Banana chocolate chip bread pudding, for the morning after (also known as 'Better than make-up sex' bread pudding)

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Update, April 2020: I've made banana chocolate chip bread pudding more times than I can count since this post first appeared a decade ago. It's getting us through our COVID-19 quarantine at the moment. The first time I made this recipe it was a peace offering. Now it's our ultimate comfort food. Enjoy.

Husbands and wives argue. It's just one of those things - a given of marriage, a by-product of sharing so many of the important issues and ho-hum mundanities of life. A little irritation leads to big words. Stubborn begets stubborn. Heels dig in. Movement and compromise seem unnatural, uncomfortable, even impossible. You reach a level of exasperation where you wonder how you ended up in this life and wildly consider all the possible avenues out of it. And then you leave the room, slam the door, hold your head in your hands, and fume. Or weep, depending on the particular situation and your particular personality.

Married people out there, I see you nodding your heads. And for all you smug singles who think this will never happen to you and your future spouse...I think you know what I'm going to say, so I won't bother.

I've heard the old saying about not going to bed angry, but that doesn't always work for me. When I get heated up, I need more time for my steam to dissipate. But ultimately I'm a peacemaker. Which is why, a few weeks ago, I made banana chocolate chip bread pudding early one morning before heading to work. We'd gone to bed mad, and I meant the bread pudding as my fragrant, sweet, silent apology. Which, fortunately, is how it was received. [April 2010]

Banana chocolate chip bread pudding

• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur, or brandy
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 loaf challah, torn into small pieces (about 8 cups)
• 2 ripe bananas, sliced or cut into small chunks
• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, cream, milk, liqueur and salt. Add the bread pieces, bananas, and chocolate chips and toss to combine thoroughly - you want all the bread covered with the custard mixture. Leave the bread pudding mixture in the bowl about 1 hour, mixing every 15 minutes to redistribute the ingredients.

Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, then pour in the bread pudding mixture. Bake until the bread pudding is puffed up, golden brown on top and set in the center - when you jiggle the pan, the middle shouldn't wobble. Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a rack at least 30 minutes. It will deflate as it cools, but that's normal, so don't be concerned.

Serve warm or at room temperature. I think whipped cream is gilding the lily, but if you like it, go ahead.

 More bread pudding recipes: Chocolate-cherry bread pudding * Roasted wild mushroom bread pudding with bacon * Savory bread pudding with caramelized onions and Comte cheese

Fresh corn tortillas with zucchini flowers

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My specialty is making food that tastes good. I'm not quite so skilled when it comes to making food that's beautiful.

But when I saw these stunning fresh corn tortillas with zucchini flowers on Girl + Fire a few years back, I thought I'd take a shot. And guess what? It wasn't actually that hard.

I love zucchini season and have created a ton of favorite zucchini recipes over the years. This is one of them.

These tortillas with zucchini flowers aren't something I'm choosing to eat right now, but remember, I also cook for my family, and they don't need to restrict their foods just because I am.

I've become a big fan of Maseca corn flour and now keep a bag in my pantry at all times. Mix Maseca with water to make dough, roll the dough into golf balls, press each one thin in a tortilla press, a minute in a nonstick skillet, and presto - tortillas. For a girl from Long Island who tasted her first tortilla long after her first legal margarita, it's pretty magical. 

You can use either waxed paper or plastic wrap to line the tortilla press and keep the tortillas from sticking to the press. If you don't have a tortilla press, I bet you could use the back of a heavy skillet and do it on the kitchen counter. (I haven't tried it, though, because a tortilla press is pretty easy to come by here in Los Angeles.)

If you can't find zucchini flowers, any edible flower will do, or try a branch or two of tarragon, chive flowers, a few sprigs of dill, thin strips of roasted bell pepper, or sliced olives. 

