Friday, December 7, 2018

Baking Today

Here's what I've baked today.


EASY CHEESY CRACKERS

8 oz. grated cheddar cheese
4 T. softened butter
1 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
¼ to ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 – 3 T. ice water
Preheat oven to 350°.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix cheese, butter, salt and flour until coarse crumbs appear.
Add ice water and continue mixing until dough forms a ball.
Roll out to 1/8” thick.  Cut into 1” squares, poke a hole in the center
of each square with a skewer.
Place onto parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.




Crazy Dough

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dry yeast
  • 3 1/3 cup (16 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (6oz) plain yogurt
  • 1 whole egg
Instructions
1.     In a small jug stir together the lukewarm milk, sugar and yeast. Let stand for 15 minutes until yeast activates. It will become foamy and start expanding.
2.     In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
3.     In a separate bowl combine the yogurt and the egg
4.     Once the yeast has activated add the yeast mixture and yogurt egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Using a fork stir everything together until it forms a loose, sticky dough.
5.     If the dough is too dry, add a little bit of milk or water. If it is too soft, add just a little bit of flour.
6.     Once all the ingredients are combined gently knead/ fold the dough together until it forms a rough ball.
7.     Cover the dough tightly with cling wrap and a tea towel and place in a warm spot to proof for 2 hours.
8.     Once the dough has risen it should be about double in size. From here you can take this crazy all-purpose dough and make it into any of the following things!
9.     Cheesy loaf, pizza, naan bread, savory stuffed roll, classic cinnamon rolls, pretzels, jalapeno and cheese stuffed dinner rolls, and braided Nutella loaf.
10. Keep it in your fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze it, too.
 


Crazy Dough Stuffed Bread (Bacon, Scallion and Cream Cheese)

Servings: 8 large rolls
  • 1 master recipe crazy dough
  • 1 cup (8oz/240g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (5oz/150g) bacon cooked and chopped
  • 1 bunch scallion sliced thin
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
1.     After your crazy dough recipe has proofed prepare the filling:
2.     Combine the cream cheese, cooked chopped bacon, crushed garlic and sliced scallion in a bowl. Stir until smooth and set aside.
3.     Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle approximately 20 inches x 16 inches. It will be long so you can always do it in 2 goes.
4.     Spread the cream cheese filling over the dough, leaving a narrow margin around the edges uncovered.
5.     Starting with a long edge, gently roll the dough into a log. Don't roll it too tightly. If you do, the centers of the buns will pop up as they bake.
6.     Slice the rolls 2 1/2 inches thick and set them filling side up in a deep baking.(AT THIS POINT YOU CAN REFRIGERATE TO BAKE OFF THE FOLLOWING DAY IF YOU WISH)
7.     Cover the pan, and allow the rolls to rise until they're have grown into each other and are puffed up, about 45 minutes - 1 hour.
8.     Preheat the oven to 375oF/ 190oC. Uncover the pan and bake the buns for 40 to 45 minutes, till they're a deep golden brown.
9.     Rotate the tray during baking so they can get golden brown all over.
10. Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool for 20 minutes. Once cooled remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack .
11. Pull apart and enjoy immediately!



Deli Style Rye Bread

This recipe is from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day.

Makes four 1 pound loaves. This recipe is easily doubled or halved.

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds, plus more sprinkling on the top
1 cup rye flour
5 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
Cornmeal for pizza peel
Cornstarch wash ** recipe below

1. Mix the yeast, salt, and caraway seeds with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a liided (not airtitght) food container.

2.  Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14 cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook).  If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.


3.  Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4.  The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 14 days.

5.  On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece.  Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go. Elongate the ball into an oval-shaped loaf.  Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.  **I don't have a peel, so I used a heavy weight cookie sheet.**

6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450° with a baking stone placed on the middle rack.  **I used a cookie sheet**  Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread. **I used a foil pan---because I can't find my broiler pan! and put it on the bottom shelf**

7.  Using a pastry brush, paint the top crust with cornstarch wash and then sprinkle with additional caraway seeds. Slash with deep parallel cuts across the loaf, using a serrated bread knife.

8.  Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone.  Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustment in baking time.

9. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Cornstarch Wash

Using a fork, blend 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with a small amount of water to form a paste.  Add 1/2 cup water and whisk with the fork.  Microwave or boil until mixture appears glassy, about 30 to 60 seconds on high.  It will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks; discard if it has an off smell.


No comments:

Post a Comment