BETTER BAKING

Wholesome Ingredients, Delicious Desserts

GENEVIEVE KO
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROMULO YANES

CONTENTS
Introduction
Ingredients
Basic Techniques
Tools
Muffins, Scones, &
Morning Pastries
Crisps
Cookies
Bars
Cakes
Tarts
Pies
Puddings & Custards
Index

BETTER BAKING

CHAPTER TITLE

GLAZED BAKED APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS

Dairy-free, no nuts

One of my favorite apple-picking traditions is buying and eating the or-

Makes about dozen

chards cider doughnuts hot out of the fryer. But Ive always wondered
why they dont taste much like apples or cider. Without the burden of
hewing to an old family recipe or autumnal traditions, I felt free to cap-

Nonstick cooking spray

cup (107 grams) unbleached
all-purpose flour
cup (73 grams) barley flour
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
teaspoon baking powder

ture my apple picking experience in these baked apple doughnuts.

TOOL TIP: If you dont have a doughnut pan, you can use a mini

bundt pan instead, dividing the batter evenly. If you dont have either,
the doughnut holes are a nice variation. For perfect holes, you can use
a cake pop pan if you have one.

teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons grapeseed or
other neutral oil

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375F. Coat

1 large egg, room temperature

a 6-cavity doughnut pan with cooking spray.

cup (52 grams) granulated

sugar

2. Whisk the flours, apple pie spice, baking powder, and salt in a

cup (67 grams) fresh apple

cider, plus more for the glaze

medium bowl. Whisk the oil, egg, granulated sugar, apple cider,

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

distributed, then add the flour mixture. Stir just until all traces of flour

6 ounces (170 grams) Gala

apple (about 1 medium),
coarsely grated ( cup)

disappear; dont beat. Divide the batter among the pan cavities,

cup (68 grams)

confectioners sugar

3. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in one of the

and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the apple until evenly

smoothing the tops with a small offset spatula or butter knife.

center ones comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool in the pan on a

wire rack for 5 minutes, then unmold onto the rack. You should be able

MAKE AHEAD
The doughnuts are best
the day theyre made, but
unglazed ones will keep
in an airtight container at
room temperature for up
to 2 days or in the freezer
for up to 2 weeks. Thaw
before serving. Reheat in
the oven or toaster oven.

to just flip the doughnuts out if your pan has a nonstick coating and
youve greased it well. If any stick, gently pry them out with a small
offset spatula. Cool on the rack until warm or room temperature.

4. While the doughnuts cool, put the confectioners sugar in a small

bowl. Stir in enough apple cider to create a runny glaze. Dip the top
half of each warm or room temperature doughnut in the glaze and let
the excess drip off. You can serve them warm and sticky or let them
stand on the wire rack for the glaze to set and the doughnuts to cool
completely.

BETTER BAKING

CHAPTER TITLE

MELTING WALNUT SNOWBALLS

No eggs
Makes about a dozen

Every holiday, Ive baked and given variations on butter-nut balls, from
the Mexican wedding version with pecans to Russian tea cakes with
almonds. These are, hands down, the absolute best. It may seem counterintuitive, but I cut down on the butter, and the olive oil that

2 cups (234 grams) walnuts

replaces it brings a complex richness. (I use Spanish Arbequina for its

1 cup (134 grams) whole wheat

pastry flour

fruity notes.) I reduced the sugar too, which actually lets the natural

1 cup (148 grams) rye flour

teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick;
114 grams) unsalted butter,
room temperature
cup (110 grams) extra-virgin
olive oil
cup (104 grams) granulated
sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean
paste or extract
1 cup (135 grams) confectioners sugar, for dusting, plus
more for serving

sweetness of walnuts shine through. But the real clincher is what I

added: Rye flour blended with whole wheat pastry flour gives these
cookies a toasty depth and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325F.

Spread the walnuts on a half-sheet pan and place in the heating oven.
Toast until fragrant and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting
board to quickly cool. Line the pan, as well as a second half-sheet pan,
with parchment paper. Finely chop the walnuts.

2. Whisk the whole wheat pastry flour, rye flour, and salt in a medium
bowl. Beat the butter, oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl
with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Scrape the bowl,
turn the mixer speed to low, and gradually add the dry ingredients.

MAKE AHEAD

Beat until the streaks of flour disappear, then beat in the walnuts until

The cookies will keep in

an airtight container at
room temperature for up
to 1 week or in the freezer
for up to 2 months. Thaw
before serving. Dust again
with confectioners sugar
before serving.

evenly dispersed.

3. Drop half of the dough by rounded teaspoons, using a 1-inch

(1-teaspoon) cookie scoop if you have one, onto a prepared pan,
spacing the rounds 1 inch apart. If you dont have a cookie scoop, roll
the drops into perfect spheres with your hands. If the dough seems
soft, refrigerate the rounds until firm.

4. Bake until the bottoms are browned, about 15 minutes. While the
first batch bakes, drop the remaining dough onto the second pan.
Bake after the first pan comes out, chilling first if the balls are too soft.

BETTER BAKING

5. While the cookies bake, put the confectioners sugar in a shallow

bowl. Let the cookies cool on the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes.
With a spatula, transfer 5 cookies at a time to the confectioners sugar
and gently turn to coat. Transfer to the wire racks and cool completely.
Dust again with confectioners sugar before serving.

