Sur La Table Holiday Baking Class

Took "Holiday Baking Basics" class with Chef Ed Hamann at Sur La Table.

Rolls
Makes about 10 rolls
Roll Ingredients:
1 sm. russet potato (5 oz), peeled & quartered
1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast or 1 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup sugar (1-3/4 oz)
1/2 stick unsalted butter (2 oz), very soft, plus more to grease tin
1/2 cup warm whole milk (4 oz)
1 lg. egg, room temp
6 Tbs unsalted butter (3 oz), melted, for brushing
Fleur de sel (sea salt) for garnish
Roll Steps:

1. Put potato in sm. saucepan. Cover w/ water. Put over med. heat. Bring to simmer. Cook 15-20 mins, until tip of knife slides in & out easily.
2. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
3. Return potato to pan and mash. Set aside to cool to room temp.
4. Warm potato water to 110-115 F. Pour into bowl.
5. Add yeast and 1 tsp sugar. Whisk by hand.
6. Let yeast-sugar mixture sit for 10 mins, until yeast is activated and foamy or bubbling.
7. Measure 1/2 cup mashed potato (3-1/2 oz) and add to bowl.
8. Add remaining sugar, softened butter (2 oz), milk and egg. Whisk by hand.
9. Add flour and kosher salt. Knead until dough begins to come together (2-3 mins on low in large stand mixer using paddle attachment). Dough will seem sticky.
10. Add additional flour, a TBS at at time while mixing, until dough begins to pull away for sides of bowl.
11. Knead faster, until dough feels firm, dense and springy (5-6 mins on med-low in mixer). Do not over-knead or potato starch will break down and make dough gooey.
12. Lightly butter (or oil) lg. plastic tub or lg. mixing bowl. Scrape dough into tub. Lightly coat dough's surface with a little butter (or oil).
13. Cover tub w/ plastic wrap or damp cloth and let dough rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 mins.
14. After dough doubles, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Press down on it firmly to expel some air bubbles. Chill, covered, for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
15. Butter cups of a standard muffin tin.
16. Divide dough into 3oz portions (10 to 12 portions).
17. Divide those portions into three equal-sized balls, about 1 oz each.
18. Nestle three balls into each muffin cup.
19. Cover rolls loosely w/ plastic wrap or damp cloth and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 35-45 mins.
20. Preheat oven to 375 F and place rack in oven's center.
21. Remove wrap/cloth and discard. Brush tops of each roll w/ melted butter and sprinkle lightly w fleur de sel.
22. Bake rolls for 15 mins.
23. Rotate muffin tin and continue to bake until rolls are golden brown, about 15-20 mins longer. Their internal temp will be 200 F.
24. Transfer rolls to cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temp.

Roll Tips:

• To see how much dough rises, use lg. measuring cup at start and end of rising time
• Each dough ball is approx. 1 oz (takes three balls to make each roll)
• After dough rises, chill dough, then butter tops and add salt

Pecan Pie
To be added.

Flaky Pie Dough
(use for Pecan Pie)
To be added.

Pumpkin Custard
(use for Pumpkin Tart)
To be added.

Pumpkin Tart with Red Wine Caramel Glaze and Chocolate Crust
Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup dry, fruity red wine (e.g. Merlot or Chianti)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs unsalted butter cut in small pieces
Crust Ingredients:
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 cup (5 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
2-1/2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
Filling Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups (12 oz) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (4 oz) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1-3/4 oz) granulated sugar
1 can (15 ox) canned pumpkin puree
Pumpkin Tart w/ Glaze Steps:

