Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I've had several requests to do a thread on bread baking. I've hesitated, because it's been quite a while since I baked bread; I'm by no means expert at it; and I don't like to post recipes that I haven't tried and proven recently. But, due to popular demand, here we go!

My first experience with baking bread was back in the 1970s when so many of us young folks were bitten by the 'back-to-nature' bug. I was also experimenting with various levels of vegetarianism, and was very interested in cooking with whole grains.

The first bread I made was a completely whole wheat loaf, from the original 'Laurel's Kitchen' cookbook. At the time, I didn't have a KitchenAid, and did everything by hand. It was very hard kneading this dense dough for the required amount of time, but it turned out pretty well for a rank beginner's attempt. (I'm not sure if making this with a KitchenAid would be a very kind thing to do to the machine's motor, so I would suggest only using the mixer up to a point.)

I found a link to the recipe I used on a forum, and here it is:

http://cathe.com/forum/threads/laurels-kitchen-whole-wheat-bread-recipe.230551/

***************************************************

Some years ago, a New York Times article on 'No Knead Bread' made quite a splash, and I tried it. The recipe requires a Dutch oven, and we had just bought a new Lodge enameled one (the poor man's Le Creuset ;-).

Well, I proceeded to almost destroy the beautiful new Dutch oven, by baking this bread in it at the recommended temps. I never tried it again, but recently I found a simple solution to the problem of burning your Dutch oven, which also makes transferring this very wet, sticky dough much easier: use parchment!

Here is the original recipe:

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

And here is YouTuber Dale Calder, showing how he does a sourdough no-knead version using parchment. It's 12 minutes, but he shows some good handling techniques - and his Dutch oven is pristine, compared with what mine looks like now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmADkUSRatY

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

This week: The Staff of Life!

Please post your bread-baking recipes, tips and musings. I would especially like a good dinner roll recipe. My Grandmother made perfect ones; she’d knock them out like it was nothing, early on Sunday mornings while everyone else was still asleep.

(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking thread, please send a private message.)

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Ooops! " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmADkUSRatY

[miss marmelstein]

Hi, JT!

I have a recipe for biscuits (too easy) from the 1950 Magic Chef Recipe (my mom’s book) and I’ll look in my James Beard on Baking - positively the best and simplest baking book ever written. Eat your heart out Julia and Martha!

[FreedomPoster]

Changing subjects, I bought an Anova sous vide stick a month or so ago, and have had good results generally with what I’ve done so far. Did a Cornish hen yesterday that was very juicy and flavorful. 2 hours at 170F IIRC, with EVOO, garlic and rosemary in the bag, then finished in a cast iron pan to brown it up.

I got it one sale at $129. It’s a useful addition to the cooking tools/methods on hand, for the price of a decent pan.

[FlJoePa]

Totally unrelated to bread - I’m terrible at bread, but salsa related.

I love chunky salsa when it’s fresh or homemade. The stuff in the jar though...it’s usually rubbery and never hot enough for my liking.

Now, when I see jars of salsa BOGO, I buy them and turn them into red/taco sauce.

Just dump a jar in a saucepan and add some jalapenos or habaneros (if you want it hotter) and let it cook down for a bit. Then I add a few drops of Dave’s and puree it in the food processor. I store it in a squeeze bottle and use it on everything.

[Stand Watch Listen]

POTATO ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
• 2 cups water
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Set cooking liquid aside to cool to 110 degrees F-115 degrees F. Mash potato (don't add milk or butter); set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm cooking liquid. Add the honey, oil, salt, egg, 4 cups flour and mashed potato. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
3. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 7-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 36 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
options/hints:
-- • Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to proof (rise) the dough twice
• substitute 2 oz. envelope of Idahoan instant mashed potatoes

DOWNEAST MAINE PUMPKIN BREAD

recipe makes 3 - 7x3 inch loaf pans
bread actually tastes even better the day after it is baked
Prep Time: 15 Minutes, Cook Time: 50 Minutes, Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes, Servings: 21

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce • 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Splash of vanilla
• ¼ pumpkin spice
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup chopped rehydrated ‘Craisins’ OR chocolate chips • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
HINTs/OPTIONs:
. --While on Cooling rack, poked holes in top of muffins and bread, and poured separate hot Cinnamon Sugar Butter combo over holes, allowing it to seep down inside
--used a cast iron bundt pan, greased it and lined it with a cinnamon/sugar mixture to add a kick
--added was some Cane sugar to the top of the bread before baking so the top had a nice hard sweet crust on top .

[Ditter]

I love pumpkin bread, thanks!

[annieokie]

I make my Fruit Cake from the Pumpkin Bread Recipe.

Using only the pretty red & green Candied Cherries and candied Pineapple, the kind that is made for Fruit Cake. Lots of nuts. The spices of the Pumpkin Bread recipe makes the difference, so yummy.

It is delicious, and the only Fruit Cake my kids will eat.

My brother sends me one every year from Corsicana, Tx. it is the best for a bought fruit cake, but I give it away.....

[mason-dixon]

Per your request, here's my go-to recipe for dinner rolls.

Acknowledgement: This is from the Regal breadmaker cookbook, "Old Fashioned".

With just two of us, I have adapted this to partially bake the rolls, freeze them, then bake for the last 10 minutes at dinnertime.

