apple drop biscuits

a typical biscuit recipe with a bit of extra liquid, drop onto cookie sheet and bake @ 450 farenheit.

add to the biscuit mixture diced apples of your choice seasoned with your fall blend of spices with sugar.

glaze

AM walk

Eggplant something or other (moussaka)

I found I did get the basis of this recipe from a WP blog  Mostly Greek Eggplant Mousskasa , Eggplant Moussaka    after a search for eggplant recipes.

The eggplant is my fav meal, and at times better than the chicken or beef or used as a filler with meat.  So here we go.

I used ground pork instead of beef

I stuck with the cinnamon spice for the Greek style taste of the tomato sauce

some canned diced tomato for the suace

a bit of melomel replaces the wine

process the tomato sauce

salt and let sit for while to draw out some water, test fit in the baking dish

brush with olive oil, broil till browned, both sides

make the bechamel sauce

into the baking dish

add the tomato sauce

top with the bechamel and some grated parmensan, bake.

after baking, let cool a bit.

excellent flavor the eggplant, tomato sauce and bechamel compliment each other

not overly watery or runny, just right, perhaps a glass of wine and a chunk of fresh bread.

 

 

 

 

 

recipe replicate II,

Back again, actually I made this recipe before the last posting…

again one from  myfavoritepastime.com  Buchty Dough Recipe

after sifting ingredients, make a well in the center and add milk and melted butter.

Start to mix the dough slowly as NOT to incorporate all the flour at this time. flick some of the flour over the mixture and let stand covered about 30minutes….kinda like the last recipe I posted…

The result  after 30 minutes

 

Gradually add the beaten egg, knead in the mixer about 8 minutes

gradually add the beaten egg

knead for 8 minutes , the dough will come together

Now for the usual, let stand covered for about an hour….

This time your going to divide into 16 sections….

Now you’ve got an 8 by 8 inch pan prepped, so fill it with the 16 formed balls of dough, with added butter brushed on.

An amazing rise !  Hungry already !

One variation of this recipe from the basic dough recipe is a either sesame or poppy seed filling, I opted for plain dough recipe with black sesame topping

after a bake time, browned and done

excellent crumb !

Fluffy pull apart goodness !

Broil, or toast test reveals the texture.

In comparison from the previous post, these are more a sweet bun (or bread type recipe). 1/4 cup sugar int he mix.

Deceivingly fluffy roll but with big flavor and thicker mouthfeel than anticipated. I guess the three eggs add a lot to the structure

Will definitely repeat this recipe with the sesame seed filling.

Here’s the ingredients, for brevity Ive left off the instructions

Ingredients

• 450g (1Ib, 3⅔ cups) all-purpose flour 
• 1½ teaspoons Fleischmann’s instant yeast
• 60g (¼ cup + 1 tablespoon, 2oz) sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 120ml (½ cup) warm milk
• 40g (3 tablespoons) butter, melted
• 3 eggs, beaten

BTW Buchty means small roll or cake.

Recipe Replicate: Hokkaido Milk Buns

From my favorite pastime.com recipe here

 

Doughead here, if the forecast is for cooler weather then it’s time for baking. Time to try out this recipe.

This recipe requires a tangzhong. Essentially a roux ,heat flour and milk to boiling, remove from heat.

Weighing in.

I used a combination of 1/2 and 1/2 and whole milk for the dough

SAF instant premium, my annual supply. Never fails, but I might good back to the standard type as the flavor seems a bit different in a plain dough recipe.

Other ingredients out and ready, getting to room temperature.

Add the milk,combo of 1/2 and 1/2 and milk to the roux, then add the egg. This is the wet ingredients.

Mix in the wet ingredients, to flour and yeast, mix slightly till it comes together, I didn,t fully incorporate all the flour at this time.

Leaving the mixer and bowl as is, cover and let stand about 20 minutes to get the yeast working

Turn on the mixer and gradually add the sugar and salt. Mix a few more minutes.

More mixer pictures

Time to add the butter….

After the butter is incorporated, a good kneading for about 8 minutes.

This recipe calls for a 13x9x2, versus a 8×8 inch on another recipe I’ll post. Standard buttered parchment, though the recipe doesn’t say anything about prepping the pan.

All together now !

With a buttered spatula, grease it up for arise.

Optional reusable cover vs. cling film.

Check the date time stamps for time !

Section to 12 portions, no clue on arrangements ? I guess 4×3 . (the pictures on the website do show a 4×3 arrangement, but just going by the printed version)

Balled up and ready for final rise. Nice smooth dough.

Resting place…

Now more pictures..

Apply the egg wash, just an egg no water..

Another 375 heat, reduced to 350 upon insertion of the buns type oven.

