We met over ice pops, got engaged alongside cookies, and celebrated our wedding in a big white tent with a homemade pumpkin cake. We’ve always shared a sweet tooth. And while we may be the couple that doesn’t keep white sugar in the house, we still manage to try new cookie ideas every other week. We stock up on dark chocolate when it’s on sale. We have a giant gelato maker in our guest bedroom. So it’s no surprise that the desserts chapter of this book was the easiest one for us to write.
Chocolate Layer Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
Small-Batch Vanilla Cupcakes with Butterscotch Buttercream
Grandma’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Spicy Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
King-Size Chocolate Chip Currant Cookies
Rosewater Sorghum Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle
Fruit and Jam Tart on Maple Shortbread Cookie Crust
Small-Batch Mini Cherry Banana Galettes
CHOCOLATE PEAR CAKE
A brownie-like cake gets taken up a notch in this recipe, as poached pears are placed directly in the batter while it bakes. Beyond the obvious appeal of chocolate paired with fruit, this cake is visually stunning, especially when sliced.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Grease a 9 × 5-inch (23 × 13 cm) loaf pan, and line it with parchment paper so that some hangs over each long side (this will make it easy to remove cake after baking).
* Place a saucepan over medium heat and fill it with enough water to be 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep. Add vanilla bean and coconut sugar, and bring to a boil. Add pears and simmer this mixture for 12 to 15 minutes, until pears are fork tender. Remove pears to separate plate with a slotted spoon.
* Meanwhile, while pears are cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and remove immediately to cool.
* In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Add cooled butter and water, and stir together mixture until well combined. Spoon this thick mixture into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly in the pan, where it will fill about halfway to the top (it rises generously while baking). Place the poached pears into the cake batter, spacing them apart evenly and standing them upright.
* Bake cake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before lifting cake with parchment out of pan. Set on a wire rack to continue cooling. Serve sliced, warm or at room temperature.
Yield: One 9 × 5-inch (23 × 13 cm) loaf, or 12 to 18 servings
FOR THE POACHED PEARS:
1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup (80 g) coconut sugar
2 bosc pears, peeled and bottom cores removed
FOR THE CAKE:
6 tablespoons (85 g) butter
1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1 cup (160 g) coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup (30 g) cocoa powder
Even for a dessert made with all natural ingredients, this cake is definitely decadent. We think of it as a celebration cake—the perfect thing for a big birthday party or family gathering where everybody gets one moist, rich, memorable slice. Also, if three layers sounds too rich, cut everything by three, and bake the mixture in one pan.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) and grease three 9-inch (23 cm) round (or see recipe note) cake pans.
* In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to blend in coconut oil, butter, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract. The batter will be thick and sticky. Once it’s fully blended, pour in the hot water, stirring gently with a spoon to prevent splattering. The mixture will be thin and runny at this point, thinner than a typical cake batter.
* Pour the mixture into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks before removing from pans.
* For frosting: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to blend softened butter and powdered coconut sugar until creamy and soft. Add cocoa powder and heavy cream, and blend until the mixture reaches a buttercream consistency—thick and spreadable—about 5 minutes.
* Top the cake layers with blackberry jam and frost the entire exterior of the cake with buttercream. The cake is best served at room temperature.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
FOR THE CAKE:
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1 3/4 cups (280 g) coconut sugar
3/4 cup (45 g) cocoa powder
1 tablespoon (15 g) baking soda
1 tablespoon (15 g) baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 cups (356 ml) coconut oil, melted (or olive oil)
3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups (345 g) full-fat yogurt
3 eggs
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (356 ml) hot water
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:
1 1/2 cups (336 g) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (240 g) coconut sugar, powdered in Vitamix or food processor
3/4 cup (65 g) cocoa powder
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
FOR THE FILLING:
10 ounces (280 g) blackberry jam (or other fruit jam)
Take the filling inside a cannoli shell and stuff it inside and on top of yellow cupcakes. You get a throwback to Italian bakeries and a real showstopper in terms of visual appeal.
The cupcakes themselves may be baked ahead of time and frozen, so long as they’re thawed a day before frosting/serving. It’s best to frost them the day you want to serve them, but the ricotta filling must be strained overnight, so prepare that the day before hand.
* Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Grease or line two 12-cup muffin pans.
