We are told that wealth is a measure of contribution. The richer a person becomes, the more they must have given to society. This is one of the founding myths of capitalism. It is repeated so often that many people accept it without thinking. Schoolchildren are taught that great fortunes are the reward for hard work, intelligence, innovation, and risk. Newspapers celebrate billionaires as visionaries. Politicians praise entrepreneurs as wealth creators. Business commentators speak of fortunes as though they emerged from the mind of a single genius rather than from the labour of millions.

With discussion around Elon Musk becoming the world’s first trillionaire, we are witnessing this mythology in its purest form. A trillion dollars is such a vast sum that it barely registers as a real quantity. Most people cannot imagine a million dollars. A billion is one thousand times larger. A trillion is one thousand billions. The figure slips beyond ordinary understanding. That is precisely why it deserves examination.

A trillionaire does not represent the triumph of human potential. It represents a historic failure of human society. The existence of a trillionaire demonstrates that the wealth produced by countless workers has been concentrated into the hands of one individual on a scale without precedent. It reveals a world where economic power has become so centralised that a single person can command resources greater than those available to many nations. It exposes the absurdity of a system that struggles to house, feed, educate, and care for billions while allowing one man to accumulate wealth beyond any conceivable personal use. The question is not whether Elon Musk deserves a trillion dollars. The question is how any human being can possess such wealth while millions remain trapped in poverty and insecurity.

Supporters of Musk often present him as a self-made man. This narrative collapses under scrutiny. Like every capitalist, Musk’s fortune depends on the labour of others. Cars are not produced by CEOs. Rockets are not assembled by shareholders. Satellites are not launched by investors. Every product associated with Musk emerges from the collective work of engineers, technicians, cleaners, warehouse workers, coders, miners, drivers, administrators, and countless others spread across global supply chains. The workers create the value. Capitalism ensures that a portion of that value is appropriated by those who own. This is the foundation of the system. It is not a flaw. It is its organising principle.

Workers sell their labour because they must survive. Owners purchase labour because it generates profit. The difference between what workers are paid and the value they produce becomes the source of accumulated wealth. The billionaire does not become rich despite workers. The billionaire becomes rich because workers exist. A trillionaire therefore represents an immense transfer of wealth from labour to capital. Every increase in personal fortune reflects social wealth flowing upward. Every surge in stock valuation signals the expansion of ownership claims over the productive efforts of others.

When people speak about Musk’s wealth, they often point out that much of it exists in shares rather than cash. This observation is supposed to reassure us. It misses the point entirely. Ownership itself is power. A billionaire does not need a vault filled with banknotes. Ownership grants command over resources, workplaces, technologies, land, infrastructure, and labour. A share certificate is not merely a financial instrument. It is a legal claim on the wealth produced by others.

The distinction between cash and shares matters little to those whose lives are shaped by the decisions of corporations. Workers can lose jobs because of shareholder demands. Communities can be transformed by investment decisions. Governments can be pressured by wealthy investors threatening capital flight. The power is real regardless of the form it takes.

Musk’s rise also reveals how modern capitalism has transformed celebrity into an economic force. Earlier generations of industrialists often remained distant figures. Today’s billionaires cultivate public identities. They present themselves as rebels, outsiders, innovators, or visionaries. Social media has allowed wealthy individuals to bypass traditional gatekeepers and communicate directly with millions. This creates a dangerous illusion. People begin to identify with billionaires rather than with their fellow workers. Workers earning ordinary wages defend the interests of men whose fortunes exceed the economic output of entire countries. People struggling with rent celebrate stock market gains that bring them no benefit. Citizens facing stagnant wages cheer the accumulation of wealth that deepens social inequality. The billionaire becomes a character in a story rather than a participant in a class relationship.

This confusion is politically useful. A population that admires the rich is less likely to question the structures that make extreme wealth possible. The focus shifts from exploitation to personality. Critics are invited to debate whether Musk is clever, eccentric, rude, entertaining, innovative, or controversial. The economic system itself escapes scrutiny. Yet no amount of personality can explain a trillion-dollar fortune.

The reality is that capitalism naturally concentrates wealth. Competition eliminates weaker firms. Successful companies absorb rivals. Markets become dominated by fewer players. Capital accumulates. Wealth generates more wealth. Ownership expands. Economic power becomes increasingly centralised. This tendency has been observed for centuries. It is visible everywhere. Small businesses disappear while giant corporations expand across continents. Local economies become subordinate to multinational firms. Financial institutions grow larger and more interconnected. The rich become richer because wealth itself creates advantages unavailable to everyone else.The emergence of a trillionaire is therefore not an accident. It is a logical outcome of capitalist development.

Defenders of the system often argue that extreme wealth benefits everyone because successful entrepreneurs drive innovation. Without billionaires, we are told, society would stagnate. This argument rests on a profound misunderstanding of how innovation actually occurs. Scientific breakthroughs emerge from collective effort. Research depends on generations of accumulated knowledge. Universities train scientists. Public institutions fund basic research. Workers develop technologies. Engineers solve practical problems. Ideas circulate through society. The myth of the lone genius obscures this reality.

