"Growing up in an Italian-American household meant bread on the table with every meal," says Gina M. Sarti of Malvern, Pennsylvania. "I've continued the family tradition by making my own bread to serve at dinner, although I don't always stick to Italian. These French loaves with a touch of honey are great with just about any dish, especially soups." 

2 cups warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope dry yeast
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon honey
5 cups (about) unbleached all purpose flour 

Mix 1/4 cup warm water and sugar in large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 8 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups warm water. Mix in butter, salt and honey. Using wooden spoon, stir in 4 cups flour.

Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form dough into ball. Butter large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then with clean towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough in half; roll each dough piece between hands and work surface into 9-inch-long loaf. Transfer loaves to baking sheet. Cover with plastic, then with towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°F. Make 5 diagonal slashes crosswise in surface of each loaf. Lightly brush water over tops and sides of loaves. Bake loaves 20 minutes, brushing occasionally with water. Continue baking until loaves are golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. 

Makes two 9-inch loaves.

Bon Appétit 
November 1999 
Gina M. Sarti, Malvern, PA 

POOH'S HONEY GINGERBREAD 

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup minced drained stem ginger in syrup
2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

Whipped cream
Chopped drained stem ginger in syrup 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8-inch square glass baking dish. Sift first 7 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in honey and 1/4 cup minced ginger. Beat in eggs. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Spread batter in prepared dish. Bake until gingerbread begins to pull away from sides of dish and is springy to touch, about 50 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares and topped with whipped cream and chopped ginger. 

Serves 6.

Bon Appétit 
May 1993 

POOH'S HONEY-GLAZED BAKED APPLES FILLED WITH DRIED FRUIT 

Using purchased mixed dried-fruit bits for the filling makes this comforting dessert a snap to prepare. 

4 large Golden Delicious apples (about 9 ounces each), unpeeled, cored
8 tablespoons mixed dried fruit bits
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
3 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each apple so that apples will stand upright. Place apples in 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish or 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Fill cored-out section of each apple with 2 tablespoons dried fruit bits. Pour apple juice around apples in dish. Drizzle honey over dried fruit filling and apples.

Bake apples until tender when pierced with skewer, basting frequently with pan juices, about 55 minutes. Serve warm, spooning pan juices over. 

Makes 4 Servings.

Per serving: calories, 170; total fat, 0; saturated fat, 0; cholesterol, 0 

Bon Appétit 
November 1999 
Cooking for Health 

POOH'S HONEY-GLAZED BUNNY ROLLS 
Rolls
1 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
a 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
2 large egg yolks
4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt

Glaze
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

12 dried currants, halved 

In a small saucepan, heat milk with honey, stirring, over low heat just until lukewarm and remove pan from heat. Stir in yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add butter and yolks, whisking until combined well.

Transfer milk mixture to bowl of a standing electric mixer (or to a large bowl, if kneading by hand). Add flour and salt gradually to milk mixture, stirring until incorporated. With dough hook, knead dough until smooth, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, dough may be kneaded by hand on a lightly floured surface until smooth, 10 to 15 minutes.)

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled large bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in refrigerator overnight, or until doubled in bulk. (Alternatively, dough may be allowed to rise in a warm place about 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.)

Grease 2 baking sheets. Punch down dough and divide into 12 pieces. Form each piece into an egg shape and transfer pieces to prepared baking sheets. Form a bunny tail on each piece by holding scissors, points down, perpendicular to baking sheet and making a 1/2-inch-long snip at base of wide end. Form 2 bunny ears on each piece by making a narrow 2-inch-long snip on each side, starting near wide end and cutting toward narrow end. Form eyes on each piece by making 2 holes in narrow end with a wooden pick and pressing a currant half firmly into each hole with pick.

Brush half of warm glaze on rolls and let rise, covered loosely with plastic wrap, in a warm place 45 minutes or less, or until doubled, in bulk (rising will take longer if dough is cold).

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat remaining glaze over low heat just until warm and brush rolls. Bake rolls in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets in oven halfway through baking, 20 minutes, or until golden, and transfer to racks to cool.

Serve rolls warm or at room temperature.

In a small saucepan, heat glaze ingredients over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted. Remove pan from heat and keep glaze warm, covered. 

Makes 12 Rolls.
Gourmet 
April 1995 

POOH'S HONEY-GRAHAM MUFFINS 

Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham flour
3/4 cup wheat germ, toasted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
 

Wet ingredients:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons low-fat butermilk
1/4 cup canola or corn oil
1 large egg
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a muffin tin with spray, oil, or butter and set aside.

2. Combine all the dry ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl.

3. Whisk together all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just untl evenly blended, using as few strokes as possible.

5. Fill each muffin cup with batter. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack. For optimal taste, let cool completely before serving.

Ed Farrey 
Houghton Mifflin 

POOH'S HONEY-GLAZED PECANS 

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 hr 
1/3 cup honey, warmed
1 cup pecans
1 tablespoon sugar 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together honey and pecans, tossing to coat well. Spread pecans in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in middle of oven 15 minutes, then stir and bake 5 minutes more.

Transfer while still warm to a sheet of parchment paper or foil and, working quickly, separate pecans with a fork. Cool completely (about 1 hour) and remove nuts from parchment, breaking up any large pieces.

Cooks' note:
. Pecans keep, layered between parchment or wax paper in an airtight container, at room temperature 3 days. 

Makes about 1 cup.

