I put some dough in his little loaf pan he got for Christmas from Memere and Popper, and he was thrilled with "his" bread.
Which is good, because it kept him away from mine.
Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Chicken Little
Do you remember the story of Chicken Little? "Who will help me bake the bread" and all that? Well, bread-baking last week went kind of like that, and Colter was the creature who wouldn't help with anything, except for eating it. Though he was sure to tell Daddy he baked it when he got home.
I put some dough in his little loaf pan he got for Christmas from Memere and Popper, and he was thrilled with "his" bread.
Which is good, because it kept him away from mine.
I put some dough in his little loaf pan he got for Christmas from Memere and Popper, and he was thrilled with "his" bread.
Which is good, because it kept him away from mine.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Cupcakes Deluxe
I realize I am a bit behind the curve on the cupcake fad. What can I say? I'm a traditionalist. To me, nothing says "celebrate" like a homemade layer cake (of any variety), imperfectly iced and deliciously moist. So birthdays or any occasion, I go for the cake.
But over the winter, my Mom-mom sent me this nifty little tool for taking the middles out of cupcakes and creating a filled cupcake. Since she and my Grandpop were coming up for the weekend, and my mom would be here as well, I thought it was high time I gave it a spin.
First, I searched around a bit for filled cupcakes ideas on the internet. After stumbling across this site I decided the chocolate-peanut butter combination was the way to go. Because really, you can't go wrong with it. A little more poking around and I came to this recipe on the Food Network website which explained the process a bit more clearly. Not having things like cake flour on hand (or much use for it beyond what the recipe called for), I opted to use the basic chocolate cake recipe out of my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.
Once the cupcakes had cooled completely, I hollowed them out with my new little tool. I can't give you a good shot of that because I was flying solo on this baking endeavor and that makes in-the-moment photos difficult.
And then I had a bowl full of cupcake centers, begging to be eaten. I decided though to put them back on top after filling the cupcakes, so besides Bert getting one, devouring would have to wait.
Then I simply made peanut butter icing, adding a bit more milk so it was a little thinner, and spooned it into the cupcakes. This is about the time when I realized why I don't do cupcakes: it's just like baking a cake, but you have to do everything thirty times over. Pour batter thirty times, get out of pan thirty times, ice thirty times, and on and on.
Hmmm...thought there was a picture of it whisked smooth and all glossy. Oh well.
After I plopped the tops back on all the cupcakes, I dipped them in the ganache and sprinkled chopped peanuts on top, leaving me with these beauties.
I would recommend keeping them in the fridge until shortly before serving as the ganache can be pretty melty.
The cupcakes were delicious, but they took pretty much a whole morning, if you include cleaning up (and I do, because that's really the worst part of baking). So certainly worth it, but only when the VIPs are coming to visit.
But over the winter, my Mom-mom sent me this nifty little tool for taking the middles out of cupcakes and creating a filled cupcake. Since she and my Grandpop were coming up for the weekend, and my mom would be here as well, I thought it was high time I gave it a spin.
First, I searched around a bit for filled cupcakes ideas on the internet. After stumbling across this site I decided the chocolate-peanut butter combination was the way to go. Because really, you can't go wrong with it. A little more poking around and I came to this recipe on the Food Network website which explained the process a bit more clearly. Not having things like cake flour on hand (or much use for it beyond what the recipe called for), I opted to use the basic chocolate cake recipe out of my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.
Once the cupcakes had cooled completely, I hollowed them out with my new little tool. I can't give you a good shot of that because I was flying solo on this baking endeavor and that makes in-the-moment photos difficult.
And then I had a bowl full of cupcake centers, begging to be eaten. I decided though to put them back on top after filling the cupcakes, so besides Bert getting one, devouring would have to wait.
Next up was the ganache for the top. I always thought ganache sounded super-fancy and difficult when I would hear it on cooking shows. Turns out, it's icing for slackers. Heavy cream, heated to near boiling, pull it off the heat, dump some chocolate in, let sit for five minutes, whisk until smooth, let cool for ten to fifteen minutes, spread on cake. That's it. Seriously. I may skip icing from now on.
After I plopped the tops back on all the cupcakes, I dipped them in the ganache and sprinkled chopped peanuts on top, leaving me with these beauties.
I would recommend keeping them in the fridge until shortly before serving as the ganache can be pretty melty.
The cupcakes were delicious, but they took pretty much a whole morning, if you include cleaning up (and I do, because that's really the worst part of baking). So certainly worth it, but only when the VIPs are coming to visit.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Bread Alone
I have never quite agreed with the line "man cannot live by bread alone." Certainly woman can, if it is good bread.
