‘The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook' keeps scratch baking alive

The Days will be traveling around metro Atlanta on March 24-26 for book signings and chef demonstrations.

Recently, I caught up with Cheryl by phone to ask her more about the bakery and the book.

As it turns out, Cheryl grew up in Los Angeles, where she was a regular dancer on the “Soul Train” TV show.

“Back in the early '70s, I danced on Soul Train for several years,” she said. “It was late junior high through high school, until I decided it wasn’t cool anymore. But it was so much fun. Who doesn’t want to dance as a teenager?”

Cheryl’s love of scratch baking came from her mother and grandmother, who were from Alabama. And her transformation from home baker to professional baker came under the tutelage of Jane Thompson, who owned Mondo Bakery in Atlanta.

Here’s more of our conversation.

Q: Back in the Day is definitely known as a Southern bakery, but you’re from Los Angeles. What gives?

A: My mother was very dedicated to teaching us about her Southern roots. That was part of our lifestyle growing up in Los Angeles. She wanted to make sure that my sister and I understood where she came from, and we spent summers in Alabama with my grandmother.

Q: How did your grandmother influence you?

A: My grandmother was an amazing Southern cook and especially a baker. I was fascinated by baking with her from day one. She taught me how to bake from scratch. And she taught me so many life lessons through baking that I still use in the bakery today — things about being patient and precise and not rushing things.

Q: What did you make with your grandmother?

A: The first thing we ever made was Chocolate Heaven Cake, which is in the cookbook. And then we made biscuits a lot. I fell in love with things that were made by hand. The things she made just had a special taste. I liked to think of that as all the love she baked with. And I always had fond memories of her baking and telling stories. I come from a long line of storytellers. I like to think of myself as part baker and part storyteller. That’s how the whole idea for the book came about.

Q: How does that translate to the cookbook?

A: We’re dedicated to keeping the art of scratch baking alive. That was another reason we wanted to write the book. People are so afraid of baking. People have pie crust fear and cake fear. But we are both self-taught. And we wanted to show people that, with patience and a few simple techniques, you can have success and bragging rights. You do need to go through certain procedures to get to “the method to the magic,” which is one of my favorite sections of the book.

Q: In the intro, you talk about Jane Thompson and Mondo Bakery in Atlanta. How did she influence you?

A: Jane was our mentor. She was an excellent teacher. We were home bakers, but we were smart enough to get with Jane. We spent time with her at Mondo. She came and worked with us and helped us with the transition from being home bakers to actually doing it and opening a bakery. Mondo was just amazing — unmatched to me to this day. When people come into our bakery, they see a little Mondo vibe happening here.

Q: Back in the Day has become a fixture in Savannah now, but 10 years ago you took a chance opening in Starland, and now you’ve seen the area change. What’s that been like?

A: People told us we were crazy. I think sometimes people think I grew up in a transitional neighborhood. I grew up in Santa Monica [laughs]. But we were determined to be a neighborhood bakery, it was centrally located, and we could afford it, so we just took a leap of faith.

Q: And then you and Griff got married in the bakery?

A: It wasn’t planned. We had a friend and good customer who was a judge and he just performed the ceremony one day. We got married in our aprons with no pomp and circumstance. But it was so appropriate because we are so passionate about what we do. And I couldn’t think of a better place to do it.

Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook signing, Free. 7 p.m. March 24, Eagle Eye Book Shop, 2076 North Decatur Road, Decatur, 404-486-0307, www.eagleeyebooks.com.

Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook demonstration and book signing, $20, sign-up required. 7 p.m. March 26, Cook’s Warehouse East Cobb, 1311 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta. 770-565-8005, www.cookswarehouse.com

Recipes

These recipes, adapted from “The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook” (Artisan, $24.95), are filled with sweet and savory Southern goodness.

Buttermilk Biscones

Hands on time: 20 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes 10 to 12 biscones

A cross between biscuits and scones, “biscones” are made with Southern flair, using lots of butter and a mix of all-purpose and cake flours to get as close as possible to the White Lily flour Cheryl’s grandma Hannah favored. If you’re lucky enough to find White Lily, substitute 3 cups of it for the flours called for here. You’ll end up with a crispy, flaky biscones just like grandma used to bake.

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup dried fruit, such as sour cherries or currants (optional)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg, beaten with a pinch of fine sea salt, for egg wash

1/4 cup cardamom sugar (see recipe below)

or coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom and whisk until completely incorporated. Add the butter and, working quickly, cut it in with a pastry blender. You should have various-sized pieces of butter, from sandy patches to pea-sized chunks, and some larger bits as well. Add the dried fruit, if using, and toss to distribute it evenly.

Gradually pour in the buttermilk and gently fold the ingredients until you have a soft dough and there are no bits of flour in the bottom of the bowl. You should still see lumps of butter in the dough; these will give you light and flaky biscones. If the dough seems dry, you may need to add a little more buttermilk. The dough should be moist and slightly sticky.

