in a soggy, greasy steak.

After flipping. You only want to flip once to maintain the crust.

Take the finished steaks out of the oil and either place back on the rack to drain (my preferred method) or place on paper towels to drain.

After each batch is done, raise the heat back up to 375F before adding the next batch. Again, after adding the steaks to the fat, be sure to keep the temperature at 350F.

Well, hello.

After the steaks are done, carefully drain off all but 1/4 c. of the drippings and saving any cracklings that may be in the skillet and make the gravy.

A note on the gravy: A good gravy can enhance your Chicken Fried Steak and a bad gravy can ruin it. You want a thick, creamy texture (but not pasty), a deep flavor (there are few things worse than a lumpy, bland, pasty gravy), and just the right amount of seasoning (over-salting is a common mistake).

Making good gravy is something that takes patience and practice. If you make this recipe for the first time and are a little unsure, just serve it on the side. You’ll do better next time.

Cream Gravy

1/4 c. pan dripping (if you have some nice cracklings too, great)

1/4 c. flour

2 c. whole milk, room temperature or warm

1 tbsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

The drained skillet. I left some of the browned flour in with the fat. Just be sure that anything you leave in the skillet isn’t burnt.

1.  Heat the pan drippings over medium heat (about 350F if you’re using an electric skillet).  Add the flour and make a roux.  You’re looking for something between a blonde- and peanut butter- colored roux.

Adding the flour.

Making the roux. You don’t want the roux too dark because the darker the flour, the less thickening strength it will have.

2.  Whisk in the milk and cook the gravy until it smooths out and thickens. Whisk in the salt and pepper.  Taste for seasoning.  If you want a thinner gravy, add a bit more milk.

Whisking in the milk. Be sure to whisk constantly at this point so the roux and milk are completely incorporated.

A nice, smooth, not-too-thick not-too-thin cream gravy.

3.  Serve over (or next to) the Chicken Fried Steak and whatever else is on the plate.

The classic serving suggestion: Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Greens (in this case, Kale).

Now I’m hungry.

More than once when I’ve made gingerbread, my husband will come home and simply say, “It smells like Fall in here.” I take that as a compliment.

Gingerbread is a confectionary that has seemingly always been associated with Autumn and the Holidays.  In Medieval England, the term gingerbread simply meant ‘preserved ginger’. The name wasn’t for the desserts we’re familiar with until the 15th century.

According to Rhonda Massingham Hart’s Making Gingerbread Houses, the first known recipe for gingerbread came from Greece in 2400 BC. Chinese recipes were developed during the 10th century and by the late Middle Ages, Europeans had their own version of gingerbread. The hard cookies, sometimes gilded with gold leaf and shaped like animals, kings and queens, were a staple at Medieval fairs in England, France, Holland and Germany. Queen Elizabeth I is credited with the idea of decorating the cookies in this fashion, after she had some made to resemble the dignitaries visiting her court. Over time some of these festivals came to be known as Gingerbread Fairs, and the gingerbread cookies served there were known as ‘fairings.’ The shapes of the gingerbread changed with the season, including flowers in the spring and birds in the fall. Elaborately decorated gingerbread became synonymous with all things fancy and elegant in England. The gold leaf that was often used to decorate gingerbread cookies led to the popular expression ‘to take the gilt off of gingerbread.’ The carved, white architectural details found on many colonial American seaside homes is sometimes referred to as ‘gingerbread work’.

Gingerbread houses originated in Germany during the 16th century. The elaborate cookie-walled houses, decorated with foil in addition to gold leaf, became associated with Christmas tradition. Their popularity rose when the Brothers Grimm wrote the story of Hansel and Gretel, in which the main characters stumble upon a house made entirely of treats deep in the forest. It is unclear whether or not gingerbread houses were a result of the popular fairy tale, or vice versa.

Gingerbread arrived in the New World with English colonists. The cookies were sometimes used to sway Virginia voters to favor one candidate over another. The first American cookbook, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, has recipes for three types of gingerbread including the soft variety baked in loaves:

Soft gingerbread to be baked in pans.

No. 2. Rub three pounds of sugar, two pounds of butter, into four pounds of flour, add 20 eggs, 4 ounces ginger, 4 spoons rosewater, bake as No. 1.

This softer version of gingerbread was more common in America. George Washington’s mother, Mary Ball Washington, served her recipe for gingerbread to the Marquis de Lafayette when he visited her Fredericksburg, Virginia home. Since then it was known as Gingerbread Lafayette. The confection was passed down through generations of Washingtons.

(Source: History of Gingerbread, The History Kitchen, Tori Avey)

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A main ingredient in gingerbread is molasses.  It is basically the leftovers of the sugar making process after the sugar crystals have been removed during boiling.