* In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the powdered sugar with softened butter and olive oil. Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, and add vanilla. In a separate, medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, and water. To the large bowl of butter-sugar mixture, add flour mixture and milk mixture alternately, mixing after each addition. Once everything is combined, divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
* Bake cupcakes 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan to another surface as soon as you can to prevent the cakes from falling (although if they do, don’t panic: the frosting will hide it). Let cool completely.
* Line a strainer with cheesecloth, place ricotta in the strainer over a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Weigh it down with a heavy object, and let drain in the refrigerator overnight.
* In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat ricotta until smooth and creamy. Add sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, and blend until smooth. Stir in zest. Fold in the chopped chocolate and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or use right away.
* Cutting a cone shape out of the top of each cupcake (eat or save these scraps for later). Then, stuff the holes with ricotta filling, and spread on top. Sprinkle on chopped pistachios for garnish and serve.
Yield: 20 to 24 cupcakes
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups (240 g) coconut sugar or Sucanat, powdered in a Vitamix or food processor
1/2 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups (344 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1 tablespoon (14 g) baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cup (295 ml) whole milk
1/2 cup (115 g) full-fat yogurt
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
FOR THE FILLING/TOPPING:
32 ounces (1 kg) whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups (240 g) coconut sugar or Sucanat, sifted and ground in a Vitamix or food processor
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 ounces (50 g) dark chocolate, chopped finely
Zest of 1 lemon
Chopped pistachios, for topping
SMALL-BATCH VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH BUTTERSCOTCH BUTTERCREAM
When you want a small batch of sweet treats, this 8-cupcake version is just the ticket. From its light, moist cake to its rich butterscotch frosting, this recipe yields a decadent dessert that feels both indulgent and satisfying.
Don’t swap the coconut sugar in the frosting! If you swap in plain organic powdered sugar for the powdered coconut sugar, you will lose the butterscotch flavor and wind up with overpowering sweetness.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C or gas mark 4) and line 8 muffin cups with liners.
* In a large bowl, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, and continue to combine. Add flour, baking, powder, baking soda, and salt, and combine. At this point, the batter should look like frosting; add yogurt, and mix until incorporated.
* Divide batter among 8 prepared muffin cups. If using a 12-cup muffin pan, fill empty muffin holders halfway with water. Bake cupcakes for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.
* To make the frosting, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to blend butter, powdered coconut sugar, milk, flour, and vanilla extract in a large bowl, until smooth and whipped. Frost cupcakes and serve immediately. Leftover cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator and will last up to a week.
Yield: 8 cupcakes
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
6 tablespoons (60 g) butter, softened
6 tablespoons (60 g) coconut sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup (125 g) freshly ground, sifted einkorn flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons (30 g) yogurt
FOR THE FROSTING:
1/4 cup (55 g) butter, softened
1 cup (160 g) coconut sugar, powdered in food processor or Vitamix
2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk
1 tablespoon (16 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Recipe Note
♦ Flour in the frosting? We know it seems unusual, but ever since our friend Christina told us about adding a little flour to buttercream, we’ve loved pairing this version with cupcakes. Prepare yourself for a rich, creamy frosting that could work with any of your favorite cakes.
Try a new spin on shortcakes with this recipe, which dresses up the traditional shortcake with maple syrup and ginger. On their own, these shortcakes are sugar-kissed biscuits, firm and sweet and dry; paired with ice cream and fruit, they’re a delicious dessert hard to resist.
* Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, use a big spoon to stir together the first five ingredients. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or 2 forks, until butter is broken up into chunks throughout, about 15 to 20 seconds. Stir in yogurt and egg until well combined. Use clean, floured hands to press and shape mixture into a ball of dough.
* On a floured surface and with a floured rolling pin, roll dough out into a 7-inch (18 cm) circle that’s 1/2 inch (13 mm) thick. Cut out shortcakes using a 3-inch (7.5 cm) biscuit or cookie cutter. Gather together remaining dough, roll out to 1/2 inch (13 mm) thick and cut out shortcakes again until there’s no more dough. If you wind up with a little extra dough beyond the 6 shortcakes, freeform it into a smaller shortcake.
* Place the shortcakes on a baking sheet, sprinkle the tops with raw sugar, and bake 13 to 16 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve with whipped cream and fruit, ice cream, or whatever you like.
