Pot Roast in the Oven

My husband and I have been eating a lot less meat recently.  It’s part of our overall goal to become healthier, and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.  But, we still have those cravings ever now and again.  For me, a big winter craving is my easy pot roast recipe.

This pot roast is so simple that you’ll wonder why you never made it before.  We personally prefer grass-fed beef, for its exceptional flavor, overall health benefits, and the support of our local farming community.  This recipe is also exceptional with bison or buffalo meat, because it tenderizes the meat so nicely.

Ingredients

• One nicely sized hunk of chuck roast, which is great for pot roast
• Vegetables – carrots, onions, celery, parsnips, potatoes, etc.
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Water or beef stock

1.  In a large Dutch oven on the top of the stove, add several Tablespoons of olive oil, and heat. Preheat the oven to a low 250 degrees.

2. Place the roast on the heating oil, and sear each side for about five minutes a piece.

Sear the Roast

3. Then remove the roast and set it to the side.  Add a little extra oil and sautee the onions.  I like to use about 2 small-to-medium onions in my easy pot roast recipe.  Use more for a larger roast, and less for a smaller roast.

Sautee the Onions

4. Once the onions are soft and translucent, put the pot roast back into the Dutch oven, and fill it with water or beef stock until the liquid comes up to half the side of the meat.

5.  Add the seasonings, like salt and pepper, rosemary, thyme, anything you want.

Preparing the Pot Roast for the Oven

6.  Place the lid on the Dutch oven and put it in the oven.

7. Every half an hour, using tongs, flip the meat over.

8. About three or four hours into cooking, add the vegetables that you would like.

Add the Vegetables

9. Continue flipping the meat every half and hour, until the meat is falling completely apart and the vegetables are tender.

10. Serve immediately, and enjoy completely.

Pot Roast in the Oven

Quizno's Flat Bread Copycat Recipe

One of my favorite breads to have around the house is this Quizno’s flat bread copycat recipe.  If you’ve ever had a Quizno’s “Sammy” and loved the bread, then this is the recipe you’ll want to make at home.

Not only is this recipe remarkably easy to make, it’s flavorful and good for so much more than sandwiches.  It’s a little too thick to make wraps out of it, but I love this flat bread when its slathered with a good hummus, some fresh veggie strips, and a little balsamic glaze.

This flat bread recipe is also made on the the stove, not in an oven.  Kids will have a good time with it, especially because it’s a little different.

My husband regularly requests my Quizno’s copycat recipe, and I am always happy to oblige.  I typically get 12 pieces of this flat bread from one recipe, though sometimes a few more.  I don’t worry about making each piece perfectly round and pretty.  They get eaten far too fast for that.

Quizno’s Style Flat Bread Recipe Copycat

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup warm (not hot) water
• 2 tsp instant yeast (or one envelope active dry yeast)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Scald the milk.  Be careful not to burn the milk.
2. In a large bowl,  place the butter, honey, and salt.  Pour the scalded milk into the bowl and stir until the butter has melted.
3. While the mixture is cooling, combine the sugar, yeast and water in a separate, small bowl.  Cover, and allow the yeast to get bubbly.
   

   I would say this yeast is quite active!

4. While the yeast is getting bubbly, add 1 1/2 cup of the flour to the milk mixture.  Add the egg, then stir well.
5. Add the yeast mixture and the rest of the flout, and mix until the dough is sticky.
6. Knead the dough until it is soft and supple, about 6 minutes.  The dough will still feel sticky, because of the honey, but resist the urge to add more flour.
7. Put the dough back into the large bowl (oil the bowl beforehand for easier handling later on), and allow the bread to double in size, about one hour.
8. Dump the dough out onto the counter and divide into equal pieces.  Most likely about 12 – 16 pieces.  Cover them, and let the rest for 15 minutes.
9. Roll the dough into individual dough balls.  I highly recommend using the same technique as seen in my video about shaping dinner rolls.
   

   Quizno's Style Flat Bread All Rolled Up!

10. Roll each piece out into a round about 8-10″ and about 1/8″ thick.  Use your judgment.
    

    The Flat Bread Rolled Out

11. In a large skillet (NOT greased!!!) cook one piece of bread at a time over low-to-medium low heat.  It takes about 15-25 seconds per side.
    

    Quizn's Copycat Bread Recipe Cooking

12. Transfer to a cooling rack, then to a pile on a plate.

Anyone who regularly reads food blogs has heard of Pioneer Woman.  She’s been in the food blog scene for a long time and she has wrangled herself plenty of fans.  As I have been on a mission to find the most perfect cinnamon roll recipe, I thought I would try the one that fans of Pioneer Woman have stood by so steadfastly.

I am still on the mission for the perfect cinnamon roll.

Don’t get me wrong, these are very good.  There were elements to the recipe that I enjoyed, but overall, I think this is just another over-hyped recipe that is not bad, but not worthy of the big O.

And as a warning, this recipe is ridiculously huge.  Half it if you want a normal-sized batch that can be eaten within a week.  My half yielded two 9-inch pans full.

The following recipe is adapted from The Pioneer Woman:

• 4 cups milk (I used 2%)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tsp instant yeast
• 9 cups of flour (1 cup separated)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1.5 sticks of butter (at least, to your taste)
• Cinnamon

1. Mix milk, oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Scald the mixture and let it cool to a lukewarm temperature, around 105 degrees.
2. Then, add the yeast, stir, and let it sit for about ten minutes.
3. In the largest bowl known to man, measure and dump into it the 8 cups of flour.  Then, add the milk mixture and stir.
4. Add the 8 cups of flour.  Go ahead and stir a little to get the dough moistened, but don’t try to stir this completely.  If you have a mixer, use your dough hook.  If not, I recommend turning the dough out onto a countertop and kneading it all together.  It’s SO much dough, that working the dough by hand is strongly recommended.
5. Once the dough is combined, place in a large bowl, plastic bucket, or proofing container, and let the dough rise for about an hour.

1. Turn the dough out, and add the baking soda, salt, and extra flour.  I didn’t need the extra cup of flour because its winter, my kitchen was dry, and adding it would have made the dough ridiculously tough.  Only add the flour if your dough feels wet and is sticking all over the place.
2. Let the dough rest, covered, 20 minutes.  Resting the dough makes it SO MUCH EASIER to roll out.
3. Divide the dough in half,  letting one half sit covered.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the other half into a large rectangle, or something resembling a rectangle shape.

1. Drizzle with about 1/2 cup of melted butter.  Brush it all over the surface with a pastry brush if needed.
2. Sprinkle with a generous amount of white sugar, followed by a generous amount of cinnamon.
3. Then, begin the rolling.  You want it to roll up in a log the long way, not the short way.  Roll the dough tightly, so that it tends to stick together, forming a nice roll.
4. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
5. Slice the rolls.  I highly recommend that you see my video on the easiest way in the world to cut cinnamon rolls.

1. Place the rolls in greased pans and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting.  This was actually my favorite part of the recipe, mostly because I’ve never tried a maple frosting with cinnamon rolls.  It’s a tasty option and I will certainly try this again.

