This is an excerpt from

the harvest baker

Edited by Hannah Fries

Text production by Erin Dawson

Indexed by Samantha Miller

Cover photography by Johnny Autry

Interior photography by Johnny Autry

Additional photography by 1MoreCreative/Getty Images, 165, 229; Aberration

Films Ltd./Science Photo Library/Getty Images, 209; alfonso90/iStockphoto.com,
178; Barcin/Getty Images, 255; Bill Brady Photography/Getty Images, 93; Brent
-

iStockphoto.com, 190; Magone/iStockphoto.com, 169, 205; Mars Vilaubi, 41, 95, 122,
226; mashuk/iStockphoto.com, 75; merc67/iStockphoto.com, 133; meteo021/

iStockphoto.com, 159; Patrick Swan/Getty Images, 161; double_p/Getty Images,

101; The Picture Pantry/Lisovskaya Natalia/Getty Images, 91; Roberta Sorge/Unsplash,
225; Taras_Bulba/iStockphoto.com, 135; Todd Bertrand/EyeEm/Getty Images, 64;

2017 by Ken Haedrich

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission
from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce
illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other without written permis-
sion from the publisher.
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge.
All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey
Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use
of this information.
Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for cus-
tomized editions. For further information, please call 800-793-9396.

Storey Publishing
210 MASS MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
storey.com

Printed in China by R.R. Donnelley

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Names: Haedrich, Ken, 1954 author.

Title: The harvest baker / Ken Haedrich.
Description: North Adams, MA : Storey Publishing, [2017] | Includes index.

ISBN 9781612127675 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781612127682 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Bread. | Pastry. | Baking. | LCGFT: Cookbooks.

DDC 641.81/5dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016059746

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by

publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.
CONTENTS
Preface 8

Tool Talk: Outfitting the Harvest Bakers Kitchen 10

Part 1: For the Love of Bread 23

Chapter 1: Morning Breads: Muffins, Biscuits, and Scones 24

Chapter 2: Sweet and Savory Quick Breads and Tea Loaves 49

Chapter 3: Yeast Breads, Rolls, and Buns 74

Part 2: Crusty Entres 103

Chapter 4: Harvest Pizzas, Flatbreads, Calzones, and Other Stuffed Breads 104

Chapter 5: Savory Harvest Pies: Quiches, Tarts, Pot Pies, and More 144

Part 3: The Bakers Sweet Tooth 213

Chapter 6: Cookies and Bars: A Handful of Harvest Goodness 214

Chapter 7: Cakes: Pound, Coffee, Upside Down, and More 231

Chapter 8: Sweet Pies and Crostatas 262

Part 4: Top It Off 279

Chapter 9: The Harvest Bakers Pantry: Sauce, Glaze, Streusel, and More 280

Converting Recipe Measurements to Metric 291

Acknowledgments 292

Index 293
 RICOTTA, LEMON, AND BLACKBERRY MUFFINS
Crispy on the outside, with a moist, tender, off-white interior, these muffins are a showcase for your
fat summer blackberries. They love lemon, so we include lots of zest; lemon thyme, too, if you have it
on hand. Some of the blackberries I get from my brother-in-laws garden are real monsters, and I have
to cut them in half before adding them to the batter feel free to do likewise. Oftentimes Ill end up
with leftover ricotta cheese when I make a big Italian meal, and this is a clever way to use it up.

1 Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Butter a standard-size 12-cup MAKES 12 MUFFINS
munpan.
Butter for the mun pan
2 Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a 2 cups all-purpose flour
large bowl. Mix well by hand or with a whisk.
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 Pure the ricotta, sugar, sour cream, milk, melted butter, egg, lemon zest, teaspoon baking soda
and vanilla in a blender. Make a well in the dry mixture and add the liquid
teaspoon salt
mixture. Stir until everything is dampened and only a few dry streaks remain.
Add the blackberries and lemon thyme, if using, and fold them in with as few teaspoon ground nutmeg
strokes as possible. 1 cup ricotta cheese
4 Divide the batter evenly among the cups. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until 1 cup sugar
the muns are well risen and the tops feel springy to the touch and are light
cup sour cream
golden brown. Transfer the muns to a cooling rack and cool in the pan for
5 minutes. Remove the muns and continue to cool on the rack, bottoms cup milk
facing up. Serve as is, or drizzle a little Citrus Glaze on the muns before 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
serving.
1 large egg
23 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
teaspoon vanilla extract
11 cups blackberries, halved if very large
1 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme
(optional)
Citrus Glaze (page 289; optional)