There are several different types of molasses comercially available: Light Molasses, Dark Molasses, Blackstrap Molasses, Sulphured Molasses, and Unsulphured Molasses.

Grandma’s is a good, consistent brand of molasses that’s readily available at just about every grocery. It’s an unsulphured light molasses. Plus, the company sponsors an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. I’m all about that.

You may be asking yourself, what’s the difference? Or, you may not be.  But, I’m going to tell you anyway.

Light Molasses:  This comes from the first boiling of the sugarcane is generally the sweetest of the molasses. it is also known as “Barbados”, “Sweet”, “Mild”, or “First” molasses.  This molasses is generally used in baking, marinades, rubs, and sauces

Dark Molasses: This comes from the second boiling and after more sugar is extracted. It is generally thicker and less sweet.  it can also be called “Full” or “Second” molasses.  It can be used interchangeably with light molasses for most uses.  It is most commonly used in baking.

Blackstrap Molasses: This comes from the third boiling and is very thick and dark in color.  It has the highest mineral content because of its concentration.  While it can be found in grocery stores, it is most commonly found in health food stores. Some people will use blackstrap molasses (especially vegans) as a health food and supplement to their diets because it contains iron, niacin, and B6, among other minerals that wouldn’t necessarily be in or in very low levels in a vegan diet.

Sulphured and Unsulphured Molasses:  Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) is sometimes added to molasses as a preservative because molasses can ferment and spoil. It does change the flavor of the molasses making it less sweet. Unsulphured is preferred because it is sweeter and is closer to the original molasses flavor. And, because, well, it doesn’t have sulphur.

(Source: Healthy Eating, SF Gate)

Also, molasses can be distilled to make rum. FYI.

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My inspiration for this recipe came from an old recipe found in a 1965 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book that I received from my mother-in-law not long after I married. As I was flipping through the book, it reminded me of the book my mother had as I was growing up.  I believe hers was the same edition. (She still has it. I think it’s now held together with rubber bands.) I always remember the notes and McCall’s Cooking School recipes she would save in her book.

The BHG Cookbook my mother-in-law gave me. It’s a souvenir edition of the 1965 printing celebrating 10 Million copies sold.

My 2nd. edition, 1935 printing of the BHG Cookbook. I don’t think it’s ever been used.

BHG 1950 printing. This is about the time the now familiar red-and-white cover was first used. I bought this off Ebay. It was obviously loved.

Mom said to me as recently as Thanksgiving that the gingerbread recipe in the BHG book is a great recipe.  In fact, she made it for my sisters and I often when we were kids.

Here is the ingredient list for the original recipe:

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 c. light molasses

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. boiling water

(from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 1965 printing)

I will say, though, while I love the original recipe, I have changed it up a little:

* I’ve omitted the cinnamon and added quadruple the ginger.  It’s a flavor preference.

*I’ve replaced the white sugar with either dark brown or maple sugar. Again, it’s a flavor preference. The new sugars aren’t as sweet as white sugar.

*I’m using butter flavored shortening. Because I can.

Now, of course,  you can do whatever you like.  Add or subtract as you see fit.  Other sweet spices (i.e. cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, anise) will work well in this recipe, too.  However, you may want to be somewhat conservative on the amount of extra spice you use.  You’re making gingerbread, not a spice cake. Some people will also add a small amount of finely chopped candied ginger to the recipe as well.

The Ingredients

The maple sugar. Like most real maple products, it is not inexpensive. But, if you do have some, use it.

Ground Ginger, Salt, Baking Soda

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. dark brown or maple sugar

1 egg

1/2 c. molasses

1 1/2 c. flour

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 c. boiling water

1.  Preheat your oven to 350F.  Spray or butter & flour a 9″ x 9″ x 2″ baking dish.  Set aside.

2.  Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and ginger.  Set aside.

My mom’s old sifter that she gifted to me.

Sifted. You can, of course, use a small strainer to sift as well.

3.  With either a hand mixer and medium bowl, or a stand mixer, beat the shortening on medium speed until it is softened.

The softened shortening. It helps the process if you have the shortening at room temperature.

4.  Lower the speed to low (otherwise you’ll end up with a mess) and gradually add the sugar.  Once the sugar is incorporated with the shortening, turn the speed back up to medium and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.

A fluffy shortening and sugar mix. This process helps to incorporate air into the shortening and make sure the sugar will mix into the rest of the batter thoroughly and not lump up.

5.  Turn the heat back down to low and add the egg and molasses.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: always break your eggs into a separate bowl or cup before adding to the rest of your ingredients. Otherwise, you may be full of regret.

Egg and molasses mixed in.