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Fresh corn tortillas with zucchini flowers

by Erika Kerekes February-13-2012

Fresh corn tortillas are easy and quick to make. Press edible zucchini blossoms into the tortillas for a dramatic presentation. Look for zucchini flowers at gourmet grocery stores or local farmers markets.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Maseca corn flour
• about 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12-16 zucchini flowers, washed and gently patted dry

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the Maseca and water until a soft dough forms. It should be moist but not sticky. Roll the dough into balls about 2 inches in diameter, somewhere between a walnut and a golf ball. Cover the dough balls with a damp towel or a piece of plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.Line a tortilla press with waxed paper or plastic wrap. Place one dough ball on the press, put another piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap on top, and press down to flatten the tortilla. Lift the press, put one flower on the tortilla, replace the paper or plastic, and press down again gently to embed the flower into the raw tortilla.Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tortilla until dry and cooked through, flipping to make sure both sides are cooked. Move the finished tortilla to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep it warm. Continue with the rest of the tortilla dough and zucchini flowers. While one tortilla is cooking, press the next so it is waiting when the pan is empty. Serve warm.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 12-16 6-inch tortillas

Passover matzoh kugel with bananas and chocolate chips

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I can't seem to escape the combination of bananas and chocolate. Not even at Passover.

Then again - why would I want to?

Banana chocolate chip bread pudding is a favorite in our house. (By the way, there's a reason I named it Better Than Make-Up Sex Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding. Because it is.)

The matzoh left over from last night's Passover seder got me thinking: Could I make a Passover dessert with bananas and chocolate chips?

Here you go. You can thank me later.

P.S. I made this version dairy, but if you wante a pareve dessert kugel to serve after your seder meal, substitute coconut milk or almond milk for the half-and-half.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Passover Matzoh Kugel

by Erika Kerekes April-15-2014

Just like our favorite banana chocolate chip bread pudding - but made with matzoh for Passover. This delicious Passover dessert will get you through a week without bread with no problem at all.

Ingredients

• 4 squares matzoh
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 ripe bananas
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl, crush the matzoh into little pieces with your fingers. Warm the half-and-half in a measuring cup in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove until hot but not boiling. Pour over the matzoh pieces. Let sit 30 minutes.To the bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the bananas, either slicing them or crushing them with your fingers as you put them in the bowl. Pour in the chocolate chips and stir again.Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.Spray a medium-sized baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the matzoh mixture and smooth the top. Let sit in the pan another 15 minutes.Bake the matzoh kugel for 45 minutes, until the edges and top are golden brown and the center is set. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if you like.

Details

Prep time: 35 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 20 mins Yield: 8 servings

California Sunshine breakfast sandwich with pesto and peppers

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For many years I made my boys a hot breakfast every single day.

But as they've gotten older and I've gotten busier, I've left them to their own devices in the mornings more and more.

They're pretty self-sufficient on school days. Neither kid loves cereal, but between leftovers, toast, smoked salmon (the elder), Nutella (the younger), and the Keurig, they do pretty well.

One morning not long ago, I saw my older son rummaging dejectedly through the refrigerator and took pity on him. While he got his stuff together, I threw together a quick open-faced breakfast sandwich: a Stonefire Mediterranean Pocket Pita with pesto, a fried egg, and a quick saute of colored bell peppers. It tasted great and looked even better.

Every time I see this photo it reminds me of mornings in our Santa Monica kitchen: sunny, bright, warm, and cheerful, with a pure golden light that slants in through the southeast windows. Thus the name: California Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich. May it bring sunlight and warmth to all of your kitchens too.

Disclosure: Stonefire sent me their flatbreads to try. I have to tell you - they're fantastic. The pita bread is soft, pillowy, with just the right amount of chew, and it's not dry at all. We also enjoyed the naan and pizza crust, but the pita was the hands-down winner. Other than the free bread, for which my family was very grateful, I got no compensation for this post. We ate the samples faster than I could photograph them. Luckily, Stonefire pita is now available at my local Costco, and possibly at yours too. 

