Basic Love

Puff Pastry

Puff pastry is the artist's dough. A little bit of creativity goes far in creating a beautiful and unique puff pastry treat. I like to sketch my ideas out before hand because the possibilities can be overwhelming. Whether it's a bear claw or a croissant, there's something magical about watching...

Serving: 6-8 small pastries or 1 nine inch covered pie Prep Time...
Ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 1 stick of butter sliced into thin pieces 5-10 tbsp ice water 1 tsp salt 1 egg for egg wash (optional)
Pizza Crust

Pizza crust is quite simple to make. It just takes a little patience and a warm house. The first time I attempted to make pizza crust it was the dead of winter and my little Kips Bay apartment had terrible heat. Needless to say, my dough was not very successful. Here are a few pointers for a...

Serving: 1 thirteen inch pie (feeds 2-3) Prep Time: 1 hr 30 min...
Ingredients 1 package dry active yeast (7 grams) 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1 cup hot water 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp olive oil
Pie Crust (Sweet Basic)

I feel pie crust is often the subject of much debate and speculation, but to clarify, pie crust is not difficult to make. It just takes practice. The big problem remains that pie (for most us, unfortunately) is an occasional treat, something for a special occasion we don't want to ruin. Don't...

Serving: 2 crusts (approx 9" each) Prep Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1...
Ingredients 2 cups flour, cold 1 1/3 cups butter, cold and chopped into 1/4" squares 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp salt 3-6 tbsp ice water 1 egg (for egg wash)
Basic Biscuits

When I first moved to Manhattan, I was thrilled by all the wonderful brunch opportunities city dining had to offer. However, even 'Southern Style' restaurants could never properly produce the monumental staple of the southern breakfast: the biscuit. So I began preparing biscuits at home until...

Serving: 4 pretty biscuits & 2 ugly ones Prep Time: 10-15...
Ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp baking soda 7 tbsp butter (cold) dash of salt 1 tsp cider or white vinegar 1/2 cup of milk (2% or whole)