• 1 bag powdered sugar (use your judgment on this one, but you need a lot, and one bag is two pounds)
• 2 -3 tsp of maple flavoring
• 1/2 milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee (cold)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla (optional – I preferred this frosting when I added this of my own volition)

Mix it all thoroughly in a mixer.  It should be a thick consistency, almost like syrup, but heavier.  You want to be able to just pour it out of the mixing bowl, and it should be free of lumps.

Pour the frosting over the rolls immediately after you remove them from the oven.

Enjoy!

I made this dish for Thanksgiving, as I already had made a smorgasboard of food.  This year, instead of making my mashed sweet potatoes, I wanted to do something a little more colorful.  Taking a break from my usual recipe, I nabbed this inspiration from the November 2009 Food and Wine magazine.

Making this recipe is simple, but the results are quite delicious.  It’s autmnal, seasonal cooking at its simplest and best.  Here is how I did it:

1. Gathered, washed, and prepped veggies as need:  parsnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, butternut squash, and celery
2. Assembled them in a large Dutch oven.
3. Drizzled with about 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4. Tossed with fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme, with a little salt and pepper to taste
5. Roasted at 350, with the cover on, for about 60 minutes, until everything was tender, but not squishy.

They were a huge hit at my holiday dinner table.  One of the nice things about this melange of veggies is that you can easily use any leftovers for another dish, like a winter vegetable soup or a pot pie with leftover turkey.

We have a giant pear tree, and awhile back, I posted one pear tart recipe, which was really, really tasty.  But for Thanksgiving, I wanted to do something a little different, since I already had made a pecan pie, and the previous tart had more of a “pie” type crust.

Homemade Pear Tart - II

Instead of using a traditional crust, I made this with the same patisserie dough that was featured in my homemade croissants (a/k/a the most delicious things known to man).   To make this recipe, you’ll want to start the process of making the same dough as the croissants.  Make that recipe all the way up to the point where you roll out the dough into a rectangle and are about to start cutting the dough for shaping.

Then:

1. Trim the four sides of the dough with a pizza or pastry wheel to even out the sides and make them straight.
2. Trim two strips of identical widths from both sides of the long end of the tart dough and two from the short end of the tart dough.  Set aside.
3. Repeat.  So that you have four long strips and four short strips in total.
4. Then, stack them on top of their corresponding sides in the dough, as illustrated below.  No need to use egg wash to keep the pieces together.  Just press a little and you’ll be fine.

Stack the strips along the sides to create a slightly raised edge

As you can see, I just placed it on some parchment and a cookie sheet, and it was ready for the pears!

Then, using the recipe for my previous pear tart, fill the inside with your sliced pears and seasonings.

Fill the center of the pear tart

Bake at 350 about 15-20 minutes or until golden and the pears are soft, but firm, not mushy.

Enjoy the pear goodness!

One of my favorite food blogs to read is The Cast Iron Darling.   So when one her recent posts linked to a recipe for one of my utmost weaknesses, dinner rolls, I was intrigued.  I *love* good dinner rolls.  In fact, my very first post here at Knead To Be Loaved was a dinner roll recipe that simply cannot be beat.

One of the major complaints that people have about making bread from scratch is that they think it takes a lot of time.  And in some cases, it does.  But what they forget is that “so much time” does not immediately translate to “so much effort.”  Much of the time spent in making homemade bread is waiting for the bread to rise.

Today, however, people do not want to wait for anything.  As a staunch supporter of always going the speed limit, people pass by me all of the time (only to end up stopped at a light when I catch up).  So I can see the allure of a 60-minute dinner roll.

I am posting the adapted recipe here with hesitation.  I like to post recipe successes, and while this one was a success, it isn’t a recipe that I would make again, except in truly extenuating circumstances.

See, one of the reasons good bread has to rise multiple times is to develop flavor.   As the yeast multiplies, and dies off, there is a whole world of amazing flavor being developed.  To cut that process short is to me, a die-hard fan of naturally flavored bread, almost criminal.  Instead of allowing the flavor to develop on its own, this recipe uses a ridiculous amount of yeast.  This forces the bread to rise fast, but in the end, the flavor falls flat.  It just doesn’t have that tender, yeasty, complex flavor that a dinner roll should.  It didn’t melt in my mouth, or elicit any sort of comfort from eating for me.

Now don’t get me wrong, this recipe is not so bad that it is inedible.  But after making and experiencing the feedback from the Amish dinner rolls I usually make, any dinner roll recipe I try has a pretty high mark to meet. In the end, this recipe for 60-minute dinner rolls is easy and will make dinner rolls in an hour or less.  But if the time is the priority over flavor, save yourself the headache and just buy a roll of Pillsbury rolls in the refrigerator section of your store.

As for me, I plan to use these to accompany soup or warm them and have them with jam in the morning. The below recipe was used exactly as adapted at Erin Cooks.  I tried out my jumbo muffin pan and made four-leaf clover rolls out of half, just for kicks.  The others, I rolled up and baked in a 9×13 pan.

Check out my video to learn how to easily shape and roll dozens of dinner rolls in under 5 minutes!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter
6 and 3/4 tsp. instant yeast (told you, it’s ridiculous!)
1 1/2 cups warm water
5 – 6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, salt and butter together. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool until lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups flour to yeast mixture, and using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute. With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix about 1 1/2 minutes, or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl. Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel, and let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 15 minutes.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 24 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and place in a greased muffin pan. Using kitchen shears or a pizza cutter (a knife will also work), cut each ball in half, then in quarters, and replace in the muffin pan. (Cover the muffin pan with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 15 minutes.

Bake at 425ºF for 12 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.

As a child, I never enjoyed pecan pie.  It was full of nuts and that, to my child brain, meant it was somehow healthy.  Little did I know that pecan pie is sweet, salty, syrupy, and oh-so-delish.  So when I got older, I started to enjoy pecan pie.  But not all of the time.

I’ve had pecan pie that is sensational.  But not as often as I’ve had pecan pie that is lacking in flavor, goopy, too sweet for its own good, or paired with a soggy, lackluster crust.   So it has always been my mission to find a perfect homemade pecan pie recipe.

Yesterday, I did.  It’s the perfect pie recipe for Thanksgiving, or, in my case, for my father-in-law’s birthday, as was the case yesterday.

This recipe is adapted from Baking Illustrated: The Practical Kitchen Companion for the Home Baker.  If you’re a home baker who doesn’t have this book, then you need to have it.

Perfect Pecan Pie

Ingredients:
A favorite pie crust recipe
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup packed dark brown sugar (light is okay, but dark will provide a better taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten and set aside
3/4 cup light corn syrup (dark will work, but light is better in this case)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups of pecans, toasted and chopped into irregular pieces

Directions:

1.  Pre-bake your pie crust.  Make sure you use pie weights or line the unbaked crust with foil and fill with dry beans.  It will otherwise shrink, and no one likes a shrunken crust!  Bake it only until golden, being carefully to not baked too much.

After shaping the crust, it's time to blind bake it!