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California Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich

by Erika Kerekes April-9-2014

Pesto, a fried egg, and sauteed tri-color bell peppers top a soft pita bread for this delicious breakfast sandwich that looks like California sunshine.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup mixed color bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 pita bread round
• 1 Tablespoon basil pesto sauce
• 1 egg
• chives, for garnish
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

In a small nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers; cook until wilted and starting to brown around the edges, 3-4 minutes. Put the pepper mixture on a plate.While the peppers are cooking, put the pita in the toaster. Toast until warm and soft. Spread the pita with the pesto sauce.In the same skillet in which you cooked the peppers, crack the egg. Fry the egg until it is done to your liking.To assemble the sandwich, slide the fried egg onto the pita and top with the pepper mixture. Garnish with the chives and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 15 mins Yield: 1 sandwich

Homemade oatmeal bread with flax seeds

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I have been on a bread-baking tear lately. A rampage, even. I don't think a day has gone by in the past month when there has not been homemade oatmeal bread on the counter.

Why oatmeal bread? I've tried many combinations of grains for homemade bread. My former favorite homemade bread recipe combines white flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ and cornmeal. But this version, with rolled oats, white flour and flax seeds, seems to be my family's hands-down favorite.

The trick to good bread at home is to ignore all that crap most bread recipes spout about satin-smooth dough that feels like a baby's bottom.

The best bread comes from dough that is so wet it is impossible to knead. It does not clean the bowl when you mix it in the stand mixer. You cannot punch it down and fold it. It is loose and wet, like muffin batter.

Wet dough looks like a blob on the counter but, after an hour in a heavy pot in the oven, turns into bread with a golden thick crust and a moist, flavorful interior. Let it rise a good long time. Don't worry if it seems like a shaggy mess and sticks to your fingers when you try to shape it. All will be well.

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Homemade oatmeal bread with flax seeds

by Erika Kerekes February-8-2013

This recipe turns out beautiful loaves of artisan-style bread, with a thick crust, chewy interior and sourdough-like flavor.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon honey
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (approximate)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup flax seeds
• 1 Tablespoon salt

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, honey and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir with a spoon and let stand 5 minutes. The yeast will "bloom" and start to foam. As soon as you see the yeast activating, move on to the next step.Add the oatmeal, all-purpose flour, flax seeds and salt to the bowl. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and turn it to low. With the mixer running, start adding the warm water in a slow stream. Stop now and then to let the mixer distribute the water among the dry ingredients. Keep adding water until the dough comes together. It should be wet and should NOT pull away from the sides of the bowl completely - you're looking for the texture of thick muffin batter. The dough will require different amounts of water on different days - the weather affects this - so don't be afraid to use more if you need to.When all the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is clearly one single entity but still very wet, let the mixer run for 5 minutes. (This will start to develop the gluten.) After 5 minutes, stop the mixer, remove the dough hook, remove the bowl from the mixer, cover it with plastic wrap, and stick it in a warm place for 12 hours or overnight. The dough will rise a bit and get bubbly.After 12 hours or the next morning, scatter some all-purpose flour on your counter and spray a sheet of parchment paper with cooking spray. Using a spatula or dough scraper, carefully turn the dough out of the bowl onto the counter, trying to disturb its bubbly structure as little as possible. Sprinkle a little more flour on top and, using your hands, gather the ends of the dough toward the center of the pile, making a rough "ball" (in quotation marks because the dough will be very loose and will be more of a blob than a ball). With the "seam" side down, set the blob of dough onto the prepared parchment paper. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and loosely tent that over the dough. Leave the blob of dough on the counter for about 2 hours. It won't really rise, but it will expand a bit - that's fine.While the blob is resting, put a cast iron or heavy enameled covered Dutch oven into your oven and turn the heat to 450. Yes, you want to heat the pot with the oven.When the blob has finished resting and the oven is hot, carefully remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid. Carefully lift the parchment and plop the whole thing into the pot, paper and all. Cover the pot immediately and return it to the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake the loaf uncovered another 20-25 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pot and cool on a rack or board at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Details

Prep time: 14 hour Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 15 hour Yield: 1 large loaf

How to bake bread at home

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Nothing makes my husband and two boys happier than a loaf of homemade bread on the kitchen counter.