Yield: 6 or 7 shortcakes
1 2/3 cups (208 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
3 tablespoons (60 g) maple syrup
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed into tablespoons (14 g)
3 tablespoons (45 g) yogurt
1 egg
1 tablespoon (13 g) raw sugar, for dusting
GRANDMA’S OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
There is no cookie I’ve been making longer than my grandma’s crisp oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. In this einkorn version of her classic, we use butter and coconut oil instead of her called-for margarine, slightly different ingredient proportions, dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips, and unrefined sugar instead of both white and brown—but the crunchy, flavorful treats that emerge from the oven are every bit the way I remember them.
* Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C, or gas mark 3) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to stir together all ingredients except the oats and chocolate, until well mixed. Add the oats and chopped chocolate and stir until just combined.
* Drop dough by the spoonful onto prepared baking sheets, leaving at least an inch (2.5 cm) between cookies. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm and golden.
Yield: 20 cookies
1/4 cup (57 g) butter, softened
1/4 cup (57 g) coconut oil, softened
1 cup (160 g) Sucanat
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups (150 g) old-fashioned oats
3 1/2 ounces (100 g) dark chocolate, chopped
These nutty chocolate treats pair finely ground pecans with a cocoa-flavored cookie batter studded with chocolate chunks throughout. A must for the chocolate lover, these fudgey cookies are just begging for a tall glass of milk.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Grind pecan pieces in a food processor until as fine as pecan meal.
* In a large bowl, combine einkorn flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, coconut sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, and coconut oil. Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients; add ground pecans and chopped chocolate and stir together well.
* Put the bowl of batter in the fridge for 10 minutes and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets and sprinkle a little salt on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until firm and set.
Yield: 20 cookies
1/2 cup (55 g) pecan pieces
1 1/4 cups (156 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1/4 cup (31 g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup (25 g) coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling on top
1/2 cup (160 g) maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) melted coconut oil
3 1/2 ounces (100 g) dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
SPICED CUT-OUT COOKIES
I hate to admit it, but I’ve never loved gingerbread—but these soft, spiced cut-out cookies are another story. Dark and fragrant, they carry a punch of ginger with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
* In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a hand mixer. Add egg, molasses, and extracts, and mix until just combined.
* In a separate bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients. Add this mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and combine until dough forms a ball.
* Wrap dough in plastic and chill for an hour or up to overnight in the fridge; or freeze for up to a month, thawing overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to use.
* When ready to make cookies, remove dough from fridge and let rest on counter for at least 10 minutes before separating it into 2 equal pieces. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
* Working with one half at a time, roll the dough out on a floured surface to approximately 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut out cookies as you like, placing them on parchment sheets.
* Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until centers appear just baked through.
Yield: 24 medium-size cookies
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (80 g) Sucanat or coconut sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon (20 g) molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 2/3 cups (208 g) all-purpose einkorn flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon (6 g) ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
SPICY CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES
We got engaged on a spring day in Nashville, sitting on a blue blanket in a quiet park, alongside a basket filled with a full picnic spread that included a version of these cookies. In this einkorn version of that memory, we pair the firm chocolate cookies with a sweet buttercream that counters the kick of the cayenne.
* In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and cayenne. In a large bowl, cream sugar, butter, and coconut oil together with a hand mixer. Add vanilla, followed by dry ingredients. Beat on low speed until fully incorporated. Finally, add egg; the batter will transform from what looks like crumbly dirt to what’s closer to clay-like mud.
* Form dough into a solid log about 6 inches (15 cm) long and 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper or parchment. Chill for at least 45 minutes.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Take out the log of dough and use a sharp knife to slice rounds just under 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Place the rounds an inch (2.5 cm) or so apart on prepared baking sheets and bake 12 to 14 minutes, until cookies puff and crackle on top and begin to settle slightly. Let the cookies cool completely before frosting; any cookies that won’t be eaten immediately may be stored, unfilled, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (or frozen for up to 2 months).
* Just before serving, beat butter, powdered Sucanat or sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Spread a spoonful of this mixture on the underside of half of the cooled cookies, and top each with a remaining cookie.