Mix in breadmaker (dough setting) or mix & kneed by hand to make 1 dozen :
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine, cut in small pieces
2 cups flour (as needed to get a soft-ish dough)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon or 1/2 packet rapid rise yeast

To mix by hand:
Mix all ingredients, adding flour as needed to get a soft dough that can be handled.
Kneed until resilient, then coat with oil and let rise 30 minutes in a bowl.
Punch down and do a 2nd rise for 30 minutes.

To form and bake:
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
Form fist-sized rolls (2 oz weight) and place on baking pan. Let them sit 10-15 minutes to rise.
Bake for 20 minutes or when the tops are golden brown.

[Liz]

Tastes as good as it smells...nice w/ pasta.

Savory Parmesan-Garlic Monkey Bread

PREP Separate 4 cans Pillsbury Grands into 8 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Ziplok w/ grated Parm, s/p; shake well.

METHOD Layer in sprayed tube pan w/ shredded Parm. Add to center layer: shredded mozz, garlic/butter. Drizzle top w/ garlic/butter, crushed herbs (can drizzle w/ olive oil).

Bake golden 350 deg 35 min. Cool in pan 10 min. Invert on server. Serve warm.

GARLIC BUTTER Mix melted butter, shredded Parm, herbs, garlic powder.

[W.]

No-Knead bread is easy--it stirs together--and the dough keeps in the fridge so you can bake it as you need it. Simple, basic and good.

[ken5050]

Good evening all....hope everyone's having a good week...a question for the group...

Has anyone tried something called "Total Recipe Search." ..It popped up when I was looking for a recipe. It appears to be some type of super recipe agregator, ( which sounds pretty neat) across the web, but you have to install some software, which I'm always hesitant to do. Anyone know anything about it, or maybe, if anyone is tech savvy,( which I'm not) they can just take a look at it and see what's involved.. Back later with a favorite bread recipe..

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Focaccia (Roman Bread)

1 Packet Yeast
2-1/2 Cups Warm Water (100F)
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
6 Cups Flour
2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Minced Onion
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Dried Rosemary Leaves
Dried Onion

In a warm glass or metal bowl combine water, yeast & sugar.
Completely dissolve yeast, add flour, salt & onion and knead until smooth (you can use a mixer if available).

Place dough in an oiled bowl and let rise until double in size.

Remove from bowl and roll out to desired size (recommend a sheet pan at least 9 x 13), brush oil on surface liberally and add dried rosemary and onions. Salt to taste.

Bake in hot oven (400-450F) approximately 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

[Liz]

Breads like this make weekend breakfasts an occasion.

Blueberry Coffee Cake
Junior League of Kansas City recipe

DRY ING Mix/set aside: 2 c cake flour or 1 5/8 c a/p flour, tea b/powder, 1/4 tea salt.

CRUMBLE Mix/set aside: 1/2 c ea br/sugar, nuts, bit cinnamon.

BATTER Cream cup butter, 2 c sugar; add 2 eggs. Fold in cup sour cream, 1/2 tsp
vanilla. Add dry ing; fold in 1/2 c blueberries. Pour 1/3 into greased/floured tube or
Bundt. Add 1/2 crumble then 1/3 batter; repeat. Swirl gently with spatula.

Bake 350 deg 55-60 min. Cool in pan. Remove to plate; sift conf over top.

SERVE. Nice w/ crocks of creamery butter.

[KosmicKitty]

My next cooking toy. Please, tell me more!!

[Jamestown1630]

That looks like a very good recipe. I like the part where you use ‘2 cups as needed’ - it takes the sense of ‘mystery’ out of bread making. You simply can’t follow a recipe exactly, when it comes to bread - it’s all a matter of the kind of flour, the weather, etc. - it boils down to FEELING.

I will try your recipe. Thanks very much!

-JT

[bgill]

I’ve found that throwing in a handful of instant potato flakes helps the texture in most any bread recipe. I use regular AP flour so that might be the reason.

[Stand Watch Listen]

Garlic / Parmesan Dinner Rolls
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Servings: 8
INGREDIENTS:
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 cup warm water - 100 to 110 degrees F
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano -Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley
olive oil for brushing
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano -Reggiano cheesev
DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix yeast, 1/2 cup of flour, sugar, and warm water in a bowl. Cover and let rest in a warm place until bubbling, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Stir in salt, olive oil, and egg. Mix thoroughly and stir in remaining 1 3/4 cup flour to form a loose, sticky dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Punch down and scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with more flour and shape into a rectangle. Roll out to an approximately 10x12-inch rectangle, about 1/2-inch thick. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with garlic, Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese, black pepper, cayenne, and parsley.
4. Press flat one long edge of the rectangle and brush with water. From the opposite end, roll evenly into a log. Press the seam together to seal.
5. Cut into 8 rolls. Transfer to a baking sheet, cut side up. If necessary, cut an ‘X' in the top of each roll to expose filling.
6. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
7. Brush each roll with olive oil. Sprinkle with more cheese. Cover and let rise until slightly puffed, about 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

[libertarian27]

I was always a lousy bread, biscuit and pie dough maker but recently picked up some tips on the net.

Measuring flour: Always used to just scoop that measuring cup into the bag, now spoon the flour into the measuring cup and flatten off the top with a knife, etc. ...what a texture difference!(one of these days I’ll buy a scale and do it right)

Pie Crust/Biscuits: I take frozen butter and grate it, throw it in frozen...I usually use a food processor for crust.... a couple of whirls and it’s good to go. But this works manually too.
Actually, I’ll grate the butter in the food processor if I’m making a lot, throw it in a bowl in the freezer while I’m getting everything else ready.