Blends and Outlier Grains, Southern Ground

A 50/50 blend of pastry (soft) wheat and bread (hard) wheat sifted to a high-extraction flour (with 15 parts larger bran sifted out), this flour has broad applications. We make our all-purpose flour with a blend of red wheat and white wheat, and depending on the harvest, it is either a soft red pastry wheat and a hard white bread wheat, or the other way around. This flour is our attempt to wean people from the ubiquitous white all-purpose flour and encourage them to adopt a more flavorful and nutritious staple. You can make your own all-purpose flour by blending stone-ground bread flour and pastry flour in equal measure.

Trinity Blend

A blend of sifted soft wheat, hard wheat, and rye, this all-purpose flour of pastry application was a mistake in the mill room that has been a gift to bakers. Flavors such as orange, fig, honey, floral herbs, Earl Grey tea, and coffee pair well with this flour. In the mill room, we blend the three grains in the hopper, in equal measures by volume. You can make your own blend at home by mixing 1 cup sifted stone-ground pastry flour, 1 cup sifted stone-ground rye flour, and 1 cup sifted stone-ground bread flour.

Outliers: Spelt, Buckwheat, and Einkorn

Regionally adapted bread wheat varieties are the foundational grains for Carolina Ground. They serve the farmer with adequate yield, and the baker with a good price point. But built upon this foundation is the need for variety—both in the field and on our plate (or hearth). Outlier grains—the ancient and the very old—bring diversity to the regional grains movement—Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt, Red May, Sonora, Red Fife, Turkey Red, Rouge de Bordeaux are all varieties that have been brought back into production throughout the United States. These older varieties have deep roots that enable them to sequester nutrients from the soil, making them especially well suited for the organic grower whose savings account is their soil. Buckwheat planted in rotation is good for the bees. And off the farm and into the bakery, no less important is the flavor of diversity.

Sourdough Doughnuts

Smoke Signals ◆ Pound, Virginia

Tara Jensen says, “This dough is very flexible, but like all sourdoughs, time works in its favor. The doughnuts are best eaten fresh, so plan to make them right before you eat them or take them with you to a Fat Tuesday party. Depending on the flour you use, the dough will be looser or stiffer. You are looking for a soft, supple dough like a baguette. Adjust as necessary.”

Note: To make filled doughnuts, allow doughnuts to cool completely on cooling rack and then using a pastry bag with a side nozzle, pipe into the cooled doughnuts. North Carolina Rye Custard (this page) would make a great filling.

yield: about a dozen doughnuts and doughnut holes

leaven

61g water

12g starter

61g high-extraction all-purpose flour (85AP)

dough

134g unsalted butter

134g whole milk

8g pure vanilla extract

134g leaven

3 eggs, medium

383g high-extraction all-purpose flour (85AP)

38g granulated sugar

8g fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

citrus zest from 1 orange or lemon (optional)

peanut oil, for frying

confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

cinnamon sugar, for dusting (optional)

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½ pint mason jar, then add the starter. Dissolve the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. (Tara suggests doing this in the morning, between 8 and 9 a.m.) Cover the container and let stand in a warm location to ferment over the course of the day, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Melt the butter 10 minutes prior to mixing the dough and let cool. Warm the milk 5 minutes prior to mixing the dough.
Pour the warm milk into a large bowl and add the melted butter and vanilla. Add the leaven, breaking it up with your fingers. Beat in the eggs.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir in the citrus zest (if using).
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3 to 5 minutes, until it is smooth and glossy. Lightly spray a large bowl with oil and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel or a lid. Set the dough aside in a warm spot until doubled in size, 4 to 5 hours at around 70°F, giving the dough a stretch and fold (see this page) midway through. Make sure the dough stays moist and warm. After rising, refrigerate the dough overnight or for up to 48 hours.
Bring the dough to room temperature and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough to 1 inch thick. Using the rim of a drinking glass, cut out rounds of dough, then use a shot glass to cut holes in the center of each round. Transfer the doughnuts to a baking sheet, cover, and let proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, until they feel pillowlike and soft to the touch.
Line a baking sheet or basket with torn brown paper and set it nearby. Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pan (such as a 4-quart Dutch oven) with at least 2 inches of oil and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F). Test the oil by periodically tossing in doughnut hole bits. If they brown up quickly and bubble, the oil is ready. If they turn black and the oil is smoking, the oil is too hot. Working in batches, add the doughnuts to the hot oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to the brown paper to drain.
If desired, fill a brown paper bag with confectioners’ sugar or cinnamon sugar, add a few doughnuts (still hot and moist from frying) at a time, seal the bag, and toss to nicely coat.