6.  Keeping the speed on low, alternately add the dry ingredients and the boiling water.  (I generally begin with 1/4 c. of the boiling water, half of the dry ingredients, the other 1/4 c. water, the other half of the dry ingredients.) By adding the ingredient this way, along with scraping down the sides of the bowl, you are ensuring even mixing as well as jump-starting the baking soda.

After adding the first 1/4 cup water. I know it looks strange, but, trust me, it’s fine.

After adding the first half of the dry ingredients.

7.  Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and place in the center of the oven.

Ready for the oven.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean when you insert it into the cake.

So, as soon as I took this photo, Husband took the piece off the top.

Enjoy!

I am now going to introduce you to two more dishes from the Middle East – one from my childhood and one I discovered more recently.  Lentil Soup and Artichokes with Coriander.

Lentil Soup (Shorbat Adas) is a very popular dish during Ramadan. Soup is a traditional way to break the fast and the heartiness of this soup is perfect for that.  Some people will put cooked ground beef or lamb in the soup, others balls of Kefta (basically, ground meat with onion, parsley, and spices).  Some will also use dried bread and puree it into the soup to thicken it. Sliced radishes are also a popular addition.

The Artichokes with Coriander (Ard al-shokeh ma’kuzbara) is a more recent discovery for me. It’s a dish popular in Jericho in the early summer when artichokes are in season.  Here, I’ve used frozen artichokes.  This way, I can eat this dish at any time of year.  Mainly, though, because I really don’t like to clean artichokes.

A few notes:

1.  The soup is really best with the red lentils.  They have a lighter, slightly sweeter flavor that’s best for the soup.  They’re much more readily available than they used to be.

2.  Be sure to wash the lentils.  They’re generally dusty when they’re packed.  While processing methods have become better, sometimes, especially if they’re from a bulk bin, they may also have small rocks or dirt. So, be sure to check them carefully.

3.  As with most soups, this is even better the next day and freezes well.  When you reheat the soup, be sure to add a little broth or water because it thickens up as it sits.

4.  If you want a smoother soup, then you can puree it.  However, I prefer a little texture in the soup.

5.  You can easily make the soup vegan by using either vegetable broth or water.

6.  Don’t use marinated artichokes packed in olive oil.  Be sure, especially with canned or jarred ones, that they are packed in water.  Or, if you’re using frozen, they’re unseasoned.

7.  If you don’t like cilantro (coriander), you can use parsley.  It obviously won’t taste the same, but it will work.

The ingredients

The lentils. Red lentils work best in this soup. They’re much more readily available than in the past.

From the top: salt, pepper, olive oil, flour, cumin

Lentil Soup

1 1/2 c. red lentils, washed and drained

4 c. broth (chicken, beef, lamb, vegetable) or water

1 med. onion, minced

3 cl. garlic, minced

1 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

1 tsp. black pepper, or to taste

1 tsp. cumin

2 tbsp. olive oil

Juice of one lemon, or to taste

1.  In a large saucepan, place the onion, garlic, lentils, and broth or water.

Lentils, onion, and garlic in the saucepan awaiting the broth.

Cover and bring to a boil.  Keep the saucepan covered, turn the heat down to medium-low, and simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

The boiling pot.

2.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper, cumin, and olive oil.

The oil, flour, and spices mixed together. It smells lovely.

Add the mixture to the lentils after the first 45 minutes of cooking.

The soup after the first 45 minutes of cooking time. Sorry, the lentils don’t stay red. They turn to a dull gold-yellow.

After adding the oil-spice mixture.

After you add the oil & spices, cook for another 15 minutes, uncovered.  Stir occasionally.

3.  Add the lemon juice and cook another 5 minutes.

My old-style lemon reamer. One of my favorite things I received from my mother-in-law.

Taste for seasoning.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil over the top and some extra lemon on the side.

The finished soup.  Perfect.

The ingredients

Salt, pepper, olive oil

The artichokes. I used frozen ones in this recipe. If you do get jarred or canned, be sure they aren’t marinated & flavored  ones.

Artichokes with Coriander

2 lb. artichoke hearts (2 bags frozen-thawed or 6 cans drained)

4 tbsp. olive oil

3 cl. garlic, minced

1/2 c. coriander (cilantro), chopped

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

1 tsp. black pepper, or to taste

1/4 c. lemon juice, or to taste

1.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 – 2 minutes.

Cooking the garlic.

Add the artichokes hearts and cook another 5 minutes.

Adding the artichokes. Be sure to continue stirring frequently to keep the garlic from burning.

Add the coriander (cilantro), salt, and pepper.  Cook another 5 minutes. Stir frequently.

Adding the coriander (cilantro).