Even the technologies associated with Musk rely heavily on public investment and collective knowledge. The internet, satellite systems, computing technologies, battery research, aerospace engineering, and countless other innovations emerged through decades of social effort. No individual invented them alone. The billionaire arrives at the end of the process and claims ownership.

Capitalism rewards ownership far more generously than contribution. A nurse contributes more to society than a hedge fund manager. A sanitation worker contributes more to public health than a venture capitalist. A teacher contributes more to human development than a speculator. Yet wealth flows overwhelmingly toward ownership rather than social usefulness. This contradiction lies at the heart of the system. The trillionaire embodies it in its most extreme form.

There is also a deeper moral question. What kind of society permits such concentrations of wealth while basic needs remain unmet? Across the world, people struggle to obtain housing, healthcare, education, clean water, and food security. Millions live under constant economic pressure. Entire regions face ecological devastation. Public infrastructure deteriorates. Social services are cut in the name of fiscal responsibility. Governments routinely claim there is insufficient money to address these problems. Yet somehow enough wealth exists for individuals to accumulate fortunes measured in hundreds of billions.

The issue is not scarcity. The issue is distribution. Humanity already possesses the productive capacity to ensure a decent standard of living for everyone. The obstacle is not technological. It is political and economic. Resources are allocated according to profit rather than need. Production serves markets rather than communities. Human welfare remains subordinate to private accumulation. The existence of a trillionaire makes this contradiction impossible to ignore.

Anarchists have long argued that concentrated wealth and concentrated power are inseparable. Economic domination inevitably produces political domination. Those who control resources acquire influence over governments, media institutions, public discourse, and social priorities. This influence does not require conspiracy. A billionaire can shape society simply through ordinary decisions. Investment choices affect employment. Ownership influences information flows. Political donations affect policy. Corporate lobbying shapes legislation. Media platforms alter public discussion. Power follows property. This is why anarchists reject the distinction often made between economic and political authority. A boss who controls access to wages possesses power. A landlord who controls access to housing possesses power. A billionaire who controls vast resources possesses power. The fact that such authority emerges through markets rather than elections does not make it less significant. Freedom becomes hollow when survival depends upon institutions controlled by others. The billionaire class therefore represents more than economic inequality. It represents a form of social domination.

Supporters of Musk frequently point to his ambitions regarding space exploration, artificial intelligence, and technological progress. They argue that history advances because extraordinary individuals pursue extraordinary projects. Yet this argument quietly assumes that humanity requires rulers. It assumes that collective intelligence is incapable of organising complex activity without wealthy patrons. It assumes that workers can build rockets but cannot democratically determine social priorities. It assumes that innovation requires hierarchy. It assumes that progress depends upon concentrated ownership. Anarchists reject these assumptions. People cooperate every day without billionaires directing them. Scientific communities exchange knowledge across borders. Workers coordinate vast production systems. Mutual aid networks emerge during crises. Communities organise themselves whenever institutions fail. Human beings possess extraordinary capacities for cooperation.

A world organised around human need would direct resources toward collective flourishing. Housing would be treated as a necessity rather than an investment vehicle. Healthcare would be available to all. Production would be shaped by ecological realities rather than shareholder demands. Technology would serve communities rather than private fortunes. In such a society, the appearance of a trillionaire would be regarded as evidence of dysfunction rather than achievement.

Future generations may look back upon our era with astonishment. They may struggle to understand how societies tolerated such extremes. They may find it strange that people celebrated individuals whose fortunes exceeded the budgets of nations while children went hungry and families slept in cars. They may wonder why journalists wrote admiring profiles of billionaires instead of questioning the institutions that produced them. Perhaps they will see trillionaires the way we see hereditary aristocrats. For centuries, kings and nobles claimed that their privileges were natural, necessary, and beneficial. Entire societies were organised around these assumptions. Today those claims appear absurd. The billionaire class rests upon similarly fragile foundations. Its power depends upon social acceptance. Its legitimacy depends upon stories. People must believe that extreme wealth reflects merit. They must believe that hierarchy is natural. They must believe that ownership confers moral authority. Once those beliefs begin to crack, the system becomes harder to defend.

Elon Musk becoming the world’s first trillionaire is celebrated across financial markets. Investors cheer. Business magazines will undoubtedly produce commemorative covers. Commentators will describe a historic milestone. Workers should see something different. They should see a measure of how much wealth has been extracted from collective labour. They should see a reminder that capitalism rewards ownership more lavishly than work. They should see evidence that economic power has become dangerously concentrated. Most importantly, they should refuse the invitation to admire their oppressors.

The wealthy are not our role models. They are not proof that the system works. They are proof of who the system works for. A trillionaire is not the symbol of a successful society. A trillionaire is the symbol of a society that has allowed wealth, power, and human possibility to be monopolised by a tiny ruling class while the vast majority produce the world and receive only a fraction of what they create. The proper response is neither envy nor admiration. It is opposition.

