tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54794927073005441192024-03-18T13:58:24.313+11:00Audax ArtifexAudaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-75952337177683681832015-05-28T14:47:00.001+10:002015-05-28T14:47:18.388+10:00Daring Bakers' Challenge May 2015 LamingtonsThis month's challenge was Lamingtons the classic Australian treat. This was such a joy to make. The sponge cake recipe uses cornflour (cornstarch) instead of plain (all-purpose) flour which results in a very light airy crumb for the sponge.<br />
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<strong><span>Blog-checking lines</span></strong><strong>:</strong> For the May challenge Marcellina from <a href="http://marcellinaincucina.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Marcellina in Cucina</a> dared us to make Lamingtons. An Australian delicacy that is as tasty as it is elegant<br />
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This post will have to short and sweet since I'm very busy.<br />
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Find the challenge PDF <a href="http://www.thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/Lamingtons.pdf" target="_blank">here </a><br />
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I did a strawberry jam filled Lamington for the challenge. Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-33623893922558698432015-04-28T13:37:00.000+10:002015-04-28T13:56:30.928+10:00April 2015 Daring Bakers' Challenge - Focaccia <b>Focaccia</b><br />
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I love making focaccia – I make it twice (sometimes thrice) a week. So this challenge was a breeze since I had two doughs ready in the refrigerator when the challenge was announced. <br />
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See the challenge PDF <a href="http://www.thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/Focaccia%20challenge%20final.pdf">here</a><br />
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A big <b>thank you</b> to Rachael of pizzarossa and Sawsan of Chef in Disguise for hosting this month's challenge.<br />
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A most enjoyable challenge and I stunned at the sheer variety of focaccias made by the other Daring Bakers', the <i>spelt flour </i>focaccia was of note.<br />
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My focaccia recipe uses mashed potato which produces a wondrously soft chewy tender (almost cake-like) moist open crumb with a crisp thin crust and increases the shelf life of the bread. Basically you replace ½ cup of water with ½ cup of mashed potato which produces a softer than normal dough that is slightly tacky which encourages the formation of large holes in the crumb of the bread. Also I like to cold-ferment my dough. That is use ice-cold mashed potato and ice-cold water and rise the dough in the refrigerator (overnight or up to five days) which really produces a very flavoursome bread. Using mashed potato captures a lot of moisture so allows for a higher temperature and longer bake time so the crust can develop a deep brown colour and flavour. I like to really brown (in a very hot 260°C/500°F/gas mark 11 oven) my focaccia since ¾ of the taste of bread comes from the crust. I usually stuff my focaccia with olives, salami sticks and semi-dried tomatoes (or roasted capsicums) and then cut and slice them so I can use them as pizza bases. <br />
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<b>Cold-Ferment Potato Focaccia</b><br />
Using mashed potato and the cold-ferment method produces a thin crisp crust with a crumb (interior) that is soft, tender, moist and airy with large open holes. The slow cold fermentation process gives maximum flavour to the bread and it's still great to eat the next day. The high hydration dough allows a thin crisp deeply coloured and flavoured crust to develop without the bread drying out.<br />
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<b>Notes:</b> <br />
1. The dough is about 90% hydration it is soft, pliable and elastic and slowly flows into the shape of the pizza pan which ensures that the focaccia is level when baked. The dough when cold-fermented has the consistency of "warm melted mozzarella cheese". Every day in the fridge the dough will improve its internal structure (up to five days) to produce a silky smooth well-hydrated gluten network. <br />
2. Resist the temptation to add more flour, the dough should be soft, tacky and loose these characteristics create a crisp crust with an open crumb. The high water content (hydration) of the dough produces a lot of steam when baking so creating a thin crisp crust and large holes within the crumb (interior) of the baked bread. <br />
3. Using milk increases the colour of the crust when baked.<br />
4. Cold-fermentation creates the maximum amount of flavour compounds in the dough. <br />
5. If using rosemary coat it lightly in oil so it will not burn in the very hot oven.<br />
6. Gentle handling of the dough is essential when spreading out the dough in the final rise.<br />
7. If you find your bread is doming too much you can gentle pat (using a clean tea towel) it level ½ way through the baking time. <br />
8. Preheat your oven to maximum for an hour, so the initial blast of heat will really give a huge "oven spring" to the focaccia dough. The baked focaccia should have a thin crisp crust with an airy crumb with large holes. <br />
9. Using mashed potato gives the focaccia an extra soft tender crumb and extends its shelf life since the potato "locks" in the water so delays the bread going stale.<br />
10. You can use instant mash potato powder, just make up the required amount then add that to the flour mixture do not add the powder to the flour it will lump-up and these lumps will never go away so you will have to start again.<br />
11. Use the water that the potatoes were cooked in for the water in this recipe to add extra tenderness to the crumb. I usually freeze the water I cook the potatoes in and use that for all my bread doughs it adds a nice touch of tenderness to the crumb. Also yeast just loves potato water it seems to give the yeast beasties extra lifting power. <br />
12. Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford, it will really add a gourmet taste to your final focaccia.<br />
13. It is important to add a good amount of olive oil to the baking pan before adding the dough for the final rise. The oil soaks into the dough and during the bake it creates a super tasty "fried" base for the focaccia. <br />
14. Focaccia is a wonderful treat to bring to BBQs, pot-lucks, parties etc. Since you can make the focaccia look authentically rustic or exquisitely elegant by the decorative placement of the toppings into and on the bread. <br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<i>For the dough</i><br />
3 cups (750 ml) (450 gm) "OO" bread flour or all-purpose (plain) flour, firmly-packed<br />
¾ cups (300 ml) ice-cold water (or milk), might need a few tablespoons extra<br />
½ cup (120 ml) ice-cold mashed potato, make sure the mash is very smooth <br />
¼ cup (60 ml) best quality extra virgin olive oil<br />
2 teaspoons rock crystal (Kosher) salt <br />
1 teaspoon dried yeast (½ satchel of yeast) for overnight cold-ferment <b>OR</b> ½ teaspoon dried yeast (¼ satchel of yeast) for three day cold-ferment <b>OR</b> ¼ teaspoon dried yeast (1/8 satchel of yeast) for five day cold-ferment <br />
¼ cup (60 ml) best quality extra virgin olive oil, for the baking pan<br />
<i>Toppings for the stuffed focaccia</i><br />
500 gm jar (2 cups) pitted olives, stuffed with pimento or anchovies or chilli/garlic or a combination, or marinated artichokes or marinated feta cheese or similar antipasto <br />
200 grams (7 oz) salami sticks or spicy cooked-sausage, chopped to the same size as the olives<br />
Optional 2 large red capsicums (red bell peppers) blackened under the grill (broiler), skins removed, chopped to the same size as the olives<br />
3 tablespoons (45 ml) best quality extra virgin olive oil, for the dimples<br />
<i>Toppings for the rosemary and sea salt focaccia</i><br />
3 stems of rosemary, washed, dried, whole sprigs removed and lightly-oiled<br />
2 teaspoons sea salt crystals, try to have some large and small crystals<br />
3 tablespoons best (45 ml) quality extra virgin olive oil, for the dimples<br />
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<b>Method:</b><br />
<i>Making the cold-ferment focaccia</i><br />
1. Whisk the flour & dried yeast in a medium bowl. Add the salt whisk until mixed.<br />
2. Add the ¾ cups ice-cold water (or milk), ½ cup ice-cold mashed potato and the ¼ cup of olive oil. <br />
3. Mix with a plastic scrapper or wooden spoon until just combined about a minute, it will look like a shaggy blob of just-mixed flour and water with lumps, just make sure all of the flour is moistened with the liquid. Don't worry the cold ferment process will "knead" the dough for you. <br />
4. Cover the dough and bowl with a thin layer of oil or oil-spray. The dough should be like a shaggy mess. It will be sticky and tacky but over the cold-ferment it will become a smooth elastic soft dough. <br />
5. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap.<br />
6. Place the bowl in the refrigerator's coldest spot overnight or up to five days max.<br />
7. The dough will hydrate and knead itself to a soft elastic slow-flowing dough (like "warm melted mozzarella cheese") during its time in the refrigerator. The dough's structure will get better each day (up to five day max) during this process. Add a couple of tablespoons of cold water if the dough isn't soft enough. <br />
8. Everyday; turn, stir and fold the dough over itself using a scrapper or wooden spoon about 30-60 secs. Re-spray the dough with oil-spray and re-cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place back into the refrigerator. <br />
9. If making the overnight version; turn, stir and fold the dough over itself, after a few hours of refrigeration to ensure max gluten formation. This step is not necessary if making a multi-day cold-ferment dough. <br />
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<i>Baking the focaccia</i><br />
1. Preheat oven to maximum or to very hot 260°C/500°F/gas mark 11 for one hour. Modern ovens can behave erratically at very high temperatures so go as hot as your oven can handle to establish an even stable temperature most likely 240°C/465°F/gas mark 9.<br />
2. You can use one large deep pan or two medium pans. On the day you wish to make your focaccia take out the bowl from the refrigerator. Cover your baking pan(s) with the ¼ cup of olive oil (the oil layer should be at least 3 mm (1/10 inch), a little more is even better) & gently “pour” (without deflating too much) the dough into your pan(s). Gently level the dough in the pan(s) using your finger tips in slow careful movements. If the dough resists let it rest a few minutes and continue levelling until completed. <br />
3. Firmly poke the stuffed olives, salami (or cooked-sausage) into the dough in a decorative pattern. As an option you can poke the capsicum (red bell pepper) pieces into the pattern as well. (If making the rosemary/sea salt version firmly poke the lightly-oiled rosemary sprigs into the dough in a decorative pattern try to make the sprigs look like open-flowers). Cover with oil-sprayed plastic wrap. <br />
4. Let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled (about one to two hours could be longer) in volume. The risen dough should almost cover the olives and salami pieces (or rosemary sprigs) just leaving a dimple of olive or salami (or rosemary) showing. You can poke down the olives and salami pieces (and the optional capsicum pieces) (or rosemary sprigs) if they are poking out of the dough too much. If you wish you can dimple the dough between the olives and salami (or rosemary sprigs). <br />
5. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the focaccia. (Then sprinkle the sea salt crystals over the focaccia if making the rosemary version) <br />
6. Bake in a preheated very hot oven for 35-40 mins for the large focaccia and about 20-25 mins for the two medium focaccia, rotate the pans half way, and cover with foil if over-browning (or reduce oven temperature 20°C/40°F half-way through bake). If baking this recipe for the first time watch carefully since very hot ovens can behave erratically check how the focaccias are baking half-way through and adjust temperature or cover with foil. The crust should be well-browned almost blackened in a couple of small places and the sides of focaccia will have shrunk away from the pan. The base should sound hollow when tapped. Using a high hydration dough allows for a crisp deeply coloured crust to develop with a fully developed taste and a moist chewy open crumb interior. <br />
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<b>Stuffed Focaccia with olive and spicy salami sticks</b><br />
I usually make pizza with my stuffed focaccia. I slice the focaccia into two pizza bases then top with fried tomato paste, well-fried onions, blue cheese, some sun-dried tomatoes and extra spicy sausage and bake in a moderate oven for 15 minutes. The cooked pizza stays crisp the next day if wrapped in foil and plastic wrap and stored in the fridge.<br />
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<b>Rosemary and sea salt focaccia</b> I love the look of this rustic looking bread. I always try to use whole sprigs of rosemary and poke them into the dough to look like open-flowers which really adds to the to the appearance of the final bread. Remember to oil the rosemary so it doesn't burn in the very hot oven. I will be bringing this to the Royal Easter Show tomorrow we are having a picnic there. <br />
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<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 15_zpsgvttzmax.jpg" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Apri%202015%20DB%20Foccica/15_zpsgvttzmax.jpg" height="360 " width="480" /></a>Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-37559707430387736902014-08-14T07:43:00.000+10:002014-08-14T07:43:01.981+10:00The Daring Cooks’ August, 2014 Challenge: Freezer MealsHello this is <a href="http://audaxartifex.blogspot.com.au/">Audax Artifex</a>, I will be hosting this month's challenge. It is all about making best use of your freezer and making meals that can be frozen. <br /><br />Freezers allow cooked and uncooked meals to be stored for long periods so when we are in a hurry we can always have a meal prepared quickly.<br /><br />I always have cooked beans and lentils in my freezer, as well as baked pizza bases, fish cakes and patties of all kinds. Most soups are excellent for freezing and reheating. Nearly all baked breads (except crusty French loaves) can be frozen and reheated in a moderate oven for 15 mins. Frozen pizza bases make perfect weekday meal; you can bake frozen bases with added toppings and cheese immediately in a moderate oven, no need to thaw the bases at all. <br /><br />I find time on the weekends to make meals that can be frozen and then reheated and eaten during the busy week days. <br /><br />I have included a great link in the reference section where you can find information on how to store foods in the freezer. <br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/soup05.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo soup05.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/soup05.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread09.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread09.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread09.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta08.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta08.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta08.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><br /><h1>
Recipe Sources: </h1>
<br />Frost bite (everyday food fresh from the freezer) by Susan Austin<br />http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-tips-freezing-food<br /><br /><h1>
Blog-checking lines:</h1>
This month, the Daring Cooks challenged us to think inside the box - the icebox, that is! <a href="http://audaxartifex.blogspot.com.au/">Audax </a>taught us some really cool tips and tricks for stocking our freezers with prepare-ahead meals that can keep our taste buds satisfied even during the busiest of times.<br /><br /><h1>
Posting Date:</h1>
August 14, 2014<br /><br /><h1>
DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE FILE <a href="https://www.blogger.com/sites/default/files/Aug_2014_DC_Freezer_Meals.pdf">HERE</a>.</h1>
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Notes: </h1>
<br />Top 10 freezing tips<br /><br />Whether you have a chest or upright freezer, the principles of successful freezing are the same.<br /><br />1. Freeze quickly and defrost slowly is the number one tip. This process will give you the highest quality frozen food which retains the taste, texture and nutrients of the meals that you prepare. Always defrost in the refrigerator overnight the frozen meal you wish to make for the next day. <br /><br />2. Cool foods before you freeze them. Freezing food when they are hot will only increase the temperature of the freezer and could cause other foods to start defrosting.<br /><br />3. Never re-freeze anything that's been frozen. Even if the food was frozen raw and then cooked, to be extra safe it still shouldn't be re-frozen.<br /><br />4. A full freezer is more economical to run as the cold air doesn't need to circulate so much, so less power is needed. If you have lots of space free, fill plastic bottles half full with water and use them to fill gaps. Alternatively, fill the freezer with everyday items you're bound to use, such as sliced bread or frozen peas.<br /><br />5. It's a wrap. Make sure you wrap foods properly or put them in sealed containers, otherwise your food can get freezer-burn. Use strong cling-wrap, foil or metal/glass containers. <br /><br />6. Portion control. Freeze food in realistically sized portions. You don't want to have to defrost a stew big enough to feed eight when you're only feeding a family of three. Leave a ¾ inch (2 cm) gap to allow for expansion of high water content foods (soups, etc).<br /><br />7. If in doubt, throw it out. Contrary to what many people think, freezing doesn't kill bacteria. If you are unsure of how long something has been frozen or are a bit wary of something once defrosted, don't take any chances.<br /><br />8. Stay fresh. You get out what you put in, as freezing certainly won't improve the quality of your food. Don't freeze old food because you don't want to waste it; the point of freezing is to keep food at its prime.<br /><br />9. Friendly labels. It may seem a bother at the time, but unless you label you might not remember what it is, let alone when it was frozen. Buy a blue marker for raw foods and a red marker for cooked foods. You don't have to write an essay, just label the food clearly. You can use big-lettered abbreviations, for example a big red P means cooked pork or a blue F means raw fish. And always add the date it was frozen.<br /><br />10. Defrosting your freezer is a must. An icy freezer is an inefficient one, so make sure you defrost your freezer if ice builds up. Don't worry about the food; most things will remain frozen in the fridge for a couple of hours while the freezer defrosts.<br /><br />11. In an emergency... If there has been a power outage or you think the freezer has been turned off at some point, don't open the door. Foods should remain frozen in the freezer for about 24 hours, leaving you time to get to the bottom of the problem.<br /><br />What not to freeze...<br /><br />Most individual ingredients can be frozen. However, some foods simply aren't freezer friendly:<br /><br />Raw eggs in the shells will expand and crack. You can freeze egg whites and yolk in containers.<br /> Hard-boiled eggs go rubbery.<br />Vegetables with a high water content, such as lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts and radishes, go limp and mushy.<br />Soft herbs, like parsley, basil and chives, go brown.<br />Egg-based sauces, such as mayonnaise, will separate and curdle.<br />Plain yogurt, low-fat cream cheese, single cream and cottage cheese go watery.<br /><br />Great to freeze<br /><br />All these everyday ingredients will freeze well.<br />Butter and margarine can be frozen for 3 months.<br />Grated cheese can be frozen for up to 4 months and can be used straight from the freezer.<br />Most bread, except crusty varieties such as French bread, will freeze well for up to 3 months. Sliced bread can be toasted from frozen.<br />Milk will freeze for 1 month. Defrost in the fridge and shake well before using.<br />Raw pastry will freeze for 6 months and takes just 1 hour to thaw.<br /><br />Cooking from frozen<br /><br />Freezer management is all about forward planning, but some dishes can be cooked straight from frozen. When cooking food from frozen, use a lower temperature to start with to thaw, then increase the temperature to cook. Foods include:<br /><br /> Soups, stews, braises and casseroles.<br /> Bakes, gratins and potato-topped pies.<br /> Thin fish fillets, small fish, sausages, burgers, and seafood if added at the end of a hot dish.<br /><br /><h1>
Mandatory Items:</h1>
You must make a meal that can be frozen for later use<br /><br /><h1>
Variations allowed:</h1>
You can make any dish you wish that can be frozen. <br /><br /><h1>
Preparation time: </h1>
<br />Recipe one – 40 mins – 60 mins depending on type of lentils. (Overnight soaking might be needed.)<br />Recipe two – 15 mins preparation time, rising time for dough 1-2 hours <br />Recipe three – 40 mins preparation time <br /><br /><h1>
Equipment required:</h1>
<br />Measuring Cups<br />Sharp knives for chopping and dicing <br />Baking dish <br />Sauce pan<br />Fry pan <br /><br /><h1>
Recipe 1: Lentil, Pasta and Vegetable Soup </h1>
<br />Servings: 6<br />This is a simple, toothsome and wholesome soup that can be made up on the weekend and reheated during the week. It is stew-like in its texture. You can add ½ cup of shredded cooked chicken if you wish to make it even more filling. <br /><br /><h1>
Ingredients</h1>
<br />1 cup (250 ml) (200 gm) (7 oz) lentils (I used small French lentils)<br />6 cups (1½ litres) stock (chicken or vegetable)<br />½ cup (125 ml) (100 gm) (3½ oz) small soup pasta <br />1 carrot, grated (or 1/2 cup of finely shredded cabbage) <br />1 potato, finely chopped <br />1 onion, finely chopped <br />Optional 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped<br />2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />1 bunch spinach (or other greens), leaves shredded <br />1 cup frozen vegetables (carrots, broccoli, beans, etc.) <br />salt and pepper to taste <br /><br /><h1>
Directions:</h1>
<br />1. Check the cooking time for the lentils on the packaging. Check if the lentils need soaking overnight. Small French lentils don't need soaking while brown/green lentils need an overnight soak in cold water. Use lentils that retain their shape when cooked. <br />2. Simmer the lentils in the stock for 15 mins (for small French lentils) or 30 mins (for soaked brown/green lentils) until three-quarters tender. Add some salt half-way through cooking process. (If you add salt to early it will increase the cooking time of beans and lentils significantly). Check occasionally and add more stock/water as needed. <br />3. While the lentils are cooking, saute the chopped onion, chopped potato and grated carrot (and optional garlic if using) in a fry pan using the oil; for 3-5 mins until soften. Reserve.<br />4. When the lentils are three-quarters tender add the onion, carrot, potato (and optional garlic) mixture and uncooked pasta to the lentils and simmer until the pasta has increased in size by twice and the vegetables and lentils are tender (about 10-15 mins).<br />5. Place into containers (leaving ¾ inch (2 cm) room for expansion), cool on counter for ten minutes <br />6. Place into freezer up to one month. <br />7. Defrost overnight in fridge, reheat slowly (check for seasoning). When simmering add frozen vegetables. Simmer until almost tender then add fresh spinach (or others greens). Simmer until wilted, serve with crusty bread. <br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/soup01.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo soup01.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/soup01.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Ingredients – French lentils, brown/green lentils and soup pasta. French lentils need no soaking and take 25 mins to cook while brown/green lentils need an overnight soak and take about 40 mins to cook. <br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/soup02.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo soup02.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/soup02.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Cooked lentils and soup pasta<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/soup05.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo soup05.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/soup05.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/soup04.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo soup04.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/soup04.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Finished soup <br /><br /><br /><h1>
Recipe 2: Potato Bread Pizza Base</h1>
<br />Servings: makes 6 large thin crust pizza bases, or 3 large thick crust pizza bases, or 1 very large extra thick pizza base<br /><br />Potato bread (using the water that the potato was boiled in and the mashed potato) makes for a crisp crust and extra soft crumb (interior texture) in the pizza base, and also increases the shelf life of the baked bread. Also yeast just love potato starch which makes the rising process a joy to watch; your dough will be full of large, soft, luscious bubbles during the proofing stage. This is my standard pizza base and makes a lot of bases. You can halve the recipe if you only want to make a couple of bases (keep the same amount of yeast and use 2 teaspoons of salt). Use the pizza base frozen straight from the freezer, just top with tomato sauce and your favourite toppings (sausage, chopped cooked chicken, mushrooms, etc.) and cheese and bake in a moderate oven until piping hot. A pre-baked pizza base gives the best pizza result since the base has been baked at a much higher temperature, giving a great texture (to the crust) and taste (to the crumb), while the toppings are baked at a much lower temperature just to heat the toppings and melt the cheese. <br /><br /><h1>
Ingredients</h1>
<br />6 cups plain (all-purpose) flour (or strong bread flour)<br />2 cups of warm potato water (use the water that the potato was boiled in)<br />1 large potato<br />3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil<br />1 tablespoon of active dry yeast (or one packet of yeast)<br />1/4 teaspoon of sugar<br />3 teaspoons salt <br /><br /><h1>
Directions:</h1>
<br />1. Chop the potato and boil in 3 cups of water until tender. (You can peel the potato or leave the skin on). Mash the potato.<br />2. Wait until the potato water is warm. Top up the volume until you have 2 cups of liquid. <br />3. Add the sugar and the yeast into the water. Wait about 5-10 mins until the yeast becomes foamy.<br />4. In a large mixing bowl add the flour, mashed potato, oil, yeast mixture and the salt.<br />5. Knead the dough mixture until a ball forms, about 3 mins. (At this stage you can place the dough in the fridge up to three days; allow the chilled dough to warm up to room temperature and proceed with the recipe as below.)<br />6. Place into an oiled bowl covered in plastic wrap or a clean tea towel. Set aside in warm place until it has doubled in volume.<br />7. Punch down the dough and knead until soft and pliable (about 5 mins).<br />8. Spread the dough over your baking trays cover with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm place until it has doubled in volume.<br />9. Bake in a preheated hot oven (425°F/220°C/gas mark 7) for 20 mins for thin crusts, 30 mins for medium crust or 40 mins for the very thick crust base respectively. Check the base to see if it is brown and crusty<br />10. Cool completely on a rack. <br />11. Cover tightly in plastic wrap (or foil), place into freezer up to one month.<br />12. When needed, bake the frozen base with toppings added in a preheated moderate oven 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 for 20 mins for thin crusts or 30 mins for thick crust bases. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread02.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread02.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread02.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Dough ball<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread01.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread01.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread01.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />The risen dough – notice the huge bubbles in the dough<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread03.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread03.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread03.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Dough ready to be baked on a pizza pan<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread04.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread04.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread04.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread05.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread05.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread05.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Baked pizza base<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread06.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread06.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread06.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Notice the crumb of the pizza base<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread07.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread07.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread07.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />I usually make one extra thick pizza base and split into lunch sized pizza bases. I can make 8 bases (only four are shown)<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread08.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread08.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread08.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Unbaked frozen pizza base with toppings<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/bread09.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo bread09.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/bread09.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Pizza ready to eat (yum)<br /><br /><br /><h1>
Recipe 3: Lentil and Sausage Lasagna </h1>
<br />Servings: 6<br />Lasagna is the perfect freezer meal. You can make up the unbaked lasagna on the weekend then store in the freezer up to one month. You can cook the lasagna straight from frozen (baking time is doubled) or thaw overnight in the fridge and bake for the normal time. This recipe uses lentils and sausage with tomato sauce. If you wish you can use some cheese sauce.<br /><br /><br /><h1>
Ingredients</h1>
<br />1 packet (250 gm) (9 ozs) of fresh lasagna sheets<br />3 cups (750 ml) tomato passata, (Italian tomato cooking sauce) <br />2 cans (3 cups) drained cooked lentils<br />1 onion, chopped, fried and cooled<br />4 sausages, cooked, thinly sliced and cooled (I used turkey sausages)<br />1 cup of shredded cheese<br /><br /><h1>
Directions:</h1>
<br />1. Ladle a thin layer of passata on the base of a baking pan. <br />2. Place a layer of lasagna sheet on the passata. <br />3. Place 1/3 of the lentils and 1/3 of the onions on the pasta layer, cover with some passata.<br />4. Place another layer of lasagna sheets on the passata. Cover the lasagna sheet with some passata.<br />5. Place a layer of thinly sliced sausage and cover with some passata.<br />6. Cover with a layer of pasta sheet.<br />7. Continue layering until all the ingredients are used. Making sure the last layer is a lasagna sheet.<br />8. Cover with passata and cheese.<br />9. Tightly cover the baking dish in plastic wrap or foil.<br />10. The dish can be frozen for one month.<br />11. Bake in a preheated moderate oven 350°F/180°/gas mark 4 for 1 hour if thawed or 2 hours if frozen. <br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta01.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta01.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta01.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Ladle some tomato passata on the base of the baking pan<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta02.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta02.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta02.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Cover with lasagna sheet<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta03.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta03.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta03.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Cover with lentils/onion mixture<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta04.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta04.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta04.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />More passata on top<br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta05.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta05.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta05.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />A layer of sliced sausage, repeat this process using up all the ingredients<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta06.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta06.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta06.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Top with passata and cheese<br /><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta07.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta07.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta07.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><a href="http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/audax_artifex2/media/Freezer%20meals/pasta08.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo pasta08.jpg" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t387/audax_artifex2/Freezer%20meals/pasta08.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Baked lasagna<br /><br /><h1>
Additional Information: </h1>
<br />27 tips for freezing foods - http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/freezing/freezer-fundamentals-10000001012301/ <br /><br /><br />Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-69897428693752568972013-11-17T15:21:00.003+11:002013-11-17T15:32:54.903+11:00Tribute to LisTribute to Lis<br />
#tributetolis #daringbakers #daringkitchen <br />
This is the most difficult post I have written.<br />
<br />
Lis the co-founder of the Daring Kitchen die suddenly a few days ago.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F_t-1sRbgOw/SLoWGjkbIDI/AAAAAAAAAB8/d_PKyJMr09Y/s1600-h/sour+cherry+eclairs+5.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e)
{}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240525418282033202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F_t-1sRbgOw/SLoWGjkbIDI/AAAAAAAAAB8/d_PKyJMr09Y/s400/sour+cherry+eclairs+5.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
My first challenge (eclairs) </div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I first joined the Daring Bakers in
August 2008 a little in trepidation and in awe of the baking skills
shown in the forums. I remember my first challenge I made cherry
flavoured eclairs and after I posted the results I received such
encouraging and kind comments I was so impressed and inspired to
continue improving my skills. The forums were full of people all
dedicated to baking and to making a loving community joined together
by Lis and Ivonne (the co-founders of the Daring Bakers). Lis was
such a inspiring person she was the driving force of the evolution of
the Daring Bakers into the Daring Kitchen (consisting of the Daring
Bakers and Daring Cooks challenges).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Over the years I got to know Lis very
well, her wicked down-to-Earth humour had me in stitches on so many
occasions her kind gentle manner and warm soul always shone through
she was such an inspiration and a force of nature in the baking
world.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
When I hear the news of her sudden
passing away I was in shock and literally broken hearted. I'm so sad
over the news.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
To be honest I'm finding this too
difficult to write.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Lis was instrumental in my becoming a
better baker and cook, her spirit will always be remember and
honoured by me. From now on whenever I make pavlova I will think of
her since she was intrigued and fascinated by the Australian version.<br />
<br />
Here is a link to her <a href="http://www.starbeacon.com/legacy/x520092836/Lisa-Cifelli" target="_blank">obituary </a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-83931186278433303522013-06-14T17:41:00.000+10:002013-06-14T17:52:11.038+10:00Daring Cooks Challenge June 2013 Meatballs This month's challenge was MEATBALLS my favourite recipe of all time I have so so so many great recipes here a couple of personal fav's enjoy the colour and flavours.<br />
<br />
This month's hosts were Shelley and Ruth and here their introduction to the challenge<br />
<br />
Hi there! We are Shelley from <a href="http://cmomcook.blogspot.com/">C Mom Cook</a> and Ruth from <a href="http://mommy-crafts.blogspot.com/">The Crafts of Mommyhood</a>. We are twin sisters who share a love of food, but who have very different cooking styles. Ruth keeps a vegetarian home while Shelley is a carnivore through and through. Despite our differences, we both love all aspects of food – eating it, preparing it, and sharing it with the people we love.<br />
<br />
For this month's challenge, we wanted to do something a little bit different.<br />
<br />
So many of the challenges this year have helped us learn skills or techniques that are pretty specialized - and that have proven to be very challenging. And while the big challenges absolutely bring big rewards (not to mention yummy results), this month we thought we would go a bit more creative.<br />
<br />
There are many foods that appear across a variety of cultures, with only slight differences or variations. This month we wanted to test out one food across many cultures to see how many variations we can bring to the blogosphere. So this month we challenge the community to bring us meatballs from around the world.<br />
<br />
A meatball, at the most basic level, is some kind of ground meat that has been rolled into a ball and cooked. But that is where the basics end. Usually other ingredients are involved – generally breadcrumbs and eggs, to give the ball body and bind it together, and a variety of spices for flavor. The type or types of meat used, the method of preparing the balls and especially the way the meat is served can vary so greatly that it is sometimes amazing to think that they are all the “same” kind of basic food.<br />
<br />
It is these differences that we are looking to celebrate this month – to create more meatball dishes than anyone ever would have thought possible, and to show the world just how versatile the “simple” meatball can be.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Recipe Source</i></b>: Basic meatball recipes or based on recipes from cooks.com and Mark Bittman, with additional inspiration recipes provided from various online sources.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Blog-checking lines</i></b>: The June Daring Cooks’ challenge sure kept us rolling – meatballs, that is! Shelley from <a href="http://cmomcook.blogspot.com/">C Mom Cook</a> and Ruth from <a href="http://mommy-crafts.blogspot.com/">The Crafts of Mommyhood</a> challenged us to try meatballs from around the world and to create our own meatball meal celebrating a culture or cuisine of our own choice.<br />
<br />
Here follows my meatball recipes please enjoy them as much as I and my friends and family did!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Kangaroo and beetroot meatballs in red wine sauce</b><br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img align="BOTTOM" border="0" height="379" name="graphics7" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jun%20DC%202013%20Meatballs/08a_zps7777aa20.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img align="BOTTOM" border="0" height="360" name="graphics8" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jun%20DC%202013%20Meatballs/09a_zps118277c4.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
I
LOVE meatballs and I KNOW how to make them after doing them many
1000s of times and I never get tired of them. This is one of my
personal best meatball recipes made with kangaroo steak minced, the
ready-made mince is easily available in major supermarkets in
Australia (Coles/Woolworths $8.75/kg). I combine it with the other
classic Australian taste that is beetroot. It always surprises
foreigners how much beetroot is eaten in Australia, in fact it is a
standard addition in hamburgers in most takeaways. So how couldn't I
combine kangaroo and beetroot into a humble meatball. I use very
strongly flavour rye crisp bread combined with robust sun-dried
tomato pesto to favour the meatball mixture this combination seems to
produce a mellow flavour simmered meatball. This is always a winner
at parties and BBQs especially if I have let the meatballs soak in
the red wine sauce overnight. The biggest tips for light, moist and
fluffy meatballs - use the best ingredients you can afford, freshly
minced meat is best, sauté your aromatics, all ingredients must be
cold when mixing, freshly made bread crumbs, a gentle touch, make a
test meatball check seasoning and simmer the meatballs.
<br />
Kangaroo is a very 'soft' meat; especially lean, tender, and
soft-textured well suited for children's palate and also it cooks at
a very low temperature and very fast which makes it excellent for
simmered meatballs.<br />
My standard roo and beetroot recipe (roo is Australian slang for
kangaroo) is below, this makes the lightest most tender meatballs. I
like making a batch and letting it cool in the red wine sauce
overnight and then reheating until just hot super tasty.<br />
It is a
very easy recipe.<br />
<b>Kangaroo and beetroot meatballs simmered in red wine
sauce</b><br />
Makes a lot, 4 dozen meatballs<br />
1 kg kangaroo
mince, (best if used cold)<br />
2 large beetroot, finely grated<br />
1
carrot, finely grated<br />
2 onions, finely chopped and pan-fried until
caramelised<br />
1/2 cup of cottage cheese (fetta cheese works well,
reduce salt if using)<br />
3-4 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin<br />
3
rye crisp-bread soaked in 3 tablespoons of cream or milk<br />
1/2 cup
freshly made bread crumbs from wholemeal pita bread<br />
1 bunch of
parsley, finely chopped<br />
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
(basil pesto is fine also)<br />
1 large egg<br />
2 small hot chillies,
finely chopped<br />
2-3 teaspoons salt (if in Australia use vegemite
(1/2-1 tablespoon) instead of salt)<br />
3 teaspoons pepper<br />
1 large
tin of cherry tomatoes<br />
1 cup of red wine, good quality (or if
using for children cranberry jelly or beef stock)<br />
<b>Instructions</b><br />
1. In a sauce pan combine the
cherry tomatoes (smash them with wooden spoon) and red wine bring to
a simmer and let simmer while making the meatballs.<br />
2. In a bowl
combine all the other ingredients except meat until well mixed.<br />
3.
