half-ass holiday baking
musings on the wisdom of doing less (+ my toffee recipe!)
My plan for holiday baking this year was as follows:
day 1: candy (5 kinds)
day 2: cookies (7 kinds)
I started early on day 1, upbeat and in the zone. My house smelled amazing (a beautiful hodge-podge of cinnamon, apple cider, toasted nuts, and melted chocolate). I churned out batches of spicy candied pecans, brigadeiro truffles, peanut butter balls (buckeyes if you’re from Ohio!), apple cider caramels, and my personal fave - toffee. I had a great time.
And then, I sat down on the couch and thought of day 2. And I dreaded it. After all, we had family coming into town, the house needed a lot of vacuuming (thanks, Otis), and I felt generally run-down. But, as is my habit, I steeled myself to push through. Because sometimes, I don’t know when it’s enough. And sometimes, my brain does its very best to convince me that people might love me a little bit more if I make 12 types of candy/cookies for them instead of 5. Or that my worth is inextricably tied to what I can offer to people. Sometimes I bend over backwards doing things in an exaggerated, over-the-top way in an attempt to solidify the bonds I’ve built with others, or even to justify my very existence. The vigilance can be exhausting.
But this time, I caught myself. I floated the idea that maybe (definitely) I don’t actually need to bang out *12* kinds of candy/cookies to let people know I love them (or for them to love me). Maybe (definitely) they would’ve been just as pleased with just the toffee. And so, for the first time in holiday baking history, I canceled day 2. I told myself it was OK to change my definition of “enough”. I’m proud of me.
And here’s the one and only photo I took:
a recipe:
Walnut Crunch Toffee
This recipe makes a crunchy, buttery toffee topped with milk chocolate and toasted walnuts. I know making candy can be intimidating, but I’ve made you a simplified recipe, and I promise you can do it!
for the walnut layer
1-1/2 cups (180g) toasted & finely chopped walnuts
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
for the toffee layer
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
for the chocolate layer
1-3/4 cups (306g) finely chopped milk chocolate
the how-to (walnut layer):
In a medium bowl, stir together the toasted chopped walnuts and kosher salt. To elevate things: pulse the walnuts and kosher salt in a food processor until ground. Set aside until needed.
the how-to (toffee & chocolate layers):
Line a half-sheet baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment paper and exposed sides of the pan with butter.
Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. When the butter is melted, stir with a rubber spatula to combine into a smooth paste. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pot. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally with the spatula, until the mixture reaches 295 degrees (18-22 minutes). Wearing oven mitts, immediately pour the toffee into your prepared pan. Let the toffee sit for 5 minutes, then scatter the chopped milk chocolate evenly over the top - it will melt to a spreadable consistency from the warmth of the toffee. Let it sit for another 5 minutes, then spread the chocolate around evenly using an offset spatula. Scatter the chopped walnuts over the top and lightly press them into the chocolate.
Once the toffee is completely cool and the chocolate is set (at least three hours), break it into random pieces using your hands or a sharp knife.
store in an airtight container at room temp for up to two weeks
two christmas morning recipe suggestions:
These recipes are the perfect do-it-together, fancy but low stress addition to special holiday mornings.
coffee-glazed cinnamon rolls (emotion pairing: bored)
I’m going to be honest: I don’t really like cinnamon rolls. But I love these. They’re a sweet and fluffy pastry swirled with a deep/warm/cinnamon-y filling, finished off with a rich coffee glaze. They will make your house smell amazing. Everyone will ask you to make them again.
This is a hands-on recipe, so let’s try really engaging with our senses. Focus on the grainy texture of the cinnamon-sugar mixture when you’re sprinkling it, the soft and springy texture of the dough when you’re rolling it up into a cylinder, and the silky texture of the icing when you’re drizzling it over the warm rolls.
You’ll need a somewhat odd tool for this recipe: dental floss! Unflavored is best, but mint is fine. Why floss, you might ask? We want to avoid using a knife to cut our rolls because it’ll squash our dough.
pg. 81 in Baking by Feel
pecan morning buns (emotion pairing: impatient)
Despite being a giant hunk of pastry, morning buns are just so cute. These have a sweet (but not overly sweet!) and creamy pecan filling -think frangipane, but no almonds -rolled in, plus the satisfying crunch of little pecan pieces scattered throughout. And: a warm and toasty bourbon-spiked butterscotch-esque glaze on the top.
Here, I want you to focus in on the (admittedly, rather lengthy) process. Let yourself enjoy it, rather than just complete it. Pay attention to the way the dough springs back against your finger when you test to see if it’s ready to move on to the next step. Breathe in the sweet, rich scent of the frangipane as you spread it across the dough. Notice the way the floss feels as it slices through the dough spiral. Turn on some music. Get lost in the process.
pg. 174 in Baking by Feel
becca, where can i read about Baking by Feel this week?
In this Delish article: The 12 Best Cookbooks of 2022 (!!)
sunday secrets from the cutting room floor
“I made out with a girl last weekend and now I don’t know if I like girls”
“I feel like an alien most days. I lost a lot of friends through Covid and isolation”
“I want to quit my job so badly but I’m worried about not having my own income”
“I ended a friendship that needed to end. I miss it so much”
“I keep going to therapy; idk why: I feel like I’ll never work through enough to be happy”
“My cat died this week and I feel I’ve lost my soulmate”
“I’m queer and it feels amazing to say that”
“I FELL IN LOVE AGAIN”
“I hate being home for the holidays and I feel guilty still after years of that feeling”
“A guy convinced me to open up and we really connected, only for him to ghost a week later”
weekly abortion affirmation
If you need abortion care during the holidays www.ineedana.com can help you find support orgs that are open when you need them!
baking tip of the week
You can buy pre-cut parchment paper to line your cake pans/baking sheets, in a variety of sizes. One less thing to worry about!
my current fave pic of Otie
some notable (and less notable) things
Baking by Feel makes a great last minute gift (plus an excuse for a cozy hot-chocolate-fueled run to your fave bookstore)
And: thank you to Goodreads reader Rebecca for this thoughtful review! And with two stars instead of one! (I talk about my abortion experience in the book and it’s one of my proudest accomplishments)
I found peonies at the fancy grocery store and they were $6 a stem but I got two anyway and it’s bringing me a lot of joy.
Harper Collins union workers are still striking for higher wages, union security, and a stronger commitment to DE&I. I’m so grateful for the work union members put into Baking by Feel. You can contribute to their solidarity fund here.
This news:
No newsletter next week (I’m on winter break!)
xoxo,
your favorite becca
This one really stuck out to me - I brought it to my therapist, since you did such a wonderful job explaining earning the love of others. Thank you for your words; I felt so understood.
The Page 174 Pecan buns says to just dump the sleeping yeast right into the dry mix without waking it up in a warm bath first??? Is this correct?