2.  Add the lemon juice and cook another 2 minutes.  Remove the skillet from the heat and taste for seasoning.

The finished artichokes.

3.  You can serve this either warm or room temperature.  This dish can also be made a day in advance.  Warm it slightly or let it come to room temperature before serving.

Sahtein! صحتين

In this post, I served the soup with toasted split pita bread to make a sort of cracker.  You can also serve with warm pita or a cracker of your choice.  The plainer the better.

Now, let’s face it.  Oatmeal cookies kind of get a bad reputation.  Basically, well, because they’re made mostly of what many people consider the most healthy yet mushy and tasteless breakfast food of all – oatmeal.  And, usually raisins – which I personally consider to be Satan’s candy.

Many times, through many recipes, oatmeal cookies tend to be overly dry, or overly soft & doughy.  Not much flavor is another negative in the oatmeal cookie column.  And no amount of added chocolate chips or dried fruit will fix it.

In my quest to come up with a good oatmeal cookie (because, yes, I do like them; always have), I made many batches, researched recipes old and new, and ate more cookies than I care to admit.  I even made my husband take them to work to use his co-workers as tasters.

I finally hit upon the idea of making the cookies with dark brown sugar, adding some oat flour, and a little maple syrup for flavor.  It just made a wonderful combination.

Oh. And as for the dried fruit – I use dried cherries and cranberries. They are my two favorite dried fruits and I simply like the way they go together. However,  you can use any dried fruit you like: apricots, apples, blueberries, and, yes, raisins.

You can also use chocolate, white, or cinnamon chips as well. If you want to.

Now, admittedly, I tend to make these cookies rather large.  That’s because making cookies is not one of my favorite things to do.  I simply don’t have the patience for it.  I tend to only bake cookies during the holidays – these included.  You can make them any size you like.  But, I will say this recipe makes a lot of cookies.  With the larger size that I bake, this recipe will still make about 5 dozen.  Smaller cookies? At least 6 dozen.

The Ingredients

Dried cherries (l) and dried cranberries (r)

Dark brown and granulated sugars.

From top left: Maple Syrup, Vanilla Extract, Nutmeg (c), Baking Soda, Salt

Oat and all-purpose flours.

The all-important oats.

And, of course, butter and eggs.

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 c. dark brown sugar

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. maple syrup

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 c. oat flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

3 c. rolled oats

1 c. dried cranberries

1 c. dried cherries

1.  Preheat your oven to 350F.  Line your baking sheets with foil and parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Set aside.

2.  In a mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the sides as needed.

Creaming together the butter and sugars. Be sure you make the mixture as fluffy and well-mixed as possible.

3.  Turn down the heat to low and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.  Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Adding the eggs. Be sure you mix in each egg thoroughly. This will help to dissolve the sugar and make a homogenous mixture.

4.  Add in the vanilla and syrup.  Beat on medium-low speed until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Adding the maple syrup and vanilla extract.

5.  Sift together the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, oat flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

I have vivid memories of my mom using this sifter. She gifted it to me when my husband & I moved into our house. It’s still my favorite.

The dry ingredients ready for sifting.

Sifted.

6.  Turn the mixer to low speed and, in small scoopfuls (about 1/4 cup), add the dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition.  Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Adding the dry ingredients. You want to add about 1/4 cup at a time. This ensures complete incorporation and a whole lot less mess.

The dough after all of the dry ingredients have been mixed in.

7.  Turn the mixer off, lower the bowl or lift the top of the mixer, and add the oats and fruit.  Lift the bowl or lower the top of the mixer, and, on very low speed, fold them into the dough.  (You can also do this step by hand.)

Mixing in the oats and fruit. Do this on very low speed. My mixer was quite full at this point.

Cookie dough. Done.

8.  Drop tablespoons full of batter onto the baking sheets.  Leave at least 2 – 3 inches in between.  These cookies spread a lot.

Take a nice heaping scoop of dough, smooth it off , and drop it on the baking sheet. These are soup spoons, by the way.

The cookies ready for the oven. These are going to spread out a lot; so, don’t crowd too many onto a sheet. This is a half sheet pan (11-1/2″ x 17″).

9.  Bake the cookies 15 – 18 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the cooking time.  Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  (This will result in a fairly crispy cookie.  If you want the cookies slightly chewier, reduce the baking time by 2 – 3 minutes.)

See how much they spread?

Try to resist. I dare you.

Enjoy!

We’ve all eaten a croissant at one point or another. Or many times.  Usually at a bakery, from the grocery store,  or as part of a (usually mediochre) “Continental Breakfast”.  Sometimes, they are made fresh, but more often than not, they’re made as part of a production line and simply reheated from frozen.