When it comes to baking bread, I go through phases. I get into a rhythm and turn out a loaf every few days for a month. Baking bread for my family makes me happy.

Then I realize that my whole family is eating too much darn bread and starting to look a little puffy around the middle, and I stop cold turkey.

One good thing about baking bread at home is that homemade bread tastes great dipped into soup. Soup is made from vegetables. Therefore, when I bake bread my family eats more vegetables. (This is my attempt at rationalizing and justifying my desire to bake bread. Do you buy it?)

I have tried all the fashionable methods of baking bread and haven't been satisfied with any of them in their entirety. Jim Lahey's no-knead method makes a great loaf but creates way too many floury kitchen towels. The Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day method is convenient but I find the texture of the loaves too cottony for my taste. I kept a sourdough starter for almost 20 years, moved it cross-country three times, and made more than 100 loaves from it before it got contaminated with an unpleasant mold and I had to toss it.

So I've come up with my own method that takes elements from here and there and turns out what I think is the perfect loaf of bread: thick, crisp crust; chewy interior speckled with bubbles; a sour-ish flavor without fussing with sourdough.

The key to the best texture is a very wet dough. Wet. Almost as wet as muffin batter. Forget that thing about kneading bread dough until it's as smooth as a baby's bottom. That works for other kinds of bread but not for an artisan-style multigrain bread. And like Jim Lahey's bread, it should be baked in a cast iron or enamel covered Dutch oven - the cover traps moisture and keeps the loaf tender on the inside.

This recipe is very flexible and very forgiving. Look at the proportions and the method, not the exact measurements. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can do this by hand, but I warn you, you will be tired. And don't hesitate to ask questions - leave a comment below and I'll talk you through it.

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Homemade artisan multigrain bread

by Erika Penzer Kerekes September-11-2012

Use this method to make beautiful loaves of artisan-style bread, with a thick crust, chewy interior and sourdough-like flavor.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1/4 tsp honey
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (approximate)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup cornmeal (optional)
• 1 Tbsp salt

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, honey and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir with a spoon and let stand 5 minutes. The yeast will "bloom" and start to foam. As soon as you see the yeast activating, move on to the next step.Add the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, cornmeal (if using) and salt to the bowl. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and turn it to low. With the mixer running, start adding the warm water in a slow stream. Stop now and then to let the mixer distribute the water among the dry ingredients. Keep adding water until the dough comes together. It should be wet and should NOT pull away from the sides of the bowl completely - you're looking for the texture of thick muffin batter. The dough will require different amounts of water on different days - the weather affects this - so don't be afraid to use more if you need to. When all the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is clearly one single entity but still very wet, let the mixer run for 5 minutes. (This will start to develop the gluten.) After 5 minutes, stop the mixer, remove the dough hook, remove the bowl from the mixer, cover it with plastic wrap, and stick it in a warm place for 12 hours or overnight. The dough will rise a bit and get bubbly.After 12 hours or the next morning, scatter some all-purpose flour on your counter and spray a sheet of parchment paper with cooking spray. Using a spatula or dough scraper, carefully turn the dough out of the bowl onto the counter, trying to disturb its bubbly structure as little as possible. Sprinkle a little more flour on top and, using your hands, gather the ends of the dough toward the center of the pile, making a rough "ball" (in quotation marks because the dough will be very loose and will be more of a blob than a ball). With the "seam" side down, set the blob of dough onto the prepared parchment paper. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and loosely tent that over the dough. Leave the blob of dough on the counter for about 2 hours. It won't really rise, but it will expand a bit - that's fine.While the blob is resting, put a cast iron or heavy enameled covered Dutch oven into your oven and turn the heat to 450. Yes, you want to heat the pot with the oven.When the blob has finished resting and the oven is hot, carefully remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid. Carefully lift the parchment and plop the whole thing into the pot, paper and all. Cover the pot immediately and return it to the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake the loaf uncovered another 20-25 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pot and cool on a rack or board at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Details

