If you live in New York, or are a bread aficionado, chances are you know all about Amy’s Bread. With three retail locations and a thriving wholesale business that fills the bread baskets of many of New York’s finest restaurants, Amy’s Bread has become a real
institution. But while Amy’s Bread is famous for its bread (Oh, that fennel-raisin semolina bread! Oh, those olive twists!), they also make some really wonderful sweets – old-fashioned layer cakes, over-sized cookies, bars and flaky pastries. Happily, Amy Scherber,
the Amy in Amy’s Bread, released a book featuring recipes for some of their most popular sweets a few years ago. The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread (Wiley, 2008), co-written with Toy Dupree, is one of those books that, as you flip through it, inspires you to jump in the
kitchen and make everything on the spot. I haven’t gotten there yet, but I did manage to make a batch of Amy’s incredible Cinnamon Raisin Twists. The twist shape is the signature of many of Amy’s bread and sweets. Tender, moist and cinnamon-y, these twists have
a sweet icing drizzled on top and are a match made in heaven for a cup of strong coffee. As you knead the dough, try to resist the urge to add a lot of flour, as this will just toughen the twists. Eat the twists the day they’re made to enjoy them at their best. But that shouldn’t be a problem.