CHAPTER TITLE

SCHOOL PARTY SHEET CAKE

Makes a 13-by-9 cake

Zucchini keeps the cocoa-chocolate chip cake extra moist, and sweet
potato is swirled into a creamy frostingwith no added sugar! Dark
chocolatesemisweet or a lower-percentage bittersweetmakes this

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

Nonstick cooking spray

1 pound (453 grams) zucchini
(about 4 small), trimmed
2 cups (360 grams) white
whole wheat flour
cup (48 grams) unsweetened
cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

cake more luxurious than any processed dessert and is plenty sweet.

1. To make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and
preheat to 325F. Coat a 13-by 9-by 2-inch cake pan or dish with
cooking spray. If youre using a metal pan, line with foil or parchment
paper with overhang on all sides and spray again.

1 teaspoon baking soda

2. Set a box grater over paper towels and grate the zucchini on the

teaspoon baking powder

large holes. Spread out on the paper towels and top with more paper

teaspoon salt

towels. Press gently to remove excess moisture.

1 cups (312 grams) sugar

1 cup (245 grams) buttermilk,
room temperature

3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking

powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk the sugar, buttermilk, oil,

cup (112 grams) grapeseed

or other neutral oil

eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl until very smooth. Make a well

3 large eggs, room

temperature

whisk, gradually drawing in the dry ingredients, just until smooth. Fold

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (180 grams) semisweet
chocolate chips
SWEET POTATO FROSTING

1 (15-ounce; 425-gram) can

pure sweet potato puree
10 ounces (283 grams)
semisweet or bittersweet
chocolate, finely chopped
(1 cups)

in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir with the
in the zucchini and chocolate chips with a silicone spatula until evenly
incorporated. Spread in an even layer in the prepared pan.

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and
the top springs back a little when lightly pressed with a fingertip, 45 to
50 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a rack.

5. Meanwhile, make the frosting: Bring the sweet potato puree to

a simmer over medium heat in a large saucepan, stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Cool,
stirring occasionally, until the mixture is at least room temperature and
the consistency of canned frosting. Itll should hold soft peaks when you
lift the spatula from the pan, but not be stiff. Spread the frosting all over
the top of the cake, creating swoops and swirls.

BETTER BAKING

CHAPTER TITLE

SESAME ANISE OLIVE OIL CRISPS

Vegan, dairy-free,
no eggs, no nuts
Makes about 3 dozen

These crackers have a generous dose of anise and sesame and a hint of
orange. The olive oil infuses them with its savory richness and makes
them especially snappy.
SHOPPING TIP: A
 fruity Spanish olive oil, such as Arbequina,

4 tablespoons sugar

tastes best here.

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

cup (110 grams) extra-virgin
olive oil

1. Stir cup warm water and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a small

1 clementine

bowl until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy,

1 cup (134 grams) whole wheat

pastry flour

about 5 minutes. Stir in the olive oil. Zest the clementine directly into

1 cup (142 grams) unbleached

all-purpose flour, plus more
for rolling
teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons roasted sesame
seeds
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon
aniseeds
Raw sugar, for sprinkling
(optional)

the mixture, then squeeze 2 tablespoons juice and stir in.

2. Whisk the flours, salt, sesame seeds, aniseeds, and the remaining 3
tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and stir until
a smooth, sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let
stand for 30 minutes. The dough should puff a bit.

3. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to

425F. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.

4. Pinch off a 1-inch (15-gram) ball of dough. Roll on a lightly floured

surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 116-inch-thick round,

MAKE AHEAD
The crisps will keep in an
airtight container at room
temperature for up to
2 weeks.

4 to 5 inches in diameter. Transfer the round to the prepared pan.

Repeat, spacing the rounds 1 inch apart, until the pan is filled. If youd
like sweet crisps, brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with raw sugar.

5. Bake until light golden brown with darker golden brown spots,
5 to 6 minutes. While the first pan bakes, prepare a second pan.
Slide the parchment with the baked crisps onto a wire rack to cool
completely and slide the second pan into the oven. Rinse the first pan
under cold water until room temperature. Repeat until all of the dough
is rolled and baked. Cool completely on the wire racks.

10

BETTER BAKING

CHAPTER TITLE

11
11

My desserts arent about stripping away the good

stuff, but about adding even better ingredients. I
always put flavor first and work to actually improve the tastes of traditional combinations.

FROM THE INTRODUCTION

L E M O N L AY E R C A K E

PB & J SANDWICH COOKIES

GENEVIEVE KO

b
 roke into the food business

by working for Mark Bittman on various cookbook and

multimedia projects. Since then, she has collaborated with
leading chefs on their books, including Jean-Georges
Vongerichten, Pichet Ong, Georges Mendez, and
Sarabeth Levine. She has been an editor at Good Housekeeping, Martha Stewart Living, and Gourmet. She has
written for all those publications, as well as Lucky Peach,
Food & Wine, Saveur, Food Network Magazine, Every Day
with Rachael Ray, Fine Cooking, Self, and more. In addition, she consults for critically-acclaimed restaurants from
coast to coast and has created recipes for such companies
BL ACK RA SPBERRY PIE

PUBLICATION DATE: SEPTEMBER 27, 2016

ISBN 9780544557260
Paper over board 7 1516 x 10 $30.00
288 pages
Full color throughout
hmhco.com/cooking

as Target, Quaker Oats, Kikkoman, and Welchs.

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