Chocolate Frangipane Plum Tart

Meg’s Bread ◆ Cookeville, Tennessee

With lovely layers of flavor and texture, this tart is the ideal desert when plums are ripe, though it also works well with frozen plums or even plum preserves. Or try changing the fruit altogether—I’ve made this with mixed berries and replaced the chocolate with vanilla bean seeds scraped into the frangipane.

Note: This recipe can be baked as two or three smaller (5-inch) tarts instead of one large tart. Line the unfilled tart shells with parchment paper or aluminum foil and pie weights or dried beans as directed, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes; carefully remove the parchment or foil and weights and bake for just 5 minutes more.

yield: 1 (12-inch) tart

tart shell

300g (2⅓ cups) high-extraction all-purpose flour (85AP)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

226g (1 cup) unsalted butter, chilled

118g (½ cup) ice water

chocolate frangipane filling

113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

104g (½ cup) granulated sugar

96g (1 cup) almond flour

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon flour (Meg uses our Crema pastry flour)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup dark chocolate (at least 60% cacao), chopped

6 or more plums, pitted and sliced into ½-inch wedges

local honey, for drizzling

Make the tart shell: Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor and pulse until mixed. Add the cold butter and pulse 10 times, until the butter is broken down into small, crumbly pieces (it’s better to undermix than overmix). Add the ice water and pulse a few more times, until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and form it into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Set the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll from the center out two times, applying light, even pressure. Give the dough a quarter turn and roll twice. Repeat the quarter turn and two rolls from the center until you have a ¼-inch-thick round of dough. (See this page for Tara Jensen’s tips on rolling out dough.)
Starting from the side of the dough closest to you, gently roll the dough around the rolling pin, then unroll it over a 12-inch tart pan and gently press it into the corners. Using the rolling pin, roll over the top of the pan to trim away the excess dough. Using the tines of a fork, poke the bottom five or six times. Line the dough with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake the tart shell for 35 minutes, then remove the parchment or foil and weights and bake for 10 to 20 minutes more, until the crust begins to color. Remove the crust from the oven; keep the oven on.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a food processor, combine the butter and sugar and process until creamed. Alternately add the almond flour and the eggs, processing until each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour, vanilla, and cocoa powder and process until everything is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate by hand, reserving a little for assembly.
Pour the filling into the tart shell. Arrange the plum slices over the filling and press them down lightly. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate over the tart.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the filling has risen and feels set around the edges. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. While still warm, drizzle the top with a good local honey for a nice gloss and a little extra sweetness. Once cooled, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Hardy Kiwi and Ginger Galette

Meg’s Bread ◆ Cookeville, Tennessee

I happened upon hardy kiwis, green-skinned fruits about the size of an olive, at a farmers’ market in Hendersonville. It was the first time I’d ever seen them, although I had heard years before that there was a variety of kiwi vine that grew well in the South. Later that day, Meg posted an image of this galette on Instagram, with the little hardy kiwis artfully composed, halved, with their cut sides up. This recipe can be made with store-bought brown-skinned kiwis (the kind with fuzzy brown skins), but in case you do come across the small green variety, you’ll know what to do with them.