Place meat in large bowl add the mixture gently combine until almost
mixed. Make a very small meatball, add to simmering sauce, cook,
taste, adjust seasoning of the meatball mixture. Finish combining the
mixture.<br />
3. Using 1-1/2 tablespoons of mixture form meatballs,
drop immediately into the simmering red wine sauce. Cook for 10-15
mins.<br />
4. Enjoy!<br />
Kangaroo Mince - easily available in supermarkets in Australia
(cheap & super healthy) I usually mince my own meat but the
market was out of kangaroo meat so I used pre-packed mince.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Ingredients for meatballs (L to R caramelised onion, carrot,
beetroot, parsley, in front cream soaked rye crispbread)<br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img align="BOTTOM" alt=" photo 03a_zps758d7357.jpg" border="0" height="360" name="graphics10" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jun%20DC%202013%20Meatballs/03a_zps758d7357.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
The mixture that is added to the kangaroo mince (beetroot, carrot,
caramelised onion, parsley, cottage cheese, cream soaked crisp bread,
bread crumbs, whole egg, sun-dried tomato pesto) which is great on
toast by itself.<br />
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The mixture all ready to made into meatballs<br />
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I did a fried test batch just to see how these worked out (not my
usual procedure)<br />
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<br />
The interior of the fried meatball, nice, soft and fluffy<br />
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My normal simmered meatballs<br />
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<br />
The interior of the meatball<br />
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I have to say the fried ones were interesting not has tender as
the simmered one but well worth eating. I have road-tested this
recipe over many years to get the most tender simmered meatballs
(especially made for children and fussy adults) so that is why the
fried meatballs were well above average but not as good as the
simmered ones.<br />
<strong>Lamb, mint and beetroot meatballs</strong><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 11a_zpscd11875f.jpg" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jun%20DC%202013%20Meatballs/11a_zpscd11875f.jpg" /></a><br />Isn't the colour <em>gorgeous </em>on these bright pink lamb meatballs. This is one of the reasons I love this recipe and it goes so well with cucumber/mint/yoghurt dip. I like making tiny 2 teaspoon-sized meatballs for the kids just one bite for their tiny mouths. The caramelised beetroot and onion really adds to and intensifies the natural sweetness of lamb. This meatball recipe has been developed by me over a couple of years. As the butcher was explaining to me a long time ago the fat in lamb is "funny" it doesn't take too well being mixed with pork or veal or beef. That is why I like adding gelatine to the lamb mixture which adds a lovely tender moist mouth feel to the cooked meat balls. Also I like how the meatballs when fried have a "black" crust the characteristic brown-black colour of the crust results from the browned beetroot it doesn't taste burnt or bitter. If you bake the meatballs you can control the colour of the balls to suit your visual liking. <br /><br />A couple of years ago I was researching on the internet about meatball making and discovered a trick professionals use - adding gelatine to the soaking liquid which adds an unctuous mouth feel to the meatball (which is why a lot of meatball recipes add veal which is gelatine-rich). So I tried it in my standard lamb, mint and beetroot meatball recipe. I have to say the gelatine really adds a lot of moistness and a soft tender mouth feel to the interior of the meatballs. I do this gelatine trick to all my recipes now. Several people who had my lamb meatballs before the change commented after I added the gelatine about the tenderness and moistness of them now. (If anything I thought almost too tender and moist the first time I tasted them but that is my opinion.) <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 10a_zpsae4a6c1a.jpg" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jun%20DC%202013%20Meatballs/10a_zpsae4a6c1a.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><strong>Lamb, mint and beetroot meatballs</strong> based on this <a href="http://www.whatrachelate.com/?p=1633">recipe</a><br />500 gm (1 lb) lamb mince, freshly ground, best if used cold<br />250 gm (1 very large) beetroot, grated and fried until caramelised <br />2 onions, grated and fried until caramelised (do the onion and beetroot together)<br />1/2 cup of cottage cheese, drained<br />2 teaspoons salt<br />2 teaspoons pepper<br />1/2 teaspoon of gelatine bloomed in 1/2 cup of warm wine for 5 mins<br />3 slices of white bread, torn into small pieces, then soaked in the cooled wine/gelatine liquid for 5 mins then squeezed dry and chopped <br />1 bunch mint, finely chopped<br />1 large egg if frying the meatballs, 2 large eggs if simmering<br />(optional toasted sesame seeds for garnishing the cooked meatballs)<br /><br />Method<br />1. Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl except for the meat. Mix until well combined.<br />2. Add meat and gently mix until almost combined. Make a very small test meatball and cook, taste, adjust seasoning then continue combining mixture until just mixed. Make medium meatballs using 1-1/2 tablespoons of mixture or large meatballs using 3-4 tablespoons of mixture. Let rest in fridge for at least one hour and up to one day. Fry or simmer gently. I find it best to fry them first and then simmer (the frying adds a nice crust to the meatballs).<br />3. Best served with yoghurt/mint/cucumber dip.<br />4. Garnish with the optional toasted sesame seeds. <br /><br />The baked meatballs garnished in black and white toasted sesame seeds<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 12a_zps17689ada.jpg" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jun%20DC%202013%20Meatballs/12a_zps17689ada.jpg" /></a><br />
<b>Spicy Tom Yum Asian Meatballs</b><br />
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This
is the recipe I have when I'm trying to impress at dinner parties.
They are made with beef/veal (and the gelatine trick) and the same
ingredients as TOM YUM soup. The colour for them is so golden and
when fried the meatballs form a beautiful tasty crust. These are so
beautiful piled high on a party platter. I know I know this soup is
meant for prawns (shrimp) but it seems to work excellently for these
meatballs, maybe the saffron, coconut cream and fried tomato paste
does the trick.<br />
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<i>Tom Yum Soup Ingredients</i><br />
4 lime leaves,finely chopped<br />
2
lemongrass stalks, chopped into tiny pieces<br />
4 slices galangal,
finely chopped<br />
2 thumbs of ginger, finely chopped<br />
4-8 bird's
eyes chillies, finely sliced<br />
1 tbsp palm sugar<br />
Juice of 1-2
limes<br />
2 tbsp fish sauce (a good Thailand brand)<br />
3 large pinches
of saffron infused in the lime juice and fish sauce<br />
2 green
onions, thinly sliced<br />
1 small tomato de-fleshed seeded and chopped
finely<br />
20 gm dried mushroom reconstituted in warm coconut cream
with 1 tsp of gelatine<br />
1 tbsp of tomato paste fried until
brown<br />
1/2 cup reconstituted glass rice noodles (or bread crumbs)
soaked in the mushroom/coconut cream/gelatine liquid<br />
<i>Meatballs</i><br />
1/2 kg of beef/pork belly (freshly ground)<br />
the
above ingredients plus 1 large egg combined. Form 1-1/2
tablespoon-sized meatballs then fry gently.
<br />
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</div>
<br />
<b>Lentil and Spinach balls with blueberry sage
glaze</b><br />
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This
is an intriguing recipe! It tastes so GOOD yet it is the weirdest
combination of ingredients but it's always a winner at parties and
surprise pot-lucks and it's easy to cook also (only a couple of mins
in a mircowave and if you want an optional light browning in a fry
pan.) It always STUNS guests when I tell them what these tasty
entrées are made of - lentils, spinach, a couple of eggs and some
seasoned bread crumbs served with a sticky blueberry sage glaze. This
combination is so delicious and so stimulating to the palate, the
different tastes oscillate on your tongue which is exactly what you
want an entrée to do to stimulate the appetite for what-is-to-come.
The lentil and spinach balls are delicious alone but teamed with the
sticky blueberry sage glaze they really seem to switch the taste
receptors to the "pleasure" setting. A good recipe to have
and their freeze well also.
<br />
I always get so many different answers when I ask what they tasted
like, but universally they do say they liked them.<br />
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The
cooked balls (after microwaving for 2 mins in my very old microwave
oven)<br />
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<br />
<b>Lentil and Spinach balls with blueberry sage glaze</b><br />
<i>Lentil
and Spinach Balls</i> (adapted from this <a href="http://veghotpot.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/lentil-and-spinach-meatballs-meat-free-monday/">recipe</a>)<br />
2
cups of cooked green lentils (these lentils hold their shape when
cooked)<br />
250 gm packet of frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and
chopped (you can use watercress or collard greens make sure that the
greens are squeezed dry and chopped finely)<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1/2 -
3/4 cup heavily seasoned dry breadcrumbs (Italian-seasoned is fine)<br />
2
teaspoons of freshly cracked pepper<br />
<i>Method</i><br />
1. If you
want a very fine texture and even colour in the interior of your
vegetarian balls, you can machine-process the spinach and eggs (not
the lentils) together to form a bright green purée. (see <a href="http://veghotpot.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/lentil-and-spinach-meatballs-meat-free-monday/">here
</a>for a picture of a puréed lentil/spinach ball)<br />
2. Combine all
the ingredients in a large bowl, form 3 tablespoon-sized balls.
Refrigerate for at least one hour up to one day.<br />
3. Microwave on
high for 2 mins (check at 1 min). Serve with a simple tomato sauce or
the blueberry sage glaze.<br />
4. If you want you can lightly fry the
microwaved balls to form a crisp thin eggshell crust the balls will
brown slightly if fried.
<br />
<i>Blueberry sage glaze</i> (based on this <a href="http://thefoodpoet.com/2011/12/14/recipe-box-blackberry-sage-glazed-meatballs/">recipe</a>)<br />
500
gm frozen blueberries (can use a mixture of red/purple berries)
(cranberries or pomegranate molasses work well also but will need
more sugar) (you can use 1/2 cup red wine but reduce the blueberries
by half)<br />
1 tablespoons white vinegar (to taste)<br />
2 tablespoons
sugar (to taste)<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon pepper<br />
1/4
teaspoon hot chilli powder (optional)<br />
1 thumb of ginger, grated
(optional)<br />
1 spring (green) onion, finely chopped (optional)<br />
1-2
garlic clove(s), crushed (optional)<br />
4 sage leaves<br />
2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil (or butter)<br />
<i>Method </i><br />
1. Combine
all the ingredients in a small sauce pan reduce gently, taste and
adjust vinegar or sugar until slightly sweet with a light sour
after-taste. Use the optional ingredients if you are serving a meat
(or strong tasting) main course.<br />
2. Remove sage leaves before
serving.<br />
<b>Blue-Veined Watercress Ricotta Balls</b><br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Blue-Veined Watercress Ricotta Balls</b><br />
These
ricotta based balls are simple to make and only contain a few
ingredients; ricotta & blue-veined cheese, eggs, watercress (or
spinach), and seasoned breadcrumbs (or flour). I included some puréed
beetroot in the mixture (I had some left over) that is why this batch
is pinkish in colour usually they are white. They fry up nicely but I
like them simmered in soups and stews. If you use flour in the recipe
you get "gnudi" a dumping, these are much lighter.
<br />
<b>Blue-Veined Watercress Ricotta Balls</b><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">1
cup (250 gm) fresh ricotta cheese, broken up into small pieces (I use
low fat)<br />1 large bunch watercress (or spinach), blanched (1 min),
squeezed dried & chopped finely<br />1 bunch mint (or basil if
using spinach), finely chopped<br />1 large egg, lightly beaten<br />1
teaspoon freshly cracked pepper<br />1/2 teaspoon sea salt<br />1/2 cup
fresh breadcrumbs (or flour if you want gundi), seasoned (may need
more)<br />1/3-1/4 cup blue-veined cheese, finely crumbed (1/2 cup
finely grated parmesan if using spinach)<br />(optional 1/4 cup root
veggie purée (beetroot, carrot or pumpkin) best if you are using
spinach)</span></b><b><br /></b><i>Method</i><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Combine
in large bowl all the ingredients mix until almost combined, make
small test ball, cook, taste adjust seasoning, finish combining, form
small (2 teaspoons), medium (1-1/2 tablespoons) or large (1/4 cup)
sized balls, place into simmering soup or stews until cooked (small 3
mins, med 6 mins, large 10 mins)</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Hearty Winter Soup with Ricotta balls and Spinach
Balls</b><br />
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.
<br />
<b>Ballsy Hearty Winter Soup with Ricotta balls and Spinach
Balls</b><br />
I made up a warm filling pearl barley, red and
green lentil, split pea, tomato and beetroot winter soup I served it
with my spinach/lentil balls and blue-veined watercress ricotta
balls, (each 4 tablespoons-sized). (The spinach and lentil balls
recipe has already been posted and the blue-veined water ricotta ball
recipe is above). Perfect on a cold winter's day especially with
buttered sourdoug rye bread.<br />
<b>Ballsy Hearty Winter Soup</b><br />
1 onion, chopped,
fried<br />
1 carrot, grated, fried<br />
optional 1-2 cloves garlic,
minced<br />
1 piece celery, chopped, fried (fry (3 tablespoons olive
oil) celery, carrot & onion (& optional garlic) together
until onion goes translucent then add tomato paste)<br />
3 tablespoons
tomato paste, fried (until brown), then add<br />
2 cups - 4 cups of
good vegetable stock<br />
1-3 teaspoon salt & 2 teaspoon pepper, to
taste<br />
1 cup pearl barley, soaked and washed<br />
1/2 cup green
lentil, soaked and washed<br />
1/4 cup split pea, soaked and washed<br />
2
tablespoon red lentil, soaked and washed<br />
1 cup of finely chopped
(or grated) beetroot<br />
<i>Method</i><br />
Add in a large saucepan
the fried ingredients, stock, barley and legumes. Simmer for 1-1/4
hrs adding extra stock as needed. Add the beetroot simmer of extra
1/2 hr. Add plenty of spinach/lentils balls and blue-veined
watercress balls in the last 15 mins. Serve the balls covered in the
thickened soup or stew.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="page-break-before: always;">
<b>Super Duper Surf and
Turf Meatballs</b><br />
These are so so so GOOD I scoffed the
entire first whole batch down myself there is something about adding
umami (the savoury taste sensation) to food especially to meatballs
that really intensifies and accents the taste of all the ingredients.
These tasted like something from a super fancy restaurant I even
impressed myself, since it was an impromptu recipe just using
leftovers and a couple of pantry staples, usually you aren't this
lucky with "spur-of-the-moment" recipes. Deeply and
profoundly satisfying and so exquisitely tasty. I will be making
these again and again.<br />
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I opened the fridge and this is what I had leftover from the night
before:-<br />
1. a half packet (250 gm or 1/4 lb) of good quality
hamburger mince (ground beef),<br />
2. a tin of smoked oysters in
oil,<br />
3. a 1/4 packet of powdered mushroom, nori sheets and sesame
(the blue plastic packet),<br />
4. vegemite,<br />
5. wasabi powder,<br />
6.
some fresh bread crumbs (not shown), and<br />
7. 1 large egg (not
shown)<br />
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I noticed immediately that many of the ingredients were rich in
umami. After sweet and salty, sour and bitter, there is umami—the
fifth taste. Discovered at the beginning of the last century by the
Japanese, the word umami translates roughly to mean "deliciousness"
or "deliciously savour" — an understatement if ever there
was one. Rich, deep and intensely savoury, umami exists in a number
of foods and I had a gold mine of them.
<br />
So I decided to make a surf and turf meatball (technically an
umami-rich wasabi beef meatball stuffed with smoked oysters). The
powdered mushrooms, nori, vegemite, smoked oysters and beef are all
rich sources of umami (the savoury taste in foods). Also roasting,
caramelizing, browning and grilling all boost the umami taste
sensation in foods. Which is why this is a FABULOUS little entrée
super rich in umami literally drenching in "deliciousness".
I would serve with blue-vein cheese (rich in umami) or shaved
parmesan cheese (one of the richest sources of umami), black olives
(rich in umami) with some fried tomato paste (rich in umami) or fresh
ripe tomatoes (rich in umami), tabasco sauce or hot chilli sauce,
fish sauce (rich in umami), balsamic vinegar (rich in umami) and
freshly minced garlic and a some finely chopped herbs parsley or
mint, with a little of the reserved oyster oil. YUM YUM YUM. These
tasted so good I'm calling them<i> super duper surf and turf
meatballs</i>.
<br />
<b>This is the best one so far on my meatball making
challenge!</b>. On reflection and making two other batches for
my friends who LOVED these, I'm entering these in the college's (that
I'm attending) cooking competition next week so tasty and satisfying
hummmmmm.
<br />
How to make the meatballs<br />
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The finished meatballs waiting to be cooked (all the same size)<br />
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<b>Super Duper Surf and Turf Meatballs</b><br />
250 gm
(1/4 lb) minced beef, best if used cold<br />
100 gm (3-1/2 oz) tin of
smoked oysters, drained, reserve oil<br />
1 large egg, lightly
beaten<br />
1/2 cup of fresh breadcrumbs, heavily seasoned<br />
2
teaspoons of vegemite, mixed into the beaten egg (or 1 tablespoon
fish sauce)<br />
1 teaspoon pepper<br />
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of wasabi
powder, to taste<br />
1/4 cup of dried mushroom, shredded (or 2
tablespoons of mushroom powder)<br />
1 sheet of nori, finely
shredded<br />
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds<br />
<i>Method </i><br />
1.
Combine in a large bowl all the ingredients except the oysters until
almost combined. Make a very small test ball, cook, taste, adjust
seasoning. Place 1 tablespoon of mixture into a semicircular spoon,
poke finger into mixture to form a hole stuff with 3 smoked oysters
cover the stuffing with the displaced beef mixture to form a complete
meatball, repeat until all the mixture and oysters are used up, makes
about 16-18 meatballs (See pictures above).
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<b>Chicken balls</b><br />
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I made two sorts of chicken balls; a sun-dried tomato, olive and ricotta chickenball and a sesame seed coated Thai coconut lime chickenball <br />
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Sun-dried tomato, olive and ricotta chicken-ball <br />
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Sesame seed coated Thai coconut lime chickenball <br />
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<b>Sun-dried tomato, black olive and ricotta chicken-ball </b><br />
300 gm chicken, mince<br />
300 gm ricotta, finely crumbed<br />
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato, finely chopped<br />
28 black olives, stoned, (use 2 black olives per 1-1/2 tablespoon meatball)<br />
1 large egg<br />
2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped<br />
1 large egg, lightly beaten<br />
1/4-1/2 cup of fresh bread crumbs, heavily seasoned<br />
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<b>Sesame seed coated Thai coconut lime chicken ball </b><br />
500 gm chicken, mince<br />
3 tablespoons coconut cream<br />
1 tablespoon fish sauce<br />
1 packet of Hot and Spicy Thai noodle soup (any spicy Asian style is fine) <br />
2 lime leaves, finely shredded<br />
1/4 cup of fresh bread crumbs, heavily seasoned<br />
1/4 cup of peanuts, pieces<br />
1 large egg, lightly beaten <br />
1 red chilli, finely chopped<br />
4 tablespoons sesame seeds, for coating</div>
Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-49620876296231284962013-04-14T21:05:00.001+10:002013-04-15T16:12:30.847+10:00April 2013 Daring Cooks' Challenge Ballotine<b>Ballotine</b> <br />
This has been one of the best challenges for the Daring Cooks'. Lisa from the blog Parsley, Sage and Sweet did an amazing job in writing up the challenge and finding a wonderful video by Jacques Pepin about making ballotine. That is boning a bird and stuffing it and then rolling it and roasting it. I enjoyed it so much I did three versions. Thank you Lisa so much for all the effort!<br />
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See <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/u11/47_Chicken_Ballotine_-_DC_April_2013.pdf" target="_blank">here </a>for a PDF of this challenge <br />
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<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> For the April Daring Cooks Challenge, Lisa from<a href="http://parsleysagesweet.com/"> Parsley, Sage and Sweet</a> has challenged us to debone a whole chicken, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAekQ5fzfGM">using this video by Jacques Pepin as our guide</a>; then stuff it, tie it and roast it, to create a Chicken Ballotine.<br />
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<b>Turkey Ballotine</b><br />
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I was going to make quail stuffed with lemon, lime and orange served with a chilli date sauce. But when I got to the shops I found that there was no quails but turkey was on special at only $1/kg (about 50cents/pound), and that the wild cranberries were only 50 cents a punnet. Believing in using what is at its peak I went with the flow and did turkey with parsley, mint, cranberry and sourdough crumb stuffing. The deboning process took about 8 mins, the stuffing and tieing took about 10 mins so about 18 mins in total <br />
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One kilogram (2.2 pounds) piece of turkey<br />
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The deboned turkey notice the bones to the side<br />
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The deboned turkey skin side-up<br />
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The cranberry, parsley, mint and sourdough stuffing (yum yum). The stuffing is a combination of cranberry, parsley, mint, sourdough crumbs, rosemary olive oil, fried red onion, pepper and sea salt. <br />
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The trussed and stuffed turkey<br />
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I like to rest the trussed and stuffed turkey for a couple of hours in the fridge it helps set the shape and stops the ballotine from unrolling during roasting. I usually rub "chicken" salt into the skin which helps to brown it that is why the skin is yellow.<br />
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The roasted turkey ballotine<br />
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After resting in the fridge overnight the ballotine firmed up beautifully. It sliced very cleanly and thinly which is what I wanted. This is such a lovely tasting and looking dish perfect for a picnic lunch.<br />
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<b>Orange molasses quail with macadamia swede purée </b><br />
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I got some fresh quails from a friend of mine who raises them. I de-boned (my first time de-boning the tiny birds) them (about 5 mins after the third bird) then I made a stuffing of orange molasses, fresh toasted rye breadcrumbs, chilli oyster sauce, brown sugar, orange peel and whole hard-boiled quail eggs. Orange molasses is tart-ish which works surprisingly well in the stuffing and as a glaze on the quail. Roast the quails for 25mins at 200C. Then I made up some swede purée combined with a ½ cup of macadamia nut butter – this combination is superbly rich, creamy and thick it has an amazing taste. Several people have asked me this question "Was the quail easier to debone than the chicken?" Yes since they are so tiny they are easier to handle and the flesh peels off really easy I thought. Also they look so cute since they are so small and dainty. Usually quail are full of little bones which can make them a bit messy to eat.<br />
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Fresh quails<br />
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De-boned quail (I left the really tiny wings on the carcass )<br />
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Orange molasses quail with macadamina swede purée <br />
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(Yes that is a quail egg in the deboned quail so cute)<br />
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The crisp skinned quail was the perfect counterpoint to the purée and it is nice to have quail without the bones the de-boning is well worth the five minutes it takes.<br />
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<b>Turkey Ballotine with prune filling</b><br />
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I loved this challenge so much I had to do another ballotine (my third for this challenge), I used turkey again since it was still on sale at 75cents/kg (34 cents/lb). The stuffing was bitter greens, sweet prunes, fried red onion rings and old-day bread crumbs, which was so tasty anyway. I used a hint of honey on the skin with plenty of salt and pepper, the skin really browned up so well. <br />
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I getting so quick at boning now it took about 3 mins this time.Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-71462945650158767292013-02-15T18:25:00.000+11:002013-02-15T18:25:11.223+11:00Jan/Feb DC 2013 challenge - Cured, smoked & cooked salamis and sausages Cured, smoked & cooked salami and sausages that was what this challenge was all about. I have to much work on at the moment this will have to be a very short posting Thank so much to to our hosts I think the best way is to use their introduction<br />
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"I am <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/users/poisonive" title="Carol">Carol</a>, a non-blogging member from Canada and I have been a member of the Daring Kitchen since January 2009.... And I am <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/users/redfilly01" title="Jenni">Jenni</a>, and I blog at <a href="http://www.thegingeredwhisk.blogspot.com/" title="The Gingered Whisk ">The Gingered Whisk</a>! I have been a member of the Daring Kitchen since June 2009. This challenge evolved rather organically. Carol was doing a book review on “Salumi”, and Jenni sent Lisa an email saying that “someone” should do a challenge on making your own sausage. The timing was just too perfect, and so we decided to combine the book review and the sausage making into one awesome challenge! We are both really excited to bring this challenge to you - we feel this is a great technique to know how to do, and not only is it fairly easy, but is very rewarding. ...."<br />
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See <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/u11/45_Salumi_-_DC_Jan-Feb_2013.pdf" target="_blank">here </a>for the full challenge<br />
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<strong>Berkshire pork and roasted fennel seed bangers</strong><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="360" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jan%202013%20DC%20salmai/P2030002_zps2642ab08.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />I got hold of some Berkshire pork shoulder and pork belly off-cuts from friends in NZ this is a very old breed of pig that is prized for its juicy moist fatty (and very pink coloured) meat that is prefect for bangers I couldn't resist and I teamed this with roasted fennel seeds with a dash of chilli powder and a shake of seed-weed powder. This challenge was so much fun to do, I used a piping bag to fill my casings. <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jan%202013%20DC%20salmai/P2030003_zps0b936b8d.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Some photos of the cooked bangers. As you can see the cooked home made sausages have a very different look to the shop brought versions, I was surprised that you can see small bubbles of fat (i.e. flavour) appear on the casings that explode when eaten which is a very pleasurable experience. The smell while cooking was amazing and the flavour is stunning. <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="360" nbsp="" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jan%202013%20DC%20salmai/P2030009_zpsdf5323ee.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="360" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jan%202013%20DC%20salmai/P2030015_zpsefe03599.jpg" width="480" /></a>Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-55729099886522005032012-11-14T15:08:00.000+11:002012-11-14T16:06:20.350+11:00Nov 2012 Daring Cooks' Challenge Brining & Roasting<br />
Hello this <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/users/audax-artifex">Audax </a>from <a href="http://audaxartifex.blogspot.com/">Audax Artifex</a> and I'm honoured to be your host this month. I have decided to concentrate on a couple of important cooking techniques that every good cook should have up his or her sleeve. The first technique is brining – which uses a brine (at its simplest, a combination of salt and water usually with some sugar) to infuse flavour and moisture into poultry, red- & white-meat, fish, seafood and most types of nuts and seeds. Brining guarantees moist succulent roast chickens and turkeys, fried steaks, steamed trout, BBQed prawns (shrimps), grilled seafood and toasted nuts and seeds. Brining is simple and only needs a few simple ingredients and really adds an extra dimension to your cooking. I will be providing a couple of different recipes and guidelines on how to brine which can be used with a whole array of meats, poultry, seafood, nuts and seeds. <br />
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Then for the second technique (once you have brined your chosen cut of meat) I want you to roast (or BBQ) it. Again I will be giving you guidelines and rules on how to roast your cut of meat. The roasting guidelines can be used for meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds. For our non-meat eating cooks I want you to use the roasting guidelines to roast a selection of vegetables and/or nuts or seeds to perfection. <br />
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HOW IT WORKS (from http://www.cooksillustrated.com/images/document/howto/ND01_ISBriningbasics.pdf)<br />
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Soaking in brine improves the taste and the moistness of all fowl (chicken, turkey, goose, duck and guinea fowl), also it works on lean red- and lean white-meats, fish, most seafood and most nuts and seeds. It is simple, cheap and effective and will ensure that your Christmas roast will be the tastiest you have ever made. All you do is brine your cut of meat and then proceed as normal, you will find that the roast is juicy and the skin has a lovely colour. The recipe for all-purpose brine is simple - for each cup (240 ml) of water use 1 tablespoon (18 gm) of table salt this makes a 8% brine solution which can be used for most foods. (This is equivalent to 1 cup of table salt for each gallon (4 litres) of water.) <br />
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Brining works in accordance with two principles, called <i>diffusion </i>and <i>osmosis</i>, these two principles like to keep things in equilibrium (or in stable balance). When brining a fowl for example, there is a greater concentration of salt and sugar outside of the fowl (in the brine) than inside the fowl (in the cells that make up its flesh). The law of diffusion states that the salt and sugar will naturally flow from the area of greater concentration (the brine) to lesser concentration (the cells). There is also a greater concentration of water, so to speak, outside of the fowl than inside. Here, too, the water will naturally flow from the area of greater concentration (the brine) to lesser concentration (the cells). When water moves in this fashion, the process is called osmosis. Once inside the cells, the salt and, to a lesser extent, the sugar causes the cell proteins to unravel, or denature. As the individual proteins unravel, they become more likely to interact with one another. This interaction results in the formation of a sticky matrix that captures and holds moisture. Once exposed to heat, the matrix gels and forms a barrier that keeps much of the water from leaking out as the meat cooks. Thus you have a roast that is both better seasoned and much more moist than when you started.<br />
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HANGING IT OUT TO DRY<br />
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Brining does have one negative effect on poultry: Adding moisture to the skin as well as the flesh which can prevent the skin from crisping when cooked. This can be overcome by air-drying, a technique used in many Chinese recipes for roast duck and chicken. Letting brined chicken and turkey dry uncovered in the refrigerator allows surface moisture to evaporate, making the skin visibly more dry and taut and therefore promoting crispness when cooked. Although this step is optional, if crisp skin is a goal, it’s worth the extra time. For best results, air-dry whole brined birds overnight. Brined chicken parts can be air-dried for several hours. Transfer the brined bird to a heavy-duty cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, pat the bird dry with paper towels, and refrigerate. The rack lifts the bird off the baking sheet, allowing air to circulate freely under the bird. If you are not air-drying your fowl it is best to pat dry the skin with paper towels before roasting in a hot oven. <br />
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Surprisingly, brining has one large positive effect on fish fillets, a quick brine (only 10 mins) greatly improves the appearance of cooked fillets, because the brine reduces the unsightly white layer of albumin that coagulates on the surface during cooking, I highly recommend brining fish fillets when presentation is paramount. <br />
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ITEMS THAT BENEFIT FROM BRINING<br />
Lean cuts of meat with mild flavour tend to benefit most from flavour brining also most nuts and seeds can be brined with good affect. These include:<br />
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<b>Chicken:</b> whole, butterflied, or pieces <br />
<b>Cornish Hens:</b> whole or butterflied <br />
<b>Turkey:</b> whole, butterflied, or pieces <br />
<b>Pork:</b> chops, loin, tenderloin, fresh ham <br />
<b>Seafood:</b> salmon, trout, shrimp <br />
<b>Beef:</b> use lean pieces of beef<br />
<b>Nuts and Seeds:</b> Most nuts and seeds are suitable i.e. pumpkin, peanuts, sesame, almonds etc. <br />
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Fatty meats such as duck, beef, and lamb do not benefit as much from brining (but still can be brined)—they're naturally moist and flavourful. They also tend to be cooked to lower internal temperatures and thus don't lose as much of their natural moisture. <br />
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WHICH SALT TO USE<br />
Kosher salt (called rock salt outside North America) and table salt are the most common salts used in brining.<br />
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Sea salt can be used for flavour brining, but it tends to be quite expensive. If you have a cheap supply available, go for it; otherwise, stick to kosher salt or table salt.<br />
Some people say that kosher salt tastes "cleaner" than table salt because it does not contain the anti-caking agents added to table salt. Some people prefer non-iodized table salt over iodized table salt, believing that potassium iodide creates an off-taste. However, these flavour differences melt away when salt is diluted in large quantities of water in a brine. In an article about salt in the September/October 2002 issue of <i>Cook's Illustrated</i> magazine, taste testers felt that "all nine salts tasted pretty much the same" when dissolved in spring water and chicken stock, whether it was 36¢/pound iodized table salt, 66¢/pound kosher salt, or $36/pound Fleur de Sel de Camargue sea salt from France.<br />
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SALT EQUIVALENT MEASURES<br />
Table salt and kosher salt do not have the same saltiness in a flavour brine when measured by volume—but they do when measured by weight.<br />
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Table salt weighs about 10 ounces (285 grams) per cup, while kosher salt weighs 5-8 ounces (140-225 grams) per cup, depending on the brand. If using kosher salt in a brine, you must use more than a cup to achieve the same salt flavour you would get from a cup of table salt.<br />
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The chart below shows equivalent amounts of table salt and the two most popular brands of kosher salt.<br />
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Morton Kosher Salt weighs about 7.7 ounces (220 grams) per cup, making it three-fourths as strong as table salt. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt weighs about 5 ounces (140 grams) per cup, making it half as strong as table salt.<br />
What if you're using something other than Morton Kosher or Diamond Crystal Kosher salt? Regardless of the type of salt—sea salt, pickling salt, and any other brand of kosher salt—just measure 10 ounces (285 grams) of it on a kitchen scale and you will have the equivalent of 1 cup of table salt.<br />
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HOW LONG TO BRINE<br />
The length of time meat soaks in a flavour brine depends on the type of meat and its size, as well as the amount of salt used in the brine—the saltier the brine mixture, the shorter the soaking time. Here are common brining times found in recipes:<br />
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It is possible to end up with meat that's too salty for your taste, so you may want to brine on the low end of the time range to see how it turns out. You can always brine longer next time, but there's no way to salvage a piece of meat that's been brined too long.<br />
<br />
ROASTING TIMES AND TEMPERATURES FOR POULTRY <br />
When we roast brined cuts of meat (or whole birds) the procedure firstly is to brown the skin in a hot oven then to lower the temperature so we reduce the moisture loss in the roasted food. It is important to rest (loosely covered in foil) your roast so that the moisture can redistribute itself in the meat, it greatly adds to the final tenderness of the cooked product. <br />
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<br />
For other roasting times for red meat, fish, seafood, nuts and seeds see the additional information at the end of the challenge write-up.<br />
<br />
<b>Recipe Source:</b> The brine and roast chicken used are traditional recipes used in my family for many generations. The roast vegetable recipe is from my own family cookbook. <br />
<br />
<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> Audax of Audax Artifax was our November 2012 Daring Cooks’ host. Audax has brought us into the world of brining and roasting, where we brined meat and vegetables and roasted them afterwards for a delicious meal! <br />
<br />
<b>Posting Date:</b> November 14th, 2012<br />
<br />
<h2>
Download the printable .pdf file <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/u11/43_Brining___Roasting_-_DC_Nov_2012.pdf" target="_blank">HERE</a></h2>
<br />
<b>Note:</b> Important Information – brining must be done in the refrigerator the salt water will not stop the growth of germs and bacteria. Also brine cannot be reused always discard it after first use. Make sure that the brine goes into the cavity of large chickens and turkeys when brining. <br />
<br />
<b>Mandatory Items:</b> If you eat meat you must brine a meat (or seafood) cut and then roast (or BBQ) it. For non-meat eaters please brine some nuts or seeds then roast them or just roast a load of vegetables. I have included an extensive listing of poultry, seafood, nut etc. recipes in the additional information section at the end of the challenge feel free to use any of these recipes. Of course you can use your own favourite recipe if you wish. <br />
<br />
<b>Variations allowed:</b> Any meat/seafood (or nuts/seeds) can be used for brining. And any vegetable can be used by non-meat eaters. <br />
<br />
<b>Preparation time:</b> Generally brining takes from ½ hour to 2 days. Roasting can take up to 2 hours for most pieces of meat, for large poultry 6-7 hours. <br />
<br />
<b>Equipment required:</b><br />
