Zingerman’s Bakehouse, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is an institution. In celebrating its 25th anniversary, Zingerman’s has made it possible for bakers and cooks of all levels to bring a piece of the celebrated business into their kitchens. Zingerman’s Bakehouse by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo (Chronicle Books, October 2017), shares 65 meticulously tested, carefully detailed recipes in a beautiful hardcover book featuring more than 50 color photographs, illustrations and behind-the-scenes stories of their phenomenal business.
Since 1992, this artisanal bakery has fed millions of fans across the country with delicious breads and baked goods. But Zingerman’s Bakehouse is also part of a community of eight different businesses which includes the world-famous Zingerman’s Deli. In addition to baking up delicacies for the deli, the Bakehouse is known for their delicious cookies, pastries and coffee cakes, as well as Jewish favorites like hamantaschen, rugelach, and Jewish Rye bread. They also bake up unique variations on the traditional Challah such as Moroccan Challah and Raisin Turban Challah and a rare sabbath Cholent recipe.
Years of insights and what Zingerman’s refers to as “delicious mistakes” make these the best-of-their-kind recipes. Here’s a baker’s dozen of our favorites:
- Just Rhubarb Rhubarb Pie
- Dinkelbrot German Spelt Bread
- Bakehouse Bagels
- Sicilian Sesame Semolina Bread
- Focaccia with Gorgonzola and Caramelized Onions
- Somodi Kalács Transylvanian Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Bakehouse Brownies: Black Magic, Magic, and Buenos Aires
- Hunka Burnin’ Love Cake
- DetroitStyle Pizza
- Tunisian Orange and Olive Oil Cake
- Walnut and Current Rugelach
- French Crullers
- Bakehouse Blondies
In addition to chapters on how to set the stage for successful baking, the book showcases recipes perfect for any occasion or time of year.
Amy Emberling is a Managing Partner at Zingerman’s Bakehouse. She has been an avid food lover and baker since her childhood in Nova Scotia, Canada where she especially enjoyed feasting on wild blueberries and freshly steamed lobster. After high school Amy moved to Cambridge, MA, and when she wasn’t enjoying Boston bakeries and restaurants, she studied American social movements at Harvard College. She then followed her passion for food and learned to cook and bake at L’École de Gastronomie Française at the Ritz Hotel in Paris, France. Amy was one of the original bakers at Zingerman’s Bakehouse when it opened in 1992 and played a management role until 1996 when she left Ann Arbor for what she thought would be the rest of her life. After a few years’ hiatus, though, she returned to be a Zingerman’s partner in 2000. As well as leading the bakery, Amy teaches seminars with ZingTrain and is a partner in Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory. Her 25-year career in food is characterized by her passion for baking, teaching, and caring for her staff and community.
Frank Carollo is one of the founding Partners of Zingerman’s Bakehouse, one of the nine businesses in Zingerman’s Community of Businesses. His paternal grandparents came to Detroit from Sicily in the early part of the 20th century and his mother grew up in Austria. Frank was greatly influenced by the culinary traditions of his heritage. He came to Ann Arbor in 1972 to study Engineering. During his final term at the University of Michigan he got a job as a cook in a restaurant and his life was changed forever. The food business provided a means for Frank to connect his love for food, baking and European culinary tradition and his hard-wired desire to be organized and systematic. The end result has been great breads and pastries every day.
Antonis Achilleos is a food and lifestyle photographer based in New York City.
Taste the difference baking in a home kitchen can bring and try this delicious recipe for breakfast or any time.