Note: This recipe can be baked as six small galettes instead of one large one. Adjust baking time to 25 to 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.

yield: 1 large galette

3½ cups hardy kiwis, halved, or standard kiwifruits, peeled and sliced

1 tablespoon granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 teaspoons ground ginger

dough for 1 tart shell (see this page)

1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

local honey, for drizzling

In a medium bowl, toss the kiwis with the sugar and ginger. The sugar will start to break down the kiwis a little bit.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out the chilled dough as directed on this page until you have a roughly 12-inch round, or until it is roughly ⅛ inch thick, then transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the dough with the egg wash, then top it with the kiwi mixture, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the dough up over the fruit, leaving the center exposed. Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and drizzle the top with a good local honey, and serve. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Sweet Potato Galette

Meg’s Bread ◆ Cookeville, Tennessee

This is such a beautiful interpretation of a sweet potato pie. The sweet potatoes are sliced thin, like a gratin, tossed in sorghum molasses, topped with a crumble of oats, rosemary, and pecan, and then encased in a crust made of stone-ground high-extraction all-purpose flour.

Note: This recipe can be baked as six small galettes instead of one large one. Adjust baking time to 25 to 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.

yield: 1 large galette

galette

1 pound (about 1) sweet potato

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

100g (½ cup) light brown sugar

2 tablespoons sorghum syrup, plus more for drizzling

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch of fine sea salt

dough for 1 tart shell (see this page), chilled for at least 15 minutes

crumble topping

68g (⅔ cup) rolled oats

65g (⅓ cup) light brown sugar

50g (⅓ cup) high-extraction all-purpose flour (85AP)

½ cup pecans, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

Make the galette: Peel the sweet potato and use a mandolin to slice it as thinly as possible. Place the sweet potato slices in a large bowl and add the melted butter. Toss gently to lightly coat. Add the brown sugar, sorghum syrup, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until fully incorporated and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, until liquid pools at the bottom of the bowl.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the chilled dough as directed on this page until you have a roughly 12-inch round or until it is roughly ⅛ inch thick, then transfer it to the prepared sheet. Using a slotted spoon, top the dough with the sweet potato mixture, leaving a 2-inch border; reserve the liquid remaining in the bowl. Fold the dough up over the filling, leaving the center exposed. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the crumble: In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, pecans, rosemary, and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients until it forms small lumps, but do not overwork it.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Brush the dough with the egg wash and pour the reserved liquid from the sweet potato mixture over the filling at the center of the galette. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the exposed filling.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and drizzle with sorghum syrup, then serve. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Orange Olive Oil Cake

Anisette ◆ Raleigh, North Carolina

Olive oil and citrus zest combine well with flavor-forward flours. The choice of Trinity Blend flour provides a tender crumb, and the rye within the blend imparts a coffee undertone, pairing well with the coffee mascarpone cream filling. This cake is also lovely on its own with just a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar and perhaps a dollop of whipped cream.

Note: Nicole typically bakes this cake in an 8-inch-round cake pan with 3-inch-high sides; I’ve used an 8-inch-square pan with success, without any needed adjustments in baking time.

yield: 1 (8-inch) round cake

cake

190g (1¾ cups) Trinity Blend flour (or your own blend; see this page)

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

230g (1¼ cups) granulated sugar

3 eggs, large, at room temperature

140g (1 cup) olive oil

orange zest from 1 orange

110g (½ cup) heavy cream, at room temperature

coffee mascarpone cream filling

120g (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) heavy cream, cold

120g (½ cup) mascarpone cheese, cold

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 8-inch-round cake pan with butter and line it with parchment paper cut to fit.
Into a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, eggs, olive oil, and orange zest and mix on medium-low speed for 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix on medium-low speed for 1 minute, until smooth.
With the mixer on low speed, add the cream and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the s bowl, then mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake until the cake springs back when you touch the center lightly and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.
Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then invert the pan to remove the cake and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream, mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, and instant coffee and whip on high speed until the cream holds stiff peaks.
Split the cooled cake horizontally and fill it with the coffee cream. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Guava Crumble Bars

Joe Bowie ◆ Columbia, South Carolina

Like all the recipes Joe provided us with, this one is simple, smart, and easily accessible for the novice baker. Joe’s choice of Trinity Blend flour paired with oats provides deep flavor sandwiching the guava filling, which has a bright, tart sweetness. My dear friend Cathy Cleary initially tested this recipe and said, “When I think of my husband’s perfect breakfast food, this is what comes to mind.” Cathy was unable to find guava paste in West Asheville, where she lives, so she whipped up some plum preserves (because this is what Cathy does) to use in place of the guava filling. I’m from Miami, where guava paste is readily available, but because we had a hard time finding it here, we’ve also included Cathy’s recipe for plum preserves (see below).