Ingrédients

• 750 g de farine
• 43 cl (+/- 10) de lait frais
• 30 g de levure fraîche
• 100 g sucre
• 100 g de beurre
• 1 gros œuf fermier (60 g)
• 1 zeste de citron bio râpé
• 50 g raisins secs
• 25 g de rhum brun (facultatif)
• 12 g de sel
• 1 jaune d’œuf pour dorer

Instructions

1. Si vous optez pour la version avec raisins secs au rhum, faire macérer les raisins quelques heures ou même la veille dans du rhum brun. En principe les raisins devraient complétement absorber l’alcool, qui lui, va complétement disparaître lors de la cuisson et ne laisser que les parfums.
2. Dans le bol du pétrin, verser le lait tempéré à 20°C, ajouter la levure et la faire fondre.
3. Verser la farine par-dessus ainsi que l’œuf et le sucre. Il est très important de ne pas mettre la levure en contact direct avec le sel, au risque de la détruire.
4. Démarrer le pétrissage en 1ère vitesse pendant 2 à 3 minutes, jusqu’à ce que la pâte de forme puis ajouter le sel à ce stade
5. Démarrer la 2ème vitesse et pétrir la pâte pendant 5 minutes jusqu’à ce que la pâte se décolle des bords du récipient. Cette opération permet de rendre la pâte élastique et de lui incorporer l’air nécessaire au développement de la levure.
6. Puis est venu le moment d’ajouter le beurre. Le beurre doit être froid mais pas glacé, à température ambiante est le mieux, mais surtout pas liquide. L’ajouter par petites portions et continuer le pétrissage pendant 4 à 5 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que la pâte se décolle des bords du récipient et devienne lisse, souple et élastique.
7. Si vous avez opté pour les raisins secs, au rhum ou pas rhum, c’est maintenant qui faudra les mettre et continuer le pétrissage pour encore 1 à 2 minutes.
8. Lorsque le pétrissage est terminé, faire une belle boule avec cette pâte puis la réserver dans un grand bol, à couvert, pour le pointage à température ambiante, ceci pour 60 à 90 minutes, ce qui permet à la levure de commencer son action.
9. Une fois la pâte bien développée, lui donner un rabat (la plier en 4) et la remettre dans le bol puis déposer le au réfrigérateur pendant une heure environ.
10. Le temps étant écoulé, déposer la pâte sur le plan de travail et la diviser en deux parts, les bouler très légèrement et les laisser se détendre sous un torchon pendant 10 minutes.
11. Reprendre les pâtons et les façonner en long, de la grandeur des moules, ici 25 cm.
12. Les déposer dans les moules beurrés et farinés ou comme ici, recouvert d’un papier sulfurisé et les faire pousser dans un endroit chaud (28°C), recouverts d’une feuille plastique, pour une bonne heure de pointage. Il faut un développement maximal pour ce genre de gâteau.
13. Préchauffer le four à 180°C, dorer les brioches avec de l’œuf battu, puis avec une paire de ciseau, les entailler profondément 5 à 6 fois afin d’obtenir les pointes caractéristiques des taillaules.
14. Enfourner pour 30 à 35 minutes tout en surveillant régulièrement la cuisson et sitôt cuites, les démouler et les refroidir sur une grille.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 equal pieces
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (63 g) buckwheat flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
• 6oz. bittersweet chocolate (65–75% cacao) bars or wafers (disks, pistoles, fèves)
• ⅔ cup (133 g; packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat ½ cup (1 stick) butter in a small saucepan over the lowest heat possible until melted (you don’t want it to sputter or brown), about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (63 grams) buckwheat flour, ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, and 1¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl.
3. Coarsely chop 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate. Set aside a handful of chocolate in a small bowl.
4. Scrape butter into a large bowl and add ⅔ cup (133 grams) light brown sugar and ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously until butter has been absorbed into the sugar and no big lumps remain, about 30 seconds.
5. Add 1 large egg, then 2 large egg yolks, one at a time, whisking until fully combined after each addition. Whisk in 1 tsp. vanilla extract. At this point, your mixture should look much lighter in color and be smooth, almost creamy.
6. Add dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir until just incorporated and almost no dry streaks remain. Add chopped chocolate (but not the chocolate you reserved in the small bowl) to batter. Gently mix just to distribute. Cover bowl with an airtight bowl cover, a kitchen towel, or plastic wrap and chill 2 hours. (If you’re crunched for time, 1 hour will do, but cookies will be best after 2.)
7. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out scant 2-Tbsp. portions of dough (or, if you have a scoop, this is a leveled-off #30 or a heaping #40)) until you have 10 portions divided between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets (you want five per sheet—these will spread a bit!). Roll portions into balls and gently press a piece or 2 of reserved chocolate into each one. It’s okay to cram the chocolate on there—some pieces can even be vertical. Cover and chill any remaining dough.
8. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until edges are golden brown and centers are puffed, 8–10 minutes. (Pull at 8 if you like your cookies softer and want to guarantee they’re still soft the next day!)
9. Working one at a time, pull baking sheets out of the oven and tap lightly on the stove to deflate cookies. Sprinkle with Diamond Crystal kosher salt (if you’re using Morton, skip it: the crystals are too large). Let cookies cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Let baking sheets cool (to do this fast, run them under cold water), then turn parchment paper over. Repeat process with remaining dough, dividing evenly between baking sheets, to make 6–8 more cookies.

