Sofra's Gingerbread and a Holiday Baking Round-up

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sofra's gingerbread | apt 2b baking co
oh lady cakes vegan ginger folk | apt 2b baking co
holiday baking | apt 2b baking co
holiday baking | apt 2b baking co
holiday baking | apt 2b baking co
holiday baking | apt 2b baking co
pistachio and matcha snowballs (gluten free)-1731.jpg
red velvet cake-0717.jpg
holiday baking | apt 2b baking co

Hi dudes, I'm just popping in with a quick hello because I have a lot of holiday elfing left to do before this weekend, so - Hello! and here are some seriously fun and delicious links to peruse. 

December is such a fun month to bake, and people are seriously BRINGING IT this year with their holiday posts!  Scroll down to the bottom for Sofra's Gingerbread from the new book Soframiz too, which is killer. Happy Holidays, All!

There are still a few spots for the Paris! Food and Photography Retreat I am co-hosting with Olaiya Land.

Shab E Yalda to my Iranian friends!

Sofra's Gingerbread

adapted from Soframiz

makes one 9x13-inch cake, about 24 servings

Sofra's book is full of middle eastern sweet and savory treats, but since it's the holidays and all, I made the gorgeous deep-dark gingerbread first that uses a full (bold!) 1/4 cup of ground ginger, hello spice!

Cake

1 cup stout

1 1/2 cups molasses

1/4 cup plus one tablespoon brewed coffee

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup raw sugar

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup canola oil

Glaze

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup brewed coffee

In a large saucepan, combine the stout, molasses, and coffee. Bring to a boil, whisking to combine. Take the pan off of the heat and quickly whisk in the baking soda. The mixture will rise rapidly in the pot. Set aside until cooled and bubbles have subsided.

Preheat the oven to 350ªF. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Combine the sugars in a separate bowl.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk the eggs on medium, slowly adding the sugars. Increase to high and whisk until pale and tripled in volume, about 7 minutes. Lower the speed and slowly pour in the canola oil and whisk another minute. Add the cooled stout mixture and whip until fully combined. Add the flour, increase the speed to medium, and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl. Whisk the coffee until smooth.

Once the cake is cooled, spread an even layer of the glaze over the top of the cake. Cut into 2-inch pieces. The cake will keep at room temperature for 4 days.

Alanna's Pistachio Lime and Matcha Snowballs

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pistachio lime and matcha snowballs | apt 2b baking co
pistachio lime and matcha snowballs | apt 2b baking co
pistachio lime and matcha snowballs | apt 2b baking co
pistachio lime and matcha snowballs | apt 2b baking co
pistachio lime and matcha snowballs | apt 2b baking co

It's cookie season, guys! I have a lot of cookie classics that I turn to every year, but I also love branching out and finding new ones to add to the mix. These little snowballs may have made their way into the permanent rotation :) and they are gluten free which is a major bonus considering the number of friends and family I have eating gluten free these days. Also, they improve with age, and are great after a couple of days in an airtight container at room temp, which is not always the case with cookies.

The recipe comes from Alanna Taylor Tobin's amazing book, Alternative Baker. They are a riff on the classic Polvorones/Mexican Wedding Cookies/Russian Tea Cake formula, with a very, very tasty update. Instead of pecans, Alanna's recipe uses a trio of gluten free flours paired with rich pistachios, bright lime zest, and slightly bitter and minerally matcha. So addictive! 

They come together quickly and easily, and who can resist a dusting of powdered sugar around the holidays? Also, I made these on a whim and didn't have the lime zest called for in the original recipe, but I just subbed in lemon and they were great.

What are your holiday cookie faves? Check out this post for more of mine.

Pistachio Lime and Matcha Snowballs

from Alternative Baker by Alanna Taylor Tobin

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

zest from 3 large limes (or lemons!)

1 cup (125g) blanched almond flour

1/2 cup (55g) oat flour

1/4 cup (30g) tapioca flour/starch

1T culinary grade matcha plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup (125g) raw pistachios, chopped semi-fine

8 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, diced

3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the sugar and lime zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until the sugar is moistened and the zest is evenly distributed. Add the almond, oat, and tapioca flours, matcha powder, salt and chopped pistachios and mix on low until well combined.

Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough comes together in large clumps.

Sift the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll them in powdered sugar knocking off any excess as you go. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Bake the cookies until puffed cracked and slightly golden, 15-20 minutes.

Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets then roll each one in the powdered sugar. Dust with the matcha powder just before serving. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.