Monday, August 12, 2024
Icelandic Pumpernickel (Rye) Bread アイスランドのライ麦パン
This was a lunch. We happened to have a hot smoked (in Weber grill) pork roast. I made sandwiches with avocado slices, mayo and Dijon mustard.
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups (477g) Pumpernickel Flour (original recipe calls for “medium” rye flour)
2 teaspoons table salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups (454g) buttermilk
1/2 cup (168g) honey
1/2 cup (170g) molasses
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center position.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, honey, and molasses.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine.
Transfer the batter to a lightly greased 9" pain de mille (pullman) pan and smooth the top. Lightly grease the lid, and place the lid on the pan. (We do not have a pullman pan so I just used a regular loaf pan. Luckily I put a tray underneath because the batter over flowed the loaf pan big time). Next time I will put the batter into two loaf pans.)
Bake the bread for 2 hours. Turn off the oven and remove the lid from the pan. Leave the loaf in the turned-off oven for another 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
Since this bread is denser than usual sandwich bread, I sliced it a bit thinly and made perfect roast pork sandwiches.
Saturday, June 8, 2024
Filled Wool Bread 毛糸のパン
Ingredients: ( X 1)
Tangzhong (starter)
3 tablespoons (43g) water
3 tablespoons (43g) milk, whole preferred
2 tablespoons (14g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
Dough
1/2 cup (113g) milk, whole preferred; cold
2 1/2 cups (300g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 large egg
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon (9g) instant yeast
1 teaspoon (6g) table salt
Filling
half an 8-ounce package (113g) cream cheese, softened*
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
zest (grated rind) of 2 medium lemons
pinch of table salt
2 tablespoons (4g) freeze- dried raspberries, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons (15g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
*The cream cheese should be at warm room temperature, at least 68°F.
Topping
2 tablespoons (28g) milk, whole preferred
Ingredients: ( X 2)
Tangzhong (starter)
6 tablespoons (86g) water
6 tablespoons (86g) milk, whole preferred
4 tablespoons (28g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
Dough
1 cup (226g) milk, whole preferred; cold
5 cups (600g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
2 large egg
8 tablespoons (114g) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoon (18g) instant yeast
2 teaspoon (12g) table salt
Filling
8-ounce package (226g) cream cheese, softened*
4 tablespoons (50g) granulated sugar
zest (grated rind) of 2 medium lemons
pinch of table salt
4 tablespoons (4g) freeze- dried raspberries, lightly crushed (I didn’t have the raspberries so I used candied ginger.)
4 tablespoons (30g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
*The cream cheese should be at warm room temperature, at least 68°F.
Directions:
1. To make the tangzhong: Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.
2. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened, paste-like, and the spoon or spatula leaves lines on the bottom of the pan. This should take 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the strength of the burner.
3. Remove the tangzhong from the heat and transfer it to a large mixing bowl, the bowl of a stand mixer, or the bucket of a bread machine (whatever you plan to knead the dough in).
4. To make the dough: Add the milk on top of the hot tangzhong; it will help cool the dough to lukewarm. Add the flour and remaining dough ingredients. Mix to combine, then knead until a soft, smooth dough forms, about 8 to 10 minutes on medium-low speed of a mixer. (The dough may be tacky and stick to the sides of the bowl slightly; that's OK.)
5. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
6. To make the filling: Combine the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, and salt, mixing until smooth.
7. Add the freeze-dried raspberries (or candied ginger) and flour, mixing until everything is evenly distributed.
8. To assemble: On a lightly floured surface, gently deflate the dough, divide it into four pieces (or eight if doubling the recipe), and shape each piece into a ball.
9. Cover the dough and let rest for 10 minutes.
10. Line a 9" springform or a 9" round cake pan (at least 2" deep) with parchment and lightly grease the parchment.
11. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it into a 6" x 12" rectangle. If the dough begins to snap back during rolling, set it aside and begin rolling out the second piece. Return to the first piece to continue rolling it to the full size after a couple of minutes, giving the gluten a chance to relax.
12. Portion a quarter (or eighth of the filling for doubled recipe) onto the top half of the rectangle. A tablespoon cookie scoop works well here.
13. Position the rectangle so its 12" sides are vertical. Starting at the top, spread the filling across the entire width of the rectangle (leaving about 1/4" bare on each side) and down about 6" or 7", leaving the bottom 5" to 6" bare (#1). If the filling is difficult to spread, warm it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir; check the consistency. Repeat, if necessary, until it's an easily spreadable consistency.
14. Using a bench or chef’s knife, cut the uncovered dough at the bottom into very thin strips (anywhere from 1/8" to 1/4" wide) (#2).
15. Fold the long edges of the rectangle in to prevent any filling from seeping out and pat them gently to flatten.
16. Starting from the filling-covered top and rolling toward the uncovered strips, roll the dough into a log about 6" long (#3).
17. Lightly press the strips into the rolled log to secure. Place the log, seam-side down, into the bottom of the pan so it's snuggled up against the pan’s outside edge (#4).
18. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, placing them into the pan to form a complete circle around the pan’s outside edge. (Or until all the pieces are in the pan) (#5)
19. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
20. Cover the wool roll and let it rise for 60 to 75 minutes, until
puffy.