1a.  Reset your oven temp to 275 degrees.  Yes, 275.

2.  While your pie crust is baking up, start the filling.  The method in the book calls for a double boiler sort of setup.  But instead, in a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.

3. Stir in the brown sugar and the salt until the butter is absorbed.

4. Add the beaten eggs, the corn syrup and the vanilla.  Stir until well blended, and heat until the mixture is shiny and hot to the touch, about 130 degrees.  It will be a beautiful caramel color.

5. Once the mixture is hot and read, stir in the pecans.

6. Pour into the pie shell and back in the middle rack until the pie looks set and soft, like Jello, when gently pressed with the back of a spoon.  It will take about 50-60 minutes of baking time.

7.  Allow to cool on a rack.  Best to cool completely (4-5 hours) before slicing.

The finished pie (with bad lighting, sorry!)

I’ve been trapped up in the house since Thursday with the flu (ugh, I know), and since I don’t quite have the energy to get into the kitchen and bake, I thought I would blog about a great pear recipe that I made for dessert last weekend.

One of the best things about my yard is the remarkable amount of produce we get from our trees.  With two large apple trees and one pear tree, we get more than our fare share of pomes.  But the pears are always what I look forward to most.

Unsure of the variety, they are firm and almost apple-like in texture, even when allowed to ripen to the fullest.  They never get terribly soft and juicy, like I prefer my pears.  But, they’re great for baking, adding to salads, and on their own, they are fairly delicious, too.

My sister-in-law, niece, and mother-in-law were all coming to dinner on Sunday night, and as usual, our pear tree had provided us with quite the number of pears.   I’m talking BUCKETS and BUCKETS of pears.  So I decided to make a pear tart.

Mmmmm - Pears!

Ingredients:

One pie crust (if you’re not in the mood to make it yourself, which I prefer, a store-bought crust will do)
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 large pears, peeled with ends trimmed
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
6 Tablespoons butter
Nutmeg
Cinnamon

1. Make the crust.  Or, if buying it, roll it out so that it fits your tart pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Spray your tart pan with non-stick spray, and then press the crust into the pan until it fits nicely.
4. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese onto the crust, lightly pressing it in place.
5. Sprinkle a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg over the cheese.
6. Slice the pears lengthwise into quite thin pieces, then lay them out, slightly overlapping, from one end of the tart to the other.  Make several rows as needed. Pour lemon juice over the top.
7. Melt 3 T of butter in the microwave. Pour about 1 T. over the pears and pour the rest over the brown sugar, and stir.  Add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.
8. Sprinkle part of the brown sugar over the pears, about half the mixture.  Make sure it is not too thick in any one place.
9. Cube 1.5 T of the remaining butter into small pieces, and place evenly over the tart.
10. Bake for 10 minutes.
11. Remove tart from oven, and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar evenly.  Cube the remaining butter, and place over the top of the pears.
12. Sprinkle with a touch more cinnamon and sugar.
13. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the pears are soft.

Completed Pear Tart

I love to use a touch of cheddar cheese whenever I bake a crust that is meant for pears or apples.  The flavor isn’t strong at all, but it perfectly compliments the texture and the flavor of fruits in the pome family.  In fact, my mother-in-law was surprised to even know that it was in the recipe.

I also made fresh whipped cream to serve with this.  It’s not only a nice garnish, but anytime you can fresh whipped cream with something, you should.  The tart was really just an excuse for me to have my way with a little whipped cream.  And besides, leftover cream is great with hot chocolate!

Pear Tart Ready to Eat, with Fresh Whipped Cream

Inspired by two upcoming events — Halloween and my nephew’s first birthday — I decided to try my hand at making some of the animal cupcakes in the adorable book, Hello, Cupcake! I decided to choose a recipe and decorating scheme that seemed only moderately labor intensive, but still fun.

Decorating cupcakes, for me, is something outside of my normal skill set.  I can bake just about any yeast bread known to man, but put some frosting in my hands and I kind of freak out.  So this exercise, is definitely a challenge for me.

I adapted the recipe here slightly.  I found a couple of steps from the book to not be beneficial for me.  I also changed up the candies in the ingredient list, simply because I couldn’t find their recommendation.  I think such experimentation is in the spirit of the book.

Isn't this a cute halloween cupcake?

One of the nice things about the recipes in Hello, Cupcake! is that they use box cake mixes, but change it up a bit to make a sturdier cupcake.  I personally love this idea, because it’s less work, but the buttermilk enhances the flavor of the cake mix nicely.  They taste less like they came from a box.

As always with my recipes, I am writing out my adaptation from the recipe I used.  It varies slightly from what you’d find in the book itself.

Cupcake Recipe Ingredients:

1 box devil’s food chocolate cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
The amount of oil called for by the cake box (mine called for 1/2 cup)

In medium mixing bowl, combine cake mix, buttermilk, and oil. Then add eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined. Preheat oven to 350. Fill cupcake liners.

As a side note, I like to fill a pastry bag with the cake mix and pipe it into the cupcake liners. I find that I can control the portions better, and that they bake up with an even, consistent top of the cupcake. It’s nice and flat with a slight dome.

For the Cupcake Decorations:

1 bag of Oreos
1 small box of Junior Mints
1 box of Starbursts
1 recipe of chocolate frosting (link goes to my preferred recipe)

While the cupcakes bake, separate the Oreos so that you have two sides with cream for each cupcake baked, and one cream-free side for each cupcake. I found that removing the specks as described in the book wasn’t effective for me, so I just used a knife and spread the cream filling of the Oreo around to make it look a little more homemade.   Also, if you can’t twist off all the frosting, you can just use a butter knife to scrape it off the cookie and then blend it onto the half with the cream.  I actually prefer my results to the polished and perfect results in the book.

Twist the Oreos apart to create the "eyes" of the cupcakes, then spread the cream filling around

Also, the book recommends microwaving a few cookies to make it easier to leave the cream only on one side. I tried this, and didn’t find it any easier for me. Then again, I like to eat my Oreo cookies all separate, so I’ve had years of practice.

It took me about 15-20 minutes to do all of the Oreo eyes, which is about how long it took for me to bake the cupcakes.  I always use my convection setting, so my time is a little reduced.

While the cupcakes cook, you can assemble the eyes, and prep the beaks.  To assemble the eyes, just take a little bit of frosting (in my case, I used a little vanilla from a can that I had leftover from another project), and put it on the bottom of a Junior Mint.  Then, press the mint onto the cream-filled side of each Oreo cookie.  Set aside.

Making the eyes for our owl halloween cupcakes

Before I frost the cupcakes, I like to make sure that all of them are cool.  So this would be a good time to go ahead and make your chocolate frosting.  It is perfectly acceptable to use frosting from a can.  I prefer the taste of homemade frosting, and for me, the little bit of extra work is worth it.  But in a pinch, or if you prefer canned frosting, any chocolate flavor will do.

Go ahead and frost the cupcakes with the chocolate frosting, then begin prepping the owl ears with the cream-free parts of the Oreo cookies.

