The Modern Baker Challenge

The Modern Baker Challenge is a group created by Phyl from Of Cabbages & King Cakes, of bakers who are baking their way through Nick Malgieri's The Modern Baker: Time-Saving Techniques for Breads, Tarts, Pies, Cakes, and Cookies.

Some people (like Phyl) are baking their way through the entire book; others of us are baking as much as we are able. I am in the latter category. One nice thing about this challenge is that, to relieve the pressure to blog in detail about every recipe, each of us have the opportunity to pick one recipe from each section for which we are the "official" blogger. Phyl then organizes links to each of these on the Modern Baker website. (In our first section, quickbreads, we each received a comment from Nick Malgieri himself!)

Section 1: Quickbreads

Section favorites:

1. Real Welsh scones*, p. 52

2. Butterscotch scones*, p. 55

3. Blueberry crumb muffins, p. 58
4. Triple chocolate scones, p. 57 

Recipes made:

5. Chocolate spice bread, p. 45

6. Cocoa banana muffins, p. 60

7. Whole grain apple raisin bread, p. 48

8. Pecorino and pepper biscuits, p. 51

Section 2: Breads

Section favorites:

1. Seven grain & seed bread (p. 84)

Recipes made:

2. Fougasse (p. 74)
3. Prosciutto bread (p. 85)

4. Pita bread (p. 72) 

Section 3: Yeast-Risen Specialties, Sweet & Savory

Section favorites:

1. Focaccia & pizza dough* (p. 114)

Recipes made:
2. Marbled chocolate brioche loaf (p. 97)

3. Ham and cheese focaccia

Section 4: Savory Tarts & Pies

Section favorites:

1. Ham & egg tart* (p. 136)

Recipes made:

2. Pizza chiena (p. 151)
 3. Chicken pie with biscuit topping (p. 152)

Section 5: Sweet Tarts &Pies

Section favorites:

1. Chocolate orange hazelnut tart (p. 179)
2. Parisian fruit tart (p. 166)
3. Maida's Big Apple Pie (p. 182)
4. Bourbon-scented pecan-walnut tart (p. 175)
5! Bittersweet chocolate tart (p. 169)
6! Blueberry crumble pie (p. 184)

Recipes made:

7. Pumpkin-pecan buttermilk tart (w/o pecans) (p. 174) 

8. Banana walnut tart (p. 171)
9. Chocolate caramel pecan tartlets (p. 190)
10. Lemon-lime tartlets (p. 189)

Section 6: Puff Pastries

Section favorites:

1. Perfect elephant ears (p. 210)

Recipes made:

Section 7: Cakes

Section favorites:

1! Milk chocolate mousse cake (p. 254)

Recipes made:

2. Devil's food cake (p. 253)

 

 

Section 8: Cookies, Bars, & Biscotti

Section favorites:

1. Cocoa nib brownies (p. 272)
2. Three-way gingersnaps* (p. 279)
3. Coconut chocolate pecan bars* (p.)
4. Honey peanut wafers (p.)

Recipes made:

1. Caramel crumb bars (p. 276)
2. Butterscotch chocolate chunk cookies (p. 285)
3. Sour cream brownies (p. 274)
4. Fig bars (p.)