21. To finish and bake the roll: Brush the roll with milk, being careful not to deflate the delicate dough.
22. Bake it for 28 to 32 minutes, until it’s golden brown on top; a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf should read at least 190°F. (#6)
23. Remove the roll from the oven and cool it in the pan until you can transfer it safely to a rack to cool completely.
24. Storage information: Store leftover wool roll bread, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days.
Tips from our Bakers
The tangzhong starter can be made ahead of time. Simply cook it up (making a double, triple, or quadruple batch if you like, for future use) as instructed in steps 1 – 3. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small bowl, pressing a layer of plastic wrap over the top of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature then store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to five days. When you're ready to bake your Wool Roll Bread, add the tanzghong to the dough. (If you've made a big batch of tangzhong, use a heaping 1/3 cup (95g) for a single batch of dough.) Use warm milk when mixing the remaining dough ingredients; proceed with the recipe from step 4.
Let your culinary imagination run wild with this recipe, since the sky is the limit for filling combinations. Cinnamon sugar? Chocolate? Butter and garlic? Pesto and cheese? Whether you go sweet or savory, don’t overload your bread with filling.
This is wonderfully elegant. The bread is a very light slightly sweet milk bread. The filling is very subtle but goes perfectly with the milk bread. It forms a pudding-like filling which is distributed through out the bread. (No need for butter or jelly here). The filling has a slightly sweet taste and a hint of the cream cheese flavor peeks through. The candied ginger contributes a random burst of gingered sweetness which is a nice contrast with the rest of the flavor of the filling. This is a bit of effort to make but it is worth it and although this bread seems to be a version of frangipane rolls they are two different breads with two different personalities. The difference makes it worth while to make both.
Thursday, May 30, 2024
Focaccia Bread Baked in Breville Pizzaiolo Indoor Pizza Oven
Recently, my wife gave me an indoor-electric pizza oven, Breville Pizzaiolo as a birthday gift. I am making pizza several times using different flours, dough recipes and temperatures. Generally, I am quite impressed with the quality of pizza that can be made in this oven but I am still making pizzas to find the best combination for me. Once I have enough information, that will be the subject of a separate post. This post is just to note a few things I can do to improve the focaccia. The focaccia was great albeit one side of the top was a little too high done (#1). The result of using the top heating unit is a bit uneven for heating.
I used the carbon iron pan that came with the oven for baking the focaccia. I pre-seasoned the pan as per the instructions and it worked great. With a 30 minutes secondary rise, the bread has nice texture and flavors (#2). We really like the crusty surface and nice soft interior.
The recipe is just for my notes so that I can improve it next time.
Ingredients:
3 and 1/2 cup bread flour
2 tsp Kosher salt
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp instant yeast
1 cup and a bit more lukewarm water
Olives, black and green, sliced
Fresh rosemary, leaves removed and roughly chopped
4 or more tbs olive oil
Directions:
Add the flour, salt and yeast to a food processor fitted with a kneading blade. Mix briefly and pour in the olive oil in a thin stream. While the blade is turning in low-speed, add the water in a thin stream. Look carefully until a dough ball forms above the blade (the dough ball is slightly sticky). Let is stand for 5 minutes for even hydration. Turn the processor on low speed for 1-2 minutes. Turn the dough ball out on well floured board and knead for 3-5 minutes making a smooth elastic dough. Shape the dough into a smooth round and place it in lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Let it rise for about 1 hour (I use a proofing box at 87F).
Deflate the dough and fold several times on well floured kneading board making a disk of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes (so that the gluten relaxes and it becomes easier to stretch). Meanwhile lightly oil the carbon iron pan. Add the disk of dough in the pan and using your finger tips spread the dough to fill the pan. Add the rosemary to the olive oil and spread over the dough and scatter the olive slices. Using your finger tips, press and embed the olive (picture #3). Cover and let it rise for 30 minutes (or skip this and immediately proceed to baking*).
*I like the fluffy texture and usually let it rise second time but baking in the pizza oven, it may better without the second rising since the top heating element is very close to the surface.
Using the pan pizza setting (475F for 18 minutes) and the top heat in the middle (I may reduce the top heat to prevent the surface scorching too much, see picture #1).
Remove the bread from the pan using spatula and let it cool on the cooling rack.
We really like this version of focaccia bread. Compared to my usual focaccia, it has nice crust and the texture is much better. With a good flavorful olive oil with salt and a glass of good cab, we made the dinner from this bread.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Frangipane Rolls フランジパンロール
Frangipane recipe (makes about 360 gram which is perfect for the frangipane rolls recipe below)
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (96g) King Arthur Almond Flour
3 tablespoons (23g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or King Arthur Gluten- Free Measure for Measure Flour
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons almond emulsion or almond extract
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute on medium speed.
2. Stir in the flours, egg, and almond flavoring. Mix until just combined.
3. Use the frangipane as desired: fill tart shells, pipe into croissant dough, top slices of Bostock, or come up with your own way to use this flavorful, nutty filling. Bake the frangipane as directed in your recipe or until it’s golden brown and smells nutty.