non-reactive container for the brine<br />
roasting pans or trays<br />
<br />
<b>Challenge Recipes</b><br />
I have included one all-purpose brine recipe, a roast chicken recipe and a roast vegetable recipe. <br />
<br />
<h1>
Recipe One – All-Purpose Brine:</h1>
<br />
<i>Makes 4 cups of brine enough for about one pound (½ kg) of meat</i><br />
<br />
This is the brine to use for most cuts of meat and poultry that will be roasted. <br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
4 cups (1 litre) of cold water (see note 1) <br />
¼ cup (70 gm) table salt or ½ cup (70 gm) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt <br />
optional 2 tablespoons (30 ml) (30 gm/1 oz) sugar (see note 2)<br />
optional 3-4 peppercorns, a few springs of herbs, a garlic clove or two, a knob of ginger etc. (see note 3)<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions</b> <br />
1. Heat 1 cup of water to boiling point add the salt and stir until all the salt has totally dissolved.<br />
2. Place in a non-reactive container (glass, plastic, stainless steel, zip-lock bags etc). Add the remaining water and stir. Make sure that all the salt has dissolved. Wait until the brine has reached room temperature.<br />
3. Add your cut of meat make sure that the meat is completely submerged (that is totally covered in the salty water) if need be you can weigh down the cut of meat with a clean plate (etc). If using plastic bags make sure that the meat is totally covered in brine and make sure that is bag is locked securely. <br />
4. Cover the container with plastic wrap to prevent odours contaminating the flavour brine or the brine leaking. <br />
5. Place the container into the refrigerator for the soaking time suggested by the guidelines above. <br />
6. If desired you can air-dry your poultry (usually over night) in the refrigerator if you wish to have crispy skin on your bird. It is best to pat dry your brined item (inside and out) with paper towels before cooking.<br />
7. Cook the brined item as directed by the roasting guidelines above. <br />
<br />
Notes<br />
1. You can replace all or some of the water with a combination of wine, cider, beer, tea, coffee, fruit juice, most sauces (tomato, soya, BBQ, chilli etc), chicken stock, beef stock or fish stock. Be careful with acidic liquids like wine, cider, fruit juices which can turn your meat to mush if brined too long. <br />
2. A little sugar can help overcome the saltiness of the brine and helps to give a nice sheen to your piece of meat when roasted. You can use up to ¼ cup of sugar (use the lesser amount (2 tablespoons) for high temperature roasting since the brine can burn at high heats if you use too much sugar). You can use brown sugar or honey or other sweeteners if you wish. <br />
3. Any combination of spices and herbs can be used to flavour the brine. Garlic powder, onion powder and ginger powder are excellent to use for brining. <br />
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<b>Recipe Two – Roast Brined Chicken </b><br />
<i>Serves four to six people</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
1 whole chicken (organic is best) about 2 kg (4 ½ pounds)<br />
Enough brine (see recipe above) to cover the chicken in a large non-reactive container <br />
<br />
<b>Directions</b>:<br />
<br />
1. Brine the whole chicken in the flavoured brine in the refrigerator overnight about 6 hours can be overnight. (Make sure that every part of the chicken is covered in the brine you can weigh the bird down with a clean plate so it is completely submerged.<br />
2. Discard the brine and dry the skin and inside of the bird with paper towels.<br />
3. If you desire crispy skin then leave the bird on a rack for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator so the skin can dry.<br />
4. Preheat oven to moderately hot 220°C/425°F/gas 7.<br />
5. Roast for 15 minutes.<br />
6. Reduce oven to moderate 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and roast for a further 12-15 minutes per 450 grams/pound, You can check for done-ness the internal temperature should be 165°F/84°C, or the juices should run clear when you pierce the bird between the leg and thigh. <br />
7. Rest for approximately 30 minutes covered loosely in foil.<br />
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<br />
<b>Recipe Three – Roast Vegetables</b> <br />
<i>Serves six people</i><br />
<br />
For best results use the largest shallow heavy-weight roasting pan you have and make sure that the vegetable are well spaced out in the pan and only form one layer, use two trays if necessary. A very hot oven 475°F/240°C/gas mark 9 is the key to roasting vegetables. Only toss the vegetables once or twice during cooking. For lighter-weight vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli or cut corn add it to the pan 15 minutes later, so it doesn't get too brown. Greens like kale and mustard greens are done in only 15 minutes. Root vegetables should be cut into cubes of about one-inch (2½ cm). You can add a small amount of apricot fruit spread or honey in the last 10 minutes to enhance the caramelising process. Fresh basil, rosemary and thyme are best when used fresh. Curry, paprika and turmeric are also great. Grated ginger or crushed garlic can also be added. <br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
1 small butternut squash (pumpkin), cubed <br />
2 red bell peppers (capsicums), seeded and sliced<br />
1 orange sweet potato, peeled and cubed OR 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced lengthways<br />
3 Yukon Gold (or any baking) potatoes, cubed<br />
1 red onion, quartered<br />
optional 1 fat clove of garlic, crushed <br />
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme<br />
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary<br />
2 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
1. Preheat oven to very hot 475°F/240°C/gas mark 9.<br />
2. In a large bowl, combine the squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato, red onion and Yukon Gold potatoes and the optional garlic if using.<br />
3. In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan. <br />
4. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring one or twice, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned. If using a smaller tray the vegetables will take about 50-60 minutes. <br />
<br />
Roast Vegetables<br />
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Brined and BBQed “seven-bone” steak (notice the shape of the bone in the steak)<br />
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Brined and BBQed “wagyu” steak<br />
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Brined and Roasted Peppered Ribeye Roast <br />
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<br />
<b>Additional Information:</b> Include links to videos or information that can be of assistance to members.<br />
Kosher salt versus table salt http://bbq.about.com/od/spicesseasonings/a/aa102007a.htm <br />
Everything you wanted to know about brining http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/zen_of_brines.html <br />
Brining Nuts and Seeds http://www.jwright44.com/recipes/BrinedNuts.htm<br />
How to brine pumpkin seeds http://www.ehow.com/how_8144233_brine-pumpkin-seeds.html<br />
How a quick brine improves the appearance of fish fillets http://www.cooksillustrated.com/howto/detail.asp?docid=36992<br />
Dry brining thick steaks (a great article) http://steamykitchen.com/163-how-to-turn-cheap-choice-steaks-into-gucci-prime-steaks.html <br />
Brining turkey a primer http://bbq.about.com/od/turkey/ss/aa110808a.htm<br />
Roast chicken ten ways http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/chickenturkeymore/tp/roastchixtenways.htm<br />
Cooking a turkey (many articles) http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/chickenturkeymore/tp/Cooking-A-Turkey.htm <br />
To roast a turkey http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/chickenturkeymore/r/Roast-Turkey-Recipe.htm <br />
Roasting guidelines for red meat roasts http://www.donaldrussell.com/game-technique?ms=tab5 Jamie Oliver's Roast Potato, parsnips and carrot recipe http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/roast-potatoes-parsnips-carrots <br />
Jamie Oliver's Perfect Roast Potato recipe http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/perfect-roast-potatoes <br />
Delia Smith's Roast Potato recipe http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/fruit-and-vegetables/how-to-roast-potatoes.html <br />
How to brine fish http://www.ehow.com/how_5963061_brine-fish-before-cooking.html <br />
Vegetable Roasting Guide http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_cooking_101/shopping_cooking_guides/vegetable_roasting_guide <br />
How to cook a steak to perfection http://howto.yellow.co.nz/food-drink/cooking-and-baking/how-to-cook-steak/ <br />
How to cook a steak (using American cuts of meat) http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-cook-the-perfect-steak/ <br />
<br />
<b>Disclaimer:</b><br />
The Daring Kitchen and its members in no way suggest we are medical professionals and therefore are NOT responsible for any error in reporting of “alternate baking/cooking”. If you have issues with digesting gluten, then it is YOUR responsibility to research the ingredient before using it. If you have allergies, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. If you are lactose intolerant, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. If you are vegetarian or vegan, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. The responsibility is YOURS regardless of what health issue you’re dealing with. Please consult your physician with any questions before using an ingredient you are not familiar with. Thank you! :)Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-17897354792448072002012-10-16T19:32:00.000+11:002012-10-16T19:32:36.171+11:007th World Bread Day 2012Yeah it is the Seventh World Bread Day 2012<br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/World%20Bread%20Day/05.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="http://kochtopf.twoday.net/stories/announcing-world-bread-day-2012-7th-edition/" title="World Bread Day 2012 - 7th edition! Bake loaf of bread on October 16 and blog about it!"><img alt="World Bread Day 2012 - 7th edition! Bake loaf of bread on October 16 and blog about it!" height="250" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8446/8005854922_b0db76ec7c.jpg" width="130" /></a><br />
<br />
Here is my effort<br />
<br />
Twice baked pizza<br />
Pizza bases are best baked twice, the first time at a high oven temperature is create a crisp browned base. Then it is cooled and then baked with topping at a low temperature suitable to melt and heat the toppings. This method works so well.<br />
<br />
I made a heap of roasted vegetables and used them with some Danish cream feta cheese to create my pizza. I love the look of the colourful vegetables.<br />
<br />
Pizza base<br />
3 cups of strong bread flour<br />
1 cup of warm water<br />
2 teaspoons of active dry yeast<br />
1/2 teaspoons salt <br />
<br />
Method<br />
1. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl.<br />
2. Knead for about 8 minutes.<br />
3 Cover and let double in volume about an hour.<br />
4. Punch down and let rise again about 1/2 hour.<br />
5. Bake in a hot oven for 20 mins until brown and the crust is crisp.<br />
6. Cool to room temperature.<br />
7. When ready to use, top with your favourite toppings.<br />
8. Bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes until toppings are hot and the cheese if using has melted.<br />
<br />
Pizza Base<br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/World%20Bread%20Day/02.jpg" /></a><br />
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Pizza topped with roasted vegetable<br />
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<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/World%20Bread%20Day/03.jpg" /></a> <br />
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<br />Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-90587563932214465602012-08-13T20:48:00.002+10:002012-08-13T20:48:45.172+10:00August 2012 Daring Cooks' Challenge - Polenta<strong><em>Blog-checking lines:</em></strong> Rachael of pizzarossa
was our August 2012 Daring Cook hostess and she challenged us to broaden
our knowledge of cornmeal! Rachael provided us with some amazing
recipes and encouraged us to hunt down other cornmeal recipes that we’d
never tried before – opening our eyes to literally 100s of cuisines and
1000s of new-to-us recipes! <br />
<br />
This month's challenge was to use cornmeal in a new recipe. What a great challenge so many choices I decided on a new cornbread recipe that used some masa flour which really imparted a lovely Tex-Mex flavour to the final bread. <br />
<br />
<strong>Cornmeal bread</strong><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Aug%202012%20DC%20challenge%20cornmeal/03.jpg" /></a><br />This is a recipe that I haven't tried before it uses yellow cornmeal, yellow lupin flour and blue cornmeal flour with some oat bran for extra flavour. The recipe produces a very light and airy loaf that produces the most beautiful slashes when baked. And the crumb (the bread's interior texture) is amazing crunchy due to the cornmeal and has that slight limy taste of the masa flour which adds a lot of authentic "Mexican" flavour profile to the loaf. Great with chilli or red beans.<br /><br />Amazing crumb on the sliced bread <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Aug%202012%20DC%20challenge%20cornmeal/05.jpg" /></a> <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Aug%202012%20DC%20challenge%20cornmeal/02.jpg" /></a><br />Deep clear slashes are a sign of a well proven-dough and that you have the correct ratio of dry to liquid ingredients <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Aug%202012%20DC%20challenge%20cornmeal/04.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>Cornmeal bread</strong><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />1 cup white bread flour<br />1/4 cup yellow lupin flour<br />1/4 cup high-gluten flour<br />1/4 cup oat bran<br />1/4 cup blue masa flour (blue corn flour)<br />1 cup of yellow cornmeal<br />1-1/3 cups warm water<br />2 tablespoons mild tasting oil (up to 1/2 cup of oil/butter if you wish)<br />2 teaspoons salt<br />2 teaspoons dried active yeast<br /><em>Method</em><br />1. Add the yeast in a small bowl with the warm water and oil, rest until foamy about 5 minutes.<br />2. Combine all the other ingredients in a large bowl.<br />3. Add the foamy mixture to the dry ingredients mix then knead about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover bowl to keep in the heat.<br />5. Prove in a warm place until doubled in size about 1-2 hrs depending on temperature.<br />6. Knock-down risen dough, shape into a large bun. slash with a sharp knife. Cover and rise in a warm place until just about doubled in size (usually half the time of the initial rise).<br />7. Bake in a hot oven (220C/425F/gas mark 7) for 50 mins with steam for the first 8 minutes (check at 40 mins) until brown in colour and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-37268262967991096602012-07-27T16:46:00.001+10:002012-07-27T16:47:10.749+10:00July 2012 Daring Bakers' Challenge - Crackers<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> Our July 2012 Daring Bakers’ Host was Dana
McFarland and she challenged us to make homemade crackers! Dana showed
us some techniques for making crackers and encouraged to use our
creativity to make each cracker our own by using ingredients we love. <br />
<br />
<b>Recipe Source: </b> A few recipes from the pile of books I own:<br />
• Brown, Alton (2011). Good Eats 3:The Early Years, “Seedy Crisps”. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York, NY.<br />
• The American Culinary Institute. (2008). Garde Manger: The Art and
Craft of the Cold Kitchen (3rd ed.) “Pepper Jack and Oregano Crackers”.
John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ.<br />
• The American Culinary Institute. (2008). Garde Manger: The Art and
Craft of the Cold Kitchen (3rd ed.). “Cheddar and Walnut Icebox
Crackers”. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ.<br />
• Smith, Sandy (2000). Kootenay Country Kitchens Cookbook: A Collection
of Kootenay Favourites. “Health Crackers” Kootenay Kitchens Publishing,
Nakusp, BC.<br />
<br />
See here for a PDF of the challenge recipes. <br />
<br />
<b>Rolled five grain rye crisp bread</b><br />
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I'm Finnish born so I grew up eating rye crisp bread even now it is my main source of whole grains in my diet I really adore crisp bread. I'm so happy that this month's challenge is crackers, it allows me to indulge in my favourite food, I will be making many different sorts of Finnish crisp breads during the month. My first offering is a rye crisp bread made with rye flour and five types of rolled grain (rice, barley, triticale, oat and rye) and ground oat bran and chia seeds topped with four types of flavoured-sesame seeds (wasabi (green), charred bamboo (light red), BBQ (beige), seaweed (black). These are so tasty and sweet tasting (rye flour naturally is sweeter than wheat flour) as a a friend mentioned you can feel the goodness with each bite. Easy and quick and so so tasty a wonderful challenge. <br />
<br />
Rye crisp bread is actually bread made with yeast, water, rye flour with a touch of salt it is fermented so making the dough slightly sour and then it is rolled very thin and baked it will keep for many months in a dry cool place. <br />
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<b>Rolled five grain rye crisp bread</b><br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 cup (250 ml) warm water<br />
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (5 gm) dried instant yeast<br />
1 cup (140 gm/5 oz) whole meal rye flour<br />
1 cup (85 gm) (3 oz) five mixed rolled grains (rice, barley, triticale, oat and rye)<br />
2 tablespoons (25 gm) (1 oz) flax seeds, ground or cracked<br />
1 tablespoon (15 gm) (1/2 oz) chia seeds, ground or cracked<br />
1 tablespoon (15 gm) (1/2 oz) oat bran<br />
4 tablespoons (50 gm) (2 oz) various flavoured sesame seeds, for topping<br />
1 teaspoon (3 gm) coarse sea salt, optional, for topping<br />
Method:<br />
0. Preheat oven to hot 220C/425F/gas mark 7.<br />
1. In a large bowl mix the yeast and the warm water, rest until it becomes foamy (about 5 mins). <br />
2. Mix the rest of the dough ingredients together and add to the water mixture.<br />
3. Knead for two minutes then rest covered for a minimum of 30 minutes in a warm place, the longer you rest the dough the stronger the tangy sour taste will become (overnight is best, you can add some vinegar (1 teaspoon) if you wish to increase the tangy taste if you wish). The mixture will be very stiff and will not rise.<br />
4. Divide the dough into two.<br />
5. Place one piece of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll until 2 mm thick try to keep the shape the same shape as your baking sheet.<br />
6. Sprinkle half of the sesame seeds onto the rolled dough, roll gently to press the seeds into the dough.<br />
7. Cut the dough into pieces using a sharp knife. I did nine pieces per baking sheet (about 3"x4" (7cmx10m)). (Do not separate the pieces.)<br />
8. Bake in a hot oven for 10 mins, rotate and bake for another 10 mins. Check to make sure the crisp bread is not browning too much. Take out and cool, the bread will "crisp-up" more when cooled. Repeat for the other piece of dough. (If you have rolled the dough thickly about 4 mm then it will take about 20 mins each side to bake.)<br />
9. If the bread is not crisp enough return to moderate 359F/180C/gas mark 4 oven until it is done, checking carefully to stop burning or over-browning.<br />
<br />
<b>Hapanleipä - Finnish Sour Rye Crisp Bread</b><br />
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For my second offering on the theme of Finnish crisp breads is <b>hapanleipä</b> a fermented rye crisp bread in the traditional wheel shape. The ring form was once quite functional: in western Finland, crisp bread was baked only twice a year, and families strung hundreds of loaves on poles suspended from their rafters. It is still common practice in Finland to give a small hapanleipä on a stick (usually with a small bag of salt) as a present when you move into a new home. The hapanleipä will last for many years in a cool dry place, I still have some rings left which I eat from 2002 when my mum made 1200 for a wedding. These crisp cracker-like breads are; hard, have a tangy fermented faintly buttery mildly sweet taste, they are often slathered in butter and garnished with salt, or eaten with meats, cheeses or herring the stronger the taste of the garnish the better. These crisp breads have a strong robust flavour that can stand up to the strongest smelling cheeses or the most pungent gravlax (ferment fish) etc. <br />
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<br />
<b>Hapanleipä - Finnish Sour Rye Crisp Bread</b><br />
makes 4 large crisp bread wheels about 8" (20 cm) across<br />
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
2 cups dark rye flour<br />
1 cup barley or rye or oat bran (OR 1 cup barley or spelt or oat flour) See note<br />
2 tablespoon butter, softened<br />
1/4 teaspoon sea salt<br />
1 teaspoon sugar or 1/2 teaspoon honey<br />
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed (optional)<br />
2 teaspoons dried yeast<br />
1/2 cup plus 2 - 3 tablespoons warm water <br />
<i>Method:</i><br />
0. Preheat oven to hot 450F/230C/ gas mark 8. <br />
1. In a small bowl dissolve the yeast into the warm water rest until it becomes foamy about 5 minutes.<br />
2. Place the rye flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, mix together and add the butter.<br />
3. Rub the butter into the flour with your hands until it is fully integrated it should appear sandy and clump together when it's done.<br />
4. Add the yeast to the rye flour and mix it together with your hands or a wooden spoon.<br />
5. Add the bran (or the additional flour or the caraway seeds if using) and knead for about 5 minutes until it is well mixed. It will be a firm dough.<br />
6. Set the dough aside in a sealed bag or covered for a minimum of 8 hours or up to 3 days in a warm place. When opened the dough should have a tangy sourish smell. <br />
7. Separate the dough into roughly 115 g balls (or just divide in 4). Take one and cover the rest again.<br />
8. Roll the ball between two sheets of parchment paper into a circular shape about 8" (20 cm) across. It should be about 1/5" (5mm) thick don't roll it too thinly. <br />
9. Take a small cutter or use a knife to cut out a hole directly in the middle. then take a fork and prick ("dock") the dough all over to prevent it from warping while baking. Save the holes and bake them also. <br />
10. Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes rotating half way through baking time. Let them cool a bit before moving or they will crack. Repeat for the other balls. <br />
Note: If you want your crisp bread to be sweeter use oat flour or oat bran it is naturally sweeter than rye. Oat flour/bran is best when you are pairing the crisp bread with blue cheese or soured herring where a touch of sweetness goes down well.<br />
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The dough after kneading notice how stiff it is <br />
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The dough rolled shaped and the centre cut out ready to be "docked" with a fork and baked<br />
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The baked crisp breads<br />
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I'm extremely pleased with the results, they exactly like I remember them from my childhood, I will be making these a lot more. <br />
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<b>Brown rice and seaweed crackers</b><br />
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These crackers are made with finely ground microwave brown rice, I had a packet of microwave brown rice in the cupboard for ages not doing anything so I decided to use it to make some crispy crackers. I ground the rice in my coffee grinder until it was very very fine making sure to cool the rice flour down between grounding (coffee grinders can heat up the material being ground up to very high temperatures) added some baking soda and baking powder and some finely shredded seaweed and just enough water to hold the dough together. Then it is baked in a slow oven until the crackers are dry and crispy. Incredibly crisp and light crackers with a hint of umami "savoury" taste from the seaweed. I used my new cracker stamp to cut out the crackers worked like a charm. <br />
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<b>Brown rice and seaweed crackers</b><br />
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
1 cup (140 gm/5 oz) finely ground microwave brown rice<br />
6 tablespoons (90 ml) water, approximately<br />
1 tablespoon of soy sauce, optional, (reduced water by 1 tablespoon if using)<br />
1 tablespoon shredded seaweed<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
Coarse sea salt for topping, optional, don't add if using soy sauce <br />
<i>Method:</i><br />
0. Preheat oven to slow 150C/300F/gas mark 2.<br />
1. Just combine all the cracker ingredients in a medium bowl, adding most of the water all at once, do not over-mix or the crackers will be chewy instead of crispy.<br />
2. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment as thinly as possible about 1 or 2 mm thick. Best to roll out the dough on the baking sheet to ensure that it is the same size as the baking sheet.<br />
3. Cut with a knife or stamp out using a cutter individual pieces (do not separate).<br />
4. Bake in a slow oven 150C/300F/gas mark 2 for 40 minutes until dry and crisp. <br />
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<br />Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-47769594362924350132012-07-14T16:16:00.002+10:002012-07-14T16:16:29.563+10:00THE DARING COOKS’ JULY, 2012 CHALLENGE: Cooking "En Papillote"<strong><em>Blog-checking lines:</em></strong> Our July 2012 Daring
Cooks’ host was Sarah from All Our Fingers in the Pie! Sarah challenges
us to learn a new cooking technique called “<u><i>Cooking En Papillote</i></u>” which
is French and translates to “cooking in parchment”.<br />
<strong><em> </em></strong><br />
<strong><em>Recipe Source: </em></strong><br />
• Becky Luigart-Stayner<br />
• The Envelope Please: Cooking en Papillote by Amanda Hesser, Published May 19, 1999<br />
• Laura Martin, Cooking Light APRIL 2007<br />
• Martha Stewart Living, May 1995<br />
• Jonathan Waxman, Colina<br />
• As found in the New York Times by Melissa Clark, April 21, 2010<br />
• “The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen: Recipes for the Passionate Cook”<br />
• Paula Wolfert<br />
• Gourmet Magazine<br />
<br />
<br />
What a wonderful challenge I love technique challenge where we learn a new technique and have to apply it, this method of cooking I have not done very often so it's good to experiment for the challenge. After some thought and having a look in my freezer I decided on some seafood .<br />
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<strong>Peppered chilli clams with sweet garlic greens en papillote</strong><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="395" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/July%202012%20DC%20in%20parchment/02a.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><br />I really haven't done this type of cooking before, so I was excited to experiment with some ideas I had while I was reading the challenge write-up. For my first effort I remember a long while ago I had a marvellous dish at a dinner party so I tried to replicate it for this posting.<br /><br />The basic dish is sweet clams with spicy peppery greens, chilli, red onions and garlic. It is most important that the vegetables and clams are just cooked that is delicate, soft, tender and aromatic with bright vibrant colours and flavours. And that the flavours are well balanced with a combination of spicy, sour, salty and sweet, the sauce is a mixture of clam juice (released during cooking), extra virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze. <br /><br />Some ingredients for the dish (shown chopped watercress & spinach, thinly sliced red onions, balsamic glaze, garlic; not-shown clams, olive oil, chilli and whole peppercorns.) <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/July%202012%20DC%20in%20parchment/05.jpg"></img ></a><br /><br />How to layer the ingredients. Place the greens first then the onions, garlic and chilli and lastly the clams then fold the ingredients over themselves making sure the clams are in the middle of the fold this ensures the seafood is not overcooked<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/July%202012%20DC%20in%20parchment/04a.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The parchment paper parcel all tied-up with twine this is a photo after the cooking process notice the browned paper and the amount of liquid given off by the clams and vegetables.<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/July%202012%20DC%20in%20parchment/06.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The just-opened parcel notice the vibrant colours of the greens and onions<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/July%202012%20DC%20in%20parchment/07.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The finished dish<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/July%202012%20DC%20in%20parchment/01.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Peppered chilli clams with sweet garlic greens en papillote</strong><br />Serves four<br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />1/2 kg clams (I used half-thawed frozen clams)<br />1 bunch spinach, finely chopped, reserve eight large leaves to line the parcels<br />1 small bunch watercress, finely chopped<br />2 red hot chillies, finely chopped<br />4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced<br />1 red onion, finely sliced<br />1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />2 tablespoons balsamic glaze<br />1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar<br />4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice<br />1 tablespoon whole red and black peppercorns, cracked<br /><em>Method</em><br />1. Preheat oven to hot 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.<br />2. Cut four 8"x8" (20cmx20cm) parchment paper squares.<br />3. Combine the oil and the vinegar together in a small bowl.<br />4. Line each parchment square with large spinach leaves leaving a boarder of about 2" (5cm) all around the paper.<br />5. Add a quarter of the chopped greens, chilli, onions then the clams to each parcel, splash a quarter of the oil/vinegar mixture, lemon juice and the peppercorns onto the filling then fold the ingredients over themselves so the clams are in the centre of the parcel.<br />6. Tie up the parcel as a purse using twine.<br />7. Place the parcels into the hot oven for about 15-20 minutes, check at 10 minutes if you are using fresh clams. You should be able to see through the paper to notice the liquid given off.<br />8. When the parcel feels hot and the paper is browned it should be ready.<br />9. Carefully open the parcel so the steam escapes away from you and add a quarter of the balsamic glaze.<br />10. Enjoy! <br /><br />Verdict - I'm really happy with this recipe I loved how bright and flavoursome the dish was especially the onions, spinach and clams. I think I did a better job on this than the original dish that I remember. Using a lot of watercress really helped emphasize the peppery/chilli flavour profile of the final dish. This method of cooking makes for a very sweet seafood and vegetable dish, the onions, clams and spinach were really sweet and soft.<br /><br />Thank you so much Sarah for a most intriguing challenge. Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-53579172761246196492012-06-14T21:35:00.000+10:002012-06-14T21:35:10.388+10:00June 2012 Daring Cooks Challenge - Cannelloni<b></b><br />
<b>Recipe Source:</b> Cannelloni di magro – Manuela
Zangara; Cannelloni di carne – Manuela Zangara; Cannelloni al pesto –
Manuela Zangara; Cannelloni with Ricotta, Ham and Fontina from <a href="http://www.ricettedellanonna.net/cannelloni-ricotta-prosciutto-cotto-e-fontina/">http://www.ricettedellanonna.net/cannelloni-ricotta-prosciutto-cotto-e-fontina/</a><br />
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<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> Manu from Manu’s Menu was our
Daring Cooks lovely June hostess and has challenged us to make
traditional Italian cannelloni from scratch! We were taught how to make
the pasta, filling, and sauces shared with us from her own and her
family’s treasured recipes!<br />
<br />
I loved this month's challenge since I have always wanted to do a "healthy" version of cannelloni for my gym buddies. I had a great time thinking and working out the method for creating a "gym junkie friendly" recipe.<br />
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<b>Healthy charred onion and spinach cannelloni</b><br />
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I made a low-fat/high-protein/low-carbohydrate version for my gym buddies who are very health conscious. I made the pasta using a large omega-3 egg, 70 gm of gluten flour, 30 gm of de-fatted soy flour and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and enough extra water to make the dough's consistency correct which made an intensely yellow-coloured and super-high protein pasta with only 14 grams of carbohydrates for the whole batch of pasta sheets. I used a pasta rolling machine to make the sheets as thin as possible giving the sheets a long rest between rollings since the very high-protein content makes stretching the sheets a longer process than if using normal plain flour. Then I made the filling with freshly cooled, cooked, chopped and drained spinach and silverbeet, charred onion rings, low-fat/no-salt ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds made into a gel with 1 cup of strong spinach and vegetable stock, balsamic glaze with tons of pepper and chilli flakes; also I made some olive oil infused wheat germ crumbs for the topping. I didn't use any béchamel sauce at all I made sure that I used plenty of greens (spinach and silverbeet), charred onion rings and the chia gel which really adds a wonderful moistness and creaminess to the dish. I only recently discovered chia seeds and how they can add a lot of flavour, moisture and creaminess to a recipe. <br />
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I really liked the ease of this recipe and the incredibly tasty filling which was creamy and flavoursome, it went down well with my buddies, the pasta actually tasted good and its mouth feel was just fine. <br />
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A wonderful challenge thank you so much to our lovely host Manu.<br />
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I worked out the nutritional information for the dish, the recipe made enough for four servings. Per serving; energy 350 cals, fat 11.5 gm, carbs 18 gm, protein 44 gm. <br />
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<a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/u11/38_Cannelloni_-_DC_June_2012.pdf">Here</a> is the link to the challenge recipes Manu did a wonderful job on the write-up I especially like the Cannelloni di magro recipe. .Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-23455320257331532002012-05-27T19:31:00.000+10:002012-05-27T19:31:19.101+10:00May 2012 Daring Bakers' Challenge - Challah<strong>Six Braid Challah Bread</strong><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/April%202012%20DB%20Challaha%20Bread/12.jpg" /></a><br />
<strong>Recipe Source:</strong> The recipes provided for the
challenge came from or were inspired by recipes found through a variety
of online sources (including, but not limited to allrecipes.com). Also
invaluable was the book “A Taste of Challah,” by Tamar Ansh.<br />
<strong>Blog-checking lines:</strong> May’s Daring Bakers’ Challenge
was pretty twisted – Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to
make challah! Using recipes from all over, and tips from “A Taste of
Challah,” by Tamar Ansh, she encouraged us to bake beautifully braided
breads.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
I have never made braided bread before so I was thrilled when I saw the challenge was Challah. In Finland we have a sweet bread called <em>pulla </em>that is braided (three strands) I saw my mum make it many times when I was a child and always wanted to make some. The final bread is very similar in taste to <em>pulla </em>I was very pleased about that. I decided to do a six strand braid. I was extra careful about making sure that the braids were all the same (size, shape and weight) and that I did a double coating of egg wash. I made a jury-rigged dough proofing cabinet the bread raised in only 45 minutes the final raising took about 20 minutes. <br /><br />The process of making the bread was very straight forward, it was the braiding that was a little challenging for me, I practised the braiding using strands of playdough (dough made with salt and coloured dye) after a dozen attempts I had the technique down pat, looking at the final result I thought I had done a reasonable job on it for a first attempt. I was fairly pleased with the final outcome, it was only after I had looked at it I realised that I should of made the ropes of dough tapered I had made them absolutely straight and even the entire length of the strand hence the reason why the final challah loaf looks so flatt but I didn't mind that at all. Overall a reasonable job I thought.<br /><br />The jury-rigged proofing cabinet – fill the sink 5 cm (2 inches) with hot water from the tap. Place a metal pan on the bottom place the bowl with the dough on the pan making sure the bowl doesn't touch the hot water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then cover the sink with newspaper (this traps the warmth and steam) then prove the bread.<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/April%202012%20DB%20Challaha%20Bread/01.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Process of rolling out the strands<br /> <a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/April%202012%20DB%20Challaha%20Bread/02.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Starting the six braid challah<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/April%202012%20DB%20Challaha%20Bread/09.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The egg-washed proved bread just before going into the oven<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/April%202012%20DB%20Challaha%20Bread/10.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />The final bread<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/April%202012%20DB%20Challaha%20Bread/11.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/April%202012%20DB%20Challaha%20Bread/13.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />I liked doing this so much I will try some other shapes again soon.Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-82970639025502210782012-05-14T19:55:00.002+10:002012-05-14T19:55:30.569+10:00April 2012 DC challenge -Messieurs-Dames: Boeuf Bourguignon!<b>Kangaroo and Rabbit in Red Wine</b> (a la Julia Child)
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<strong>Recipe Source:</strong> Mastering the art of French Cooking – Julia Child<br />
<br />
<strong>Blog-checking lines:</strong> Our May 2012 Daring Cooks’
hostess was Fabi of fabsfood. Fabi challenged us to make Boeuf
Bourguignon, a classic French stew originating from the Burgundy region
of France.<br />
<br />
This month was great to make Julia's Child Boeuf Bourguignon. Which is a classic in itself for many cooks. I really tried to make the recipe as written I had the best intentions when I went to the shops but I couldn't resist the extra good bargains on kangaroo and rabbit the game meat shop was having. I got one whole wild rabbit for $4 and one kilogram of kangaroo fillet for $6. I got purple carrots which seem to be in abundance in the fruit and vegetable shops at the moment (they taste exactly the same as normal carrots but have deeply purple flesh and when you cut then they bleed a deep purple liquid that stains skin I have purple fingers now LOL LOL). I got small beet(root)s to add to the red wine while it was simmering I always find that a couple of beet(root)s makes the sauce a much better colour it gets rid of that "murky dark brown hue" that wine red sauces can have and it deepens the flavour of the meat and red wine reduction. At least I followed the red wine part of the recipe as Julia Child wanted.
Kangaroo and rabbit only takes about 1-1/2 to 2 hours of simmering to cook to a melt-into-your-mouth texture. Roo tastes exactly like beef (I cannot tell the difference at all) while rabbit has a mild taste. I really liked the combination of the dark kangaroo meat and the white rabbit meat with the beet(root) and other vegetables.
I have to say I was very worried about 3/4 of the way through, I tasted the liquid and it wasn't that nice, but by the end of the simmering time, the sauce was superb and so so tasty. The browned onions where a revelation to me I never realised how tasty they are and their texture has a wonderful tooth feel. I had a few titbits of the vegetables and meats they had picked up the red wine flavour strongly. Overall a good result I thought.
I will be serving this tomorrow I think it will be even better tomorrow.