Yield: 12 cookie sandwiches
FOR THE COOKIES:
1 1/4 cups (156 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1/2 cup (43 g) cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup (160 g) Sucanat (unrefined cane sugar)
5 tablespoons (69 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons (26 g) coconut oil, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup (112 g) butter, room temperature
1 cup (160 g) Sucanat, powdered in a food processor (or powdered sugar)
PISTACHIO CRANBERRY COOKIES
If you like oatmeal raisin cookies, you’ll love these little cranberry cookies, which mimic the texture, but add the unmistakable twist of pistachios and tang of cranberries into the mix—and, like oatmeal raisin cookies, they may have a soft, chewy texture if you take them early in the bake time, or they may achieve a crisp, firm texture if you let them go longer.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
* Grind pistachios in a food processor until they crumble, about 20 to 30 seconds; they should not quite be the texture of pistachio meal or flour, but rather like a coarse, pebbly mixture of tiny nut pieces.
* In a medium bowl, stir together pistachios with einkorn flour, baking powder, baking soda, and Sucanat. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together olive oil, molasses, vanilla extract, and egg. Add the dry mixture to the wet one, stirring until combined. Stir in cranberries.
* Scoop dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls, and place on prepared baking sheets. The cookies won’t spread while baking, so you may fit as many as 10 to 12 to a sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden around the edges and just slightly moist in the centers; bake less for softer cookies, longer for firmer ones.
* Immediately after removing baking sheets, slide the parchment onto another surface and flatten each cookie with a spatula. Let cool slightly before eating. Leftover cookies may be stored in an airtight container for about a week or frozen for several months.
Yield: 24 cookies
1 cup (135 g) dry-roasted, salted pistachio meats
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (120 g) Sucanat
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
2/3 cup (100 g) dried, sweetened cranberries
CLASSIC ANISE BISCOTTI
When we bring a tin of cookies to our families’ houses at Christmastime, these classic anise biscotti are the first to go. Crisp and crunchy, they’re perfect for dunking in hot tea or coffee, and they’re also nice with milk. We like to melt chocolate and drizzle it over the cookies as a finishing, sweetening touch, but with or without the icing, they’re one of our all-time favorites.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, cream together coconut sugar and softened butter until they come together. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition; blend in almond extract. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sea salt, nutmeg, and anise seed.
* Slowly add in dry ingredients to wet, until the dough is a thick, heavy, and sticky mixture. Turn the dough out in one big mound onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, and with wet hands form a long rectangular log. You can form the log to your own preference, if you like. We shoot for a rectangle that is 12 1/2 × 4 1/2 inches (32 × 12 cm) and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Once formed, bake dough for 30 to 35 minutes, until slightly brown around the edges and firm to the touch (the inside will still be moist). Remove from oven and cool completely.
* Reduce oven temperature to 225°F (107°C, or gas mark 1/2). Cut the cooled log diagonally into long, 1-inch (2.5 cm)-thick slices. Carefully place the slices on a baking sheet and bake for 75 to 90 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove and let cool. Serve plain or drizzled with chocolate, as instructed below.
* For the optional chocolate glaze: Melt chocolate in a double boiler by heating water in a saucepan and setting a bowl on top with the chocolate in it, stirring while it heats. Once it’s melted, drizzle the chocolate over the cooled biscotti. Let glaze cool completely before storing the biscotti in an airtight container.
Yield: 16 to 18 biscotti
1 1/2 cups (240 g) coconut sugar
3/4 cup (167 g) butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons (24 g) anise seed
3 1/2 ounces (100 g) dark chocolate, chopped (optional)
KING-SIZE CHOCOLATE CHIP CURRANT COOKIES
We must have tested a dozen different versions of einkorn chocolate chip cookies before arriving at this one, which is loosely adapted from a method in Kim Boyce’s Good to the Grain. Rather than softening the butter or melting and cooling it before creaming, this technique calls for cold, cubed butter to be mixed with the sugar upfront. When you use a hand mixer, the process can be a little messy, but with a little patience and some elbow grease, the butter and sugar meld together well (if you find this too frustrating, you might want to use a food processor to mix the batter instead, which is what we typically do). What results are enormous, bakery-size cookies firm enough to hold with your fingers, cracked on top, and both crisp around the edges and soft and chewy inside.
As for add-ins, there’s no reason not to get creative with this cookie base. While we used currants and chocolate, feel free to try your favorite chopped nut, dried fruit, or candy in their place.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a hand mixer (it may be a little messy at first) or in a food processor until it’s fully incorporated, creamy, and almost whipped. Add milk and vanilla and combine. Add egg yolk and combine.
