Cherry Almond Tea Cakes

Just peek out the window and you'll know it's officially fall. The sky in Washington is a crisp blue today, and the air is breezy and cool. Knowing DC as well as I do, I was sure that the cool front would pass quickly, making way for just a little more of that lovely summer humidity that you can slice through with a knife. Classic DC to dangle fall in front of us before heading squarely toward summer weather. But so far, I'm proving wrong: it's been a week since the air changed. Summer may truly be over.

Summer produce is also starting to disappear. A couple weeks ago, I scored a fabulous box of "second" tomatoes -- about 8 pounds for a mere 2 bucks! With some olive oil, onions, garlic,salt, pepper, and a splash of wine, I transformed them into easy tomato sauce and jarred the sauce for winter.

Before memories of summer fruit have completely faded, I want to share one last recipe. It's another Martha recipe -- thanks, Jana -- and it's super easy and tasty. The recipe is for tea cakes, rich and nutty from almond flour, zingy from kirsch, with a whole cherry -- pit, stem, and all -- in the center. I brought them to a poolside picnic hosted by Rebecca, Robbie and Sarina earlier this summer. I took off the foil and set them out, and Robbie looked at them suspiciously and asked what they were. When I told him, he said, "What if you accidentally swallow the pit and choke? Basically, they're like death muffins." I really wanted to title this post "death muffins" but visions of spam comments from morticians and funeral homes scared me off.

Tasty as they are, these tea cakes win brownie points for presentation. They take so little effort and look absolutely adorable. I'm not recommending you make them now, since cherries are out of season and probably won't taste so hot, but stick it in the mental rolodex. When the weather gets warm again, these should definitely be high on your to-do list.

Cherry Almond Tea Cakes

* 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for muffin tin * 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for tin * 1 1/4 cups finely ground unblanched almonds * 1 cup sugar * 1 teaspoon coarse salt * 5 large egg whites * 4 teaspoons kirsch (cherry brandy) * 30 sweet (Bing) cherries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 30 cups of 2 mini-muffin tins with butter, and dust lightly with flour. 2. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When it begins to sputter, reduce heat to medium. Cook, swirling skillet occasionally, until butter has lightly browned. Skim foam from top, and remove skillet from heat. 3. Whisk together flour, ground almonds, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add egg whites, and whisk until smooth. Stir in kirsch. Pour in butter, leaving any dark-brown sediment in skillet, and whisk to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes. 4. Ladle 1 tablespoon batter into each buttered muffin cup, filling about halfway. Push a cherry into each, keeping stem end up. With a small spoon, smooth batter over cherries to cover. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and cakes are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges to loosen, and unmold. Cakes can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature overnight.

Shana Tova!

To all those celebrating the Jewish New Year (and to all of you, regardless of whether or not this happens to be the start of a New Year for you)...

May this be a year of happiness,

a year in which we take time out to enjoy the small pleasures,

a year in which we do not hesitate to try many new things,

a year in which we find new ways to love our families, friends, and significant others,

a year in which we use our strength to help those more in need than we,

and of course, a year in which we eat wonderful, wonderful food.

Shana Tova, Bria, U'Metuka: a happy, healthy, and sweet new year!

(Also, between my recent foot surgery and the upcoming holidays, I actually missed the first anniversary of NDP!! I can promise a celebratory post after all these holidays pass and my foot heals...but for now, happy blogiversary to NDP!)

Ima's Challah link to recipe On Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, we have a custom of making the challot round, to symbolize the cycle of the year that renews on this day. Braid each loaf extra long, then, starting at one end, wrap the braid around itself, lifting the braid slightly on top of itself as you go. Tuck the end under, brush with eggwash, and bake as normal.

Sticky, Gooey Cinnamon Buns

If you've gone this long without making cinnamon buns (which, shockingly, I have), it's likely not because you're skeptical that they'll be worth it. What other foods smell ridiculously appetizing, even when what you smell is usually a corporate chain version loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other delicacies? No doubt they taste fantastic and are worth the effort, so that's not the cause of hesitation. More likely, you're just a bit daunted by the task. To me, cinnamon buns have always sounded like a very work-intensive, time-intensive project, possible only for those with half a day to devote to the task. I just figured that with a project as seemingly complex as cinnamon buns, I should hold off until I had an occasion to do them. Perhaps you did, too.

Such an occasion arrived last Sunday, when a bunch of us threw a bridal shower for our friend D, who's getting married in November. D's not so into the gush-gush-rip-the-wrapping-paper-ohh-ahh stuff, so when B suggested a book shower, D readily agreed. It's really right up her alley. We pitched the shower as a chance to get D a book that belongs on every shelf, a book you especially love, or a book that you thought D would love -- and, considering we got lots of oohs and ahhs and no doubles, I think it was a success!

Anyway, B suggested that we make cinnamon buns for the shower (yes, she's full of good ideas, that B!) and I'd been meaning to make them for a while, so I jumped at the chance. We both just assumed they'd take a while, so I started them early at my house, the plan being that I'd bring the risen dough over to her place and we'd fill, roll, and bake them together.

Well, I started a little earlier than planned, and before I knew it, it was time to roll out the buns but it wasn't time to go over to B's. Sorry, B -- I owe you cinnamon-bun-round-two! Needless to say, I managed on my own. In fact, I more than managed -- I practically cranked out the buns with little to no effort, and they looked totally gorgeous, if I dare say so myself. Let my experience demystify this ostensibly massive undertaking. It's no biggie, small beans, piece-a-cake. Get my drift? Time does most of the work -- all you really need is enough patience to not jump out of your chair before they're ready.

B made the cream cheese glaze. Her report: so easy, and it took only 2 minutes. What are you waiting for?? And in case it's not screamingly obvious: the cream cheese glaze is the best part. By far. If you're like me, always worried that you won't get enough of the goo on your cinnamon bun, don't fret: this recipe made enough for me to really slather it on and still have some left over to lick. mmmm.

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze from Bon Appetit

Dough: 1 cup whole milk 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided 1/2 cup sugar 1 large egg 2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast) 1 teaspoon salt Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling: 3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature Glaze: 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For dough: Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 21/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

For filling: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

For glaze: Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The Simplest Breakfast

Lazy Sunday morning here in localsville. Since localseasonal September started, a Sunday morning routine has developed. I wake up, make myself a cup of coffee, drink the littlest bit of it and make D mad by letting it cool to room temp, assure her that I meant to let it sit as I stick it in the fridge for ice coffee later, and then trot over to the farmers market, lots-o-canvas-bags in tow. By the time I'm back from the market, I'm warm (it's a bit of a hike from Dupont with all those groceries in hand) and I'm hungry. So I take out those beautiful yellow cherry tomatoes, that Keswick creamery spreadable herb cheese, those farm-fresh eggs, and that lovely, tart cows milk yogurt, and I whip us up a little breakfast. Nothing fancy -- wonderful, in fact, in its sheer simplicity. These pics are from our breakfast 2 weeks ago.

Happy lazy local Sunday, everyone!