Category Archives: Sweet

Week Forty-One: German Breads Hailing from Hamburg, these spiralled breads are the German cousins of the French croissant — literally.  The name “franzbrötchen” translates to “little French breads”, and the parallels are obvious.  Both are flaky Viennoiserie, made as they … Continue reading →

Week Forty: One More Time Generally speaking, I fall into the “Cook’s Illustrated” school of thought, which is to say that I prefer to produce the ideal example of whatever item I happen to be cooking.  (Though who wouldn’t?)  But … Continue reading →

Week Thirty-Eight: Spanish Breads The sun is just up, beginning to turn the dusty light a flattering shade of terra cotta.  The patisseria offers, among many other things, an ensaïmada; but the small, sweet spiral is all you care to breakfast … Continue reading →

Week Thirty-Seven: Viennoiserie In the morning, before the thundering traffic tide rolls in, a million underpaid hotel workers set up the Continental breakfast buffet.  Complimentary, of course.  All the regulars are there: purple-hued blueberry muffins, tops slicked over like some 50’s greaser … Continue reading →

Week Thirty-Seven: Viennoiserie No, I didn’t just make babka.  That was baba.  Totally different. Well, except for the name: “baba” is Slavic for “grandmother”, and “babka” is the diminutive form, “little grandmother”.  That bit is similar. Oh, and there’s the … Continue reading →