basically baking

The secret to the fudgiest, most chocolaty brownies is cocoa powder—not melted chocolate. We borrowed chocolate expert Alice Medrich’s technique, then added a cream cheese topping for tangy balance. Don’t overthink your camo design; the brownies will look even better when sliced.

Camouflage Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Nonstick cooking oil spray

cream cheese (not low-fat)

eggs,

¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided

unsalted butter (142 grams)

instant espresso powder (optional)

½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour

To develop the fifth recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking, we went back and forth for weeks debating the merits of a chewy brownie versus a fudgy one (no, we did not entertain "cakey" as an option). This is where we landed. It's pretty dang fudgy, thanks to cocoa powder (we worked off Alice Medrich's famous recipe), but a tangy layer of cream cheese offers sweet relief from the richness—and produces a very ‘70s-chic pattern. Make sure you're using large (not extra-large or jumbo eggs) so that the cream cheese batters don't turn out too thin. And don’t stress about your camo design: It’s meant to be random and the brownies will look even better after you slice them. Questions as you bake? Head to our forum for answers!

Bon Appétit

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°. Lightly coat a 9x9" baking pan, preferably metal, with nonstick cooking oil spray or room-temperature unsalted butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a handle on all sides. (If you have a precut sheet of parchment, simply slice it in half crosswise, then overlap the halves to line the pan.) Lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.

Assemble your makeshift double boiler (this is a method for gently cooking sensitive ingredients). Gather a medium saucepan and 2 medium heatproof bowls that can sit over the saucepan without dipping too far into it. Pour water into saucepan to come 1" up the sides (there should be a gap between the water and bowl so check it before the water gets hot!) and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cut 8 oz. cream cheese (not low-fat) into 1" pieces and place in one of the medium bowls; set over saucepan. Heat cream cheese, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 5 minutes. You want it to be soft enough that you can easily mix it with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

Remove bowl from heat (leave water simmering). Mix cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 chilled large egg, ⅓ cup (66 g) sugar, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and whisk until very smooth. Transfer about half of cream cheese mixture to a small bowl (it’s fine to eyeball it) and whisk in 1½ tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder.  (Both Dutch-process and natural cocoa powder will work in this recipe, but the former will provide a deeper color and a smoother, richer flavor.) Set both bowls of cream cheese mixture aside.

Cut 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter (142 grams) into 1" pieces. Place in the remaining medium heatproof bowl. Add 1 tsp. instant espresso powder (if using) and remaining 1 cup (200 g) sugar, ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder (80 g—break up big lumps before measuring as they will throw off your weight and you want to be as precise as possible here), and ½ tsp. kosher salt.

Place bowl over saucepan of still simmering water and cook, stirring occasionally once the butter starts to melt, until mixture is homogeneous and too hot to leave your finger in it, 7–9 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Don't panic if your batter looks stiff or otherwise wrong at this point—once you do the next step, it'll return to a glossy, beautiful mixture.

Add remaining 2 chilled large eggs and remaining ½ tsp. vanilla extract to butter mixture one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition until smooth and glossy (the mixture will look curdled and broken until you add the second egg). Add ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour and mix with spatula or spoon until no longer visible, then vigorously mix another 30 strokes. Consider this recipe your arm workout! Why are the eggs chilled? Because it helps the batter to emulsify, ensuring the fat doesn't separate.

Scoop out ½ cup brownie batter and set aside (place near a warm spot, like the oven, to keep it loose). Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Working quickly, spoon alternating dollops of cocoa–cream cheese mixture and cream cheese mixture over batter. Dollop reserved brownie batter on top (it will be quite thick). Don’t worry if your design looks random and spotted.

Bake brownies until center is set and no longer looks wet (the chocolate blobs will change from glossy and shiny to matte), 22–25 minutes. (If you're using a glass pan, this might take significantly longer, so use a toothpick to check that only a few moist crumbs are pulled out.) Brownies may have puffed—they'll deflate as the cool. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Using parchment paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan and transfer to a cutting board. Remove parchment paper and cut brownies into sixteen 2¼" squares, wiping knife clean with a damp rag between slices. To easily cut even squares, cut the brownies into four quadrants, then slice each quadrant in four.