When I can find the time, I like to make them from scratch.  Yes. Scratch. From start to finish.

They’re always better. If I do say so myself.

Making croissants are not difficult, but they are time consuming.  This is not a recipe you can simply wake up one weekend morning and decide “I want fresh croissants for breakfast” and begin making them.  If you put in the work, you could have them the next morning, though. So, in other words, you can start them on Saturday and have them Sunday.

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As always, a little history lesson.

Crescent-shaped food breads have been made in Europe since at least the Middle Ages.

The “birth” of the croissant itself – that is, its adaptation from the plainer form of Kipferl, before the invention of Viennoiserie (Viennese yeast-risen pasteries) – can be dated with some precision to at latest 1839 (some say 1838), when an Austrian artillery officer, August Zang, founded a Viennese Bakery (“Boulangerie Viennoise”) at 92, rue de Richelieu in Paris. This bakery, which served Viennese specialities including the Kipferl and the Vienna loaf, quickly became popular and inspired French imitators (and the concept, if not the term, viennoiserie, a 20th century term for supposedly Vienna-style pastries). The French version of the Kipferl was named for its crescent (croissant) shape.

Alan Davidson, editor of the Oxford Companion to Food (an excellent reference book) found no printed recipe for the present-day croissant in any French recipe book before the early 20th century; the earliest French reference to a croissant he found was among the “fantasy or luxury breads” in Payen’sDes substances alimentaires, 1853. However, early recipes for non-laminated croissants can be found in the nineteenth century and at least one reference to croissants as an established French bread appeared as early as 1850.

The first true croissant recipe didn’t appear in print until 1906 in Nouvelle Encyclopédie Culinaire. So, the history of the croissant, as we know it, as a symbol of French cuisine, is a 20-century invention.

The Viennoiserie technique was already mentioned in the late 17th century, when La Varenne’s Le Cuisinier françois gave a recipe for it in the 1680 – and possibly earlier – editions. It was typically used, not on its own, but for shells holding other ingredients.  But it does not appear to be mentioned in relation to the croissant until the twentieth century.

Fanciful origin stories of how the Kipferl—and so, ultimately, the croissant—was created are widespread and persistent culinary legends, at least one going back to the 19th century.  However, there are no contemporary sources for any of these stories, nor does an aristocratic writer, writing in 1799, mention the Kipferl in a long and extensive list of breakfast foods.

The legends include tales that it was invented in Europe to celebrate the defeat of the Umayyad (Muslim) forces at the Battle of Tours by the Franksin 732, with the shape representing the Islamic crescent; that it was invented in Vienna in 1683 to celebrate the defeat of the Ottomans by Christian forces. (However, according to Davidson, ther is no truth to this origin.)

Now in France, croissants are split into two types:  “Croissant” – usually meaning croissants made with cheaper ingredients like margarine because butter is so expensive; and “Croissant au Beurre” – croissants made with butter only (or are supposed to be).

(information from www.wikipedia.org and The Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson, ed., 1999)

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A few tips on making croissants:

• The most important thing to remember about croissants is that you must start off with quality ingredients – especially the butter.  If you can, always use European-style butter (available just about everywhere now).  It has a higher butterfat content (generally >80%) and less water than American-style butters (i.e. Land-O-Lakes).  This will give your croissants the flavor you are working so hard to strive for.
• DO NOT use “light” butter or margarine. They are useless for baking; not to mention they taste awful. After all the work you’re going to put into this recipe, you want your croissants to taste great.
• The same goes for the milk. Use whole milk.  Half-&-Half and Cream will be too heavy; 2% or Skim are good for drinking, but lousy for cooking.
• Always keep your dough and butter cold.  The coldness of the butter in the layers will help create the lightness and layers in the dough as it bakes.  As the butter melts in during baking, the steam released will help create the flakiness and layers.
• If your dough becomes too soft, or if the butter begins to break through the outer layers of dough, rub a bit of flour into the “wound”, wrap the dough tightly in plastic or place in a large zip bag, and place the dough back in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let the dough rest and the butter harden.
• DO NOT SKIMP on the number of turns and rest periods.  This is a dough that takes time.  If you do not take the time, then you won’t get the results you’re looking for.
• You can freeze the dough at any point during the process.  Be sure to keep it tightly wrapped and lay it flat.  It can keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.  Be sure to thaw it out in the refrigerator for 24 hours before either rolling or shaping.  (If you try to quick-thaw on the counter, you’ll destroy the texture of the dough.)
• You can freeze already baked croissants.  Make sure they are in an airtight container or wrapped tightly.  Bake then straight from the oven at 350F for 10 – 12 minutes or until hot through.

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Now to the recipe.

