Baking Class #3 – Yeast Breads 2 April 28, 2008

This week’s class was another yeast bread adventure. This time, we made cinnamon rolls, coffee cake (which was really more like a pastry), and brioche. Actually, the brioche was left over cinnamon bun dough. Things didn’t come out great because we didn’t have enough time to let things rise as much as they should have. But while I’m not a big fan of cinnamon rolls in general, when its warm and gooey, I don’t say no. I also really liked the brioche…but anything with that much butter is gonna be good.

I think I’m going to try making cinnamon raisin bread this week for ‘homework’!

Banana Bread April 25, 2008

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=6ab7542a0780f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=banana%20bread&rsc=header_4

Ingredients

Makes 1 loaf

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

So, I totally butchered this bread. I severely under baked it and it was a mess. I took it out early, because I thought the sides were getting too browned. Next time, I’m going to leave it in for much longer and cook it in a bigger loaf pan (I think the one I used was too small). But, I definitely want to try this one again. The end pieces that I managed to salvage were delicious! And this recipe got really good reviews on the website.

Martha’s Scones April 25, 2008

I made the lemon variation of the current scone recipe from Martha’s Baking Handbook (page 42). I left out the ginger, but put in some dried cherries.

Overall, I thought they came out great. And Mom agreed ) But the flavor was very subtly lemon. This might have been because the 2 lemons I bought didn’t actually give me the 1/2 cup of lemon juice called for. But either way, I think I’ll add the zest of another lemon next time. I’d also like to try them with dried strawberries…I’d just have to chop them up a bit. But I think it’d be delicious. And I love that you can freeze them for a few weeks…that way you can have warm scones whenever you’re ready!

Baking Class #2 – Yeast Breads 1 April 20, 2008

Today in class we made French bread and Challah. It turns out that I really like Challah! But both turned out pretty well. I can’t wait to try making it on my own. We had to rush the rising process, so supposedly this means that the bread wasn’t as tasty as it could have been. I think I want to make Challah again…but we’ll see how it goes!

We learned a ton about yeast and flours today. One good note for breads is that bread that has risen well will keep an indent if you poke it. After you kneed it properly, it will bounce back.

Also, you can make your own yeast with potatoes or organic grapes. But I’m not so sure I’m up for that…it sounds like it could go really wrong.

Zucchini Bread April 19, 2008

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, plus a few to sprinkle on top
1/3 cup poppy seeds (optional)
zest of two lemons (optional)
1/2 cup crystalized ginger, finely chopped (optional)

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large (preferably organic) eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium), skins on, squeeze some of the moisture out and then fluff it up again before using

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or apf flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon curry powder (optional)

Special equipment: two 1 pound loaf pans (5 x 9 inches)

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter the two loaf pans, dust them with a bit of flour and set aside. Alternately, you can line the pans with a sheet of parchment. If you leave a couple inches hanging over the pan, it makes for easy removal after baking. Just grab the parchment “handles” and lift the zucchini bread right out.

In a small bowl combine the walnuts, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and ginger. Set aside.

In a mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until mixture comes together and is no longer crumbly. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini (low speed if you are using a mixer).

In a separate bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and curry powder. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring between each addition.

By hand, fold in the walnut, poppy seed, lemon zest, and crystalized ginger mixture. Save a bit of this to sprinkle on the tops of the zucchini loaves before baking for a bit of texture. Avoid over mixing the batter, it should be thick and moist, not unlike a butter cream frosting.

Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Make sure it is level in the pans, by running a spatula over the top of each loaf. Bake for about 40-45 minutes on a middle oven rack. I like to under bake my zucchini bread ever so slightly to ensure it stays moist. Keep in mind it will continue to cook even after it is removed from the oven as it is cooling. Remove from the oven and cool the zucchini bread in pan for about ten minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling – if you leave them in their pans, they will get sweaty and moist (not in a good way) as they cool.

Makes 2 loaves.

