Chuck Norris has a number.
I'm a huge fan of the television show Big Bang Theory. There is an episode (Alien Parasite Hypothesis) where one of the characters on the show, Sheldon, tells everyone that 73 is the best number. Or as another character referred to 73, the Chuck Norris of numbers. Bad news Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper is wrong about the best number. Well if you want to apply perfect numbers to baking bread. According the the authors of a famous bread baking book written in 1993, Bread Alone, the magic number is 74.
Double F
I chose focaccia for February. When I went through Bread Alone's recipe, it did not list a temperature that I needed to have the water for dissolving the yeast. I began to panic. It was already 8:30am and I didn't have enough time to figure it out. I wanted to eat this bread before midnight tonight and this bread needed 8 hours for its first rise. I just bit my lip and went with room temperature water. Later I was able to get back to the book.
Temperature of everything matters.
The reason why the temperature wasn't in the recipe is you have to do something. A four letter word. Math. At least it is easy math! You have to add the temperature of the flour, temperature of your kitchen and then add 10-14 degrees due to friction you will impart to the dough when kneading it. Then subtract it from 240 degrees which is the ideal sum temperature of ingredients/room. What you're left with is temperature for your water.
Now I know you are at the edge of your seat...what's with 74?
In general, bread rises best at 80 degrees. Yet the authors highlight 74. Here is why. The minimum temperature to ferment dough is 74
degrees. If you go below that number, it rises too slowly. If you get
above 80 degrees you will rise too fast and too much.
Fancy schmancy!
I was worried. I got to this information too late and we keep our house around 65-68 degrees in the winter. It all worked out somehow. The bread was excellent!
Focaccia has different topping options. The loaf on the left I topped with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, garlic and truffle salt. The one on the right is olive oil and sea salt.
Now Bake That!
*This blog is brought to you by the letter F and the number 74.
It was a snow day yesterday. The first thing that pops into my head (after I do my happy-I-work-for-a-school-district dance) is that a snow day means making a fort, playing in the snow and of course...hot chocolate. To me, hot chocolate means homemade marshmallows. Making homemade marshmallows may seem extreme. They are not. They are the best. If you have ever tasted a homemade marshmallow, you understand the internal disappointment I feel when I have to buy a regular bag of cylindrical globs of rubber.
I use the Bon Appetit Marshmallow recipe. Easy-ish..but very messy.
Then we had another snow day today. What to do?!?
My favorite ice cream has marshmallow and caramel. So why not make brownies with marshmallow and caramel sauce on top? Instead of researching on the internet like I normally do, I decided to wing it.
What could possibly go wrong?
The first caramel sauce recipe I tried was Caramel Sauce from Simply Recipes. I did my best but I know exactly what happened, I burned it. I tasted it and it was bitter and disgusting. Ick!
For take two on the caramel sauce, I used a recipe from the food network, Easy Caramel Sauce. It had 5 stars. It must be good! Now though the instructions didn't guide use of a candy thermometer, I decided to use one and bring it up to 230 degrees. I was determined not to burn it this time.
It was a good idea to use the thermometer because the sauce was pretty good. Whew!
Next step, make the brownies. I used a friend's family recipe so I can't share it. (I discuss my brownie tips on my past post, Magical Brownies.) My son helped me make the batter. As we were stirring I told him what I was going to do next and he said, those sound like epic brownies! He is right. Anything with caramel AND marshmallow must be epic.
I cut up my marshmallows into pieces and place it on top of the brownies. Put it in the oven for 5 minutes, swirled it around, added caramel sauce and then popped it back in the oven for 20 more minutes.
Conclusion:
Epic fail brownies. :(
They were grainy. They were a little bitter. Plus they didn't even look that good.
I had to do something....
The cure for epic fail brownies is coat something chocolate!
I took my marshmallows, cut them up again and melted some Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate. I dipped and found happiness again! I think I just wanted chocolate with my marshmallow.
Ah...chocolate covered homemade marshmallows.
Now Bake That!
When my kids were born, I started buying challah nearly every week. We would use it to celebrate Shabbat on Friday night and then eat amazing french toast or grilled cheese the next day. I normally bought the challah from a local bakery. I would reserve it ahead of time because they ran out so frequently. Then one day in 2007, I forgot to reserve one and arrived at the store too late. I went to a grocery store and they were out of it too. Then I tried for the local kosher bakery and they were closed! (They moved to a new location but of course didn't write it on the sign on the door). Arrgh!!
Clearly the universe was trying to tell me something.
I started to drive to another store. Then I had an idea at the red light (My husband likes to call these vehicular epiphanies). I said to myself, "Screw it!! I have a package of yeast at home. I'll just go make it."
It was the best thing I ever did.
From then on, I made it several times a month. I swear our friends agree to come over for dinner on a Friday just to have some fresh out of the oven. I use it as currency for my neighbor who helps put our kids on the bus in the morning. My challah obsession is why I picked bread as my year long baking quest this year. It's the only bread I know how to make and I just had to push the envelope. So even though I am going to make a new recipe each month, I had to blog about my recent challah story because I did something I never thought I would do.