Prep time: 14 hour Cook time: 55 mins Total time: 14 hour 55 mins Yield: 1 large round loaf

Olive bread

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A loaf of La Brea Bakery olive bread is a big treat for my husband. Olive bread and good butter make him one happy man.

However, the last time we bought a loaf of said olive bread, it set us back about $8. I'm not cheap, but I can't afford to buy olive bread as often as Michael would prefer to eat it.

So I dusted off my bread-making skills and set out to bake a loaf of olive bread that I can afford. I used pitted Kalamata olives from Costco and a combination of all-purpose and white whole wheat flours. My olive bread isn't quite as good as La Brea Bakery's, but it will tide us over when the grocery budget is stretched.

Don't be scared of baking yeast bread. It's easy once you've done it a few times. I've had many a frustrating failure with sourdough, but yeast bread is a snap. I make mine in a stand mixer with the dough hook, but you'll developed fabulous biceps if you do it by hand.

Notes: This recipe calls for letting the dough rise overnight in the refrigerator, or up to 24 hours. The longer and slower the rise, the better the flavor. Rush the process at your own peril. Also, I get the best results baking my bread in the oven inside a cast iron Dutch oven; if you don't have one, try a heavy, ovenproof casserole dish or pot with a lid.

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Olive bread

by Erika Kerekes July-10-2012

A hearty bread with whole wheat flour and kalamata olives.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Kalamata olives, drained and pitted
• 1 tsp dry yeast (instant or regular active)
• pinch of granulated sugar
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• about 1 1/4 cups warm water, or more to achieve proper texture

Instructions

Chop the olives roughly, either using a large knife on a cutting board or by pulsing in a food processor. Set chopped olives aside.Stand mixer instructions: Add the yeast, sugar and a few tablespoons of warm water to the stand mixer's bowl and swish them around to combine. Let stand 5-10 minutes, until the yeast has bloomed. Add the flours, salt and olives, and put the bowl on the stand mixer with the dough hook. Start the machine on its lowest setting. Add the water a bit at a time. When the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, stop adding water. Stop the mixer and feel the dough; it should feel sticky, even a little wet (dry dough makes dry bread). Turn the mixer back on and let it run about 5 minutes to knead the dough. Hand-mixing instructions: In a large bowl, add the yeast, sugar and a few tablespoons of warm water. Stir to dissolve the yeast and let sit 5-10 minutes, until the yeast has bloomed. Add the flours, salt and olives, then add the warm water a bit at a time, pouring with one hand and mixing with the other hand. When the dough comes together into a shaggy mess, turn it out onto the counter and start kneading, adding more water a spoonful at a time if the dough feels dry, or more all-purpose flour a spoonful at a time if the dough feels too wet. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, folding the dough over on itself, turning a quarter-turn, and repeating, until the dough feels smoother and somewhat more cohesive. It doesn't have to be baby-smooth.Spray the inside of a large zip-top bag with nonstick cooking spray. Put the dough inside the bag, press out the extra air, and zip the bag closed. Place the bag in the refrigerator overnight or as long as 24 hours. You'll want to check it a few times and release the gas that's built up in the bag, or you might end up with a little explosion.After the dough has risen in the refrigerator (and it won't rise much, so don't be alarmed), it's time to form the loaf. Set a piece of parchment paper on the counter and dust it generously with flour, then set it aside. Sprinkle a little more flour directly on the counter and turn the dough out of the bag onto the counter. You don't want to deflate it completely - just pull the edges down and under the center to form a ball, pinching the edges together underneath. Put the ball of dough on the floured parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit on the counter about two hours. It will rise as it comes to room temperature, but not too much.If you have a cast iron Dutch oven or deep covered pot that can go in the oven, you'll want to bake your bread in that. Put the empty, covered pot into the oven and turn the heat to 450 degrees. Let the oven get good and hot. When it's ready, take the pot out of the oven, remove the lid, and gently place the unbaked loaf with the parchment paper in the pot. Replace the lid, put the pot back in the oven, and let bake 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake the loaf another 20 minutes.Take the pot out of the oven, remove the loaf from the pot, carefully peel the parchment paper off the bread, and let the olive bread cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with plenty of good butter.