Just some more pictures to illustrate the hunger for bread…

Open to examine crumb, light, fluffy interior, soft golden colors, with glossy dark golden exterior top .

Pull apart textures, don’t ever use a knive to split buns.

Buns are tasty, flaky, begging for butter, uuummmm…

OK, it’s time for toast test, rather from the broiler, no complaints here, let the photos do the tasting!

Done, but without going what else do you see, ? Sliders , jam, chili topped with cheese and broiled….

5 stars !

Ingredients for the tangzhong or milk roux
Instructions
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk 20g (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour (bread flour recommended)
Ingredients for the buns
320g (2½ cups, 11oz) all-purpose flour ( bread flour recommended) 1½ teaspoons Fleischmann’s instant yeast 120ml (½ cup) evaporated milk (I used ¼ cup whole milk mixed with ¼ cup 10% cream) 1 large egg, beaten 56g (¼ cup, ½ stick, 4 tablespoons, 2oz) unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon salt 2-4 tablespoons fine granulated sugar (I used 2 tablespoons)

Irish Soda Bread

Shamrock time !  looking at some recipes I was going to make a popular posted Chocolate Potato cake but I switched to a more traditional Irish Bread. Glad I did , one of my better bakes as I have made soda bread before this combination had a very full taste.

It’s slightly modified from the recipe from Real Simple in these respects: 3 and 1/2 cups AP flour, 1 tablespoon buckwheat flour. The buttermilk substitute is simply whole milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar, let stand for couple of minutes. The rest of the recipe follows as directed with the exception of fluffing the raisins, let the raisins steep in boiling water for about 10 minutes, drain, toast the caraway seeds.

Oven set up for 350 degree

• 3 and 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 tablespoon buckwheat flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon each of both baking soda and baking powder.

At this point, using a strainer sift the above several time to fully combine. Some of the kosher salt may remain in the strainer so empty into the flour mixture.

Now cut in as you would like a biscuit mix:

• 8 tablespoons of butter

to a crumbly type mix , then add :

• 1 cup raisins (steeped then drained, (or currents))
• 2 tablespoons caraway seeds (toasted if possible)
• 1 and 1/3 cups buttermilk (or whole milk with a splash of white vinegar)

Mix with a fork or with hands, turn out to floured counter top and knead about 10 times.

Form the shaggy mass to a 7 inch round about 1 and 1/2 inches in height.

Score the top deeply about 3/4 inch with a X pattern.

Bake @ lower middle rack seemed to work out, recipe recommended to shift position about midway through the bake, the oven seems to bake a bit faster so I downshifted to about 330 degrees when the bread went in the oven for about 50 minutes. I did take a temperature reading that indicated 200 degrees but I left in the about an addition 10 minutes as these moist type biscuit dough may have to go a bit further to insure a complete bake.

recommended serving with jam, but the best is sliced, toasted with whipped butter.

if you program in BPL Bakers Programming Language:

dim (array 1.105):

::{3 and 1/2 cups AP flour}{1 tablespoon buckwheat flour}{1 tablespoon sugar}{2 teaspoon kosher salt}{1 teaspoon each of both baking soda and baking powder. ::{}

..<>read array 1 to 5 to <string :;[dryingredients]>

“val004″= [1 tablespoon of butter]

`read “val004″+1”,`

`read` <read> if read :8 then (read :0 )| (break :next)

val (5); [dryingredients] {val004]

and so on…

 

 

 

 

Corn bread

An easy corn bread recipe

2 tablespoons cooking oil

2 cups of the cornflour mix.

1 and 1/3 cups of milk

1 egg slightly beaten

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Put the cooking oil into a cast iron skillet and place in oven till hot.

Mix the dry and the wet ingredients separately and then combine to a smooth batter.

Pour into hot skillet and bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Mine only took about 12 minutes most likely due to the size of the pan.

A light fluffy crumb, just enough  sweetness.

Citrus cake

Fom  Blogtasticfood.com

225 grams plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

115 grams caster sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 lime zested

1 lemon zested

115 ml milk

115 grams yogurt

2 large eggs

115 grams butter melted

2 teaspoons rose water

Lemon and lime for garnish

……………….. Citrus Butter Cream ………………

125 grams salted butter softened

250 grams icing sugar, 10x sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

A few drops of rose water.

…………………………………………………

Oven preheat at 350 degrees.

Prepare a baking tin with butter and baking paper. Usually about 8 inch round.

Mix and sift the dry ingredients with the lemon and lime zest.

Whisk together the milk, yogurt, eggs, melted butter and rose water.

Add the liquids to the the dry ingredients, whisk till mixed, no lumps are in the batter and spread in tin.