4. Store leftover unbaked frangipane in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.
Frangipane roll recipe:
Ingredients: (doubled the original recipe)
Tangzhong (starter)
6 tablespoons (86g) water
6 tablespoons (86g) milk, whole preferred
4 tablespoons (28g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
Dough
5 cups (600g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 cup (226g) milk, whole preferred
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons (114g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoon (18g) instant yeast
2 teaspoon (12g) table salt
Topping
2 tablespoons (28g) milk,whole preferred
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar, optional
Directions:
1.To make the tangzhong:
In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients and whisk until no lumps remain.
2.Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened, paste-like, and the spoon or spatula leaves lines on the bottom of the pan. This should take 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the strength of the burner.
3.Remove the tangzhong from the heat and transfer it to a large mixing bowl, the bowl of a stand mixer, or the bucket of a bread machine (wherever you plan to knead the dough).
Weigh the flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Place the flour into the bowl with the tangzhong and add the remaining dough ingredients. Mix to combine, then knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until a soft, smooth dough forms, about 8 to 10 minutes on medium-low speed of a mixer. (The dough may be tacky and stick to the sides of the bowl slightly; that's OK.)
5.Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased large bowl or standard dough rising bucket, cover, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. The refrigerated rise will make the dough much easier to handle and shape
6.To assemble: On a lightly floured surface, gently deflate the dough, divide it into four pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
7.Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
8. Prepare a square pan with a parchment sling or reusable silicone liner. Lightly grease any exposed sides of the pan.
9. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it into an 8" square. If the dough begins to snap back during rolling, set it aside and begin rolling out the second piece. After a couple of minutes, return to the first piece to continue rolling it to the full size (this gives the gluten a chance to relax).
10. Portion one quarter of the filling onto the top half of the square.
11. Starting at the top, spread the filling across the entire width of the square and down about 4", leaving the bottom 4" bare (#1). If the filling is difficult to spread, warm it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir; check the consistency. Repeat, if necessary, until it's easily spreadable.
12. Using a bench or chef’s knife, cut the uncovered dough at the bottom into very thin strips (anywhere from 1/8" to 1/4" wide) (#2).
13.Starting from the filling-covered top and rolling toward the uncovered strips, roll the dough into a log about 8" long.
14. Lightly press the strips into the rolled log to secure. Cut the log into four 2" pieces and then place them, seam-side down, in a row and in alternating orientations in the pan (#3).
15. Roll, fill, and shape the remaining pieces of dough, placing the rolls into the pan to form 4 rows of 4 buns, each row in an alternating pattern (#4 & #5). Cover the rolls and let them rise for 60 to 75 minutes, until puffy.
16.While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.
17.To finish and bake the rolls: Gently brush the rolls with milk, being careful not to deflate the delicate dough, and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.
18. Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops are golden brown; a digital thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 190°F (#6).
19. Remove the rolls from the oven and cool in the pan until you can transfer it safely to a rack to cool completely, at least 15 minutes. Serve the rolls slightly warm or at room temperature.
20. Storage information: Store leftover mini wool rolls, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days.
These rolls have a very delicate flavor accented mostly by the frangipan which provides a delicate slightly sweet almond flavor. The bread has the texture and flavor of a milk bread while the frangipan provides a slightly custard like filling interspersed through out the bread. This is definitely a very sophisticated bread.
Monday, March 25, 2024
Mary Walsh's Currant Cake マリイウオルシュのカラントケーキ
You can see the dried fruit medley and raisins on the cut-surface (picture #1)
Ingredients:
2 ounces (½ stick/55g) unsalted butter (room temperature), plus more for the pan
3¼ cups (450g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons (25g) castor or light or dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
1 cup dried fruit medley
1 cup of raisins
1 large egg
1¼ cups (300ml) buttermilk
2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and place a baking rack in the lower third of the oven.
Lightly butter an 8-inch round cake pan. In a large bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt together. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients. Use a citrus peeler to zest the Meyer lemons. Add all the zest and the dried fruit to the bowl with the flour mixture and stir until well combined.
Put the egg in a medium bowl and whisk in the buttermilk and cream. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk mixture.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the remaining buttermilk, stirring to make a very moist, shaggy dough. Or, use your hands: grip the edge of the bowl with one hand, stir with a broad circular motion with the other. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and dust your hands lightly with flour. Gently shape the dough into a thick, roughly 6-inch (15cm) round and use a bench scraper or large spatula to transfer the dough to the center of the cake pan.
Brush the top and sides of the dough with the reserved buttermilk mixture and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar on top (#2). Put the cake pan in the oven, reduce the temperature to 400°F (180°C).
Bake for about 40 minutes until the bread is lightly golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped (#3). Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool for about 20 minutes. Cut the bread into thick slices and serve it warm with butter.
This is a very nice soda bread. Perfect for Saint Patrick’s day. It had a dense moist texture and a mild slightly sweet taste. The robust flavor of the butter milk as well as the citrus note from the Meyer lemon zest came through nicely. The dried fruit added a nice burst of sweetness.
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Chestnut, Brown Butter, Sage Muffin 栗の粉とセイジマフィン
I ask my wife to continue as usual.