Ingrédients

• 300 g de farine de blé
• 50 g de farine de riz
• 1 sachet de levure boulangère sèche
• 20 cl de lait
• 70 g de sucre
• 3 cuillères à soupe d’huile neutre (pépins de raisin par exemple)
• de la pâte à tartiner chocolat noisette (ici gianduja)

Instructions

1. Faites tiédir le lait avec le sucre jusqu’à dissolution.
2. Quand le lait est tiède/chaud (non bouillant – 30/35°C – trempez votre petit doigt dedans, vous ne devez pas trop ressentir la chaleur), ajoutez-y l’huile (neutre en saveur et en couleur, pas comme ce que j’ai fait donc) et la levure de boulanger.
3. Mélangez.
4. Dans un grand saladier, mélangez les deux farines puis versez-y le lait tiède tout doucement en mélangeant délicatement avec les doigts.
5. Travaillez la pâte jusqu’à obtenir une boule, enrobez-la de farine (pour éviter qu’elle ne colle au plat et favoriser son extraction plus tard) et laissez-la monter deux heures dans son saladier, recouvert d’un linge propre, dans un endroit chaud et à l’abri des courants d’air (enfermée dans votre four éteint par exemple)
6. Une fois que la pâte à brioche a bien levée, étalez-la sur un plan de travail, préalablement fariné, à l’aide d’un rouleau à pâtisserie. Ni trop épaisse, ni trop fine.
7. Munissez-vous d’un emporte pièce rond de 8 cm de diamètre (environ… ou un verre, ou un petit bol) et découpez des cercles jusqu’à épuisement de la pâte.
8. Déposez une petite boule de gianduja au centre de l’un des rond de pâte, et repliez-la autour de la boule vers le haut petit à petit jusqu’à avoir fait le tour.
9. Faites une sorte de « tourbillon » au moment de fermer la brioche pour solidifier la « soudure » (humidifiez un peu la pâte au besoin).
10. Posez votre banh bao sur un carré de papier cuisson et procédez à la réalisation des autres jusqu’à épuisement de la pâte.
11. Enfin, posez-les dans votre panier de cuiseur-vapeur, sans trop les coller et laissez-les cuire 10 à 15 minutes. Une fois cuit vos banh bao ont un peu gonflé et sont bien blancs.
12. Servez rapidement après cuisson.

Ingrédients

Farce à la crème-œuf

• 1 œuf
• 30 g de beurre mou
• 35 g de sucre glace
• 20 g de custard powder
• 18 g de fécule de maïs
• 45 g de lait entier

Pâte

• 150 g de farine T 45
• 1,5 g de levure boulangère sèche
• 80 à 85 g d'eau tiède
• 10 g de sucre
• 1 pincée de sel
• 1 c. à café d'huile végétale

Instructions

Pâte

1. Mélangez l'eau et la levure, laissez mousser pendant 5 à 10 min.
2. Mélangez tous les ingrédients à sec, versez le mélange levure-eau petit à petit.
3. Pétrissez pendant 5 min pour avoir une boule lisse et homogène.
4. Ajoutez l'huile, pétrissez de nouveau.
5. Laissez pousser dans un endroit doux (en couvrant d'un linge humide) et pas trop sec pendant 1 heure.

Farce

1. À préparer de préférence la veille et conserver au frais.
2. Battez l'oeuf.
3. Mélangez le beurre mou avec du sucre, ajoutez l’œuf en plusieurs fois, mélangez bien entre chaque ajout d’œuf.
4. Tamisez la fécule et la custard powder, ajoutez dans la préparation précédente, mélangez bien.
5. Ajoutez du lait.
6. Faites cuire ce mélange au micro-onde pendant 1 min 15, sortez toutes les 20 secondes pour bien mélanger.
7. Passez au tamis pour avoir une texture plus fine (pas obligatoire).
8. Réservez la farce au frais.

Pliage et cuisson

1. Sortez la pâte, dégazez, formez en forme de boudin.
2. Divisez en 6 morceaux équivalents.
3. Abaissez chaque morceau en petite galette, le bord doit être plus fin que le centre.
4. Mettez une belle c. à café de farce au centre de la galette, pliez pour avoir la forme d'un baozi.
5. Placez les petits pains dans la panier vapeur, côté plis vers le bas.
6. Laissez pousser pendant 30 à 40 min.
7. Mettez le panier sur une casserole ou un wok pré-rempli d'eau froide.
8. Faites cuire à la vapeur pendant 12 min à partir d'ébullition (départ d'eau froide).