To do this, you’ll need a serrated knife and a cutting board.  Simply place the cookie half on the cutting board, and saw the cookie in half.  Don’t try just pressing down to slice the cookie.  It’s too firm and will just crack into pieces.  Repeat this until you have two halves for each cupcake.

Making the "ears" of our owl cupcakes

This is also a good time to unwrap the yellow and/or orange Starburst candies and cut out little triangular wedges to make the beaks.  The book recommends using the bananas from Runts, which I would have done had I been able to find them in my local store.  Since they were not available, I found an alternative.  I also think that candy corns would make cute little beaks, too.

Now begins the fun.  Using just another small bit of frosting, press the ears into the cupcake.  The round edges of the cookies should be on the inside, toward the center, of the cupcake.

Press the owl ears into the top center of the cupcake

Then, place a little frosting on the back of the owl eyes that you created earlier.  Press them into the cupcake, overlapping the ears slightly.  For fun, you can choose to place them in different ways, to give each owl a little bit of individual personality.  Then push in a piece of beak.

Press the eyes and the nose into the cupcake

The final step is to frost the owl ears with chocolate frosting.  While Hello, Cupcake! has instructions for making it more like feathers and fur, I didn’t really want to mess with that this time.  So I chose to use a small star tip and just cover them that way.  It still gets the job done and the result is fairly cute, indeed.

Your owl Halloween cupcakes are ready!

Everyone should have a go-to easy chocolate frosting recipe.  This is a recipe that I’ve used as an all-purpose recipe for years.  Unlike canned frosting, it has a rich, buttery taste and it dries down to a more solid finish.  That makes it nice for decorating, too.

Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe

1 stick of butter, cubed
2 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips (or you could use milk if you really wanted to)
1/2 cup plus 1 T. unsweetened cocoa
1 pound confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Enough milk for consistency (about 1/2 cup)
Vanilla to taste (1-2 tsp).

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate chips, taking care to make sure it does not scorch. Add the cocoa and stir until smooth. Transfer to a medium-to-large mixing bowl and beat. Add the powdered sugar and the milk, alternating as you go, but beating continuously. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl, if needed. Add the vanilla, and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Homemade Twix Bars – Chocolate and Caramel and Yum – Oh My!

I’ve been a very busy woman over the last few months.  I worked in a happenin’ little restaurant through Labor Day weekend, and I started a new job in the beginning of August.  Combined, I was on duty seven days a week, and that meant my baking time suffered.

I have a lot to post, but I’ll spread it out.  This summer, I entered only five things in our county fair.  I am terribly pleased to report that I not only placed in all of them, I won every category but one.  I thought I won them all, but I must have misheard (not an impossible thing for the hearing impaired such as myself.)  Making matters even more exciting is that I took home another “Grand Champion” ribbon in the Yeast Breads category.

To win the Grand Champion award, I not only had to place first in one of the yeast bread categories, I had to be considered the best of show for yeast breads against all of the other yeast bread category winners.  I knew I stood a solid chance, because I had placed first in several yeast bread categories.

In the end, my braided bread entry took home top honors.  I made a six-stranded braided sweet bread filled with raspberry filling and topped with my version of the icing that comes on Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls.  It pretty much rocked, and because it came out so perfectly, I knew it was a solid, special entry.  But I will post more about that when post my award-winning bread recipe, complete with photos and a braiding tutorial.

Today’s comeback entry, however, is a recipe I have wanted to try for the last few months.  I first learned about the recipe at a food blog I enjoy, Cooking Books.  It’s a great blog to read and feel inspired by.  Then, the recipe started appearing in some of the baking forums to which I subscribe, which made it even more intriguing.

The recipe is for Sherry Yard’s Homemade Twix Bars.  I love Twix Bars.  They’re one of my favorite candy bars, though I am still a little bitter that they no longer make the specialty flavors I recall from childhood summers.  Specifically, the Cookies and Cream Twix Bars.  Remember those?

The recipe is very easy to make, and while to does take some time, it’s mostly waiting time.   And the thing that bakers often forget is that “waiting” is part of the ingredients list.  In some recipes, waiting is just as important as accurately measuring ingredients.

So, as you read this recipe, remember that you should begin this recipe when you have the right amount of time to wait.  Without it, you’ll end up wasting ingredients and you’ll end up with a sub-par end result.

To make it easy, I am listing the recipe in the three sections: the shortbread crust, the caramel middle layer, and the top chocolate layer.

I’d also like to insert a note: In the caramel part of the recipe, it calls for golden syrup.  While it can be found in the United States, those of us who live away from bigger cities may have a hard time finding it.  It can be ordered online, or you can use a substitution of your choice.   I chose to use a syrup that is part corn syrup and part cane syrup, called Alaga Syrup.  I chose to use that product because the golden syrup the recipe calls for come from cane.  I thought it would give an approximate taste.  Alaga syrup isn’t nearly as sweet to me as straight up corn syrup, and while that made me nervous in the start, I really think it was the right decision in the end.  It has a great caramel flavor, without being so sweet that your teeth hurt.

This recipe is by Sherry Yard and can be found in Desserts By the Yard.

Homemade Twix Bars

Shortbread Crust:
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons butter (5 1/2 ounces), softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons ground rice

With a rack in the lowest portion of the oven, preheat to 350.  Spray a 9×13″ baking pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, then spray the paper.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 2 minutes.  It should be fluffy.

Properly Creamed Butter and Sugar

Gradually add in the flour and the rice until the dough comes together.
Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes.  Rotate the pan and continue to bake for another 8 minutes.  The shortbread should be a deep golden brown.  Cool on a rack to room temperature, still in the pan.

Layer One - The Shortbread Crust - Baked and Cooled

Note: To make the ground rice, just use a coffee bean grinder or your food processor. Measure the rice grains whole, then grind.  This product is NOT the same as rice flour, so do not try to use that as a substitution.   I just cave my husband’s grinder a good wipe and clean before grinding.  Even if you don’t get all the coffee out, that’s okay.  A tiny bit of coffee is almost undetectable, but it enhances the chocolate in the end.

Do not start the caramel until the shortbread has been cooling  for at least 20 minutes.

Caramel
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sweetened condensed milk

In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, syrup, water and lemon juice.  Wet the sides of the pan with a little water if any of the ingredients have crept up.  Cover the saucepan and cook it over medium heat for 4 minutes.

Remove the lid, increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.  Do not stir.  The mixture will bubble, and if sugar appears on the sides of the pan, brush them back down with a wet pastry brush.  The bubbles will continue to get larger.

In the meantime, bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan.   Remove from the heat and set aside.

Return to the sugar mixture, which will turn golden brown after 5 or 6 minutes.  With a candy thermometer, make sure the mixture has reached 300, then remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 1 minutes, until the bubbles subside.

Whisk in the heavy cream off the heat and whisk in the condensed milk.  Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Return the saucepan to medium heat and stir constantly until the caramel reaches 240.  Pour over the shortbread and allow to set.

Layer Two - Caramel - Poured Over The Shortbread Crust

Note: The caramel really take some time to set.  I let mine cool for about 45-50 minutes, and could have and should have waited at least another 20 minutes.  It was set up nicely, in that it wasn’t super fluid, but the additional twenty minutes would have made the last step a little easier.

