Baking is how I started my foodie life; Betty Crocker baking with a little packets for pudding and a little stove for cakes to be precise.  Now, while I’m not a huge baker, I have a fond spot in my heart for baking that makes my eyes zoom in on new baking books. Of course, all of those tempting pictures of decadent desserts don't hurt in drawing me in either.  Fall is the peak time for new baking books and we’ll be presenting a bunch of them in the next few weeks here on Project Foodie; starting today with The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri. 

I was immediately enticed by The Modern Baker for its smart design, enticing photos, and simple, yet mouthwatering recipes.  Nick takes a casual and straightforward approach to sharing his baking experience that I enjoyed reading in full - within days of getting my hands on the book. The recipes appeal to a wide variety of tastes including breads, pastries, pies, cakes, cookies and other sweets.  But that's not all, The Modern Baker truly takes a modern approach to baking and presents savory baked products for main course entrees, appetizers and other non-dessert, non-bread items. Although, I admit I focused on the sweets, as the following recipes show. 

In fact, if my waistline would allow it I could see myself trying to bake my way through the whole book. Why?  Well, modern may indeed be the key term here as the variety of interesting brownies and bars Nick presents suggests.  Cocoa nibs, for example, are certainly a modern ingredient and what a wonderful use in the wonderful Cocoa Nib Brownies recipe below.  Another example is the Chocolate Orange Hazelnut Tart; while chocolate and orange is a classic combination Nick adds to it with a bit of Rum and Hazelnut.  I could go on with examples, but then you wouldn't have as much time to try these wonderful recipes or explore The Modern Baker yourself!

Cocoa Nib Brownies

From The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri, DK 2008.

Makes one 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan of brownies, about twenty-four 2 inch squares

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• 9 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 4 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into a dry measure cup and level off)
• ½ cup cocoa nibs

One 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan lined fully (bottom and sides) with buttered foil

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

2. Put the cut-up butter into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Let the butter melt, stirring 2 to 3 times, then allow it to bubble for about 10 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Gently shake the pan to submerge the chocolate in the hot butter and set aside for a few minutes so that the chocolate melts. Use a small whisk to mix smooth.

3. Place the brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat in 1 egg on lowest speed using the paddle attachment. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, beating smooth after each. Add the salt, sugar, and vanilla, and beat smooth.

4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a large rubber spatula to mix in the chocolate and butter mixture. Mix in the flour, followed by ¼ cup of the cocoa nibs.

5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining ¼ cup cocoa nibs on the batter.

6. Bake the brownies until they are firm, but still very moist in the center, about 30 minutes.

7. Cool the brownies in the pan on a rack.

8. Wrap the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate the brownies for several hours or overnight before attempting to cut them – they are very moist. You might need to heat the bottom of the pan briefly over low heat to unmold the brownies, then invert them to a cutting board and peel away the foil.

Serving: Use a sharp serrated knife to trim the edges and cut the brownies into 2 inch squares. Serve them alone or topped with ice cream.

Storage: The best way to keep brownies is the same as a baked cake, whole and unsliced, rather than as individual servings. Refrigerate the wrapped slab for a few days or freeze it for up to one month. If it’s not practical to keep them in the pan they were baked in, wrap them with some stiff cardboard underneath. Cut the brownies then defrost them, loosely covered, before serving,

Chocolate Orange Hazelnut Tart

From The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri, DK 2008.

Makes one 10 or 11 inch tart, about 10 servings

• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon dark rum

• One 10- or 11-inch tart crust, unbaked (recipe from Nut Tart Dough), in a 1-inch deep tart pan
• ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, skins rubbed off, and coarsely chopped or crushed with the bottom of a heavy pan
• 2 ounces bittersweet, not unsweetened, chocolate melted with 1 tablespoon of butter, for finishing

1. Set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

2. For the filling, combine the cream and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking occasionally to make sure sugar dissolves. Decrease the heat to low, add the butter, and let it melt. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Gently shake the pan to submerge all the chocolate and wait 1 minute before whisking smooth.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the orange zest and rum. Whisk in the chocolate mixture in a steady stream, scraping out the pan with a rubber spatula.

4.  Pour the chocolate filling into the tart crust and scatter the chopped hazelnuts on top.

5.  Bake the tart until the crust is baked through and the filling is set and slightly puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the tart completely on a rack.

6.  Pour the chocolate and butter mixture into a paper cone or a non-pleated plastic bag. Snip off the tip of the cone or bag and decorate the top of the tart with a series of random parallel lines.

Serving: Remove the side of the pan and slide the tart from the metal base to a platter. Cut the tart into wedges. Serve sweetened whipped cream flavored with grated orange zest, or some sugared, peeled orange slices along with tart.

Storage: Keep the tart at room temperature on the day it is baked. Wrap and refrigerate leftovers. Bring to room temperature before serving again.

Nut Tart Dough

From The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri, DK 2008.

Makes one 10- or 11-inch tart crust, or one 9-inch pie crust

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into a dry measure cup and level off)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water
• ½ cup coarsely chopped nuts, such as almonds or hazelnuts

1. Combine the sugar and nuts in a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the remaining dry ingredients and pulse to mix.

2. Add the butter and pulse repeatedly until the butter is finely mixed into the dry ingredients – you do not want any visible pieces of butter.

3. Add the egg, egg yolk, and water. Pulse repeatedly until the dough forms a ball.

4. Invert the food processor bowl over a floured surface to turn out the dough. Carefully remove the blade and transfer any dough on it to the work surface. Form the dough into a disk about ½ inch thick. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate.

About The Modern Baker

A collection of 150 simple step-by-step recipes that still have gourmet appeal, The Modern Baker strives to bring you baking success with the bulk of the preparation taking under one hour. Nick Malgieri distills years of teaching and experience into these detailed recipes for virtually every savory or sweet yeast bread, quick bread, muffin, pastry, dough, and batter. Recipes are thorough and include descriptions of how batters and doughs are supposed to appear at each stage of preparation. The Modern Baker is as necessary and essential as a good oven; Nick Malgieri leads cooks through the simple art of creating an international assortment of delicious sweet and savory baked goods, interweaving techniques and helpful sidebars.

Available at Amazon.com

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