Gently pat down the dough with your hands right in the bowl until it resembles a loaf of bread. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, and arrange them about 1 inch apart so that the biscones have room to rise and puff up. Lightly tap down the tops of the biscones.

Brush the tops of the biscones liberally with egg wash. Sprinkle with Cardamom Sugar or sanding sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking, until the biscones are lightly golden and fully baked. Serve warm or at room temperature. These are best eaten the day they are made.

Per biscone: 378 calories (percent of calories from fat, 46), 6 grams protein, 46 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 20 grams fat (12 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 484 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from “The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook” (Artisan, $24.95)

Sugar and Spice Flavored Sugars

Hands on time: 5 minutes Total time: 5 minutes plus two weeks for “curing”

Makes One Quart

Flavored sugars add another dimension of taste and texture to scones, muffins, pies and cobblers — and even to your morning tea or coffee. They are easy to make at home. Fill a 1-quart Mason jar with granulated sugar and add your choice of the following flavors.

For Vanilla Sugar, split 2 vanilla beans in half and scrape the seeds into the sugar. Add the bean pods and seal tightly with the lid. The flavor will be more pronounced if you wait 2 weeks before using. You can keep this sugar almost indefinitely in the airtight jar; just replenish with more sugar after each use. The vanilla beans should stay fragrant for up to 1 year.

For Cinnamon Sugar, add 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon and 2 to 3 cinnamon sticks to the sugar and seal tightly. Store for up to 1 year.

For Cardamom Sugar, add 1/2 cup whole green cardamom pods to the sugar. Seal the jar and store for up to 1 year.

Per 1-teaspoon serving: 16 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), no protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, trace sodium.

Adapted from “The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook” (Artisan, $24.95)

Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Cobbler

Hands on time: 40 minutes Total time: 65 minutes

Serves 8

Nostalgia comes in many forms. For Griff Day, who was born in Minnesota — the capital of the hot dish — nothing is more comforting than a warm casserole. With that memory in mind, he makes a chicken cobbler that hits the sweet spot where the chicken and vegetables are seasoned just right. Instead of using a traditional potpie crust, he tops it off with buttery biscones.

For the Filling

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup finely diced yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

5 cups reduced-sodium canned chicken broth

3 peeled carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 celery ribs, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

5 cups store-bought roasted chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces (one 2-pound chicken)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

One 8-ounce package frozen pearl onions, thawed

1 teaspoon fennel pollen

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground sage

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For the Topping

1 recipe Buttermilk Biscones, made without the dried fruit, egg wash, and sanding sugar, unbaked

1/4 cup buttermilk

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish.

To make the filling: In a large pot over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the diced onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth, carrots, celery, salt and pepper, lower the heat to low-medium, partially cover the pot and simmer, stirring constantly for 15 minutes.

Stir in the cream, raise the heat to medium, and cook, covered, until all the vegetables are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend the remaining 8 tablespoons butter and the flour in a small bowl to make a smooth paste.

When the vegetables are tender, lower the heat and whisk the flour paste bit by bit into the broth until combined. Add the roasted chicken, peas, corn, pearl onions, fennel pollen, thyme, sage, cayenne, and nutmeg, cover the pot, and let the filling simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the filling to the prepared baking dish. Arrange the unbaked biscones over the filling, leaving about 1/4-inch between them. Brush the biscones with the buttermilk and bake for 20 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 971 calories (percent of calories from fat, 57), 30 grams protein, 80 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 64 grams fat (37 grams saturated), 232 milligrams cholesterol, 1,040 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from “The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook” (Artisan, $24.95)

Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hands on time: 40 minutes Total Time: 2 hours including time for cooling the cakes

Serves 12

Spiced with cinnamon and studded with pecans, this cake is a true Southern classic. Bananas and pineapple give it a luscious texture, and its flavors mingle and grow more intense the day after baking.

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/4 cups canola oil

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 5 large bananas)

One 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (page 81)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment and butter it as well. Lightly dust the pans with flour, tapping the pans on the counter to shake out the excess.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, mace and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), beat both sugars with the oil for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, bananas, and pineapple, mixing until just combined. On low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds, beating until combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Fold in 1/2 cup of the pecans.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Tap the pans firmly on the countertop to remove any air bubbles from the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes, then remove the layers from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

To assemble the cake: Level the top of one of the layers with a serrated knife so it is flat. Place it cut side down on a serving plate. Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, spread the top of the layer with frosting to cover. Place the second cake layer on top, right side up, and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Decorate the sides of the cake with the remaining 1 cup of pecans. The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes about 5 cups

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature

Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, cut into chunks, at room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

5 to 6 cups confectioners’ sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. The frosting can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon when you add the confectioners’ sugar.

Per serving: 988 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 9 grams protein, 118 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 55 grams fat (16 grams saturated), 116 milligrams cholesterol, 397 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from “The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook” (Artisan, $24.95)