Cookbooks

Any bread is lovely in this buttermilk batter.

These spice-laden cookies originated in colonial New England; the candied ginger is our own addition. As the name implies, the bars are best after being hidden away for a day or two, so the flavors have a chance to deepen.

Be sure your kitchen is well ventilated when you soak the New Mexican and guajillo chiles; their vapors can be a mild irritant.

You can use shredded Monterey Jack cheese in place of the cotija and queso blanco. Other wild mushrooms, such as shiitakes, can be substituted for the porcini.

Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

You can make puff pastry from scratch by following the recipes on page 653 or 654.

Don’t be discouraged if your napoleon doesn’t cut neatly into serving pieces; even if it’s slightly flattened, each bite will still be delicious. To pipe the white chocolate, you’ll need a piping cone made from parchment paper.

Once the palmiers are in the oven, watch them closely, as they may go from a perfect dark golden brown to burned in seconds.

The lined baking sheets can be marked with flour-dipped cookie cutters to help guide you in piping the dough into uniform shapes. (See how-to on page 652.)