Ingredients: (makes 12 small muffins)
Several bunches of sage (with about 5 leaves on each, one of which used in the browned butter the other steeped in the milk).
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup chestnut flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup yogurt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients X2: (suggested to make larger muffins)
Several bunches of sage (one of which used in the browned butter the other steeped in the milk. The more leaves use the more intense the sage flavor).
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup chestnut flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine milk and sage in small saucepan and heat to a bare simmer, then remove from heat and cover. Allow to steep at least 10 minutes, then remove sage, squeezing as much milk as possible from sage before discarding.
2. Place butter and remaining sage in small saucepan and heat over medium until melted and foamy. Allow to cook until liquid butter is golden brown and solids at bottom are deep brown and smell nutty. Transfer to a heatproof container, remove the sage and make sure to scrape out as much of the browned butter solids as possible.
3. Combine all purpose flour, chestnut flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium mixing bowl. Sift if necessary, or simply whisk together. In separate mixing bowl, combine sage milk, sage butter, yogurt and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry until all streaks of flour are incorporated and batter is fluffy and slightly lumpy. Divide evenly between cups in a 12 cup muffin pan lined with paper cups. Bake 7 minutes, then rotate pan and bake another 3-5 minutes, until a skewer inserted into muffin comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake. Allow to cool in pan slightly before transferring to rack to finish cooling.
These are truly remarkable muffins. They are a combination of unexpected tastes that work extremely well together. The combination of browned butter and sage came through with a pleasing robustness. The chestnut flour added a slightly nutty dimension. The chestnut flour also contributes to the very light and tender texture of the muffin. While these muffins were a bit of surprise flavor-wise they were also a great new discovery. Next time we’ll double the recipe so the muffins are a bit larger.
P.S. In early February, the plum tree in our yard started blooming. It is always amazing and nice to see this when it is still winter and the weather is still cold. It is such a nice early harbinger of hope for the upcoming spring.
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Classic Pumpernickel Bread 伝統的パンパニッケル パン
Next day when the loaf was completely cooled, I sliced it. It is very dense. As you can see below. I sliced it thinly and tasted. It has lots of flavors and the inside is moist.
The recipe is from King Authur. I followed the recipe weighing the ingredients. Exception was mashed potato. Since we found that all our potatoes were sprouted, we used Japanese sweet potato instead. Some of the instructions appear to be missing the details. Maybe this recipe was meant for an experienced baker. (With common baker’s knowledge-CBK- I added a few extra steps and details in notes to myself).
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (340g) water
1/2 cup (71g) yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup (85g) molasses
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 teaspoons (9g) table salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 cups (319g) King Arthur Organic Pumpernickel Flour
1 cup (113g) King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup (170g) cooked, mashed potatoes
Instructions
Combine 1 cup of water (the other 1/2 cup was supposed to be used to proof the yeast) * with the cornmeal in a saucepan and cook over low heat until thick, stirring often (about 5 minutes). Remove the pan from heat and add the molasses, butter, salt, sugar, caraway seeds and cocoa powder. Stir to combine and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
*I missed this instruction and used all 1 1/2 cups (or 340 grams) of water for making the cornmeal mixture but since we used “instant yeast” which does not require proofing, this worked out fine.
Add the cornmeal/molasses mixture and mashed potatoes in the bowl of standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir in the pumpernickel and whole wheat flours. Mix and knead the dough at medium speed for 10 minutes.
*To make the dough ball cling to the dough hook, I had to stop the mixer and push the dough toward the hook a few times and I also added a small amount of additional water.
Transfer the dough to a floured kneading board, quickly knead and make a ball (sticky but very dense dough). Transfer to a greased bowl, turn the dough ball to coat all surfaces. Cover the bowl, place in a 85Felectric proofing box. Let rise until the dough is not quite doubled; about 1 hour.
Shape the dough into a loaf and place in a greased (used butter) 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.
*Although no second rising was suggested, based on (CBK) I did place the loaf pan back in the proofing box and let it rise for 40 minutes (I am not sure this made any difference).
Slash the top*.
*As per instruction I did this but totally not needed. Only time this may make sense is for a decorative purpose after flouring the top of the loaf
Bake in a preheated 360 F oven* for 55 to 65 minutes, until the center measures 200°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer.
*Since I used my convection oven, again based on CBK, I reduced the temperature from the suggested 375F.
Remove from the oven, tip out of the pan, and cool on a rack completely before slicing.
As mentioned, this is a very dense bread but the inside is moist and very flavorful. Thinly sliced and cut into smaller squares, this may be good for making canapé but may not be appropriate to make a full sandwiches. Nonetheless it was extremely flavorful lightly micro-waved to warm it slightly for breakfast. We saw another recipe at the King Authur site called “Pumpernickel boule”. This may be very similar to what we used to get from Whole Foods. We (either my wife or I) will try this recipe next.
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Butter Swim Biscuit バターに泳ぐビスケット
In this close-up of the cut surface, you could appreciated fluffy texture.
As usual, I will ask my wife to take over.
Ingredients
8 tablespoons (1 stick/113 grams) unsalted butter
2 3/4 cups (345 grams) all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (or more for a sweeter biscuit. I added two Tsp.)
