The Pastry Project
A COMMU NIT Y BU ILDING TOOL Paige Rittersbacher
The Pastry Project A COMMU N IT Y B U IL D IN G TO O L .
The Pastry Project All Rights Reserved Š 2015 By Paige Rittersbacher Photos by Noah Bostrom
DEDI CATIO N
To all who have encouraged my insane creative endeavours and loved me on days both good and bad.
“
I know what I have given you... I do not know what you have received.” ANTONIO PORCHIA
In the early spring of 2015, I had been hit hard with a lot of big changes. I was mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted–it was clear that I needed to do something differently. After some time of introspection, I was finally able to see what I was missing from my life: community. But how do I generate this? How do I become someone worthy of genuine love? It felt like I had forgotten what it took to be surrounded with loving people. Combining a need for meaningful interaction and a love for baking, my pastries quickly became a vehicle to reach those I otherwise felt I had no other reason to connect with. It didn’t take long until I realized that I, despite all my mistakes, was someone worthy of love. My goal is for those who pick up this book is to find what I did: genuine connection and self worth. So I encourage you to pre-heat your oven and conjure a list of those who you want to connect.
This is not just another recipe book.
It’s also a tool for community connection. Here is where you generate your list of those you want to reach. In addition to these prompts, also read through the recipes while brainstorming your list.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
F OR :
Cherry Pecan Bran Muffins
F OR :
Mocha Truffles
F OR :
Raspberry Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
F OR :
page 4
page 8
(a health nut)
(a coworker or peer)
page 12
(a fellow baker)
page 16
Turtle Thumbprints
F OR :
Black & Blue Scones
F OR :
page 20
page 24
(someone you’ve just met)
(someone going through a hard time)
(someone you love)
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies YIE L DS 1 2 M EDI UM -S I ZE CO O K IES
1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup unsalted butter, solftened 1 cup packed brown sugar ½ cup white sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk ½ cup steel cut oats 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips utsing a wooden spoon. Let it rest at room temperature for a couple of minutes if this is the case and then it will be cool enough to scoop into cookies. Roll a scant half-cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull apart into two equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, making sure to reverse position of cookie sheets halfway through baking. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies F O R S OM E YO U ’ V E J U ST M E T
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’ ” C . S . L EW IS
Recipe Notes
Chocolate chip cookies are a universal treat that are easy to modify to suit any allergy or preference.
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Cherry Pecan Bran Muffins Y I EL DS 1 2 MUFFINS
1½ cups wheat bran ½ cup whole wheat flour ½ cup flax meal 1⁄4 cup steel-cut oats ½ cup brown sugar 1 mashed banana 1 egg 1 cup skim milk ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners & set aside. Stir together milk and bran. After letting sit for a few minutes, mix in the banana, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix whole wheat four, flax meal, oats, baking soda and baking powder. Combine with the bran mixture. Lastly, combine pecans and cherries. Combine the two mixtures with out over mixing. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and cook for 15 - 20 minutes.
1 tablespoon baking soda 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup chopped pecans 1 cup dried cherries
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Cherry Pecan Bran Muffins FOR THE HEALTH NU T
“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction turns into the biggest step of your life.� U N KN OWN
Recipe Notes
Next time try swaping cherries and pecans for other ingredients depending on the season and/or preferences.
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Mocha Truffles Y I EL DS 12
20 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped 2 cups heavy cream 3 tablespoons finely ground coffee ½ cup butter, softened 1 cup cocoa powder Handfull of roasted coffee beans
Heat cream in microwave for 4 minutes. Put coffee grounds in an empty tea bag. Soak for 5 minutes. Add chocolate, heat in microwave for 2 minutes. Whisk. Microwave in 1 minute increments if needed to fully melt chocolate. Do not overcook chocolate–it will become grainy. Add softened butter, one chuck at a time, whisk until melted. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for two hours. Scoop balls of chilled dough, about 1/8 a cup per scoop. Roll in a ball and cover in cocoa powder, being sure to shake off excess powder. Place a single coffee bean on top for aesthetics. Chill for another 2 hours before serving. Store in airtight container.
