Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook

I recently had the chance to get a copy of thanks to thanks to the Hachette Book Group and The Product Review Place.

Details …

The Clinton St. Baking Company is one of the hottest brunch spots in a city obsessed with brunch. A tiny thirty-two-seat eatery on Manhattan’s trendy Lower East Side, the restaurant draws long lines of customers who come from far and wide to sample fresh-baked goods, hearty omelets, sugar-cured bacon, and light-as-air pancakes with maple butter.

In the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook, owners DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg share more than 100 treasured recipes that have made their restaurant a sensation. Learn the secret to their house-made buttermilk biscuits and tomato jam, irresistible muffins and scones, delicious soups and sandwiches, and their decadent, eye-catching desserts. Helpful techniques, like Neil’s patented omelet “flip and tuck,” and gorgeous color photographs throughout will have readers cooking like pros in no time, and sharing the delicious results.

“This book has the kind of recipes generations of food obsessed families pass down to each other and guard like family secrets.” –Wylie Dufresne, chef/owner, wd~50

My Thoughts …
This cookbook has me drooling. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to try out the recipe I am dying to try … the pancake recipe. Here it is if you have more time than I do …

4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder, plus 1 teaspoon
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs, separated
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted plus 2 tablespoons unmelted for the griddle
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups blueberries or sliced bananas and 1 cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar or cinnamon sugar for dusting

1. Measure and sift all of the dry ingredients into a large (preferably stainless steel) mixing bowl; flour, baking powder, sugar, salt.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the yolks, milk, melted butte, and vanilla until combined. Whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture. The result should be slightly lumpy, yet combined to form a batter.
3. Whip the egg whites in a medium mixing bowl until they reach medium peaks (sof in the middle(. You can either whip the by hand with a whisk, or put them in the bowel of an electric mixer to whip. Be careful, you don’t want to overwhip the egg whites.
4. Gently mix half of the whipped whites into the batter with a large rubber spatula. Then gently fold the remaining half into the batter. Remember: this batter should be slightly lumpy and have large parts of egg whites not fully incorporated; it should look like white caps in the ocean with foam on the top. (the batter will last a few hours in the fridge without deflating too much.)
5. Heat a griddle – either an electric griddle, a stovetop griddle, or a big flat pan – to 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the hot driddle with the remaining butter. Drop 1/4 cup (approximately 4 tablespoons) of pancake batter on the griddle and cook to set. Add 1 tablespoon of blueberries or sliced bananas and 1 teaspoon of walnuts before turning the pancakes. Never add the fruit to the mix; always add the fruit to the pancakes one they’re on the griddle. When you see bubbles start to form on top, lift the pancake halfway up to see if it’s golden brown and crispy on the edges. If ready, flip the pancake.
6. When the pancake is golden brown on both sides, remove with spatula. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling, cooking several pancakes at a time. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar for the blueberry pancakes, cinnamon sugar for the banana-walnut. Serve warm with Maple Butter.

The recipe I am going to try later this week is the icing recipe that goes with the Classic White Birthday Cake recipe. I am in need of the perfect butter cream icing recipe and I just haven’t found it yet. I am hoping that this recipe is the one … watch my DIY Wedding Cake posts to see how the Clinton St. Baking Company icing recipe holds up! But in the mean time, here is that recipe for your reference …

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream the butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt and mix until smooth and creamy.