Chocolate:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
In a double boiler or in the microwave set on half strength, melt the chocolate and butter.  Stir until smooth.  Pour evenly over the caramel and let sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator until set.

Note: For a 9 x 13 pan, I felt that this wasn’t quite enough chocolate to do the job.  This will provide a very thin layer on the top.  Next time I make these, I’ll add another 3 ounces of chocolate and 1 more T. of butter.  It will just make them more balanced, I think.

The restaurant where I work is known for providing the area with a generous lox platter unlike anything else to be found for miles.  It’s one of our most popular dishes, selling like mad every weekend.

I am the resident baker (surprise, surprise) and when I saw the bagels and lox cupcakes in the wonderful book, Hello, Cupcake!, you could say I was a little more than inspired.

The owner of the restaurant, a woman who I simply cannot describe in mere words (who is also my biggest fan, I daresay), was born and raised in Brooklyn and loves, loves, LOVES her Jewish cuisine.  Especially her lox.

So, this weekend, I am surprising her by bringing a dozen “bagels and lox cupcakes” to the restaurant.  She has no idea what the special cupcake will be this weekend, but I have a feeling she’ll be thrilled.

Though the recipe in the book is slightly different (it recommends lemon poppy seed, of which I am not a fan), here’s what I did.  I highly recommend the book for inspiration and fun.  As a bread baker, I often need to be inspired to move beyond my beloved gluten.  This book definitely does that.

Recipe: (yields 24)

• One box yellow cake mix (without pudding in the mix!)
• 1 cup buttermilk (to replace the water on the box instructions)
• 4 eggs (more than what the box says)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

For the decoration:

• One strand of green Twizzlers (from the rainbow licorice pack), with little slices cut at an angle
• One orange Starburst Fruit Chew for each cupcake
• One mini-donut for each cupcake (plain cake is best, or the crumb will work for an “everything bagel”)
• 2 T. light corn syrup
• 2 T. poppy seeds
• One 16-ounce can of cream cheese frosting at room temperature

In large mixer bowl,  combine all of the ingredients, mixing on low for about 30 seconds.  Then mix on high for another two minutes, until the batter is thick.

Fill the paper cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full.  Bake on convection at 325 degrees (350 without convection) for about 10-15 minutes until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Let cupcakes cool completely.  I like to leave them in the tin for five minutes to let everything settle, then I remove them and cool them on a cooling rack.

While the cupcakes are cooling, assemble the bagels and lox decorations.

1. Slice the mini-donuts in half
2. Spread the bottom of the “bagel” with white cream cheese frosting, set aside.
3. Microwave corn syrup for 15 seconds.  Dip a finger in the syrup and lightly coat the tops of each of the “bagels.”

The "bagel tops" garnished with poppy seeds

It really looks like a bagel, eh?

1. Sprinkle poppy seeds on the tops of the “bagels.”
2. Microwave a few Starbursts for about 4 seconds.
3. With a rolling pin, roll them into a flat shape, resembling lox, and score a few times with a knife, to look like lox scales.
4. Bend/fold the “lox” to look like, well, lox, then place on the lower half of the “bagel.”

Assembled Bagel and Lox waiting for a cupcake

When the cupcakes are cool enough to frost, do so.  Then, place the bottom half of the mini-donut bagel in the center of the cupcake.  Place the top half tilted on the top of the cupcake.  Sprinkle with the cut up green Twizzlers (these are scallions!) and set aside.

You’re finished!!!

Completed Bagel and Lox Cupcake

So, have you made anything from Hello, Cupcake!?  If so, please link to it in this post, and stay tuned as I make my way through more of these inspiring cupcake creations.

While there are many reasons your bread dough won’t rise, I’m breaking them out into little posts all on their own.   Figuring out why bread doesn’t want to rise is like sorting out a complicated puzzle sometimes, so I figure a few tips to get you started might be in order.

For this first possibility, I am going to suggest a problem with the yeast – old or bad yeast.

I am not a big fan of active dry yeast, if only because I know it sits on the shelves of grocery stores, often for quite some time.  Yeast is a living organism and its life is fairly limited. So, if you’re using active dry yeast, one of the first stops is making sure the little imprinted expiration date is in order.

To be clear, any yeast can expire so it’s important to check the date on all yeast.  I have just noticed that whenever I see expired yeast as an issue, it’s usually grocery store active dry yeast.

If you want to make sure your yeast is in order before you dive into a weekend of bread making, I highly suggest activating the yeast first.  It’s easy to do, regardless of what kind of yeast you’re using, and it can sometimes save you from going through all the work of measuring and kneading, only to find a lumpy, dense loaf that refuses to ride.

Simply dissolve the yeast in warm (not too hot and not too cold) water, add a pinch of sugar, cover and let it sit in a warm spot for about ten minutes.  It should be bubbly, like the photo in this post.  In fact, a really active batch will have a sort of “head” on the top of the water, almost as if you poured a nice cold beer.

If the yeast is active, you’re one step closer to a nice rising loaf of bread.

One night before bed, I was paging through a borrowed copy of Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook when I stumbled upon a gorgeous loaf of what appeared to be a chocolate lover’s wonderland:  Chocolate Babka. My husband, seeing my wide eyes and the drool rolling down my chin, declared that it looked like something right up my alley – yeast bread, chocolate, rolled, twisted and in a loaf pan.

I’ve never had babka before, so making it was entirely new to me.  I live in a rural enough area that I have to drive 45 minutes to dine on anything that resembles Indian food, so you can only imagine that we don’t have any spectacular Jewish delis anyplace near.

Babka’s origins come from Eastern Europe, in countries like Poland and Belarus, and it is a popular sweet bread, especially at various holidays throughout the year.

The Recipe: (makes three loaves!)

• 1 and 1/2 cups warm milk (about 110 degrees)
• 2 envelopes active dry yeast (I used 4 1/2 tsp instant)
• 1 and 3/4 cups, plus a pinch, of sugar
• 3 whole egg, plus two yolks at room temperature
• 6 cups AP Flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 and 1/2 sticks butter at room temp
• 2 pounds semi-sweet chocolate, very finely chopped
• 1 T. plus 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used only 1 T.)
• 1 T.  heavy cream (2% or whole milk will suffice, also)
• Streusel Topping

Streusel Topping Recipe:

• 1 and 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 and 1/3 cups AP flour
• 1 and 1/2 sticks butter at room temperature

In a small bowl,sprinkle the yeast and the pinch of sugar over the warm milk.  Stir until dissolved and set it aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 2 of the eggs and the yolks.  Add the yeast mixture and whisk to combine.

In a bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt.  Add the yeast mixture and beat on low speed until the flour is mostly incorporated.  Switch to a dough hook and add two sticks of butter.  Beat until completely incorporated and a smooth, soft dough has formed, about 10 minutes.  The dough will be slightly sticky when squeezed.