Kangaroo, rabbit and bacon<br />
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The parsley, beetroot, purple carrots, mushrooms and pearl onions
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Notice the colour of the purple carrots and the other vegetables
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The red wine I used($7.77)
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Searing the kangaroo<br />
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Searing the rabbit <br />
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The pot at the beginning of the simmering
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The final result I loved the colour of the meat pieces and vegetables in the dish
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<br />
<b>List 1:</b> Parsnips, Eggplant (aubergine), Cauliflower<br />
<b>List 2:</b> Balsamic Vinegar, Goat Cheese, Chipotle peppers<br />
<b>List 3:</b> Maple Syrup, Instant Coffee, Bananas<br />
<br />
<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> Our April 2012 Daring Cooks hosts were David & Karen from Twenty-Fingered Cooking. They presented us with a very daring and unique challenge of forming our own recipes by using a set list of ingredients!<br />
<br />
I really loved this I was almost on the way to the airport when this was posted so I only had a short time to think and do the challenge I came up with the following which was a great meal.<br />
<br />
I'm still on holidays so I could only do one versions this month, so the reason for the short posting this month. <br />
<br />
<strong>Ploughman's Dinner</strong><br />
This is the dinner I had tonight super yum yum! <br />
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I had all day to wait for the delayed flight I was going on, I was looking at the ingredient lists and a brilliant idea came to me in a flash which used nearly all the ingredients it is the ploughman's feed bag which is a classic pub meal here in Australia and the UK. It consists of crusty bread with pickled vegetables and cheese, this meal can be very fancy or very basic depending on the quality of ingredients and the cheese used. I made the cheese from goat's milk a very easy and quick process (and a lot cheaper (1/3 the price) than packet goat's cheese) and then I coated it in powdered seaweed (ground nori sheets) to simulate ash since I couldn't find a good recipe for the ash coating. Then I quick-pickled the vegetables (carrots, cauliflower and small banana chillies) again a fast and simple process I already had a couple of onions and little cucumbers already made from a previous Daring Cooks challenge. Then I made the bread (parsnip, walnut and coffee) again quick and simple.<br />
<br />
Here are the ingredients used for the ploughman's dinner<br />
<strong>List 1:</strong> Parsnips, Cauliflower<br />
<strong>List 2:</strong> Balsamic Vinegar, Goat Cheese<br />
<strong>List 3:</strong> Maple Syrup, Instant Coffee<br />
<br />
I have to say that home made goat's cheese is nothing like the packet stuff at all it is so white!!! (it glows whiteness), soft and mild with a wondrous tang that goes so well with the quick pickled vegetables which where smashing (not too strong a nice mellow flavour) the use of white balsamic vinegar/maple syrup really adds that touch of elegance instead of using harsh white vinegar and white sugar. And the bread was superb I eat one whole loaf myself. This was a real winner and so quick and simple yet so tasty, the contrast of textures and the balance of sweet sour and tangy is spot on. I will be making this again while I'm in Melbourne for my friends there. <br />
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<strong>Quick-Pickled White Balsamic Vinegar & Maple Syrup Ploughman's Vegetables</strong><br />
Adapted from this <a href=" http://honest-food.net/2011/10/31/pickled-cauliflower/">recipe</a><br />
Makes about 2 litres (8 cups)<br />
Prep Time: 20 minutes <br />
Cook Time: 25 minutes <br />
1/2 head of cauliflower<br />
4 small banana chillies<br />
3 carrots sliced in crinkle-cut<br />
4 teaspoons coriander seeds <br />
4 teaspoons fennel seeds <br />
4 teaspoons mustard seeds <br />
2 teaspoons dried thyme <br />
1 cup white balsamic vinegar <br />
1 cup water<br />
1/4 to 1 cup maple syrup (check the sweet/sour balance when you have added 1/4 cup of syrup then add some extra until you get a good balance) <br />
2 tablespoons pickling or kosher salt <br />
1. Toast the coriander, fennel and mustard seeds in a dry pan until they smell fragrant. Stir or toss occasionally. As soon as you hear the first seed pop, turn off the heat. <br />
2. Meanwhile, break the vegetables into pieces you’d want to eat as a pickle — neither too big nor too small. Do this by cutting down around the stem, then breaking the clumps or florets into smaller pieces. You may want to trim the stem pieces as you go. <br />
3. Boil the vinegar, syrup, salt and water until everything is totally dissolved.<br />
4. Add the vegetables simmer 10 secs then let the liquid cool until room temperature. Can be used after a couple of hours (the vegetables will be crisp and spicy).<br />
5. You can place the hot pickles and hot liquid into clean glass jars with new lids and store up to one year. <br />
<br />
<strong>Homemade Goat’s Milk Ricotta Cheese</strong><br />
Recipe from Honest Cooking<br />
Makes two 1/2 cup cheeses<br />
<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
4 cups / 1 litre goat’s milk<br />
1 teaspoon sea salt<br />
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />
<br />
<strong>Equipment:</strong><br />
1 stainless steel or ceramic pot (non-reactive material, like aluminium)<br />
1 large piece cheesecloth<br />
1 bowl<br />
string<br />
<br />
<strong>Directions:</strong><br />
1. In a large pot, add the goat’s milk and salt. Heat gently on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep the milk from scorching on the bottom.<br />
2. Just before the milk boils (no need for a thermometer, just watch carefully), take it off the heat, add the lemon juice and give it a gentle stir (you should see the milk split almost instantly). Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.<br />
3. While you’re waiting for the milk to become cheese, line a bowl with cheesecloth.<br />
4. Pour the milk mixture gently into the bowl. Pick up the sides of the cloth, tie a string around the top and hang, leaving the curds inside the cloth, and letting the whey drip out into the bowl.<br />
5. After 45 minutes to 1 hour, your ricotta should be ready to eat. If you prefer a richer, thicker cheese, let it hang for another hour or so. Remember the longer hanging time, the denser cheese. Store leftovers in a glass container in the fridge.<br />
<br />
<strong>Roasted Parsnip, Walnut & Coffee Bread</strong><br />
3 cups bread (12%+ protein) flour<br />
1 cup roasted parsnip purée (made from ½ kg/1 lb parsnips)<br />
3 teaspoons instant yeast<br />
½ teaspoon salt <br />
3 tablespoons walnut meal<br />
½ teaspoons instant coffee<br />
1/8 cup hot water (approximately) <br />
<br />
1. Add all the ingredients except the water into a large bowl, combine using a kneading motion, add water a tablespoon at a time until the mixture looks like normal unkneaded bread dough.<br />
2. Knead about 10 minutes until it has the feel of a baby's smooth bottom.<br />
3. Place into a covered oiled bowl let it raise until doubled in volume (about an hour).<br />
4. Punch down shape into 2 loaves.<br />
5. Let the loaves rise until almost doubled (about 1/2 hour).<br />
6. Bake in a preheated moderately hot 200C/400F/gas mark 6 oven for about 30 minutes - 40 minutes.Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-19698157357374850262012-03-27T14:38:00.000+11:002012-03-27T14:38:56.463+11:00March 2012 Daring Bakers' Challenge - Crackle, tiger, giraffe, alligator, leopard, or Dutch-crunch breadThis month's challenge was to make crackle bread (also called Dutch-crunch), this bread is usually a soft textured crumb with a wondrous patterned topping that is similar to a giraffe or a tiger. The topping is very crunchy and has a wonderful taste this type of bread is perfect for sandwiches. This was a great challenge and the results are delicious I had some trouble getting the topping to brown but after eight batches I worked out that it is the sugar in the topping that browns the crust, so if you want dark brown spots add a generous amount of sugar to the topping. <br />
<br />
<b>Recipe Source:</b> The recipe for the Dutch Crunch topping came from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Bread Bible. The recipes for the breads we’ve suggested came from The Bread Bible and an adaptation of a recipe found on bakingbites.com (http://bakingbites.com/2006/09/cooking-school-dutch-crunch-bread/).<br />
<br />
<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> Sara and Erica of Baking JDs were our March 2012 Daring Baker hostesses! Sara & Erica challenged us to make Dutch Crunch bread, a delicious sandwich bread with a unique, crunchy topping. Sara and Erica also challenged us to create a one of a kind sandwich with our bread! <br />
<br />
<br />
<h1>Dutch Crunch Topping</h1><i>Servings: This recipe should make sufficient topping for two 9x5 loaves (23cmx13cm) or 12 rolls. If you make only 6 rolls in the first soft white roll recipe, you can cut the topping recipe in half.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<br />
2 tablespoons (2 packets) (30 ml) (15 gm/½ oz) active dry yeast<br />
1 cup (240 ml) warm water (105-115º F) (41-46°C)<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (30 gm/1 oz) sugar<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil<br />
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (3 gm) salt<br />
1½ cups (360 ml) (240 gm/8½ oz) rice flour (white or brown; NOT sweet or glutinous rice flour) (increase by 1 cup or more for home-made rice flour)<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<br />
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a whisk; beat hard to combine. The consistency should be like stiff royal icing – spreadable, but not too runny. If you pull some up with your whisk, as shown below, it should drip off slowly. Add more water or rice flour as necessary. Let stand 15 minutes.<br />
2. Coat the top of each loaf or roll with a thick layer of topping. We tried coating it with a brush but it worked better just to use fingers or a spoon and kind of spread it around. You should err on the side of applying too much topping – a thin layer will not crack properly.<br />
3. Let stand, uncovered, for any additional time your recipe recommends. With the Soft White Roll, you can place the rolls directly into the oven after applying the topping. With the Brown Rice Bread, the loaves should stand for 20 minutes with the topping before baking.<br />
4. When baking, place pans on a rack in the centre of the oven and bake your bread as you ordinarily would. The Dutch Crunch topping should crack and turn a nice golden-brown colour. <br />
<br />
<b>Crackle, tiger, giraffe, alligator, leopard, or Dutch-crunch loaves and bread rolls</b><br />
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Today is my bread baking day so perfect timing I will make all the bread today crackle bread and watch for the results.<br />
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WOW I have seen this bread in the shops in Australia it is called tiger bread (occasionally I have seen it called giraffe bread or crackle bread) I have always wondered how they do the topping! I know in the oven, the starches of the topping gelatinize, dry out, firm up and crackle, in that sequence. The topping imparts a slightly sweet, yeasty flavour and a crispy, crunchy texture that contrasts nicely with the light and tender products. The topping can be applied to any type of dough that is baked between 360°F and 375°F. (182°C to 190°C). <br />
<br />
I used my normal soft white bread recipe (3 cups bread flour, 1 cup warm milk, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons dried yeast, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon lemon juice), I made two batches of dough. With one batch I made two long loaves and with the other batch I made six (115 gram/4 oz) rolls. <br />
<br />
I used dark sesame seed oil for the crunch topping. The sugar helps brown the topping so increase the sugar if you want a darker topping. The yeast is there to add a yeasty beer taste to the topping. <br />
<br />
WOW how good is the topping it really is crunchy with a slight sweetness and the toasted sesame flavour comes out so well. We ate it all up immediately so sorry for no sandwich pictures.<br />
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I <b>heavily</b> coated the loaves with the paste and let them rise after 20 minutes the paste had crackled and looked so intriguing<br />
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The baked loaves<br />
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<b>Tiger Bread Rolls</b><br />
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I made up a batch of bread rolls using the bread recipe above but I divided the dough into six balls. I <b>lightly </b>coated these in the paste I used only half of the topping recipe just to see what difference I would get in the pattern. <br />
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The bread rolls coated in the topping<br />
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<b>A third batch of loaves</b><br />
I made another batch I <b>very heavily</b> coated the loaves in a very thick layer made up with twice the normal sugar to enhance the browning of the topping and baked them off. This time I only got very large patches on the topping notice how much browner the topping is as compared to the other batches <br />
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<b>Tiger Paste Recipe</b><br />
I made another batch of rolls, this time I made up the crackle topping using this recipe (by weight) rice flour 100%, warm water 100%, dark sesame oil 10%, sugar 15%, yeast 15% and salt 5%. This time I made sure that I added the paste about 15 minutes before I baked them. Certainly this was the best tasting topping and also the most crunchy though the least attractive looking LOL LOL.<br />
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Here is a listing of all the tiger paste recipes I could find on the net. They are all about the same (except one) the only difference is when you add the paste (i.e. just after shaping, half way through the final proof, or just before we bake the bread) and how thickly you apply it to the bread (thin for small scales and thick for larger scales). <br />
<br />
<strong>'Rye & Beer' tiger paste</strong><br />
Light Rye flour 7 tablespoons (105 ml) 60gm<br />
Beer ('Roaring Meg') 80 ml<br />
Yeast dried 2 gm <br />
Salt 2 gm<br />
<br />
<strong>'Rice & Sesame' tiger paste</strong><br />
Rice flour 6 tablespoons (90 ml) 60 gm<br />
Warm water 65 ml<br />
Sesame Oil 1½ teaspoons<br />
Sugar 1 teaspoon<br />
Yeast 1½ teaspoon dried<br />
<br />
<strong>'Australian Artisan Bakery' tiger paste</strong> my friend's recipe <br />
rice flour 6 tablespoons (90 ml) 60 gm (or use semolina or tapioca flour)<br />
warm water 55 ml<br />
vegetable oil 10 ml (sesame oil is great to use if you want a stronger flavour)<br />
½ teaspoon vegemite (or another yeast paste)<br />
sugar 10 gm<br />
dried yeast 10 gm<br />
malt extract ½ gm<br />
salt 2½ gm<br />
<br />
<strong>'Challenge' tiger paste</strong> (from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s <i>The Bread Bible</i>) <br />
rice flour 6 tablespoons (90 ml) 60 gm<br />
warm water 60 ml<br />
vegetable oil 7½ ml<br />
sugar 7½ gm<br />
active dry yeast (6 ml) 3¾ gm <br />
salt ¾ gm<br />
<br />
<strong>'Thin' tiger paste</strong> (http://bakemyday.blogspot.com.au/2008/10/hellooo-tiger-bread.html)<br />
rice flour 6 tablespoons (90 ml) 60 gm<br />
salt 1½ gm<br />
sugar 3 gm<br />
boiling water (1 cup) 240 ml<br />
dried yeast 1½ gm<br />
vegetable oil 1½ ml<br />
<br />
Pain Marche's Recipe: (from DB member Gourmande) <br />
joshinko * 250 g<br />
cake flour 15 g<br />
fresh yeast 25 g<br />
salt 5 g<br />
malt extract 2 g<br />
water 275 g<br />
sugar 5 g<br />
lard 30 g<br />
<br />
*"joshinko" is for making Japanese sweets, it's not exactly a rice flour, it's more processed, like "instant".<br />
<br />
<b>Batch Two</b><br />
I have been trying to get the topping to go brown this batch no luck I followed the recipe to a "T" and used all the paste. It cracked with large patches. I will have to try a few other things, I even put it under the grill (broiler) to brown it up no luck. *sigh* <br />
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<b>Batch Three</b><br />
<strong>Home made rice flour tiger topping</strong><br />
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This time I made my own rice flour (a couple minutes in my ex-Gloria Jean's coffee $5 grinder was enough) to make the crunch topping this time I got a much better result than the packet rice flour batches. I added some sesame seeds to the topping on a couple of them just before baking.<br />
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The home made rice flour certainly browned up better than the packet flour but I'm still slightly unhappy about the look of it, I want to experiment some more. Maybe I'm baking them at too high a temperature my oven's at 240°C/465°F which is the normal heat I always bake bread these took 45 mins to bake which is really a long time for rolls. Maybe next time I will go for 220°C/430°F or even the much lower 350°F/180°F, and I'll try steam which should make the topping go browner. <br />
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For the last three batches I let the paste rise until it had doubled in volume (i.e. I made the paste as soon as I had finished kneading the bread) I found it made no difference to as compare to the "15 minute version" in the challenge. The longer time makes the topping taste better because it has a stronger yeastier taste when you let it rise for a long time. I have made about eight batches of six rolls now trying to get a dark brown patterning on the crust but I haven't been able to achieve it as get, I have tried varying the<br />
1.thickness of the topping (thin vs thick)<br />
2 how long I let the topping rise before I apply it (15 mins vs doubling in volume)<br />
3.when I apply the topping (half way through the proof vs just before baking bread)<br />
4.used two brands of store bought rice flour<br />
5.ground my own rice flour<br />
6.I added vegemite to the topping<br />
7.different temperatures of oven (moderate to very hot)<br />
the only thing that made any difference was making my own rice flour and that only made a golden brown colour in the final patterned crust not a dark brown colour as I had hoped for. I really have no idea how to get a dark brown colour on the crust. I have looked hi and low on the internet searching for any reliable advice on this and cannot find any at all. If any body as tips or hints please share it!<br />
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<b>Batch Four</b><br />
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I tried another batch this time using steam and I got almost white rolls so I don't think steam is the answer, usually steam is used to create a humid atmosphere so the crust stays soft for the first part of baking, the oven spring is much better and a nice crust is formed in the second half of baking i.e. steam in the first part of baking gives us a crisp crunchy crust but doesn't necessarily brown the crust. This batch was very crunchy but not brown at all. (I saw this advice in couple of websites but it doesn't seem to work for me.)<br />
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I will try increasing the amount of sugar maybe I will try brown sugar to see what happens this time. <br />
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Don't get me wrong the rolls I have made have been tasty and have had great crunchy crust it's just that I'm looking for a browner colour on the topping. <br />
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<b>Batch Five</b><br />
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Finally after a lot of experimenting I have worked out how to colour the topping. It is the sugar that browns the topping so if your batch is too pale add more sugar next time I used honey (since I had to use it) about 2 tablespoons for half a batch of the topping (120 gm rice flour, 120 gm water, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt) it was only slightly sweet tasting when baked.<br />
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This month's Daring Cooks' challenge was to braise we had complete freedom to do any sort of braise we wanted. What a fun challenge and so much freedom and from the superb responses from the other forum members this challenge went down really well, so many braise using all sorts of ingredients such as chicken, duck, pork, beef short ribs, fennel, root vegetables, tofu even moose!<br />
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<b>Recipe Source:</b> Michael Ruhlman – Ruhlman’s Twenty<br />
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<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> The March, 2012 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by Carol, a/k/a Poisonive – and she challenged us all to learn the art of Braising! Carol focused on Michael Ruhlman’s technique and shared with us some of his expertise from his book “Ruhlman’s Twenty”.<br />
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See the PDF of the challenge recipes with hints and tips <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/u11/35_Braising_-_DC_Mar_2012.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b>Balsamic vinegar and honey beef short ribs</b><br />
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I have been wanting to do a short rib recipe for a little while now so this challenge was perfect. Braising is such a great technique because:-<br />
1. the searing gives you great colour and add lots of flavour to the final dish <br />
2. as the connective tissues break down, they dissolve and form gelatin, which thickens the cooking liquid and gives it body and shine, meanwhile<br />
3. the braising causes the muscle fibers to absorb moisture from the cooking liquid and steam. Which gives you a juicy piece of meat. Braising also melds flavours from the stock, vegetables and any herbs and seasonings. <br />
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So it is important to pay attention to searing the meat correctly (including the bones), and the flavouring ingredients in the braising liquid. Take careful note of all the wonderful tips and hints that our lovely hostess Carol has included in the challenge write up they really do work. I like a longer slower braising time at the lowest temperature 140°F/60°C to cook meat safely I think it really adds a lot more flavour into the meat. <br />
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This recipe uses an initial eight hour marinade of fried tomato paste for acidity, onions and garlic which is cleaned off then the ribs are seared, and then they are braised for 14 hours at 140°F/60°C (in a cool oven) in a mixture of ironbark honey and aged balsamic vinegar, a little red wine, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, bay leaf, a mirepoix, lots of pepper and the marinade. I used two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_tomato">bush tomatoes</a> (an Australia native herb that is a strongly flavoured of tomato and eggplant even one is enough to perfume a whole room!) in the braising broth also, I was very lucky and got 3 kgs (6.6 lbs) of short ribs for only $10 (they were on special in the Asian butcher shop usually $15/kg) which consisted of two enormous slabs of meat studded with ribs. After the ribs were cooked and cooled the fat is taken off and the sauce is reduced to a thick shiny sticky consistency it has a super concentrated flavour. I was very impressed with the colour and flavour of the ribs a small amount of sauce goes a long long way in this recipe. Enough for many many meals I got almost 12 cups of braised meat and liquid. I will make a meal using the ribs in the next of couple of days since I want maximum flavour infused into the meat. Incidentally I got a new camera so that's the reason for all the close-up shots of the ribs I was experimenting it is an Aldi Traveller brand $56 point and shoot.<br />
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The butcher told me that oxtail will be on special soon maybe I will try that next, since all braises freeze well.<br />
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The two humongous slabs of beef ribs they are about 1.5 kgs (3-1/3 lbs) each!<br />
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Seared beef ribs<br />
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The braised ribs cooled overnight in the refrigerator<br />
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The braised ribs <i>before </i>they were covered in the reduced sauce, even these are delicious<br />
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<b>Caramel miso duck nibbles</b> <br />
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I just had to do the caramel miso sauce it sounds so tasty, I got some duck pieces from my favourite gourmet butcher, I seared them to crisp up the duck skin and then oven braised them in the caramel miso sauce. Then I rested the braised meat in the fridge overnight then I removed a voluminous amount of duck fat (almost 1-1/2 cups) and strained the braising liquid and reduced it until it was thick and shiny. I used my new chopper to cut the cold braised duck pieces into bite sized nibbles (I find it is much easier to cut cooked poultry when it is cold). I coated the nibbles with the reduced caramel miso sauce and broiled (grilled) them until well coloured. I don't make duck that often since most of my friends dislike it (bad experiences at restaurants, greasy and tasteless) even my friend Cherie liked these nibbles, not greasy at all. The caramel miso sauce is to-die-for and can be used for meat and veggies a great recipe. <br />
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<b>Slow braised sweet chilli squid</b><br />
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This is one of my favourite summer seafood dishes it is embarrassingly easy to make and it's a real crowd pleaser. When squid is slow braised it becomes extra soft (melt in your mouth) and sweet and in combination with sweet chilli sauce and a tomato/onion based pasta sauce produces an unctuous amalgam that emphasises the taste of the squid. The squid sauce is sweet and mild and perfect as a sauce for a seafood pasta dish. I seared the squid pieces and braised them for six hours on the lowest simmer.<br />
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<b>Slow braised sweet chilli squid</b><br />
(1-1/4 kg)(2-3/4 lb) 3 large squid (or you can use baby octopus about a dozen or so)<br />
3 cups pasta sauce (the kind that uses mainly tomato and onions, I use a good store bought kind, you can make you own if you wish, the sauce must be thick)<br />
3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce<br />
optional 2 cloves of garlic crushed<br />
fresh lemon or lime juice, to taste if the sauce becomes too sweet<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
1. Clean the squid (remove the beak, the central clear cartilage, the fins, ink sack, the innards and scrap off most of the 'coloured' outer skin and scrap the tentacles to make sure that all of the sucker cartilage is removed). Cut the flesh into 2 cm (1 inch) pieces, cut the tentacles into 5 cm (2 inch) lengths. The pieces reduce in size by about 75% when braised so remember to cut the pieces much larger than the final cooked size. You can sear the pieces if you wish this adds a lot more flavour and colour to the pieces but increases the braising time by twice. Place the pieces into a medium stew pot. <br />
2. Add the pasta sauce, the sweet chilli sauce and the optional garlic.<br />
3. Slow braise uncovered in a very slow (90C/195F) oven or on the stove top just below a bare simmer for about 3 hours (check at 1 hour to see how much squid liquid is given off if there is a lot leave the pot uncovered, if the sauce is already thick cover the pot and add some water as needed during the braise) until the squid is soft to the tooth and the sauce has thicken and turned a brownish red colour, I have found you can simmer the sauce all day all that happens is the squid flesh becomes softer and softer and the sauce becomes more and more mellow. Makes 4 cups of squid pasta sauce suitable for about 8 servings.<br />
4. The squid pasta sauce is much better the next day, store in the fridge up to 5 days.<br />
5. Add fresh lime or lemon juice at the end of the cooking process to counter excessive sweetness if desired. Gremolata would be an excellent addition to the pasta dish.<br />
<i>Notes</i>:- try to get small-sized squid or baby octopus since their cooking time is about 2-3 hours, while one large (1-1/3 kg/3 lb) octopus can take 6+ hours! <br />
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<b>A couple of questions about the squid from the challenge host</b><br />
1) You said searing increases the braising time...why? Do you have to the sear? Does the squid turn brown?<br />
2) How do you serve it - pasta, polenta, by itself?<br />
<b>My answers</b><br />
Thank you so much for the kind kinds. Yes squid/octopus is perfect for long slow braising unlike some other seafood.<br />
Answer 1) There are two ways to cook squid one) fast and furious in a fry pan or a BBQ or two) a long slow bare simmer. So if you sear the squid first basically it is cooked therefore if you braise it after searing you need a lot more time to make the squid tender again. No you do not need to sear I usually just throw in the freshly cleaned and cut squid pieces into the sweet chilli tomato/onion sauce and braised it just like that with no problems. For special occasions I like to sear the squid first since it adds an additional flavour dimension to the final sauce but there is no real need to sear first if you do not want to. The sweet chilli tomato/onion sauce colours the squid flesh a light brown/red hue, if you sear first then the squid gets a very light brown colouring in addition to the brown/red hue that the sauce imparts to it.<br />
Answer 2) I just cook up some dry packet pasta and heat up some of the sauce and just add that to the pasta. I like to use black squid ink pasta to show off the colour of the squid and sauce. I think polenta (or sweet potato gnocchi) would be wonderful with the squid sauce though I never have had it that way. The squid sauce is great on pizza as well especially if you add some extra seafood like oysters or clams etc to the topping.<br />
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<b>Double squid pasta with gremolata</b><br />
<i>Slowed braised sweet chilli squid served on squid ink pasta with gremolata</i><br />
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I had surprise lunch guests over so I thought that I would serve up the braised sweet chilli squid I made a few days ago I love this sauce since it takes no time to made up a restaurant quality dish (in appearance and flavour) literally 5 minutes. The use of squid ink pasta really adds a lovely base seafood flavour to the dish which enhances the braised squid sauce taste while the germolata adds a lovely "fresh" zing to the dish I never used germolata before now it is a must for me. For this recipe I cooked some squid ink pasta (5 mins), made the gremolata (4 mins) while heating the sweet chilli squid (3 mins in the microwave) then finally I added some sliced marinated sweet chillies as a garnish. The final dish looks stunning the contrast of colours and textures makes its very visually appealing. This was a smashing dish I thought there is something about the texture contrast of the squid and the pasta that is delightful. And I have half of the sauce left! I liked this dish so much I'm having it for dinner tonight with some guests. Serve with crunchy bread and a green salad. I think you can see why this is my all-time favourite summer seafood pasta recipe, it's simple fast and always gives a spectacular looking result. <br />
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The gremolata recipe<br />
<b>Anchovy dill gremolata</b><br />
A gremolata is a quickly made condiment used to finish savoury dishes with bright fresh citrus-herb flavours.<br />
<i>Ingredients:</i> <br />
2 anchovy fillets, chopped fine<br />
1 lemon peel, zested fine<br />
1 garlic clove, minced fine<br />
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped fine<br />
1 tablespoon dill fronds, chopped fine<br />
1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin oil<br />
1 teaspoon anchovy oil<br />
Optional 1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
In a mortar and pestle mash and pound all the ingredients until a paste is formed. Dab or sprinkle sparingly over the pasta.<br />
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If you like you can make orange fennel gremolata replace the lemon zest with orange zest and replace the dill with fennel fronds. Instead of the shallot use fennel.<br />
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<b>Sticky Sweet Braised Tofu Steaks with Asian Germolata</b><br />
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I wanted to braise at least one non-meat ingredient for this challenge I just had to make a braised tofu recipe (I love tofu and am always looking for ways to enjoy it). I have been wanting to make sticky sweet tofu (tau hu kho) for a while now so this was the perfect challenge for this dish. And since I'm in love with germolata at the moment I made an Asian germolata to serve with the braised tofu it consisted of coriander, lime zest, garlic, Thai basil, mint, lemongrass, crispy fried chilli pawn (shrimp), salt and dark roasted sesame seed oil. I seared the sliced bite-sized firm tofu pieces until lightly brown then I braised them in a mixture of kacap manis, honey, rice wine vinegar, ginger powder, onion powder, chilli paste and vegetable stock. During the simmering the braising liquid reduces to a thick shiny sauce which coat the pieces with sticky sweet deliciousness. I really like this cooking method for tofu it adds so much flavour and colour to the bean curb. These taste great at room temperature great for dinner parties. I just love how the bean curd absorbs the braising liquid and the sweet sticky coating is to die for, and I think the Asian germolata is a great addition to the original basic braised tofu.<br />
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Sear the tofu pieces until brown<br />
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When seared transfer to a shallow saucepan and braise until the pieces expand about 15% (about 30 minutes to an hour), I fried the tofu in two batches you can see the difference before (the light coloured pieces) and after (the dark pieces) braising<br />
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The tofu after braising<br />
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The tofu topped with Asian germolata <br />
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<b>Sticky Sweet Braised Tofu Steaks</b><br />
<i>makes 12 mini-steaks</i><br />
500 gm (1 lb) extra firm tofu block<br />
3 tablespoons vegetable stock (or water) <br />
2 tablespoons soy sauce, salt-reduced<br />
3 tablespoons kacap manis <br />
2 tablespoons rice wine vingear<br />
juice from one lemon or two limes (use the zest for the Asian gremolata)<br />
2 tablespoons honey<br />
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil<br />
2 teaspoons ginger powder<br />
2 teaspoons onion powder <br />
1 teaspoon chilli paste <br />
1/2 teaspoon black pepper<br />
dash of salt<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
1. Combine all the braising ingredients in a small bowl mix well check for taste it should be slightly sweet with a salty sour after-taste adjust seasoning as needed, set aside. <br />
2. Drain tofu, slice into 1-1/2 inch (4 cm) square pieces about 1/2 inch (1-1/4 cm) thick, pat dry with paper towels. Squares work best for searing and braising.<br />
3. Add oil to a frying pan heat on medium heat until the oil shimmers.<br />
4. Fry the tofu until browned (about 3-5 minutes each side). Do not overcrowd the frying pan, it is best to fry the tofu in small batches. Remove browned pieces set aside. Clean the fry pan if needed.<br />
5. Add the braising liquid into the frying pan gently heat until barely simmering, add the browned tofu pieces in one layer braise (turning once or twice) until the pieces expand about 15% (about 30 minutes to one hour) and the braising liquid is thick and coats the tofu (add more water as needed). Check for sweetness add lemon juice as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature, braised tofu reheats wonderfully. It tastes even better the next day. Stores for 5 days in the fridge. <br />
<br />
<b>Asian Gremolata</b><br />
<i>Provides a generous topping for 12 sticky sweet tofu steaks</i><br />
A herb-citrus gremolata made with traditional Asian ingredients<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 tablespoon crispy fried pawn (shrimp) flakes <i>or</i> crispy fried shallots, chopped fine<br />
2 lime peels (or 1 lemon peel), zested fine<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced fine<br />
1/4 cup coriander (cilantro), chopped fine<br />
1 tablespoon lemon grass, chopped fine<br />
1 tablespoon Thai basil, chopped fine<br />
1 tablespoon mint, chopped fine<br />
2 to 3 teaspoons sesame oil<br />
1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped<br />
1 teaspoon chilli paste (mild or hot as to taste)<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
In a mortar and pestle mash and pound all the ingredients while adding teaspoons of sesame oil until a paste is formed. Dab or sprinkle generously over the braised tofu pieces.Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-73377566955839922822012-02-27T15:04:00.006+11:002012-02-28T23:56:33.351+11:00February 2012 Daring Bakers’ Challenge - Quick Breads<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/62.jpg" /></a><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><u><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Blog-checking lines</span></b></u></i></span></span></span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">:</span></b></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lis stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><u><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Posting Date</span></b></u></i></span></span></span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">:</span></b></i></span></span></span><span style="color: #ff6600;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> </span></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> February 27, 2012</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><u><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Recipe Source:</span></b></u></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> The basic quick bread recipe is from </span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://honestcooking.com/2011/03/24/basic-quick-bread/"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Sara Schewe</span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">. The prune bread recipe was my Aunty Ann’s recipe. The Meyer Lemon Loaf and Green Onion, Cheddar & Asiago Beer Batter Bread were adapted from Recipe Girl (</span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/08/13/meyer-lemon-loaf/"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/08/13/meyer-lemon-loaf/</span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> & </span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/05/30/cheddar-chive-beer-bread/"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/05/30/cheddar-chive-beer-bread/</span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> ). </span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.justapinch.com/recipe/dana-ramsey/pumpkin-bread-with-maple-cream-cheese-filling/other-bread?k=pumpkin+bread+with+maple+cream+cheese&p=1&o=r"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">The Pumpkin Bread with Maple Cream Cheese Filling</span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> was adapted from Dana Ramsey’s recipe located on Just a Pinch Recipe Club.</span></span></span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #17365d;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><u><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Basic Quick Bread</span></b></u></i></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Makes one 9” x 5” </span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">(23×13 cm)</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> loaf</span></i></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Recipe from </span></i></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://honestcooking.com/2011/03/24/basic-quick-bread/"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Sara Schewe</span></i></span></span></a></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Ingredients</span></b></u></i></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">2 cups (480 ml) (250 gm/9 oz) all-purpose (plain) flour</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1 cup (240 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) granulated sugar</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) baking soda</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1/2 teaspoon (2½ ml) (3 gm) fine sea salt or table salt</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk or soured milk*</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1 large egg</span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1/4 cup (60 ml) </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">mild- or non-flavored oil, like canola</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1 teaspoon (5 ml) flavored extract, such as vanilla or almond</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><br />
</div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">for the glaze</span></i></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1/3 cup (80 ml) (35 gm/1-1/3 oz) confectioners’ (icing) sugar</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) milk</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Directions:</span></b></u></i></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><ol><li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Preheat oven to moderate 350ºF/180ºC/gas mark 4. Grease a 9×5 inch (23×13 centimeter) loaf pan with butter and line with parchment paper cut to fit the length and width of the pan, with enough overhang to allow easy removal after baking. Grease the top sheet of parchment.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Lightly whisk (butter)milk, egg, oil, and extract to combine. Pour into well and stir until just mixed into a batter. The batter will be lumpy and may still show a few streaks of flour.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before slicing. Drizzle with glaze, if desired.</span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">For the glaze: Slowly whisk confectioners’ (icing) sugar and half of the milk, adding more milk as needed to thin the glaze to the desired consistency.</span></span></span></div></li>
</ol><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Note:</span></b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> To make soured milk, combine 1 cup milk (240 ml) with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes.</span></i></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
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</div><u>I really liked this challenge so many possibilities for the flavourings I made seven versions.</u><br />