When’s the last time a chocolate chip cookie surprised you? This one, which gets its speckled look, earthy, nutty flavor, and chewy middle from buckwheat flour, might just become your new favorite.

Buckwheat Chocolate Cookies

unsalted

(125 g) all-purpose flour

(63 g) buckwheat flour

baking powder

baking soda

bittersweet chocolate (65–75% cacao) bars

(133 g; packed) light brown sugar

(100 g) granulated sugar

vanilla extract

Introducing the first recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking, our 10-week, 10-recipe series to help you become a better, cooler, more confident baker. First up, a chocolate chip cookie. But not just any chocolate chip cookie. This one, which gets its speckled look, earthy, nutty flavor, and chewy middle from buckwheat flour, might just become your new favorite. You can substitute whole-wheat flour for the buckwheat flour and still get a great cookie, though it will (obviously) be missing buckwheat's distinct and complex flavor. More questions about the recipe? You can ask them on our baking forum and receive a response from one of us or your fellow bakers.

Heat ½  cup (1 stick) butter in a small saucepan over the lowest heat possible until melted (you don’t want it to sputter or brown), about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (63 grams) buckwheat flour, ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, and 1¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl.

Coarsely chop 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate. Set aside a handful of chocolate in a small bowl.

Scrape butter into a large bowl and add ⅔ cup (133 grams) light brown sugar and ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously until butter has been absorbed into the sugar and no big lumps remain, about 30 seconds.

Add 1 large egg, then 2 large egg yolks, one at a time, whisking until fully combined after each addition. Whisk in 1 tsp. vanilla extract. At this point, your mixture should look much lighter in color and be smooth, almost creamy.

Add dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir until just incorporated and almost no dry streaks remain. Add chopped chocolate (but not the chocolate you reserved in the small bowl) to batter. Gently mix just to distribute. Cover bowl with an airtight bowl cover, a kitchen towel, or plastic wrap and chill 2 hours. (If you’re crunched for time, 1 hour will do, but cookies will be best after 2.)

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out scant 2-Tbsp. portions of dough (or, if you have a scoop, this is a leveled-off #30 or a heaping #40) until you have 10 portions divided between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets (you want five per sheet—these will spread a bit!). Roll portions into balls and gently press a piece or 2 of reserved chocolate into each one. It’s okay to cram the chocolate on there—some pieces can even be vertical. Cover and chill any remaining dough.

Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until edges are golden brown and centers are puffed, 8–10 minutes. (Pull at 8 if you like your cookies softer and want to guarantee they’re still soft the next day!)

Working one at a time, pull baking sheets out of the oven and tap lightly on the stove to deflate cookies. Sprinkle with Diamond Crystal kosher salt (if you’re using Morton, skip it: the crystals are too large). Let cookies cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Let baking sheets cool (to do this fast, run them under cold water), then turn parchment paper over. Repeat process with remaining dough, dividing evenly between baking sheets, to make 6–8 more cookies.

Do Ahead: Cookies can be baked 3 days ahead. Let cool; store airtight at room temperature.

If you want to fill your kitchen with the smell of fresh-baked bread but you're nervous about shaping a boule or working with a starter, focaccia is the best place to begin. We're not exaggerating when we say it requires zero skill and provides ample opportunity to be amazed by yourself and by the wonders of yeast. 

Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia

¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)

honey

(625 g) all-purpose flour

Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. Morton kosher salt

extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for hands

unsalted butter,

Flaky sea salt

2–4 garlic cloves

Now presenting the third recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking, our 10-week, 10-recipe series to help you become a better, cooler, more confident baker. If you want to fill your kitchen with the smell of fresh-baked bread but you're nervous about shaping a boule or working with a starter, focaccia is the best place to begin. We're not exaggerating when we say it requires zero skill and provides ample opportunity to be amazed by yourself and by the wonders of yeast. Letting the dough do its first rise in the fridge for 8–24 hours (like, while you're working or sleeping) means improved flavor and ease of handling. If you don’t feel like waiting that long (we get it), leave it covered at room temperature until doubled in size, 3–4 hours. And even if you skip the garlic butter, this will still make for spectacular sandwich bread. Have more questions? Ask them in our forum!

Whisk one ¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.), 2 tsp. honey, and 2½ cups lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit 5 minutes (it should foam or at least get creamy; if it doesn’t your yeast is dead and you should start again—check the expiration date!).

Add 5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour and 5 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. Morton kosher salt and mix with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms and no dry streaks remain.

Pour 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into a big bowl that will fit in your refrigerator. This puppy is going to rise! Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with a silicone lid or plastic wrap and chill until dough is doubled in size (it should look very bubbly and alive), at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. If you're in a rush, you can also let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 3–4 hours.

Generously butter a 13x9" baking pan, for thicker focaccia that’s perfect for sandwiches, or an 18x13" rimmed baking sheet, for focaccia that's thinner, crispier, and great for snacking. The butter may seem superfluous, but it’ll ensure that your focaccia doesn’t stick. Pour 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into center of pan. Keeping the dough in the bowl and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into center of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat process. Do this 2 more times; you want to deflate dough while you form it into a rough ball. (We learned this technique from Alexandra Stafford, who uses it to shape her no-knead bread.) Transfer dough to prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over and turn dough to coat it in oil. Let rise, uncovered, in a dry, warm spot (like near a radiator or on top of the fridge or a preheating oven) until doubled in size, at least 1½ hours and up to 4 hours.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. To see if the dough is ready, poke it with your finger. It should spring back slowly, leaving a small visible indentation. If it springs back quickly, the dough isn’t ready. (If at this point the dough is ready to bake but you aren’t, you can chill it up to 1 hour.) Lightly oil your hands. If using a rimmed baking sheet, gently stretch out dough to fill (you probably won't need to do this if using a baking pan). Dimple focaccia all over with your fingers, like you’re aggressively playing the piano, creating very deep depressions in the dough (reach your fingers all the way to the bottom of the pan). Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake focaccia until puffed and golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes.

Hold off on this last step until you're ready to serve the focaccia: Melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Peel and grate in 2–4 garlic cloves with a Microplane (use 2 cloves if you’re garlic-shy or up to 4 if you love it). Return to medium heat and cook, stirring often, until garlic is just lightly toasted, 30–45 seconds. (Or, if you prefer raw garlic to toasted garlic, you can grate the garlic into the hot butter, off heat, then brush right away.)

Brush garlic-butter all over focaccia and slice into squares or rectangles.

Do Ahead:  Focaccia is best eaten the day it's made, but keeps well in the freezer. Slice it into pieces, store it in a freezer-safe container, then reheat it on a baking sheet in a 300° F oven.

The secret behind many great breads is something called a preferment, a portion of the dough that ferments separately from (and for more time than) the rest of the ingredients. A preferment increases the strength of your dough (improving its final crumb structure) and contributes to aroma and flavor. In baker Bryan Ford’s cookbook New World Sourdough, the preferment is a sourdough starter; in this recipe, however, his preferment is the lower-maintenance poolish—a mixture of flour, water, and active dry yeast that grows overnight. Mix the poolish with more flour, water, and yeast as well as a touch of olive oil, sugar, and salt, and you get a resilient, flavorful dough that can be used in a nearly infinite number of ways. This is an instance when you really do need a kitchen scale—Ford encourages all bakers, especially beginners, to use one. The master dough can also be scaled up or down as desired.