Details

Prep time: 12 hour 20 mins Cook time: 50 mins Total time: 13 hour 10 mins Yield: 1 large loaf

How to make croutons

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I make homemade croutons every week. In fact, I buy extra bread specifically for croutons. Croutons get my family to eat more vegetables. Homemade croutons garnish every salad and float atop every soup I serve.

[pause]

Who am I kidding? Here's why we go through so many croutons: because we eat them standing up at the counter straight from the baking sheet. Homemade croutons are one of the most delicious snacks known to humankind. They're crunchy and salty. You won't be able to stop licking your lips. Or your fingers.

Homemade croutons are exponentially better than store-bought croutons, and they're extremely easy to make. In fact, making croutons seems so basic to me that I wondered whether it even warranted a recipe. I asked my Facebook friends and they said yes, they would welcome a post on how to make croutons. So here we are. 

My favorite bread for croutons is La Brea Bakery rosemary olive oil bread, which, conveniently, I get at my local Costco. I like sturdy croutons with a good hefty chew, and the sturdier the bread, the sturdier the croutons. But you can really make croutons out of any kind of bread. More delicate bread like challah or brioche yields a dainty crouton. Dense, hefty bread makes solid nuggets. Play around and see what you like.

Tips: Leave the crusts on. Don't use your best olive oil. Cut the cubes of bread small enough that you won't break your teeth on the finished croutons. And make more than you think you need.

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Homemade croutons

by Erika Kerekes June-5-2012

Turn extra bread into salty, oil-slicked croutons in less than half an hour. Use them to dress up salad or soup if you can keep yourself from eating them straight from the oven.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf rustic bread (try sourdough, French bread, Italian bread or La Brea Bakery rosemary olive oil loaf)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 tsp garlic salt (substitute 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp granulated garlic and 1/4 tsp dried parsley)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Cut the loaf of bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the cubes of bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over the bread, then sprinkle the garlic salt on top. Using your hands, toss the bread cubes until they are evenly coated with the oil and garlic salt.Bake the croutons approximately 20 minutes, until they are a light golden brown (start checking after 15 minutes). Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the croutons cool on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag up to 1 week. If you keep them longer you'll notice that the oil will develop an off taste.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: approximately 6 cups

White chocolate bread from Club Med

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My version of Club Med's white chocolate bread

We spent spring break this year with my extended family at Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida. I've been to other Club Meds, so I knew the food would be good and the bread truly outstanding. You can take the baker out of France, but you can't take France out of the baker.

At every meal we had a choice of nearly a dozen different breads. Baguettes, of course, and brioche in various shapes. I ignored the breakfast omelettes and loaded up on the raisin bread, dense with sweet, plump raisins, with a few triangles of runny Brie.

But the hands-down family favorite, and one of Club Med's signature recipes, is the white chocolate bread. Despite the name, it's not too sweet. As I learned from head pastry chef Charles, that's because there's no sugar in the dough. It's basically a standard French bread dough with white chocolate chips, which melt and caramelize to give the bread its characteristic golden coat.