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<b>Roasted banana and coconut cream bread</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I make banana bread at least once a week (an oversupply of bananas and it's super easy and quick to make and most of my friends and family love it) so I have developed a good feel for making it any way I want, below are some general guidelines on how to manipulate the ingredients and what techniques to use to obtain the banana loaf you want. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">For this challenge I made a brunt butter, brown sugar, coconut cream, roasted banana loaf. I roasted 4 bananas until they were like syrup I combined this with brunt (actually well browned) butter, brown sugar I used coconut cream for the liquid soured with some lime juice. I wanted a dense moist bread-like loaf, so I used the two bowl method to make the quick bread. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/09.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/08.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/06.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/10.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">This is the set of general guidelines to get the texture, mouth feel and moisture levels I want for the final loaf</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Firstly about the texture of the interior (or crumb)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1. the creaming method (i.e. use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy about 5 minutes then beat in the eggs and then fold in the dry ingredients) produces a light well-aerated loaf with a cake-like crumb</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2. the two bowl method (sift the dry ingredients in one bowl and combine the wet ingredients in another bowl then mix (usually) the dry into the wet) produces a “heavier and denser” loaf with a bread-like crumb </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Secondly about the mouth feel, for most quick mix recipes as a general rule – less butter and sugar in a recipe makes it more bread-like, while more butter and sugar produces something closer to cake. So it is best to use the two bowl method when doing low-fat versions and the creaming method for high fat versions </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1. Low fat version use the lowest amounts of sugar, butter (you can use apple sauce instead) and lite sour cream (no eggs), stir the sugar and butter together until well mixed but still grainy add the other wet ingredients, sift the dry ingredients in another bowl, combine gently. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2. Medium fat version use the middle amount of sugar, butter, sour cream and one egg</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">3. Extreme fat version use the highest amount of sugar, butter and use 2 eggs (no sour cream), cream the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy, add eggs one at time beating well until incorporated add all the other wet ingredients mix well, add the sifted dry ingredients, combine gently. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Thirdly the ratio of dry to wet gives different levels of moistness versus denseness </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1. Equal ratio batter: This batter has a dry:liquid ratio of 1:1. Which gives a very moist and dense loaf. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2. Bread ratio batter: This batter has a dry:liquid ratio of 3:1. Which gives a moist but fluffy loaf. (This is the same ratio of flour:water as in normal bread) </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">3. Stiff ratio batter: This “batter” has a dry:liquid ratio of 7:1 This batter will result in a very light and fluffy baked good. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Here a great link to a video of a chef making banana bread well worth watching http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2012/01/banana-bread-thats-okay-to-make-early.html </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Ratios for banana bread </i> (based on one cup of flour)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1 cup flour (any sort or combination of flours is fine) (½ cake flour & ½ whole wheat is great)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1½ teaspoons baking powder</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">½ teaspoon baking soda</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2 large bananas</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>optional</i> 1 tablespoon kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soya sauce) this really adds a wonderful depth of flavour & colour to the banana mash (if using do not add extra salt to the recipe)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">¼ teaspoon of salt</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1/4 – 1/2 cup of sugar (for extreme flavour can use 1 cup sugar per cup of flour)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2 – 4 tablespoons butter (or oil) (for extreme flavour can use ½ cup butter per cup of flour)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1/4 – 1/2 cup sour cream (any sort full-fat or lite is fine) (for extreme moisture use 1 cup sour cream per cup of flour) (you can use buttermilk, coconut cream, almond milk, yoghurt etc if you want)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1 large egg, lightly beaten (or use 2 eggs and don't use any sour cream) (you can use another 4 tablespoons of sour cream if you do not want to use eggs in the recipe)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">½ teaspoon vanilla extract</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>optional</i> ½ teaspoon instant coffee</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>optional</i> ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (really adds a lovely intensity to the banana and kecap manis mash)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>optional</i> 1/8 teaspoon cloves, ground </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>optional</i> 10-12 banana sweets (lollies) for decoration</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Additions</i> (add an extra ½ teaspoon of baking powder per addition to the recipe above if using)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">½ cup chopped nuts (or chopped soaked dried fruit)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">½ cup chopped chocolate chips</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">¼ cup cocoa powder, (not Dutch-processed) sifted </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">¼ cup bran (or crushed bran cereal or wheat germ flakes)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">¼ cup coconut, desiccated or flakes (not sweetened)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">¼ cup maraschino cherries, chopped </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Method</i> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1. Roast the bananas in their skins in a preheated moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 oven for 15-20 minutes until black. Carefully remove banana flesh from the skins then mash well with any liquid released from the banana. Add the kecap manis and/or cayenne pepper if using mix until well combined. Cool and reserve. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2. If you are using browned butter gently heat the butter in a saucepan until it browns to desired colour. The darker the colour the deeper the flavour. Set aside until firm.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">3. In one bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon (and if using the salt, cocoa powder, ground cloves or instant coffee).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">4. In another bowl using a wooden spoon or a plastic spatula lightly cream the sugar and butter together (about 1 minute) this will produce a bread-like loaf (if you use a mixer to cream [about 5 minutes] the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy the final loaf will be light textured and the crumb very cake-like), add the egg(s) one at time beating each time until well incorporated add the roasted banana mash, sour cream, vanilla extract and any additions. Mix until well combined. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mix until just combined there should be lumps and a few wisps of flour in the batter. (If you have used the creaming method then fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">6. Spoon the batter into a greased large loaf [23cmx13cmx7cm (2litre)/9”x5”x3”(4.5 pints)] pan, carefully level the top. (The loaf pan should be a little under 3/4 full, it will rise to the top of the pan when baked). Decorate with banana sweets if desired. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">7. Bake in a preheated moderate oven 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3 for 60-70 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. (Check at 50 minutes). Muffins take about 20-30 minutes (check at 15 minutes).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">8. Leave in pan until warm (about 15 minutes) remove to wire rack cool to room temperature, cover in foil then plastic, refrigerate overnight. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">9. This banana bread improves with age. The bread will store on the counter for three days if well covered and about ten days in the fridge. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The roasted banana (the skin goes black when baked) </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/01.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The mixed wet ingredients and the sifted dry ingredients</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/02.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The mixed batter notice the lumps and the wisps of flour in it, the flour will be fully incorporated when the batter is spooned into the baking pan</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/03.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Unbaked loaf decorated with banana sweets (lollies)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/04.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The finished loaf after one hour of baking </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/05.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/07.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If you are a follower of the “ratio” cookbook the ratio by weight for baking quick bread is 2 parts flour: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1 part fat. To fill a 9” x 5” (23cm x 13cm) loaf pan, you will need 240 grams of flour, 240 grams of liquid of any kind, 120 grams egg (2 of them) or egg substitute & 120 grams of fats. This ratio also works for making muffins. By volume you will need 1¾ cup flour, 1 cup liquid, 2 eggs, ½ cup fat (plus 2 teaspoons baking powder and about 1/2 cup of sugar plus additions).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Quick Italian pizza loaf</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Italian herb, sun-dried tomato, spicy sausage and blue cheese quick bread</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/11.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/12.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/15.jpg" /></a> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/17.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I needed a really strongly flavoured quick bread, I followed the basic savoury recipe, 2 cups soft self-raising "OO" flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda with these additions 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (with 2 tablespoons of the oil in the jar), 2 tablespoons dried Italian herbs, 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 egg, one small chopped onion fried with one chopped spicy sausage and 1/4 cup high quality olive oil, I used 3 tablespoons of the fried onion and spicy sausage as a topping. When I was mixing the batter I could see the dough expanding, I spooned it into the loaf pan and baked it at moderate 325F/165C/gas mark 3 for 40 minutes. The aroma from the loaf was so good it smelt like a pizza baking. I was really pleased with the look of the loaf. The cut loaf was so yummy it had a thin crisp crust with a soft tender crumb choke full of flavour!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/14.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/13.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/16.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Cherry Almond Semolina Syrup Cake</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/20.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/21.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">My favourite flavour profile for quick bread is cherry and almond, I used 1 cup almond meal, 1 cup of very fine semolina (soaked in some almond milk), 4 tablespoons gluten flour, 1 cup chopped cherries, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup vanilla sugar, 4 tablespoons rice bran oil, 1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons of natural almond extract, 1 teaspoon of cherry extract. I used 1 cup of sugar syrup to soak the cake after it was baked. This cake took almost two hours to bake at the recommend temperature! It is best to refrigerate the bread for a day before serving. The crust was thin, crisp and sweet while the crumb was soft tender and very tasty one of my better examples of my favourite cake. It is such a pretty cake and the tasty is luscious.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I made this loaf a couple of days ago, I wanted to share how the crumb improves with some aging. After storing in the fridge cover in foil and plastic the loaf cuts cleanly and the density of the crumb is firm, so much better after a rest.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Freshly sliced </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/21.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Two days later rested in the fridge</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/23.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/24.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><b>Black cardamom bread</b></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/30.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/32.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I thought that I would make a flavour profile that was based on spices, I dug around my spice box and came up with this spice mix </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1 tablespoon black cardamom</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1/2 star anise</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2 cloves</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1/4 teaspoon cinnamon</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1/4 teaspoon nutmeg</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1/4 teaspoon allspice</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1/8 teaspoon ginger</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I used 1 cup of roasted parsnips and 1/2 cup of pureed prunes as the moisture content of the loaf. A really tasty and unusual flavour combination. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/31.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Upside down blood plum loaf </b> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/43.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/42.jpg" /></a> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The local gourmet fruit and veggie shop had cute little blood plums on special ($2/kg about $1/lb) so I thought I would make an upside down loaf with them. I sliced up four plums and laid them out decoratively on the base of a parchment paper lined loaf tin, then I made some boozy plum sugar syrup (¼ cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons plum brandy and 2 tablespoons blood plum juice simmered until thick and glossy) and poured that over the sliced plums then I made up the quick bread batter; <i>the dry ingredients</i> were 2 cups of soft “OO” flour sifted with 2 teaspoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt, <i>the wet ingredients</i> were ¾ cup lite sour cream, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons non-flavoured oil. ½ cup vanilla sugar and 2 tablespoons of plum brandy. I used the two bowl method to combine the wet into the dry. I baked the loaf for 60 minutes at moderate 325ºF/165°C/gas mark 3. Then I cooled the loaf in the pan then I un-moulded the loaf. I was very very happy with the look of the topping it was so neon bright with a lovely red transparency. The loaf was superbly flavoursome the brandy taste was mellow and combined well with the blood plum flavour overall a nice looking treat for the afternoon and not much harder than the normal quick bread recipe (i.e. without the fruit topping). </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/40a.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/45.jpg" /></a> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/41a.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/44.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">A picture of blood plums (photo from the internet I forgot to take one)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/47.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Maximum Intensity Chocolate Quick Bread</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/63.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">You can intensify the flavour of chocolate in a recipe by using a combination of techniques. The easiest is to use a combination of melted unsweetened (not dark) chocolate and cocoa powder which has a much stronger chocolate flavour than each individual ingredient tasted separately. Using espresso coffee or vanilla or chilli or kecap manis (used separately or in combination) greatly enhances the taste of the flavour compounds found in chocolate. Also steeping the cocoa powder in boiling water intensifies the taste of chocolate.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To obtain the intense chocolate flavour of this quick bread I combined</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">1. melted semi-dark chocolate mixed with vanilla sugar, 2 tablespoons of kecap manis (sweet Indonesian soy sauce) and 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder and </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">2. cocoa powder which was steeped in 1/4 cup boiling hot espresso coffee and I used</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">3. chocolate wafers to form an "upside down layer" (so when the bread is turned out the wafer layer becomes the base).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I used the creaming method to make the bread.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">You can tell you have a strong chocolate taste when there is a "reddish" hue to the chocolate colour in the cake which shows that the flavour compounds have been fully extracted from the cocoa. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I really like the simple elegant look of this treat.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/62.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/64.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Cherry coconut cream popovers</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/50.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I thought I would do flavoured popovers as an experiment, I used the <a href="http://www.secondfloorwalkup.com/2009/11/bake-popovers.html">recipe </a>that Renata linked to and substituted the cow's milk with coconut cream and used some home-made sour cherry extract also I accidentally used my 5% cake flour which I don't think was the correct choice for this recipe. They smelt wonderful while baking. I think I will have to do them again since the coconut cream made the batter too heavy for the popovers to rise correctly. Even if they sunk once out of the oven they tasted delicious. I think I will use coconut milk for my next batch and see if that will correct the heaviness of the batter.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/51.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Cherry coconut milk popovers</b> <br />
I made another batch of popovers using coconut milk and less cherry extract they worked out beautifully they rose about three times in height and had one large central hole in the popover perfect for filling with some lovely flavoursome morsel. See this <a href="http://www.secondfloorwalkup.com/2009/11/bake-popovers.html">recipe</a> but replace the milk with coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of cherry extract. Also I baked them in a preheated very hot oven 450F for 15 mins and then 400F for 20 mins. I used 1/2 cup aluminium baking pans filled about 3/4 with the rested (30 mins) batter. <br />
<br />
<b>Popovers</b><br />
1 cup plain (AP)flour (bread flour is best, I used AP flour for the recipe)<br />
1 cup milk or coconut milk, room temperature<br />
2 large eggs, room temperature<br />
1 tablespoon non-flavoured oil<br />
extra oil, for the popover baking pans<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sugar<br />
Optional 1 tablespoon extract; vanilla, cherry etc<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
1. Place a small amount of oil in each popover baking pan. Place pans onto a baking sheet.<br />
2. Preheat oven with the baking pans on a baking sheet to very hot 450F/230C.<br />
3. Mix the flour, salt and sugar together in a large bowl.<br />
4. Form a well in the flour pour in the milk and the eggs whisk together until just combined with no lumps. I usually transfer the mixed batter to a jug with a long narrow spout which makes pouring out the batter much easier <br />
5. Rest the batter on counter for at least 15 mins (an hour is best). Do not stir again. DO NOT refrigerate the batter.<br />
6. Quickly remove the baking sheet and pour the batter into each pan about 3/4 full. The batter should sputter in the oil. Return to oven.<br />
7. Bake in the preheated very hot 450F/230C oven for 15 min then lower the heat to hot 400F/200C and bake for a further 20-25 mins until risen and well coloured. DO NOT OPEN the oven during this time.<br />
8. Remove from the oven and pierce a small hole into the side of the popover this allows steam to escape return the popover to the cooling oven to dry out completely which stops the popover from collapsing. <br />
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<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/71.jpg" /></a><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/73.jpg" /></a><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Quick%20Bteads/74.jpg" /></a> <br />
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</div>Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-18216669833814085272012-02-15T00:24:00.001+11:002012-02-15T00:57:09.149+11:00February 2012 Daring Cooks' Challenge: Flipping Fried Patties!!!Hi it is <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/users/lis">Lisa </a>and <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/users/audax-artifex">Audax </a>and we are hosting this month's Daring Cooks' challenge we have chosen a basic kitchen recipe and a basic cooking technique which can be adapted to suit any ingredient that you have to hand and are beloved by children and adults alike … of course we are talking about <b>patties</b>.<br />
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Technically patties are flatten discs of ingredients held together by (added) binders (usually eggs, flour or breadcrumbs) usually coated in breadcrumbs (or flour) then fried (and sometime baked). Burgers, rissoles, croquettes, fritters, and rösti are types of patties as well. <br />
<br />
Irish chef Patrick "Patty" Seedhouse is said to have come up with the original concept and term as we know it today with his first production of burgers utilizing steamed meat pattys - the pattys were "packed and patted down" (and called pattys for short) in order to shape a flattened disc that would enflame with juices once steamed.<br />
<br />
The binding of the ingredients in patties follows a couple of simple recipes (there is some overlap in the categories below)<br />
<b>Patties </b>– patties are ingredients bound together and shaped as a disc.<br />
<b>Rissoles and croquettes</b> – use egg with breadcrumbs as the binder, typical usage for 500 grams (1 lb) of filling ingredients is 1 egg with ½ cup of breadcrumbs (sometimes flour, cooked grains, nuts and bran can be used instead of the breadcrumbs). Some meat patties use no added binders in them they rely on the protein strands within the meat to bind the patty together. Vegetarian and vegan patties may use mashed vegetables, mashed beans, grains, nuts and seeds to bind the patty. Generally croquettes are crumbed (breaded) patties which are shallow- or deep-fried. Rissoles are not usually crumbed (but can be) and are pan- or shallow-fried. Most rissoles and croquettes can be baked. (Examples are all-meat patties, hamburgers, meat rissoles, meatloaves, meatballs, tuna fish and rice patties, salmon and potato rissoles, most vegetable patties.) <br />
<b>Wet Fritters</b> – use flour, eggs and milk as the binder, typical usage for 500 grams (1 lb) of filling ingredients is 2 cups flour, 1 egg with 1 cup of milk and are usually deep-fried and sometimes pan-fried (examples deep fried apple fritters, potato fritters, some vegetable fritters, hushpuppies)<br />
<b>Dry Fritters</b> – use eggs and (some) flour as the binder, typical usage for 500 grams (1 lb) of filling ingredients is 1 to 2 eggs and (usually) some 2 to 8 tablespoons of flour (but sometimes no flour) and are pan- or shallow- fried. (examples most vegetable patties like zucchini fritters, Thai fish cakes, crab cakes, NZ whitebait fritters)<br />
<b>Röstis</b> – use eggs (sometimes with a little flour) as the binder for the grated potato, carrot and other root vegetables, typical usage for 500 grams (1 lb) of filling ingredients is one egg yolk (potato rösti).<br />
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Sautéing, stir frying, pan frying, shallow frying, and deep frying use different amounts fat to cook the food. Sautéing uses the least amount of oil (a few teaspoons) while deep frying uses (many many cups) the most oil. The oil helps lubricate (sometimes adds flavour) the food being fried so it will not stick to the pan and helps transfer heat to the food being cooked. <br />
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In particular, as a form of cooking patties, pan- and shallow-frying relies on oil of the correct temperature to seal the surface (so retaining moisture) and to heat the interior ingredients (so binding them together) so cooking the patty. The exposed topside of the patty while cooking allows, unlike deep frying, some moisture loss and contact with the pan bottom with the patty creates greater browning on the contact surface that is the crust of the patty is browned and the interior is cooked by pan- and shallow-frying. Because the food is only being cooked on one side while being pan- or shallow-fried, the food must be flipped at least once to totally cook the patty. <br />
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So this month's challenge is to pan- or shallow-fry a patty, so giving us the title for this challenge “flipping fried patties”. <br />
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This challenge will help you understand how to form, what binders to use, and how to fry a patty so that it is cooked to picture perfect perfection. <br />
<br />
<b>Recipe Source:</b> Audax adapted a number of popular recipes to come up with the challenge patty recipes and Lisa has chosen to share two recipes – California Turkey Burger adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, and French Onion Salisbury Steak adapted from Cuisine at Home magazine.<br />
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<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> The Daring Cooks’ February 2012 challenge was hosted by Audax & Lis and they chose to present Patties for their ease of construction, ingredients and deliciousness! We were given several recipes, and learned the different types of binders and cooking methods to produce our own tasty patties!<br />
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<b>Posting Date:</b> February 14th, 2012<br />
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<h2>Download the printable .pdf file <a href="http://www.blogger.com/sites/default/files/u11/34_Patties_-_DC_Feb_2012.pdf">HERE</a></h2><br />
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<b>Notes: </b> <br />
<ul>
<li><b>Binders</b></li>
<li><i>Eggs</i> – are found in most patty recipes it acts as a binder, use cold eggs and lightly beat them before using If you cannot use eggs try this tip "1/4 cup of silken tofu, blended, or a commercial egg re-placer powder mixed with warm water." </li>
<li><i>Flour</i> – normal plain (all-purpose) flour is used in most fritter recipes it can be replaced with rice, corn or potato flours (in smaller quantities) in some recipes. If you want some rise in your patties then use self-raising flour or add some baking powder to the flour. </li>
<li><i>Breadcrumb Preparation</i> – breadcrumbs are a common ingredient in patties, burgers and fritters they act as a binding agent, ensuring the patty keeps it shape during the cooking process.</li>
<ul><li><i>Fresh breadcrumbs</i> – these crumbs are made at home with stale bread simply remove the crusts from one- or two-day old bread, break bread into pieces, place pieces in a blender or food processor then blend or process until fine. Store any excess in a plastic bag in the freezer. 1 cup of fresh crumbs = 3 slices of bread.</li>
<li><i>Packaged breadcrumbs</i> – often called dry breadcrumbs, these are used to make a crisp coating on the burgers, patties and fritters they are easily found in the supermarket, You can make them at home. Place slices of one- or two-day bread on baking trays, bake in the oven on the lowest setting until slices are crisp and pale brown. Cool bread, break pieces in a blender or food processor then blend or process until fine. 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs = 4 slices of bread.</li>
</ul>
<li><i>Alternate binders</i> – bran (oat, wheat, rice, barley etc) can be used instead of breadcrumbs in most recipes. Tofu (silken) can replace the egg. Also using mashed potato (or sweet potato, carrots, most root vegetables) and/or mashed beans can help bind most patties. Of course chickpea flour and most other flours can be used to help bind patties. Seeds, nuts and grains can help bind a patty especially when the patty has cooled after cooking. These binders are used in vegan recipes. </li>
<li><i>Moisteners</i> – Mayonnaise and other sauces, pesto and mustard are used in some meat patty recipes mainly for moisture and flavour but they can act as binders as well. For vegetable patties you can use chopped frozen spinach, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, shredded apple and cooked grains to add extra moisture. Also sour cream and other milk products are used to increase the tenderness of patties. </li>
</ul><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Patty Perfection</b></li>
<li>When making meat patties the higher the fat content of the meat, the more the patties shrink during cooking this is especially true for ground (minced) red meat. Make patties larger than the bun they are to be served on to allow for shrinkage.</li>
<li>For hamburgers keep the fat content to about 20 - 30% (don't use lean meat) this ensures juicy patties when cooked. Also use coarse freshly ground meat (if possible) to make patties, if the mixture is ground too fine the large patties will break apart since the protein strands are too short and are covered in fat and can only bind to nearby ingredients so when the large patty is cooked it will fall apart or be too dense. Compare this behaviour with small amounts of finely ground lean meat (almost a paste) where the protein can adhere to itself (since the protein chains are short, not covered in fat and all the ingredients are nearby) hence forming a small stable patty (lamb kofta, Asian chicken balls, prawn balls).</li>
<li>Patty mixtures should be kept cold as possible when preparing them and kept cold until you cook them the cold helps bind the ingredients together.</li>
<li>Don't over-mix the ingredients the resultant mixture will be heavy and dense.</li>
<li>For meat patties chop, mince, grate the vegetable ingredients fairly finely, if too coarse the patties will break apart.</li>
<li>Patties made mostly of meat (good quality hamburgers and rissoles) should be seasoned just before the cooking process, if salted too early liquid can be drawn out of the patty.</li>
<li>Make all the patties the same size so they will cook at the same rate. To get even-sized patties, use measuring cups or spoons to measure out your mixture.</li>
<li>For patties use your hands to combine the ingredients with the binders, mix gently until the mixture comes cleanly from the sides of the mixing bowl. Test that the final mixture forms a good patty (take a small amount in your palm and form into a ball it should hold together) before making the whole batch. Add extra liquid or dry binder as needed. Cook the test patty to check for seasoning, add extra if needed then cook the rest of the batch. </li>
<li>Usually patties should be rested (about an hour) before cooking they “firm” up during this time, a good technique to use if your patty is soft. Always wrap patties they can dry out if left in the fridge uncovered. </li>
<li>Dampen your hands when shaping patties so the mixture won't stick to your fingers.</li>
<li>If making vegetable patties it is best to squeeze the grated/chopped/minced vegetables to remove any excess liquid this is most important for these types of patties.</li>
<li>When making fritters shred your vegetables because it makes long strands that gives a strong lattice for the patties. A food processor or a box grater is great to use here.</li>
<li>For veggie patties make sure your ingredients are free of extra water. Drain and dry your beans or other ingredients thoroughly before mashing. You can even pat them gently dry with a kitchen cloth or paper towel. </li>
<li>Vegetable patties lack the fat of meat patties so oil the grill when BBQing them so the patty will not stick.</li>
<li>Oil all-meat burgers rather than oiling the barbecue or grill pan – this ensures the burgers don’t stick to the grill allowing them to sear well. If they sear well in the first few minutes of cooking they’ll be golden brown and juicy. To make it easy brush the burgers with a brush dipped in oil or easier still use a spray can of oil. </li>
<li>If you only have very lean ground beef try this tip from the Chicago Tribune newspaper “To each 1 lb (½ kg) of ground beef add 2 tablespoons of cold water (with added salt and pepper) and 2 crushed ice cubs, form patties.” it really does work.</li>
<li>A panade, or mixture of bread crumbs and milk, will add moisture and tenderness to meat patties when the burgers are cooked well-done. </li>
<li>For vegetable patties it is best to focus on one main ingredient then add some interesting flavour notes to that major taste (examples carrot and caraway patties, beetroot, feta and chickpea fritters etc) this gives a much bolder flavour profile than a patty of mashed “mixed” vegetables which can be bland.</li>
<li>Most vegetable and meat/vegetable patties just need a light coating of seasoned breadcrumbs. Lightly pat breadcrumbs onto the surface of the patty there is enough moisture and binders on the surface of the patty to bind the breadcrumbs to the patty while it is cooking. You can use wheatgerm, bran flakes, crushed breakfast cereals, nuts and seeds to coat the patty. </li>
<li>Use fine packet breadcrumbs as the coating if you want a fine smooth crust on your patties use coarser fresh breadcrumbs as the coating if you want a rougher crisper crust on your patty. </li>
<li>Flip patties once and only once, over-flipping the patty results in uneven cooking of the interior and allows the juices to escape.</li>
<li>Don't press the patties when they are cooking you'll squeeze out all of the succulent juices. </li>
<li>Rest patties a while before consuming.</li>
</ul><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Shaping the patty</b></li>
<li>Shaping – Shape the patty by pressing a ball of mixture with your clean hands it will form a disc shape which will crack and break up around the edges. What you want to do is press down in the middle and in from the sides, turning the patty around in your hand until it is even and uniform. It should be a solid disc that is firm. Handle the mixture gently, use a light touch and don’t make them too compacted. Rather than a dense burger, which is difficult to cook well, aim for a loosely formed patty that holds together but is not too compressed. </li>
<li>Depressing the centre – When patties cook, they shrink (especially red meat burgers). As they shrink the edges tend to break apart causing deep cracks to form in the patty. To combat this you want the burger patty to be thinner in the middle than it is around the edges. Slightly depress the center of the patty to push a little extra mixture towards the edges. This will give you an even patty once it is cooked. </li>
</ul><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Shallow- and pan-frying</b> </li>
<li>Preheat the pan or BBQ. </li>
<li>Generally when shallow-frying patties use enough oil that it comes halfway up the sides of the food. Best for most meat and vegetable patties and where the ingredients in the patty are uncooked.</li>
<li>Generally when pan-frying use enough oil to cover the surface of the pan best for most vegetable patties where all the ingredients are precooked (or cook very quickly) and all-meat rissoles and hamburgers.</li>
<li>Most oils are suitable for shallow- and pan-frying but butter is not it tends to burn. Butter can be used in combination with oil. Low-fat spreads cannot be used to shallow fry as they contain a high proportion of water. Rice bran oil is a great choice since it is almost tasteless and has a very high smoke point of 490°F/254°C. The smoke point is when the oil starts to break down into bitter fatty acids and produces a bluish smoke, Canola (smoke point 400°F/204°C) is also a great choice. Butter has a smoke point of 250–300°F/121–149°C. Olive oil Extra light 468°F/242°C. Olive oil Extra virgin 375°F/191°C. Ghee (Clarified Butter) 485°F/252°C. </li>
<li>Do not overload the frying pan which allows steam to be trapped near the cooking food which might lead to the patties being steamed instead of fried. If you place too many patties at once into the preheated pan this reduces the heat and the patties will then release juices and begin to stew. Leave some space between each when you place them in the pan. </li>
<li>For most patties preheat the oil or fat until the oil seems to shimmer or a faint haze rises from it, but take care not to let it get so hot it smokes. If the oil is too cool before adding the patties, it will be absorbed by the food making the patty soggy. If the oil is too hot then the crumb coating will burn before the interior ingredients are cooked and/or warmed through. For vegetable and meat/vegetable patties start off cooking in a medium hot skillet and then reduce the heat to medium. For all-meat patties start off cooking in a very hot skillet and then reduce the heat to hot, as celebrity chef Bobby Flay says that “the perfect [meat] burger should be a contrast in textures, which means a tender, juicy interior and a crusty, slightly charred exterior. This is achieved by cooking the meat [patty] directly over very hot heat, rather than the indirect method preferred for slow barbecues”. All patties should sizzle when they are placed onto the preheated pan.</li>
<li>Cast iron pans are best to fry patties. </li>
<li>When the raw patty hits the hot cooking surface it will stick. And will stay so until the patty crust forms so causing a non-stick surface on the patty at this point you can lift the patty easily without sticking. So wait until the patties (with a gentle shaking of the pan or a light finger-twist of the patty) release themselves naturally from the frying pan surface (maybe a minute or two for meat patties maybe 3-6 minutes for a vegetable patty). If you try to flip it too early the burger will fall apart. The secret is to wait for the the patty to naturally release itself from the pan surface then flip it over once.</li>
<li>Veggie burgers will firm up significantly as they cool. </li>
<li>Most vegetable patties can be baked in the oven.</li>
<li>Check the temperature of the oil by placing a few breadcrumbs into the pan they should take 30 seconds to brown.</li>
<li>If you need to soak up excess oil place the patties on a rack to drain, do not place onto paper towels since steam will be trapped which can make the patty soggy, if you need to just press off the excess oil with paper towels then place onto a rack.</li>
</ul><br />
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<br />
<b>Mandatory Items:</b> Make a batch of pan- or shallow-fried (or baked) patties.<br />
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<b>Variations allowed:</b> Any variation on a patty is allowed. You can use the recipes provided or make your own recipe.<br />
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<b>Preparation time: </b> <br />
<b>Patties:</b> Preparation time less than 60 minutes. Cooking time less than 20 minutes. <br />
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<b>Equipment required:</b><br />
Large mixing bowl<br />
Large stirring spoon<br />
Measuring cup<br />
Frying pan <br />
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<h1><u>Basic Canned Fish and Rice Patties</u></h1><br />
<i>Servings:</i> makes about ten ½ cup patties<br />
Recipe can be doubled<br />
adapted from http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/17181/tuna+rissoles<br />
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This is one my favourite patty recipes I make it once a week during the holidays. It is most important that you really mix and mash the patty ingredients well since the slightly mashed rice helps bind the patty together. <br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b> <br />
1 can (415 gm/15 oz) pink salmon or tuna or sardines, (not packed in oil) drained well<br />
1 can (340 gm/13 oz) corn kernels, drained well<br />
1 bunch spinach, cooked, chopped & squeezed dry or 60 gm/2 oz thawed frozen spinach squeezed dry<br />
2 cups (300 gm/7 oz) cooked white rice (made from 2/3 cups of uncooked rice) <br />
1 large egg, lightly beaten<br />
about 3 tablespoons (20 gm/2/3 oz) fine packet breadcrumbs for binding<br />
3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil, for frying<br />
2 spring (green) onions, finely chopped<br />
1 tablespoon (15 ml) tomato paste or 1 tablespoon (15 ml) hot chilli sauce<br />
1 tablespoon (15 ml) oyster sauce<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sweet chilli sauce<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
½ cup (60 gm/2 oz) seasoned fine packet bread crumbs to cover patties <br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
1) Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl.<br />
2) Mix and mash using your hands or a strong spoon the ingredients with much force (while slowly adding tablespoons of breadcrumbs to the patty mixture) until the mixture starts to cling to itself about 4 minutes the longer you mix and mash the more compacted the final patty. Day-old cold rice works best (only needs a tablespoon of breadcrumbs or less) but if the rice is hot or warm you will need more breadcrumbs to bind the mixture. Test the mixture by forming a small ball it should hold together. Cook the test ball adjust the seasoning (salt and pepper) of the mixture to taste. <br />
3) Form patties using a ½ cup measuring cup. <br />
4) Cover in seasoned breadcrumbs.<br />
5) Use immediately or can be refrigerated covered for a few hours.<br />
6) Preheat fry pan (cast iron is best) to medium hot add 1½ tablespoons of oil and heat until the oil shimmers place the patties well spaced out onto the fry pan lower heat to medium. <br />
7) Pan fry for about 3 minutes each side for a thin lightly browned crust about 10 minutes for a darker thicker crisper crust. Wait until the patties can be released from the pan with a shake of the pan or a light turning of the patty using your fingers before flipping over to cook the other side of the patty add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil when you flip the patties. Flip only once. You can fry the sides of the patty if you want brown sides on your patty.<br />
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<b>Pictorial Guide</b><br />
Some of the ingredients<br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Patties/02-1.jpg" /></a><br />
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Starting to mix the patty mixture <br />
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About ready to be tested<br />
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The test ball to check if the mixture will hold together<br />
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Form patties using a ½ cup measuring cup<br />
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Crumb (bread) the patties <br />
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Cover and refrigerate <br />
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Preheat frying pan add oil wait until the oil shimmers add patties well spaced out onto the pan<br />
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Wait until the patties can be released by a light shaking of the pan or by finger-turning the patty and then flip the patties over add some extra oil (these were fried for 10 minutes)<br />
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Enjoy picture perfect patties<br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img ="" alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="191" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Patties/10-1.jpg" width="512" /></a><br />
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This patty was pan-fried on my cast iron fry pan notice the shiny very crisp crust as compared to the patty above<br />
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<h1><u>Zucchini, prosciutto & cheese fritters</u></h1><br />
<i>Servings:</i> makes about 8-10 two inch (five cm) fritters<br />
Recipe can be doubled<br />
adapted from http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/08/zucchini-fritters/<br />
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This makes a great light lunch or a lovely side dish for dinner. <br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b> <br />
500 gm (½ lb) zucchini (two medium)<br />
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (7 gm) salt<br />
½ cup (120 ml) (60 g/2 oz) grated cheese, a strong bitty cheese is best<br />
5 slices (30 gm/1 oz) prosciutto, cut into small pieces<br />
½ cup (120 ml) (70 gm/2½ oz) all-purpose (plain) flour plus ½ teaspoon baking powder, sifted together <br />
2 large eggs, lightly beaten<br />
2 spring onions, finely chopped<br />
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chilli paste<br />
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) black pepper, freshly cracked<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil, for frying<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Grate the zucchini with a box grater or food processor. Place into large bowl, add salt, wait 10 minutes. </li>
<li>While waiting for the zucchini, pan fry the prosciutto pieces until cooked. Remove from pan and place prosciutto onto rack this will crisp up the prosciutto when it cools. Paper towels tend to make prosciutto soggy if left on them. </li>