BAKEHOUSE BROWMIES— BLACK MAGIC, MAGIC, AND BUENOS AIRES
MAKES 12 DELI-BIG BROWNIES
AMY: Our brownies are iconic Zingerman’s treats. Many Deli Reuben sandwiches are followed by one of these fudgy, rich brownies. They were first developed at Zingerman’s Delicatessen by Connie Gray Prig before the Bakehouse started and were simply referred to as Connie’s brownies. They made them Deli big, each a quarter pound. Just as popular as the brownies were the brownie trimmings—the crispy edges that the Deli bakers cut off and sold in bags. The Bakehouse later took over baking a handful of items that were being made at the Deli, brownies being one of them. I was confused by the brownie trimmings—I didn’t see a reason to have this “waste,” which was the result of baking brownies on sheet trays rather than in proper baking pans. If we just baked them in an appropriate pan, we could eliminate the unattractive edges. (I also prefer interior pieces, so I couldn’t imagine that anyone really liked the edges.) We made that change in 1995, and some customers still reminisce about the brownie edges! We soon developed other brownie flavors—coffee, raspberry, ginger— but simpler versions proved to be most popular. Here are our recipes for our biggest sellers.
Black Magic Brownies
Chopped unsweetened chocolate 1 cup plus 1 Tbsp 195 g
Unsalted butter 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp 195 g
Pastry flour 11/2 cups 218 g
Baking powder 1 tsp
Large eggs 4
Granulated sugar 23/4 cups 540 g
Sea salt 1 tsp
Vanilla extract 2 tsp
Magic Brownies
Walnut pieces 11/4 cups 150 g
Buenos Aires Brownies
Dulce de leche 3 cups plus 6 Tbsp 546 g
Demerara sugar for sprinkling top
Sea salt for sprinkling top (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Spray a 9-by-13-in [23-by-33-cm] pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the pastry flour and baking powder. Mix with a whisk to eliminate any lumps of fl our and to distribute the baking powder evenly.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat with a whisk until well combined and aerated, about 5 minutes. If you are using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment on medium speed for this step. Add the melted chocolate/butter mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine evenly. Stir in the dry ingredients, using a rubber spatula. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment for this step and mix on a low speed.
5. if you are making Black Magic Brownies, you are done mixing and can move to Step 6. If you are making Magic Brownies, toast the walnuts. Place the walnuts on a sheet tray in a 325-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they’re a deep golden brown. Let cool. Add the toasted walnuts to the batter and mix gently simply to distribute them evenly, then go to Step 6. For Buenos Aires Brownies, see the directions that follow.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Carefully spread it to the corners of the pan in an even layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center is clean.
7. Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack for at least an hour. Cut into 12 squares, using a sharp knife to avoid crushing the top. Chilling the brownies before cutting may help the squares look more beautiful, but they taste better at room temperature.
Buenos Aires Brownies
1. Warm the dulce de leche slightly, on the stove or in a microwave. This will make it more spreadable. Place two-thirds of the brownie batter in the pan and spread evenly to cover the bottom. Spread the dulce de leche out evenly over this layer of batter. Top with the remaining brownie batter and spread to cover the dulce de leche. Sprinkle the top with Demerara sugar. If you like sweet and salty desserts, also sprinkle with a little sea salt.
2. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Cool and then enjoy. These cut more easily if they are refrigerated.
DULCE DE LECHE
Unfamiliar with dulce de leche? It is a staple sweet spread, like a milk jam, used in South America in baking and as a condiment on things like bread and ice cream. It literally means “sweet of milk” and is made by slowly heating milk, sugar, and vanilla. The mixture thickens and then the sugars caramelize, and it turns a butterscotchy color. There are many recipes available to make it yourself.
Prefer to purchase it? Our favorite brand is La Salamandra from Argentina. They make it with only milk, sugar, and vanilla, no additives or preservatives. La Salamandra is located near the historic towns of Lujon and Capilla del Señor (50 miles from Buenos Aires). They use milk from their own grass-fed herds.
Zingerman’s Bakehouse By Amy Emberling & Frank Carollo Photographs by Antonis Achilleos Chronicle Books/October 2017 Hardcover/$29.95
Recipe from Zingerman’s Bakehouse by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo, Photo by Antonis Achilleos , Chronicle Books/October 2017