Ingrédients

• 5 coings (env. 1kg700)
• 1kg500 de sucre cristallisé
• anis étoilé (3 ou 4)
• clous de girofle (5 ou 6)
• cannelle (1 cuillère à café)
• cardamome (1 cuillère à café)
• eau.

Instructions

1. Laver et frotter les coings avec une petite brosse pour enlever la "peluche".
2. Couper chaque fruit en quatre (sans les éplucher), enlever les trognons en les conservant, tailler chaque morceaux de coings en lamelles.
3. Dans une casserole, mettre les trognons, recouvrir d'eau et faire bouillir à petit feu pendant 30 min; égoutter, jeter les trognons et garder "l'eau de coing".
4. Peser les tranches de coing; mettre dans un faitout: pour 1kg500 de fruits, ajouter 1kg500 de sucre cristallisé, 60cl d'eau de coing et les épices; laisser macérer 3h pour que le sucre soit bien dissous en remuant de temps en temps.
5. Porter à ébullition et laisser cuire à petit feu pendant 30 min en remuant de temps en temps. Laisser refroidir et reposer 24h.
6. Le lendemain, porter de nouveau à ébullition et faire cuire encore 30 min en remuant; le mélange doit épaissir.
7. Mettre en pot et fermer hermétiquement.

Ingredients

Topping

• ¼ cup (60 g) salted butter, melted
• ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, light or dark (I usually use light) tightly packed
• 10 pineapple slices, patted dry (a 20oz can is typically enough)
• maraschino cherries

Vanilla Cake

• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, room temperature preferred

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
2. Pour melted butter into 9.5-10" pie plate or deep cake pan, make sure it entirely covers the bottom of the pan and use a spoon or spatula to grease the sides of the pan.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter mixture. Arrange pineapple slices over the bottom of the pan, slice leftover slices in half and arrange up the sides of the pan, as seen in photo.
4. Place cherries in center of pineapple rings and as desired in empty spaces. Set aside.
5. To prepare vanilla cake, beat butter and sugar in medium-sized bowl until creamy and well-combined.
6. Add eggs, beating one at a time until combined.
7. Stir in vanilla extract.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
9. Alternate adding flour and milk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour and mixing until just combined after each addition (I prefer to do this part by hand with a spatula to be sure not to overmix).
10. Pour batter evenly over prepared cake pan over the pineapple/cherry layer.
11. Bake on 350F (175C) for 30 minutes. At the 30 minute mark, loosely cover with foil and continue to bake (still on 350F/175C) for another 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with few crumbs (total cook time for cake will be 45 minutes).
12. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and then carefully invert cake onto serving platter (careful, it will still be very hot!).
13. Allow to cool before cutting and enjoying, but don’t wait too long as this cake tastes wonderful (best!) warm from the oven!

Ingredients

• 400g bread flour (14 ounces; about 2 1/2 cups), plus more for dusting
• 10 g kosher salt (0.35 ounces; about 2 teaspoons), plus more for sprinkling
• 4 g instant yeast (0.15 ounces; about 1 teaspoon), such as SAF Instant Yeast
• 275 g water (9.5 ounces; about 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons)
• 8 g extra-virgin olive oil (0.25 ounces; about 2 teaspoons), plus more to coat pans and for drizzling
• 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce, such as our New York–style pizza sauce
• 12 ounces grated full-fat, low moisture (dry) mozzarella cheese (see note)
• Toppings as desired
• Small handful torn fresh basil leaves (optional)
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine flour, salt, yeast, water, and oil in a large bowl. Mix with hands or a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. (The bowl should be at least 4 to 6 times the volume of the dough to account for rising.)
2. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, making sure that the edges are well sealed, then let rest at cool room temperature (no warmer than 75°F or 24°C) for at least 8 hours and up to 24. Dough should rise dramatically and fill bowl. In a hot kitchen, the dough may overproof near the end of that range.
3. Sprinkle top of dough lightly with flour, then transfer it to a well-floured work surface. Divide dough into 2 pieces and form each into a ball by holding it with well-floured hands and tucking the dough underneath itself, rotating it until it forms a tight ball.
4. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in the bottom of two 10-inch cast iron skillets or round cake pans (see note). Place 1 ball of dough in each pan and turn to coat evenly with oil. Using a flat palm, press dough around the pan, flattening it slightly and spreading oil around the entire bottom and edges of the pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let dough sit at room temperature for 2 hours (at room temperatures above 75°F or 24°C, the dough may require less time to rise; at temperatures below 65°F or 18°C, it may require more time). After the first hour, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 550°F (290°C).
5. After 2 hours, dough should be mostly filling the pan up to the edges. Use your fingertips to press it around until it fills in every corner, popping any large bubbles that appear. Lift up one edge of the dough to let any air bubbles underneath escape, then repeat, moving around the dough until there are no air bubbles left underneath and the dough is evenly spread around the pan.
6. Top each round of dough with 3/4 cup sauce, spreading sauce to the very edge with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese, all the way to the edges. Season with salt. Add other toppings as desired. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter a few basil leaves over the top of each pizza, if desired.
7. Transfer pan to oven and bake until top is golden brown and bubbly and bottom is golden brown and crisp when you lift it with a thin spatula, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, if using. Using a thin spatula, loosen pizza and peek underneath. If bottom is not as crisp as desired, place pan over a burner and cook on medium heat, moving the pan around to cook evenly until it is crisp, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the pizzas and transfer to a cutting board. Cut each pizza into 6 slices and serve immediately.