* In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Add this mixture to the first bowl or food processor and mix. Stir in currants and chocolate chips.
* Use an ice cream scooper to spoon out large mounds of dough the size of tennis balls (roughly 2 1/2 tablespoons, or 37 g each). Form these mounds into balls with your hands and place them on the parchment-lined sheets, 4 to a sheet, with plenty of space between them. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until cracked and set.
Yield: 8 king-size cookies
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed into half tablespoons (7 g)
1 cup (160 g) coconut sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups (156 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (113 g) currants
2 ounces (57 g) chopped chocolate
ROSEWATER SORGHUM SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE
Sweetened only with sorghum syrup, these rosewater shortbread cookies are truly unique. Each bite provides a light floral note amid the sort of tea-cookie texture we remember from the packaged cookies of our childhood. If you can’t find sorghum syrup, swap in maple syrup—the taste will be slightly altered, but the light, dry texture, perfect for pairing with tea, will remain.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
* In a large bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, and sea salt. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or 2 forks, until you get small pea-size pieces throughout. Add sorghum syrup, egg yolks, and rosewater. Mix with a fork and form a ball of dough.
* Gently press or roll the dough on a floured surface to between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch (6 and 13 mm). Using a cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out cookies and bake on prepared baking sheets for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are golden.
* Once cookies have cooled, make the chocolate drizzle by melting chocolate and sorghum syrup in a double boiler and drizzling across the tops of the cookies as you like. Serve with hot drinks if desired.
Yield: 30 small or 15 large cookies
FOR THE COOKIES:
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
3 tablespoons (45 g) non-GMO cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
10 tablespoons (145 g) chilled butter, cubed into tablespoons
5 tablespoons (100 g) sorghum syrup
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon (15 ml) rosewater
FOR THE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:
2 ounces (57 g) dark chocolate
1 to 2 teaspoons sorghum syrup (to taste, depending on how dark your chocolate is)
To us, a grape galette is summer picnic food, the sort of thing easy to package up and eat with your hands on a blanket in the grass. That doesn’t mean it isn’t refined and elegant, however: pairing grapes with thyme in the filling here creates a sophisticated, complex flavor that’s both sweet and herbal.
Because of the liquidic nature of the grape filling, we bake this galette on parchment inside a rimmed baking dish, such as a tart pan or rimmed baking sheet.
* Line a rimmed baking pan or tart pan with parchment paper (see headnote). In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry cutter or forks or, potentially, inside a food processor. Add water and yogurt; stir until it comes together and use your hands to form the dough into a ball. Roll out on a floured surface to be larger than you’d like your galette to be. Place on a prepared baking sheet or pan. While you make the filling, stick this dough in the fridge to keep it cold.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). To make the filling, combine grapes, coconut sugar, arrowroot powder, thyme, and lime juice in a bowl; stir to coat.
* Remove the chilled galette dough from the fridge. Pile the filling in the center and fold the edges on top of the grapes, pleating it as you do. The idea is just to get the edges folded up and over the filling to keep them securely inside while they bake.
* Brush the dough with yogurt to give the galette a beautifully golden crust as it bakes. Place the galette in the oven for 45 minutes to a little over an hour, rotating once halfway through. The galette is done when the crust is golden and firm. Let cool before slicing.
Yield: 1 rustic grape galette, around 6 to 8 servings
FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/4 cups (156 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (112 g) butter, cold and cubed into half tablespoons (7 g)
1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water
1 tablespoon (15 g) plain (nonflavored) yogurt
FOR THE FILLING:
2 1/2 cups (500 g) quartered grapes
2 tablespoons (26 g) coconut palm sugar
2 tablespoons (16 g) arrowroot powder
5 to 6 sprigs of thyme (pull off the leaves)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lime juice
FOR BRUSHING THE DOUGH:
2 to 3 tablespoons (15 to 30 g) of yogurt
I inherited a version of this perfect pie crust from my mom and my grandma, and it does come with a learning curve. The way you work the butter into the mixture is different from most recipes. The cold butter is in chunks rather than pebbles, and it only comes together when you quickly (in seconds!) work the dough with your hands. The benefit is no chill time (though you may chill it for later use if you like; simply thaw before using).
* Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cubed butter until the butter is in random chunks throughout, larger than peas but smaller than dimes. The chunks don’t need to be identical, and there can still be some big ones throughout, but you’re aiming to get all the (still cold) butter broken up—this should only take about 15 to 20 seconds.