<li>When zucchini is ready wrap in a cloth and squeeze dry with as much force as you can you will get a lot of liquid over ½ cup, discard liquid it will be too salty to use. </li>
<li>Return dried zucchini to bowl add prosciutto, cheese, pepper, sifted flour and baking powder, chilli paste, pepper, a little salt and the lightly beaten eggs.</li>
<li>Mix until combined if the batter is too thick you can add water or milk or another egg, if too wet add some more flour. It should be thick and should not flow when placed onto the frying pan.</li>
<li>Preheat a frying pan (cast iron is best) until medium hot, add 1/3 of the oil wait until it shimmers.</li>
<li>Place dollops of batter (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the fry pan widely spaced out, with the back of a spoon smooth out each dollop to about 2 inches (5 cm) wide, do not make the fritters too thick. You should get three or four fritters in the average-sized fry pan. Lower heat to medium</li>
<li>Fry for 3-4 minutes the first side, flip, then fry the other side about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Repeat for the remaining batter. Adding extra oil as needed.</li>
<li>Place cooked fritters into a moderate oven on a baking dish for 10 minutes if you want extra crispy fritters.</li>
</ul><br />
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Pictures of process – fresh zucchini, grated zucchini, liquid released from salted and squeezed dry zucchini, ingredients for the fritters, fritter batter and frying the fritters.<br />
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Cooked fritters<br />
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<h1><u>California Turkey Burger</u></h1><br />
<i>Servings:</i> makes about 10 burgers<br />
Recipe can be doubled<br />
adapted from Cooking Light Magazine September 2005:<br />
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/california-burgers-10000001097016/ <br />
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<b>Sauce</b>: <br />
½ cup (120 ml) ketchup <br />
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard <br />
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fat-free mayonnaise <br />
<br />
<b>Patties: </b><br />
½ cup (120 ml) (60 gm/2 oz) finely chopped shallots <br />
¼ cup (60 ml) (30 gm/1 oz) dry breadcrumbs <br />
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt <br />
1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce <br />
¼ teaspoon (¾ gm) freshly ground black pepper <br />
3 garlic cloves, minced <br />
1¼ lbs (600 gm) ground turkey <br />
1¼ lbs (600 gm) ground turkey breast <br />
Cooking spray <br />
<br />
<b>Remaining ingredients: </b><br />
10 (2-ounce/60 gm) hamburger buns <br />
10 red leaf lettuce leaves <br />
20 bread-and-butter pickles <br />
10 (1/4-inch thick/5 mm thick) slices red onion, separated into rings <br />
2 peeled avocados, each cut into 10 slices <br />
3 cups (750 ml) (60 gm/2 oz) alfalfa sprouts <br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
1. Prepare the grill to medium-high heat. <br />
2. To prepare sauce, combine first 3 ingredients; set aside. <br />
3. To prepare patties, combine shallots and the next 7 ingredients (through turkey breast), mixing well. Divide mixture into 10 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick (1¼ cm thick) patty. Place patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. <br />
4. Spread 1 tablespoon sauce on top half of each bun. Layer bottom half of each bun with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 patty, 2 pickles, 1 onion slice, 2 avocado slices, and about 1/3 cup of sprouts. Cover with top halves of buns. <br />
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<b>Yield:</b> 10 servings (serving size: 1 burger) - Nutritional Information – CALORIES 384(29% from fat); FAT 12.4g (sat 2.6g,mono 5.1g,poly 2.8g); PROTEIN 31.4g; CHOLESTEROL 68mg; CALCIUM 94mg; SODIUM 828mg; FIBER 3.9g; IRON 4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37.5g<br />
<b>Lisa’s Notes:</b><br />
Nutritional information provided above is correct for the recipe as written. When I make these burgers, the only ingredients I change are using regular mayo, and dill pickles. My red lettuce of choice is radicchio. I’ve both grilled and pan fried these burgers and both are delicious. If you decide to pan fry, you’ll need a little extra fat in the pan – so use about 2 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil, or canola oil before laying your patties on the pan. Cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until done. Do not overcook as the patties will dry out and not be as juicy and tasty! :)<br />
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<h1><u>French Onion Salisbury Steak</u></h1><br />
Courtesy of Cuisine at Home April 2005 edition<br />
Makes 4 Steaks; Total Time: 45 Minutes <br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 1/4 lb (600 gm) ground chuck <br />
1/4 cup (60 ml) (30 gm/1 oz) fresh parsley, minced <br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (⅓ oz/10 gm) scallion (spring onions), minced<br />
1 teaspoon (5ml) (3 gm) kosher salt or ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (3 gm) table salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon (2½ ml) (1½ gm) black pepper<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (½ oz/18 gm) all-purpose (plain) flour<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil<br />
2 cups (240 ml) (140 gm/5 oz) onions, sliced<br />
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (4 gm) sugar<br />
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (⅓ oz/10 gm) garlic, minced<br />
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (½ oz/15 gm) tomato paste<br />
2 cups (240 ml) beef broth<br />
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry red wine<br />
3/4 teaspoon (2 gm) kosher salt or a little less than ½ teaspoon (2 gm) table salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon (2½ ml) (1½ gm) dried thyme leaves<br />
4 teaspoons (20 ml) (⅓ oz/10 gm) fresh parsley, minced<br />
4 teaspoons (20 ml) (2/3 oz/20 gm) Parmesan cheese, shredded<br />
<br />
<b>Cheese Toasts</b> <br />
4 slices French bread or baguette, cut diagonally (1/2" thick) (15 mm thick)<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (30 ml/1 oz) unsalted butter, softened<br />
1/2 teaspoon (2½ ml) (2 gm) garlic, minced<br />
Pinch of paprika<br />
1/4 cup (60 ml) (30 gm/1 oz) Swiss cheese, grated (I used 4 Italian cheese blend, shredded)<br />
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (⅓ oz/10 gm) Parmesan cheese, grated<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
1. Combine chuck, parsley, scallion, salt and pepper. Divide evenly into 4 portions and shape each into 3/4"-1" (20-25 mm) thick oval patties. Place 2 tablespoons flour in a shallow dish; dredge each patty in flour. Reserve 1 teaspoon flour.<br />
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add patties and sauté 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from pan.<br />
3. Add onions and sugar to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; sauté 1 minute, or until paste begins to brown. Sprinkle onions with reserved flour; cook 1 minute. Stir in broth and wine, then add the salt and thyme.<br />
4. Return meat to pan and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.<br />
5. Serve steaks on Cheese Toasts with onion soup ladled over. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.<br />
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<b>For the Cheese Toasts</b><br />
6. Preheat oven to moderately hot 200°/400ºF/gas mark 6.<br />
7. Place bread on baking sheet.<br />
8. Combine butter, garlic and paprika and spread on one side of each slice of bread. Combine cheeses and sprinkle evenly over butter. Bake until bread is crisp and cheese is bubbly, 10-15 minutes.<br />
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French Onion Salisbury Steak<br />
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<h1><u>Potato Rösti</u></h1><br />
<i>Servings</i>: makes two large rösti<br />
adapted from a family recipe<br />
<br />
The classic rösti; cheap, easy and so tasty.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b> <br />
1 kg (2½ lb) potatoes<br />
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt<br />
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (6 gm) black pepper, freshly milled<br />
1 large egg, lightly beaten<br />
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (½ oz/15 gm) cornflour (cornstarch) or use all-propose flour <br />
3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil, for frying<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Grate lengthwise the peeled potatoes with a box grater or a food processor.</li>
<li>Wrap the grated potato in a cloth and squeeze dry, you will get a lot of liquid over ½ cup, discard liquid since it is full of potato starch. </li>
<li>Return dried potato to bowl add the egg, cornflour, pepper, and salt.</li>
<li>Mix until combined.</li>
<li>Preheat a frying pan (cast iron is best) until medium hot, add 2 teaspoons of oil wait until oil shimmers.</li>
<li>Place half of mixture into the pan, flatten with a spoon until you get a smooth flat surface. Lower heat to medium.</li>
<li>Fry for 8-10 minutes (check at 6 minutes) the first side, flip by sliding the rösti onto a plate then use another plate invert the rösti then slide it back into the pan, then fry the other side about 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Repeat to make another rösti</li>
</ol><br />
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Pictures of process – Peel 1 kg spuds, grate lengthwise, squeeze dry, add 1 egg, 2 tablespoons starch, salt and pepper. Pan fry.<br />
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Pictures of the grated potato before (left) and after (right) squeezing dry. Notice in the left hand pictures the gratings are covered in moisture and starch, while in the right hand pictures the grated potato is dry and doesn't stick together.<br />
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Pictures of the finished small rösti<br />
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Pictures of the large rösti<br />
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<b>Chicken, potato and corn patties</b><br />
I had some leftover chicken legs and boiled potatoes from dinner last night so I made up some patties. The patties are made from 1 kilogram of finely grated cold boiled potatoes, 4 chicken legs meat removed and finely chopped, and one can of corn kernels. The binder was one egg and 1/4 cup of self-raising wholewheat flour. <br />
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The crumbed (breaded) patties waiting to be pan fried<br />
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Patties pan frying <br />
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The finished patties<br />
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<b>Meatballs</b><br />
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I made meatballs using high quality ground veal and pork (30% fat) I didn't use any binders in the mixture just a little seasoning chilli, garlic and dried mushroom powder. <br />
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The meatballs waiting to be fried<br />
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Frying the meatballs<br />
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The finished meatballs<br />
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Of course I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner so so delicious <br />
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<b>Thai Fish Cakes</b><br />
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I adore Thai fish cakes but I have never really made them I was surprised how simple it is if you have a very strong food processor. Basically you make a paste from 1/2 kg (1 lb) of white fillet fish (I used catfish (basa) fillets) with 1 egg and 6 tablespoons of flavourings (a combination of 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp chilli, 2 Tbsp red curry paste, 1 Tbsp coconut cream, 1 Tbsp chilli crab flakes, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp shrimp paste, a few spices), 6 kaffir lime leaves and 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) with a teaspoon of baking powder, you form small patties (each 2 tablespoons) from the paste and pan fry until cooked. These are just as good as the cafe ones I buy and only cost about 30 cents each instead of $1.90 at the cafe. A good basic recipe for Thai fish cakes is here http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaiseafoodrecipes/r/classicfishcakes.htm I added some extra baking powder and cornflour to the basic recipe since it makes the cakes rise and the interiors are light and fluffy. Super tasty and so cute.<br />
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<b>Storage & Freezing Instructions/Tips:</b><br />
Most rissoles, croquettes and dry fritters keep well for three or four days if covered and kept in the fridge. Uncooked and cooked rissoles and croquettes can be frozen for at least one month. <br />
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<b>Additional Information:</b> <br />
An index of Aussie patty recipes http://www.taste.com.au/search-recipes/?q=patties&publication= <br />
An index of Aussie rissole recipes http://www.taste.com.au/search-recipes/?q=rissoles&publication= <br />
An index of American patty recipes http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=patty%20-peppermint%20-dressing&SearchIn=All&SortBy=Relevance&Direction=Descending <br />
An index of American burger recipes http://busycooks.about.com/cs/easyentrees/a/burgers.htm <br />
A great vegetable and chickpea recipe http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/06/vegetable-and-chickpea-patties-recipe.html<br />
A baked vegetable patty recipe http://patternscolorsdesign.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/baked-vegetable-patties/<br />
Vegetable patty recipes http://www.divinedinnerparty.com/veggie-burger-recipe.html<br />
Best ever beet(root) and bean patty http://www.thekitchn.com/restaurant-reproduction-bestev-96967 <br />
Ultimate veggie burgers http://ask.metafilter.com/69336/How-to-make-awesome-veggie-burgers <br />
One of best zucchini fritter recipes http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/08/zucchini-fritters/ <br />
Old School Meat rissoles http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2008/07/rissoles-recipe.html <br />
How to form a patty video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHutN-u6jZc <br />
Top 12 vegetable patty recipes http://vegetarian.about.com/od/veggieburgerrecipes/tp/bestburgers.htm<br />
Ultimate Meat Patties Video http://www.chow.com/videos/show/youre-doing-it-all-wrong/55028/how-to-make-a-burger-with-hubert-keller<br />
Beautiful vegetable fritters so pretty http://helengraves.co.uk/tag/beetroot-feta-and-chickpea-fritters-recipe/ <br />
Information about veggie patties http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2011/08/veggie-burger-test-kitchen-and-lemon.html <br />
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<b>Disclaimer:</b><br />
The Daring Kitchen and its members in no way suggest we are medical professionals and therefore are NOT responsible for any error in reporting of “alternate baking/cooking”. If you have issues with digesting gluten, then it is YOUR responsibility to research the ingredient before using it. If you have allergies, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. If you are lactose intolerant, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. If you are vegetarian or vegan, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. The responsibility is YOURS regardless of what health issue you’re dealing with. Please consult your physician with any questions before using an ingredient you are not familiar with. Thank you! :)Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-82714047067664642132012-01-27T13:50:00.001+11:002012-01-27T16:42:59.259+11:00January, 2012 Daring Baker Challenge: Back to Basics:Scones (Biscuits)<b>Introduction</b>: Hi my name is <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/users/audax-artifex">Audax </a>from <a href="http://audaxartifex.blogspot.com/">Audax Artifex</a> (yes this web site). Whenever I visit my sister and her family in S.E. Queensland Australia she always welcomes me with a fresh batch of my favourite baked treat which we devour gleefully with cups of tea while we chat and catch up with the events in our lives. <br />
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The treat that I'm talking about is the basic scone (<i>also know as</i> baking powder biscuits in North America) my sister really knows how to make them, they are wondrously light with soft sides and a lovely airy crumb – superb with jam and cream. This month I want the Daring Bakers' to share my delight and I invite you to bake a batch of scones to enjoy with friends and family.<br />
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For our North American members I wish to clarify what this challenge is all about and try to avoid any confusions. Scones in North American are nearly always triangular in shape have a slightly crisp crust usually covered in sugar and have a soft interior crumb and sometimes are laced with dried fruit (these baked goods in Australia and England are called “rock cakes” since they are usually made to look like “rocky” cakes not wedges), meanwhile biscuits in North American are a round shaped buttery slightly flaky baked good usually eaten with meals (these items in Australia and England are called “scones” and are eaten with butter and jam usually with cups of tea or coffee as a sweet snack). So this challenge (using the North American name) is to make biscuits. Or using the Australian or English name this challenge is to make scones. <br />
<br />
To further clarify for our North American bakers this month's challenge is to make biscuits (also called baking powder biscuits) if you choose to make your biscuits using buttermilk as the liquid you are making what are known as “Southern” Biscuits which are one of the most famous examples of home cooking in the Southern States of America (that is they are a baking powder biscuit made with buttermilk). In Australia and England “Southern” Biscuits would be called buttermilk scones. So restating the above, the challenge is to make scones (using the Australian/English name) or to make biscuits (using the North American name). Incidentally if you use cream as your liquid in the challenge recipe the final baked good would be called a cream biscuit in North America or a cream scone in Australia and England. <br />
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Scones (biscuits) contain only a small number of ingredients they are fast to make, quick to bake, only cost cents per batch and most importantly are super FUN to eat. In England and Australia scones are eaten with jam and butter usually with cups of tea or coffee mostly as a sweet snack, while in North America they are usually eaten with meals as a savoury side. <br />
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Of course scones (biscuits) have a notorious reputation as being difficult for some people to make comments like “hockey pucks”, “These made great door-stops ” and the like fill the comment sections of most recipe websites. You see scones (can be said as a rhyme with <i>cone</i> and also can be said as a rhyme with <i>gone</i>) are a type of quick bread that is a white flour dough that is raised using chemical agents usually baking powder and/or baking soda. Basic scones contain flour, raising agent(s), butter (or shortening or lard), salt, and milk (or buttermilk or soured milk or cream). Most recipes just say to “rub the fat into the flour” then combine the dry and wet ingredients until “gathered together” and then “lightly knead” the gathered mixture until a soft dough forms, then “roll or pat” out this dough and then “cut” out rounds and bake them in a hot oven. Well how hard could it really be I thought uh-mm as you can see below my first batch wasn't the greatest success … they didn't raise at all and the texture was barely OK I thought … I was left wondered what I had done wrong … <br />
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My first attempt at scones (really pretty terrible I thought, no height no tenderness and no flakiness)<br />
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So after studying many many (288 websites bookmarked) scone/biscuit recipes and the bakers' comments about these recipes and after doing 16 batches! myself I have acquired a lot of information to help you master the techniques involved I hope that at the end of this challenge that you will be able to make a good if not great scone (biscuit).<br />
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After much research and many attempts … finally some scones (the 14th, 15th and 16th batches) that I wouldn't mind sharing with my sister.<br />
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<i>The Classic Australian scone ring</i> <i>(Aussie Damper) </i>– the crumb is very similar to bread<br />
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<i>Cheese and chives scones</i> – a “sky-high” light and tender scone flavoured with cheese and chives<br />
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<i>The classic Southern Biscuit (buttermilk scone)</i> – a superbly flaky scone made with buttermilk and laminated to form distinct layers when baked <br />
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<b>Fairy Ring</b><br />
As I mentioned in the challenge posting in Australia and England scones are usually eaten as a sweet treat (with butter and jam) with cups of tea on that theme while doing my research for this challenge I thought I would do a variation on the sweet side of the scone. Here is one recipe that is suitable for kids and adults when you want something special and sweet yet can be made at a moment's notice. <br />
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In Australia one of the most popular children's party food item is <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/fairy-bread-39337">fairy bread</a>. This is a variation of fairy bread called <i>Fairy Ring</i> made with an Aussie Scone (Damper) ring laced with 100s and 1000s then iced (with some icing sugar and a touch of lemon juice made into a sticky paste) then sprinkled with more 100s and 1000s (coloured sprinkles). My 9 year old niece went crazy with delight and literally squealed with glee when I showed her this Fairy Ring and say I made it especially for her. <br />
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Normal (Damper) Scone Ring<br />
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Fairy Ring straight from the oven<br />
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Completed Fairy Ring<br />
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<b>Hot Dog Buns</b><br />
Here is a savoury variation, I made hot dog buns using the basic scone recipe. They worked out great I couldn't believe the crumb and they tasted great with the hot dog and relishes and I made them in under 15 minutes (once the oven was hot enough). I was very surprised how well the basic scone dough complimented savoury food. <br />
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<a href="http://www.food52.com/blog/2819_shirley_corrihers_touchofgrace_biscuits">Touch of Grace Scones</a><br />
(Click on the title to go to a great posting about this recipe)<br />
Here is the answer to dry biscuits this recipe is called "touch of grace" biscuits which uses a few simple techniques to create a super moist crumb. These scones are all about tenderness everything is designed to obtain the softest and most tender crumb possible. These are very different from the normal bread-like scones that Australians like with jam and cream. These would be perfect with a savoury meal. They were so buttery with a soft creamy crumb that literally melts in your mouth, the mouth feel is like clouds. As one reviewer lovingly opined "They're squat little puffs you'll want to grab, steaming, from a basket passed over fried chicken or bacon and eggs". The way I make them is slightly adapted from the original recipe, I use a lot of very large pieces of butter and all buttermilk with very low gluten cake flour and some resting time in the fridge. Resting the dough after the buttermilk is stirred into the dry ingredients is essential you would never be able to form the soft balls of dough coated in flour that are the "rounds" in this case and keeping everything cold helps the baking process. While baking the large pieces of butter melt into the flour causing large air holes to form in the baked dough and since we use soft flour (6%) which cannot form flaky layers we thus obtain a feather-light creamy tender crumb infused with the maximum amount of butter that the dough can hold.<br />
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These scones are made entirely from cake flour (6% gluten), I used 1 cup of flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 cup very large-sized butter pieces, about 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. I rubbed in butter making sure most of the fat/flour where large pea sized pieces. I rested the dough after I mixed in the wet ingredients for 10 minutes until cold, during this time the dough "firms" up making it possible to turn it out in one cohesive dough ball onto a lightly floured board. I formed a rectangle of the soft dough floured the top lightly then I stamped out rounds. You could feel the pieces of butter in the formed round The rounds are very soft but can be picked up and placed into the baking dish. Then I place the baking dish with all the formed rounds back in the fridge for 10 minutes until cold then bake. (This procedure is much easier than the original recipe's method and it gives as good results I think). As you can see the crumb is saturated with butter and has masses of large airy pockets to trap your favourite topping. Absolutely delicious.<br />
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<b>Raisin Scones</b><br />
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I wanted to make one batch of flavoured scones I went with sweet raisins and some molasses in the dough. I rubbed in the butter until it was like fine sand and I used "OO" cake flour about 7% protein and some cornflour (cornstarch), I was very happy with the look of the baked scones and the crumb was very tender very much like bread which is what I wanted. These were very cute looking but to be honest I like plain scones much better.<br />
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The bread like crumb of the scone so so tasty and soft.<br />
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As you can see scones (biscuits) are all about technique since the scones pictured above used the same basic recipe. <br />
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<b>Recipe Source:</b> The challenge scone (biscuit) recipe has been especially formulated by Audax Artifex after a large amount of research and experimentation. It is designed to help you master the techniques involved in making scones (biscuits) exactly the way you like them. <br />
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<b>Blog-checking lines:</b> Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens! <br />
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<b>Posting Date:</b> January 27, 2012<br />
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<b>Challenge Notes:</b><br />
<b><i><u>The Ingredients</u></i></b> – since scones contain only a small number of ingredients each should be of the highest quality <br />
<b>Flour </b>– lower gluten (i.e. soft) flours (about 9% or less protein) produce taller and lighter scones than normal plain (all-purpose) flour (about 10%+ protein). But to be honest it wasn't that great a difference so long you sifted the dry ingredients thoroughly at least three times. That is always triple sift the dry ingredients this will ensure that the flour is well aerated and the raising agents are evenly distributed so resulting in light scones. I found that finely milled soft “OO” flour gave the best results but don't worry you can get excellent results with sifted plain (all-purpose) flour. You can use self-raising flour if you wish (remember to leave out the raising agents and salt) in the recipe below it is important to triple sift the self-raising flour as well I like to add about ½ teaspoon of extra fresh baking powder per cup of self-raising flour to ensure a good lift in my scones. In the northern states of America and most of Canada all-purpose flour is generally very hard (high in protein) you can replace for each cup 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with cake flour OR for each cup replace 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with cornflour (cornstarch). Or you can let the scones rest (20 mins) in the fridge before baking. <br />
<b>Fat</b> – unsalted butter gives the best flavour while lard gives the flakiest texture since it has a much higher melting point than butter so promoting a flaky texture in the final scones. The best compromise is to use a combination of the two in equal measure. I usually use all (unsalted) butter for flavour and health reasons. In most recipes the fat is rubbed into the flour using fingers or a pastry cutter (don't use two knives or forks since it takes too long to cut in the fat using this method). It is best to grate the butter using the coarse side of a box-grater and then freeze it until you need it. Freezing the butter prevents the fat from melting into the flour. The idea is to coat the fat particles with the flour. You are looking for a fat/flour combination that looks like very coarse bread crumbs with a few pieces of butter about the size of peas, the finer you make your fat pieces the more tender the crumb of your final scones. If you want very flaky scones then make the fat pieces large like Lima beans and only lightly coat them in the flour. If your kitchen is very hot you can refrigerate your flour so helping to keep the fat from melting. Don't freeze your flour as this will make it too difficult to rub the fat into the flour. (Typical usage about 1 to 8 tablespoons of fat per cup of flour).<br />
<b>Chemical raising agents</b> – always use fresh raising agents, baking powder deteriorates within two months once the jar is opened, typical usage 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup. Baking powder nowadays is double action – there is an initial release of gas once the dry and wet ingredients are combined and there is another release of gas from the high heat of the oven. If you are using acidic ingredients (such as buttermilk, soured milk, honey, citrus juice, yoghurt, tomato sauce etc) then use an additional ¼ teaspoon of baking soda per cup of liquid to help neutralise the acid and make the final baked product raise correctly. Baking soda is much stronger (x4) in raising power than baking powder. You can make you own single action baking powder by triple sifting together one part baking soda and two parts cream of tartar store in an airtight container. To check if your double action baking powder is fresh place 1/4 teaspoon in 1/2 cup of water it should bubble a lot, then microwave it for 30 secs it should bubble it again. To check your baking soda place 1/8 teaspoon into 1 tablespoon of vinegar (or lemon juice) it should bubble a lot. <br />
<b>Liquid </b>– you can use milk (any sort), buttermilk, soured milk, yoghurt, half-and-half, cream, coconut cream, soda water, even lemon-flavoured soda pop (soft drink) or a combination of these as the liquid in your scones. You can sour regular milk with a tablespoon of cider vinegar or lemon juice for every cup. Just stir it in and let it sit for 10 minutes or so to curdle. Typical usage is 1/3 to 1/2 cup of liquid per cup of flour.<br />
<b>Salt </b>– a small amount of salt (about ¼ teaspoon per cup of flour) helps improve the action of the raising agents and enhances the flavour of the scones. <br />
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<b><i><u>The Equipment</u></i></b><br />
<b>Baking pans</b> – use dark coloured heavy weight baking pans as these have the best heat distribution and really give a great raise to your baked goods. Many people like to use cast iron skillets for best results.<br />
<b>Measuring cups and spoons</b> – try to accurately measure all ingredients especially if this is your first attempt at making scones (biscuits) remember to scoop the ingredient into the measure and level with a knife. If you can weigh the flour using scales even better.<br />
<b>Scone (biscuit) cutters</b> – use a cutter that is made of sharp thin metal with straight sides and is open at both ends this ensures that the scone will raise straight and evenly and ensures the cut scone is easy to remove from the cutter without compressing the dough. Try to avoid using cutters with wavy sides, thick walled cups, glasses, metal lids, small jars or any cutter with only one opening since it is difficult to remove the cut scones from these without compressing the dough therefore leading to 'tougher' scones. If you cannot get a good cutter you can cut out squares or wedges etc using a sharp knife if you wish.<br />
<b>Rolling pins</b> – most scone doughs are very soft (and wet) so can be easily patted out using your fingers. For a large amount of dough you can use a rolling pin remember to use light pressure from the centre outwards to form an even thickness of dough ready to be cut into scones. Avoid rolling back and forth over the same area as this can overwork the dough. <br />
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<b><i><u>The Techniques</u></i></b><br />
<b>Triple sift the dry ingredients</b> – sift your dry ingredients from a height this permits plenty of air to be incorporated into the mixture which allows for maximum lightness in your scones and ensures even distribution of all the raising agents and other ingredients.<br />
<b>Rubbing in the fat</b> – this is the stage where you can control how tender or flaky your final scone crumb will be. The more you coat your fat with flour and the smaller the particles of the final mixture, the more tender the end product because you’re retarding gluten formation in the flour (unfortunately the price you pay for this tenderness is that the final dough will be soft and might not raise very well since the gluten isn't developed enough to form a stable structure to trap the gases that are released when the dough is baked). Conversely the larger you leave the pieces of fat (the infamous "pea-sized" direction you always see in scone/biscuit recipes), the flakier the final scones will be (that is the gluten in this case is more developed but you might find that the final baked product is dry and the mouth feel of crumb could be too firm i.e. tough). So summarising the tenderness/flakiness of your scone is achieved in this stage by manipulating the size of the fat particles and how much of the flour is used to coat the fat (the more flour used to coat the fat promotes more tenderness while larger fat pieces promote more flakiness). Either way quickly rub in the grated frozen fat into the dry ingredients using<br />
1)<i>your finger tips</i> – as you lightly rub and pinch the fat into the flour, lift it up high and let it fall back down into the bowl, this means that air is being incorporated all the time, and air is what makes scones light, continue this until you have the desired sized flour/fat particles in the mixture, or <br />
2)<i>a cold pastry cutter</i> – begin by rocking the pastry cutter into the fat and flour mixture continue rocking until all the fat is coated in flour and the desired sized flour/fat particles are obtained.<br />
<b>Moistening and bringing the dough together</b> - add nearly all of the liquid at once to the rubbed-in dry ingredients. When mixing the dough (I use a soft plastic spatula, my sister uses a knife), stir with some vigour from the bottom to the top and mix just until the dough is well-moistened and begins to just come together it will be wet (and sticky). And remember the old saying – the wetter the dough the lighter the scones (biscuits)! <b> </b><br />
<b>Handling the dough</b> – as most people know it is important not to overwork the dough but what isn't appreciated is that under-working is almost as common a mistake as overworking. Look at my first attempt (the first photo in this article) at making the challenge recipe it is crumbly and a bit leaden and the crumb isn't flaky at all this is due to under-working the dough and making the flour/fat particles too small, it took me about six batches to understand this and not be afraid to handle the dough so the scone (biscuit) would raise correctly. Under-working causes as many problems as overworking. Overworking leads to tough, dry and heavy scones while under-working leads to crumbly leaden ones. If you are not happy with your baked goods look carefully at your final scones (biscuits) and decide if you have under- or over-worked your dough.<br />
<b>Kneading or folding/turning the dough</b> – this is the stage where you can control whether or not your scone has distinct layers by 1) only kneading the dough (for no layering effect) or 2) only turning and folding the dough (for a layering effect). As mentioned above given the same amounts of flour and fat, leaving larger pieces of fat equals more gluten formation and, therefore, flakiness. Leaving smaller pieces of fat equals less gluten formation and, therefore, tenderness. Your dough at this stage of the recipe will be a mixture of different gluten strengths since it is almost impossible to make a totally homogeneous dough at home. The major idea at this stage of the process is to exploit these gluten differences to achieve a desired degree of lamination (layering) in the final baked good. That is at this stage your dough (after you have added the liquid and mixed it until it just holds together), will have different layers of relatively gluten-rich (tougher) dough (the more floury parts of the dough), and layers of relatively gluten-free (tender-er) dough with small pieces of fat (the more fatty parts of the dough). So at this point if we only lightly knead the dough these layers will become less distinct which means the dough will become more homogeneous so producing a more even and more tender crumb when baked. But if at this stage you only fold and turn the dough (as shown below in pictures) over itself, these different layers will remain intact but will get thinner and thinner with each fold and turn, so when the fat melts and the liquid turns to steam in the oven, this steam pushes the tougher layers apart, leading to an overall flakiness and a layering effect in the scone crumb (see picture of the buttermilk biscuit above). So if you want an even more tender crumb just lightly knead (much like you would knead bread but with a very very light touch) the turned-out dough a few times until it looks smooth. If you want to form layers (laminations) in your final baked goods do a few folds and turns until it looks smooth. Always do at least one light knead to make the final dough structurally strong enough to raise and hold its shape whether you are aiming for a smooth tender crumb or a flaky layered crumb. <br />
<b>Pat or roll out the dough</b> – since most scone (biscuit) doughs are soft (and sticky) it is best to use your fingers to gently pat out the dough once it has been kneaded or folded and turned. Use a very light touch with little pressure while forming the dough rectangle to be cut into rounds for the scones. If you want tall scones then pat out the dough tall, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch (2 cm to 2½ cm) thick is about right.<br />
<b>Cutting out your scones</b> – use a well-floured scone (biscuit) cutter for each round that you stamp out from the dough. That is dip your cleaned cutter into fresh plain flour before each separate cut. Do not twist the cutter while stamping out the scone, push down firmly until you can feel the board then lift the cutter the round should stay inside the cutter then gently remove it from the cutter and place the round onto the baking dish. You can use a sharp knife to cut out other shapes if you wish from the dough, also the knife should be floured before each cut as well. <br />
<b>Baking your scones</b> – always preheat your oven when baking scones. Place each scone almost touching onto the baking dish this encourages the scones to raise and also keeps the sides soft and moist. If you want crisp sides widely space your scones on the baking dish. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Don’t over-bake your scones. Over-baking for even a minute or two will dry your scones out. As soon as the sides begin to turn brown and are set, remove them from the oven. Immediately, place the scones on a wire rack—the hot pan will continue to dry the scones. </span><br />
<b>Extra comments about resting the dough</b> – I found in my researches that a number of respected sources mentioned resting the dough in various stages in the recipe. Surprisingly this advice is sound. I found that if you rested the just mixed dough (in the fridge) for 20 minutes there was a huge improvement in the dough's handling qualities and the final scones height, lightness and crumb were outstanding. Also I found that if you rest your patted out dough covered in plastic for 10 minutes in the fridge that the rounds are easier to stamp out and the final baked goods raise higher and have a better crumb. Also you can rest your stamped out rounds in the fridge for a couple of hours without harm so you can make your scones place them into the fridge and then at your leisure bake them later great for dinner parties etc. This is possible because modern baking powder is double action, i.e. there is another release of gas when you bake the rounds in the heat of the oven.<br />
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<u><b>Troubleshooting</b> </u> <br />
<b>Problems with bitter after-taste or dry chalky mouth-feel</b><br />
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The biggest problem that scone/biscuits can sometimes have is an after-taste (sometimes described as metallic or a salty chemical taste) or the mouthfeel is dry and chalky (i.e. the crumb is tough and doesn't have enough moisture).<br />
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If the problem is the after-taste try these tips<br />
<ul><li>use freshly opened raising agents, many people claim old baking powder has a stronger taste</li>
<li>look for a single action baking powder (that only uses baking soda and cream of tar tar with a little cornflour) or <a href="http://frugalliving.about.com/od/condimentsandspices/r/Baking_Powder.htm">make your own</a>, since some double action baking powders can have metallic salts in them which some people can taste even in small quantities. Also keep in mind that homemade baking powder works faster and at a lower temperature, so put your recipe together quickly</li>
<li>look for a double action baking powder that uses non-metallic ingredients in it, check the ingredients listing on the packet.</li>
<li>use less baking powder</li>
<li>if you used an acidic liquid (buttermilk etc) and <b>did not</b> use some baking soda with the normal baking powder then some of the acid in the liquid wouldn't have been neutralised so leaving some salts behind causing the salty aftertase, that is make sure you are using the correct combination of agents for the liquids that you use, see the link below for full details about this. </li>
<li>use only baking soda and an acidic liquid (buttermilk) like in the famous Irish Soda bread which very few people complain about having an aftertaste</li>
<li>use bakers' ammonium (available from <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/bakers-ammonia-ammonium-carbonate-27-oz">King Arthur's flour</a>) it was one of the most common chemical raising agents in the old days before modern baking powder, it smells like ammonia when baking but the ammonia smell totally dissipates and this chemical leaves nothing behind. I use it a lot in my baking it really gives baked goods that old-fashioned taste that people really can pick up on also it gives cookies extra crispness when baked. </li>
</ul><br />
See <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/tips/quick-bread-primer.html">here for a comprehensive posting</a> on baking powder/baking soda and how to use them in recipes. <br />
See <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/what-is-the-difference-between-baking-powder-and-baking-soda-in-pancakes.html">here </a>for the most interesting discussion on the use of baking soda and baking powder <br />
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If the problem is the mouthfeel try these tips<br />
<ul><li>try smaller sized scones and bake them quickly in a very hot oven and make the dough wetter since large sized scones using a drier dough baked in a moderate oven will give you a dryer crumb therefore a dry chalky mouthfeel</li>
<li>over-handled dough will lead to a dry mouth</li>
<li>eat them immediately fresh out of the oven, scones do really suffer (they become dry and tough) when stored for any length of time</li>
<li>try using more fat about 1/4 cup+ per cup of flour - more fat gives moister crumb. Also try using all shortening, since shortening contains no water or milk solids it gives a very tender crumb.</li>
<li>use this great recipe they are called <a href="http://www.food52.com/blog/2819_shirley_corrihers_touchofgrace_biscuits">"a touch of grace" biscuits</a> they are the most tender and moist biscuits (scones) that I have had. </li>
<li>some people claim that a very hot oven is best to start the baking process then lower the temperature to moderate to finish baking the scones</li>
</ul><br />
<b>The problem lopsided scones</b><br />
About lop-sided scones this is usually caused by uneven cutting out of the scone. Some hints<br />