After much trial and error, I settled on a mixture of all-purpose and bread flour for the croissants.  I felt that a recipe of only all-purpose flour made the croissants too soft with not enough body; all bread flour, they were too tough.

You can use instant or fresh cake yeast in this recipe. Most home cooks, however, prefer to use dry instant.  It keep longer and is easier to use.  However, if you bake yeast breads often and are used to it, then go ahead and use the fresh.  However, it does have a relatively short shelf life compared to the dry.

The Ingredients

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 c. unbleached bread flour

2 pkg. instant yeast

-or-

2 ea. .6oz  fresh cake yeast (add to the milk while it’s heating and be sure to keep the milk 90 – 95F)

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

3 tsp. salt

1 3/4 c. whole milk, warmed to 95F – 105F (for dry yeast)

1 1/4 lb. cold unsalted butter

3 tbsp. unbleached flour

3/4 c. unsweetened  cocoa powder (for chocolate croissants only) – I like to use to use Dutch processed because it has a deeper, mellower flavor.  If you have natural cocoa powder and prefer to use it, go ahead.

1.  Make the dough: a) in a mixer bowl – mix together the dry ingredients on low speed with the dough hook attached. (If you are using fresh yeast, be sure to heat it with the milk.)

The dry ingredients.

As the mixer is running, slowly add in the warmed milk.

Adding the milk.

Continue mixing the dough on low speed until the dough comes together and forms a ball (trust me, it will), about 5 – 7 minutes.  It should be soft, pliable, and a slightly sticky.  Resist adding any additional milk or flour unless the dough is too sticky or too dry, otherwise the dough will become too dense.  If you need to, add only 1 tablespoon at a time of either.

But, like I said, please resist the urge.  The dough will come together.

b) By hand – mix together the dry ingredients and make a well in the center.  Add the milk to the center to the well in the well.

Getting ready to mix the dough by hand.

Toss the dry ingredients towards the center

Tossing the dry ingredients and the milk together.

This will take a little patience and elbow grease, but mix and knead the dough until it’s smooth and slightly sticky.

Mixing the dough.

The dough coming together.

The finished ball of dough. I didn’t add any additional flour or milk.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead the dough for 2 -3 minutes until smooth.  (If you want to knead the dough for longer, you can.  The longer you knead it, the more “tooth” the dough will have.)

The kneaded dough. It’s a little less sticky. It’s OK if it’s not 100% smooth. You really want the dough to have an even texture.

Shape the dough into a slightly flattened oval and put into a large (2-1/2 gallon) zip bag. Be sure to squeeze out as much excess air as possible. (You will be using the bag through the whole process.)

The dough in the bag.

Alternately, you can loosely wrap the dough in a double layer of plastic.  The looseness will allow the dough to expand.  However, there is a danger of the dough breaking through the plastic as it rises (it’s happened to me), so I highly recommend the bags.

Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

2.  Prepare the butter: a) In the mixer – Cut the butter into 1/2″ pieces and put them into the mixer bowl with the 3 tablespoons flour. (The flour helps to give the butter some extra body.  However, if you forget to use it, it’s all right.)

Butter and flour in the mixer bowl.

Beat the butter on low speed until the butter is softened .  It’s alright if there are a few pieces of butter.  It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth.

After beating the butter and flour. It’s softened, but not completely smooth.

Turn the butter out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into rectangle or rounded disk that’s about 1/4″ thick.

The finished butter packet. Not exactly a rectangle or round. More like a flat egg shape.

b) By hand – Way #1: Lay the butter on a piece of plastic and loosely wrap.  With a rolling pin, beat the butter until it is flattened into a 10″ x 12″ rectangle (don’t worry about the butter with this method.)

The butter for the packet.

Flattening the butter with the rolling pin.

Done! It’s also a great stress reliever

Way #2:  Soften the butter slightly, cut into 1/2″ pieces, and place in a bowl.  Sprinkle the flour over the butter and mix together with either your hands (the best method) or with a rubber spatula.  Again, wrap the butter and form into a rectangle.

Place the butter in the refrigerator at let sit for at least 2 hours.

For Chocolate Croissants:  You make the dough the same way as you would for the butter croissants.  The cocoa powder will be incorporated into the butter.  You will make the butter mixture in either the mixer or by hand (in the bowl) the same way.

Butter and chocolate ready to be mixed.

Mixing the cocolate and butter together by hand. (Yes, I’m wearing a glove.)

The finished chocolate butter.

Let the chocolate butter sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

3.  After the dough’s initial rest, place it on a lightly floured surface (cold marble or granite is ideal), lightly flour the top,  and roll it out to an approximately 20″ x 16″ rectangle. (again, it’s OK if it’s not exact).