Club Med Sandpiper lead pastry chef Charles making white chocolate bread

Chef Charles's tip: Hershey's white chocolate chips work much better in this bread than fancy, expensive white chocolate. Why? He's not sure - they might have a higher sugar content, he thinks, which helps them caramelize more deeply in the hot oven.

And my tip: When you vacation at a resort or large hotel, tell the manager you're interested in meeting the chef and seeing the kitchens. If you write a food blog, give him your card and explain that you love writing about the places you travel to. As I always say: Ask for the story you want. At Club Med Sandpiper, manager Lionel was more than happy to arrange a private cooking demo for me so I could take pictures.

My version of Club Med's white chocolate bread is a little simpler and adds some whole wheat flour. Don't forget to get some steam into the oven - you won't get a good crust without it.

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White chocolate bread a la Club Med

by Erika Kerekes April-13-2012

Every Club Med around the world serves white chocolate bread on its pastry and bread buffet at every meal. This version is adapted slightly from Club Med's signature recipe. White whole wheat flour is a lighter whole grain flour, made from winter white wheat; it is widely available in the baking section of major grocery stores.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp dry yeast (instant or regular active)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• approximately 1 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Instructions

Add the flours, yeast and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix briefly to make sure all dry ingredients are evenly distributed. With the mixer running on low, add half the water. Add the rest slowly, stopping when the dough comes together and starts moving around the bowl in a ball. You want the dough to be somewhat wet, but it should still move as one around the bowl. I wish I could tell you exactly how much water to add, but bread doesn't work that way - it depends on the flour, the humidity in the air, and other mysterious and unpredictable things. When the dough has come together, feel it. If it feels dry, add a little more water. Mix briefly, then add the chocolate chips. Set the mixer on the next to lowest speed and walk away for about five minutes. The mixer will do all the hard work kneading the bread dough.[If you don't have a mixer, put the dry ingredients in a big bowl, add the water, and use your muscles. Add the chips after the dough has come together into a shaggy but recognizable mess. You'll need to knead at least 10 minutes by hand. Good luck.]After kneading the dough will be relatively smooth and the chips will be more or less evenly distributed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, put it in a warm place, and leave it to rise until it's doubled in bulk (around 2 hours, but again, it depends heavily on your local conditions). Turn the dough out onto the counter and punch the air out of it. For large rolls, divide it into approximately 12 even pieces. You can make smaller rolls or one big loaf if you prefer. Put the rolls or loaf onto two parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of room for rising. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. The second rise will be shorter, about 45-60 minutes.Heat the oven to 450. Fill a spray bottle with clean water; if you don't have a spray bottle, put a heavy baking dish or cast-iron skillet on the bottom rack of your oven while it's heating up.When the oven is hot, quickly open the door, slide in the bread, and either spritz the bread with the spray bottle or pour some water into the preheated pan on the bottom rack. Close the door immediately to trap the steam and turn the oven down to 400 degrees. If you used the spray bottle, spray again after about 5 minutes of baking. Bake about 30 minutes (maybe 20 for smaller rolls, 45 for one large loaf), until the outside of the bread is golden brown and studded with dark-brown caramelized chips. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Details

Prep time: 3 hour 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 3 hour 45 mins Yield: 12 rolls

Persimmon cornbread pudding

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When I walk around my neighborhood, I catalog fruit trees. I know who has the most prolific loquat, whose tangerines are ready to drop, and whose Santa Rosa plums need pruning. I've tried, and failed, to gather enough courage to knock on the front doors belonging to the apricot, fig and tangelo trees whose fruit I covet, even though I suspect the squirrels are getting most of it.

Backyard fruit is one of the best things about living in southern California. Especially when said fruit belongs to friends who are happy to share.

Last week I brought home a bag of Fuyu persimmons from a friend's yard. Once again I forgot that no one in my house likes persimmons. Last year that same mistake resulted in a batch of delicious persimmon spice muffins. This year I was in the mood for bread pudding.