1. Clean and flour the scone cutter (by rubbing off any wet dough and then dipping the cutter into fresh flour the entire height of the cutter) every time you stamp out each round. Remember not to twist when you are stamping out the scones. If you are using a knife remember to clean and flour it for each cut. <br />
2. Try to pat out or roll out the dough as evenly as possible.<br />
3. Did you sift the dry ingredients three times? (uneven distribution of ingredients can lead to uneven scones).<br />
4. Try to get the scone out of the cutter by applying gentle even pressure on the entire scone circumference that way you do not compress just one place so making that area less tender so raising less when cooked.<br />
5. Turn the cut scone upside down onto the baking dish, since this side will be flatter than the patted out top surface.<br />
6. Only glaze the tops of the scone, a small amount of liquid on the sides will inhibit raise in that area.<br />
7. Some people like to use a fork and prick some holes in the top of the unbaked scones supposedly this helps the scone raise evenly.<br />
8. Also some people like to use their thumb and press a small hollow into the top of the scone supposedly this helps the scone raise evenly.<br />
9. A good article about "making the perfect scone" see <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/apr/22/how-to-make-perfect-scones">here </a>it goes through a lot of the best scone recipes by master bakers.<br />
10. Try this <a href="http://baking911.com/quick-breads/biscuits/tender-and-flaky-sweet-biscuits">recipe </a>and its method from Bakers' 911 which seems to make straight-sided scones even from wavy-sided cutters <br />
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<b>How to test baking soda</b><br />
1. Place a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda into a tablespoon of vinegar it should bubble a lot. <br />
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<b>How to test your single action baking powder </b><br />
1. Place a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup, add 1/4 cup room temperature water it should bubble a lot. <br />
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<b>How to test your double action baking powder</b><br />
1. Place a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup, add 1/4 cup room temperature water it should bubble a lot.<br />
2. Wait 30 secs and then place your cup into the microwave heat for about 30 secs until about 180F it should bubble again.<br />
3. If it doesn't then discard and buy a new jar.<br />
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<b>How to test your self-raising flour</b> - add one tablespoon of S.R. flour into some hot water it should bubble a bit. Or try adding some vinegar and see if it bubbles. Usually SR flour is only good for about three months.<br />
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<b>The problem an unreliable oven</b><br />
1. Try and use heavy grade dark metal baking dishes which give the best heat distribution.<br />
2. If your oven heating cycle is unreliable (varies the temperature a lot) lower the temperature to hot 220C (430F), preheat the oven along with a heavy metal baking dish for a good 20 mins then bake the scones on the baking dish which acts as a heat sink helping to bake the scones more evenly. Try to bake smaller sized scones which helps with a constantly varying temperature.<br />
3. If your oven has hot spots which mine does just rotate the dish at about 3/4 of the total baking time.<br />
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<b>The problem my dairy-free margarine doesn't do a good job of cutting in</b><br />
1. Just melt the margarine and add it to the liquid and proceed as normal (this is the best you can do if the margarine is "bad for cutting-in or just bad for scones" in the first place).<br />
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<b>Mandatory Items:</b> You must make one batch of basic scones (i.e. basic biscuits using the North American name). The challenge recipe has been designed to be fast, very cheap and easy to follow so allowing for multiple attempts to be made until you can achieve your desired result. I encourage you to make a couple of batches to see how small changes in technique can obtain vastly different final baked products. I estimate all of my 16 experimental batches cost less than $4 and took about four hours, so please do take this opportunity to explore the possibilities of the different techniques and advice that have been presented here in this challenge. I have included a number of links to the most popular scone (biscuit) recipes (and variations) in a number of countries feel free to use these if you can make a good basic scone (biscuit) already. <br />
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<b>Variations allowed:</b> A number of variations (cheese and chives, herb, etc) on the basic challenge recipe are included use them if you wish. <br />
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<b>Preparation time:</b> Scones: Preparation time less than 10 minutes. Baking time about 10 minutes.<br />
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<b>Equipment required:</b><br />
Large mixing bowl<br />
Baking dish<br />
Measuring cups and spoons (optional)<br />
Flour Sifter (optional)<br />
Board (optional)<br />
Scone (biscuit) cutter (optional) or knife (optional)<br />
Dough scraper (optional)<br />
Spatula (optional)<br />
Weighing scale (optional)<br />
Cooling rack (optional)<br />
Pastry brush (optional)<br />
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<b><u>Basic Scones (a.k.a. Basic Biscuits)</u></b><br />
<b>Servings:</b> about eight 2-inch (5 cm) scones or five 3-inch (7½ cm) scones<br />
Recipe can be doubled<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 cup (240 ml) (140 gm/5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour<br />
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (10 gm) (⅓ oz) fresh baking powder<br />
¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1½ gm) salt<br />
2 tablespoons (30 gm/1 oz) frozen grated butter (or a combination of lard and butter)<br />
approximately ½ cup (120 ml) cold milk <br />
optional 1 tablespoon milk, for glazing the tops of the scones<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
1. Preheat oven to very hot 475°F/240°C/gas mark 9. <br />
2. Triple sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. (If your room temperature is very hot refrigerate the sifted ingredients until cold.) <br />
3. Rub the frozen grated butter (or combination of fats) into the dry ingredients until it resembles very coarse bread crumbs with some pea-sized pieces if you want flaky scones or until it resembles coarse beach sand if you want tender scones. <br />
4. Add nearly all of the liquid at once into the rubbed-in flour/fat mixture and mix until it just forms a sticky dough (add the remaining liquid if needed). The wetter the dough the lighter the scones (biscuits) will be!<br />
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, lightly flour the top of the dough. To achieve an even homogeneous crumb to your scones knead very gently about 4 or 5 times (do not press too firmly) the dough until it is smooth. To achieve a layered effect in your scones knead very gently once (do not press too firmly) then fold and turn the kneaded dough about 3 or 4 times until the dough has formed a smooth texture. (Use a floured plastic scraper to help you knead and/or fold and turn the dough if you wish.) <br />
6. Pat or roll out the dough into a 6 inch by 4 inch rectangle by about ¾ inch thick (15¼ cm by 10 cm by 2 cm thick). Using a well-floured 2-inch (5 cm) scone cutter (biscuit cutter), stamp out without twisting six 2-inch (5 cm) rounds, gently reform the scraps into another ¾ inch (2 cm) layer and cut two more scones (these two scones will not raise as well as the others since the extra handling will slightly toughen the dough). Or use a well-floured sharp knife to form squares or wedges as you desire.<br />
7. Place the rounds just touching on a baking dish if you wish to have soft-sided scones or place the rounds spaced widely apart on the baking dish if you wish to have crisp-sided scones. Glaze the tops with milk if you want a golden colour on your scones or lightly flour if you want a more traditional look to your scones.<br />
8. Bake in the preheated very hot oven for about 10 minutes (check at 8 minutes since home ovens at these high temperatures are very unreliable) until the scones are well risen and are lightly coloured on the tops. The scones are ready when the sides are set. <br />
9. Immediately place onto cooling rack to stop the cooking process, serve while still warm. <br />
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<b>Variations on the Basic recipe</b><br />
<i>Buttermilk</i> – follow the Basic recipe above but replace the milk with buttermilk, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, increase the fat to 4 tablespoons, in Step 3 aim of pea-sized pieces of fat coated in flour, in Step 5 fold and turn the dough, rounds are just touching in the baking dish, glaze with buttermilk.<br />
<i>Australian Scone Ring (Damper Ring)</i> – follow the Basic recipe above but decrease the fat to 1 tablespoon, in Step 3 aim of fine beach sand sized pieces of fat coated in flour, in Step 5 knead the dough, in Step 7 form seven rounds into a ring shape with the eighth round as the centre, glaze with milk.<br />
<i>Cream </i>– follow the Basic recipe above but replace the milk with cream, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, in Step 3 aim of beach sand sized pieces of fat coated in flour, in Step 5 knead the dough, rounds are just touching in the baking dish, glaze with cream. <br />
<i>Cheese and Chive</i> – follow the Basic recipe above but add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, after Step 2 add ½ teaspoon sifted mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon sifted cayenne pepper (optional), ½ cup (60 gm/2 oz) grated cheese and 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives into the sifted ingredients, in Step 3 aim of beach sand sized pieces of fat coated in flour, in Step 5 knead the dough, rounds are widely spaced in the baking dish, sprinkle the rounds with cracked pepper.<br />
<i>Fresh Herb</i> – follow the Basic recipe above but after Step 3 add 3 tablespoons finely chopped herbs (such as parsley, dill, chives etc). <br />
<i>Sweet Fruit</i> – follow the Basic recipe above but after Step 3 add ¼ cup (45 gm) dried fruit (e.g. sultanas, raisins, currents, cranberries, cherries etc) and 1 tablespoon (15 gm) sugar.<br />
<i>Wholemeal </i>– follow the Basic recipe above but replace half of the plain flour with wholemeal flour.<br />
<i>Wholemeal and date</i> – follow the Basic recipe above but replace half of the plain flour with wholemeal flour and after Step 3 add ¼ cup (45 gm) chopped dates and 1 tablespoon (15 gm) sugar. <br />
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<b>Pictorial guide to the challenge recipe </b><br />
I was at my brother's house and we had a hankering for a baked treat so I decided to make the challenge recipe also I needed some photos of the challenge recipe being made for this posting. My brother isn't a cook, all he had to hand as equipment was concerned was a mixing bowl,a thin walled 20 cm (8 inch) cake tin and a knife, he didn't even have a cup measure only mugs so I improvised.<br />
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As you can see in the collage below I roughly chopped some butter (I eye-balled about 2 tablespoons) and froze it. Then I throw the frozen cubed butter onto one mug of cold self-raising flour I couldn't sift the flour since my brother doesn't own a sifter. Then I proceeded to rub in the butter with my fingers until I got pea-sized fat pieces coated in flour.<br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Jan%202012%20DB%20scones/006.jpg" /></a><br />
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I added the liquid (½ mug of cold lite-milk) to the rubbed-in fat/flour mixture until I got a sticky dough I turned this out onto a floured board, I lightly floured the top of the sticky dough then I kneaded it once then I patted it out into a rectangular shape then I proceeded to fold and turn the dough. Notice that you fold 1/3 of the dough over itself then the other 1/3 over that and turn it 90° degrees. Notice the lines on the broad this will help you understand how to do the folding and the turning.<br />
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I did a couple more folds and turns and used a well-floured knife to cut out squares of prepared dough.<br />
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Here is a close-up of the finish patted-out dough notice how you can see the fat particles in the dough this is what causes flakiness in the final baked scone.<br />
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I used the inverted cake tin as my baking dish and baked the scones in a very hot oven for 10 minutes they worked out really well I thought. Notice the nice central lamination in the scone and the great crumb and how well they rose in height.<br />
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I placed two unbaked scones in the fridge to test whether resting them for 20 minutes helped improve the raise of the final baked product. As you can see the left scone and the middle scone are taller than the right scone which was baked immediately after it was cut out from the dough. So don't worry if you cannot bake the scones straight away they do better with a little resting time. <br />
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<b>Videos of my sister making scones</b> (baking powder biscuits) – using a very popular Australian recipe <br />
(http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/8163/basic+scones) <br />
Part 1 – my sister making the scones (baking powder biscuits)<br />
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF9YJiHZ1K0)<br />
Part 2 – my sister showing off her scones (baking powder biscuits)<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GorStLKSoMo)<br />
Pictures of my sister's scones <br />
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<b>Storage & Freezing Instructions/Tips:</b><br />
Scones are best eaten warm. Scones (biscuits) are really easy to store – bag the cooked and cooled scones and freeze until needed then reheat in a moderate hot for a few minutes. <br />
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<br />
<b>Additional Information: </b><br />
Australia’s most popular scone recipe uses lemon-flavoured soda pop and cream as the liquid <br />
(http://figjamandlimecordial.com/2010/08/08/lemonade-scones/) <br />
A great English scone recipe this uses more sugar and fat and has an egg<br />
(http://www.instructables.com/id/Perfect-English-Scones/) <br />
Classic Southern Buttermilk Biscuits recipe by Alton Brown<br />
(http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/southern-biscuits-recipe/index.html) <br />
An index of North American recipes<br />
(http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Bread/Biscuits-and-Scones/Biscuits/Top.aspx)<br />
Another index of North American recipes<br />
(http://www.breadexperience.com/biscuit-recipes.html) <br />
Three great Australian recipes <br />
(http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/homestyle/blogs/tried-and-tasted/how-to-bake-the-perfect-scone-20110504-1e7xn.html)<br />
An index of Irish recipes <br />
(http://www.littleshamrocks.com/Irish-Bread-Scone-Recipes.html)<br />
An interesting discussion on “what makes a scone a scone”<br />
(http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/810928) <br />
Videos of Alton Brown making biscuits (scones) with his granny (super cute to watch) <br />
Episode one ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3QuQSdjMVE) <br />
Episode two (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcz4JQUwY9Q)<br />
Links to advice about chemical raising agents<br />
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/what-is-the-difference-between-baking-powder-and-baking-soda-in-pancakes.html<br />
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/tips/quick-bread-primer.html <br />
<br />
<b>Disclaimer:</b><br />
The Daring Kitchen and its members in no way suggest we are medical professionals and therefore are NOT responsible for any error in reporting of “alternate baking/cooking”. If you have issues with digesting gluten, then it is YOUR responsibility to research the ingredient before using it. If you have allergies, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. If you are lactose intolerant, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. If you are vegetarian or vegan, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure any ingredient in a recipe will not adversely affect you. The responsibility is YOURS regardless of what health issue you’re dealing with. Please consult your physician with any questions before using an ingredient you are not familiar with. Thank you! :)[/quote]Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com80tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-78747133840552414222011-12-30T19:36:00.000+11:002011-12-30T19:36:47.357+11:00Dec 2011 Daring Bakers' Challenge - SourdoughSorry for posting late but I'm on holidays away from my normal computer setup and this is the first chance I've had to get onto my blog.<br />
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This month's Daring Bakers' challenge was sourdough, yes sourdough and yes we were asked to make a fresh starter for the challenge.<br />
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<strong>French Country Sourdough Picnic Loaf</strong><br />
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I have a decade old starter called Boris (100% hydration i.e. equal weights of water and plain bread flour) so I decided to use that to make the French Country Loaf recipe. I started the process at Day 4 in the instructions. Since I had Boris already made up I saved four days. I have started a new sourdough starter to use in a few days time. In Sydney Australia it is the start of <em>summer </em>so I made a stuffed picnic loaf with the baked bread one of my favourite summer picnic foods. <br />
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I used "OO" finely steel-milled bread flour and "OO" finely cold-steel-milled whole wheat flour with some stabilised wheat germ (since I couldn't find my stone ground flour). <br />
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Boris my (100% hydration) starter, before I fed it to make the Leaven Starter, notice how Boris is burping gas<br />
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Boris feeding on the extra flour and water, notice the condensation on the top of the plastic lid which indicates that the yeastie beasties and bacteria are very active making lots of gas and tasty flavour for the sourdough<br />
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Boris full of tiny active bubbles after feeding<br />
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Comparison of Boris (left) when he is made into the leaven for the sourdough (right) in the French country loaf. Notice how wet and soft the leaven is for this recipe!<br />
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The loaf proofing for the final raise in a greased pan (I didn't want flour on the outside of the picnic loaf) before it is tipped out and slashed. The unbaked loaf is very soft and needs a mould.<br />
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The baked loaf (the unbaked loaf is very wet and soft and forms a great shape when baked) the final loaf shape is formed by squeezing (the soft out-turned unbaked loaf) with your hands, then you quickly slash it and place immediately into a very hot oven and turn the temperature to hot for 10 mins and then to the recipe temperature for the rest of the time. <br />
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<em>Making the picnic loaf</em><br />
Hollow out the loaf, notice how moist the interior is and the 'greyish' colour which is a indication of the sourdough starter. The crumb (the texture of the interior) of the loaf is like dense sponge really good I thought, notice the dense spongy crumb in the hollowed out top of the loaf (bottom piece in the photo below). <br />
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Line the hollow with several layers of thin ham, and then fill with a combination of ricotta cheese, chopped charred-grilled red capsicums (fire-roasted red bell peppers), spinach, basil, finely chopped spicy smoked French sausage, grated sharp cheese and lots for black pepper. The filling ingredients can be varied to suit your own tastes a great version is the famous <a href="http://cookingfortwo.about.com/od/soupssaladssandwiches/r/muffaletta.htm">Muffuletta </a>sandwich (the filling is an <a href="http://cookingfortwo.about.com/od/ingredients/r/olivesaladmix.htm">olive paste</a> with various cheeses and sliced meats). <br />
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Wrap tightly with plastic film and place into the fridge with a light weight on top of the loaf for a few hours (up to two days)<br />
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The finished picnic loaf<br />
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Close-up of a slice of the picnic loaf yum yum<br />
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<strong>The verdict</strong> - this recipe produces a sourdough unlike anything I have done before the crumb of the loaf is very moist almost sponge-like which I really really liked and it is a perfect foil for the pressed filling ingredients since they almost have the same texture which is what you want in a picnic loaf. Also the picnic loaf slices cleanly and thinly. I bet for an extra special treat slices of this picnic loaf would fry up beautifully. I will be using this recipe from now on to make picnic loaves. <br />
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<em>What to do with the leftover starter</em><br />
You can make a lot of recipes with the leftover starter examples pancakes, cakes, scones etc. In this case I made <a href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2010/01/sourdough_crumpets_with_natural_starter.php">crumpets </a>with the leftover starter (<em>To make the batter</em> - to one cup of starter, sprinkle over the surface 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (or 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder), stir well, the mixture will double in volume. Dry fry 1/4 cup scoops of the batter in well greased 3" (7-1/2 cm) metal rings on a medium-low heated griddle (or fry pan) for 4-6 minutes on the bottom and optionally 30 seconds on the top if you like colour on both top and bottom of your crumpets.) These crumpets were so good I love how the holes form and the moist texture of the crumb so much better than the store bought version. You can freeze the leftover starter/leaven and the cooked crumpets. <br />
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<em>Comments and notes</em><br />
1. This recipe is unusual in that you knead the leaven into the dough.<br />
2. The leaven is very wet and soft more like soft putty so when you form the disk of dough and place the leaven onto it and knead it, the final dough-making is incredibly messy and the final dough is very very soft and spreads out very slowly (takes about 20 mins) if left on the counter. I had to add about 3 tablespoons of extra flour to make it a little stiffer.<br />
3. The final interior of the loaf is very moist, as compared to my normal sourdough. I really liked the final interior and the loaf. The crumb (the texture) of the interior was like soft dense sponge even slightly doughy which I really liked. The weight of the loaf feels very heavy for its size. <br />
4. What to make with the leftover starter make crumpets see links below for the recipe.<br />
<a href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2010/01/sourdough_crumpets_with_natural_starter.php">What to do with the discarded starter (use to make crumpets) </a><br />
<a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-crumpetsbrior-how-to-resurrect-a-neglected-starter/i-recipe">And what to do with a neglected starter</a><br />
5. A plain flour starter seems to work very well for this recipe.<br />
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<strong>French Country Sour Dough Open-faced sandwiches with home-made pesto, tomatoes and cured Italian ham</strong><br />
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I made the French country loaf its starter was very easy to make and look after until it was active it only took three days for the starter to become super active since I feed it twice a day and the starter was in a moist warm environment for the entire 'brewing' time. I made up the loaf has per the recipe I used very coarse stone ground whole meal bread flour and "OO" finely milled bread flour. The dough rose in about 2 hours (really quick for a sour dough) and to twice it original volume and when baked stayed exactly the same size. Since I used such coarse flour the final texture of the crumb was very grainy. My dough was so wet and soft it really needed a mould but that was no problem.<br />
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I wanted perfectly shaped sandwiches which means the crust has to be very smooth with crisp edges, so I went for a 'brick-shape' loaf that could be cut thinly and cleanly while having the strength so the bread slice wouldn't break or bend when the sandwich is being eaten. <br />
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The final texture of the loaf was like a Rye European sour dough bread, not dense at all in fact, the loaf could be cut very thinly and cleanly - perfect for open-faced sandwiches.<br />
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I had the most beautiful tomatoes and basil so I had to use them as the topping for my sandwiches.<br />
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This summer in Sydney Australia has been the coldest in the last fifty-one years, so I took special precautions in keeping the starter warm that is by enclosing the plastic container in several tea-towels on the counter on the spot that is above the hot water system. The temperature was gorgeously warmish at all times, so after three days the starter was full of energy and going for it. If you feed the starter once in the morning and in the evening it shortens the time for the starter to become active.<br />
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The starter covered in many tea towels over a warm spot on the counter, it is toasty in there:)<br />
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I wanted to make thin open-faced sandwiches so I coated my pan with oil-spray and then with wheat germ flakes which produces a thin smooth crust on the loaf<br />
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Notice the nice straight edges and smooth faces on the loaf, it looks like a brick! Perfect for open-faced sandwiches.<br />
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Close up of the crust of the loaf<br />
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Some more photos of the loaf and the thin slices that can be cut from it<br />
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I really like how thin you could slice the loaf<br />
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To make the open-faced sandwiches<br />
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Finished sandwiches with home made pesto, tomatoes and cured Italian ham and a piece of tangy goat's cheese<br />
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The verdict - a very tasty open-face sandwich bread wonderful with the tomatoes and pesto. And so filling only a couple of quarter slices where enough. Just like the old fashioned country breads I had in my childhood.<br />
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Some notes<br />
1. You can speed up the 'brewing' time of the starter by twice feeding it a day and making sure that the starter is in a moist warm place.<br />
2. My starter was super active it rose the dough in about two hours which is very quick.<br />
3. The final dough was too soft to be shaped into a free-form loaf it really needs a mould.<br />
4. The final crumb is very much like the classic black bread style of Northern Europe.<br />
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<strong>Cornmeal sourdough loaf</strong><br />
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I used the French Country starter to make a cornmeal soudough loaf that was more traditionally shaped. I replaced the whole meal flour with corn meal (polenta) I added some pure gluten flour to replace the missing gluten from the corn meal and raised the dough in a bowl lined with linen that was covered in flour and cornmeal.<br />
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This is the largest loaf of bread I have made it was 12 inches (30 cms) in diameter and weighed almost 2-1/2 kgs (5-1/2 lbs)! It took about an hour and a quarter to bake.<br />
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The dough is very wet and soft<br />
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The dough raising in the lined bowl<br />
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How to raise the dough during cold weather, place a plastic bag over the bowl and place that over a saucepan 3/4 filled with warm water also you can wrap the saucepan in tea towels this will keep your dough warm for many hours even overnight.<br />
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The final baked loaf<br />
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The underside of the baked loaf a wonderful yellow colour<br />
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I will use the loaf tomorrow after it has cooled down and the flavours have settled. <br />
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I love the look of this loaf so rustic with lots of character in the crust and the yellow colour is stunning. <br />
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Cornmeal Sourdough Loaf part II<br />
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I use my cornmeal sourdough loaf today I was extremely pleased with the look, taste and texture of the slices. I had some beautiful beet(root) and mint on hand so I made a spicy beetroot mint dip to serve with the cornmeal bread. <br />
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Lovely beet(root) and mint<br />
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The yellow cornmeal bread sliced into wedges so colourful and tasty<br />
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The beet(root) and mint dip served on the cornmeal sourdough slices<br />
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Another photo of the delicious bread<br />
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<strong>Gorgeous White Sourdough</strong><br />
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One thing about sourdoughs is that they can look so beautiful as compared to the store bought loaves. I made another loaf using the French Country starter but using all white flour for the loaf. I had to add about 1/4 cup of extra flour to the dough so that the shaped loaf would hold its shape and be slashed. I double egg-washed the loaf which really gave the baked loaf a lovely shiny gloss finish. I will use it tomorrow after the loaf has had time to settle and mellow. I cannot wait. <br />
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I used a five cup "flower-pot" shaped container which gives a nice visual proportion to the loaf <br />
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Some gorgeous photos of the final loaf<br />
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<strong>White Sourdough Loaf</strong><br />
I made tandoori roast chicken to serve with the white sourdough loaf I had made yesterday. The crumb of the sourdough was very smooth and its hue was a light sand colour which was unexpected since I used a very white flour for the dough. The thinly sliced chicken was lovely on the sourdough sandwich. The crumb of the loaf was very similar to white wonder bread a wonderful bread for sandwiches. <br />
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The white sourdough loaf being sliced<br />
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The tandoori roast chicken I adore the vibrant colour of the chicken<br />
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The final tandoori chicken sandwich<br />
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<strong>White sourdough loaf</strong><br />
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I repeated making a white flour sourdough but this time I added some more flour in the final stage so that the loaf would spread out so much and would hold it shape when slashed. I needed about 1 cup of extra flour to achieve the correct consistency. I was very pleased with the final result. The loaf expanded about three times it was incredible to watch it grow and bake in the oven. <br />
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<em>More things to make with the leftover starter part II</em><br />
<strong>Wholesome banana and date sourdough bread</strong><br />
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I had a cup of very sour active starter left so I thought I would make my favourite banana/date bread with it, I make this recipe about once a fortnight during the summer. The recipe is easy - <br />
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<strong>Wholesome banana and date sourdough bread</strong><br />
1 cup starter (the starter doesn't need to be active) <br />
2 cups wholemeal flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil (or melted butter)<br />
3 tablespoons dried milk powder (or buttermilk powder)<br />
3 tablespoons wheat-germ<br />
1 large egg, lightly beaten<br />
3 large ripe bananas, mashed<br />
1 cup of dates finely chopped, soaked in orange juice until soft <br />
(Optional 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts)<br />
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Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, milk powder and salt, form a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour into the well the sourdough starter, oil, wheat-germ, egg, brown sugar, banana and dates (and the nuts if using). Whisk the ingredients together until a normal "cake" batter consistency is formed you can add more water if you need to loosen the batter. Bake in a moderate oven 160C/320F/gas mark 3 for 1-1/2 hours until a skewer comes out clean, check at 1 hour and then every 10 mins until done. Best if left for one day before slicing, but can be sliced when completely cooled. The bread will last for 2 weeks (at least! I have always eaten it before this) in the fridge covered in foil and plastic wrap and it gets better and better with time, fabulous toasted and served with butter. The slices are super moist and not too sweet. The sourdough and bananas really makes for a moist bread. <br />
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<strong>White sourdough loaf</strong><br />
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I decided to make a treat for this delicious bread that is <strong>meatloaf </strong>which I really really like a lot in Australia it isn't that common basically nobody I know makes meatloaf but every time I make it the meatloaf gets rave reviews. <br />
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For a super special treat I baked the meatloaf on two slices of the white bread these slices therefore get toasted and are dripping with gorgeous flavour I'm sure that they aren't not that healthy but once in while it is such a flavoursome treat. <br />
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The meatloaf notice the two slices of white sourdough bread that acts as a soak of all the juices<br />
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The delicious slices of bread that have been baked and basted throughout the cooking of the meatloaf<br />
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The cut meatloaf. My meatloaf contains grilled red capsicums (the red pieces), shredded seaweed (the black pieces) and lots of herbs and a mixture of pork and veal with some BBQ duck and the glaze is a mixture of tomato pesto, black sugar and balsamic vinegar. <br />
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Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-36561828553674323542011-12-14T15:37:00.002+11:002011-12-15T19:43:28.373+11:00December 2011 Daring Cooks' Challenge - Steamed Buns<span style="font-size: small;"><b>December 2011 Daring Cooks' Challenge - Yum Char Steam buns and baked buns </b></span><br />
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This month's challenge was a beauty - steam buns and baked - something that I love having at yum char (dim sum) so I was looking forward to the results. And WOW what stunning results I have to say the steamed and baked bun dough are perfection itself. The steamed/baked bun dough is extra soft, moist and so delicate I LOVED them. And the marinade for the pork is so delicious. Our hostess Sara has done a marvellous job on this challenge. <i>Thank you</i> so much Sara for all the work you did on this challenge. <b><i><br />
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<b><i>Recipe Source:</i></b> I looked at quite a few blogs and various websites as well as referring to various cook books. Through trial and error my recipes are a slight variation. My recipe for marinade using maltose was based on <a href="http://www.blueapocalypse.com/2011/04/char-sui-chinese-bbq-pork.html">Blue Apocalypse's recipe</a>. My char sui bao filling variations was based on quite a few various sites I visited, one of those was <a href="http://www.chinatownconnection.com/char-sui-bao-recipe.htm">Chinatown Connection</a> which I used the dough recipe for the steamed buns.<br />
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<b><i>Blog-checking lines:</i></b> Our Daring Cooks’ December 2011 hostess is Sara from Belly Rumbles! Sara chose awesome Char Sui Bao as our challenge, where we made the buns, Char Sui, and filling from scratch – delicious!<br />
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Click <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/u11/32_Cha_Sui___Cha_Sui_Bao_-_DC_Dec_2011.pdf">here </a>for a PDF of the recipes.<br />
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<b>Savoury chicken tofu bao steam buns</b><br />
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This is one of the easiest and most delicious challenges so far for me, I never would of tried this so another fabulous recipe to add to my regular rotation. Thank you so much Sara for the recipes.<br />
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Well what can I say except …. perfection … The steam bun recipe is perfect every stage of the process was effortless. The dough was a dream to work with, the kneaded dough (about 8 minutes) expanded three times in an hour, it looked so smooth and shiny and it felt so soft, slightly tacky and elastic. The dough rolled out without flour using a rolling pin. I used 1½ tablespoons of filling for each 55 gram (2 ounce) dough round that was about 7 cm (2-3/4 inch) diameter and about 5 mm (1/5 inch) thick. Sealing of the filled dough ball was easy just press the two edges together and gather the edges and twist together to seal the bun. The balls expand dramatically in the streamer so leave a lot of space between the uncooked buns. And the taste was spot-on a delicious contrast of the salty, spicy, sweet, sour, bitter and savoury filling with the super soft and moist bun. These steamed buns were even better (better shaped with a much better tasting filling also the bun bread was much softer with a lovely moistness) than the ones in my favourite yum cha (dim sum) restaurant, these home-made buns cost about 15 cents each to make as compared to $1.50 in the restaurant. The buns were super soft and the filling was spicy and moist, and the ratio of dough to filling was exactly right. Everything was perfect I really love this recipe. I even loved the shape of the steamed buns so round and smooth. <br />
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I located some bun flour in the Asian shop but I decided I didn't want to use chlorinated (bleached) flour so I used a finely milled "OO" Italian bread flour that was naturally very white. In Australia it is almost impossible to find bleached flour except in Asian shops. <br />
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Since my oven is still out I had to the do the steamed bun recipe (which is what I wanted anyway), for the filling I used chopped chicken leg meat (leftovers from the night before) and home-made overnight marinated (hoisin, rice wine and chilli mushroom soya sauce) savoury tofu as the protein source then I added shallots, fresh chillies, chilli powder, Kepas Manis- (Sweet soya Sauce), home made tomato sauce, rice wine, soya sauce, fish sauce, hoisin, sugar, fresh lime juice, smoked paprika, lots of Szechuan pepper, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and some shredded lime leaves super yum yum. I thickened the filling with corn flour until it was almost a paste. I really liked how the filling gleamed with vibrant colours and on tasting the filling it was packed with a punchy flavour profile real yummy.<br />
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I made a half batch (10 buns) perfect for 4 people, total cost about $1.50.<br />
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The finished bun had the perfect ratio of dough to filling, also I got an even layer of bread covering the filling (I was very pleased about the look of the interior) also notice the perfect bread texture of the bun layer so soft and moist<br />
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The 55 gram (2 ounce) dough balls waiting to be rolled out and filled<br />
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Savoury chicken tofu filling gleaming with unctuous deliciousness<br />
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The 1½ tablespoon of filling in the centre of the round waiting to be formed into a bun<br />
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The un-steamed buns<br />
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The finished steam buns notice how much they expand in the streamer and the fabulous shape they have<br />
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Close-up of the steamed bun<br />
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Hints and tips<br />
1. Knead the dough until its pliable about 8-10 minutes and let the dough raise until it has doubled (or more) in volume. <br />
2. The buns expand a lot when steamed so leave a lot of room I did a batch of three and they expanded even more than the ones in the photo! since they had room to really grow. Remember to use parchment paper for the bases of the buns this makes removing the buns very easy.<br />
3. I used plain "OO" flour (11.5% protein) which is a finely milled flour which produces very soft textured pastries and breads. <br />
4. I left out the sugar in the dough since the filling had the correct balance of hot/spicy/sweet/sour and umami (savoury).<br />
5. The filling should be at room temperature (or fridge temperature) since a hot filling will cook the dough.<br />
6. Seal the edges well or the filling will leak out while steaming.<br />
7. Make the filling very flavoursome so a little goes a long way.<br />
8. One thing I did notice was that after about 8 minutes the buns had expanded to maximum size with a beautiful smooth surface but after 12 minutes of steaming the buns had got a little smaller with a slightly roughen surface. So next time I will steam them for about 9 minutes.<br />
9. Follow the rolling out instructions as provided they really do work. That is leave the centre of the dough round a little thicker than the edges so when the roll expands the top will not tear open. <br />
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<b>Cantonese Hot Dog Buns</b><br />
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At last my oven is working again!<br />
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I thought I would do baked hot dog buns, I charred-grilled good quality organic hot dogs using the challenge recipe for the marinade. When making the buns I added extra caramelised onions, tomato sauce and mustard along with the central hot dog. The baked bun recipe provides enough dough for six buns. I really love how the hot dog and its relishes are all contained in the bun. The sweetness of the buns contrasts well with the salty/savoury filling. These are really delicious, an interesting version of the traditional open hot dog bun. My tasters were delighted with this concept. And they taste great cold also, I think I will add these to my picnic food rotation from now on.<br />
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I have posted this photo to <a href="http://www.wildyeastblog.com/category/yeastspotting/">yeastspotting .</a><br />
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<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Bao%20steam%20buns/12.jpg" /></a>Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-40586155347852027522011-10-27T22:28:00.000+11:002011-10-27T22:28:38.526+11:00Oct 2011 Daring Bakers Challenge - Povitica<strong>A tale of two povitica loaves</strong><br />
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This month's challenge was to make povitica (a type of nut roll.<br />
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<b>Blog-checking lines</b>: The Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!<br />