* Stir in water; the mixture will still look crumbly, and you’ll think you need to add more water, but resist the impulse. Instead, use floured hands to push, press, and form the crumbly mixture into a soft, workable ball. This entire process should take no more than 3 to 5 minutes. If it’s too dry to work with, add another tablespoon (15 ml) of water; if it’s too wet, add another tablespoon (8 g) of flour; repeat until dough will come together into a ball.
* Set dough on a well-floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough with quick, swift strokes. Gently flip and continue rolling, turning it every few strokes to reflour the surface and keep it from sticking to the counter. Note that you will see streaks of butter throughout the dough—this is good; it’s what will impart the flaky texture once it bakes. Those streaks of butter may also make the dough sticky, however, so don’t be afraid to dust it with flour generously as you work.
* Roll dough into a circle a little larger than your pie plate. Gently transfer the dough to your pie plate and form to fit, pressing around the sides with your fingers to make a design if you like. Prebake or fill and bake according to pie recipe instructions.
Yield: 1 pie crust
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose einkorn flour, plus more for surfaces
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed into 16 pieces
1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water
Recipe Note
♦ Using all butter—and such a high proportion of it—is what gives this pie crust its addictive, flaky quality.
This whole-grain version of our flaky pie crust requires more flour and less liquid than its all-purpose flour counterpart, but it emerges from the oven just as beautifully golden and firm. As with our other pie crust, this recipe requires no chilling. Instead, the same effect that is derived from chilled dough—cold butter that melts in the crust as it bakes, forming air pockets and flakiness—occurs in a quicker process. Dough may also be chilled for later use if you like; simply let thaw before using.
* Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cubed butter until the butter is in random chunks throughout, larger than peas but smaller than dimes. The chunks don’t need to be identical, and there can still be some big ones, but you’re aiming to get all the (still cold) butter broken up—this should only take about 15 to 20 seconds.
* Stir in water; the mixture will still look crumbly, and you’ll think you need to add more water, but resist the impulse. Instead, use your floured hands to push, press, and form the crumbly mixture into a soft, workable ball. This entire process should take no more than 3 to 5 minutes. If it’s too dry to work with, add another tablespoon (15 ml) of water; if it’s too wet, add another tablespoon (7 g) of flour; repeat until dough will come together into a ball.
* Set dough on a well-floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough with quick, swift strokes. Gently flip and continue rolling, turning it every few strokes to reflour the surface and keep it from sticking to the counter. Note that you will see streaks of butter throughout the dough—this is good; it’s what will impart the flaky texture once it bakes. Those streaks of butter may also make the dough sticky however, so don’t be afraid to dust it with flour generously as you work.
* Roll dough into a circle that is a little larger than your pie plate. Gently transfer the dough to your pie plate and form to fit, pressing around the sides with your fingers to make a design if you like. Prebake or fill and bake according to pie recipe instructions.
Yield: 1 pie crust
1 1/4 cups (125 g) sifted (to remove bran) whole-grain einkorn flour, plus more for surfaces
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter (100 g), cold and cubed into 14 pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) cold water
APPLE DUMPLINGS
Dumplings are such a brilliant invention: Fill fruit with sugar, spices, and nuts; wrap it in pastry dough; and bake until the fruit is soft and the dough crisp and golden. They’re like individual apple pies, but simpler! When we eat these warm dumplings, topped with ice cream, we give thanks to whomever first came up with this creation—as comforting as it is decadent.
* Begin by combining einkorn flour, salt, and Sucanat in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or 2 forks to cut the cubed butter into the mixture until the butter is broken up into chunks throughout. Stir in up to 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, mixing until the water is absorbed and the crumbs start to come together. Then, using clean hands, press and push the mixture into a large, smooth ball of dough. Separate this ball of dough into 5 equal portions, form them into balls, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill while you make the dumpling filling.
* Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5) and grease a baking pan large enough to hold all 5 apples snugly. Peel and core apples. In a small bowl, combine Sucanat, cinnamon, currants, and pecans.
* Remove 1 ball of dough at a time to a floured surface, rolling it out into a piece large enough to wrap up and around an apple. Place a cored apple in the center, and fill the middle alternately with the Sucanat mixture and pieces of butter. Lift the dough up and over the apple, pressing to create a firm sleeve around the entire fruit. Set the dough-wrapped apple in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining dough and apples until all are snugly in the baking dish.