Morning Breads: Muffins, Biscuits, and Scones 31

How to Build a Better Buttermilk Biscuit

You may have noticed that recipes
will often admonish the cook to not
overhandle biscuit dough, lest ye
end up with tough biscuits. Thats
true up to a point, but its not so
much the case with buttermilk bis-
cuits. Buttermilk is a natural dough
tenderizer, so much so that without
a little handling, the dough wont
develop the muscle to rise at all. A
little handling is good. It will activate
the gluten in the dough, which cre-
ates the structural support think
of tiny 24s that holds the biscuit
up. The resulting rise makes for a
more attractive and lighter biscuit.
(The method I use for handling
buttermilk doughs is outlined in the
recipes.) Please note that Im not
advocating a muscular, yeast-bread-
type kneading, just some gentle
patting and folding.

Morning Breads: Muffins, Biscuits, and Scones 43

70 For the Love of Bread
 SAVORY SHORTBREAD
THUMBPRINTS WITH TOMATO JAM
This is, and is not, what it appears to be: a sweet, jam-filled thumbprint cookie. Except that the
cookies Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies (page 215) are not very sweet, and our homemade
tomato jam has a decidedly sweet-tart edge. So what looks to be your typical jam-filled thumbprint
cookie turns out to be a savory appetizer, the crumbles of feta cheese on top of the jam leaving little
doubt. Believe me when I tell you that its an appetizing little package, though it does take a second or
two for the palate to sort out the various flavors at play and register its full approval. These are great
for an adult dinner party, but the flavor scheme might be a stretch for children.

1 Prepare the shortbread cookie dough as instructed, substituting cup MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
finely grated Parmesan for the cup confectioners sugar. Turn the dough SHORTBREAD APPETIZERS
out onto your work surface and shape into 1-inch-diameter balls. Place the Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookie
balls about 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet, preferably lined with dough (page 215), modified as
parchment. (Use a shiny sheet, not a dark one, to prevent the cookies from described in step 1, replacing cup
confectioners sugar with cup finely
overbrowning.) grated Parmesan cheese
2 Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the cookies. Using the flat bottom of cup cream cheese, slightly softened
a glass, press gently to flatten each ball into a disk about inch thick. With
Food Processor Tomato Jam (page 283)
your thumb, press the center of the disk to make a deep crater; be careful not
to press all the way through the dough. Refrigerate the sheet for 1 to 2 hours. cup crumbled feta cheese

3 Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Carefully remove the plastic from the
cookies if you havent already. Bake for about 15 minutes, then check on them:
the craters will have started to relax and fill in. Slide out the cookies, and
using the rounded surface of a melon baller or another small rounded object,
gently press each crater to reestablish its original crater shape. Continue to
bake for 5 to 7 more minutes a total of 20 to 22 minutes until the bot-
toms of the cookies turn golden brown. (Since there is less sugar in these
than in the original recipe, you may not see much if any browning on the top
surface of the cookies.) Transfer to a rack and cool the cookies on the sheet
for several minutes. Using a thin spatula, carefully move the cookies o the
sheet and onto the rack to finish cooling.

4 When youre ready to assemble the shortbreads, preferably within an

hour of serving them, spread about teaspoon cream cheese in each crater,
smearing it in with the back of a spoon to keep the crater shape. Then spoon
a generous teaspoon of tomato jam into each crater. Top the jam with a few
little crumbles of feta cheese. Arrange on a platter and serve.