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups (480 milliliters) well-shaken whole buttermilk
Directions
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Add the butter to a 9-inch square baking dish or cast iron frying pan and place in the oven while it preheats. (We did not have a 9-inch square baking dish so we used a 10 inch cast iron frying pan instead.) (If the oven is very slow to heat up, wait a few minutes to put in the baking dish so the butter doesn’t burn. Just keep an eye on it as it melts.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt until combined. Add the buttermilk and stir gently with a spatula just until combined. Do not overmix.
Remove the hot baking dish from the oven and gently pour the batter over the melted butter. Use a knife or offset spatula to spread the batter evenly in the dish (see picture below).
Quickly and confidently, use a knife to “cut” the dough into 9 squares. If the lines close up, go back and take another pass through, though you shouldn’t expect them to remain completely distinct. It can help to wipe or rinse off the knife in between cuts.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown and the edges crisp. Following your scored lines, cut and serve.
As can be seen in the pictures above this bread is truly swimming in butter. It would be helpful if there was some way to turn it over half way through cooking because the bottom became almost too high done while the top was not yet brown. Although it is made with a few simple ingredients the flavor is fairly complex. The sweetness of the sugar combines with the taste of the butter, some of which gets browned and there is the pervasive undertone of the sharp taste of the buttermilk. In my humble opinion, both are good but “swimming in butter” is better. My wife said this one is easier to make
Sunday, July 9, 2023
Corn Sage Muffin Variation コーン、セージ、マフィンバリエーション
The picture below shows the salad she added.
The ingredients and directions for the two recipes she combine are shown below for convenience
Ingredients: For the muffin
1 cup grated corn
1 stick butter
6 large sage leaves (or several sprigs of rosemary)
1 cup of corn salad (this is the current variation in the recipe) (Salad recipe below)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 corn flour (or corn meal)
2 cups All Purpose (AP) flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar (or more for a slightly sweeter muffin)
Directions:
Grate the ears of corn on a stand grater. Scrape the ears with the back of the knife to get the remaining "corn milk" . Melt the butter in a saucepan (do not allow it to boil or brown). Mix in the grated corn, salt, and sage leaves. Cook until creamy and thickened, making a kind of polenta. Remove the sage leaves. To achieve a really smooth emersion blend it further in a “motor boat” blender. Allow the mixture to cool. Add the buttermilk and eggs and mix until blended.
In a large bowl sift together the corn flour (or corn meal), AP flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar. Add the 1 cup of corn salad and mix in the dry ingredients to coat with a bit of the flour. Add the liquid ingredients and stir until blended. Scoop into the prepared muffin tin. Cook in 400F degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes for muffins, or until a skewer comes out clean and the muffins are nicely browned.
Ingredients: For the corn salad
1 roasted red pepper, skin, ribs and seeds removed and cut into small squares
2 ears of fresh corn on cob, microwaved wrapped in wet paper towel for 2 minutes or more until cooked
1 sweet (Vidalia) onion, finely chopped
2 strips of bacon, cooked to crisp and crumbled
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined and finely chopped
1 cup of boiled edamame, shelled (or lima beans)
For dressing:
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tbs honey
2 tbs rice vinegar (or any vinegar)
8 tbs or more fruity olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
For roasted red pepper
I roasted them at 450F in the toaster oven on convection mode for 20 minutes turning a few times so that all the surface was cooked/charred. I then put them in Ziploc bags to steam for 30 minutes. Once cooled down, remove the stem end, skin, ribs, seeds and peel. (The skin will come off easily).
Combine all the ingredients, add the dressing and stir well.
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Mini Apple Spiced Muffins アップルシナモンミニマフィン
Ingredients: (makes about 24 to 30 mini-muffins)
1 apple, cored, skinned and cut into small pieces
1 cup bran cereal (we used Kellogg Special k, since that was only cereal we had)
3/4 cup AP flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tps baking soda
3 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup Greek yogurt (we used home-made and strained kind)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F
Place the cereal in food processor and grind it to a fine texture. In a bowl, combine the cereal, flour, baking soda, and sugar.
In a separate bowl, mix the egg, butter, yogurt, cinnamon and vanilla.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients (do not over mix)
Fold in the apple
Add the batter in a greased mini muffin pan and bake 13-15 minutes.
For a freebee cookbook recipe, this is really good. My wife further expanded her repertoires. This is just the right size if you want a little added-something with your usual breakfast repertoire.
Friday, May 19, 2023
Cookie Butter Swirls クッキーバターバンズ
Ingredients (makes 12 buns):
Dough
120g (½ cup) Milk (my wife used 1/4 cups evaporated milk, since she had it, and 1/4 cup regular milk)
120g (½ cup) Yogurt, plain unsweetened
2 Eggs (one whole egg + an egg yolk for the dough and the egg white for an egg wash on the final buns.)
45g (3 tbsp + 2 tsp) Sugar
6g (2 tsp) Instant yeast
85g (6 tbsp) Butter, softened
420g (3 ½ cup) All-purpose flour
5g (1 tsp) Fine salt
Filling
370 g Cookie butter (This used up all the available cookie butter)
Glaze
The egg white from the separated egg above.