Bake about 45 minutes.

Make the frosting and decorate as necessary.

Cut cake into 2 layers, with frosting with Easter decorations.

Good cake but in my opinion very sweet frosting.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Baking while the power is out?  The oven thermostat controls do not work during the loss of electricity  rendering the oven useless.

During a winter storm power outage it was still possible to bake or should I say steam a cake. Basically the same recipe steamed in a metal pan over boiling water.

Completed cake less the frosting.

 

 

 

Muffins, the English Style

Dough , dough , dough, bread and rolls ! What else to do ? How bout a muffin? The prestigious english muffin, used to  store-bought variety? Here’s a winner from the famous duo, (Paul and Mary, if you are a fan of the British Baking Show, from the master class series, where they reveal the elements and techniques behind the challenges) a simple basic technique that doesn’t require oven baking!

Ready, set, …… BAKE!

Goes together quickly if you have the elements in place, prepare to hand knead the dough for about 10 minutes.

place the flour in a large bowl

place the yeast on one side , the salt on the other (mistakenly the sugar in the photo, but I am not in competition)

Add the rest of the ingredients….

I elected to mix everything in the bowl versus the countertop, prepare to have on hand tied up in the muck, some flour close by and start the kneading for about 10 minutes, this is one of the types of dough that will pull together into a soft clump, don’t be tempted to add any more flour than absolutely necessary.

Ready for the first rising to a double size, oil it up.

Roll out the dough after the rise to about 2.5 cm thick, close to an inch and cut to biscuits 3 and 1/2 inch diameter, 9 centimeters if you are british. I got less than the 8 muffins I would go a bit thinner on the dough, some were combined and re-rolled a bit thinner. Lightly flour and dust the trays, here the polenta, or semolina is not an ingredient in the muffins but is a major component of the feel and texture of the finished product, don’t omit as the even the presentation of the muffins and mouthfeel will suffer. Second proof is about 30 minutes, the yeast very active and pillowly muffins are the result.

A griddle or a cast iron pan well heated then put on low distributed heat, time the muffins, 5 to 6 minutes PER SIDE, know the attributes of your baking iron or pan as to shuffle the muffins on the iron to attain the browning and the necessary baking time needed.

I didn’t skimp on the semolina/flour dusting even on the griddle. Even while baking on the iron, still raising a bit.

Flip the babies, and bake another 5 to 6 minutes.

Ummm…… the smell of the dough and the semolina baking !!!

The muffins are higher in height than the store-bough variety so I turned the flame to almost nill and shuffled them several more minutes to insure they were baked internally.

After baking let them cool a bit to utilize any internal heat to finish baking.

The final test, hand split, (don’t get caught using a knife to separate the muffin !) broiled and buttered !

I’ll let your eyes be the  judge !

Butter addition is excellent to taste the yeasty goodness of the muffin, but a fried soft  egg would be a crowning achievement  to the nooks and crannies. ! Jam anyone?

Grapenut Pudding

I can’t take credit for this simple nutritious recipe. My wife makes this periodically also known as a custard to some.

One of those handed down faded paper recipes folded and retained for easy access.

 

The recipe, doubled, just fills a rectangular glass ware baking dish, placed in a water bath in a large broiler pan.

The richness can vary, ranging from any combination from low-fat milk to heavy cream for the milk component. The  grapenuts are the type usually found along side breakfast cereals at the market. Fresh grated nutmeg a plus, an anytime snack  kept in the fridge that doesn’t last long !

 

leek and mushroom soup

2 leeks left from the market , What to do with them. I had eaten some in a salad recently but I figured I could make a soup before the leeks dried out.

Sliced the leaks in the food processor, with 1/2 a white onion. In the soup pot sweated with a combination of butter, olive oil and seeds, fennel, caraway, celery and a touch of saffron. Course salt and quad mix pepper to taste, gifts of Hawaiian sea salt and  Himalayan pink salt were used.

Sweat the leeks covered at the simmer while dried mushrooms soaked, simply place the mushrooms in a glass container and use heated water from a single serving coffee machine (Keurig) however may cups it take to fully soak the mushrooms. Let steep while the leeks simmer for about 20 minutes.

Drain the mushrooms, chop if needed. Add flour by eye to the leak mixture and cook a bit more to provide the consistency of the soup.

Add stock (or water) to leek mixture and simmer till it thickens, add the drained mushrooms. Adjust viscosity if needed. I poured about 1/2 the volume of the soup to a food processor, processed till creamy by adding a bit of heavy cream and  milk and returned it to the pan with the unprocessed remainder so some leeks are present in the soup.

Excellent soup the only downside is that I didn’t have any toast to accompany the soup as dough was rising at the time.