Note: the dough will be a bit sticky when you unwrap it or take it out of the bag. Just flour your hands a little to keep it from sticking to you.

Rolling out the dough.

Rolling out the dough. It’s fairly soft, so rolling it should be easy.

Rolling the dough.

To make sure you have the dough rolled out enough to cover the butter, place the wrapped butter in the center and fold the dough over the butter packet.  At least 2 of the sides should overlap in the center over the butter.  If it’s not large enough, continue to roll out the dough until it is.

Once the dough is large enough, unwrap the butter and place it in the center of the dough.

Even though it seems like common sense, be sure your butter is unwrapped before you start to incorporate it into the dough. I had a student in a class once who forgot that step. Luckily, we were able to rescue her recipe.

The butter and the dough. Getting ready for enveloping.

Fold the extra dough over the butter.  If you have two sides that don’t meet or overlap in the center, be sure they are underneath the sides that do meet.

Folding the dough over the butter.

Folding the dough over the butter. Note how the dough isn’t meeting in the center. These are the sides you want to fold in first.

Folding over the top layers of dough. These two sides should overlap in the center.

The enveloped butter. Note how the center of the upper layers of dough overlap.

This is called enveloping the butter (in case you missed it before).

4.  At this point, you can either wrap or bag the dough and place it in the refrigerator to rest, or you can continue to roll the dough and do the first turn.

I usually press on.

But, if your kitchen is very warm, it would be best to let the dough rest so the butter and dough don’t get too soft.

With the seam side up, lightly press on the dough to help seal the seam.

Sealing the seam.

Add a little flour to your rolling surface and to the top of the dough if needed to keep it from sticking.

Rotate the dough and continue rolling until you reach a roughly 20″ x 16″ rectangle.

Rolling out the dough and butter. Take care not to press down too hard on the dough or you will risk the butter breaking through.

The rolled dough. The lighter spots are the butter. The seam is running up the center of the dough.

Have the dough laying with one of the long sides facing you.  Brush off any excess flour.  Take the left side and fold it towards the center (basically, the left 1/3).  Do the same with the right side (the right 1/3)  and have it overlap on the side already folded.  This is called a letter fold.

Folding the dough. Be sure to brush off any excess flour.

The folded dough. This is the first turn.

You have now completed the first turn.  Wrap the dough loosely in a double layer of plastic or put it back in the large zip bag and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. (The dough will continue to rise, so wrapping it loosely in plastic will give it room. However, I do recommend the 2-1/2 gallon zip bags. They’re far more reliable and, ultimately, less wasteful.)

Brief Notes:

a) If the butter begins to break through the dough (which more than likely will happen, especially with the chocolate dough), pack a bit of flour into the break to help seal it.  Be sure to check the bottom of the dough frequently as well because, sometimes, the butter will break through the bottom as well.  Before you fold the dough and put it back in the refrigerator, make sure you brush off the excess flour.

However, if the dough and butter are so soft that no amount of patching will currently fix it, then fold the dough and place it back in the refrigerator until it firms up; at least 1 hour.

The chocolate butter breaking through the dough.

Patching the break with flour.

b) The chocolate dough will be a bit more difficult to roll out because the butter is stiffer due to the extra cocoa.  I will generally let the chocolate dough sit for about 10 minutes before I begin to roll it out just to make it easier.

c) When you are rolling the dough, take care to only take the rolling pin right up to the edge, but don’t roll over the edge.  (This is a common mistake bakers make.)  If you roll over the edge, you risk having the layers sticking together.

5.  Once the dough has had its rest time, lightly flour your rolling surface, and take the dough out of the refrigerator.  Unwrap or take it out of the bag.

The dough, after the first turn, and after its rest time. Note how it rose again.

To begin rolling the dough for the second turn, have the long side facing you. Once again, roll the dough to a roughly 20″ x 16″ rectangle and fold the dough into a letter fold.  Wrap or bag the dough, and place it back into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Do this again a third time.  These will be your first three turns.

The butter dough. A close-up view.

The chocolate dough. A close-up view.

6.  Now for the fourth and final turn. Again, roll out the dough as before and have the long side facing you.

However, the dough will be folded differently.

Fold the left side towards the center and then the right. Keep a gap between the ends of the dough.  You will then fold over the dough.  This is called a wallet fold.

Wrap or bag the dough, refrigerate, and let rest for at least 2 hours.

Folding the dough for the fourth turn.

Folding the dough for the fourth turn. Note how there’s a gap between two ends of the dough.

Folding over the dough. This is called a wallet fold. This is the final turn.

I have been asked in classes if it’s OK to do more that 4 turns.

Certainly.