Ingrédients

• 580g de farine T65 + 1 CS bombée de gluten
• 170g de lait
• 170g d'eau
• 1 oeuf
• 3 CS d'huile d'olive
• 1 sachet de levure sèche de boulanger (8g) délayée dans une CS d'eau tiède
• 1 CC sel
• 1 CS miel
• 1 rizhome de curcuma fraîchement râpé
• des petites graines au choix, légèrement torréfiées (poêlées pendant 15 mn feu moyen, ou four à 170° 10 mn): sésame, courge, tournesol, lin

Instructions

1. Déposez les éléments liquides dans la cuve du robot en terminant par la levure délayée préalablement dans 1 CS d'eau tiède.
2. Versez les solides par dessus, ajoutez le curcuma, en le râpant à l'aide d'une microplane par exemple.
3. Pétrissez au crochet pour obtenir une pâte à la robe jaune homogène, pas trop longuement, 5 minutes suffisent pour obtenir une masse souple un peu collante.
4. Couvrez d'un film à même la pâte (elle ne doit pas croûter!), et laissez pousser dans un endroit tiède, sans courants d'air. Une poussée lente, à l'extérieur est préférable à une accélération de la chaleur dans un four, il y a moins de risques de développer une acidité excessive. Si vous avez cependant une forte odeur de levure malgré "une poussée extérieure", ajoutez à votre pâte du jus de citron et un demi zeste...ou bien changez de levure, pour une de meilleure qualité.
5. Lorsque la pâte a poussé, appuyez dessus fortement pour chasser l'air. Farinez légèrement un plan de travail (on ne doit pas trop intégrer de farine à présent aux buns!) déposez la pâte, coupez-là en dix morceaux égaux, façonnez-les en boules, en marquant une soudure qui sera le "dessous", si ça colle tant pis, ne refarinez surtout pas vos mains, vos buns doivent rester légers !
6. Déposez vos pâtons sur une plaque à biscuits de cuisson (perso je les mets sur deux plaques vierges, ni feuille de cuisson, ni badigeon d'huile qui "croûterait" le dessous des pains, ils doivent rester parfaitement moelleux) antiadhérentes par contre...et ce, de manière espacée et en quinquonce. Recouvrez d'un film alimentaire, pour ne pas faire croûter le dessus des pains. Laissez sur un plan de travail, dans un endroit tiède.
7. Préchauffez votre four T 200° sans rien à l'intérieur, surtout pas la grille qui va recevoir vos buns, vous cuiriez le dessous des petits pains beaucoup trop rapidement !
8. Dans un bol, délayez 1CS d'eau avec 1 CC de miel, une fois bien diluée, imbibez un petit chiffon propre du liquide. Lorsque les pains ont doublé de volume, enlevez le film et "mouillez" le dessus des buns, parsemez enfin avec vos graines favorites.
9. Déposez votre plaque à buns sur une grille parfaitement froide, ajoutez un ramequin d'eau bouillante au milieu des pains, ceci afin qu'il y ait une ambiance légèrement humide dans le four et enfournez pour dix minutes ! Pas plus. C'est près !
10. Attendre qu'ils soient totalement refroidis avant de les congeler ou dégustez avec vos garnitures préférées.
11. Si on le désire on peut au bout de 30 minutes, couper les pains en deux et les toaster légèrement côté mie.

Ingredients

Dough

• 455 grams (3 1/2 C) unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

Filling and Topping

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 6 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp herbes de Provence, plus more for sprinkling (mine is from The Spice House)
• 6 ounces grated Gruyere cheese, plus another ounce for sprinkling
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 T water

Instructions

1. Whisk the dry ingredients of the bread in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Whisk the water, milk, eggs, and egg whites together in a bowl and add to the dry ingredients.
3. Mix with the dough hook for about 10 minutes on medium low speed.
4. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled, about an hour.
5. While the dough is rising, prepare the onion filling. In a 12 inch skillet, melt the butter and olive oil.
6. Add the onions, shallots, and sugar, and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the herbs and continue to cook, stirring regularly, for about 20 minutes more, until caramelized.
7. When the dough has doubled, place it on a piece of baking sheet sized piece of parchment paper.
8. Roll it out to a 12 inch by 11 inch rectangle.
9. Spread the mustard lengthwise in the middle of the dough into a 3 inch line.
10. Spread the onion mixture over the mustard.
11. Sprinkle the 6 ounces of cheese over the onion mixture.
12. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal 1 inch cuts on both sides of the stripe of onion and cheese mixture.
13. Lift the parchment with the loaf onto a baking sheet.
14. Fold the ends over the filling, and then fold the strips over the filling, alternating from both sides, so that the top of the dough looks like a braid.
15. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
16. Cover the loaf loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.
17. Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash.
18. Sprinkle the center of the braid with about an ounce of grated Gruyere.
19. Sprinkle the top of the cheese lightly with herbes de Provence.
20. Bake the loaf for about 45 minutes, until nicely browned and the center registers about 190 degrees F.
21. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm, or cool completely and wrap in foil to serve later.

