Hidden Shamrock Irish Soda Bread

Peekaboo Irish Soda Bread | impeckableeats.com

Hidden Shamrock Irish Soda Bread - Happy St. Patricks Day

Traditional Irish soda bread just got a lot more fun with this hidden shamrock version. I’m not even Irish nor do I join in the festivities of St. Patricks day but this peek-a-boo pound cake soda bread is a reason to celebrate.

I had to wiki Irish Soda Bread because I wasn’t aware of it’s history or why we see it every year in grocery stores and bakeries around St. Patricks Day. There doesn’t seem to be any specific relationship between soda bread and St. Patricks Day other than being Irish. It seems Soda bread is just one of the most famous Irish specialties so what better time to eat it than an Irish holiday. Of course, Classic Irish Soda bread is now even more fun with this hidden burst of green shamrock.

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Banana Caramel Monkey Bread

Banana Caramel Monkey Bread | impeckableeats.com

Banana Caramel Monkey Bread | impeckableeats.com

If you’ve never made monkey bread but admired it from afar, let me be the first to tell you, it’s as delicious as it looks. This was my first experience with monkey bread and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

Maybe I should have stuck with original and skipped the bananas, but what’s the fun in that? The bananas make it like a gooey caramel banana bread. But better. The doughy nuggets are easier to eat than a regular caramel roll and you feel like you’re not eating such a large portion (good luck stopping at just a few pieces though). Monkey bread may not be an American classic as of yet but it’s quickly becoming one of my favorites.

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Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry season is officially upon us and although I’m still obsessing over Rhubarb (more recipes to come!), blueberries are my favorite everyday eating fruit. Whether you buy them from a street vendor, at the grocery store, or pick your own at a farm, these healthy little juicy bursts of flavor are classic, versatile, and never seem to grow tiresome. I personally enjoy eating fresh blueberries by the handful but most people prefer them in or on a more substantive dish or dessert. One of the most obvious uses for blueberries – at least in baking – are blueberry muffins. I know what you’re thinking: “another blueberry muffin recipe, who cares” but this recipe is not just adapted from the “dean of American cookery,” it’s full of fresh blueberry flavor and cinnamon scented bread-like cake.

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Marbled Almond Cake with Espresso Glaze

Marbled Almond Cake with Espresso Glaze | ImPECkableeats.com

Marbled Almond Cake with Espresso Glaze

Chocolate. Almond. Espresso. It’s hard to go wrong with this indulgent trio. Perfect with coffee or tea, this lovely bundt cake is my grandmother’s marbled almond cake recipe from “The Art of Fine Baking,” topped with a simple espresso glaze. I like to think of it as a Sunday morning cake. The espresso in the glaze can count towards your morning coffee (I’ll take any excuse to eat cake for breakfast).

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Poppy Seed Caramel Rolls

Poppy Seed Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon and caramel rolls seem to be everywhere these days, or at least photos of them are. The gooey texture is both photogenic and irresistible. I often see these well-known breakfast rolls prominently displayed on large white plates or cake stands at cafés around New York City. I almost always have to buy one. A version of my own was long overdue yet perfectly timed with the Holidays.

The base of this recipe came from the “The James Beard Cookbook,” by James Beard but the inspiration came from two very different sources: a nostalgic Christmas memory and a popular babka bakery in New York City. Growing up in a cozy Minneapolis neighborhood, our neighbors exchanged small gifts (usually of homemade goodies) every Christmas. My family looked forward to the plate of Caramel Rolls that was routinely included in these gifts every year. Each roll was always the perfect size, not too big nor too small, with just the right amount of caramel. We would save them for breakfast on Christmas morning.

The addition of poppy seeds to this nostalgic replication was inspired by Breads Bakery, one of my favorite bakeries in New York City. They are known for many delicious breads and pastries but their chocolate Babka is particularly impressive (they even ship it nationwide!). The deep chocolate swirls remind me of black poppy seeds and inspired me to combine them into this indulgent sweet bready treat.

These delectable rolls can also be made plain, without poppy seeds, for a classic version. However, those of us who love poppy seeds, will enjoy the light crunch and texture that the spattering of poppy seeds provides. These caramel rolls may be different from those that I looked forward to every Christmas as a child, but they are better than what I find at most cafes here in the city. They just might make it on the table with the holiday desserts this year (as well as for breakfast, of course).

Ingredients:

2 (1 1/2 tablespoons) packages active dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm milk
1 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon salt
5-6 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Topping
4 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 brown sugar
cinnamon and poppy seeds for sprinkling

Mix the yeast in a large bowl with ½ cup of the warm milk, honey, and sugar. Let stand a few minutes to proof. Melt butter in remaining milk and add the salt. Combine with the yeast mixture.

Add the flour a cup at a time and stir it in with a wooden spoon. Continue mixing until dough is thoroughly blended. If you are using an electric mixer with a dough hook, knead at slow speed for 3-4 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead until dough is very soft, smooth, and elastic. Transfer to a well-buttered bowl and allow to rise in a warm spot until double in bulk (around 1-2 hours).

While dough rises, grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch round cake pan or 8 inch square baking pan. Mix Melt 4 tablespoons of melted butter with ¾ cup brown sugar. Pour into prepared pan.

Punch down dough and turn out on a lightly floured surface. Roll out with a rolling pin into a rectangle, about ½ inch thick. Spread with softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and poppy seeds.  Roll up and cut the roll into 1 – 1 ½ inch slices. Arrange slices in the prepared pan.  Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt tablespoon. Brush the rolls with the butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds and cinnamon. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly then run a butter knife along the sides of the pan to release the rolls. Place a serving plate on top of the rolls and while holding the bottom of the baking pan, flip upside down onto the serving plate so that the bottoms of the rolls are facing up and the caramel sauce covers them.

Yield 9 large rolls or 18 small rolls.

Poppy Seed Cinnamon Roll

 

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