Erin Jeanne McDowell - Savory Baking

Yes, I have an insatiable sweet tooth. It might be impossible to be this deeply in love with baking and not have one. But a few years back, I started noticing a pattern when it came to my baking style. Whenever I was given the freedom to bake something new, I was turning instead to my trustyand undeniably passionatesalt tooth. I loved surprising friends who come to stay with biscuits and gravy for breakfast. When I wanted to impress a large group of colleagues, I spent an afternoon slow-roasting tomatoes, simmering bacon jam, and laminating Gruyre into rough puff pastry dough to make piles of savory pastries. When my parents came for a visit, I invited my friends and adopted family over for a big soiree. I baked three kinds of vegetable galettes, which I served with mounds of vinegary salad served alongside and basked in the glow as everyone dove in around one large crust-crumbcovered table.

Ive always wanted to write a book dedicated to savory baking: the cheesy, the crispy, the melty, warm, and doughy. Yummy things to snack on, perfect party bites, and tons of stuff for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between. Savory baking is far from a baking trendthere are beloved savory bakes in just about every corner of the world, and these classics were a huge inspiration and jumping-off point as I built this collection of recipes, one I hope is as varied and exciting as the world of savory baking itself. Ive been making and honing some of these recipes since I first started spending time in the kitchen at the age of sixteen, but Ive also included new ideas, tips, and tricks that Ive learned along the way.

This book is intended to inspire you to think creatively with your own baking. The chapters that follow are filled with dozens of recipes that can be customized in multiple ways for a variety of different results. Take one of the recipes I may have made more than any other, my drop biscuits, which are as delicious served on their own as they are baked atop a potpie filling. Thats really what I love most about savory baking: it combines the pleasure and precision of pastry with the freedom and flexibility of cooking. In this book, I provide lots of detailed recipes, but also dozens of variations and idea sparkers meant to encourage you to play around and come up with your own versions to suit your taste buds.

And sweet toothers, never fearthere are plenty of sugary treats scattered throughout these pages. In the name of all that aforementioned creativity, theres a lot of overlap! That same biscuit I mention above? Split it and serve it with whipped cream and strawberries, and its suddenly shortcake; or crumble atop juicy fruit for a truly perfect cobbler.

Theres a sign that hangs right inside my front door to greet guests as they walk in: Hope Youre Hungry. Thats what I wish for as you start to dive into these pages. This book shows how I incorporate my love of baking into every meal of the day in my own kitchen. Ring the dinner bell, set the table. I hope youre hungry.

It seems only right to start this books baking journey off the same way I did. My first job was after school at a bakery, just a few days a week. I made huge batches of the house scone and muffin mix to take some of the load off the morning bakers early shift. Prep work in professional kitchens means a lot of repetition, and I got a good feel for these baked goods really fast and was soon making boast-worthy versions of my own.

Even after years of baking, the recipes in this chapter are the ones I turn to again and again. Some because they are so easy to makethings like quickbreads, muffins, and Dutch babies. Others use basic baking skills worth knowing back-pocket wellthe scones and biscuits. All of them are endlessly adaptable, made with simple techniques youll want to turn to frequently in your own kitchen. So this chapter is a great place to start your own baking journey. There are a lot of delicious possibilities here.

PREP SCHOOL

How to Prepare Baking Pans

BAKING SHEETS: Usually I just line baking sheets with parchment paper. Some recipes require greasing the pans with nonstick spray, oil, or butter.

SQUARE OR RECTANGULAR BAKING PANS: Lightly grease the base and sides of the pan with nonstick spray. Cut a piece of parchment large enough to line the pan with plenty (2 to 3 inches/5 to 8 cm) of overhang on two opposite sides. Press the paper into the pan, then use scissors to make a small cut in each corner of the paper down to the base of the pan; this will allow the paper to fit flush into the corners. The paper overhang can be used as handles to unmold the baked good. (Alternatively, you can crisscross two pieces of parchment paper in the pan.)

LOAF PANS: Lightly grease the base and sides of the pan with nonstick spray. Some recipes call for lining the pan with parchment paper as described above for square/rectangular pans.

MUFFIN PANS: Lightly grease each cavity with nonstick spray, then lightly spray the top surface of the pan too. Alternatively, line the cavities with muffin liners and lightly spray the top surface of the pan.

CAST-IRON SKILLETS: Grease the base and sides of the skillet evenly with oil, butter, or nonstick spray.

CAKE PANS: Depending on the recipe, the pan may be simply greased (with nonstick spray, oil, or butter), greased and coated lightly with flour, or greased and lined with parchment.

PIE AND TART PANS: Most of these pie and tart recipes do not require any pan preparation, but a few give specific pan prep.

The blending method is the easiest mixing method out thereits basically just mixing all the ingredients together. The dry ingredients are mixed together first, then the wet ingredients are mixed together, and finally the two are blended together to form an even batter. A whisk or a silicone spatula, or both (depending on the batter), can be used to mix the ingredients. Although these recipes are fairly foolproof, do take care not to overmix batters, which can yield tougher baked goods.

Determining doneness is important, as under-baking can yield wet, gummy interiors and over-baking can result in an overly thick crust and/or make the interior dry. Typically, testing with a skewer works best for items like quickbreads and muffinsif you insert the skewer into the thickest part of the pastry, it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. For biscuits and scones, look for the desired level of browning and then press gently in the center: underbaked pastries will feel soft, properly baked interiors will spring back gently when touched.

Inclusions

Inclusion is just a fancy word for stuff mixed into your baked goods for more flavor and/or texture. You can add them to just about any recipe, but they are most often used for simple batters, like muffins and quickbreads, or doughs. Inclusions can be just about anything. Dry ingredients like nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and herbs can be incorporated fairly easily into most recipes. Fresh ingredients that contain moisture, like fruit, vegetables, cheese, or proteins such as meat and fish may require adjustments to the recipe to ensure the ideal result.