Sugar
Directions:
Set up the proofer
Set the proofer to 78°F (25°C) and put the water tray in the middle of the warming plate. Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) of water into the tray and place the rack on top of the tray.
Mix the dough:
Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of the mixer. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, yogurt, and egg, until well combined. Add the wet mixture to the dry. Add the butter. Mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes until no dry remains and the butter in incorporated. Turn to medium speed and mix for 7 to 10 minutes until the ingredients form a smooth elastic dough.
1st fermentation: Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and place in the Folding Proofer for 1 to 1 ½ hours until doubled in size.
Roll the dough:
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll into a rectangle measuring about 10.5" x 16" (27 x 40cm).
With the dough facing you lengthwise, spread filling over the entire surface of the dough.
Spread the cookie butter in a thin layer (#1)
Fold the dough into thirds like a letter. To do so, take the left side and fold it in toward the center. Take the right third of the dough and fold in to the center on top of the fold just made.
Refrigerate it for about 15 minutes which will make it easier to cut and shape.
Roll the dough out again to a 16.5" x 8.5" (42 x 22cm) rectangle (#2). Do the letter fold again and re-roll it out to 16.5” x 8.5” again.
Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Cut the dough into 12 strips. To do this, mark the dough with 3 lines making 4 section. Then mark each of these 4 sections with 2 lines making a total of 12 sections. Then go back and cut the entire length of the dough where marked (#2). Take one dough strip and twist each end in opposite directions until the entire strip is twisted (#3).
Starting at one end coil the strip to form a circular bun, tucking the tail underneath (#4).
Place on the prepared pan. Repeat until all 12 buns are shaped and placed 6 on each of the 2 trays (#4). (The buns are placed 6 to a tray and each tray is cooked individually. This allows each bun to receive even heat and expand without touching another bun).
Final proof: The cookie sheets do not fit in the proofer. Cover it with a plastic wrap, and place the trays on the towel so they are not resting on the cold table top. Cover with another towel. Allow the buns to rise for about 1 hour.
Glaze the surface: First paint on the egg white then sprinkle on the sugar
Near the end of the proofing time preheat the oven to 375° (190°C).
Bake: Bake the buns at 375°F (190°C) for 18-20 minutes (#6).
My wife is really getting good at forming these swirl/buns. Her idea of using the cookie butter (this is made of chocolate cover cookies) really worked. The buns were sweet but not too sweet with a subtle chocolate flavor and slightly crunchy surface and soft inside.
Friday, April 28, 2023
Lamb Tenderloin for Easter 子羊のテンダーローイン
I sort of did a reverse searing. After cooking it in the toaster oven, I seared it with sprigs of fresh rosemary which I kept in the frying pan during the searing and while I made a red wine sauce.
As sides, we served pencil asparagus and shiitake mushroom stir fry (left) and Israeli couscous salad with marinated artichoke hearts (right). To mop up the sauce, we also served a slice of (mini) baguette I baked.
I have never cook lamb tenderloins before. I decided to cook two of them in the toaster oven at 350F for 10 minutes and then reverse seared them in a pan with rosemary. It sort of worked but the lamb was a bit overcooked. The entire dinner was really good and for the occasion, we opened a bottle of 2014 Insignia from Joseph Phelps. Despite some age on the bottle, it was really fresh with a nice fruit flavor. It was a perfect wine for this dinner.
Ingredients (makes about 4 servings)
x2 Lamb tenderloins thawed, salted and kept in the refrigerator for 6 hours uncovered (to dry them a bit)
2 springs of fresh rosemary
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
for the pan sauce
1/4 cup red wine (Not Insignia; a much more reasonably priced CA wine I already had open)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbs of cold butter, cut into thin pats
Salt and pepper
Directions:
I seasoned the lamb with pepper (no salt; it was already salted). I roasted it at 350F in the toaster oven on convection mode for 10 minutes.
I then pan-seared it with olive oil and the rosemary for 1 minute on each side.
I set aside the lamb covered loosely with an aluminum foil, leaving the rosemary in the pan.
(I was aiming for an internal temperature of 130-135F for the lamb to be medium rare but in the end, the temperature went over)
I added the red wine and balsamic vinegar to the pan and reduced it to the point that it was just coating the bottom of the pan.
I added several pats of cold butter one by one until it reached a saucy consistency.
I seasoned with salt and pepper
I sliced the lamb tenderloin and spooned on the wine sauce then topped the dish with the rosemary sprig.
The couscous salad, asparagus with mushroom and baguette all worked well together with the lamb. Of course, the wine made this dinner a bit special.
Sunday, April 16, 2023
Wheat Berry Whole Wheat Bread フィート・ベリー入りの全粒小麦粉のパン
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 cups buttermilk (the original calls for non-fat milk)
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp salt
2 eggs large, lightly-beaten
4 cups unbleached white AP Flour
1 cup cooked wheat berries*
2 tbs. instant dry yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
*Original recipe calls for cooking 1 cup of wheat berries with 3 1/2 cup of water. As we mentioned above this will produce nearly 4 cups of cooked wheat berry. Using CCK (Common Culinary Knowledge), we decided 4 cups of cooked wheat berry was way too much. For one thing, our largest Kitchen-Aid mixer would not be able to handle 6 cups of flour and 4 cups of cooked wheat berry. So, instead, we used 1 cup of cooked wheat berry.