yield: 16 bars

170g (1¾ cups) rolled oats

175g (1⅔ cups) Trinity Blend flour (or your own blend; see this page)

200g (1 cup) light brown sugar

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

170g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 (14.5-ounce) block guava paste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch-square pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a few inches overhanging the sides. Butter the parchment as well.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda. Give the mixture a stir. Add the melted butter and mix until well incorporated.
Press half the crumble mixture into an even layer over the bottom of the prepared pan.
Slice the block of guava paste into ¼-inch-thick slices and layer them in a single layer over the crumble layer, leaving about a ¼-inch border around the guava paste slices. Evenly distribute the remaining crumble on top of the guava layer. (There’s no need to press down the crumble layer onto the guava.)
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crumble on top is golden brown and a tiny bit puffed.
Remove from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack. Let cool completely, then remove from the pan using the overhanging parchment and transfer to a cutting board. (It should come out easily; if not, run a knife or offset spatula around the edges and then try again.) Cut into sixteen pieces. Once fully cool, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Cathy’s Plum Preserves

Cook down about 4 cups pitted plums with about ¾ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. The mixture should have the consistency of a “set” jam—one that is not pourable.

Earl Grey Trinity Cake with Lemon Glaze and Thyme

Carolina Ground ◆ Asheville, North Carolina

This is another recipe developed by Desiree Bridges, our summer intern from Johnson & Wales. Part of her focus was to pair our flavor-forward pastry flours with flavors that accentuate the flour. Desiree describes the flavor of this flour: “The Trinity flour has an undercurrent of citrus notes to it. By using the Earl Grey tea, which is flavored with oil from the bergamot orange, we are shining a light on this more subtle flavor. Because Earl Grey tea can sometimes have a tannic aftertaste, I have made a glaze using lemon juice, zest, and lemon thyme to cleanse the palate. The end result is a very light cake that has many layers of flavors, all built around the flour used to make it. Enjoy!”

Note: The glaze recipe is quite flexible. Lemon balm can be substituted for lemon thyme, or it can be taken out altogether. Another option is opening up an Earl Grey teabag and sprinkling some of the tea leaves onto the glaze.

yield: 1 (7-inch) round cake

cake

57g (¼ cup) whole milk

1 tea bag Earl Grey tea

103g (1 cup) Trinity Blend flour (or your own blend; see this page)

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

113g (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar

1 egg, separated

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

lemon thyme glaze

1 lemon, large

170g (1½ cups) confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon lemon thyme leaves, for sprinkling (see Note)

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 7-inch-round cake pan with parchment paper cut to fit. Butter the bottom and sides, then dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
Pour the milk into a small saucepan and add the tea bag. Heat gently on low heat. Once hot to the touch, remove the saucepan from the heat and steep for 5 minutes, or until the milk tea has reached the desired strength. Remove and discard the tea bag.
Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the egg yolk and the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. With mixer on low speed, in two stages, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk tea, mixing until each addition is just incorporated before adding the next.
In a large bowl, whip the egg white until it holds stiff peaks. Fold the egg white into the batter by hand, then pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake until the cake springs back when you touch the center lightly and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: Zest the lemon and transfer half the zest to a large bowl; set aside the remaining zest. Juice the lemon into the large bowl with the zest. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until the sugar has dissolved completely.
Pour the glaze over the cake, using a knife to smooth the top if needed. Sprinkle the top with the reserved lemon zest and the lemon thyme. Chill until the glaze has set before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Trinity Tart with Herb-Infused Pastry Cream

Osono Bread ◆ Atlanta, Georgia

From Betsy Gonzalez: “This is my go-to recipe for vanilla bean pastry cream—it’s not too sweet and has a light but custardy texture to it. I love the idea of pairing the Trinity tart shell with herb-infused pastry cream and fresh fruit picked from the garden or from local farmers. Keep everything super cold when possible. Measure your flour in a small bowl and place it in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. Keep your eggs cold until ready to use as well.”