However, 4 turns are the traditional amount.  And, believe me, you really won’t want to do more than 4.

7.  At this point, you can cut as much or as little of the dough as you like and either refrigerate the rest (for up to 3 days) or freeze (up to 3 months).

A cross section of the layers of dough and butter in the chocolate croissant dough.

Roll out the dough to an approximately 1/4″ thickness. (I don’t want to give a rectangle size since I don’t know how much dough each of you will be using.)

If you are rolling out the whole, well, loaf, of dough, then you’ll end up with the approximately 20″ x 16″ rectangle. Then fold it in half lengthwise (if you want a standard sized croissants) and cut it along the fold.

The rolled out dough. Ready for cutting and shaping.

Folding the dough for cutting.

It’s kind of hard to see, but there’s the fold line in the center of the photo. This is where you trim the dough.

However, if you want dino-sized croissants, don’t worry about folding and trimming the dough before cutting and shaping.

Using a very sharp knife or a pastry/pizza cutter, trim the outer edges of the dough so you’ll have clean edges.

Trimming the dough.

Keep the scrap pieces.  I like to make cheese straws or just experiment with shapes.

Cook’s treat.

Once you have trimmed the dough, begin cutting the dough into triangles.  Make them as thin or as wide as you like. The standard size is about 3″ to 4″ at the base.

Cut triangles of croissant dough. Frankly, I’m surprised they’re as even as they are.

8.  Now, take each triangle and roll it out just a little more to thin it out. This helps make it easier to roll and helps to give you the correct number of layers. (Traditionally 7.)

Rolling out the croissant triangle.

Time to roll.

Some chefs like to place a small piece of the scrap dough at the wide end of the triangle before rolling.  This helps to support the roll and give it more volume. If you forget to do this, don’t worry.  I always forget.

Starting at the base of the triangle, roll it until you reach the tip.

Getting ready to roll the croissant.

Starting to roll the croissant.

Rolling the croissant.

The rolled croissant. Traditionally, there should be seven layers. But, I didn’t achieve that here. Oh, well.

After you roll the croissant, place it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Continue until you have rolled as many as you like.  Be sure the tips are tucked underneath.  Brush them with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp. water).

Croissants, brushed with egg wash, ready for the oven. Admittedly, there are too many on the tray. Stick with no more than 6 – 10, depending on the size of the croissant and your sheet pan.

Let the croissants sit for about 1 hour before baking to let them rise.

9.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Once you put the croissants in, immediately lower the heat to 350F and bake for 12 minutes.  Then, rotate the baking sheet and bake the croissants for a further 8 – 12 minutes, depending on the size and the number of croissants you have on the sheet.

Some butter will melt out of the dough. It’s inevitable. However, most of it will be re-absorbed by the dough.

Freshly baked croissants. Mmm…

I know it’ll be difficult, but let the croissants sit for about 30 minutes before eating.  The layers need time to set.

10.  If you’d like to make filled croissants, there are two ways to shape the dough.  You can do the traditional crescent shape.  Place about a teaspoon of filling about 1/2″ away from the top edge of the triangle.

Filling a chocolate croissant with almond paste and bittersweet chocolate.

Or, you can cut a piece that’s 4″ x 6″.  Roll it out to 6″ x 8″.  Place any filling you like inside (keep the amount reasonable; otherwise, the inside of the croissant won’t bake), tuck in the short sides first, then fold over the long sides. Place the croissant, seam side down, on a baking sheet.   Brush with egg wash.  Let them sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

(Baking instructions below the next recipe.)

One of the favorites in this house is ham & cheese. Take about 1 to 1-1/2 oz. each of ham and cheese (Gruyère is the best) and roll it into the croissant.  Yummy.

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Here’s the recipe for the Spreadable Almond Paste:

Almond Paste ingredients.

1 tube almond paste

2 egg whites

6 tbsp. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract.

Break the almond paste into small pieces and drop them into the bowl of a food processor.  Turn on the processor to chop the paste fine.  Through the feed tube, add the egg whites and mix well.  Add the sugar and vanilla or almond extract.  Continue processing until smooth.

The finished Almond Paste.

It will keep in the refrigerator for a week in an airtight container.

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No matter which shape you choose, filled croissants must be baked differently than regular unfilled croissants. They have to bake at slightly higher temperatures to be sure the center is baked through.

Preheat the oven to 425F.  When you put the baking sheet in the oven, immediately reduce the temperature to 400F and bake the filled croissants for 10 minutes.  Rotate the baking sheet, reduce the temperature to 375F, and bake another 8 – 12 minutes.

Let them sit for about 30 minutes to let the layers set and for the center to cool slightly.

Whew. Enjoy!