Master Dough

600 g bread flour, divided

whole wheat flour

sugar

g kosher salt

extra-virgin olive oil,

The secret behind many great breads is something called a preferment, a portion of the dough that ferments separately from (and for more time than) the rest of the ingredients. A preferment increases the strength of your dough (improving its final crumb structure) and contributes to aroma and flavor. In baker Bryan Ford’s cookbook New World Sourdough, the preferment is a sourdough starter; in this recipe, however, his preferment is the lower-maintenance poolish—a mixture of flour, water, and active dry yeast that grows overnight. Mix the poolish with more flour, water, and yeast as well as a touch of olive oil, sugar, and salt, and you get a resilient, flavorful dough that can be used in a nearly infinite number of ways. Ford encourages all bakers, especially beginners, to use a scale, and this is an instance when you really do need one as the volume of 100 grams of poolish will vary based on how much it grows. The master dough can also be scaled up or down as desired. Use this dough to make Bryan's Simple Sandwich Loaf, Sesame Burger Buns, Pull-Apart Breadsticks, and Detroit-Style Pan Pizza.

To make the poolish, mix 100 g bread flour, 25 g whole wheat flour, ¼ tsp. active dry yeast, and 125 g warm water in a medium bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature 12 hours. (The poolish will double or triple in size, so make sure your bowl is large enough to handle the growth. The poolish should have large and small bubbles all across the surface when it is ready.)

To make the master dough, transfer 100 g poolish to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and add 300 g water. Mix on low speed to break up (it won’t be fully combined). Add 20 g sugar, 15 g kosher salt, 15 g extra-virgin olive oil, remaining 500 g bread flour, and remaining ¼ tsp. active dry yeast. Mix on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough comes together and is smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and mix until dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. (If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can still make this dough using a little elbow grease. Mix with a sturdy wooden spoon in a large bowl, then knead, starting in bowl and turning out onto a lightly floured surface once dough has come together, until smooth, 6–8 minutes.)

Coat a clean medium bowl with more extra-virgin olive oil, place dough in bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel and let sit at room temperature 1 hour (dough will be slightly puffy).

Cover with plastic wrap or a silicone lid and chill until dough doubles or triples in size (you should see a few wide bubbles on the surface), 8–10 hours.

Once your dough has fully risen, proceed with making Bryan's recipes, like his Simple Sandwich Loaf.

When a recipe calls for sopping up sauce, these breadsticks are your sopper-uppers of choice. Topped with Kalamata olives, garlic, red onion, and Calabrian chiles, they’re also just as good on their own.

Pull-Apart Breadsticks

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,

Bread flour (for surface)

Master Bread Dough

oil-packed Calabrian chiles

red onion

garlic

Kalamata olives

oregano (for serving)

When a recipe calls for sopping up sauce, these breadsticks are your sopper-uppers of choice. Topped with Kalamata olives, garlic, red onion, and Calabrian chiles, they’re also just as good on their own—serve them straight from the oven and let everyone rip them off with their hands. This recipe comes from Bryan Ford and is based on his Master Bread Dough. Feel free to customize them with whatever finely chopped toppings you desire; just be sure to press them into the dough so that they stick.

To make this recipe, start by preparing one batch of the Master Bread Dough.

Lightly coat an 18x13" rimmed baking sheet with extra-virgin olive oil. Lightly flour work surface with bread flour and turn Master Bread Dough out onto surface. Shape dough into a 1"-thick rectangle. Use a chef’s knife or bench scraper divide vertically into 6 pieces. Stretch each piece to 12". Arrange on baking sheet, allowing pieces to touch.

Brush tops of breadsticks liberally with oil and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rest in a warm, draft-free spot until soft to the touch, 1½–2 hours.