Note: This recipe can be baked as four smaller, individual tarts instead of one large one. After rolling out the dough, cut it into four and use each to line a 4-inch tart pan. Bake the tart shells for 12 to 18 minutes, until golden brown, then let cool and fill as directed.

yield: 1 (10-inch) tart

trinity tart shell

135g (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) unsalted European-style butter, chilled

90g (½ cup) granulated sugar

1 egg

270g (2½ cups) Trinity Blend flour (or your own blend; see this page)

½ teaspoon sea salt

herb-infused pastry cream

450g (2 cups) whole milk

handful of fresh herbs, edible flowers, or dried tea leaves, such as basil, marigold, chamomile—there are endless possibilities; see suggested flavor combinations (this page)

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out

6 egg yolks

150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

50g (3½ tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 to 3 cups fruit of your choice

edible flowers, such as pansies or bachelor’s buttons, for garnish

Make the tart crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until just combined; do not beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix until just combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and by hand fold in the flour and salt until no dry bits remain, being careful not to overmix. Turn the dough out, form it into a rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until fully chilled.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a roughly ⅛-inch-thick round. Starting from the side of the dough closest to you, gently roll the dough around the rolling pin, then unroll it over a 10-inch tart pan and gently press it into the corners. Using the rolling pin, roll over the top of the pan to trim away the excess dough. Dock the bottom of the dough with a fork, then freeze the tart shell until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely before filling.
Meanwhile, make the pastry cream: In a small saucepan, combine the milk and herbs or flowers. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside to steep for 45 minutes. Strain the milk through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. (The infused milk can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.)
Place the milk in a heavy-bottomed medium pot and add the vanilla bean pod and seeds. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then remove from the heat and set aside to allow the vanilla to infuse the milk.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt and whip on high speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Remove the vanilla pod from the pot of milk and, with the mixer running, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the mixer bowl. When all the milk has been added, stop and scrape the down the sides of the bowl; set aside the pot you used to heat the milk. Whip on low speed for 30 seconds, until the mixture is evenly combined.
Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh strainer into the reserved pot. Heat over medium heat, whisking and stirring continuously (but not aggressively) to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pot, until the pastry cream starts to lightly bubble, then cook, whisking and scraping, for 30 seconds. Immediately pour the hot pastry cream into a clean bowl. Using an immersion blender (or a whisk), pulse or whisk in the butter. Set the pastry cream aside to cool at room temp, or cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cooled.
Spoon the cooled pastry cream into the tart shell, filling it three-quarters full. Gently arrange the fruit on top of the pastry cream. Decorate with edible flowers. Eat straight away or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Best served chilled.

Flavor Combinations

Blueberry and basil

Stone fruit and chamomile

Strawberries and lemon thyme

Plums and rosemary

Berries and elderflowers

edible flowers, such as pansies or bachelor’s buttons, for garnish

Figgy Newmans

Albemarle Baking Company ◆ Charlottesville, Virginia

I love that a flour can inspire a recipe. Gerry Newman had been using our flour in his breads for years before he considered cold-stone-milled flour in a pastry application. But our Trinity Blend inspired some recipe development, and these little babies—rich little packages filled with fig—were born. Be warned: There are a number of steps to follow, but these Figgy Newmans are delicious and worth it.

Note: When my good friend Cathy Cleary tested this recipe, she cut the cookies into 1-inch slices, as she felt 2 inches was a lot of cookie.

yield: 10 cookies (or 20 if cut smaller)

302g (2¾ cups) Trinity Blend flour (or your own blend; see this page)