Directions:
Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the sugar, whole wheat flour, and yeast. Stir in the milk. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
Stir down the dough to deflate it (after 30 minutes, the dough did not raise much). Switch to a dough hook, stir in the, eggs, oil, salt, and 2 cups of the unbleached white flour. Keep adding flour until a smooth dough is formed. Right at the end, mix in the cooked wheat berries. Knead the dough for 7 to 10 minutes. (I was only able to knead for 7 minutes because the mixer was at the maximum amount of dough it could handle and started to overheat.) Turn the dough out onto a work surface that has been dusted with flour. Knead in the walnuts if using them. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a proofing box at 80F until doubled in size.
Coat two 8" loaf pans with unsalted butter. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and cut in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in the loaf pans. Cover and let rise 30 minutes in a proofing box at 80F while you preheat oven to 375°F.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the loaves shrink slightly from the sides of the pans and sound hollow when tapped.
Immediately remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.
This is a great bread. The comments on the Bob’s Red Mill website warned that the wheat berries exposed on the surface got hard but we did not encounter too many. The bread has a light moist texture and whole wheat flavor is subtle but comes through. The wheat berries were not chewy but they did add a unique flavor which was very nice. In general, we really like this bread.
Saturday, March 18, 2023
Soda Bread with Raisin, Craisin, and Caraway (Soda Bread V4)
As usual, my wife modified the recipe mainly due to ingredients we did not have.
Ingredients:
2 cups mixture of raisin and craisins, (substituted for currents called for in the original recipe.)
6 cups (750 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 cups (480 milliliters) whole buttermilk
8 tablespoons (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions:
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a very large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Scatter the dried fruits into the flour and fold them in with a flexible spatula until evenly distributed.
Whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, cream, egg and the oil until combined. Pour into the flour mixture.
First using a spatula and then hands, stir and mix the dough together. (The original recipe says, “do not use a mixer”.) The dough should be slightly wet but not gloppy. Add a bit more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the dough feels too wet and is spreading. Re-flour your hands and gently knead the dough, turning and folding it over itself, just until it is somewhat firmer, sprinkling more flour on your hands or the work surface as needed. Try not to add too much more flour to the dough.
Divide the dough in half, shaping each portion into a round loaf 5½ to 6 inches in diameter, positioning any seams on the bottom. Do not flatten the loaves, making sure they are shaped more like mounds.
Place the loaves several inches apart on the prepared baking sheet (they will spread a little) but not up against the rim. Use a lame to gently score an X no more than ¼- to ½-inch deep into the top of each loaf (see picture below).
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, rotating the baking sheet from front to back halfway through, until the loaves are nicely browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The loaves should also sound hollow when tapped on the bottom (see picture below). Cool completely on a wire rack
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Black (Pumpernickel) Bread 黒パン
*I was not sure about the difference between rye and pumpernickel flours. My wife explained it to me that it was equivalent to the difference between white wheat and whole wheat flour, i.e., pumpernickel flour include the husks and germs.
Ingredients (makes two loaves)
3/8 cup cornmeal
1 3/4 cup water (I used whey because I had it. Buttermilk could also be used)
1 tbs. Butter
2 tsp. Salt
3 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp. Caraway seeds
1 tbs. Unsweetened cocoa
1 tbs. Instant coffee
2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups rye (dark) flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups AP flour
1 cup raisins (optional)
Additional flour for kneading
1 egg white beaten
Directions:
Add the cornmeal to 3/4 cup cold water and mix well. Meanwhile heat the rest of the water to boiling, add the cornmeal mixture and stir until it thickens. Then, add the butter through instant coffee. Cool to room temperature. Add the dry ingredients (yeast through AP flour) to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cooled cornmeal mixture. Mix until a smooth dough forms. (We found we had to add more liquid because the dough was very dry. Even with the addition of the extra liquid in the end did not use all the flour.)
Form into a ball and put in a bowl with a little vegetable oil. Coat the ball with the oil. Put in the proofing box until doubled in size. Punch down the dough and form into two loaves and put them in well buttered bread pans. Put back in proofer until they almost double in size. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until bread taps hollow. (Original recipe says, ‘if you have doubts about whether it is done, let it bake longer. This loaf is better a little overdone than underdone.’) The next picture shows the loafs just as they came out of the oven.
This is a very dense bread. Nonetheless the texture is very moist and soft. It has a very complex flavor. Despite all the ingredients that went into it no one stands out; they all meld together for a richly flavored result. My wife served a slice lightly toasted with honey butter and it was very good. This is a great pumpernickel bread.
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Fastnacht Cake Version 3 ファストナハトケーキ V3
The “rivel” layer is difficult to see but it is there as is the dried fruit.
Ingredients: My wife will tell what she did to make the cake (makes two round 8 inch cake/bread)
1/2 cup warm mashed sweet potato (please note the original recipe specifies HOT)
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water if blooming the yeast
4 cups of AP flour to start, adding more as needed to make velvety dough.