Ingredients

Sponge

• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough

• Sponge (above)
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) sour cream or yogurt
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs, 1 beaten for dough, 1 beaten with 1 teaspoon water for brushing bread
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• Pearl sugar* or sparkling white sugar for sprinkling

Lemon cream cheese filling

• 1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons (5/8 ounces) sugar
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sour cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) homemade (recipe below) or prepared lemon curd

Instructions

Sponge

1. In a small bowl, combine the sponge ingredients.
2. Stir well to combine, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to proof for 10 to 15 minutes.

Dough in a stand mixer

1. Combine the sponge, sour cream, butter, egg, sugar, salt and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Add flour and mix with the paddle attachment until the dough is a rough, shaggy mass.
3. Switch to the dough hook and knead on until a soft, smooth dough forms, about 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until quite puffy and nearly doubled.

Dough by hand

1. Whisk together sour cream, butter, egg, sugar, salt and vanilla in a large, wide bowl.
2. Stir in sponge.
3. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon as best as you can; you may need to get your hands in there to form it into a shaggy ball.
4. Turn ball of dough and any incorporated scraps onto a counter and knead until a smooth, soft dough forms, about 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until quite puffy and nearly doubled.

Filling

1. Combine all the filling ingredients (except the lemon curd) in a small bowl, mixing until smooth and lump-free.
2. Reserve the filling and lemon curd until ready to fill the braids.

Bread

1. Gently deflate the dough and roll it out on a very well floured counter to a 10″ x 15″ rectangle.
2. Transfer rectangle to a large piece of parchment paper, please; I did not and it led to all sorts of trouble.
3. With the side of your hand, lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise, dividing it into three equal columns.
4. Spread the cream cheese filling down the center section, leaving the top and bottom two inches free of filling.
5. Spread the lemon curd over the cream cheese filling.
6. To form the mock braid, cut crosswise strips one inch apart down the length of the outer columns of you dough (the parts without filling).
7. Make sure you have an equal amount of 1-inch strips down the right and left sides.
8. Be careful not to cut your parchment paper; if you have a bench scraper, this is a great time to use it.
9. Remove the four corner segments.
10. To “braid”, begin by folding top flap down and bottom flap up over the filling.
11. Lift the top dough strip and gently bring it diagonally across the filling.
12. Repeat on the right side, and continue down the entire braid, alternating strips until you are out.
13. You can tuck the last couple that hand off decoratively under the end of the braid.
14. Carefully transfer the dough and the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
15. Cover loosely with plastic and set it aside to rise for 45 to 50 minutes, until quite puffy.
16. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
17. Brush the loaves with egg wash, and sprinkle with pearl or coarse sparkling sugar.
18. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and your apartment smells like a doughnut factory.
19. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

• DIY loom with towline apples | Monkey's fist jig - YouTube
• How to make a monkey's fist? - YouTube
• Porte-clé pomme de touline grand modèle. - YouTube

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk, at room temperature (or nondairy)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest*
• 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter

Toppings

• 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for sifting
• optional toppings: berries, whipped cream, maple syrup, and/or strawberry sauce

Instructions

1. Place the eggs in a blender and blend on medium-high speed until frothy and fluffy, about 45 seconds. Add flour, milk, lemon zest, sugar, salt, and vanilla, and blend until combined. The batter is thin. Set aside and allow to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. (No need to bring to room temperature before baking.)
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Place butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (or any 3-quart baking dish), and place in the oven for just 5 minutes to melt the butter. (Be sure not to leave it in the oven to burn!) Remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to spread the melted butter up the sides of the pan.
3. Pour the batter into the center of the hot pan. No need to swirl it around. Place it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Keeping the Dutch baby pancake in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for 10 more minutes, or until the edges and center are browned.
4. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before adding desired toppings. Slice and serve.
5. The pancake is best enjoyed right away, but you can cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

C'est vraiment très bon. Je vais en refaire !

• 🧵 Quilt Sandwich Tricks Every Beginner Should Know- How to Baste Your Quilt. - YouTube
• How To Baste A Quilt The Easy Way ~ Pool Noodle Quilt Basting Technique - YouTube

What Is a Yo Yo Quilt?

Yo-yo quilts are made from round pieces of fabric with long stitches along their turned-under outer edges. Stitches are pulled to gather the circles into rosettes.