Meanwhile, finely chop 2 oil-packed Calabrian chiles or 2 strips roasted red peppers from a jar and measure out 2 Tbsp. Finely chop ¼ red onion and 3 garlic cloves. Coarsely chop ¾ cup pitted Kalamata olives.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. Top breadsticks with garlic, then olives, chiles, and onion, pressing gently into dough to adhere. Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with dried oregano and flaky sea salt. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Here’s what happened after carrot cake met carrot halwa, the milky, long-cooking, spoonably-soft confection common in South Asia. Raisins, cinnamon, and cream cheese frosting made way for brown-butter pistachios, cardamom, and sticky carrot glaze and the rest of their romance was history. Take your time when streaming the butter into the whipped egg and sugar mixture—you want to create a creamy emulsion, as when making a vinaigrette. If you go too quickly, you’ll end up with a greasy batter.

Cardamom-Pistachio Carrot Cake

Vegetable oil (for pan)

eggs, room temperature

carrots

(2 sticks)

pistachios

(packed; 200 g) dark brown sugar

(150 g) granulated sugar, divided

cardamom

cinnamon

(188 g) all-purpose flour

carrot juice

heavy cream

When carrot cake meets carrot halwa, the milky, long-cooking, spoonably-soft confection common in South Asia, you get the eighth recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking. Raisins, cinnamon, and cream cheese frosting get the boot and brown-butter pistachios, cardamom, and sticky carrot glaze take center stage. For the best possible cake, make sure that your eggs are at room temperature (cold eggs can't whip up to the same volume) and take your time when streaming the butter into the whipped egg and sugar mixture—you want to create a creamy emulsion, as when making a vinaigrette. If you go too quickly, you’ll end up with a greasy batter. More questions? Ask them in our forum!

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Lightly coat bottom and sides of a 9”-diameter cake pan with vegetable oil. Cut a parchment round: The easiest way to do this is to trace the bottom of the pan onto parchment, fold the paper in half until you have a slender arc, and then use a pair of scissors to cut the arc. Place pen side down in pan and smooth to eliminate any air bubbles. Lightly grease the parchment.

Your 3 large eggs need to be at room temperature for this recipe. If they aren’t, put them in a small bowl and cover them with warm tap water. Let them sit to take the chill off (room-temperature eggs gain more volume than cold eggs do when whipped; cold eggs could result in a tight or dense cake).

Peel 3 medium carrots and grate on the large holes of a box grater. Measure out 2½ cups (lightly packed; 250 g); reserve remaining carrots for another use (like raita!).

Set a fine-mesh sieve over a measuring glass and place next to stove. Cut 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter into pieces and heat in a medium saucepan over medium until foaming, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup (130 g) raw pistachios and cook, stirring often, until butter browns and nuts smell toasty, about 5 minutes. (Butter will get very foamy and it will be hard to see what’s going on, so once the foam is golden brown, remove pan from heat and lift out a few nuts with a spoon every 10 seconds to check how they are browning.) Pour mixture through prepared sieve, scraping in all of the browned bits; set nuts and butter aside separately.

Remove eggs from water and crack into a large bowl; add 1 cup (packed; 200 g) dark brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1¾ tsp. baking powder, ¼ tsp. baking soda, 1¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1½ tsp. ground cardamom, and ½ tsp. ground cinnamon. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat 3 minutes (mixture should be thick, pale, and slightly increased in volume). Decrease speed to medium-high and gradually stream in reserved brown butter (including browned bits); beat until combined. Go slow during this part—if you add the butter too quickly, it'll be hard to achieve the emulsion you're aiming for.

Coarsely chop reserved pistachios. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour until almost completely combined. (In this cake, as in most, be gentle with the flour: Use rubber spatula to make broad strokes down the middle of the bowl and up along the sides, and stop as soon as the dry bits disappear. Being too aggressive leads to excess gluten development and  tough cake.)

Add nuts and carrots and continue to fold until everything is incorporated. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth surface with a small offset spatula or a small spoon. Place pan on a clean smooth surface and give it a fast 360-degree spin (this pushes the batter up the sides of the pan and minimizes doming during baking).

Bake cake until deeply browned and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50–55 minutes. (When in doubt, it’s better to slightly overbake this cake than to take it out too early. If underbaked, it will sink in the center.) Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan.

