The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee Cookbook Video & Vanilla Saffron “Snickerdoodles”

Nearly anyone familiar with the San Fransisco coffee scene knows of Blue Bottle Coffee. It began as a minuscule operation by self-confessed coffee lunatic James Freeman, and then after the word started spreading it quickly turned into a cult favorite.  Now nestled throughout unique crannies in California and New York, Blue Bottle has roasted and brewed its way into hearts coast to coast.

As many of you know, we are slightly obsessed with extraordinary coffee. So when Ten Speed Press contacted us about possibly doing a promo film for Blue Bottle’s new cookbook we answered as quick as a drop of coffee hitting the bottom of a mug.

Not only do they spend enormous attention to making a dignified cup of coffee, the pastries are developed by James’ inamorata Caitlin Freeman.  Quiet, dignified, and with a keen attention to detail, the couple was a pure joy to work with. Gliding through their operations from roasting, to cupping, to several of their SF locations is was a great day listening to and capturing their passion and story.

So many times we are pinching ourselves, testing to see if this is really our life. We feel lucky to be able to do something we love and have the chance to meet and get to know people chasing their dreams. To meet others who’ve risked failing and security to pursue passion. In this case, it was especially dear to us to see another couple’s success as they’ve partnered their love and skills together into creating something special.

We hope you enjoy the promo as much as we did producing it.

The first part of the day was shooting at their roastery in Oakland. We filmed and witnessed one of their morning coffee cupping sessions. James and his team of experts walked us through this fascinating process of cupping.

The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee is filled with extraordinary information from growing, roasting (including DIY roasting), drinking, and of course eating. The recipes aren’t so much “coffee” recipes, but are intended to be foods with are perfect to enjoy with your coffee.

For instance, take the recipe we are sharing, their Saffron-Vanilla Snickerdoodle cookies. Caitlin writes that they are not really a snickerdoodle cookie, but after initial slow sales and in the sense of business “co-opted the name snickerdoodle“.

After creating what I feel is a perfect snickerdoodle recipe a couple years ago I’ve become a serious snickerdoodle lover.  I initially made these with a little bit of cringe, however after the first soft, chewy, and slightly golden crisp bite their little white lie was forgiven. The combination of saffron, brown sugar, and vanilla produce a flavor reminiscent of butterscotch but with its own unique character. And was absolutely perfect with an afternoon espresso.

Yield: 9 Large Cookies

Total Time: 30 min

Recipe from The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee and shared with publisher permisssion. These are not really a traditional cinnamon-sugar snickerdoodle, theses cookies are non the less exquisite and the lover of one will love the other.

Be careful measuring out the saffron threads, as they can easily pass the fine line between perfect and too much. These make a large cookie in order to create the perfect balance between the edge crispness and center softness. One can always make them smaller, just adjust baking times as needed and be aware it may affect the texture.

About 30 threads Saffron1/2 Vanilla Bean2 Tablespoons (30ml) Milk2 cups (280g) all-purpose Flour1 teaspoon (5g) Baking Soda1/2 cup (113g) unsalted Butter, at room temperature1/2 cup (100g) Sugar1/2 cup (109g) packed light Brown Sugar1 teaspoon (5g) Kosher Salt1 Egg (50g), at room temperature1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) Vanilla ExtractCrush the saffron threads with a mortar and pestle until powdery or grind them in a clean spice grinder; alternately, you can finely mince the saffron. The finer the powder, the more intense the saffron color and flavor in the cookies.Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the pulp into a small saucepan. Add the vanilla pod, milk, and saffron and cook over very low heat, just until the bubbles begin to form at the edges, between 180°F and 190°F. Alternately, combine the vanilla pulp, pod, milk, and saffron in a small microwaveable bowl, and microwave just until the milk is hot, 20-30 seconds. Cover and let steep for about 10 minutes; the milk should have a sunny yellow color.Sift the flour and baking soda into a medium bowl.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar, brown sugar, and salt and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.Remove the vanilla pod from the milk, squeezing off any liquid or pulp clinging to it back into the milk. In a medium bowl, combine the milk mixture, egg, and vanilla extract and whisk vigorously until well blended.With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg mixture very slowly, in a steady stream, and mix until well-incorporated and very smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium speed for 30 more seconds.Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until just uniform in texture.Using a rubber spatula, scrape the dough out into an airtight container or onto a piece of plastic wrap. Cover the container, or, if using plastic wrap, shape the dough into a round disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 5 days.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Roll 1/4 cup (60ml) portions of the dough into balls, and place then on the baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.Bake for about 16 minutes, until golden but not too dark, rotating the pan midway through the baking time. Ideally the baked cookies will be tall and slightly undercooked in the center, and will buckle shortly after coming out of the oven. If the cookies don't buckle, don't worry; they'll still be delicious.Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes before removing.

These cookies are best eaten warm, shortly after they come out of the oven. However, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Alternately, the dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as needed and saving the rest of the dough to bake another day.

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Announcing Food, styling & craft photography workshops at our studio

We finally did it! We’re happy to be announcing new photography workshops at our studio.  Thank you to all our readers and supporters who encouraged us over the last few years to have photography workshops in our home town in Orange County, CA.

For the last few years, we’ve traveled across the country and around the world teaching workshops and speaking at industry conferences on photography. But we’ve never really formally organized local photography workshops in our town. We knew eventually we’d be announcing workshops, but it did take a few years to finally organize this. So many of you were patient to wait and keep emailing us  reminding us about organizing these. Your push made this happen!

Vignette: Photography workshops for Your Life Story. 

Please welcome our series of photography workshops called Vignette, where we offering a variety of photography workshops specially designed for the specific needs of artists and online bloggers.

After traveling across the country, speaking at conferences and  meeting so many bloggers in different niches, we learned so much about the unique photography needs of their individual blogs. All this advice, suggestions and guidance from our valued attendees and readers allowed us to create these unique workshops that go beyond food.

Our vision for making our personal series of workshops is to make each one a unique, hands-on experience and encourage the feeling of community.

Vignette: Photography workshops for Your Life Story

Food, Lifestyle, Crafts, Portraiture

We witness life’s beauty, joy, pleasure, sorrows and pain. Learn how to capture and document those life moments that are dear to you, no matter how simple or enormous.

Our Philosophy:

no one should feel alone when you want to learnlearning is always more fun as a group, make new friends and to be creative together as a communityeveryone has something to share and teachBe inspired to find and craft your unique visual voice. Share your story.

We’ll be offering a variety of these classes at various dates, so stay tuned as we announce more dates as we progress.

So without further ado, were announcing 2 dates and one TBA (after we finalize more details).

Here are the workshop dates and registration info: 

We look forward to finally meeting so many of you and learning together!

diane and todd

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Love. Craft. and Honesty. An Apple Galette with Brown Butter

It has been coursing through my blood lately. It happens to many of us this time of year. The air grows cool and crisp, Halloween is just around the corner, and the desire for autumn’s comforts fill our bones. And the top of the comfort list lies the glorious apple. I’ve got to get my apple mojo on.

For me the apple craving began about a month ago. We had a shoot for one of Whole Foods local apple farmers. Few things compare to picking apples fresh off the tree and biting into that sweet crispness, tinged with touch of tartness.

Every time I pick an apple from a tree it brings me back to my childhood and our three apples trees growing by the house on the ranch. We’d pick and eat until our bellies were full. The sweet smell of the apples filling the autumn air. Then, filling our arms, we’d bring the horses their favorite treat.

I can still remember one of our colts first apple moment like it was yesterday. Doc, who had been born earlier that year, would watch all the other horses devour apple after apple with envy. As much as he would try, he couldn’t bite into the apples yet. They just kept slipping out of his mouth, spinning away.

After watching him struggle for a while, I decided to help him out. He still had that young colt jumpiness combined with an adorable curiosity. I eased within a few feet of him, then bit off a big chunk of apple. Holding out my hand with apple piece lingering on fingertips, Doc’s curiosity overwhelmed his nervousness.

He took the apple from my hand and experienced his first sweet bite. After a few more pieces he decided I was alright in his book. For most of his life, he was always a bit of a smart ass to catch. But not for me. Doc never forgot who helped him eat his first apples.

So after our Whole Foods shoot, the need for apples started to fill my lingering thoughts. It wasn’t long after that Diane and I took a West Coast roadtrip through California, Oregon, and finishing up in Seattle, Washington. Wandering through farmer’s markets and boutique grocers, buying up apples for our drives and explorations, the apples were rockin. So crisp, juicy, and sweet.

Up in Seattle we hooked up with Jennie from In Jennie’s Kitchen. Being the food fanatics we all are, and given the time of year and how good the local apples had been, talk soon fell to apples and all their glory. Even amongst the daily struggle to find a new normal after suddenly losing her husband a mere 2 months ago, the talk of food and cooking just lit Jennie up, exuding her love and warmth. She mentioned a Brown Butter Apple Pie she makes, and I knew without hesitation that I was going to have to make that as soon as I got home.

Jennie is one of those cooks, who I know after talking to them for even a moment about food, that their cooking is going to rock. Jennie, and the cooks and chefs I know like her, exude a certain culinary mojo. It is something I felt in my grandma, Diane, Michael Ruhlman, and chef Josef Centeno, among others. There is a particular love, sense of craft, and honesty to their approach to cooking. I trust their taste and have never been disappointed. These are good people to have in your life. And kitchen.

So after returning home from our road trip, I set out to make Jennie’s brown butter apple pie. Only I don’t like rolling out pie crust tops. I have serious pie envy for those able to create gorgeous pie tops. Martha Stewart I am not.

So I play to my strong suit. Rather than fight making the top, I opt for the rustic apple galette. Using a technique I learned from our pastry chef where I used to manage, I roll the dough out in between two sheets of plastic wrap. This allows you to roll the dough out quicker and thinner (my preference in pies) and still handle it easily.

The crust recipe I always use yields an amazing, buttery, flaky crust. I’ve yet to have another crust I prefer over it. I was torn whether to deviate from my home standard or use Jennie’s crust recipe. In the end I chose to stay with my usual recipe, but that was mostly due to the familiarity and ease I have with making it. I’ve no doubt hers is equally incredible.

The end result was nothing short of amazing. The best apple galette I’ve had. Partly due to the apples being so extraordinary at peak season, part great recipe, and part love. I had intended to add some Bourbon to the apple filling, but forgot to when cooking. I think I’m just going to have to do a little private taste off and make these galettes again.

-Todd

P.S. In the comments, Susan from The Wimpy Vegetarian asked about our favorite apple for the galette. It is such a great question, we’d like to pass it on to everyone and have you all tell what apples you like the most for pies, tarts, and galettes. Share your favorite baking variety and where you live or get them from so we all can get a regional perspective. We can all learn from each other.  —  We usually use Fujis, sometimes mixed with Granny Smiths. But here in So Cal, our apple selection isn’t as extraordinary as many cooler climate areas. Can’t wait to hear everyone else’s favorite.

 Print This Recipe
Brown Butter Apple Galette Recipe
Filling is based off of In Jennies’ Kitchen Brown Butter Apple Pie recipe. It may be surprising to see a lack of spices, but as Jennie mentions in her post, it allows for the “intense flavor of roasted apples” be highlighted. After making the filling this way, I agree with her completely. For the type of apples, try to find a nice crisp, sweet-tart apples. Granny Smiths are a classic choice. We often use Fujis. Other good varieties are Jonathan, Jonagold, Pippin, Gravenstein, Braeburn, and Pink Lady Apples.
Makes 3 – 8? Galettes or can be adapted for 2 – 10? Galettes.
Crust Ingredients 2 1/4 c (355g) All-Purpose Flour1/2 T (8g) Salt1/2 lb (225g) cold Unsalted Butter1/4 c (70g) cold Lard1/3 c (80ml) Ice Water, approx.Heavy Cream, to brush crustpinch of Coarse Sugar or Turbinado Sugarpinch of Sea Salt flakes or Kosher Salt

Filling Ingredients

1 1/2 c or 3 sticks (340g) unsalted Butter9 med. Apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin1/3 c (65g) Sugar1/2 c (100g) packed Light Brown Sugar1/4 c (30g) Flour1 1/2 T (22ml) fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

Make the Crust Dough

Combine flour and salt on a work surface or bowl.Cut up the butter and lard into 1/2? pieces, then add it to the flour and pinch down to pea sized pieces with your fingers.Add ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. It should be a rough looking, lumpy ball with chunks of butter.Divide into 3 even balls then flatten each ball (helps expedite the chilling process), then wrap and put to rest in fridge for at least 30 min.

Preheat Oven to 425°F

Make Filling (after dough is chilled)

Place the apples, sugars, and flour in a large bowl. Toss well until sugar and flour evenly coat the apples.Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Butter will foam, then settle down. Continue to cook and the now separated solids will begin to brown and develop a toasty, nut aroma. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.Pour browned butter over apples (scraping the pan to get all the tasty, toasty bits). Add fresh lemon juice, and toss apples to completely coat with browned butter and lemon juice. Set aside while you roll out the dough.

Finish Making Galette and Bake

Roll out the dough. Take one ball out at a time (leaving the others in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll each one) and place dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll out. Occasionally peel back plastic wrap and re-lay wrap on dough to help remove wrinkles. Roll to about 1/8? thick and evenly round. Remove top layer of plastic wrap, and quickly but carefully flip dough onto a baking sheet so the remaining plastic wrap is now face up. Remove last layer of plastic wrap.Place 1/3 of the apple filling into the center of the rolled out dough. Spread apples into an even circle, leaving a border of 2? of bare dough. Fold dough up over apples, creasing every couple inches. Repeat rolling and filling process with other two balls of dough and remaining apples mix.Brush crusts of dough with heavy cream. Lightly sprinkle turbinado or coarse sugar on crust. Very lightly sprinkle a pinch of sea salt flakes on crust.Bake for 20 minutes, then turn temperature down to 350°F. Continue to bake for another 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

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