Sarah Kieffer – Page 2

Pumpkin Doughnut Bundt Cake

I have been a fan of Bundt cakes for decades, as their elegant shape and endless flavor possibilities have always been intriguing to me. The first Bundt cake I ever made was at The Blue Heron Coffeehouse in Winona, MN; I was working an evening shift and it was painfully slow, so I bopped into the kitchen and decided to get a jump-start on the morning baking. Bundt cakes had always been a big seller in the morning hours, and the fact that they often tasted better the next day made them a good place to start. Two hours and one flip later, my Bundt cake was out of the oven, and even though part of it stuck to the pan (the fault of an inexperienced Bundt-cake-maker) I was enamored with my beautiful creation. I have been making them ever since. I often associate Bundt cakes with breakfast, as I have spent many early mornings nibbling on them (they do, of course, also taste delicious in the afternoon and evening hours.) It may be the result of working in coffeehouses for years, but a sweet treat in the morning, paired with coffee in any form, is my preferred breakfast of […]

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Apple Morning Buns

These buns are (of course) inspired by the famous morning buns created at Tartine. On my only visit to San Francisco, I was able to try one of these perfect buns – orange and cinnamon and sugar and butter all wrapped up in flaky dough. I’ve tried to re-create something similar; in my book 100 Morning Treats, I have the classic version of this bun using my Cheater Croissant Dough. Here I have an apple version, perfect for both chilly Autumn mornings and afternoons. One thing to note: The recipe for the Morning Buns in 100 Morning Treats has a typo in it (but the same recipe in Baking For the Holidays does not). The recipe calls for 1 cup [200 g] of granulated sugar, which is correct, but the sugar needs to be divided. The filling for the Morning Buns uses 1/2 cup [100 g], not the 1 cup stated, and the remaining 1/2 cup [100 g] is used to toss the warm buns in. I am so sorry for the mistake! Baking with Apples Apples take a long time to break down during baking, so often I like to give them a head start. I found steaming the […]

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Foolproof Cheater Croissant Dough

Of all the recipes I’ve developed between my cookbooks, working in bakeries, and this website, this Cheater Croissant Dough might be the one I spent the longest working on. It is one of my favorite recipes, as it gives everyone the chance to make and experience the magic of flaky, delicate croissants and so many other treats in a simplified, easier technique. It wasn’t until I read Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery that I accepted that home croissants were never going to be perfectly on par with bakery ones. He writes: “Croissant dough is the most difficult of the enriched doughs to get right…[y]ou can never master it completely. Every time you attempt it, it’s new. The temperature of your kitchen, the humidity in the air, the absorbency of the flour, the activity of the yeast – all these factors affect the dough.” When I understood that this professional pastry chef who had made thousands of croissants could never master the croissant, I knew I had to take a different approach for my own kitchen. I wanted a dough that mimicked the flaky, butter layers of a croissant, but gave a little more space to imperfection. This dough is inspired by many different recipes, […]

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Creamy Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cakes

After making my Creamy Jammy Coffee Cakes for quite some time, I decided to experiment with pumpkin for fall-themed miniature cakes. These little streusel cakes are made with the base of my Pumpkin Bars; they bake up moist and flavorful, and pair beautifully with the cream cheese and pecan streusel. I definitely love that combination, as I have a much loved recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel, too. I must admit I do prefer them in this larger form: there is a significant cream cheese layer, and the streusel stays put much better. I use 4 inch [5 cm] springform pans to make these mini cakes, so they bake up with perfect edges, and release easily. I have not tried making these in a 9 by 13 pan [23 by 33 cm] or muffin tins, but if you do experiment with those, leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! How to Know When Your Mini Cakes are Done Baking The only tricky part about these cakes is knowing when they are done; the cream cheese layer stays wet throughout baking. Stick a wooden skewer into the cakes all the way to the pumpkin […]

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Sprinkle Scones with Icing

“A big jug of coffee had just been set in the hearth, the seed-cakes were gone, and the dwarves were starting on a round of buttered scones, when there came – a loud knock.” -JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit I make scones for every possible occasion, as they can be shaped ahead of time and frozen, then pulled out and baked as needed. I like them plain, packed with fruit, dusted in sugar, coated in icing, studded with chocolate and white chocolate and more chocolate, dotted with crystallized ginger and dried cranberries and poppy seeds and candied orange. And while Bilbo probably wouldn’t add sprinkles to his scones, I often do, because I have two little nieces whose eyes light up at the sight of rainbow specks on pretty much anything. My two teenage children also will gravitate towards sprinkle treats as well. These scones are soft, tender, and delicious. Scone Technique I had been making scones the same way for years – an adaption of Ina Garten’s Strawberry Scones from her first cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa. However, I changed things up after stumbling upon a genius idea from Cook’s Illustrated. Their scone recipe included folding the dough over several times to create […]

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Ginger Orange Carrot Quick Bread