So, after I got some requests for zucchini bread, I decided to try making some. I was a little nervous about the curry…but I decided to go with it. I reeked of curry until I added the nuts. I used a combo of walnuts and pine nuts since that’s what I had in the fridge. While there was a hint of the curry to the taste, it wasn’t overpowering. But I can’t say whether I could like preferred it without it.

I didn’t have any of the optional ingredients, but I think the lemon would have been good.

Also, I didn’t have 2 loaf pans so I got one loaf and 6 muffins out of the batter. I baked the muffins for about 18 minutes, and the loaf for about 30 minutes. But the loaf just didn’t work out. The outside was really dry and the inside not fully baked. Oh well! I’m going to try the zucchini cupcakes from The Cake Bible next time!

Chocolate Meringue Cake April 18, 2008

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chocolate-meringue-cake?lnc=5a79cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=cf_link

Makes one 9-inch cake

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 1 cup hazelnuts
• All-purpose flour for pan
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 6 large whole eggs, separated
• 4 large egg whites
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled, plus 4 ounces roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon rum, optional
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup superfine sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Butter parchment, and sprinkle with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
2. Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and skins start to crack, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; rub vigorously with a clean kitchen towel to take off skins. Let cool; roughly chop. Set aside.
3. Make cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and rum, if using; beat until combined. Set aside.
4. In a clean mixer bowl, combine 6 egg whites and salt; using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine hazelnuts, chopped chocolate, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl; using a clean whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
6. Remove cake from oven. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top of cake, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.

This cake was very rich and good, especially warm. The cake was like a flourless chocolate cake, but a little lighter, like a souffle when hot and about like a brownie when cooled. I cooked the meringue a little longer than the recipe said (like some of the comments said to) but I think it made the outside of the cake just a bit dry and the meringue a little too crisp). I used pecans instead of hazelnuts because it’s so much easier. I don’t think it needed the whole cup of nuts though. I think the cake alone would also be good with a simple ganache.

Hazelnut Butter Cookies with Mini Chocolate Chips April 17, 2008

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup creamy unsalted hazelnut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce package semisweet mini chocolate chips (2 cups)

Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, hazelnut butter, and both sugars in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before shaping.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 level tablespoon for each cookie, roll dough between palms of hands into 1-inch balls. Arrange 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets on racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)

 

These cookies were really good! They’re more like chocolate chip cookies than peanut butter cookies but maybe the texture is a bit different. They smell like hazelnuts. It took almost a whole jar of $7 hazelnut butter, so I would probably try it with peanut butter if it becomes a regular. (Yes, I have cookies that I make regularly).

Pizza Muffins! April 15, 2008

Ok, I scrapped the biscuits and I went for Pizza Muffins, thanks to Maggie and her dad. He shared the recipe below with me. I changed just a few things (in italics below).

These were very yummy and did taste a lot like pizza (thanks mostly to the oregano and basil, I think). They were cheesey, but also seemed very light and tender. I’d definitely make them again, maybe with some minestrone soup.

 

Pizza Muffins

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and diced (I didn’t use oil packed ones)
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided (I used a combo of light sharp cheddar & parmesan)
4 green onions, chopped (swapped for chives)
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

added a few grinds of black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, basil, oregano and sugar into large bowl; stir until well blended. Mix in tomatoes, 1.5 cups of cheese and onions. In another bowl beat egg, whisk in buttermilk and stir until combined. Spoon batter into muffin tins until half full. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top of muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the muffin comes out clean.

Note: With this recipe you can substitute ingredients or add ingredients such as pepperoni, black olives, green pepper etc.

Baking Class #1 – Quick Breads April 14, 2008

My first day of my professional baking series started yesterday, and it was awesome. We made scones, buttermilk biscuits, and muffins. Yum!

I also learned the difference between baking powder and baking soda. Baking powder is actually a mixture of baking soda and acid. You use baking powder when the recipe doesn’t contain anything acidic.

For my homework this week, I’m going to try making cornmeal biscuits with cheddar and chipotle: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/234118.

Here are some books my teacher recommended:

The Cake Bible

The Pie and Pastry Bible

The Bread Bible

Food Lover’s Companion

Cook’s Illustrated (magazine)