Run a small offset spatula or butter knife around perimeter of cake to loosen. Place a large plate upside down over cake and invert cake onto plate (leave flat side up; this will give the top of your cake a smooth, even surface and create that dramatic drippage when you glaze it). Remove parchment paper; discard.

Place a small plate in the freezer. Cook ½ cup carrot juice, ½ cup heavy cream, remaining ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, and remaining ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt in a medium saucepan over high heat (don’t be tempted to stir; the layer of sugar at the bottom of the pan will insulate the cream from the heat) until a consistency similar to lava, 8–10 minutes. Mixture will initially bubble and foam vigorously and look like it’s going to boil over, but it won’t! Don’t be tempted to reduce the heat; the bubbling will subside and mixture will thicken. You want it to be thick enough to stick to the cake, but do not let it brown.

Test glaze by putting a small dollop onto the chilled plate: When you run your finger through the glaze, it should leave a defined trail. Once the glaze is thick enough, remove pan from heat and stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter. Let glaze cool until you can comfortably hold your finger in it (if it’s too hot, it will run right off the cake), about 15 minutes.

Stir glaze well and pour over center of cake, nudging to the edges with offset spatula or a butter knife. Pop any air bubbles with a skewer or toothpick. Let glaze cool at least 10 minutes before slicing cake.

Do ahead: Unglazed cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Pies aren't just for dessert. The ninth recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking is a free-form tart that combines three alliums (scallions, garlic, and onion) for maximum flavor and crispy-jammy texture. And we'd happily eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The key to the flaky crust is to move fast! Rolling and folding the dough while the butter is still cold creates distinct layers of butter and flour that will steam apart during baking, making the crust light and flaky. Got questions? Head to our forum and we'll try to help.

Triple-Threat Onion Galette

(188 g) all-purpose flour,

Tbsp. sugar

Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Tbsp. (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, divided

onion

Parmesan

scallions

Dijon mustard

black pepper

First, make the crust. Whisk 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl to combine. Cut 12 Tbsp. (1½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter into ½” pieces, add to dry ingredients, and toss to coat and distribute. Using your hands and working quickly, rub and smash butter into flat irregular pieces (be careful not to overwork; you don’t want to soften the butter too much. Just make sure you smash each piece at least once. And if the butter is getting too warm, throw the bowl in the fridge or freezer and let chill for a bit before proceeding).

Drizzle ⅓ cup cold water over and mix with a rubber spatula, smashing in butter, until dough mostly comes together—it will be dry and shaggy.

Now you are going to fold the dough, which will give it distinct flaky layers when baked. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Working quickly and using a rolling pin and your hands, press dough together to form a mass. (The dough will seem like a crumbly dry mess at first but will come together as you fold and roll. Have faith and don’t give up.) Roll dough into a rough square about ½” thick. Fold in half into a rectangle, then once again to make a small square. Press down on the dough with rolling pin to make it hold together. Roll dough out once more to make a rough square about ½” thick. Repeat folding process again, taking your time to make it neat, as this will be your final fold.

Using rolling pin, gently flatten dough, rotating as needed, to make a 6”-diameter disk. Dust surface with more flour (go heavy; you don’t want the dough to stick) and roll disk into a 14”-diameter circle or oval about ⅛” thick. Brush off any excess flour with a pastry brush. Fold dough in half, then in half again to make a rough triangle (this just makes it easier to move). Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and unfold (it’s okay if dough is a bit larger than the baking sheet). Chill while you make the filling.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Peel and thinly slice 1 large onion, then 8 garlic cloves.

Heat 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium until foaming, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add onion, garlic, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton salt, and stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender and just beginning to brown, 6–8 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if onion begins to stick, until golden brown in spots, about 5 minutes more. Transfer onion mixture to a plate; reserve skillet.

While the onion mixture is cooking, finely grate 2 oz. Parmesan (you should have about 2 cups). Trim 12 scallions, then thinly slice on a steep diagonal. This will yield striking oblique disks, but if you’re nervous about your knife skills, simply slice crosswise.