Gourmet 
November 2000 
Gourmet Entertains 

POOH'S LEMON-HONEY ALMOND CAKE

The cake has an appealing, somewhat coarse texture; drizzled with a honey-lemon syrup, the dessert is reminiscent of baklava. Both matzo meal and the more finely ground matzo cake meal are used here. 
For syrup
1 cup honey
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

For cake
2 cups almonds
2 cups sugar
1 cup matzo cake meal
1 cup matzo meal
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
6 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel 

Make syrup:
Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil 1 minute. Cool.

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan. Finely grind almonds and 1/2 cup sugar in processor; transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in matzo cake meal, matzo meal, cinnamon and allspice. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until very thick and pale in color, about 10 minutes. Beat in oil and lemon peel. Fold in almond mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cut hot cake into 32 squares; leave in pan. Drizzle cooled syrup over. Let stand until syrup is absorbed, at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool, cover and store at room temperature.) 

Makes about 32 squares. 

Bon Appétit 
April 1999 

POOH'S PUFF PASTRY BASKETS WITH HONEY MOUSSE AND ASSORTED FRUIT 
Sauce
2 large ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, sliced
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup (about) mango nectar

Mousse
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup honey
4 eggs yolks

2/3 cup chilled whipping cream
1/3 cup chilled crème fraîche or sour cream

Pastries
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground allspice
1 17 1/4-ounce package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, sliced
1 mango, halved, peeled, sliced
2 kiwi fruits, peeled, sliced
Fresh mint leaves 

For Sauce: Puree 2 mangoes and 2 tablespoons honey in processor. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. Add mango nectar as needed to thin to sauce consistency. (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
For Mousse: Place 1 tablespoon water in 1/4-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle gelatin over. Let soften 10 minutes. Whisk honey and yolks in small metal bowl. Set bowl over large saucepan halfway filled with boiling water. Cook until mixture registers 160°F. on candy thermometer, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add gelatin mixture and whisk until honey mixture is cool.
Beat whipping cream and crème fraîche in large bowl to medium-stiff peaks. Add honey mixture and fold together gently. Cover and refrigerate mousse until set, at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

For Pastries: Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine sugar and ground all-spice in small bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture over 1 puff pastry sheet. Roll out on lightly floured surface to 13x12-inch rectangle. Trim to 10-inch square. Cut puff pastry sheet into quarters, forming four 5-inch squares. Fold 1 dough square diagonally in half to form triangle. Starting at folded side, cut 1/2-inch border strip on both unfolded sides of triangle, leaving 1/2 inch of dough uncut at triangle point so that strips remain attached. Unfold triangle. Brush 1/2-inch-wide border strips with water. Lift up both loose corner tips, slip one under the other and place border strips atop edges of base, gently pulling to match corners on base. Press border onto base to adhere. Sprinkle more sugar mixture over border. Transfer pastry to cookie sheet. Pierce center all over with fork. Repeat with remaining pastry squares and pastry sheet and sugar mixture. Bake pastries until golden brown, piercing centers with knife if puffy, about 20 minutes. Transfer pastries to rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Store in air-tight container at room temperature.)

Spoon sauce onto plates. Spoon honey mousse into pastry baskets and arrange atop sauce. Top mousse with slices of pineapple, mango and kiwi fruit. Garnish each dessert with fresh mint leaves and serve. 

Serves 6.
Bon Appétit 
May 1992 

POOH'S PUMPKIN-HONEY CAKE 
For cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs

For frosting
1 pound Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon (scant) ground allspice
1 cup chilled whipping cream 

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with foil, leaving overhang on short sides; butter and flour foil. Sift 2 1/4 cups flour and next 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Whisk pumpkin, sour cream, honey and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with pumpkin mixture. 

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. 

Make frosting:
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1/3 cup pumpkin, honey and allspice in large bowl until fluffy. Beat whipping cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in 2 additions. Spoon 1 1/2 cups frosting into small bowl to use for decorating; cover and refrigerate.

Using foil as aid, lift cake onto work surface. Cut cake crosswise into three 10 x 4-inch rectangles (reserve remaining cake for another use). Slide spatula under 1 rectangle; transfer cake to platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with second cake. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with third cake. Spread 1 cup frosting in thin layer over top and sides of cake to anchor crumbs. Chill 1 hour.

Spread remaining frosting from large bowl decoratively onto sides of cake. Spoon 3/4 cup reserved frosting from small bowl into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe frosting in diagonal lines on top of cake, spacing about 3/4 inch apart. Squeeze frosting from pastry bag back into small bowl of frosting. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup pumpkin. Spoon pumpkin frosting into pastry bag and pipe lines of shells or rosettes between frosting lines on cake. Refrigerate until frosting sets, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with foil dome and keep refrigerated. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.) 

Serves 10 to 12.
Bon Appétit 
November 1998 

POOH'S SIMPLEST CHOCOLATE HONEY MOUSSE 

Sweetening the mousse with honey adds a Provençal touch to a classic French dessert. 

2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate,
 chopped
5 tablespoons honey 

Stir 3/4 cup cream, chocolate and honey in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally.

In large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Divide mousse among eight 3/4-cup ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Whip remaining 1/2 cup cream to firm peaks. Spoon a dollop of cream in center of each mousse. 

Serves 8.

Bon Appétit 
May 1995 
Marilyn Hill 

POOH'S STRAWBERRY HONEY BUTTER 

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time. 

1 pint strawberries, hulled
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened 

In a food processor purée the strawberries and force the purée through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Add the honey and the lemon juice and boil the mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until it is thickened. Let the strawberry mixture cool to room temperature. In a bowl cream together the butter and the strawberry mixture. Let the butter stand, covered, in a cool place for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. Serve the butter with croissants or toast. 

Gourmet 
May 1990