* Brush the dough around the apples with yogurt and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until golden. Serve with ice cream, if desired.
Yield: 5 dumplings
FOR THE PASTRY DOUGH:
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon (13 g) Sucanat
3/4 cup (167 g) butter, cold and cubed into 24 pieces
1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water
5 apples
FOR THE DUMPLING FILLING:
2 1/2 tablespoons (33 g) Sucanat
1/2 tablespoon (3 g) cinnamon
1 tablespoon (8 g) currants
1 tablespoon (14 g) crushed pecans
3 tablespoons (42 g) butter, diced
2 tablespoons (30 g) yogurt
While these tartlets are simple, they are also pretty as a picture and sized perfectly for sweet appetizers, if not desserts. They are made, essentially, by cutting little rounds of pie crust and topping with sweetened apples, fresh thyme, and toasted hazelnuts before baking in the oven. We dare you to eat just one.
* Start by making the pastry crust: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut butter into this mixture with a pastry cutter or 2 forks, until there are no more big chunks of butter and the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Add water, stir until it’s mixed, and then use your hands to work the dough into a solid dough, adding more flour if needed. Form dough into a ball and set in a bowl in the fridge.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). In a medium-size bowl, mix apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and honey.
* Roll pastry dough out on parchment paper or a floured surface to be 1/2 inch (13 mm) thick, and cut out twelve 3-inch (7.6 cm) rounds, using a cookie or biscuit cutter.
* Arrange apple slices on top of the rounds, adding a little drizzle of honey and some thyme to each one. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until apples turn slightly golden. Garnish with more honey and chopped hazelnuts.
Yield: 12 tartlets
FOR THE PASTRY DOUGH:
1 to 1 1/3 cup (125 to 166 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (112 g) cold, cubed unsalted butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water
FOR THE TOPPING:
3 apples, peeled and sliced as uniformly as possible
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 to 2 teaspoons honey, plus more for drizzling
Fresh thyme, to taste
1/2 cup (58 g) toasted hazelnuts, chopped
It seems to us that the combination of blueberry and chocolate does not get enough attention. We always hear about strawberries and chocolate or raspberries and chocolate, but let’s be honest—chocolate goes with just about everything, especially when it comes to fruit. If you love strong, dark chocolate, then you will like this recipe. It is not overly sweet, and the dark chocolate melts in with the blueberry mixture.
Served warm, the pie is like a sophisticated, richer version of blueberry pie; served cold, it’s like blueberry pie with chocolate chunks.
* Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) and butter a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate.
* Make the berry filling: Add 2 cups (290 g) of the blueberries to a bowl and add the coconut sugar, lemon juice, and arrowroot powder. Take a masher or large fork and mash the berries until some of the juices start to flow, and the mixture gets liquidy. All of the berries do not have to be mashed, just enough that the mixture starts to liquefy. Add the chopped chocolate and the remaining blueberries. Stir to coat the berries with the mixture.
* On a floured surface, roll out the first ball of pie dough until it is slightly larger than your pie plate. Lay in the plate, letting the extra overhang around the edges. Add the blueberry mixture to the pie plate. Roll out the second ball of dough to be slightly larger than the pie plate and lay it on top of the blueberry mixture in the pie pan. Use the excess dough around the edges to create a decorative crust, trimming off anything too big, folding over the extras, and pinching together the crusts and/or using a fork to press them together.
* Brush pie with yogurt or kefir, and bake 60 to 65 minutes, until the crust is golden. Serve warm or cold.
Yield: One 9-inch (23 cm) pie, or 6 to 8 servings
5 1/2 cups (800 g) fresh blueberries, divided
1/2 cup (80 g) coconut sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons (21 ml) lemon juice
3 tablespoons (21 g) arrowroot starch/powder
3.2 ounces (91 g) dark chocolate, chopped roughly (we used 85 percent dark)
2 batches Einkorn Pie Crust (page 156 or 157)
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 g) yogurt or kefir
FRUIT AND JAM TART ON MAPLE SHORTBREAD COOKIE CRUST
From the maple shortbread cookie crust to the layer of sweet jam to the sliced fruit on top, this dessert is every bit as refreshing as it is sweet and celebratory. For the fruit, you could use peaches, pears, apples, apricots, or even cranberries, depending on what’s in season at the time. Likewise, choose whatever jam you like best. If you wind up with leftover shortbread crust, form it into balls and bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet right alongside the tart.
* Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Generously butter a 9- or 10-inch (23 or 25 cm) round tart pan, line with parchment, and butter again.
* In a food processor, pulse together einkorn flour and salt. Add cubed butter and blend for 1 to 2 minutes, until butter is incorporated throughout. Add maple syrup; pulse until mixture starts clumping together like a ball of dough. Turn off machine, gather together the dough, and press it into your pan, into the bottom and sides (a 9-inch [23 cm] pan will have more dough up the sides; a 10-inch [25 cm] pan will be mostly pressed into the bottom). Pierce the dough gently all over with a fork. If using a springform tart pan, place the pan on top of a baking sheet and place in the oven; if using a traditional tart pan, place the pan directly in the oven. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes.
* Remove tart crust from oven when it’s just slightly golden. Dollop on jam, spreading an even layer all over the crust. Top with sliced fruit, organizing them in a circular fashion, and sprinkle with a little sugar, if desired. Bake again for 3 to 6 minutes, until the jam is bubbly and the sliced fruit is just getting soft. Let cool before slicing and serving.
Yield: One 9-inch (23 cm) or 10-inch (25 cm) tart, or 8 to 10 servings
1 3/4 cup (219 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (55 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed into 8 pieces
1/4 cup (60 ml) organic Grade B maple syrup
1/2 cup (160 g) fruit jam
2 ripe but firm fruit (such as peaches), washed and sliced into half circles
Coconut sugar or Sucanat, for sprinkling (optional)
SMALL-BATCH MINI CHERRY BANANA GALETTES
Sometimes you want a quick dessert that doesn’t leave you with leftovers for days. Enter these galettes. Easy to assemble, the recipe only makes 4 mini-size galettes, each with sweet and tangy filling wrapped inside a crisp, buttery crust.
* Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5) and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. In a small bowl, combine cherries, Sucanat, almond extract, lime juice, and cornstarch. Blend until everything is evenly coated. Add sliced banana, stirring gently to prevent mashing.
* Combine einkorn flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, and then use your hands to press and form the mixture into a nice ball. Divide this dough into 4 sections. Working with one section at a time on a floured surface, roll out 5- to 6-inch (13 to 15 cm) rounds and place them on baking sheets.
* Divide cherry-banana mixture evenly between the 4 rounds of dough, leaving a border edge of about 2 inches (5 cm). Fold the edges up and pleat them as you do. Brush the edges of the dough with yogurt and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: Four 4-inch (10 cm) galettes
FOR THE FILLING:
2 cups (300 g) halved, sweet cherries (fresh; or thawed, strained frozen)
1/4 cup (40 g) Sucanat
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice
2 tablespoons (16 g) non-GMO cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
1 small banana, sliced into 1/4-inch (6 mm) rounds
FOR THE PASTRY DOUGH:
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water
1 tablespoon (15 g) yogurt, for brushing
Recipe Note
♦ The filling without the banana may be cooled for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat to thicken before adding to the dough.
WAFFLE BOWLS
If there’s anything better than ice cream, it’s ice cream in a crisp, homemade waffle bowl. We borrowed a friend’s waffle cone maker to create ours, but you could also do the same thing on a skillet: Brush the skillet with oil and warm it over medium heat until hot to the touch. Drizzle spoonfuls of batter on the skillet, spreading them with the back of a spoon until very thin. Cook until firm on bottom; flip with a spatula, then remove to a towel and form immediately, holding in place until cooled.
* Place all ingredients in a medium bowl, whisk until well combined, and let mixture rest while waffle iron preheats.
* When iron is ready, dollop 2 to 3 tablespoons (14 to 21 g) of batter at a time onto the iron, following the manufacturer’s instructions for cook time. You know the batter is cooked when you stop seeing steam escaping out the sides.
* Using pot holders or towels, remove each piece and immediately begin shaping as you like. For waffle bowls, set a piece in a ramekin and place a smaller ramekin inside/on top. For cones, shape around a cone-like object or carefully use towels. After a few seconds, the bowls or cones should harden and be ready to use.
Yield: 4 waffle bowls or cones
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup (53 g) Sucanat
1/2 cup (63 g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