Individual yo-yos are typically hand sewn side by side into rows when they are used to make a quilt, but they also work nicely for 3-dimensional appliqué embellishments.

Yo-yo quilts were popular in the 1930s and 1940s, and there are many lovely examples sewn with fabrics from those eras. Some were structured, with the rosettes arranged to form a pattern, but many of the examples are scrap quilts.

Best long-distance trail for beginner hikers 🤝 Cumbria Way 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 112 km ~ 71 miles | 6 days

Instagram

Ingredients

• 125 g (4.4 oz) dark chocolate (from 50% to 70% cocoa). The higher the percentage of cocoa, the more intense the chocolate flavor.
• 185 g (6.5 oz) whole blanched almonds or almond flour
• 125 g (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3 medium eggs, at room temperature
• 125 g (7 tablespoons) granulated sugar
• powdered sugar, for decoration

Instructions

1. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler and set aside.
2. Meantime, separate the yolks from the whites and let the yolks aside for the moment.
3. Place the whites in a bowl and beat them up with an electric mixer or with a stand mixer until stiff. Set aside: they will be added to the torta caprese mixture at the end.
4. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until you get a fluid and pale yellow cream. It takes about 5 minutes.
5. Now if you are using whole blanched almonds, you must first mince them finely and reduce them to flour.
6. Add the almond flour little by little to the yolks and sugar cream and mix well.
7. Then add the melted chocolate to the mixture and stir.
8. Add the beaten egg whites, stirring with a wooden spoon from the bottom up.
9. Grease and flour a 20 cm/8 inch non-stick springform pan with removable bottom, then pour the torta caprese mixture.
10. Level well with a spoon.
11. Then preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
12. Bake in a static oven on the middle rack for about 30 minutes.
13. At the end, remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 to 40 minutes.
14. Let it cool completely on a cooling rack so that it chills quickly without moistening the bottom of the cake.

NOTE -- Baking times may vary from oven to oven, but be aware that torta caprese should be moist inside. So usually, for a 20 cm/8 inch baking pan, the baking time never exceeds 35 to 38 minutes.

Ingredients

• ½ Cup warm water
• 1 pkg/ Tbsp. Red Star Platinum Yeast
• 2/3 Cup warmed buttermilk, or 2 ½ Tbsp. buttermilk powder dissolved in 2/3 Cup warm water
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ Cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 3 + Cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast.
2. Let rest 1 minute.
3. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients.
4. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated.
5. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket.
6. Cover and let rise until doubled.
7. At this point, the dough may be formed into rolls (should make about 12) or a 9X 5 loaf. I also have used this several times as a “base” for layered pull-apart bread. To use it as such, roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 15”x 9”. Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter on the dough, then sprinkle with your favorite ingredients
8. Slice the covered dough in half, lengthwise.
9. Then cut three slices the other way, making 8 even-sized pieces.
10. Stack the pieces atop one another- four “piles” of two.
11. Slice each of the piles in half.
12. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan or use a “tea loaf” pan, which measures 13x4” .
13. Place each of the “piles” in the pan on its side, working quickly.
14. Cover and let rise until doubled, or cover and place in the frig overnight.
15. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden.
16. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
17. Brush top with softened butter.

Notes

• Sweet: Cinn-sugar and raisins…..maybe some toasted nuts, too! Or maybe some chopped apples…..
• Greek: I used about ½ of a frozen pkg. of spinach (thawed and well-drained); 10-15 Kalamata olives, sliced; 1/3 Cup feta cheese; ½ cup mozzarella; 1 ½ tsp. prepared minced garlic (or 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced); 1/3 Cup chopped (well-drained) roasted red peppers; Mix everything together and spread on the dough - Add what YOU like!
• Ham & Cheese “Devil Bread” : Spread 2 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard on the butter. Follow with 1-2 Cups chopped cooked ham pieces; 1 Cup shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar & mozzarella- whatever I had in the fridge)

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 1/3 Cup warm water
• 1 packet/Tbsp.Red Star Platinum yeast
• 2 tsp. Kosher salt
• ½ Tbsp. Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3- 3 ¼ C. Unbleached, all-purpose flour

Filling

• Olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/2 green or Italian pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 can sliced mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Pinch freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of parsley, basil, and oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Pinch crushed red pepper seeds
• Pinch salt
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast.
2. Wait 1-2 minutes.
3. Add 1 cup flour, then remaining ingredients and EZ DOH-it , adding the final ¼ c. of flour gradually till the dough is soft and smooth.
4. Remove the dough from the bucket, spray the bucket with cooking spray and then replace dough and cover bucket.
5. Let rise till doubled.
6. Saute peppers and onions in olive oil and butter.
7. Add mushrooms and fresh garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the spinach and spices and cook a minute or two more.
9. Roll out dough to a thin oval shape.
10. Spread out cooked mixture all over.
11. Add cheeses on top.
12. Roll and seal the ends.
13. Place on lightly greased baking sheet.
14. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top.