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Mocha Truffles
F O R A COWO R K E R O R PE E R
“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” J O H N WO O D EN
Recipe Notes
These have always been a popular recipe of mine, perhaps try giving them to your whole office or a class!
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Raspberry Dark Chocolate Banana Bread Y I ELDS TWO LOAVES
4 cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups white sugar 1 stick (1 cup) unsalted butter 4 eggs
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan, making sure to coat all sides of the pan. Then dust sides with white sugar. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended.
5 large, mashed ripe bananas (about 3 cups) ⅔ cup plain low fat yogurt 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Stir in the flour mixture; just until moist. Don’t over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chunks and then gently add the raspberries. Sprinkle a few additional chocolate chunks and raspberries on the top.
2 cups dark chocolate chunks or chips 2 cups dried & halved raspberries, dusted in 1 tablespoon of flour
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack.
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Raspberry Dark Chocolate Banana Bread FOR A FELLOW BAKER
“None of us is as smart as all of us.” K E N B L AN C H ARD
Recipe Notes
This bread can be challenging to cook thoroughly, so try making it with someone else who bakes. They could provide helpful tips!
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Turtle Thumbprints YIELDS 12 COOKIES
1½ cups wheat bran 1 cup all-purpose flour ⅓ cup cocoa powder 1⁄4 tablespoon salt ½ cup unsalted butter, softened ⅓ cup white sugar ⅓ cup packed brown sugar 1 large egg, yolk and white separated 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoon buttermilk 11⁄4 cups finely chopped pecans 15 solft caramels, melted 1 ½ tablespoon heavy cream Flaky or coarse sea salt
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt, set aside. Whip butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix in egg yolk (set egg white aside in a bowl in refrigerator), vanilla extract, and then buttermilk. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Shape dough into a ball then wrap with plastic wrap and chill 45 minutes, until slightly firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk egg white until frothy. Place pecans in a bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls then working with one at a time, drop into egg white and roll to evenly coat the lift and allow excess egg white to run off and immediately place in bowl with chopped pecans and roll to evenly coat, gently pressing in nuts, if necessary. Using the bottom of a rounded teaspoon, gently press down on existing indentation (to create more space for caramel). Transfer to parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven until set, about 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven then cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Melt caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in cream. Spoon into the cooled cookie indents. Sprinkle sea salt on top once caramel has cooled.
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Turtle Thumbprints FO R SOM E O N E G O I N G T H RO U G H A BA D T I M E
“We rise by lifting others.” RO BERT IN G ER S O L L
Recipe Notes
While you individually roll each cookie, think of ways you can love this individual in a specific way.
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Cherry Pecan Bran Muffins FOR THE HE ALTH NU T
Black & Blue Scones Y I ELDS 8 L ARGE SCONES
1 cup all-purpose flour 3⁄4 cup white sugar 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 ½ cups buttter, cold & cubed 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs 1 egg yoke 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup frozen blueberries ½ cup frozen blackberries
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a large cooking sheet with a layer of parchment paper. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a food processor, combine butter & half of the flour mixture. Process until it resembles course meal. Pour into bowl with remaining flour. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, butterwilk, and vanilla. Reserve an egg white for later use. Whisk together, being sure to not overmix. There should be some flour still unmixed. Fold in frozen fruit until distributed evenly. Mold into a wheeled shape, about 2 inches thick to prevent burning. Place the wheel of dough on floured surface. Brush saved egg white and coat in a generous layer of sugar. Cut into 8 wedges and place onto perpared sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until a slight crust has formed.
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Black & Blue Scones FOR SOMEO NE W HO LOV ES YO U
“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” ALBERT SCHWEITZER
Recipe Notes
This is the most challenging recipe, so make sure this recipiant will love you regardless of how it turns out!
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“It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.� DOE ZANTAMATA
I sincerely hope that you found this book helpful. There are few things I get more joy from than sharing treats with others, and it is my dream that you experience that joy, too.
All the best,
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“I learned a lot about being a friend when I was alone.