5g (1 tablespoon) baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

150g (⅔ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

120g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar

3 eggs, separated, at room temperature

50g (¼ cup) heavy cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

fig filling

90g (⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon) water

150g (1 cup) dried figs, quartered

35g (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light in color, 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust to low speed and add the egg yolks, cream, and vanilla, then increase speed and mix until creamy and fluffy, then stop and scrape down the bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated and a dough has formed. (This dough is very rich, so there is little danger of overmixing.) Turn the dough out, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the figs and the sugar, cover, and reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook until most of the water has been absorbed, then remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the lemon zest and juice, and process to a smooth paste.
Cut two pieces of parchment paper the size of a baking sheet. Place the dough on one piece and lay the second piece on top. Roll out the dough between the two sheets of parchment to a 15 x 8-inch rectangle. Remove the top piece of parchment and cut the dough in half lengthwise to make two 4-inch-wide strips. Pipe (or spread) the filling lengthwise along the center of one strip of dough, then fold the long sides of the dough in so they meet in the center and enclose the filling, gently pinching the edges together to seal. Repeat to fill the second strip of dough. Refrigerate the logs of dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Turn the filled logs of dough seam-side down and cut them crosswise into 2-inch-wide cookies. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Lightly whisk the egg whites to make an egg wash and brush it over the cookies.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until nicely browned and then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

swedish gingersnaps

walnut schoolhouse ◆ walnut, North Carolina

This is simple recipe that produces an extraordinary cookie. The texture is the perfect balance of crisp along the edges but chewy in the center. Trinity Blend flour pairs beautifully with the sorghum syrup and ground ginger.

yield: about 20 shortbreads

113g (1 stick) unsalted butter

70g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar

70g (¼ cup) sorghum syrup

160g (1½ cups) Trinity Blend flour (or your own blend; see this page)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Beat the butter, sugar, and sorghum syrup together until smooth.
Mix together the flour, ginger, salt, and baking soda and add into the butter mixture. Beat again until just combined.
Roll dough into a log about 1 inch thick by 1 wide, cut in half, and place the two on either end of a baking sheet. These will spread considerably while baking, so make sure to give them a good amount of distance.
Preheat the oven to 345°F and place the baking sheet in a refrigerator while the oven is preheating.
Bake the logs for about 15 minutes or until the edges are a golden brown and the center is a bit paler.
Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack. Let cool partially; while still warm to the touch, cut into long strips, and transfer to cooling rack. They should be crisp on the outside and slightly chewy in the center.
Once fully cooled, store at room temperature in an airtight container for a week.

Carrot Cake

The Little Tart Bakeshop ◆ Atlanta, Georgia

When Sarah O’Brien first tested this recipe using our flour, she tried it with rye and she tried it with a blend of our whole-wheat pastry flour and a good-quality roller-milled all-purpose (AP) flour. She landed on the latter. And then we started producing our Trinity Blend, and it achieved what she had been aiming for in her own in-house testing, as the Trinity Blend contains all the components of Sarah’s in-house blend—rye, soft wheat, and hard wheat—but with the added benefit of amplified flavor. This is a quick and easy cake to make, and delicious.

Note: As written, this recipe makes one large Bundt cake, but the batter can be used to make eight mini Bundt cakes instead. Just divide the batter evenly among 8 mini Bundt pans and reduce the baking time to 24 minutes.

yield: 1 (10-inch) bundt cake

226g (2 cups) Trinity Blend flour (or your own blend; see this page)

2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

270g (1⅓ cups) granulated sugar

207g (1 cup) safflower oil or sunflower oil

3 eggs

260g (2 cups) grated carrots

50g (½ cup) pecans, toasted

68g (½ cup) dried cherries, chopped

fromage blanc frosting

140g (⅔ cup) fromage blanc, at room temperature

50g (½ cup) confectioners’sugar

70g (¼ cup) water

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan and dust it with flour, tapping out any excess.
Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, and eggs. Stir in the carrots. Add the dry ingredients and fold them in with a spatula, then fold in the pecans and cherries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding, then turn the cake out of the pan and set it on a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, make the frosting: Put the fromage blanc in a medium bowl and whisk to loosen it. Add the confectioners’ sugar and whisk to combine. Add the water a bit at a time, whisking until incorporated.
Frost the cooled cake and serve. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Salted Peanut Butter Cookies with Cacao Nibs

The Little Tart Bakeshop ◆ Atlanta, Georgia

I love that Sarah O’Brien chose spelt for this cookie. Spelt’s nuttiness and tender crumb further accentuate the creamy peanut butter. The cacao nibs act as the staccato, pronounced though without drowning out the other flavors. It is a perfect balance of flavor, texture, and mouthfeel.