*I don’t have a dough hook, so at this point, I turned the dough out on a floured surface to knead.  I kneaded the bread 8 minutes.  Make sure to knead quickly, so the bread doesn’t stick to your hands.  It takes at least 6 minutes of fast kneading for the dough to start to become smooth on its own.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few more times until smooth.  Place dough in a well greased bowl and turn to coat.  Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about one hour.

In a bowl, stir together the chocolate, remaining cup of sugar, and the cinnamon.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the remaining 1 1/2 sticks of butter until combined.  Set aside.

Generously butter three 9 by 5 by 2 3/4 loaf pans (I used three different loaf pans, whatever you have will work just fine) and line with parchment paper, leaving an inch and a half overhang.  Grease or butter the parchment paper and set aside.

Punch down the dough (don’t assault the dough, just turn it out on the counter) and transfer to a clean work surface.  Allow it to rest 5 minutes (I let mine rest for ten and it rolled beautifully!).

Meanwhile, beat the remaining egg with the cream.  Cut dough in three equal sections (Mine were just over one pound each).  Roll out one piece of dough to about 16 inches square.  Brush edges of the square with egg wash.  Crumble one-third of the chocolate mixture over the dough, leaving a half-inch border on all sides.  Roll up dough in a tight log, pinching the ends as you go.

Once rolled completely, twist the log a full five or six times.  This part kind of confused me at first, but what she wants you to do is gently wring the dough, as if it is a wet towel, to create twists in the dough.

Then, brush the twisted log with egg wash.  Crumble 2 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture down the center of the log, taking care to make sure it doesn’t slide off.

Fold the log in half, as if in a horseshoe shape, then cross the right half over the left to make a figure-8 shape.  Pinch ends together to seal the dough.  Twist a few more times, if possible, and fit into the prepared pan.

Repeat with the other two sections of dough.

Brush the tops of the loaves again with egg wash, and sprinkles each with one-third of the streusel topping.  Allow the loaves to rise for another 40-50 minutes, until the dough has nicely expanded and looks rather pillowy.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake loaves, rotating halfway through, until golden, about 55 minutes.  Then, reduce the temperature to 325 and continue to bake another 20-30 minutes until a deep golden color.   If they begin to brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.  Transfer pans to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving.

These can be stored up to three days in plastic.  They can also be shaped and frozen in the pan for up to a month before baking.  Just let it sit at room temperature for a few hours before baking.

When it comes to home baking, there are few yeast breads that are as popular as cinnamon rolls or sticky buns.  For some reason, home bakers love to make them.  I love to make them, too, but I do have a pet peeve with most of the rolls coming out of home kitchens.

I hate to see a soft dough sliced with a knife.  I know instantly when someone has cut (or attempted to cut) their cinnamon roll dough with a knife.  The ends look kind of pinchy, from the pressure of the knife cutting the dough.

Call me a food snob, but when something looks beautiful, it tastes even better.  So when I see a nice cinnamon rolls or sticky bun that’s been hacked into shape by a knife, I cringe.  If you’re taking the time to actually make cinnamon rolls from scratch, then it’s worth making them look pretty, too.

With that in mind, I created a little video demonstrating how to easily cut your cinnamon rolls and sticky buns into perfect portions every time.  It not only keeps the integrity of the roll in place, it also takes about half the time that struggling with a knife consumes.

I’ll post the pictures and the recipe when the rolls have finished baking.

Happy Kneading!

I think it’s easy to be intimidated by yeast breads.  That’s one of the reasons I started this blog.  What started out as a simple New Year’s resolution (50 new-to-me recipes in one year) became a love affair with all things yeast bread.

While I feel I have explored some of the more intimidating breads (croissants, artisan breads, etc.) I only dipped my hands into the doughs of the non-loaf breads.

Today I made bagels.  I was never much of a bagel eater in my youth, though they were popular among my friends.  The chewy texture was weird for me.  And, forgive me, but I do not like plain cream cheese (unless mixed with a lot of sugar!). But as I got older, I started to experiment with bagel sandwiches.  One of my favorites was a Thai-inspired bagel sandwich, made with a lovely peanut sauce, chicken, and sprouts. Mmmm.

But now the bread lover in me just appreciates a nicely flavored dough.  There is nothing I love more than plain bread, with just a little butter (hey, I *am* from Wisconsin) perhaps.

This bagel recipe, from King Arthur Flour (naturally), is simple to make and produces a plain bagel worthy of any home kitchen.  I far preferred the taste and texture to that of the bagels offered in my local refrigerator or freezer case.  And truthfully, compared to the ones offered in the bakery, these taste far more real and fresh.

While I may not be taking on any New York Bagelries in the near future, suffice it to say that I will, most definitely, be adding this recipe to my staple bread repetoire.

Read the rest of this entry »

As a foodie, I enjoy a good food blog.  I am always on the lookout for good recipes and food porn.  One of my favorite blogs is Spatulas, Corkscrews, and Suitcases, by Donna Diegel.  Not only does my esteemed colleague (we both write for Suite101 and Examiner) have one of the best dessert blogs I’ve ever come across, she has years of experience, good advice, and great recipes you can make at home.

Yesterday she posted a fabulous giveaway of Garafalo Pasta and Partida Agave Nectar, and I would encourage everyone to check it out for your chance to win.  While you are there, be sure to subscribe.  Not only does Donna give away items regularly, she runs a food blog that should be on everyone’s regular reader.

Like many baked items in the yeast bread category, croissants are often intimidating.  Making croissants isn’t difficult and it can be done in stages, so this recipe is easy for people with busy lives.

When it comes to baking croissants, there are generally two types you can bake: “croissants de patissier” and “croissants de boulanger.”  In France, the “patisserie” is the pastry shop, in which the pastry chef makes them as pastry.  The “boulangerie” is the bakery in France, so the baker makes these croissants.   The patisserie makes more of a classic puff pastry, while the boulangerie will often use a puff dough called “laminated yeast dough.”

This recipe uses the laminated yeast dough that you would find in a typical French boulangerie.  This dough is incredibly light when baked.  It also has a little more body than classic puff pastry.   Though I’ve used this for croissants, you could easily use this recipe for Danish pastries, coffee cakes, turnovers, or anything that strickes your fancy.

This recipe is originally from King Arthur Flour (aren’t all the best recipes?), but I have modified it slightly to best suit my baking needs.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 2 large eggs plus enough warm water to make two cups liquid
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/ 2 cup dry milk (technically optional, but I never make it without using it)
• 1 scant Tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted

For the butter:

• 1 3/4 cups chilled butter – yes, this is almost a full pound
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Additional flour supply for dusting

Read the rest of this entry »

It has been awhile since I have had time to update this lovely little blog, but I do have a bunch of new recipes and photos to share, so make sure to tune in regularly.

Last month, my friends Karen and the Sheriff were visiting, and since I hadn’t seen the Sheriff in a long time, I wanted to make some Oreo-themed baked goods for him.  The Sheriff was my Man of Honor and eats healthy almost all of the time.  But his weakness is Oreos. Can you blame him?