I made 12 loaves. In one day.
Oy.
I made it for my bus-helping neighbor's daughter's wedding. I used my neighbor's double oven as well as the one I had at home. That meant I was walking back and forth with dough and bread on my street. I'm sure it looked weird.
They turned out pretty! They were even prettier at the wedding reception.
About baking supplies: You can do this receipe without fancy stuff. However, I have had my best results using some toys. Consider getting a kitchen scale, parchment paper, a square shaped pizza stone, King Arthur Bread Flour, a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, Pampered Chef adjustable measuring cup (for the honey), and a candy thermometer. If you are using a stand mixer, read the manufacturer's instructions to find out the setting and time for using the dough hook. My 6 qt Professional Kitchen Aid kneads on setting 2 for two minutes.
Recipe:
Betsy's Challah
*makes two small loaves
1/4c water between 105-110 degrees
1 tsp quick acting yeast
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/3 c honey
2 eggs
600g of bread flour (4 cups)
10g kosher salt (roughly 1 1/2 tsp)
1/2 c warm water
Additional flour for kneading
1 egg
1 tsp water
Using a candy thermometer run the water in your sink until the it reaches between 105-110 degrees. Measure quarter of a cup of water and stir in yeast and sugar. Set aside and allow to get bubbly, about 5 minutes. While the yeast is waking up, work on the rest of the dough. Using a kitchen scale and a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, measure and pour in oil, eggs, honey, flour and salt into the mixer bowl. When the yeast mixture is completed, start your mixer on the lowest setting. While its running, pour in the yeast mixture and then the other 1/2 cup of warm water. Turn the mixer up a level (mine is level 2 for kneading bread) and knead for 2 minutes (or what your mixer's instructions suggest). Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 1 minute. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and/or cover with a towel. Place in a warm area to rise for 1 1/2 hours (I put mine in the oven with a pan of hot water in it.) Punch down the dough and let rest for 10 more minutes. Turn the dough on a floured surface again and divide into 6 pieces. Braid three pieces at a time making two small loaves. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Either place in the fridge overnight or back into the warm place for 45 minutes.
30 minutes before you are going to bake, place a small pan of water in the oven (I put it on the bottom rack). Place the pizza stone in the oven on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you used the fridge to do the second rise, pull the baking sheet out of the fridge and place it on the counter while the oven preheats. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tsp of water. Brush onto both loaves. Using the parchment paper, slide the dough onto the stone (you can bake it on the paper). Bake for 30-35 minutes. The loaves should be golden brown and sound hollow when you tap them.
Notes:
No stand mixer? Work on your arm muscles and knead the bread for 10 minutes.
No pizza stone? It's okay to bake it on a baking sheet.
No parchment paper? Grease the pan with vegetable oil or use non-stick spray.
No King Arthur Flour? You can use unbleached all-purpose or a different brand of bread flour.
No adjustable measuring cup? Enjoy cleaning the honey stickiness!
Want to make dinner rolls instead of loaves? This recipe will make 18-20, 2 ounce rolls. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Now Bake That!
This year my New Year's Resolution is (drumroll)....to tame the yeast beast!
Yeah, you know what I mean!
BREAD!
This means once a month I am going to try a new bread recipe. Like my pie challenge, I'm not a true nube to bread making. I make Challah, Bialy and on occasion, pizza. But mostly I make Challah. Typically I do it Thursday night and let it do its second rise in my second fridge. When I escape work Friday, I do not open my garage door and promptly slip into the suburban mom uniform (yoga pants and a cotton T while holding a Starbucks/red wine).
I put my pizza stone in the oven and start preheating.
And when its all in the oven....then I put on those yoga pants. They're just so comfy!
As awesome as my Challah is, I'm well aware that I am still just making beginner stuff. I wanted a challenge again. Making pies was like doing a half marathon. Bread making will be like a full marathon. Except with a stand mixer and wearing Danskos clogs.
To get ready for this crazy project, I attempted to plan ahead. When I was at my in-laws during winter break I dug through my mother in-laws cookbooks. She has four shelves of cookbooks. Two books deep. I found several books and then I started read. Then I started to freak. What is a biga anyways? A poolish? Ferment? Sponge? Starter?
Wednesday Thursday Friday! (WTF)
What did I get myself into? I decided to be kind with myself and start with something my level and move from there.
Recipe:
Eat Well Baguettes
I didn't have fancy baguette pans. So like any good Occupational Therapist, I made them out of whatever was nearby: aluminum foil. Not just for tin foil hats anymore folks! I shaped them and placed it on a piece of parchment paper for easy sliding on the pizza stone later.
They worked.
Sorta.
Here are my baguettes after its second rise before I slashed them.