yield: 45 cookies

275g (1¼ cups) unsalted European-style butter, cut into tablespoon-size cubes

200g (1 cup) light brown sugar

170g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar

226.5g (2 cups) whole-spelt flour

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs, at room temperature

400g (1½ cups) creamy peanut butter

1¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

150g (1¼ cups) cacao nibs

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and both sugars and beat on low speed for about 20 minutes, until fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times during mixing.
Meanwhile, into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
Add the eggs to the butter mixture, beating until well incorporated and scraping down the sides occasionally. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and mix thoroughly. (Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl thoroughly at this step.)
Add the flour mixture and mix until almost incorporated. Scrape down sides. Add the cacao nibs and pulse just until they are incorporated. Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or ideally overnight.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1-ounce scoop or a heaping tablespoon, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Uncover the pan and bake the cookies directly from the freezer for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 7 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the centers are set but still soft. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Once fully cooled, these can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for at least a week, though they will not last that long.

Spelt Scones with Cardamom, Chocolate, and Citrus

Levee Baking Co. ◆ New Orleans, Louisiana

This is a solid scone recipe that could really be made with any flour and flavor combination with success. But seriously—made with whole spelt, cardamom, citrus, and dark chocolate, there is no reason to veer from the path.

yield: 8 scones

300g (2⅔ cups) whole-spelt flour

300g (2½ cups) high-extraction all-purpose (85AP) or white wheat flour

40g (¼ cup) raw sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon baking powder

12g candied citrus or candied citrus zest

225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

114g (¾ cup) dark chocolate, at least 60% cacao, chopped

2 cups buttermilk, yogurt, or crème fraîche

egg, whisked with a dash of cream, milk, or water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the sugar, cardamom, baking powder, salt, and candied citrus to combine. Add the cold butter and use your fingers to incorporate it into the flour mixture until the butter is broken down into pea-size pieces. If it is a warm day, chill the mixture for 30 minutes before continuing.
Stir in the chocolate. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add 1½ cups of the buttermilk. Mix with a spoon (or flexible dough scraper) until the dough comes together, adding more liquid as needed. You don’t want to knead the dough, just incorporate until a cohesive ball forms.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Let rest for 5 minutes, then pat it out into a roughly 1-inch-thick round. Cut the round into eight equal triangles and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (At this point, you can freeze the unbaked scones for up to 1 month in an airtight container, separated with parchment paper.) Brush each scone with the egg wash and sprinkle a generous amount of raw sugar on top.
Bake the scones until craggy on top, biscuit-like, and light golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within a day or two.

Twice-Baked Spelt Shortbread

Joe Bowie ◆ Columbia, South Carolina

Spelt flour lends a nuttiness to these crisp shortbreads. Joe suggests baking these in an 8-inch fluted tart pan, but any pan with a removeable bottom should work well. They can also be baked in a 10-inch pie pan and cut into 12 wedge-shaped cookies.

yield: about 12 cookies

165g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, melted and kept warm

80g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar

1½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

98g (½ cup + ⅓ cup) whole-spelt flour

98g (½ cup + ⅓ cup) sifted spelt flour

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

sugar of your choice (such as turbinado or cinnamon sugar), for sprinkling

Butter an 8-inch fluted tart pan with a removeable bottom.
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add both flours and the cinnamon and mix until just incorporated—the dough will be claylike. Transfer the dough to the prepared tart pan and pat it into an even layer over the bottom. Let the dough rest for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. (There is no need to refrigerate this dough.)
Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bake the shortbread for 45 minutes, then remove from the oven; leave the oven on. Sprinkle the shortbread with sugar and cool for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove the shortbread from the pan, keeping it on the pan’s removeable bottom. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the shortbread into fingers, wedges, or squares. With a spatula, place the shortbread pieces slightly apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the shortbread for another 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and again sprinkle with your choice of sugar. Transfer the shortbread to a cooling rack to cool completely. The shortbread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.