If you have an Oreo fan in your life, I can’t recommend these bars enough.  They are delectable, delicious and to die for.  In fact, these delectable delights are going to be my entry into the bar cookie category at the county fair this year.  I think they’re blue-ribbon worthy, and judging by the speed with which the Sheriff made them disappear, he does, too.

The Ingredients:

1 18 oz. package of Oreo cookies
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.  Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil (shiny side down) and give it a good coating of non-stick spray. 

2. Set aside 8 Oreo cookies, and then put the rest in a large food processor. You can use the plastic bag – rolling pin method for turning them into crumbs, too, but you’ll want this as fine as possible, so a food processor helps A LOT. Add the salt to the crumbs and then stir to combine.

3. Melt the butter and gently stir into the cookie crumbs.  Then, dump the crumbs into the foil-lined pan and press them to the bottom to form an Oreo cookie crust. 

4. In the microwave (or a double boiler) melt the 1 cup of chocolate chunks and the milk chocolate, along with the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.  Make sure that if you use the microwave, you stop and stir in various intervals to keep the chocolate from burning.

5. Stir the chocolate mixture frequently until smooth and spread evenly over the prepared cookie crust.

6. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips and the Oreo cookies chunks over the top of the filling. Press down gently into the chocolate topping. Bake for 20-22 minutes oven. I also added a sprinkling of additional semi-sweet chunks, so it looks chunky and chocolatey.

7.  Take the reserved Oreo cookies and break into large chunks.  Sprinkle over the top of the bar cookies.

8. Allow the Oreo cookie bars to cool for one hour, then melt the white chocolate chips.  Drizzle the white chocolate over the top of the bars, adding another dose of heavenly chocolate to the  top.

9. Chill until firm and then enjoy.  These are much easier to eat when they are thoroughly cooled, though I will say that they are also delicious warmed and on top of vanilla ice cream, too.

One of the things that most intimidates bakers is the fear that their bread won’t rise. I know that fear.  I’ve had it on many an occasion.  But there are some things that will help the bread along and I want to share them with you.

The first tip I have is something you have seen me write about in my recipes:  turning on the oven light.

Before I assemble ingredients, proof my yeast, or even start a recipe, I turn on the light in my oven.  Why? Because it warms up the small space.  Like many people, the temperature of my home can vary.  The weather changes cause my thermostat to go up and down, and the summer brings air conditioning, which is anything but friendly to yeast.  By using my oven light, I am creating a warm, draft-free environment that is stable and not to either side of the temperature extreme.  The oven is the perfect place to let bread rise.  When you are ready to bake, just take it out and let the bread sit on top of the oven while it preheats.  Easy Peasy.

My other tip for helping bread to move along is from a book called Bakewise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking. The author, Shirley Corriher, does an exceptional job of explaining why our ingredients do what they do.  I am the kind of cook who is not simply satisfied with following a recipe. I want to know why it works, how it works, and what other ingredients will do when mixed in.  I enjoy experimenting, and I would recommend that every baker who thinks that way buy a copy of this book.

In her book, Shirley explains how to use ascorbic acid, also known as Vitamin C, to help get the bread to rise.   She simply advises adding it to the bread.  I’ll be honest, I cannot remember the exact specifications she recommends.  But here is what I have found to work best.  You can buy ascorbic acid for baking at specialty shops or KAF or even at Amazon.  Or, you can go to your local drug store and buy a thing of the tablets. Nothing fancy or coated. Just basic Vitamin C tablets.  I did this, then I whirled it into a fine powder via my food processor.  Yes, I did.  I have it in an airtight jar, and every time I want to enhance my dough, I add 1/8 tsp. to the bowl.

Many artisan bread makers add ascorbic acid as a dough enhancer, as it makes the yeast work faster and longer.  I love what it does with my lower gluten breads and wheat breads as well.  Experiment and tell me what you think.

What are some of your favorite ways to enhance your bread or help get it to rise?

Like many people, I do most of my gourmet shopping online. And if you have a foodie in your life, I strongly urge you to consider shopping at iGourmet.com this Valentine’s Day.

One word: YUM

They have a wonderful selection of Italian desserts, including this decadant Tiramisu. I have to say, this is far more incredible than any Tiramisu that has come out of my kitchen. iGourmet also has a lovely selection of gifts under $50 for Valentine’s Day, including a beautiful bottle of orange blossom honey that should be on its way to me right about now.

And come on, you can’t tell me that this pot of chocolate below doesn’t make you want to nab your sweetheart and enjoy some after dinner dessert. And right now, it just got sweeter, because you can save 5% off your order with discount code: KGB5

For the holidays, my mother-in-law gave me a book, Ultimate Cake Mix Book. It’s a small book, but it has many ideas, especially for those who don’t want to take the time to make a cake from scratch. It’s also full of cake mix recipes that have nothing to do with cake. It has cookie recipes, cupcake variations, and bar recipes that all can be made with a basic cake mix and a few additional ingredients. It’s a smallish book, but it has plenty of fun categories to choose from.

Not that long ago, I decided to make their recipe called “Chocolate Crispy Treat Cake.” It appealed to me because it had chocolate and marshmallows, one of my favorite combinations.

In the end, I thought this recipe was interesting, and I’d be willing to make it again. My only issue is that the crispy rice topping is not nearly enough to form its own layer, as their photo suggests. It barely covered half. So, I would double the recipe for sure.

1 – 18 ounce package of fudge cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare the cake
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups crisp rice cereal
4 cups mini marshmallows (about half a bag)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 13×9 pan. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour in the pan and bake about 28 minutes until the cake is almost done.

Remove cake from oven, and sprinkle marshmallows over the top of the cake in a single layer. Return cake to the oven, baking 2 or 3 minutes longer until the marshmallows have puffed up slightly.

While the cake is back in the oven, heat the chocolate chips, corn syrup, and butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir frequently, until the chocolate and butter have melted. Remove from heat; stir in powdered sugar, and then fold in the cereal until well blended.

Spread chocolate cereal mixture over the marshmallows, and let it stand until set.

As you can see, there wasn’t enough for me to do the whole pan. Furthermore, the softness of the marshmallow doesn’t lend itself well to spreading things on top of it. So I kind of had to drop and press.

It was tasty the way they were, but I would double the chocolate mixture next time. Also, you should eat these within two days of making the bar cookies. Otherwise, the crispy rice goes soft, and the texture is kinda weird.

Top Secret Restaurant Recipes

Last Friday, my husband and I decided to take a trip to one of our favorite local restaurants. I had forgotten how delicious their homemade house dressing tastes. It’s a clear garlic dressing with bleu cheese crumbles. I don’t like food that is overly garlic, and bleu cheese is not my favorite. But the combination of the two, at least how The Strongbow Inn prepares it, is phenomenal. So much so, that I have now made it my mission to recreate the dressing at home.

Copycat recipes are kind of my “thing.” For instance, a few posts back, I made a fabulous rendition of The Cheesecake Factory’s Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes. And then, a reader turned me on to a book that he loves, which has dozens and dozens and dozens of copycat restaurant recipes.

So, I bought America’s Most Wanted Recipes, by Ron Douglas. There are Outback recipes, Applebee’s recipes, Red Lobster recipes, and pretty much every other copycat restaurant recipe you can think of.

I used to work at Outback Steakhouse, and I learned a few recipes from my time there. The Outback recipes in this book are spot on, so I am certain the rest are the same. I’ll be trying out a bunch of them over the next few weeks. The best part, though, is that it comes with eight bonus cookbooks, and the restaurant recipes are all in electronic form. I like this because I like to keep my favorite recipes in a three ring binder. With this book, I can just print off what I want, or search through the computer for what I want.

Baking Illustrated

For someone who likes cooking and baking, a Cook’s Illustrated magazine subscription is a wonderful gift. And for someone like me, who likes to know the “why” and “how” behind the science of baking, a book like Baking Illustrated is a must-have in the kitchen. Both publications come from the gurus at America’s Test Kitchen. One of the reasons that I particularly like their magazines, books, and television shows (often shown on public television) is that they make the mistakes for you. I don’t have to spend time and money coming up with a perfect version of a recipe, because I know that America’s Test Kitchen has done it for me.

I love to make bread, but I am always searching for a new loaf of homemade bread to inspire me. So, when flipping through Baking Illustrated, I decided to try to baking Italian bread, with their rustic bread recipe.

The recipe below is made with some adaptations. They use a stand mixer for almost all of the kneading, which is fine, but not the way I do things. As such, I adapted the recipe for kneading by hand.

It is one of my goals this year to branch into artisan breads. I feel like I have mastered the conventional homemade breads, and the experience of pushing my poolish as far as possible, or developing my own sourdough will be rewarding.

Unless I find a better substitution by July, you can be certain that this Italian bread recipe is going to be my “crusty bread” entry in this year’s county fair. This loaf takes careful planning. It is made with a sponge, and that needs to be made one day ahead of baking. While the time may be intimidating, it is important to note that it takes very little hands-on time. Most of the effort involved with making this homemade Italian bread is waiting for it to rise.

Rustic Italian Bread

Rustic Italian Bread:
For the sponge:
2 cups bread flour
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 cup water, at room temperature

For the dough:
3 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp instant yeast
1 1/3 cups water, at room temperature
2 tsp. salt

For the sponge (or biga as it is called in Italian), combine the flour, water and yeast in a medium-sized bowl. Mix into a shaggy dough, then knead by hand for three minutes. Place back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to sit at room temperature for 3 hours. Then, place in the refrigerator for at least 8 more hours, or up to 24 hours.
For the dough, remove the sponge from the refrigerator and allow it to stand at room temperature while mixing the dough. Combine flour, yeast, and water and mix until the dough is shaggy. Knead by hand about 4 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it autolyse (rest) for 20 minutes.
Remove the plastic wrap and place the dough on the kneading surface. Sprinkle with half the salt. Take the sponge and place it on top of the dough. Knead together until the dough starts to become one big ball. Sprinkle the remaining salt into the dough. Continue to knead until the salt is incorporated and the two pieces of dough are virtually indistinguishable. Altogether, the kneading should take about 8-9 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Resist adding additional flour.
Lightly oil a bowl that is three times larger than the dough ball. Place the dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a draft-free place until puffy and slightly risen, about one hour.
Remove the plastic wrap. With a dough scraper, and with the dough still in the bowl, scoop the left side of the dough up and fold it over half the top of the dough. This is called turning the dough. Repeat with the right side. Then repeat with the top of the dough. Cover, and continue to let the dough rise for one more hour.

Unwrap, and turn the dough again. Cover, and let the dough rise for another hour.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Turn the dough out of the bowl and onto the floured surface. The dough that was touching the bottom of the bowl should now be facing up.

Liberally dust the surface of the dough with flour, and dust your hands with flour as well. With minimal pressure and gentle hands, lightly push the dough into a roughly 8×10 square.

Following the pictures below, shape the loaf:

Turn down the corners of the square, as if to make a paper airplane.

Fold the top of the loaf toward you, down toward the center of the dough

Continue rolling toward you, shaping the loaf into a log shape.

Once the loaf is in shape, continue to tuck the sides of the loaf under, so that it holds a sort of football shape.

Dust the shaped loaf of bread with flour, loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise one more hour.
Using a bread lame, or single-edged razor, slice a 1/2 inch deep lengthwise cut along the center of the bread.

Use a lame or single-edge razor to slice the dough.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mist the loaf of bread with water (optional, but helps the bread form a shiny crust) and place in the oven.
Bake 35-45 minutes until the internal temperature hits 210 degrees and the bread sounds hollow when tapped from the bottom.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Rustic Italian Bread

Sparkling Cranberry Gems

This is one of those cookies that deserves a special spot in any cookie arsenal. It certainly has a place in mine. In the “About” section, I write about spending time with my grandmother during the summers of my youth, preparing for entering our baked goods in our county fair.

Well, in 2008, this darling of a cookie earned me a lovely blue ribbon for my county fair collection. But beyond that, it took one of the most coveted prizes of all– the Grand Champion Cookie award– a beautiful, big, bold purple ribbon. How does one earn such a prize? It’s simple. You bake the best cookie. The judge(s) take the winning cookie from each category (drop, rolled, bar, n0-bake, etc.) and then decide who the overall cookie winner will be. In 2008? That winner was me, with this beautiful Sparkling Cranberry Gem from KAF. It was especially gratifying for me, not only because my husband was there, observing the judging with me (and what was a rather large crowd, I must say), but because this cookie beat out about 65-70 other cookies for the title. The cookie category is the most popular.

I look forward to entering the fair this year as the 2009 defending champion.

Before we begin, some notes:

Because it is important to just barely brown this cookie, I highly recommend baking this with a silpat or parchment paper. Also, you cannot use granulated white sugar in place of coarse white sugar. It just won’t work.

This cookie will mix and look like it’s just a mess of crumbles (as seen in the photo below). It’s supposed to be that way. Have faith that it will come together.

Cookies
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, packed
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
3 tablespoons milk

Coating
1/3 cup (3 ounces) coarse white sparkling sugar

Place the flour and dried cranberries in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the cranberries are coarsely shredded. Imagine a single dried cranberry cut into about 4 pieces: that’s your goal.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

Whisk together the flour/cranberry mixture, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the vanilla and butter, mixing until the butter is thoroughly distributed, but some pea-sized chunks still remain. Dribble in the milk while mixing; the dough will become cohesive.

Crumbly Dough

Place the coarse sugar and tart and sour flavor in a jar, and shake to combine thoroughly. Pour the sugar into a roomy plastic bag; about 1/2-gallon size should do.

Using a teaspoon cookie scoop (or a spoon), scoop the dough by 1 3/4-teaspoonfuls (about 1 ¼” balls) into the bag, 6 or 8 at a time. Close the top of the bag, and gently shake to coat the balls with sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, and use the bottom of a glass to flatten them to about ¼” thick (about 1 ½” in diameter). Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake the cookies for 16 to 17 minutes, until they’re set and barely, BARELY beginning to brown around the very edge; the tops shouldn’t be brown at all. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pan.

Enjoy!