Sweet and Savory Quick Breads and Tea Loaves 71

84 For the Love of Bread
 HERB AND VEGGIE FLOWERPOT BREAD
Did you know that you can bake bread in a terra-cotta flowerpot? Indeed you can, and its only fitting
that loaves baked in flowerpots be a showcase for good stuff from the soil. Here we begin by finely
chopping and grating a handful of vegetables and drying them out in the oven. This process concen-
trates the flavors, which in turn permeate the loaves as they bake. This recipe uses carrots, celery, and
onions, but dont be shy about going off script and substituting some parsnips, winter squash, a clove
or two of sliced garlic whatever sounds appealing. Fresh or dried herbs round out the garden-fresh
profile, and a bit of cheddar cheese adds richness and tang. It all adds up to one fragrant loaf thats
especially good for sandwiches. There are a few little tricks for baking in flowerpots, outlined on pages
8687; heed, and your loaves will turn out beautifully from the start. Remember to allow enough time
early in the day, or the day before, to season your flowerpots.

1 Preheat the oven to 300F (150C). Oil a large rimmed baking sheet very MAKES 2 LOAVES
lightly. Spread the carrots, celery, and onion evenly in a single layer on the 12 teaspoons cooking oil for the
sheet. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes to an hour. When theyre baking sheet and bowl
ready, theyll look shrunken and shriveled especially the carrots and take
1 cups grated carrots
up about half as much room on the sheet. You dont want them to get brittle
dry. Transfer the sheet to a cooling rack and allow the vegetables to cool. 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
medium onion, finely chopped
2 Pour the water into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and sprinkle on the
yeast. Stir once or twice with a fork and set aside for 5 minutes. 2 cups lukewarm water
(105 to 110F [4143C])
3 Add the cornmeal and 3 cups of the flour to the water. Using a wooden 1 tablespoon sugar
spoon, stir well for 100 strokes. Set aside for 10 minutes.
1 packet (-ounce) active dry yeast
4 Add the softened butter, salt, sage, and thyme to the dough. Stir well. Stir
cup fine yellow cornmeal
in the veggies and cheese. Add enough of the remaining flour, about cup
at a time, to make a firm dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. 44 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Using your wooden spoon, work the dough vigorously against the sides of 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,
the bowl for a minute or so. softened, plus a little melted
butter for brushing
5 Flour your work surface and turn the dough out. Using floured hands, 2 teaspoons salt
knead the dough for about 8 minutes, dusting with flour as necessary to
keep the dough from sticking. Rub a teaspoon or two of cooking oil in a large 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
or 2 teaspoons dried
ceramic or glass bowl. Add the dough, rotating it to coat the entire surface
with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or
spot for 1 to 1 hours, until the dough has doubled in bulk. teaspoon dried
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 While the dough rises, prepare your two flowerpots using one of the
options outlined in the box on the next page.

RECIPE CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Yeast Breads, Rolls, and Buns 85

 GRILLED FLATBREAD WITH HUMMUS AND VEGGIES
For our purposes theres virtually no difference between a pizza and a flatbread. Ive read that flat-
breads are sometimes made with unleavened dough, but its a distinction that few seem to be con-
cerned with. Flatbreads do, however, often come with a license to experiment with toppings outside
the box hummus and grilled veggies, for instance. This flatbread is sensational for summer grilling,
when we have fresh peppers and eggplant in abundance. Crispy, colorful, and full of grilled charm, its
a showpiece appetizer that will put regular old hummus and crackers to shame.

1 Prepare the dough and set it aside to rise. Meanwhile, preheat your MAKES 2 PIZZAS, 3 TO
grill. Cut o the stem end of the eggplant. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 4SERVINGS EACH
-inch-thick slabs and set them aside on a large rimmed baking sheet. Put Food Processor Pizza Dough
the peppers on the sheet also. Cut three or four -inch-thick rings of the (page 107) or Hand Method Pizza
onion. Peel and place on the baking sheet. Brush all the vegetables lavishly Dough (page 105)
with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the veggies until theyre 1 large eggplant
tender and pleasantly charred, brushing with more olive oil when you turn
2 large bell peppers, halved and cored
them. Put them back on the baking sheet to cool. When theyre cool enough
to handle, peel the blistered skin o the peppers. Cut everything into big, 1 large sweet onion
bite-size pieces and set aside. 13 cup (or more) olive oil, for brushing
the veggies and crust
2 Once the dough has risen, punch it down, divide it in half, and knead
each half into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Cover one piece of dough Salt and freshly ground black pepper
with plastic wrap and let it rest on a floured surface for 10 minutes. Loosely 2 cups (about 1 pound) hummus, store-
wrap the other piece in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. If your grill is bought or homemade
large enough, get one zone of the grill good and hot and have another thats 2 cups crumbled feta cheese
slightly less so.
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 Using your fingers, flatten the nonrefrigerated piece of dough into a 7- or
8-inch circle on a floured surface. Let it rest for 4 to 5 minutes. Drizzle 2 table-
spoons of the olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet and spread it around
with your fingers. Place the flattened dough on the oiled sheet and press it
out a little more. Turn the dough over, and keep flattening and gently stretch-
ing it with your fingers and palms until you have a 13- to 14-inch oblong.