Spelt Biscotti

Albemarle Baking Company ◆ Charlottesville, Virginia

These biscotti are crisp and crunchy without being too hard. The choice of whole-spelt flour adds a nuttiness that is further accentuated with almond extract. The addition of butter to this dough produces a biscotti that one can bite into without dunking in coffee first.

yield: 12 to 15 biscotti

314g (2¾ cups) whole-spelt flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 eggs

188g (¾ cup) granulated sugar

orange zest from 2 oranges

126g (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

126g (1 cup) blanched whole almonds

63g (½ cup) dried cherries, unsweetened

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and orange zest on medium-high speed until light and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the almonds and cherries by hand.
Turn the dough out onto a flour-dusted work surface and shape it into a log about 7 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the log to a cooling rack. Let cool completely. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.
Carefully transfer the log to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut it crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices (Gerry says “roughly thumb-width slices”). Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet, cut-side up. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the slices and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until crisp and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. These will crisp up as they cool. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for at least a couple of weeks.

Buckwheat Shortbread Cookies

Farm and Sparrow ◆ Mars Hill, North Carolina

When Dave Bauer was still baking, I used to go see him at the Saturday North Asheville Farmers’ Market. I would always get a loaf of his incredible seeded rye bread and one of these cookies. They are not too sweet, but rich and earthy, with a sandy texture, which does not sound as appetizing as it should. I think these cookies have achieved perfection, and I am thrilled that he shared this recipe with me so I can share it with you.

yield: about 24 cookies

114g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) stone-ground buckwheat flour

187g (1½ cups) high-extraction all-purpose flour (85AP)

169g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

104g (½ cup) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon cacao nibs

In a medium bowl, combine the buckwheat flour and all-purpose flour.
In a food processor, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt and process until smooth. Add the flour mixture and process until a consistent batter is formed. Scrape the batter into a large bowl and fold in the cacao nibs. This is a dry dough but it will come together. Have faith, and squeeze it into a cohesive form. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the dough feels cold.
Knead the dough in the bowl until it feels pliable and cohesive, then turn it out onto a flour-dusted work surface and roll it into a log 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in a piece of parchment paper and freeze for about 15 minutes, until dough is close to frozen.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a chef’s knife, slice the log crosswise into disks approximately ¼ inch thick and place them on a baking sheet.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges start to turn a golden brown.
Transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool. Eat. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 week, if you don't finish them all before then.

Appalachian Anadama Bread

Walnut Schoolhouse ◆ walnut, North Carolina

Brennan Johnson developed this bread as an Appalachian take on a classic bread from the American Northeast. Grits and sorghum syrup are used in place of the traditional cornmeal and molasses. He approaches this bread in the style of a Danish rye, which means a large portion of the dough is a cracked grain, in this case, the corn serves as that component.

Notes: The grits will increase in volume, so soak them in a large bowl with water to cover by about 3 inches. If you’re using stone-ground grits, soak them in hot water. If using fine-ground grits that are not stone-ground, soak in cold water. Soak overnight.

The leaven is added after the autolyze, along with the salt and the grits, so begin the dough about 2 hours before your leaven is fully developed.

yield: 1 (13 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

leaven

45g water

9g starter

45g whole-wheat bread flour

dough

300g water

200g buttermilk

30g sorghum syrup

570g stone-ground Einkorn flour

30g stone-ground corn flour

600g grits, soaked (see Note) and drained

90g leaven

17g fine sea salt

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover the container and let stand at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see this page).
Make the dough: Two hours before the leaven is developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then stir in the buttermilk and sorghum syrup. Add both flours and mix until fully incorporated. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Squeeze out excess water in the grits and then add the grits to the dough, along with the leaven and the salt. Fold the dough over onto itself until the ingredients are fully integrated. Place the dough in a container (with a lid) large enough to allow the dough to expand, but not too large, so that as it expands, tension is created by constriction.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 2 hours, stretching and folding the dough every 30 minutes (according to Step 3 on this page). After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let rise, undisturbed, for another 1 to 2 hours.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), thoroughly grease a 13 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan. Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 475°F.
Bake for 50 to 70 minutes, until the bread is deeply caramelized and the internal temperature reads 205°F. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.