1 cup of dried fruit cut into small pieces
Ingredients and directions for rivels (Crumb topping)
Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour and 4 tbs. butter softened until the ingredients are completely combined and look like fine crumbs. (I added the ingredients to a small food processor and processed it until small clumps formed. These rivals were much finer than the ones made by hand.)
Directions:
Put the mashed potatoes into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a mixing paddle beat in the butter, then the egg and a mixture of sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat until fluffy. Bloom the yeast in warm water.
Beat the yeast into the potato mixture. Switch to a dough hook and alternately add the flour and milk beating well after each addition. If necessary add more flour to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and satiny. Spread the dough into a flat square and cover the square with the dried fruit then fold the dough over the fruit and knead until the fruit is well distributed. Put the dough into a greased bowl. Grease the top of the dough, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Punch down the dough. Since the recipe makes two cakes split the dough into quarters so the rivals can be put into the middle of each cake. Then put 1/4 of the dough in the bottom of the 8 inch pan (#1). Sprinkle on 1/4 of the rivels (#2) and top that layer with another quarter of dough (#3). Do this for both cakes. Brush the tops with melted butter and cover both with the remaining rivels. Let the cakes rise in a warm place for about 30 to 40 minutes while the oven preheats. (This is a variation from the original PA Dutch recipe. It does not call for the second rise; the cakes are cooked immediately after they are put in the pan. I’ve made fastnacht cakes both ways and think the cake made with a second rise is much better. It comes out much thicker and has a lovely tender texture.) Cook in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Picture (#4) shows the cake as it came out of the oven.
Sunday, September 11, 2022
Marbled matcha milk bread 渦巻き抹茶食パン
My wife saw this recipe on the King Arthur’s website and as part of her project to try every type of Japanese milk bread (shoku-pan 食パン) she could find (as witnessed in the number of milk bread recipes in this blog), she decided we had to make this. Who could pass up a Japanese milk bread with swirls of matcha green tea in it? The original recipe called for a single loaf made with three equal portions placed in the baking loaf pan. My wife decided to just make 2 separate loaves. Rolling the dough to make the different colored swirls was a bit tricky, and required some teamwork. But the end result, with nice concentric swirls (below), looked better than the pictures of the original 3 part loaf. Visually stunning, we can taste the green tea (quite a good amount of matcha 抹茶 green tea powder went in).
Ingredients
Tangzhong 湯種
1 cup (227g) milk, whole preferred
1/2 cup (60g) AP flour
Dough
1/2 cup (113g) milk, whole preferred; cold*
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
3 1/2 cups (420g) AP Flour
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
2 tablespoons (12g) matcha powder
1 tablespoon (14g) water
*Cold milk will help cool down the tangzhong and bring the dough to a slightly warm temperature.
Directions:
To make the tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk together the milk and flour. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a thick paste forms and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer.
To make the dough: Using a whisk or the whisk attachment of the mixer, add the milk, yeast, sugar, and egg into the tangzhong and whisk until fully combined.
Add the flour and salt to the mixing bowl and use the dough hook attachment to knead on low speed until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms, about 1 minute.
With the mixer still on low speed, add the butter about one tablespoon at a time, waiting to add the next piece until the previous one is fully incorporated, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to mix until a smooth, elastic, and tacky (but not sticky) dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 7 to 10 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half. Knead one half briefly, form into a tight ball, place in a greased bowl, and cover.
Transfer the remaining half of the dough back to the bowl of the stand mixer and add the matcha tea and enough water to get the tea incorporated into the dough. Knead, beginning on low speed and working up to medium, until fully incorporated, about 1 to 2 minutes. (Don’t worry about any remaining small clumps of matcha; they won’t appear in the finished loaf.) Transfer the matcha dough to the lightly floured work surface, knead briefly, round into a tight ball, place in greased bowl, and cover.
Let the dough rise at a warm room temperature until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
To shape the loaf: Turn the matcha dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 2 equal portions and set aside. Repeat with the plain dough (#1). Let the dough rounds rest, covered, for 15 minutes to make the dough more pliable and easier to work with.
Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out one portion of plain dough into an oval. Repeat with a portion of matcha dough (#2). Stack the matcha dough on top of the regular dough, then lightly press with the rolling pin to cohere. It should measure 11” X 8”. (#3). Starting on the short end, roll up the dough into a tight cylinder (#4). Cover and set aside while you repeat the process with the remaining portions of dough. You should end up with two cylinders, each made up of two kinds of dough.
Arrange one cylinder on your work surface so that the short end is facing you, then use a rolling pin to flatten it into a 12” x 8” rectangle. The plain dough will be covering the matcha dough entirely, but you will see a flattened green and white spiral at both ends (#5). Starting with the shorter end, roll up the dough into a tight log (#6). Place the log, seam side down, into a buttered 8 1/2” x 4 1/2" loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and put it seam side down in the second loaf pan (#7).
Cover the pan and set it in a warm place. Let the dough rise until it looks puffy, springs back slowly when gently pressed; about 30 to 40 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the interior of the loaf registers at least 190°F when measured with a digital thermometer (#8).
Remove the loaf from the oven and turn onto a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.