November Baker's Notes
Plus a recipe for spiced pear almond croissants.
Hi Bakers!
I know the holidays are coming when The Nutcracker score gets shuffled into my playlist, soup making becomes my whole personality, and I panic buy a few too many cartons of molasses because I never know how many are left in the pantry. These things are just destined to happen - you can’t argue with tradition!
I have a taste for nostalgia, but staying in Canada for the holiday season in its entirety this year gives us an opportunity to start some new annual activities.
I’m not sure what they all entail yet, but there will be tons of cookies, Christmas Eve lasagna, these spiced pear almond croissants that my family has already requested to re-make, and hopefully loads of snow. My eldest just taught his middle sister how to crochet, so hopefully we can get the whole crew involved in that too.Â
But before I get carried away, here’s what I’ve been eating, reading, and listening to this month:
What I’m Eating:
Soup Formula - Soup is such a staple this time of year. It’s cozy for rainy days, packed full of cold-fighting vitamins, and is often made when it feels like there isn’t much other food in the house. Sure I use recipes sometimes, but often soup is made from vibes. Here’s my soup formula:Â
Start with a finely diced mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery or red bell pepper) for mega flavor.
Brown some protein (usually sausage or chicken), or not (see beans for alternative).
Add broth, usually from bouillon paste that I always have on hand (sometimes with some crushed tomatoes or tomato paste). Don’t forget to scrape any caramelized bits from the pan!
Soften root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes).
Add some beans from the pantry (chickpeas, navy beans, white beans).
Boil pasta in the soup the last 5 to 10 minutes.
Wilt any greens from the fridge or garden (typically kale or baby spinach)
Often but not always serve with grated parmesan and/or lemon juice.
Bolognese - Rainy weekends are perfect for my favorite 4-hour bolognese. I typically riff off this recipe from Bon Appetite circa 2019 and haven’t really changed it up since then. Our winter mornings are dedicated to soccer games and ballet rehearsals, but evenings are all about comfort foods.
Yogurt Breakfast Bowls - I’m not a big breakfast eater, but I try to find something quick, easy, and repetitive. If not, I’ll inevitably eat whatever snack cake I'm testing at around 11am then feel sluggish through the afternoon. My go-to is Greek yogurt with a spoon of nut butter and jam or glug of maple syrup. I really like Fatso crunchy salted caramel peanut butter with its added flax and chia seed. Even better when I have some chia jam on hand.Â
Skillet Sloppy Joes - I made this super cozy, filling dish with half beef and half green lentils. I riffed off this recipe, but skipped the ketchup and increased the tomato sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Scoop and serve with crunchy bread or buns.
What I’m Reading:
Listen for the Lie - As I write this, I am about halfway through and to the point where it’s going to keep me up at night because it’s hard to find a stopping point. The story is about a 29 year old accused of murdering her best friend, except she has no memories of the incident. The case went cold 5 years ago. Enter the true crime podcaster looking for answers…Â
Have a Little Something - a new substack from author Yossy Arefi. I shared Yossy’s third book in our Cookbook Club last year. So happy she’s joining us here on Substack!
What I’m Planting:
There’s something poetic about clearing out months of hard work and wilted foliage in order to plant bulbs that won’t bloom for another 6 months. Like there are a hundred other urgent things to do right now than prep flowers, right? Surely there is a metaphor in there about patience or planning. And also, this is your reminder to plant your bulbs before the ground freezes.
What I’m keeping:
HerbsÂ
Kale
Cauliflower
This is still the end of my first year gardening, so I don’t really know what winter entails. I am keeping the herbs and kale, since they supposedly can grow back and/or are frost-resistant. I have a beautiful purple cauliflower that's not even the size of a baseball yet, that I hope finishes growing in time.Â
Spiced Pear Almond Croissants
Cinnamon Syrup
The Ingredients:
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ cup (120ml) water
1 cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
The Method:
Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the cinnamon steep as the syrup cools.
Spiced Pear Filling
The Ingredients:
2 ripe pears
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Big squeeze of fresh lemon
The Method:
Slice the pears into ¼-inch pieces. Toss with the lemon and cinnamon. Set aside.
Almond Frangipane Filling
The Ingredients:
½ cup (133g) unsalted butter, very soft
1 cup (100g) almond flour
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon almond extract
The Method:
In the bowl of a food processor, blend together the butter, almond flour, and sugar. Add the flour and blend to combine.
Add the eggs, almond extract, and salt and blend until smooth.
To Assemble:
6 day-old croissants
Sliced almonds, for topping
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Slice the croissants in half lengthwise. Brush the insides of each croissant with the cinnamon syrup.
Place the frangipane in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the filling on the bottom halves of each croissant. Reserve about ⅓ to ¼ of the total frangipane for piping on top.
Layer 3 to 4 pear slices on top of the frangipane. Add the tops back onto the croissants. Pipe the reserved frangipane on top of each croissant. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until the croissants are golden brown and the frangipane is set. It might spread down the sides of the croissant a bit, but don’t worry.
Remove from the oven. Cover in a shower of confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Tips and Tricks:
If you don’t have a pipping bag, you can just spread the frangipane onto the croissants with an offset spatula.Â
I left the baked croissants on a clean baking sheet at room temperature for the remainder of the day. You can refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days.Â
Reheat in the oven at 300°F until warm, if desired.