Melt remaining 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in reserved skillet (no need to wipe it out) over medium heat. Remove from heat and add scallions and remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Toss scallions until coated in butter.

Now you are ready to assemble your galette! Remove dough from refrigerator and, using a small offset spatula or spoon, spread 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard in a thin layer over dough, leaving a 1½”–2” border around the edges. Scatter onion mixture over mustard and sprinkle with cheese; season with freshly ground black pepper.

Cutting from edge of dough to the start of the mustard and filling, make slits in border of galette at 2”–3” intervals (the slits are optional but make for a more beautiful presentation). Fold flaps up and over filling, slightly overlapping. Scatter scallions over.

Bake galette until crust is deep golden brown and scallions are lightly charred, 45–50 minutes. (Your crust isn’t properly baked until it’s the color of a well-worn penny. If your timer dings but the dough is pale, keep going.) Using parchment paper, slide galette onto a cutting board and cut into wedges.

Do ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead; wrap 6”-diameter disk tightly and chill until ready to roll out. Onion mixture can be cooked 3 days ahead; transfer to an airtight container, then cover and chill. Galette can be assembled 1 hour ahead; chill.

If you've ever had trouble making biscuits in the past, consider this recipe your saving grace. While many other methods count on pockets of butter and an angel’s touch for pull-apart flakiness, we weren't willing to leave it to chance. Our simple folding technique manually multiplies the number of layers for guaranteed, no-risk success. 

Sour Cream and Onion Biscuits

Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

tsp. black pepper

(313 g) all-purpose flour,

sour cream,

If you've ever had trouble making biscuits in the past, consider the sixth recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking your saving grace. While many other methods count on pockets of butter and an angel’s touch for pull-apart flakiness, we weren't willing to leave it to chance. Our simple folding technique manually multiplies the number of layers for guaranteed, no-risk success. And the sour cream isn’t just a gimmick. Used in place of the more typical cream or buttermilk, it adds rich, tangy flavor, and acidity that helps make the biscuits incredibly light and tender. These are at their peak when they’re warm out of the oven. Plan accordingly. Questions? Head to our forum to ask questions and get answers.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim root ends from 8 scallions. Thinly slice crosswise (not on a diagonal); set aside.

Melt 2 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter by whatever method is easiest for you; set aside. Whisk 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, 1¾ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, 1¼ tsp. sugar, and 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour in a large bowl to combine.

Cut remaining 10 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter into ½” pieces. Add to dry ingredients and toss to coat. Using your hands, work butter into dry ingredients, smashing it between your fingers and flattening it between your palm until there are lots of thin shards and pea-size bits. Add reserved scallions and toss to evenly distribute.

Create a well in the center of mixture and add 1¼ cups sour cream to the center. Using a fork and working in circles, mix until large shaggy clumps form. If your bowl is wide enough, fold dough over itself a couple of times inside it until it comes together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice until it comes together; flour your hands if needed. If there are any loose bits, add them to center of dough and knead once more to incorporate.

Pat dough into an 8x4” rectangle about 1” thick.

Working from a short side, fold dough in thirds as you would a letter. It doesn’t need to overlap perfectly. Pat dough into another 8x4” rectangle, then fold dough in thirds like a letter one more time. (You'll have done the folding procedure two times total.) Pat dough back into an 8x4” rectangle and straighten up with your hands and/or your bench scraper. (This folding method is what will create those nice flaky layers in your final biscuits.)

Cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 4 squares for a total of 8 biscuits.

Transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops gently with melted butter; sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Bake biscuits until golden brown, 18–22 minutes. Serve warm with sour cream (or more butter!) for slathering.

We took millionaire bars—shortbread plus caramel plus chocolate—and gave them an upgrade (hence, billions) with sesame seeds and tahini. The shortbread is tender, the filling is gooey, and the chocolate ties it all together.