I go to slide the production onto the pizza stone and the baguette in the back tumbles onto the lower rack of my oven. Eek! I rescue it, figuring it just has a more rustic look.
Here is how they looked after baking:
Funny thing is you can tell the one on the left looks a better than the other two, even though it took a tumble.
The problem with my homemade pan? I didn't
spray them or sprinkle them with flour or line them with parchment
paper. They stuck to the bread. I had to peel the foil off the bread like those annoying wrappers that encase laffy taffy candies.
I'm buying a real baguette pan
next time.
I ate some bread straight out of the oven with a wee bit of butter. They were great! Then I used it to make meatball subs for dinner. My oldest child loves meatball subs.
Now I can make a sub sandwich 500 times better than Subway.
Now Bake That!
My last pie for 2012: Key Lime. It's my husband's favorite. Plus it seemed right to start with a citrus cream pie and end with one.
I broke the "rules". Many baking experts say if you are making something for the first time, follow the recipe perfectly and then tweak from there. I looked at five different recipes online and just made it up. My hunches on the quantities worked out and it tasted amazing.
The whipped topping is a little free style. To get the canned whipped cream look, I put my home made whipped topping in my cookie press with a pastry tip. Anything that shoots out whipped cream by a trigger gets any child's attention. My oldest son (who is 9 and a budding foodie) begged me to let him help. Honestly, I got a little frustrated with him at first because he wanted the whipped cream to be a gigantic mound, but we negotiated the design and it turned out pretty.
Recipe below. Note we like our citrus pies a little on the tart side. If you like things really tart, I recommend only putting whipped cream on the edge and increase the zest to 2 tbsp. If you like your key lime pie a little sweet, I would increase the sugar in the crust to 1/2 cup and omit the zest. I use a glass 10" pie pan, so if your pan is smaller, you will need to adjust the amounts.
Thanks to everyone who helped and supported me with my New Year's resolution to make a pie a month. It's been a blast!
Betsy's Key Lime Pie
crust:
2 sleeves graham crackers
1/4 c sugar
1 stick butter, melted
filling:
2 egg yolks
2, 14 oz cans of sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c sour cream
1 tbsp key lime zest
1 c key lime juice (about 40-45 limes)
topping:
1 c whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Crust: Preheat the oven 375 degrees. Grease a 10" pie pan with PAM and wipe off excess spray. Break the crackers into chunks in a food processor. Pulse until crackers are crumbs. Add sugar and pulse a few times. While the processor is running, pour in the melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press crust into pan and bake for 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.
Preheat the oven 375 degrees. Mix egg yolks, condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice and zest in a bowl with a whisk until completely blended. Pour into cooled crust and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour and then put the pie in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours until chilled through.
Topping: Mix whipping cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl. Beat on high with an electric mixer until peaks form. Either place in a pastry bag/cookie press with a fluted pastry tip or spread on the top of the pie.
Now Bake That!
It's that time of year. When my coworkers and I all make dozens of cookies, bring them to work and line up an assembly line of baked deliciousness. We pile cookies into tins and deliver them all over the office to people we want to acknowledge with carbs.
Thank you, you're amazingly awesome cookies.
Happy Holidays cookies.
Secret preemptive bribes for favors in the future cookies.
I made these peanut butter cup cookies a few years ago and everyone was hooked. I like to call them double peanut butter cookies because the peanut butter comes in two ways. The cookie and the candy.
I try to mix it up and ask each year, "What should I make?" They all give me that eye-squinty stare and then the command that they pose as a question: "You are making peanut butter cup cookies right?"
Okay. Okay.
These cookies are great for cookie exchanges since they're so cute!
Betsy's Double Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
1 1/4c flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c peanut butter, creamy
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
peanut butter cups (around 48), unwrapped
Preheat the oven 375 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan very well with cooking spray or use mini baking cups. Beat butter for 30 seconds. Add peanut butter and sugars. Beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add dry ingredients. Roll a small amount of dough into a ball and place in the cups, squishing in the dough just a little. The cup should be around half full. Bake for 5 minutes. Take out, press unwrapped peanut butter cups and bake for 7-8 more minutes. Cool completely before removing from the pan. Store at room temperature or the refrigerator.
Now Bake That!
Sometimes you want chocolate chip cookies but don't have the time to bake them. (Ya know, one pan, 10-12 minutes at a time). To solve my issue I scoured recipes books. I received a copy of Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa cookbook, foolproof for the holidays from my in-laws. I flipped through the pages and the answer was...blondies!
Here is the recipe: Chocolate Chunk Blondies
I used chocolate chips instead of chunks but they turned out just like the picture. Instead of flouring the pan, I sprayed it with butter pam and used a piece of parchment paper. I cooled them completely so I had no problems pulling these suckers out of the pan. I took them to my boys' chess tournament and a teenager ate one for breakfast. He couldn't wait! It wasn't just him. I brought home an empty pan. The kids loved them.
Now Bake That!