4 In one smooth movement, gingerly lift the dough o the baking sheet,
trying to not stretch it, and drape it on the grill in the hot zone. Dont try to
move the dough for the first few minutes. After 3 to 4 minutes, when the dough
has firmed up a bit and started to blister, use tongs to lift the sides here and
there to see how its doing. You should see browning and grill marks, but if
you see a lot of scorching, slide your pizza dough over to the moderate zone.

RECIPE CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Harvest Pizzas, Flatbreads, Calzones, and Other Stuffed Breads 121

256 The Bakers Sweet Tooth
 FRESH MINT OREO CHEESECAKE
I grew up in New Jersey, near a stretch of highway many considered the diner capital of the state, so I
have cheesecake in my blood. Understand that the diners I frequented didnt cater to dietary trends or
serve precious little pieces of cheesecake made with low-fat this or that. These were unabashed slabs
roughly the size of those portable concrete highway dividers you see at construction sites. With age
has come (slightly) more discipline and an appreciation for the kind of subtlety found in this cheese-
cake recipe, made with fresh mint from my garden. Its minty, though not powerfully so, and has a
natural-looking, soft green hue. (You can add a drop of mint oil for more mint flavor and green food
dye for color; see step 4.) The Oreos on top give the cake a fun, festive touch. But depending on your
crowd, you can leave them off and apply the chocolate glaze directly to the top of the cake, as pictured
here, instead of over the cookies.

1 Crumble the cookies into a food processor. Pulse the machine repeatedly MAKES 12 TO 16 SERVINGS
to make fairly fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and add the melted CRUST
butter and salt. Mix well. Lightly butter only the sides of a 9-inch springform
Butter for the pan
pan. Add the crumbs, pressing them firmly against the bottom of the pan and
about inch up the sides. (If you press with a meat pounder or another heavy 25 Oreo cookies
object with a flat surface, it will help you make a nice even crust.) Refrigerate.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 Have ready a roasting pan or other not-too-deep pan thats large enough Pinch of salt
to hold the springform pan. Put a kettle of water on to boil. Preheat the oven
to 350F (180C). FILLING

3 Combine the sugar and mint in a food processor. Pulse the machine 1 cups sugar
repeatedly until the mint is finely ground into the sugar, which will turn quite 1 cup coarsely chopped and loosely
green in the process. Transfer to a bowl. packed fresh mint leaves
2 pounds (four 8-ounce packages)
4 Using an electric mixer preferably a stand mixer fitted with a flat
cream cheese, at room temperature
beater beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes,
until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides several times. Gradually 4 large eggs, at room temperature
add the minty sugar and beat for another minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, cup sour cream, at room temperature
beating until smooth after each addition. Beat in the sour cream on medium
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
speed. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour a tablespoon at a time.
Beat in the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. The cheesecake will be mint 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
green, but if you want it greener, blend in a couple of drops of the dye. 2 teaspoons lemon juice
5 Tear o two sheets of aluminum foil (see the box on the next page) 16to 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
17inches long. Put one on top of the other to make a cross, and place the
Drops of green food dye (optional)
springform pan right in the center. Bunch the foil up around the sides of the
pan, sealing o the bottom of the pan from the water thats about to go in Chocolate Glaze (page 288)
the roasting pan. Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan, then 812 Oreo cookies, for topping
place it inside the larger pan. Carefully, so you dont spill or splash it onto the
cheesecake, add enough hot water to come no more than about inch up
the sides of the cheesecake pan.

RECIPE CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Cakes: Pound, Coffee, Upside Down, and More 257