This post is sponsored by Nordic Ware, a valued partner of The Vanilla Bean Blog. We’re also hosting a giveaway together on my Instagram channel for many of the Nordic Ware pans used in my book: Nordic Ware ProCast Everyday Loaf Pan, the Naturals Muffin Pan with lid, Popover Pan, Baking Sheet with cooling rack, plus a handful of other baking accessories! Also included is a signed copy of my new cookbook, 100 Morning Treats. Restrictions do apply. What I love about this recipe: This Ginger Orange Carrot Bread is a new recipe from 100 Morning Treats, my fourth cookbook that was just released. The flavors of ginger and orange are faint, but their subtleness makes this bread shine, pairing with naturally sweet fresh carrots. Orange zest and triple sec give it a lovely brightness, too. This loaf stays moist for days, and I actually prefer it on the second and third days; the flavor develops and it becomes more tender. Baking With Nordic Ware Pans Over the last decade of baking, I’ve come to rely on Nordic Ware for almost all my baking pans. Their pans are not only beautiful, but durable and well-made. For my 100 Cookies cookbook, I relied on their Naturals® baking […]

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Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

I couldn’t leave cinnamon rolls out of my new breakfast book, 100 Morning Treats; they are my go-to for any type of special occasion that may (or may not) involve breakfast. I have a favorite recipe for my Soft and Gooey Cinnamon Rolls that so many of you love, but I decided to change things up with a buttermilk dough and slightly different filling. I love both versions equally, but these buns are special. They’re made with buttermilk in the dough and a rich cinnamon filling. The rolls bake up soft and fluffy, and are finished with a cream cheese icing. I like my cinnamon rolls super soft and gooey, so I put a thin layer of the icing over them while they are still warm. The icing melts into the just baked rolls, eliminating any hard corners or edges. Corrected Recipe As with all things in life, nothing is perfect, and in the book , this recipe has a couple of errors that were missed before it went to press. It is always extremely disappointing when this happens, and I feel like I let my readers down when I don’t catch a mistake. But, four books in, I’m here […]

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Creamy Jammy Coffee Cakes

We are very close to the release of my new cookbook, 100 Morning Treats, so in honor of that I am sharing a recipe from its pages: Creamy Jammy Coffee Cakes. This recipe is one of my favorites from the book (#28 out of 100, and can be found on page 91 and below). You can pre-order the book here, and it will be arriving May 9th! I wrote this book, 100 Morning Treats, to celebrate the morning hours and to represent the baked goods and pastries I developed while working in coffee shops and in my home. The recipes are a result of nearly three decades of baking, and include muffins, rolls, scones, quick breads, Bundt cakes, coffee cakes, some savory items, and so much more. My hope is that this book brings you some joy in your kitchens in the years to come. But back to the Jammy Cakes – I’m not going to lie; cream cheese swirl is what I’ll pick in a bakery case lineup any day. There is a layer of cake, then cream cheese, tart jam (or lemon curd), and streusel topping in every perfect bite. I like to eat them just barely warm, […]

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Chocolate Dipped Meringues

Making kisses out of meringues make for a sweet and elegant cookie, and are perfect for eating alone, dropped into hot chocolate, as well as using as decoration for pies and cakes! I love their swoops and swirls, and pure white exterior. While other meringues have a soft inside and firm outside, these are baked until they shatter upon first bite. I add a little salt to my meringues and dip them in bittersweet chocolate to help to balance the sweetness they are typically known for. What are meringues? Meringue is a type of dessert or candy, often associated with French baking, traditionally made from whipped egg whites and sugar. Acid helps keep the meringues keep their structure, so I like to add a combination of cream of tartar and lemon juice. Rather than browning in the oven like most baked goods, meringues slowly dry out in a low oven without gaining much or any color. Tips for Making Meringues: You’ll have leftover egg yolks from making this recipe, so here are a few delicious ways to use them: How to Store Meringues: Pack meringues in an airtight container after they are fully cooled, and keep at room temperature for […]

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Chocolate Dipped Cacao Nib Cookies

chocolate dipped heart cut out cookies on parchment

Cut out cookies come in handy many times throughout the year: Christmas, of course, but also Halloween and Valentine’s Day and birthdays and just because. This dough is very forgiving, rolls out smooth, and can be rerolled multiple times with good results. It is based on my Cut Out Cookie Dough, but I’ve added cacao nibs for some crunch, and then dipped them in chocolate so they are extra special for Valentine’s Day. Ingredients for Cacao Nib Cookies: Tips for Rolling Out Cookie Dough: This dough is very forgiving, and does not need to be chilled first. Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin, and add flour as needed to keep it from sticking. A metal spatula is a good tool for transporting cut cookies from your work surface to the sheet pan. To Freeze Cookie Dough: Cookie dough can be formed and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Freeze the dough tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and in a freezer safe bag. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit out at room temperature until the oven preheats. More Cut-Out Cookie Recipes:

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