It’s good to have rituals in lockdown, or just if you’re laying low, to structure your day or week. Maybe you have pizza night or taco night, or take-out night. My friend Debbie and her husband cook a very fancy dinner every Wednesday night. She slips on a dress and heels, he puts on a jacket, and they dine by candlelight. We’re not that ambitious, but we do have our Sunday brunch.
Sunday brunch, newly trendy here in France, for us usually starts with my bartender putting a Mimosa in the hands of the cook. I typically cook baked eggs or an omelette, and make a fruit cup. But the star of the show is some kind of fancy homemade quick bread.
I meant to get this post out for Valentine’s Day, but the time got away from me. Anyway, I was in a mood for cinnamon rolls (but too lazy to break out the yeast). So I decided to make a rich biscuit, layered with cinnamon sugar and pecans and raisins, and nappped with an orange glaze. In the shape of hearts, of course.
How do you make a richer biscuit than the everyday ones? There are several ways, and you can adapt your favorite biscuit recipe (mine is here).
One way is to substitute half of the butter with cream cheese. Another way is to use creme fraiche or sour cream or cream instead of milk or buttermilk. If you use sour cream, thin it with a little milk or cream. Or do what I did here, for richness: substitute an egg for part of your liquid.
I served these biscuits with baked eggs, my quick and easy recipe is here.
These biscuits took a bit of time, but they were so worth it, to perk up a wintry day. Now please share some of your stuck-at-home rituals. And have a happy and romantic post-Valentine's Day!
RECIPE: Cinnamon Sugar Hearts
For the biscuits:
- 2 cups of flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 stick of butter (113 grams), cold
- 1 egg, plus cold milk to make 3/4 cup
For the filling/topping:
- 1/3 sugar (or raw sugar)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 1/4 finely chopped pecans
- a handful of raisins (optional)
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200C).
Add the dry ingredients to a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Cut butter into several small pieces, add to flour mix and pulse for a second or two, about eight times, until there is a coarse crumb but it’s not too fine. (do this with your fingertips if you prefer).
Put the mixture in a large bowl. Put the egg in a measuring cup and beat it with a fork or small whisk. Add milk to make 3/4 cup and mix well.
Make a well and pour in the liquid. Quickly stir it with a fork just until it forms a dough. Turn it out onto a floured surface. With floured hands knead it lightly, turning it just a couple of times just to smooth it out. Pat it out thin, about 1/2”, because the biscuits will have two layers.
If your cutter is 2.5 to 3”, it will make about 16 rounds (or hearts), for a total of 8 biscuits. Cut out 8 biscuits and place them on a baking sheet. Brush them with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar mixture, sprinkle with most of the pecans and with a few raisins if using. Top with 8 more biscuits. Brush tops with butter, sprinkle again with sugar mixture, and sprinkle with remaining pecans. Bake for about 15 minutes, then cool.
Make a glaze by mixing a little liquid at a time with the confectioner’s sugar. Mix with orange juice, lemon juice, milk or water. Drizzle glaze over the top
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In the COMMENTS: Christine, I think you absolutely could lose each other in Carrefour forever! Paula, I confess I did not know what Za'tar is, but I thank you and Karen thanks you. I am behind the power curve as you all seem to be using it, I must try it! Sarah, the French make légumes rôtis au four, though they are not as popular as in the States, but I don't know if they have a term for sheet pan dinners. Bonnie, yes, you bag your own and weigh your own, and put your own cart away too. Bonnie has another good sheet pan recipe. And don't miss Natalia's au pif soufflé which she kindly shares this week. Connie, thanks for the Netflix tip, I did not know that!
RE the previous post on letter boxes, of 1/21: Forgot to post this photo, sent in by our loyal reader Nancy, which she took on a trip to the south of France. A lovely addition to the collection, thanks for sending!
Favorite READS: Speaking of rituals, Karen McCann (of the Enjoy Living Abroad blog), who I think maybe has too much time on her hands, goes all out on Date Night with her husband. Read her hilarious date night adventures here. I'm also reading a book a friend gave me, A Bite-Sized History of France, which neatly ties French history into food and drink.