1. For sauce, place wine in sm. saucepan; heat over med-hi to a boil. Reduce wine by half and remove from heat.
2. Place sugar and water in lg. saucepan over med-hi until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to boil without stirring (occasionally swirl pan) until syrup is a deep amber color, about 12-15 mins.
3. Remove sugar from heat and whisk in butter. REMOVE FROM HEAT and CAREFULLY add reduced wine while whisking constantly (mix will bubble vigorously).
4. Stir wine and sugar mixture over low heat until smooth. Cool to room temp. Set aside.
5. For crust, place butter and sugar in bowl and beat on med speed in stand mixer w/ paddle attachment (~ 3 mins).
6. Add egg yolk to butter mix and beat well.
7. In a med. mixing bowl whisk together flour and cocoa powder.
8. Add butter to the flour-cocoa mix. Use a mixer on lowest speed and blend just until dough comes together (will be moist w/ a uniform dark color). Finish mixing dough by hand.
9. Scrape dough clumps into 9” tart pan with tall sides and press in an even layer. Form bottom, then form walls. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Reserve extra dough.
10. Preheat oven to 350 F and place rack in center. Bake tart shell for 15 mins and remove.
11. Repair any cracks in shell with reserved dough. Return to oven for baking for 15-17 mins more, then remove and place on wire rack; Leave oven on.
12. To prepare filling, whisk eggs in lg. mixing bowl. Add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and salt. Whisk well to blend evenly.
13. To egg-spice mix, whisk in cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar and pumpkin. Blend well.
14. Strain mixture through fine-mesh directly into the tart shell.
15. Bake shell and filling until custard is set, about 30-40 mins.
16. Test to see if tart is done by tapping side of pan – center of pie should move as one piece. Once done, transfer tar to rack and cool completely (~ 2 hrs.).

Caramel Glaze Notes and Tips:

• “Caramel” just means burnt sugar
• Instead of wine, you can reduce apple cider or cream for your caramel sauce
• Can reduce the wine ahead of time
• To make caramel, you can use a saucier or a wok
• Do not use non-stick cookware to make caramel
• When reducing wine, if it reduces too much, add water
• Use a measuring cup to check your reduction and ensure it's reduced by half
• When burning sugar, if it forms crystals you can add corn syrup. If sugar sticks to pot, wipe pot sides with pastry brush dipped in water.
• Sugar burns at really high heat – avoid getting injured by burning sugar
• For sauce, add butter, then wine, OFF heat – do it on the counter. After adding those, put back on heated burner briefly to combine.
• Can make caramel one day in advance (store in fridge, then bring to room temp)
• For presentation, either pour caramel over the top to coat or drizzle it
• Instead of making tarts, putting the filling into buttered ramekins makes custard
• Instead of making filling, you can fill crust with pre-made stuff, e.g. lemon curd
• Don’t forget to chill pie crust in fridge for 1 hour – can put in freezer for 30 mins instead.
• Save extra dough in case you need to patch a crack.
• To reduce chances of salmonella, crack eggs on flat surface.

Gingerbread Shortcakes with Apples
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients for Shortbread:
2 cups flour (10 oz)
1/3 cup firmly packed lt. brown sugar (2-1/2 oz)
2-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1-3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2" cubes (4 oz total)
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs cold buttermilk (5 oz total)
2 Tbs light, unsulfured molasses
3 Tbs Demerara sugar
Ingredients for Apples:
6 lg. Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3-1/2 oz)
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbs unsalted butter, divided
2 cups heavy cream, whipped (for serving)
Steps for Shortbread:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Place rack in oven's center.
2. Line rimmed baking sheet w/ parchment paper.
3. Mix flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, baking soda and salt (can mix in food processor)
4. Add cold butter pieces and combine until you have medium pieces (either pulse 5 times in food processor or use pastry blender)
5. Add buttermilk and molasses and combine until dough holds together in lg., thick clumps (pulse 20 times)
6. Place dough on lightly floured work surface; gently squeeze clumps together to form cohesive dough
7. Pat dough into an 8x4" rectangle
8. Cut dough in half lengthwise, then into quaters crosswise - makes eight 2" squares
9. Brush off excess flour and space evenly on prepared baking sheet
10. Sprinkle w/ Demerar sugar and lightly press it into the tops
11. Bake for 14-15 mins, until firm to the touch and golden in color
12. Cool on wire rack for 5-10 mins

Steps for Apples:

1. Cut apples into 1/2"-thick slices
2. While scones bake, toss apples w/ the granulated sugar and cinnamon to coat
3. Melt 1 Tbs butter in lg. skillet over medium heat
4. Swirl pan to coat w/ melted butter, then turn heat to high
5. Add half the apples and spread in even layer - cook 8-10 mins, stirring only once every 2 mins - apples will be golden brown and cooked through but will still hold their shape (tip of knife slides easily and in out)
6. Transfer first batch of cooked apples to plate; repeat steps #3-5 with second batch

Steps to Serve Shortbread with Apples:

1. Split warm scones in half - place bottom half on dessert plate and spoon on apples, allowing some slices to fall directly on plate
2. Add dollop of whipped cream
3. Place top half of scone slightly askew on whipped cream and serve immediately

Shortbread Tips:

• "Shortbread" and "shortcakes" are the same thing