My aunt handed me a magazine a couple of weeks ago and said there was a bread recipe she thought I should test. It took me a little while to get around to it, but I am certain I'll be stirring this up again. Keith's reaction was, "I could eat this until I got sick." That's actually a compliment, people.
No-Knead Wholegrain Bread
adapted from MaryJanesFarm, Dec-Jan 2013
6 cups flour, plus a little extra for kneading (I did 2 cups of white and 4 of whole wheat)
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/4 cup quinoa
2 teaspoons yeast (the original recipe called for just 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast but I often have trouble with dough rising so I ramp up the yeast, and I wasn't sure if "rapid rise" was the same as "instant")
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
cornmeal as needed
1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cornmeal.
2. Add 3-4 cups of water and stir until blended. (The amount needed will vary, depending on the type of flour used. Start with 3 cups, and add more as needed.) Dough should be shaggy and sticky.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 12-18 hours at room temperature, 65-70˚F.
4. Preheat oven to 500˚F. Place covered pot in oven as it heats. (You could use a cast iron dutch oven; I used a 5-quart soup pot with a metal lid.)
5. While oven and pot are heating, lightly flour a work surface and scrape dough on the floured area. Sprinkle a bit of additional flour on to the dough (just enough so that it won't stick to your fingers) and fold the dough over itself a couple of times. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest until oven is done heating.
6. Once the oven is heated, remove the pot and sprinkle cornmeal in the bottom. Place the dough in the pot and set the lid on top. Bake for 35 minutes with the lid on. Remove lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes. When the bread is done, remove it from the pot and cool on a rack. (And remember, your pot is going to be very, very hot so use a spatula or something to get the bread out instead of trying to get your fingers under it. Just a friendly reminder from someone who thinks of these things after the fact.)
I am over-the-moon pleased with this bread. I think next time I make it I will divide the dough and do two loaves in a smaller pot because the dough will spread to fit your pot. This recipe made a massive loaf, about 14 inches across and 5 inches high in the middle. Want to see it one more time?
The photos alone may ruin an Atkins diet or two.
My aunt handed me a magazine a couple of weeks ago and said there was a bread recipe she thought I should test. It took me a little while to get around to it, but I am certain I'll be stirring this up again. Keith's reaction was, "I could eat this until I got sick." That's actually a compliment, people.
No-Knead Wholegrain Bread
adapted from MaryJanesFarm, Dec-Jan 2013
6 cups flour, plus a little extra for kneading (I did 2 cups of white and 4 of whole wheat)
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/4 cup quinoa
2 teaspoons yeast (the original recipe called for just 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast but I often have trouble with dough rising so I ramp up the yeast, and I wasn't sure if "rapid rise" was the same as "instant")
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
cornmeal as needed
1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cornmeal.
2. Add 3-4 cups of water and stir until blended. (The amount needed will vary, depending on the type of flour used. Start with 3 cups, and add more as needed.) Dough should be shaggy and sticky.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 12-18 hours at room temperature, 65-70˚F.
4. Preheat oven to 500˚F. Place covered pot in oven as it heats. (You could use a cast iron dutch oven; I used a 5-quart soup pot with a metal lid.)
5. While oven and pot are heating, lightly flour a work surface and scrape dough on the floured area. Sprinkle a bit of additional flour on to the dough (just enough so that it won't stick to your fingers) and fold the dough over itself a couple of times. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest until oven is done heating.
6. Once the oven is heated, remove the pot and sprinkle cornmeal in the bottom. Place the dough in the pot and set the lid on top. Bake for 35 minutes with the lid on. Remove lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes. When the bread is done, remove it from the pot and cool on a rack. (And remember, your pot is going to be very, very hot so use a spatula or something to get the bread out instead of trying to get your fingers under it. Just a friendly reminder from someone who thinks of these things after the fact.)
I am over-the-moon pleased with this bread. I think next time I make it I will divide the dough and do two loaves in a smaller pot because the dough will spread to fit your pot. This recipe made a massive loaf, about 14 inches across and 5 inches high in the middle. Want to see it one more time?
The photos alone may ruin an Atkins diet or two.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Holla! (Challah!)
If you aren't into hearing me pat my own back for a moment, skip this post.
Last week, I decided I wanted to make the bacon breading pudding we had on Christmas morning again. But when I went to the grocery store, they didn't have any challah bread, or anything remotely similar. I briefly considered trying another grocery store, then I thought, Why not make my own challah?