Leftover cornbread makes an excellent foundation for bread pudding, by the way. Cut it into cubes, dry it out in the oven, and soak it in custard just as you would any other bread. It's more dense than challah or brioche, so the final pudding is more chewy than airy, but the flavor is knock-your-socks-off special. Especially when combined with sweet, exotic persimmons.

I'm thinking this persimmon cornbread pudding might just become a regular on Californian Thanksgiving tables. Sorry, squirrels. We're taking back our fruit.

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Persimmon cornbread pudding

by Erika Kerekes November-7-2011

Leftover cornbread and crunchy Fuyu persimmons bake up sweet and satisfying in this custard-rich bread pudding. Perfect for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

• 1 batch sweet corn bread (from an 8-inch square pan; I use the recipe on the Albers cornmeal box)
• 4 Fuyu persimmons
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the corn bread into small cubes, about 3/4-inch square. Put the corn bread on a baking sheet and bake until the squares are lightly browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. You don't want them to burn, but you want to try to get them as dry as possible. Remove the corn bread from the oven and raise the temperature to 400 degrees.While the corn bread is toasting, peel the persimmons and cut the flesh into bits about the same size as the corn bread cubes.In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Add the toasted bread cubes and the diced persimmons and toss well. Let the mixture sit in the bowl, tossing occasionally, about 30 minutes. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour in the corn bread mixture, including all the liquid. Bake about 45 minutes, or until the pudding is set and no longer jiggles when you shake the pan.Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. The pudding will be puffed up when it comes out of the oven, but don't be alarmed when it falls - that's normal. Serve warm or at room temperature. Whipped cream would be a lovely accompaniment.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 5 mins Yield: 6-8 servings

Easy biscuits with yogurt

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You may not believe me, but you can make very respectable biscuits without butter or shortening.

I got my favorite biscuit recipe via Ellen, one of my college roommates, who in turn got it from her mother as a wedding present. The recipe had been handed down through several generations. There's no butter, no shortening - only vegetable oil and either yogurt or buttermilk.

Ellen's mom is from Texas, so in my romantic fantasies I see poor Dust Bowl farmers with dried-up cows, forced to find a new way to make biscuits. I have no idea whether that's anywhere close to reality, but I don't really care. I like my fantasy and I like the biscuits.

That red stuff below, by the way, is prickly pear cactus jelly my 12-year-old son brought me from Arizona. Loved the color, loved the concept, loved that he brought me a present. The flavor - nothing special. But it worked fine on a steaming hot biscuit.

I've made many variations on this basic biscuit recipe, including cheese biscuits, biscuits with Jarlsberg and bacon, and biscuits with mushroom beef gravy. It's a blank canvas. What would you put in your biscuits?

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Easy biscuits with yogurt

by Erika Kerekes November-3-2011

A basic biscuit recipe with no butter and no shortening. Does it still taste good? I think so, but you be the judge.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup grapeseed or canola oil
• 2/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (lowfat or full-fat)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. I always sift my baking powder and baking soda into the bowl through a small strainer because once I made muffins that contained large lumps of baking soda, and I will never forget that awful taste. You may take whatever chances you like.In a measuring cup, gently whisk together the oil and buttermilk or yogurt. You don't want them completely combined. Pour the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture and use a fork to bring the ingredients together into a shaggy dough. Using one hand, knead the dough in the bowl about 8 times, folding it over on itself, until it is rough but holding together.Pat the dough into a circle or a square or whatever. Feel free to use a biscuit cutter to make nice shapes, but personally I hate wasting the scraps, and you can only reshape them once before they start getting tough. I cut the dough into squares or triangles, myself. Put the biscuits on the baking sheet, leaving room for air to circulate in between. Bake the biscuits about 20 minutes, until they're golden brown and the smell brings people running from across the street. Serve immediately with the condiments of your choice. If you have leftovers, always reheat them in the oven or toaster oven - the microwave will leave you in soggy city.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: approximately 1 dozen 2-inch-square biscuits