Tahini Billionaire Bars

Nonstick cooking oil spray or vegetable oil (for pan)

(83 g) powdered sugar

sesame seeds,

(2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, divided

eggs

(packed; 250 g) light brown sugar

tahini

bittersweet chocolate (65%–75% cacao)

For the seventh recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking, we took the millionaire bar—shortbread plus caramel plus chocolate (think of it like an oversized Twix)—and gave it an upgrade with sesame seeds and tahini. The shortbread is tender, the filling is gooey, and the chocolate ties it all together. Be sure to give the tahini a good stir with a butter knife or mini offset spatula before you whisk it into the butterscotch—it has a tendency to separate. Slice the finished bars into pieces using a serrated knife so that you can saw through the layers rather than smoosh them. If you're still having trouble, just stick them in the freezer until the butterscotch is firm enough to easily slice. More questions? Head to our forum where we're eager to help.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Lightly coat a 9x9” or 8x8” baking pan, preferably metal, with nonstick cooking oil spray or vegetable oil. Line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. (If you have a precut sheet of parchment, simply slice it in half crosswise, then overlap the two halves to line the pan.)

Whisk 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (83 g) powdered sugar, ⅓ cup toasted sesame seeds, and ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl. Cut ½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter into ½” pieces and add to dry ingredients; toss to coat. Using your fingers, work in butter until pieces are about pea-size.

Separate 2 large eggs—the easiest way to do this is to crack open eggs one at a time and gently pour into a (clean) hand, letting whites fall through your fingers either into the sink or a small bowl while trapping the yolk. Add yolks to bowl with flour mixture and mix in with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Dough should hold together when squeezed in your hand.

Scrape dough into prepared pan and gently press into an even layer (lightly flour your hands if needed). Prick dough with a fork in several spots (this will help it stay flat as it bakes). Lightly flour the fork if it's sticking to the dough.

Bake shortbread until golden brown, 24–28 minutes (or up to 35 minutes if using a glass dish). Let cool slightly.

While the shortbread is cooling, make the tahini butterscotch. Cut remaining ½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter into 8 pieces. Heat butter and 1¼ cups (packed; 250 g) light brown sugar, whisking constantly, in a medium heavy saucepan over medium until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Whisk in ¾ cup heavy cream and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until bubbling becomes less frequent and butterscotch is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. (When in doubt, err on the side of giving the mixture another 30 seconds—it's better if it's a little too firm than too runny.)

Remove from heat, add ½ cup tahini and 1 tsp. vanilla extract and whisk until incorporated and smooth. Pour butterscotch over shortbread and tilt pan to distribute evenly if necessary. Chill until set, 30–40 minutes.

Coarsely chop 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (65%–75% cacao) and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in a microwave in 40-second increments, stirring between bursts. (Alternatively, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water a.k.a. a double boiler; do not let bowl touch water. Heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth.) Pour over butterscotch and spread evenly to edges of pan with a small offset spatula or rubber spatula; sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Chill until chocolate is firm, 1–2 hours.

Using parchment paper overhang, pull bars out of pan and set on a cutting board; remove parchment. Using a serrated knife (a chef's knife will smoosh these), slice into 25–36 pieces (5–6 cuts in each direction) with a sawing motion. If you're having trouble slicing, feel free to freeze the bars for 20–30 minutes, which will harden the caramel and ease the process.

Do ahead: Bars can be made 4 days ahead. Store airtight at in the fridge.

Top 9 basically baking recipes from across the web

The most viewed basically baking recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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Camouflage Chocolate Fudge Brownies

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Top 9 basically baking recipes from across the web

The most viewed basically baking recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Camouflage Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Buckwheat Chocolate Cookies

Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia

Master Dough

Pull-Apart Breadsticks

Cardamom-Pistachio Carrot Cake

Triple-Threat Onion Galette

Sour Cream and Onion Biscuits

Tahini Billionaire Bars

The most viewed basically baking recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine