We are finally starting to see beautiful local Quebec asparagus pop up at the market, which means that spring is here (even if the weather gods didn't get the memo and sent snow our way this morning).

Baked goods do not always have to be all about the sugar. You can make savoury muffins with cold cuts or chili cheddar cornbreads, savoury loaf cakes with date and chorizo, cheddar biscuits, scones with cheese.  Baking with savoury ingredients opens up a whole world of possibilities, like this feta phyllo tart with asparagus.

What You Need To Make This Feta Phyllo Tart

This savoury phyllo tart is made from simple ingredients you should be able to easily find at your local grocery store. Here's what you need:

• Phyllo dough sheets, thawed in the fridge overnight if frozen (approximately 300 grams)
• Butter—I used unsalted butter, melted so that the phyllo pastry isn't too salty and will make a nice contrast with the savoury filling
• Cheese—I used both ricotta cheese for creaminess and crumbled feta cheese for maximum flavour
• Fresh lemon
• Herbs—can be as simple as fresh flat-leaf parsley, oregano, or even curly parsley if you prefer
• Salt & pepper
• Fresh asparagus—choose thin, crisp, long asparagus (the kind you see in early spring) which tends to be more tender and less woody or stringy when cooked
• Olive oil, for drizzling

Please see the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.

How To Make a Tart With Phyllo

I realize that not everybody has the time to make a dough for a savoury tart from scratch, so to simplify this recipe, I opted to use phyllo dough instead of a homemade dough. Phyllo is a delicate, paper thin sheet of dough that you can smear with butter and stack to create a base for pies, tarts, and all kinds of fun hors-d'oeuvres. Using phyllo for this tart yields a crisp, flaky, buttery base that is the perfect canvas to display long stalks of vibrant green spring asparagus.

Step 1—start by laying down a sheet of phyllo pastry on the bottom of a half-sheet pan and brushing with melted butter from edge to edge (image 1). Repeat with all 12 sheets of phyllo, layering them on top of each other neatly. Snap the woody bases off of the asparagus spears (image 2).

Step 2—mix the ingredients for the ricotta filling in a small bowl, then smear them over the phyllo base, leaving a thin border at the edges (around 1 cm), then arrange the asparagus on top (image 3). If you have a little extra feta cheese, you can crumble it on top to decorate the tart (image 4) then bake until the phyllo crust is crispy and golden brown (image 5).

Phyllo Tart FAQs

Other Savoury Baking Recipes

If you love to explore more recipes like this, check out these fun savoury baking recipes:

If you tried this recipe for the best asparagus phyllo tart (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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Asparagus Phyllo Tart

Showcase long stalks of spring asparagus in a beautiful asparagus phyllo tart with a ricotta, feta and herb filling.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine French

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 9

Calories 240kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Ingredients

• 12 sheets phyllo pastry thawed
• 85 grams unsalted butter melted
• 265 grams ricotta cheese
• 100 grams feta cheese crumbled
• 5 mL finely grated lemon zest
• 60 mL flat leaf parsley finely chopped
• Salt & freshly ground pepper
• 680 grams fresh asparagus woody ends snapped off
• extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Metric - US

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C) with the baking rack in the middle. Line a large rimmed half-sheet pan that is approximately 13”x18” (45.7cm x 33cm) with parchment paper. Use a light-coloured aluminum sheet pan if possible (see notes).
• Begin by building the phyllo base of the tart. Lay a sheet of phyllo over the parchment, then brush lightly with melted butter from edge to edge over the entire surface. Top with the next sheet of phyllo, brushing it with butter. Repeat the process over and over again until you have stacked and buttered the 12 sheets of phyllo. This is your tart base.
• In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, half of the crumbled feta, lemon zest, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then spread the cheese filling thinly and evenly over the phyllo tart base, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border.
• Prepare the asparagus by washing and drying it. Snap off and discard the woody ends. Arrange the asparagus over the cheese layer, pressing it in gently. Sprinkle with remaining crumbled feta, then drizzle with olive oil. 
• Bake the tart on the middle rack until the edges are a deep golden brown and crisp, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Notes

• If you are using a baking sheet with a dark or black finish, you may need to lower the oven temperature by 25ºF down to 375°F (190 °C).
• When working with phyllo dough, thaw according to the package instructions. Also, be sure to keep the phyllo dough covered to keep it from drying out. I like to cover it with a kitchen towel, then very lightly spritz the towel with a fine mist of water.
• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1128IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 3mg

To find the recipe for this asparagus tart, visit the asparagus phyllo tart recipe on the Produce Made Simple website. The Produce Made Simple website is packed full of information on fresh produce with lots of recipe inspiration, so be sure to stick around!

The post Asparagus Phyllo Tart appeared first on The Bake School.

These savoury cornbread muffins are excellent, if I may say so myself. Seriously though, they are moist, full of corn flavour, cheddar cheese and spicy hits of red chilli. Plus they are easy.

Savoury muffins are a staple in my house. They make fun snacks and can serve as breakfast or even a side dish at dinner, instead of a bread bun! If you like savoury muffins, be sure to check out these pizza muffins and these olive muffins.

What's in them

I like to make cornbread muffins with a combination of cornmeal (polenta) and all-purpose flour. This way, the flour provides a little extra structure for the cornbread so that they are less prone to crumbling or falling apart.

• buttermilk (1 % fat)—providing acidity for the baking soda to react, but also tenderness and moisture so the muffins aren't dry
• butter—either unsalted or salted butter will work here and these muffins can handle the extra salt that salted butter will provide
• eggs—use large eggs. Small or medium eggs may lead to a dryer muffin.
• honey—I like to add honey to cornbread to add a little sweetness
• bleached all-purpose flour—unbleached should also work here. The flour holds the muffins together better, improving texture
• fine cornmeal—don't use cornmeal that is too coarse or gritty because the texture will be crunchier
• chemical leaveners, both baking powder and baking soda. Read up on baking powder versus baking soda if you aren't sure about the difference.
• salt to enhance the flavour but also because these are savoury muffins! I use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt, which is less salty than table salt. You may use less salt if using regular table salt
• jalapeño peppers, green or red, or red chilli peppers
• shredded cheddar cheese or an equivalent, like Monterey Jack. I've also done a combination of cheddar and parmesan to add more flavour.

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

There are a few places in this savoury muffin recipe where you can make some substitutions:

• buttermilk—to replace the buttermilk, use the same volume of milk, adding in 15 mL (1 tablespoon) of vinegar (white or cider vinegar), or you can dilute some full-fat sour cream or plain unsweetened yogurt with milk. Replace cup-for-cup
• butter—I prefer the taste of butter, but you can replace it with the same amount of canola oil or mild olive oil, cup-for-cup
• jalapeño peppers—if you can't find jalapeños, use another hot pepper, like serrano peppers or red chilli peppers. Remember the spicier the pepper, the spicier the muffin will be! You could also replace the fresh jalapeño with dried red pepper flakes. Use less though! Another option could be to use pickled jalapeño peppers (sold in cans or jars). Just drain them and pat dry before using.
• cheddar cheese—I have made these muffins with aged cheddar, mild cheddar (like marble cheddar), and even a combination of parmesan and cheddar to add more flavour. You can use Monterey jack or even shredded smoked gouda would be great!

Tricks for making moist cornbread

Use buttermilk, which makes cornbread more moist and tender, and adds a subtle tangy flavour. The acidity of buttermilk can reduce the browning of your cornbread, leading to pale-looking muffins. I like mine to have golden brown edges, so I added a little baking soda to increase the browning on the edges of these cornbread muffins. The cheese also contributes to browning and tenderness.

Types of cheese

The cheese you add to these spicy cornbread muffins is a matter of personal preference and feel free to use whatever you have on hand. I opted for cheddar cheese, but sometimes I use a combination of cheeses, like cheddar which melts well, and parmesan, which adds a lot of salty flavour.

Monterey Jack or pepper jack would be perfect in these muffins too, but where I live, it's not as common to find either of these cheeses, unfortunately.

Special equipment

• Muffin pans: for regular muffins, you can't get away without a muffin pan. And if you can, please invest in two 6-cup muffin pans (like this Wilton pan on Amazon) or one bigger 12-cup muffin pan (like these Wilton pans on Amazon). This way you will be ready to make full batches of most recipes, which can yield anywhere from 8 to 12 muffins, depending on how much batter you scoop per cup. 
• Paper liners, parchment liners, silicone liners: we can debate over which is better for muffins, but personally, I like disposable paper liners (like these on Amazon that you would use for cupcakes too). For lower-fat muffins or muffins with less sugar, these can stick to paper liners. In this case, use parchment liners (Amazon) or silicone liners (Amazon). Savoury muffins, for example, work best baked in either of these.
• Large cookie scoops: Some call them "dishers" and they are the most reliable scoops I've found on Amazon. They can handle firm doughs without breaking because the release mechanism is separate from the handle! This gives you a better, firm grip on the handle, without the risk of breaking the leaver. The handles are different colours according to the size. 
• Cake tester and/or instant-read thermometer: if you bake a lot, you can probably gently poke muffins with your fingertip and instinctively know when they are done baking. The rest of us have to use a cake tester or thermometer to check if the muffins are done baking.

How to make cheesy cornbread muffins

For most muffins, you use the two-bowl mixing method, meaning the wet ingredients are stirred in one bowl and the dry ingredients are stirred in another bowl, then the two components are mixed together. It's the easiest way to make batter, and a very similar process to cake mix recipes.

Combine the wet ingredients in a medium bowl or a large measuring cup with a pouring spout

Use a whisk to break up the eggs to make sure the buttermilk mixture is well-mixed.

Prepare the jalapeños by seeding and dicing two of them to incorporate in the batter, slicing the other two into thin rounds for garnishing.

Use a Danish dough whisk to whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix the shredded cheese and diced jalapeños with the dry ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and the cooled melted butter.

Stir to form a thick batter.

Scoop the muffin batter into greased muffin pans. I like to use a large disher for this task.

Garnished cornbread muffins before baking.

Bake the buttermilk cornbread muffins in a 350 °F until golden brown and set.

Variations

These buttermilk cornbread muffins are very versatile. If you don't like cheese and jalapeño, don't add them. You can instead incorporate and feature other flavours and ingredients:

• Salty-sweet—incorporate diced Bell pepper and goat cheese
• Corn—incorporate corn kernels (either cut off of leftover BBQ corn on the cob, canned, or defrosted corn, being sure to blot away and remove as much moisture as possible before incorporating)
• Bacon or chorizo—add chopped cooked bacon or chorizo or even cooked sausage

What to serve these with

I love to eat these muffins smeared with butter and drizzled in honey for a salty-sweet snack. They also make a great side dish to serve with chilli or stews in the fall and winter months.

You can also serve these buttermilk cornbread muffins with grilled meats and BBQ in the summertime.

Storage

You can store these cornbread muffins for 1–2 days in an airtight container. Savoury muffins are more prone to drying out because they don't have the sugar in them to retain/absorb moisture. For this reason, I prefer to freeze them when they are freshly baked and cooled.

Remember to fully cool the muffins to room temperature (for 3–4 hours) before transferring them to an airtight container or freezer bag for long-term storage (1–2 months). To defrost one muffin, simply microwave for 30 seconds from frozen. This works well and makes a fluffy, hot muffin that's as good as when they were freshly baked, if not better!

Other savoury baking recipes to try

If you like savoury baking, try these pizza muffins, cheesy cheddar biscuits or savoury olive muffins.

Frequently asked questions

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Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins

Spicy jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins make a great snack but also make a great option if you are looking for what to serve with chilli 

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 244kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Muffin pan
• 3-¼ oz scoop
• OXO balloon whisk
• Box grater

Ingredients

• 250 mL buttermilk (1 % fat) room temperature
• 2 large egg(s) room temperature
• 40 grams honey
• 125 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 160 grams fine cornmeal
• 10 mL baking powder
• 1.25 mL baking soda
• 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 2 jalapeño peppers finely chopped
• 120 grams shredded cheddar cheese plus extra for garnishing
• 57 grams unsalted butter melted
• 1 jalapeño peppers cut into little rings for garnish

Metric - US

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175 °C) and grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl with a spout (or large liquid cup measurer), whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and honey. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder/soda, and salt.
• Add the diced jalapeño peppers and the shredded cheese to the bowl with the dry ingredient and stir them together.
• Pour the wet ingredients and the melted butter into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir (or whisk) them together til the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter among the greased muffin pans and top with a sprinkling of grated cheese and a ring or two of hot pepper.
• Bake for about 20 minutes.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 481IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins appeared first on The Bake School.

I am obsessed with savoury muffins. They make a great snack and also work well as a savoury breakfast option, and the creative possibilities for add-ins and toppings are pretty endless!

Ingredients

Pizza muffins are no-yeast savoury muffin, made just like quick bread with the two bowl mixing method, also called the muffin method. So to make these you will have two bowls for ingredients: one bowl for wet and one for dry.

To make these, you will need the following ingredients:

• Wet ingredients
  • olive oil, but melted butter would also work great! I prefer extra virgin olive oil in this recipe which has a pronounced flavour. Canola oil will also work fine
  • large eggs—don't use smaller eggs because your muffins may end up too dry or dense, but don't use extra large eggs because they could contribute too much moisture and throw off the recipe
  • full-fat sour cream—please do not use low-fat sour cream because the fat is important for creating a moist, tender muffin, but also for storing these and to increase the shelf-life
  • milk, preferably whole milk or 2 % fat milk—again, don't use fat free or low fat milk because we need the fat to help keep these muffins moist and tender
• Dry ingredients
  • all-purpose flour is needed to bind all the ingredients together and give the muffins structure, contributing to the rise as well. If you don't use enough flour, your muffins may spread too much as they bake, and end up flat, but also gummy or wet
  • baking powder and baking soda are important to creating a fluffy texture. You need baking soda to balance out the acidity and baking powder to help these muffins rise tall. Read up on baking soda vs baking powder if you are unsure, which is which
  • granulated sugar, but you only need a tablespoon, which is enough to balance the salt and help improve the texture of the muffins without adding too much sweetness
  • Italian seasonings or a blend of dried oregano, thyme, and basil to bring that classic pizza flavour
  • salt is really important to balance out the flavours and also to make them pop. I like to use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt, but table salt will work, though the muffins will be saltier and you may want to halve the salt in that case
  • freshly ground black pepper adds a little kick to the muffins and enhances their savoury quality without being spicy.

And since pizza is all about the toppings, you have a ton of options. If any of your toppings are fresh or canned (packed in water or oil), make sure, to blot the toppings with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture which could make the muffins gummy. Here are some toppings to try:

• Pizza muffin topping ideas
  • sliced pepperoni—I sliced pepperoni sticks because it makes smaller, but chunkier pieces, but pizza pepperoni also works! You could also add chunks of ham or cooked sausage
  • chopped mini sweet peppers or Bell pepper, or even green pepper
  • shredded cheese, like shredded pizza mozzarella (not fresh cheese), cheddar cheese, etc.
  • sliced olives, green or black (patted dry)
  • sautéed mushrooms or canned sliced mushrooms (patted dry)
  • pineapple chunks (if you like Hawaiian pizza that rides the line between sweet and savoury)
  • sliced cherry tomatoes (patted dry)

These toppings are actually whisked into the dry ingredients to help evenly distribute them throughout the muffin batter. Extra toppings are sprinkled on top of the muffins before baking to decorate them like a pizza.

Special Tools or Equipment

For this recipe, all you need are two bowls and a whisk to mix the savoury muffin batter. I've been loving the Danish dough whisk for mixing batters for quick breads, muffins, pancakes, and waffles, but you can use whatever whisk you prefer.

To bake the muffins, you will obviously need a 12-cup muffin pan (or two 6-cup muffin pans), and though you could easily spray the pan with baking spray, I prefer to use parchment muffin liners with savoury muffins because they tend to stick and even stick to regular muffin papers. Silicone liners would also work well and are reusable.

I also recommend a large disher (scoop) to portion out the muffin batter evenly between the 12 cups. It makes life easier, though it's not essential for this recipe.

Savoury Muffins That Aren't Dry

A big problem with savoury baking is the obvious lack of sugar. Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture, leading to a more tender, moist product. Without the sugar, baked goods can appear dry.

This is why you have to compensate with more fat. For this recipe, we are using olive oil, several eggs, and also whole milk and full-fat sour cream. All of these ingredients are there to tenderize and provide moisture.

Storing Savoury Muffins

The other problem with savoury baking is storing savoury baked goods. These have less sugar, which means they dry out more quickly. The fat in this recipe helps to compensate for this and keep the muffins from going stale, but ultimately, your best bet would be to freeze leftover muffins after a day and defrost when you want to eat them.

Other Savoury Baking Recipes

If you are a fan of savoury baking, here are a few more recipes to try:

• Cheese waffles that you can serve with ham topped with maple syrup or with a light salad
• Scones with cheese that make a great sandwich!
• Deep dish quiche with Swiss chard

If you tried this recipe for pizza muffins (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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Pizza Muffins

These easy pizza muffins are made with all the classic pizza toppings, so shredded cheese, chopped sweet pepper, tomato, and pepperoni, and flavoured with Italian seasonings. You can serve these as is or with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping!

Course Side

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 368kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Muffin pan
• Parchment liners
• Danish dough whisk
• 3-¼ oz scoop

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 375 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 15 mL baking powder
• 15 mL granulated sugar
• 5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 5 mL freshly ground black pepper
• 5 mL Italian seasoning
• 1.25 mL baking soda

Pizza toppings

• 155 grams pepperoni sliced, plus extra for garnishing muffins
• 100 grams shredded cheese like cheddar or pizza mozzarella, plus extra for garnishing
• 188 mL chopped sweet pepper about 5 or 6 mini sweet peppers (or use Bell pepper), plus extra chopped pepper for garnishing

Wet ingredients

• 4 large egg(s)
• 188 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat) or 2 % fat milk
• 188 mL sour cream (14% fat)
• 125 mL extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cherry tomatoes sliced and patted dry with a paper towel
• marinara sauce optional, for dipping (or pizza sauce)

Metric - US

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190 °C). Line two muffin pans with 12 parchment liners (like these on Amazon). You can use regular muffin papers too, but you would need to spray them lightly with oil baking spray otherwise the muffins will stick to the paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, pepper, salt, Italian seasoning, and baking soda. When the dry ingredients are well mixed, whisk in the pepperoni, cheese, and chopped sweet pepper or Bell pepper.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, and olive oil until smooth. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir with a whisk to combine (about 20–25 stirs—don't over mix!).
• Divide the muffin batter between the prepared pans. Garnish with extra toppings and sliced cherry tomatoes, like a pizza.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
• Incorporate your favourite pizza toppings and get creative. For example, make Hawaiian pizza muffins by folding in chopped canned pineapple (drained and patted dry) along with spicy pepperoni or chopped ham

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 513mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 784IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Pizza Muffins appeared first on The Bake School.

This recipe is sponsored by Président.

I love incorporating cheeses into baked goods. These cheese waffles are made with shredded cheddar, but you could also use shredded parmesan or even crumbled blue cheese if you dare!

Use your food processor to make flaky shortbread biscuits

The beauty of this savoury shortbread recipe is that it takes just a few simple ingredients to make, the cheese and the butter can be used straight from the fridge to make this dough, and it takes 1 minute to form the dough in the food processor. LITERALLY, just 1 minute to make the dough for these cheese shortbread biscuits! Can you believe it?

I think part of the secret to making flaky biscuits and pie crusts is in the combination of

• cold ingredients, specifically the fat and the moisture should be fridge-cold
• minimally handling the ingredients so that they stay cold
• using the food processor to combine the ingredients to form the dough. This way your hot hands don't warm up the ingredients or melt the butter
• adding enough liquid to both bind the ingredients together and also create flaky layers from water evaporation and steam in the oven

Incorporating cheese into crusts and biscuit recipes

Many bakers swear by replacing a portion of the butter in pie crusts with cream cheese. The spreadable cheese adds some fat but also moisture, yielding a pie crust that is both tender and flaky, and that has a ton of flavour. These cinnamon rugelachs are rolled cookies made with a cream cheese dough that is a little tangy with a slightly flaky texture. I've incorporated cheddar into spicy cheddar cheese biscuits.

Rondelé cheese by Président is a spreadable cheese that comes in a variety of flavours, including Garlic and Herbs (or in French "Ail de Garonne et Fines Herbes") and walnut (or in French Noix de Dordogne). These flavourful cheeses are soft and creamy and so are great for spreading on crackers, toast, and bagels as a substitute for cream cheese. And you can also bake with Rondelé cheese, just like with cream cheese, incorporating it into pie crusts and biscuits, and also savoury shortbread cookie recipes, like the one below.

In this recipe, the Rondelé cheese not only provides the necessary moisture to bind the dough and to create a flaky texture, it also provides a ton of flavour. All you need, besides the flour, butter, and a small amount of sugar, is a little salt and pepper, and some flaky sea salt to garnish it.

Chill the dough

The key to perfect shortbread cookies that are cut out, whether savoury or sweet, is to keep the dough cold:

1. start with cold ingredients straight from the fridge
2. refrigerate the dough once it's made to cool it down so that you can use less flour when it's time to roll it out
3. freeze the cutout cookies after cutting them out to harden the fats before baking

Chilling the dough and the cut-out cookies before baking means that the fats will take a longer time to heat up in the oven and melt. Slowing the melting allows the cut-out to set in the oven, locking in the shape. This is the secret to perfect cutout cookies, even savoury cheese shortbread like these.

If you tried this recipe for savoury cheese shortbread cookies (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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Savoury Cheese Shortbread Cookies

These savoury cheese shortbread cookies are easy to make in the food processor, yielding a tender, yet flaky and airy biscuit that is full of flavour from the Rondelé cheese.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine British

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes minutes

Chill time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 6 minutes minutes

Servings 36

Calories 57kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Food processor
• Rolling pin
• Sheet pan
• Fall cutters

Ingredients

• 188 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 125 grams Rondelé cheese cold (equivalent to 1 package)
• 115 grams unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes
• 10 mL granulated sugar
• 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 1.25 mL freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt for garnishing cookies before baking

Metric - US

Instructions

• Place the flour, Rondelé cheese, butter, sugar, kosher salt, and ground pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade.
• Pulse the mixture until it forms a sandy texture, then process until a ball of dough forms.
• Carefully remove the blade from the food processor.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 400 ºF (200 °C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to between ⅛" and ¼". Cut out as many cookies as possible. Be sure to re-roll the scraps to cut out even more biscuits. You should have about 36 in the end, more or less ( the number depends on the size of the cookie cutter and the thickness).
• Place the cookies on your parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them out. Sprinkle very generously with flaky sea salt.
• Freeze the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes until frozen solid, then bake until golden brown, about 16 minutes.
• Let cool completely then store in an air-tight container.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
• Please note that I bake with uncoated aluminum sheet pans that are light in colour. If you are baking this recipe with darker bakeware, you may have to drop the oven temperature to 375 °F (190 °C) to prevent your baked goods from browning too quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 6mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Ways of flavouring savoury cookies

With this base recipe, you can vary the flavour by varying the Rondelé cheese you use. In North America, Rondelé is sold in two flavours: Garlic and fine herbs (in French it's called Ail et Fines Herbes) and Walnut (in French it's called Noix de Dordogne). Both these flavours work beautifully in this recipe, the Garlic and Fine Herbs flavour adds a lot of kick, while the Walnut flavour is more mild and nutty. The generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt on these biscuits enhances the flavour and really makes these special.

If you want to go beyond this recipe, feel free to add finely chopped herbs, fine lemon zest, chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit, etc. Just make sure the ingredients you add aren't wet because that will throw off the shortbread ratio!

What to do with savoury cookies and biscuits?

Savoury shortbread biscuits are perfect for snacking on as is, but they also make a great accompaniment to soups and stews, instead of bread, for example. You can also incorporate them into cheese and charcuterie boards and appetizer platters, as you would cheese straws. You can use different cookie cutters according to the seasons or if you would like to cut out festive shapes to represent a holiday you are celebrating. The possibilities are endless with this base recipe and you can easily customize them to make your own.

To build a cheese board, start with a large platter (or use a cookie sheet), and use a wide variety of cheeses of different textures and characteristics. Build a platter around a wheel of Président Brie (a cheese that you can slice or cut into wedges with a creamy taste) and serve it alongside a spreadable Président Spicy Red Pepper Brie or Rondelé with Garlic and Fine Herbs, both of which will add a kick to your board. Layer on mini saucissons (like little cured salami), grainy mustard, pickles and olives, and don't forget sweet elements like, fresh grapes, apricots, figs, dried fruit or even honey or jam. Fill the platter so it's practically overflowing and you can use the homemade savoury biscuits to fill all the gaps on the platter to make it look plentiful.

Combining high quality Président cheeses with charcuteries, preserves, and pickles from your grocery store, and then adding these homemade savoury shortbread will make your holiday appetizer platters really special, and nobody will believe you when you tell them the dough took only 1 minute to make in the food processor!

This post is sponsored by Président Canada. I was compensated monetarily and with product.

The post Savoury Cheese Shortbread Cookies appeared first on The Bake School.

Baking doesn't always have to be sweet. Savoury pies are a crowd-pleaser, and there is nothing better than a homemade quiche made with lots of cheese!

This deep dish quiche is a play on a breakfast pie, as is this bacon and egg pie made with whole eggs and bacon baked into the filling! Of course, it would make a great lunch or dinner, as would these savoury cheese waffles.

Ingredients

You don't need any complicated ingredients to make quiche, but the list of simple ingredients is long because there are several components to the recipe: a crust, a savoury custard filling, and the veggies and cheese that garnish the filling.

• For the crust:
  • Flour—bleached all-purpose works great in doughs like this
  • Sugar—it isn't enough to make the crust sweet, but just a little sugar helps to bring out the flavours and also help with browning (sugar is optional and you can skip it if you want)
  • Salt—I use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt, but if you'd like to use regular table salt, use half the amount, otherwise the crust may be too salty
  • Butter, specifically unsalted butter, though salted will work too (adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly)
  • Cold water or even ice water to ensure that the butter stays cold, making it easier to handle and to create a flaky crust that isn't overly greasy.
• For the veggies:
  • Olive oil to sautée the garlic and veggies for the filling
  • Butter because I prefer to use a combination of oil and butter to sauter to bring more flavour
  • Garlic, fresh garlic that you chopped, or you can also use store-bought chopped garlic or even a spoonful of garlic paste if that's what you've got
  • Lots of Swiss chard because it sautées down quite a bit so you need to start with a lot to have enough to fill the pie crust.
• For the quiche custard
  • Eggs, specifically large eggs. If you use smaller or bigger eggs, you may have too much or too little to work with. It's not the end of the world, but the filling may not fit the crust quite right.
  • Cream
  • Milk
  • Salt and pepper
  • Spices, like crushed chilli flakes

See the recipe card for exact ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

Quiche is simple enough, but there are a lot of steps. There are four major parts to this recipe:

1. making the all-butter pie crust in a stand mixer
2. blind-baking the crust
3. preparing the filling (sautéeing the veggies to cook off the water and preparing the savoury custard base)
4. baking the quiche

After all that, you can eat it right away, after the pie has cooled down for 30 minutes to help the filling set up. I actually prefer to refrigerate the baked quiche overnight so that it slices neatly. You can then either reheat slices in the microwave or even serve it cold.

If making pie crust from scratch scares you, be sure to check out my pie crust masterclass!

All butter pie crust in stand mixer

The stand mixer helps you make a flaky pie crust easily! If you prefer, you can also make your pie crust in the food processor.

Mix the dry ingredients in your mixer bowl with the cubes of cold butter to form a crumbly mixture, and then incorporate the water to make a shaggy dough.

Dump the shaggy dough onto a big sheet of plastic wrap to shape it into one flat disk. Chill it for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.

Hint: Sometimes I use a stand mixer, other times a food processor to make the crust. You can also make the pie crust by hand.

Roll out chilled dough with a rolling pin on a floured surface.

Roll the dough to at least a 16-inch diameter in order to be able to line a 9-inch springform pan properly without stretching. If the dough is too soft or warm, transfer it to a parchment-lined sheet pan and chill it for 20 minutes or so to firm it up.

Fit the dough into the springform pan as best you can. It can be awkward but if you are patient, it will fit the pan snuggly from edge to edge.

Fit a crumpled piece of parchment paper across the pie dough for blind-baking.

Equipment note: I used a 9-inch springform pan that has 3 inch deep sides to bake this deep quiche. For blind baking, you will need pie weights, dried beans, sugar, or even an 8-inch cake pan with 3-inch sides to blind bake the crust.

Blind-baking the pie crust

It's better to take the time to blind-bake the crust for quiche to ensure it is baked completely on the bottom. Otherwise, if you don't blind-bake it, the bottom crust may be gummy or underbaked, and it won't brown.

Chill the unbaked crust in the freezer for 20 minutes to set and freeze the pastry. Then you can fill the parchment-lined pie crust with pie weights, dry beans, or even a tall 8-inch cake pan to weigh down the crust for blind-baking.

Blind bake the crust on a sheet pan with the weights until completely set, then remove the weights and parchment, and continue baking until the crust begins to turn a lovely golden brown.

Take your time to make the crust and fit it in the pan nicely. As you can see, I didn't line the pan evenly with pie dough and one side of my pie was taller than the other. This meant I couldn't use the full volume of filling and had to hold back 125 mL (½ cup) of the custard. Not the end of the world, but something to keep in mind when making and shaping the crust.

Hint: Remember to use your fridge or freezer at any point if the dough gets too warm, otherwise, you will struggle to line the pan with the pie dough. Cold dough is easier to work with and will hold its shape better.

Preparing the quiche filling

The veggies are sautéed to cook them and release the water. That water can make the quiche filling watery and give it a curdled appearance.

I like to hand chop the garlic for the filling, but by all means, you can use a garlic press, or even just use store bought chopped garlic or even garlic paste. Use as much or as little as you like. There is a lot of filling to flavour so you can be heavy-handed with the garlic and seasonings!

Sautée the garlic in a combination of olive oil and butter, bringing both flavour and a slightly higher heat tolerance so the butter won't burn.

Make sure to wash the Swiss chard for the filling very well. I like to inspect every leaf to check for bugs or cobwebs since I picked the Swiss chard from my garden. Dry the leaves well before proceeding.

Roughly chop the Swiss chard. You can keep it coarse with bigger pieces or chop it finer for a more refined filling.

Sautée the greens in the garlic, butter, and oil, using lots of salt and pepper. Since you have a large volume of Swiss chard, it won't all fit in the pan at once, so sautée a little at a time, adding more to the pan as the greens wilt down and make space. Eventually it will all fit in your 12 inch skillet as shown.

To make the savoury custard filling for quiche, you need to start with a lot of eggs. Crack them first into your mixing bowl, making sure to remove any broken pieces of shell before continuing.

Add cream, milk, and lots of seasoning to flavour the savoury custard.

The whisked custard filling for quiche should be completely smooth and homogenous (except for the flecks of pepper and spices). There should be no streaks of egg. If it doesn't look even and creamy, continue whisking. The goal is not to incorporate air, so just whisk gently to evenly incorporate and combine the egg, milk, and cream.

Seasoning the custard with salt not only adds flavour, it helps break up the globular proteins in the egg white so that the filling is more smooth and even. Diluting the eggs with milk and cream also has this effect on the egg proteins.

Filling the quiche and baking

There is an order to filling a quiche for success. You start first with all the add-ins (the sautéed veggies and the cheese), and then you pour the custard over them to fill the crust close to the top edge, but not overflowing. You can have a gap of a couple millimetres.

I start with a layer of Swiss chard at the bottom of the blind-baked crust.

Sprinkle cheese on top. Then repeat the process, layering the sautéed greens and shredded cheese until the pie crust is full.

Pour the custard over the filled pie crust, holding back about 250 mL (1 cup). Use a chopstick to help lift and move the greens gently to make sure the custard flows all the way to the bottom of the crust. Continue adding custard until the quiche crust is filled almost right up to the edge of the crust. Don't let it overflow and leave yourself a couple of millimetres at the top just so that you can move the quiche to the oven without spilling.

I bake quiches low and slow, especially when they are so tall. So, while the crust is baked at 375 °F (190 °C), the filled quiche is baked at 325 °F (160 °C). This allows the filling to stay creamy without curdling or becoming lumpy.

Tip: use a half sheet pan to bake the crust and the quiche—it helps you get the quiche in and out of the oven and is insurance in case the filling drips.

Quiche Baking Tip

If you aren't sure when a quiche is done baking, use the internal temperature as your guide. A quiche is done baking and perfectly set when it reaches somewhere between 74°C and 85°C (165°F and 185°F). I use a Thermapen to quickly check the temperature in the middle of the filling in seconds.

Blind-Baking Trick: Use a second cake pan to blind bake the crust instead of pie weights or dry beans. The cake pan is slightly smaller than the springform. For a crust baked in a 9-inch springform, I used an 8-inch professional cake pan with 3 inch sides. The pan supports the sides and weigh down the bottom of the pie shell as it blind bakes. This worked perfectly.

Serving and Storage

Serve slices of quiche with a lightly dressed fresh salad. A crisp and bright salad is a welcome contrast to a warm, creamy quiche that is quite rich.

Store your baked quiche covered in the refrigerator after unmoulding it and letting it cool down. I cover it with foil to protect it. I actually like to refrigerate quiche overnight before slicing it into portions that I can reheat during the week.

If you tried this recipe for deep dish quiche (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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Deep Dish Quiche With Swiss Chard And Cheese

Learn how to make a deep dish quiche with Swiss chard and cheese. The crust is made in a stand mixer with this easy recipe and it's blind-baked in a springform pan so that it is crisp and flaky!

Course Brunch, lunch

Cuisine French

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Chill time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 552kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• OXO kitchen scale
• Metal pie plate
• Pastry cutter
• 6-quart KitchenAid Pro mixer or a 5 quart mixer

Ingredients

All butter pie crust for quiche

• 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 173 grams unsalted butter cut into cubes, very cold
• 80 mL water cold

Quiche filling

• 675 grams Swiss chard washed and dried
• 2 garlic clove(s) peeled
• 15 mL extra-virgin olive oil
• 15 grams unsalted butter
• Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2.5 mL crushed hot pepper flakes
• 8 large egg(s)
• 250 mL whipping cream (35 % fat)
• 190 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• 120 grams shredded Jarlsberg cheese more or less

Metric - US

Instructions

All butter pie crust for quiche

• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt.
• Add the cold butter and mix it in to form a coarse crumble with thin sheets of butter.
• Add the water and stir it in on low until a shaggy dough forms.
• Shape the dough into a disk, then wrap it in plastic wrap.
• Chill the dough in the fridge for an hour or until quite firm.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it's a 16 inch diameter disk. If the dough is too warm and soft at this stage, slide it onto a parchment-lined sheet pan to chill until firm.
• Line a 9-inch (23-cm) springform with the dough, fitting it into the corners and up the sides evenly. It should fit the pan snuggly.
• Chill the dough in the pan for 30 minutes in the freezer. Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C) while the crust chills.
• Line the dough with parchment paper and completely fill with pie weights up to the top or weigh down with an 8-inch cake pan. Place on a half sheet pan.
• Blind bake the crust for 40 minutes.
• Remove the pie weights (or the cake pan weighing down the crust) and the parchment paper, and continue baking the crust until light golden brown (another 15 minutes or so).
• Set on a wire rack to cool.
• Lower the oven temperature to 325 °F (165 °C).

Quiche filling

• Roughly chop the Swiss chard into approximately 1-inch pieces (more or less). Set aside in a big bowl (or two).
• Finely chop the two garlic cloves.
• In a large non-stick fry pan, melt the butter with the oil on medium heat.
• Add the garlic and sautée lightly.
• Add a portion of the Swiss chard and season with salt and pepper. Stir until wilted, then add more.
• Continue cooking down and adding more chard to the pan until it's all cooked. Season often. Sprinkle with hot pepper flakes.
• Take the pan off the heat and set aside.
• Make the quiche custard by whisking the eggs with the cream and milk in a large bowl with a pouring spout. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Once the Swiss chard is cooked, the quiche custard is made, and the pie crust is blind baked, assemble the quiche.
• Layer the Swiss chard and shredded cheese alternately until the crust is filled almost to the top.
• Pour the quiche custard over the veggie filled pie. You can use a chopstick or a pairing knife to gently nudge the veggies to allow the custard to flow below them and fill the pie completely.
• Fill the pie crust almost to the top, but not overflowing. If you have too much filling, hold back some of the custard to bake in ramekins.
• Transfer the sheet pan with the quiche back to the oven at 325 °F and bake for 1.5 hours until golden brown and set.
• Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 263mg | Sodium: 664mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6687IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Deep Dish Quiche with Swiss Chard appeared first on The Bake School.

Waffle recipes are usually sweet (whether plain waffles or multigrain waffles topped with roasted rhubarb), but they can be savoury too! These cheese waffles are made with cheddar cheese, but you can get really creative with the ingredients and the toppings. Here’s how!

Ingredients

Savoury waffles are so versatile and so easy to make! Here's what you need to make this recipe:

• flour—I tested this recipe with bleached all-purpose flour, but it's likely that unbleached flour will also work fine
• salt & pepper—I used Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt to make the batter. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the waffles may be too salty.
• cheese—use a hard cheese that shreds nicely or alternatively, you can incorporate a crumbly cheese like feta (blotted dry to remove the brine) or even crumbled blue or goat's cheese
• milk—use whole milk (3.25 % fat) or partially skim milk
• eggs—this recipe was tested with large eggs
• butter—I used melted unsalted butter, but salted will also work. Adjust the salt added accordingly.

Please see the recipe card for exact ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

With a simple recipe like this, there's not much room for variation. Here are a few suggestions:

• eggs: You can make waffles with whole eggs, or lighten up the recipe by making waffle batter with egg whites only. Replace the 2 eggs with 100 grams egg whites (like Burnbrae’s Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, which come in a carton and are real, pasteurized egg whites)
• cheese: use flavourful cheeses, like strong cheddar cheese, aged cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, crumbly cheese like feta (blotted dry to remove the brain) or even crumbled blue or goat's cheese.
• spices: I kept this recipe, flavouring the waffles with salt and pepper, but feel free to incorporate other spices that you think may go with the cheese you've chosen, for example, chilli powder (for a tex-mex vibe) or chilli flakes to add some heat. You could then top them with avocado and a fried egg!

How to Make Cheesy Waffles

Step 1: Whisk the milk with the eggs (image 1). Separately whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a Danish dough whisk (image 2).

Step 2: Incorporate the shredded cheese with the dry ingredients so it's all coated and the pieces are all distinct and separated, then add the wet ingredients (image 4).

Step 3: Incorporate the melted butter (image 5). The waffle won't be very thick (image 6), so let it sit for 30 minutes before cooking.

Step 4: Preheat your waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions. I like to lightly brush the hot surface with canola oil (image 7) and use a 3-¼ ounce disher to scoop the waffle batter evenly (image 8).

Step 5: Cook the waffles until golden brown (image 9) and keep them warm in the oven (image 10) while you make the rest.

Tip: if you cook these on a standard waffle iron, you'll get about 8 waffles. If you cook them on a mini waffle iron, you'll probably get 14–16 waffles, and if you opt for a Belgian waffle maker, you may only get 4 of them since these irons require more batter per waffle because they are much thicker.

Savoury Toppings for Waffles

Get creative with your cheesy waffles! Savoury cheese waffles call for savoury toppings but you can also incorporate a little sweet too! Serve them with:

• Bacon and egg with maple syrup
• Fried chicken with maple syrup (for a play on chicken and waffles)
• Smoked salmon (or lox or gravlax), crème fraîche or sour cream, and a little caviar and capers
• Salad and/or fresh herbs like chopped chives, dill or watercress, drizzled with lemon juice and a little olive oil. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Sliced avocado and fried egg with a little chilli crisp

Waffle FAQs

Other Savoury Recipes

If you are looking for more savoury recipes, check out all these savoury baking ideas!

If you tried this recipe for savoury cheese waffles (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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Savoury Cheese Waffles

Here's an easy recipe for savoury cheddar cheese waffles made. These savoury waffles make a great lunch or light dinner served with a salad on top, or a salty-sweet breakfast with bacon or fried chicken and maple syrup.

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Rest 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 waffles

Calories 258kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Box grater
• Danish dough whisk
• Pastry brush
• Waffle maker

Ingredients

• 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 10 mL baking powder
• 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 85 grams shredded cheddar cheese
• 2.5 mL freshly ground black pepper
• 375 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• 2 large egg(s)
• 60 grams unsalted butter melted
• canola oil for brushing on the waffle iron

Metric - US

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, and pepper.
• In a separate bowl, combine the milk and eggs. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to combine into a batter. Fold in the melted butter. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Preheat the waffle iron. Brush a little canola oil on both sides of the waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions. Cook the waffles until they are a light golden. Do not let the waffles brown too much as the cheese will burn. 
• Serve the waffles with maple syrup or a light salad of mâche, chili pepper, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
• For lighter waffles, you can replace the two eggs in the batter with 100 grams of egg whites (like Burnbrae Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, found in the dairy fridge case at most grocery stores in Canada, usually on a shelf next to the cartons of eggs).
• You can replace the cheddar cheese with any grated semi-firm or hard cheese that is flavourful (like parmesan), or even a crumbled soft cheese like blue, goat, or feta cheese.
• To make these waffles, I used a very basic waffle iron that makes heart shaped waffles, similar to this one on Amazon.
• Serve these savoury waffles with eggs and bacon and maple syrup (for a salty-sweet breakfast) or even fried chicken (for a play on chicken and waffles). You can also serve them with smoked salmon and sour cream with chopped herbs (chives, dill, etc), or serve them plain with a lightly dressed salad for a light breakfast or lunch.
• Place finished waffles on a cooling rack over a baking sheet, then place in a warm oven, around 200 °F (93 °C). Note that if you pile the waffles on top of each other, they will become soft and may deflate. Keep them warm in a single layer to keep their texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 433IU | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 2mg

This post was sponsored by Burnbrae Farms. I was compensated monetarily and with product coupons.

The post Savoury Cheese Waffles appeared first on The Bake School.

If you like savoury pies, like this quiche with Swiss chard, you will love this bacon and egg pie. It is a breakfast pie like no other!

About ramps

Ramps (also known as wild garlic) are protected in Quebec, not endangered. You can forage for ramps and pick them for your own personal use, but you can't sell them.

You can only pick a small percentage of a patch, leaving behind the rest. It's also best practice to leave behind the roots and most of the small wild garlic bulbs to ensure that the patches of ramps continue to grow back from year to year.

It takes 7 years for wild garlic to grow from seed. No wonder they are protected! It's illegal to sell them in Quebec because of this. Given the surge in popularity of ramps and factoring in the time it takes to grow from seed, it's obvious why the restrictions are in place.

You can use ramps to make pesto, just like you would with garlic scapes or other flavour greens. I made two jars of ramp pesto with my bouquet of ramps, one of which went into this breakfast pie.

Breakfast pie is not quiche

This breakfast pie is an ode to the simple quintessential breakfast of bacon and eggs. This bacon and egg pie is not to be confused with a quiche. When you cut into this, the difference is obvious: a slice of this pie reveals whole, perfectly hard-cooked eggs hidden beneath the top crust (top crusts are another thing that quiches don't have). Quiche filling is made from whisked eggs and milk (or cream if you want to make the best quiche ever!), and this egg pie is made with whole eggs that are cracked directly into the blind-baked crust.

If making pie crust from scratch scares you, be sure to check out my pie crust masterclass, which includes video tutorials for making pie crust in the stand mixer, food processor, and by hand!

This bacon and egg pie is a labour of love, but I think that goes for most pies. It's not difficult, but it does take a little time and patience because there are quite a few more steps than the average cookie recipe. It's totally worth the extra time and effort.

I've made this pie twice:

• the first version I made had lardons and I followed the recipe almost exactly as written by Melissa Clark on the NY Times Cooking site.
• the second time, I modified the recipe ever so slightly:
  • I used my own pie dough recipe with less butter and more water
  • I opted for chopped pancetta as my "bacon of choice"
  • instead of spicy ketchup, I incorporated this wild garlic pesto

This is the perfect breakfast, brunch or lunch pie. I think this bacon and egg pie would make an excellent picnic food because it holds together so well. It's easy to serve and tastes great warm or cold.

What to do with pie dough scraps

Inevitably, when you make a pie, you will be left with a pile of pie dough scraps. Gather them up and press them together to shape them into a disk and use them to make pie crust cookies!

A few helpful resources

It doesn't take much, still, there are some tools to make pie that will make the task a little easier!

• Pie plates: I like to use dark metal pie plates, similar to this one found on Amazon
• Mini food processor: I've been using this KitchenAid food processor for over 5 years. It works well and you can order it from Amazon
• Stand mixer: the 5-quart Artisan stand mixer from Kitchenaid is available on Amazon
• Ceramic pie weights (or you can use dried beans): Amazon
• Rolling pin: I prefer the French-style rolling pin with tapered edges personally, like this one on Amazon

If you want to top the pie with a lattice crust, here's a video to show you how to make a lattice pie crust:

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Bacon and Egg Pie

This bacon and egg pie is breakfast in the form of a pie. It's got the classic breakfast stapes, bacon and eggs, baked between two crusts, flavoured with wild garlic (ramp) pesto. What's not to love?

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 slices

Calories 681kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• 5-quart KitchenAid Artisan mixer
• Metal pie plate
• Mini processor
• Rolling pin

Ingredients

For the double crust pie dough

• 312 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 173 grams unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
• 105 mL cold water

For the ramp pesto

• 1 bunch ramps 10-12, chopped (I used the leaves/stems only and left the bulbs in the ground
• 80 grams Spanish pine nuts lightly toasted in a dry skillet
• 25 grams grated parmigiano Regiano
• 83 mL extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground pepper

Bacon and egg filling

• 175 grams pancetta cut into small pieces
• 8 large egg(s)
• 75 mL whipping cream (35 % fat)
• 60 mL homemade ramp pesto plus optional 4 tablespoon extra for the top crust

Metric - US

Instructions

To make the double crust pie dough

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour and salt.
• Drop the cold cubes of butter into the bowl and mix them in for 60 to 90 seconds to form a coarse crumbly mixture.
• Drizzle the water into the bowl with the mixer running on low and continue to stir until a shaggy dough forms. Press it and shape into two disks and wrap with plastic wrap to chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

To make the pesto

• Place the ramps, pine nuts, and cheese in a small food processor or mini chop (I like mine from KitchenAid available on Amazon). Purée everything together until the mixture is fairly fine. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the pesto with salt and pepper. You might want to use more oil for a looser pesto. Use right away or store in a jar in the fridge.

To bake the pie

• Roll out one disk of dough so that it is about an inch larger all around than the top of the pie plate (so really, the diameter of the dough should be 2 inches bigger). Transfer the rolled dough to the pie plate and fit it into the corners and edges really well. Trim and tuck under the edges as necessary. Chill the unbaked pie for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C).
• While your pie crust is chilling, cook the chopped pancetta in a skillet. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.
• Just before blind-baking the pie crust, dock the crust with a fork, then place a sheet of parchment over the pie dough and fill with beans. Blind bake the pie as is for about 15 to 20 minutes, then carefully lift off the parchment and beans, then bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until the pie looks dry and just begins to colour.
• Take the pie plate out of the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 400 °F (200 °C).
• Spoon the cooked pancetta over the blind-baked pie crust.
• Crack the 8 eggs over top. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and 3 tablespoon of the pesto. Poor this over the seasoned eggs.
• Set this aside while you roll out the top crust to about ⅛ inch thick. Smear with pesto, about 4 tablespoons, if using (see note below). Cut into ½ inch strips. Working with 1 strip at a time, lift and twirl it from end to end, then twirl it in the centre of the pie, working from middle to outer edge in a spiral patter, gently tucking one end under the next strange ever slightly to hide the ends.
• Bake the pie for a good 45 minutes. The crust should be a deep golden brown.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
• The pesto brushed onto the strips of top crust before baking get very dark in the oven because the baking time is quite long in order to properly bake the crust. If this isn't something you want, simply spiral plain strips of dough on top of the pie and brush the crust with pesto as soon as you pull it out of the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 681kcal

Special thanks to Aimee of Simple Bites for sharing a bunch of ramps with me.

The post Bacon and egg pie appeared first on The Bake School.

These savoury date and chorizo loaf cakes are so easy to make, like any quick bread or savoury cake. The batter is mixed using the two bowl mixing method, also called the muffin method.

You can bake the recipe in a 9x5" loaf pan or split it into mini loaf pans to make  4 mini loaves. Up to you! In France, "un cake" is a French baking term, usually referring to any rectangular-shaped loaf cake, and "un cake salé" is a "salty" (read savoury) loaf cake. I've been meaning to delve into the realm of the "cake salé" for some time, and this recipe is what I came up with. Dates and chorizo are excellent together as the dates are super sweet and quite soft while the chewy Spanish chorizo is salty and a little spicy. This recipe is really easy to make and would be an excellent addition to breakfast or brunch.

Please note that if you want to bake this recipe in a standard 9x5" loaf pan, you will have to adjust the baking time and increase it to at least 45 to 60 minutes.

If you are a fan of this style of savoury loaf cake, check out these other savoury baking recipes, like these pizza muffins, which are a favourite of mine!

📖 Recipe

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Savoury Date and Chorizo Bread

Learn how to make a date and chorizo bread, a savoury bread with the perfect combination of salty and sweet flavours.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine French

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 377kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Ingredients

• 150 grams pitted dates chopped
• 208 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 10 mL baking powder
• 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 1.25 mL freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large egg(s) room temperature
• 166 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• 125 mL canola oil
• 150 grams spanish chorizo casing removed and chopped

Metric - US

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the four mini loaf pans by pressing a small sheet of parchment into each so that the inside walls and bottom are all covered. Set aside on a baking sheet for later.
• Combine the chopped dates with a couple spoonfulls of the measured flour. Toss them to coat, and make sure the bits of date aren’t stuck together. Set them aside.
• Whisk the baking powder, salt, and freshly ground pepper into the rest of the flour. Set the dry ingredients aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk until they are combined and a little frothy. Add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
• Slowly drizzle the grapeseed oil into the batter while whisking constantly.
• Switch to a wooden spoon and stir in the chopped chorizo and the prepared floured-dates (plus any flour at the bottom of the bowl).
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared loaf pans.
• Bake them until the tops begin to turn golden and the loaves are set. This takes about 50 minutes because they pans are very full (but check them every 10 minutes as of the 30 minute mark to be sure). Let them cool completely before serving.

Notes

This recipe can be made in 4 mini loaf pans or one regular loaf pan (8.5" x 4.5").

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 380mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg

This recipe is loosely adapted from the bacon and prune loaves recipe found in the "Coffret Mini-cakes - 1 livre de 50 recettes + 4 mini-moules à cake".

The post Savory date and chorizo bread appeared first on The Bake School.

Have you ever had a savoury muffin? They are SUPER EASY to throw together and you can get really creative with savoury muffins. For example, check out these pizza muffins, which are an excellent example of savoury baking!

These olilve muffins make the perfect "transportable" accompaniment to a picnic or a summer BBQ, and like most muffins, they are best served and eaten the day they are baked.

If you like savoury baking, check out these chilli cheddar cheese cornbread muffins, this bacon and egg pie, these pork and apple hand pies, or these date chorizo mini loaf cakes for more inspiration because trust me: once you start dabbling in savoury baked goods, you won't be able to stop!

Savoury muffins are delicious!

The most common question I get asked is what goes into a savoury muffin? Well, that's easy. You start with a muffin base that is much like a sweet muffin, but minus most (if not all) the sugar. A savoury muffin will have more salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Then, you throw in some savoury ingredients and toppings you actually like to eat.

I love to put some form of bacon, ham, capicollo, or chorizo in my savoury muffins. Not only do they provide some meatiness (duh!), but they also bring a good amount of salt and spice! Then I like to add chopped pickles (spicy or tangy) or olives (briny or not). Sometimes I add shredded cheese, crumbled feta or goat cheese. You can add some chopped spinach, herbs, or even bell pepper or corn! Really, you can come up with endless possibilities for your savoury muffins. This is why I love them so much.

What you need to make these

Savoury muffins are so much fun because there's a lot of room for creativity. To make these olive muffins, you will need:

• bleached all-purpose flour to give these muffins structure
• salt, preferably Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper because these are savoury muffins
• chemical leavening agents, specifically both baking powder and baking soda
• granulated sugar to bring a little moisture-binding to these muffins and also to balance the flavours
• cold cuts, like capicollo or pepperoni
• pimento olives or black olives work well in this recipe. Whatever olive you choose, make sure they are pitted!
• eggs—Iarge eggs preferably because smaller eggs may lead to drier muffins
• whole milk (3.25 % fat) and sour cream (14% fat)—baking with full-fat dairy ensures these muffins will stay moist
• melted butter, either salted or unsalted, though olive oil would work well too!

See recipe card for quantities.

Variations

• Cheese—feel free to fold in some shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled feta or goat's cheese before baking
• Spicy—you can incorporate fresh jalapeños, sliced or diced, or even some dried red chilli pepper flakes to make these muffins spicy.
• Vegetarian—skip the capicollo in these olive muffins and add more olives if you prefer or another vegetarian addition that you like. Diced smoked tofu, for example, could work well here!

Now tell me, what will you be adding to your next batch of savoury muffins?

📖 Recipe

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Savoury Olive Muffins

These olive muffins are made with capicollo and green pimento olives, but feel free to make them your with your favourite ingredients. Savoury muffins are so versatile because you can add all kinds of ingredients to them, like cold cuts, cheese, pickles, diced veggies, etc. 

Course Side

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes minutes

Total Time 43 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 291kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Muffin pan
• Parchment liners
• OXO balloon whisk
• 3-¼ oz scoop

Ingredients

• 375 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 5 mL freshly ground black pepper
• 15 mL baking powder
• 1.25 mL baking soda
• 15 mL granulated sugar
• 125 grams Maple Leaf Canadian Craft Montreal Steak Spice Capicollo 1 package, chopped into small pieces
• 100 grams pimento olives feel free to use shredded cheese instead, if you prefer, sliced
• 4 large egg(s)
• 188 ml whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• 188 ml sour cream (14% fat)
• 115 grams unsalted butter melted

Metric - US

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Line two muffin pans with 12 parchment liners (like these on Amazon). You can use regular muffin papers too, but you would need to spray them lightly with oil baking spray otherwise the muffins will stick to the paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, and granulated sugar. When the dry ingredients are well mixed, stir in the Maple Leaf Canadian Craft Montreal Steak Spice Capicollo and the olives (or cheese).
• Meanwhile in a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and sour cream until smooth. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients, along with the melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine (about 20–25 stirs—don't overmix!).
• Divide the muffin batter between the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 582mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 474IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg

This post is sponsored by Maple Leaf Foods to promote their latest line of products: Maple Leaf Canadian Craft. I was compensated monetarily. Thanks for supporting the companies that allow me to create content for Kitchen Heals Soul. As always, please know that I wouldn’t work with a sponsor nor recommend a product if it wasn’t worth it. 

The post Savoury olive muffins appeared first on The Bake School.

Remember, back in July, I vowed to do more gluten-free baking when I shared this gluten-free raspberry cake recipe? Well, now there are a few gluten-free recipes to peruse, like these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and this gluten-free lemon cake. Still, this is the first savoury gluten-free recipe on the blog.

The inspiration for this recipe came from all the autumn squashes at the market, and K's bumper crop of kale (thank you!). The crust is nutty and perfect for savoury tarts like these (crust recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma).

I filled the blind-baked shells with a ricotta cheese filling, lightly seasoned with honey, salt, and pepper, and topped them with cooked kale and roasted squash. And, of course, I finished these off with crumbled blue cheese and a drizzling of honey before serving.

Blue cheese and honey go so well together, and they make a really great addition to these savoury tarts. These tarts are a little nutty, a little salty, and a little sweet. They are full of autumn goodness.

Since the gluten-free tart crust has no gluten (duh!) and no real binding agent (no eggs or flax), the crust is delicate, especially when it's warm. You definitely have to unmold them when they've cooled off a bit, but if you are worried: either serve them directly in the tart molds or even unmold the blind-baked tart shells when they have completely cooled, then fill and garnish them cold. Read about how to remove a tart from of a tart pan if you are nervous.

All of the components are pre-cooked so finishing them in the oven really isn't necessary. Serve them warm or cold. It's up to you!

📖 Recipe

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Gluten-free Kale and Squash Tarts

This kale and squash tart is made with a gluten-free crust, so it's a little more delicate than a traditional crust made with regular all-purpose.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 352kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Ingredients

Gluten-free crust ingredients

• 70 grams millet flour
• 45 grams buckwheat flour
• 35 grams ground almonds
• 30 grams cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 tablespoon Stirling Creamery Churn 84 unsalted butter diced and kept cold
• 1 splash cold water if necessary

Roasted squash mixture ingredients

• 1 acorn squash peeled, seeded and cubed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Sauteed kale ingredients

• 100 grams kale stemmed and chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Ricotta filling ingredients

• 125 grams whole-fat ricotta ½ cup
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Salt & freshly ground pepper

Topping ingredients

• honey
• 50 grams blue cheese

Instructions

Make the crust

• Combine all the flours and cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Drop in the cold, diced butter and work it in with the palms of your hands until you have a sandy mixture. Add water, as needed, until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.

Roast the squash

• Prepare the squash filling by tossing the diced squash with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roasting it on a rimmed baking sheet for about 20 minutes at 400˚F.

Sautée the kale

• Cook the kale by sautéeing it on medium–high heat with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roll out, chill and blind-bake the tart shells

• Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C). When the dough is chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface (I floured it with millet flour) to an ⅛ inch thickness. Cut 6 circles that are about 5 inches in diameter. Transfer each to a greased/floured 4-inch tart pan with removable bottom (like these on Amazon) and press into the mold. Trim the edges and place the 6 lined tart pans on a baking sheet to chill for 15 minutes.
• Line each shell with a square of parchment and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment/weights and bake for an additional 5 minutes to cook the bottoms.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes to set the crust.

Fill the tart shells

• Divide the ricotta mixture among each, followed by the kale and the squash. Top with the crumbled blue cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes to melt the cheese and warm the tarts. Serve warm or chill to unmold and serve cold.
• Alternatively, you can completely cool the blind-baked tart shells then fill with the ricotta, kale and squash. Serve cold with crumbled blue cheese and a drizzling of honey.

Notes

For this recipe, I used this Castello Noble Blue blue cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcal

The post Gluten-free kale and squash tarts appeared first on The Bake School.