I dug out a Williams-Sonoma baking book my mom had passed on to me, and read over the challah recipe. It seemed pretty straight forward and I had all the ingredients on hand so why not go for it? The dough came together really easily, and I debated for a moment whether I wanted to bother braiding it or not, since it would just be cut up for the bread pudding. In the end I braided it because I figured I had already put the time into it, what were a few more minutes? I'm so glad I did.
Because I may be more proud of this than anything that has ever come out of my oven.
Besides, you know, the bun that came out nearly two years ago.
Close-ups, anyone?
It tastes as wonderful as it looks. I must have just enough of my Jewish great-grandmother and my always-baking grammy to pull this one off.
As for the recipe, Williams-Sonoma had done me (and my fingers) the great favor of having it posted on their website, so click here if you are interested.
Last week, I decided I wanted to make the bacon breading pudding we had on Christmas morning again. But when I went to the grocery store, they didn't have any challah bread, or anything remotely similar. I briefly considered trying another grocery store, then I thought, Why not make my own challah?
I dug out a Williams-Sonoma baking book my mom had passed on to me, and read over the challah recipe. It seemed pretty straight forward and I had all the ingredients on hand so why not go for it? The dough came together really easily, and I debated for a moment whether I wanted to bother braiding it or not, since it would just be cut up for the bread pudding. In the end I braided it because I figured I had already put the time into it, what were a few more minutes? I'm so glad I did.
Because I may be more proud of this than anything that has ever come out of my oven.
Besides, you know, the bun that came out nearly two years ago.
Close-ups, anyone?
It tastes as wonderful as it looks. I must have just enough of my Jewish great-grandmother and my always-baking grammy to pull this one off.
As for the recipe, Williams-Sonoma had done me (and my fingers) the great favor of having it posted on their website, so click here if you are interested.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Staying Toasty
On any given morning when I ask Bert what he wants for breakfast, I get the enthusiastic answer, "Toast! Banas!" Maybe "bana" is what you call a banana when you only ever get half of one at a time? I probably don't need to spell out that the kid eats a lot of toast because, well, he likes it and it is easy to get ready for him and he generally can't make much of a mess with it. Since I usually have toast right along with him (and sometimes the other half of the banana, or should I say the "ana"?), we go through a fair amount of bread. One of my goals for the year was to make more homemade bread, and I've landed on an English muffin bread that is great for making toast. And it requires no kneading, so I really like that.
English Muffin Bread
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 2005
Cornmeal
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons active dry yeast (or 2 packages)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups milk (skim or low-fat works fine)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans. Lightly sprinkle pans with enough cornmeal to coat bottom and sides.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 3 cups all-purpose flour, the yeast, and baking soda; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat and stir milk, water, sugar, and salt just until warm (120˚-130˚F). Stir milk mixture into flour mixture. Stir in whole wheat flour.
Divide dough in half. Place dough in prepared pans and sprinkle tops with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 45 minutes). Sometimes I put the pans in the oven with the light on to get them to rise if I don't have a sunny spot to set them.
Bake in a 400˚ oven about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove bread from pans immediately and let cool on wire racks.
English Muffin Bread
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 2005
Cornmeal
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons active dry yeast (or 2 packages)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups milk (skim or low-fat works fine)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans. Lightly sprinkle pans with enough cornmeal to coat bottom and sides.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 3 cups all-purpose flour, the yeast, and baking soda; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat and stir milk, water, sugar, and salt just until warm (120˚-130˚F). Stir milk mixture into flour mixture. Stir in whole wheat flour.
Divide dough in half. Place dough in prepared pans and sprinkle tops with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 45 minutes). Sometimes I put the pans in the oven with the light on to get them to rise if I don't have a sunny spot to set them.
Bake in a 400˚ oven about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove bread from pans immediately and let cool on wire racks.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Pretty As a Peach
In case you have been hanging on the edge of your seat, wondering if I baked that pie or not...
Now if Keith would just get home so we can dig into it.
And, can I just say, it was quite a revelation to have an oven light? I texted my mom out of pure giddiness.
Oh, and Bert lucked out because I sprinkled the leftover pie crust with cinnamon sugar and baked it for his morning snack. Because that's what moms do.
Now if Keith would just get home so we can dig into it.
And, can I just say, it was quite a revelation to have an oven light? I texted my mom out of pure giddiness.
Oh, and Bert lucked out because I sprinkled the leftover pie crust with cinnamon sugar and baked it for his morning snack. Because that's what moms do.
Love that new oven.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