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This is my first time ever making this sort of recipe so I had absolutely no idea what to expect from the recipe. Well after doing some interesting internet research and ringing a pastry chef mate of mine whose mum is from Croatia and another friend's mum who is from Poland. I have some (little) understanding of the process and what to expect. <br />
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When comparing my notes with the information from my friends and their mums I found that povitica (or nut rolls) seems to be made by two slightly different methods that lead to two very dissimilar results; it seems that the “Northern European“ version (my name) is dense and moist like a firm bread-and-butter pudding, while the “Southern European” version is a well risen roll slightly less dense than the Northern version. <br />
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One major difference between the two versions is an hour of rising time before the final baking. Our challenge recipe only has ¼ hour of rising time before the final baking like a lot of Northern recipes while a typical Southern recipe has an hour of rising time before the final bake. <br />
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During my internet research I found that there are other differences; the Northern version uses a soft dough that is rolled out fairly thickly while the filling has a firmish consistency, while the Southern version uses a firmer dough that is rolled out very thinly while its filling has a consistency of thick honey. Since I was making two loaves (½ batch) anyway I thought I would do one loaf using the challenge instructions (which are very Northern) and do the other loaf using the Southern method. For both versions you make the dough layer as thin as possible. <br />
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A (Northern) povitica is meant to be dense and moist, it is important not to let the shaped roll rise too much before baking (in our challenge recipe you only let it rest for 15 minutes) in the other version you let the unbaked roll rise until doubled in volume then bake it. <br />
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I found that if you refrigerate the loaf until cold, it will slice thinly and cleanly, remember to serve it at room temperature. Also let the povitica rest for a few hours (a day is better) before cutting it this will help it set better so it can be sliced cleanly. <br />
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The biggest tip - If you find the dough is too springy let it rest. <br />
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Uhmmm, I don't know why but every stage of this recipe was an uphill battle.I used “00” soft flour (finely milled white flour 8% protein) for the recipe since I had it to hand and I thought it would make the stretching of the dough easier since “lower gluten” means “easier handling”. <br />
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For the nut filling I used about 300 grams (10½ ounces) walnuts and 250 grams (9 ounces) of mixed nuts, also I added 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder I wanted a chocolate hit from the Povitica. I used ¾ cup of white sugar and ¼ cup of dark brown sugar in the filling. And I used an unsalted “European” styled butter 87% fat since it had to used. <br />
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Dough – Firstly the size of the dough is amazing when you stretch it out, you will need to do it on a large table with a floured tablecloth. I found that the dough was very very hard to stretch it wanted to go back to its original shape that is every time I rolled it or stretched it out it would spring right back. From experience I know what to do in this situation I let the partially stretched out dough rest for about 15 minutes covered in plastic so the gluten strands in the dough would relax so making stretching a lot easier so after resting the dough I then proceeded to make a very thin layer of it … that is … after a lot of time doing guarded stretching and gentle man-handling … finally … I could see magazine print through the dough but this process took about 45 minutes. I think the problem was that I added too much flour while forming the dough, next time I will just have the dough a little tacky which will make it easier to stretch out. Also I will add ½ teaspoon lemon juice (for a ¼ batch) next time since the acidity helps to tenderise the dough so making it easier to stretch out. The second dough was a lot easier to roll out since by this time it had a lot more resting than the first dough it only took 15 minutes to roll out to phyllo (filo) sheet thinness. Looking back I should of added about 3 tablespoons of milk to get the correct consistency. <br />
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Filling - Firstly the filling seems like a huge amount but you need it all for the ½ batch its volume is almost 1 litres almost 4 cups. I found that the filling was much too stiff to spread out (I was using very dry nuts that could of been the problem?) on the thin dough layer without tearing it I had to add 4 tablespoons of warm milk and micro-wave to get it to the right consistency (like very thick honey). It is best to place tablespoon dollops of the filling evenly over the dough then spread these dollops evenly across the thin dough. After 20 minutes! of careful and methodical spreading the nut filling it was done. Of course the second version was a breeze to spread again I think resting time really helps the nut filling with spreading it over the thin dough sheet.I trimmed the edges and placed it into the baking pan such that the roll was coiled on itself I egg washed just after forming the unbaked loaf and once again just before baking. <br />
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I had given away for the long weekend my baking pans to a friend so I used my high loaf tin.I let one loaf rest for 15 mins then I baked it and the other loaf I let rise until doubled in volume then I bake it both were baked the same way (same temperatures and times). I'm sure that there is nothing wrong with the recipe I think I didn't let the dough rest enough for the first version and I added too much flour at the start.I have to say after all the troubles they both looked good, the loaf using the challenge instructions expanded about x2, the other version expanded about x2½ both had great colour and the crust dough layer for both was very thin so thin you could see the nut filling through it. And the colour was great so brown and shiny. Since the final baked loaf rises so much take this into account when you are shaping the loaf into the baking pan. I had a little trouble getting it out of the pan, so I recommend using parchment paper or butter and flour your baking pan well. <br />
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The dough starting to be mixed notice the foamy yeast mixture<br />
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How to tell if your dough is kneaded enough if you poke an indentation into the dough it should spring back I realise now that I should of added more liquid it should be tacky <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Nov%202011%20DB%20challenge%20potivica/02.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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The huge amount of nut filling I used my food processor to make it this is the first time I used the machine since I bought it two years LOL LOL ago in this instance I thought it was worth the effort to clean the machine after the task <br />
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Stretching the dough to size … a pain to do in every sense of the word<br />
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The baked Northern povitica <br />
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The southern povitica<br />
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If you want to do the recipe over two days I would do the nut filling and the challenge recipe up to step 7. that is make the dough and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator. Then the next day return the dough to room temperature (a couple of hours) and make the povitica as per the recipe. This sort of recipe freezes very well, freeze the baked loaf and thaw in the fridge overnight loosely covered in paper towels then cover in plastic wrap this stop the povitica from becoming soggy from condensation. <br />
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The verdict – the challenge (Northern) povitica is a really delicious nut roll with a very dramatic interior appearance, the texture of it is very similar to bread-and-butter pudding, very moist and 'firm-ish” to the tooth. While the “Southern” had great height it was a lot lighter in texture than the challenge recipe version still good. But I liked the challenge version much more the interior looked better and tasted better also. Overall I was very pleased though it was a frustrating process for the first version, though the second version was a breeze. <br />
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Comparison of the two loaves – on the left is the challenge version (which I call Northern) and on the right is the Southern version. As you can see very different looking results. <br />
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<b>Tips and hints</b> (some of these are from the other bakers' experiences with this recipe I will add extra tips and hints during the month when others have posted their results)<br />
1. It is very important to get the correct consistency for the dough and the nut filling if you do the process is a breeze. Remember when it comes to making bread -- <strong>recipes are guidelines</strong>, since flour absorbs moisture from the air so it is not unusual to add extra liquid or flour to get the correct consistency for the dough (in our case it should be slightly sticky) and depending on how old the nuts are and how the nuts are ground (this is highly variable for each baker) determines how the nuts absorb the liquid so again look at the consistency and adjust the liquid for the nut filling you want it to be like thick honey. <em>I think this is the real lesson of this challenge, don't be afraid to adjust the liquid amounts to suit what you find in front of you in the mixing bowl! </em><br />
2. Use plain (all purpose) flour. Use the flour sparingly when you mix the initial dough, it should be sticky don't be afraid to add liquid to get the correct consistency if you used too much flour. When you start mixing the dough it looks like that there isn't enough flour avoid adding any extra at this stage. It is best to mix the dough up (reserving some of the flour) and really give it a good working over it will be sticky (slap it down on the counter a few times and use a scraper to scoop it off the counter and knead it hard) it will be become less sticky while you knead it, that way you will use the least amount of flour. <br />
3. Let the dough rise then punch it down and let it rest until it's pliable, if it is too springy let it rest longer.<br />
4. Always check if your nuts are fresh and are not bitter tasting, ground nuts in a packet easily can be a year old. Fresh nuts give the best result leading to a lovely moist filling. Grind or process the nuts very finely if the nut pieces are too large they will break and tear the dough layer when you roll it up. <br />
5. The consistency of the nut filling is like thick honey don't be afraid to add some liquid to get the correct consistency, micro-waving really helps make it spreadable. <br />
6. The amount of time you let the roll rise just before baking leads to different results for the final baked povitica.<br />
7. Roll up the povitica fairly tightly (using the floured sheet as your guide) so the final baked loaf will not fall apart and the layers will have a good pattern with no voids between the layers.<br />
8. To check if the loaf is ready lightly knock the top of the roll it should sound hollow, or insert a skewer (or small thin knife) into the loaf for a slow count of three it should come out dryish and feel warmish if the skewer is wet or feels cool bake for a longer time don't over-bake since the filling will dry out making the final loaf dry so making the layers fall apart when the roll is cut into slices. <br />
9. Leave the roll in the tin until it has cooled this helps firm it up so the roll will not collapse when you take it out of the pan recall the loaf weighs over 1 kg (2 lbs).<br />
10. Let the roll rest for a few hours (better for a day) until completely cooled and set before cutting, if you refrigerate the loaf it will cut thinly and cleanly without crumbs, remember to serve the slices at room temperature. Makes great toast or even better French toast yum yum.<br />
11. The loaf gets better and better the longer it matures in the refrigerator. <br />
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A few more tips and hints from <strong><a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/users/wolf">Wolf </a></strong>who has made povitica every Christmas for many years, I put these here so they can be found easily by the forum members<br />
A. Don't spread the filling right to the edges of the dough. You want to stay within at least 1/2 inch of the sides. This way, you can seal the filling inside and won't have leakage.<br />
B. I use a stoneware bread pan to bake mine in. The one in the <a href="http://wolfsilveroak.insanejournal.com/637515.html">photo </a>had the ends tucked underneath to the center, so it presented a smooth top. It was also rolled to the center from BOTH ends. That's how I got 4 distinct swirls. (See her exquisite povitica <a href="http://wolfsilveroak.insanejournal.com/637515.html">here</a>)<br />
C. Definitely cool the loaf in whatever you bake it in, until you can handle it with your bare hands, before turning it out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. It slices cleaner when completely cooled or refrigerated.<br />
D. Roll the dough tighter than you think you need to. Yes, some filling will squeeze out the ends, but you'll get a neater swirl in the center, less voids and gaps and it'll stay together better, as well as make it a nicer sliced bread for toasting or even french toast- which is awesome with this type of bread.<br />
E. It will freeze well, especially if well wrapped- I've done one upwards of a month before. It does ship very well- I ship one loaf to my parents every Christmas and one to my In Laws, my <a href="http://wolfsilveroak.insanejournal.com/637515.html">recipe </a>makes 3 full sized loaves and will last upwards of a week on the counter at room temp. - if it lasts that long in your house }:P<br />
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Wolf graciously included instructions to obtain her exquisite swirl patterned povitica for the method.<br />
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I have drawn some diagrams of the method<br />
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The stretched out dough layer covered with filling<br />
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Then roll each long edge to the center thus forming two swirls<br />
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Then take each end and fold them towards the middle of the roll (the brown line is where the ends finish up when folded) thus forming a double height roll <br />
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Then turn the loaf over and place into the pan so the seam ends are at the bottom of the pan which means the top is smooth and has no cut seams or edges <br />
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<b>Txfarmer</b> a very experienced and superb baker posted some great tips also<br />
1) At first glance, since we need to stretch the dough to very thin, it seems to make sense not to knead the dough too much. Kneading == strong gluten == too elastic == hard to roll out/stretch. However, what we really need is a dough that can be stretched out WITHOUT BREAKING, that actually requires the dough to have strong gluten. I make breads a lot, from my past experience, I think the solution here is to have a wet (as wet as one can handle) dough that's kneaded fairly thoroughly. Wet doughs are more extensible, despite being kneaded very well. I kept the dough so wet that it was sticking to the mixer bowl at the end of kneading, however, a large transparent strong "windowpane" can be stretched out, which is the indication of strong gluten.<br />
2) With the right dough, stretching out was easy, < 10mins of work. The dough was tough enough not to break, yet wet enough to be stretched out. I made quarter-size (i.e. one loaf), but the dough was stretched out to cover almost all of my coffee table. The tip of using a sheet underneath was very good. I used a plastic table cloth (lightly floured). In fact the dough was stretched so large that the filling was barely enough to cover it.
3) I proofed the dough longer than the formula suggests to get more volume, and the loaf less dense. I understand the authentic version is quite dense, but my family tends to like lighter fluffier loaves when it comes to sweet breads.
4) Since the dough was kneaded well, the final loaf had very good volume. Rose well above the rim in my 8.5X4.5inch pan.
<strong>Poviticas for morning tea</strong><br />
I needed to make a treat for nibbles at a morning tea. So I decided to make two poviticas – one povitica filled with tea infused figs and almonds and the other filled with coffee infused dates, cocoa and hazelnuts. I wanted a strong contrast in the flavours between the two loaves. The tea/fig/almond filling was a lovely 'camel' colour its flavour was like caramelised fig on the palate each element was present I really liked how the tea melded with the fig and the almond this povitica was additively GOOD with tea. The other loaf had a very strong coffee/date base flavour while the cocoa and hazelnut added a lovely lingering after taste the winner for me. I was very very pleased with the filling flavours and how they tasted with tea or coffee. (Apart from the coffee infused date povitica looking like a baked chicken LOL LOL.) Those loaves were moist, very dense and incredible rich, perfect (when thinly sliced) with a cuppa. Feeds a lot of people! There were like very moist, ultra dense fruit cakes I thought hence the reason for very thin slices to be served with your choice of tea or coffee. Not recommended for children too much caffeine! <br />
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For this attempt I was careful about adding the flour and made sure that the finished dough was a little sticky, this time I found it a lot easier to stretch though the consistency wasn't exactly right I felt and I need to better understand how do to the spreading out of the filling and I haven't still mastered how the amount of filling as compared to the amount of stretched out dough needs to be in ratio, and also how to form a good pattern of swirls needs some thought so a lot of little things to practice for me over the next few weeks. <br />
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I will give this recipe another go since I want to perfect the process (making pretty interior patterns and getting the texture right) since these loaves would be a great Christmas present. <br />
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Tea infused figs with almonds<br />
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Coffee infused dates with hazelnuts (the finished loaf looks a little like a roasted chicken LOL) <br />
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Tea infused figs with almonds<br />
375 grams (13 ounces) finely chopped dried figs<br />
¾ cup of very very strong tea (I used 4 teabags of Earl Grey tea) <br />
¾ cup of vanilla sugar<br />
1 cup (120 grams) (4¼ ounces) ground almonds<br />
2 large egg<br />
½ cup clotting cream (66% butter fat) <br />
Method – combine all the ingredients (except eggs and cream) in a small saucepan bring to boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Beat eggs and pour slowly into mixture, stirring constantly and simmer gently 5 minutes more. This mixture scorches easily, so heat must not be too high. Cool mixture add clotting cream. Place filling into a container and let rest overnight before using.<br />
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Coffee infused dates with hazelnuts <br />
375 grams (13 ounces) of finely chopped dried dates<br />
¼ cup (55 gm) (2 oz) unsalted butter, fried until nut brown <br />
¾ cup of very very strong coffee (I used 1½ tablespoons of instant coffee) <br />
½ cup of dark brown sugar <br />
¼ cup of cocoa powder <br />
1 cup (120 grams) (4¼ ounces) ground hazelnuts <br />
2 large egg<br />
¼ cup clotting cream (66% butter fat) <br />
Method – combine all the ingredients (expect eggs and cream) in a small saucepan bring to boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Beat eggs and pour slowly into mixture, stirring constantly and simmer gently 5 minutes more. This mixture scorches easily, so heat must not be too high. Cool mixture add clotting cream. Place filling into a container and let rest overnight before using.Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479492707300544119.post-64944334592868362152011-09-27T00:49:00.006+10:002011-10-16T20:50:26.688+11:00Sep 2011 DB challenge - Croissants<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/14.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/21.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/30.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img width="480" height="360" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/33.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/32.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/50.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />I have placed the first croissants into <a href="http://www.wildyeastblog.com/category/yeastspotting/">yeastspotting</a> http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Blog-checking lines:</span> The Daring Bakers go retro this month! Thanks to one of our very talented non-blogging members, Sarah, the Daring Bakers were challenged to make Croissants using a recipe from the Queen of French Cooking, none other than Julia Child!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Recipe Source:</span> Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume Two. Julia Child and Simone Beck.<br /><br />See <a href="http://thedaringkitchen.com/sites/default/files/u11/59_Croissants_-_DB_September_2011.pdf">here</a> for a PDF of the recipe (it has 57 steps LOL LOL) <br /><br />Wow this month's challenge was so interesting making croissants, croissant pastry is intriguing it is a mixture of "puff pastry" and "yeast bread dough", technically croissant pastry is a laminated dough, that is you basically make a yeast bread dough and then you make a butter puff pastry with it, using four turns and folds. Very interesting.<br /><br />We were very lucky to have a wonderful member <span style="font-weight:bold;">txfarmer </span>she had experimented with croissant over a two month period and her postings in the "The Fresh Loaf" web site were invaluable well worth a look see these links <a href="http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/22677/poolish-croissant-pursuit-perfection">link one</a>, <a href="http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/23342/croissant-sourdough-starter-txfarmer-vs-tx-summer">link two</a> and <a href="http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/24534/node/22677/poolish-croissant-pursuit-perfection">link three</a>. <br /><br /><strong>1457 layered sourdough croissants</strong><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/14.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/13.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/10.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Croissants making is all about technique and practice practice and more practice. <br /><br />I have made croissants a large number of times so I thought I would push myself on this challenge. I wanted to try some new techniques and methods. So I did sourdough croissants using a HUGE amount of butter using six turns in as little time as possible.<br /><br />Luckily Sydney Australia is having perfect weather for making laminated dough cold cold and more cold. So I could do two turns (almost three!) every 45 mins (chilling the dough in the freezer between turns). The final proof took a long time. <br /><br />I had some very active sourdough dough on the rise ready to be shaped when the challenge was announced so I used that to make my croissant dough (sorry I didn't use the challenge recipe for this attempt). I used 500 grams of AP (plain) flour (Australian plain flour is about 10% protein) in the final pastry dough and a 500 gram butter-block (since I had to use up the butter today). Using a high ratio of flour to butter makes it much easier to make the laminations in the pastry. Since I have made laminated doughs before and I was using sourdough (which gives good structural strength to the crumb with plenty of tenderness) I did six 'letter' folds (which produces 728 layers of butter and 729 layers of dough or 1457 different layers in total!) and double egg-washed the croissants. Using sourdough makes for a very tender dough (much softer than normal bread dough). I had to chill the dough after each two turns for 45 mins. <br /><br />The croissants increase in volume about 3½ times. They smell fabulous when baking. <br /><br />A very long process, but well worth it.<br /><br />I was very pleased with these 'quick' croissants since the sourdough really helped tenderise the dough and the many turns seemed to work out fine and the HUGE amount of butter stayed in the rolls when baked so overall a very good result. <br /><br />My list of characteristics of a good croissant<br />1. good layering of the butter and dough <br />2. the exterior crust is deeply coloured all over, the crust should be shiny thin and crisp with a slight crackle (the crust should almost shatter) when bitten into <br />3. the interior colour is even (slightly yellow or creamy white it depends on the colour of your butter) with an open crumb (lots of holes), the interior dough should be moist and soft with a 'pull' when your tear it apart, and the <br />4. butter flavour should be strong but not overpowering.<br /><br />A Sunday article in “le Figaro magazine” referred to the nine pillars of pleasure (volupté) for appreciating a croissant. The author of the article asked two well-known Parisian pâtissiers, Pierre Hermé and Laurent Duchêne to “analyze what makes the heart of the croissant beat”<br /><br />The nine pillars of volupté (pleasure) from "le Figaro magazine" are:<br />1. The layers (le feuilletage) – look for the layers, lots of space, not flat and smooth; crusty exterior, soft inside<br />2. The soft interior (la mie) – is light and agreeably honeycombed. When you eat it, it should have crumbs. When you tear off the cornered end, the soft interior should resist a bit. It should not be doughy.<br />3. What you hear (à l’oreille) – Ideally you should hear the crunch of the crust. It should crackle the whole while you are biting into it. As Pierre Hermé says: “you should hear the croissant suffer!” («On doit entendre la souffrance du croissant!»)<br />4. What you taste (en bouche) – You should taste the amount of butter rather than the sugar. However, the subtle taste of salt is the crowning point of a good croissant.<br />5. What makes a bad croissant (et un mauvais croissant?) – Look to see if the bottom of the croissant is whitish; it was not cooked long enough or was poorly baked. Is the croissant flat in appearance and doesn’t seem to breathe or is it oozing butter?<br />6. The smell (l’odeur) – This can be a giveaway, if the croissant smells of yeast or the metal baking sheet. It should give off an agreeable smell of creamy butter.<br />7. Shelf life (sa durée de vie) – The croissant has a very short shelf life: five or six hours; outside of this, it becomes stale. Don’t eat the croissant too hot, it loses its taste, its heart, it fades.<br />8. The ingredients (les ingredients) – The choice of butter is first and foremost. Pierre Hermé uses Viron flour, fleur de sel de Guérande, butter from the Viette (Charente) region, course sugar and of course water. But, mineral water.<br />9. The season (la saison) – Does the croissant have a season? From the end of October to the beginning of November (this is for the Northern Hemisphere) is not a good time to buy a croissant. At this point the wheat harvests are blended (the old with the newly harvested). The dough is more difficult to control.<br /><br />When ordering, ask for the croissant made with butter (croissant au buerre). And although winter might be the croissants’ most popular season, they are available all year round.<br /><br />The sourdough croissant dough has increased three times in volume, it is full of flavour and bubbles<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/02.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />The sour dough punched down<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/01.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />The butter block - I shape the butter block as perfectly as possible<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/03.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Locking-in the butter into the dough<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/04.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/05.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Use rubber bands on your rolling pin to get thin even layers in your laminated doughs<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/07.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />After the first turn and fold (notice after the 1st turn & fold the dough is the same size as the butter block)<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/06.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Trimming the final croissant dough after six turns and fold - keeping the dough neat and even is essential<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/07a.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Unbaked croissants<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/08.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Baked croissants<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/12.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/10.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Close up of the laminations in the overlapping sections <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/11.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Tips and hints<br />1. One “letter” (also called a 'simple') fold (i.e folding the dough like a letter taking the top 2/3 of the way down and then taking the bottom 2/3 of the way up to form a rectangle), produces 2 layers of fat encased by 3 layers of dough, so two letter folds produces 6 layers of fat and 7 layers of dough, three letter folds produces 26 layers of fat and 27 layers of dough, four letter folds (typical of croissants) produces 80 layers of fat and 81 layers of dough (this type of pastry dough can increase in volume about three times when baked), five letter folds produces 242 layers of fat and 243 layers of dough and six letter folds (typical of puff pastry which can expand eight times in volume when baked) produces 728 layers of butter and 729 layers of dough that is 1457 different layers in total! (this type of pastry dough can increase in volume about eight times when baked) <br />2. About the type of flour (low or high gluten) to use – I have checked a lot of websites and my extensive collection of cookery books and there seems to be two camps; the high gluten camp that uses bread flour (high gluten 13%+ protein), and the low(er) gluten camp that uses some (or all!) cake flour (low gluten about 8% protein). Oddly French recipes seem to about 3/4 bread and 1/4 cake on which flour to use. High gluten strengthens the structure of the bread but also toughens the crumb and can be hard to roll out, while low gluten gives a tender crumb but with compromised strength. In the end it is a juggling act between tenderness versus strength. Low gluten flour gives a light open textured crumb but there is a tendency for the croissant structure to collapse, while high gluten flour gives a tighter crumb more like normal bread but the croissant structure is much firmer. My 10% protein sour dough produced a light open crumb with good volume increase I think this was due to the chemical/baking effects of the sour dough and not so much about the amount of protein in the flour. I think a lot of the bread flour recipes are really for machines and not the home baker. <br />3. Sour dough takes a very long time to proof as compared to normal bread. <br />4. Here are the major pitfalls for this recipe; warm butter, warm dough, the butter and dough aren't the same consistency which encourages the butter to run out or crack in the laminated layers, untrimmed laminations, uneven final sheeting (the layers of alternating dough and butter should be even).<br />5. Make paper cut-outs (templates) of the rolled-out dough shapes, the butter-block and the croissants the templates really makes rolling out the dough so much faster and easier. <br />6. I like to add ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon (or lime) juice per three of cups flour, the acid helps to tenderise the dough's gluten, also the juice intensifies the taste of the butter I feel. Be careful too much lemon juice will result in a dough that is too soft therefore hindering oven spring (the amount the dough springs up in the first few minutes of baking). <br />7. Use a “French” rolling pin if possible (French rolling pins have no handles and are the same width over the length of the pin they look like a large dowel length) or a very long traditionally shaped rolling pin. <br />8. Try to use the best quality butter you can afford for your croissants. “European” butter styles have a lower water content (<10%) than normal supermarket brands (about 16%) also top quality brands of butter are more pliable (than low cost butters) when cold. That is low-water/ high-fat content butters make for the highest quality croissants. In France you can buy 'dry' butter (i.e. extra low water content and extra high fat content butter) especially made to be used in croissant making. I used a Belgian butter called Lurpak $16/kg. I was surprised how easy the dough was to layer with the butter block. After each turn and fold I let the dough rest in the refrigerator for about 1½ hours. I have found Aldi's unsalted butter about $6/kg works fine. You can buy <a href="http://www.canarybutter.co.nz/butter_sheets.html">butter sheets</a> (butter spread out in thin sheets wrapped in plastic) these make the layering of the dough and butter a lot easier, but they are hard to find try good foodie shops and suppliers to major hotels and restaurants. <br />9. Most recipes use 45% butter to flour weight I find for the home cook using a lot more butter makes the rolling and turning much easier, increase the butter to about 55-65% flour weight. I did 100% butter to flour weight since I needed to use the butter up and I wanted to experiment what would happen. No leakage at all since I proved the rolls for a long time! <br />10. To use unsalted or salted butter? I like using unsalted butters since they have a higher fat content than salted butter and I feel that unsalted butter tastes better. But I think it is a matter of personal preference. <br />11. The butter block has to be made cold and kept cold. You want pliability, NOT softness.<br />12. The optimal temperature for the butter is 60°F (15½°C) at this temperature it will be pliable and not break into pieces when rolled out. <br />13. Make sure that the butter block and the dough have the same consistency especially for the first 2 turns, leave the cold dough out on the counter until the butter is the same consistency as the dough. A dough that is softer than the butter will be forced to the sides by the firmer butter; a dough that is too firm will force the butter out the sides.<br />14. After four turns the dough is beautiful and silky.<br />15. Remember to let the dough warm up a little (a few minutes) if it has been in the fridge for a long time (over 2 hours) recall you want the butter and the dough to be the same consistency when you roll out the laminated dough.<br />16. Laminating takes a little practice. Mainly, using the rolling pin as evenly as possible for the turns, keeping the dough rectangle so that the laminations are tight and even, and finally trimming the ends.<br />17. When rolling out the dough. Always roll in a square or rectangular shape regardless of the final shape. Roll in one direction. Begin with your pin on the edge closest to you and roll toward the far end; do not roll sideways. Do not press down when rolling or the layers may stick together and the recipe will not rise properly. Decrease the pressure as you roll toward the edges to avoid flattening them and compressing the layers. Evenness of rolling is essential so there is even rising. The upper part tends to lengthen faster than the bottom, so turn the dough over occasionally to keep the seams and edges even. Make sure you place the dough so when you resume rolling you do so over the previous rolls and in the same direction. Be neat. Don’t roll it side-ways. Always roll it length-wise. Use as little flour as possible when rolling out the dough so that the dough doesn’t get too tough. Roll it thinly and evenly so that the layers are even when baked. The straighter your rolled dough, the more uniform your puff pastry.<br />18. Make sure the corners are at a 90-degree angle. This is so the layers are lined up properly for the greatest puff during baking. <br />19. Rolling to 1/8-inch thick is good for most pastries. For tartlets, roll to 1/16-inch thick, and for larger pastries, such as the Gateau St.-Honore, 3/16-inch thick.<br />20. Unless you are a professional puff pastry maker and have a home sheeter (a machine that rolls out pastry sheets – a dream of mine) then limit the number of turns for croissants to a maximum of four. For the normal home baker (three or) four turns will produce the maximum lift, further turns will result in smaller and denser croissants. I did six turns since I was using sourdough and I have been making laminated doughs for a long time and can make a good dough with even thin layers that are aligned very closely to 90° to the dough edges. Usually I do four turns but since this is a challenge I thought I would do six to experiment. <br />21. If some butter escapes you can add a very thin layer of flour to the butter and proceed as normal. <br />22. You can place thick rubber bands on the edges of the rolling pin the bands make rolling out even thickness dough's much easier. Or you can use flat thin bars of metal laid out on the table as your rolling guide for your rolling pin. <br />23. Trim the parts that do not expose laminations (like the long edges of the dough.) You do not want 'dead' areas in the laminated dough these dead areas will not rise and bake correctly, so be neat and keep straight edges on your dough when rolling it out. DO NOT put the trimmings in the dough <br />24. Always brush off the excess flour after turning and folding, this unincorporated flour can cause toughness in your final baked croissants. <br />25. Get the dough out and back into the fridge as soon as possible between lamination steps.<br />26. Proving the shaped croissants takes much longer than normal bread...2 to 2.5 hours (even longer if using sour dough) until they are fully puffed-up and jiggle when they are done. It is this final proofing that produces large light puffy croissants and stop the butter from running out of the rolls. <br />27. The melting point of butter is very low (90°F/32°C) and it has a spreading consistency at room temperature. So if the ambient room temperature is well above 77°F/25°C proof your unbaked croissants in the fridge (this will take about 8-10 hours).<br />28. Egg washing immediately after forming the croissants keeps them moist! Egg wash again just before baking. This double egg washing produces a lovely deep shine on your croissants. <br />29. Remember to egg wash the tops of the laminated dough (not the edges that have the laminations) in the shaped croissant, since the egg wash will stop the croissant laminations from rising correctly.<br />30. Remember the croissants will increase in volume about three times so arrange the unbaked rolls on your baking sheet with plenty of space between them. <br />31. Rotate your baking sheets half way through the bake. <br />32. Add a little steam (an ice cube or two in a shallow pan in the oven with the croissants is fine) when starting to bake the croissants this moisture produces thin crisp crusts.<br />33. The oven temperature is very hot (475°F/240°C/gas mark 9) for this recipe I baked mine for 15 mins and the colour on the croissants was perfect. Remember to preheat the oven for about 20 mins at the correct baking temperature, this long preheating ensures marvellous oven spring and a deep colour on the croissants.<br />34. The colour of the croissant should be brown all over even where the pastry overlaps.<br />35. If after 15 mins in the very hot oven you need more colour reduce the temperature to moderately hot (400°F/200°C/gas mark 6) and bake until you get the colour you want. <br />36. To see some WONDERFUL croissants (with loads of tips and hints) see these links from Txfarmer's postings in <em>The Fresh Loaf</em> website. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/24534/double-chocolate-croissant-sourdough-starter-can-bread-be-mysteries-and-sexy http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/22677/poolish-croissant-pursuit-perfection http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/23342/croissant-sourdough-starter-txfarmer-vs-tx-summer <br /><br /><strong>Butter Croissants</strong><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/24.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />I did another batch using the new updated challenge recipe, I used plain (AP) flour (10% protein), I double egg-washed the rolls and I made sure that I proofed them until soft and wobbly (about 4 hours since it was cold here). The interior crumb was a marvellous honeycomb.<br /><br />A nice honeycomb pattern<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/21.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />A crisp shiny crust yum yum<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/27.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Comparison of the crumb from my first batch (sourdough croissants) and this batch, the final proofing is very important to get a light airy interior in your croissants. <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/26.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>Pain Au Chocolat Noir</strong><br />The shiny lacquered crusts of the pain au chocolat noir <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img width="480" height="360" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/33.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />I made up some dark chocolate dough (by replacing 4 tablespoons of flour with dark Dutch processed cocoa powder in the challenge recipe) to make pain au chocolat noir, I used dark chocolate chips in the rolls to give an extra chocolate hit. This shape for the rolls minimizes waste and also you can place some extra chocolate along the entire width of the pastry. These where a smash hit with my guests also I really like these a lot not too sweet with a great mouth feel, the best ones so far (it is hard to beat chocolate).<br /><br />The layered chocolate and butter layers in the croissant dough, this is after three turns and folds<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/30.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Loads of pain au chocolat noir<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/34.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Interior shot of the chocolate crumb and dark chocolate filling<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/32.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />A small stack of pain au chocolat noir<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/31.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <br /><br /><strong>Cherry Ripe Croissant Bread Pudding</strong><br />I love how it looks like a lava explosion rippling with chocolate yum yum! <br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/42.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />I love the flavour of cherry ripe (that is a combination of cherry, coconut and chocolate) so I thought I would make a bread pudding from the 'leftover' chocolate croissants I had from yesterday. (To be honest they weren't leftover I stashed them away (LOL LOL) so I could make a bread pudding from them today.) This dessert is rich, decadent with a lusciousness that boarders on the sublime, and it looks so tempting and inviting. The topping is oozing with dark chocolate goodness while the interior is soft melt-in-your-mouth coconut egg yolk custard which is full of hidden ruby red treasures of cherries. Too good to share really this amount feeds 12 people with ice cream.<br /><br />Bread pudding is basically ripped stale buttered and jammed bread that is baked in an egg/milk/cream custard usually along with soaked dried fruit like raisins etc.<br /><br />So for this decadent croissant bread pudding I used this recipe<br /><br />The unbaked cherry ripe croissant bread pudding (this had soaked overnight)<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/43.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />The baked croissant pudding<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/41.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <br /><br />Cherry Ripe Croissant Bread Pudding<br />For each two medium-sized chocolate croissants ripped into 1 inch (2½ cm) inches pieces use; one cup of custard liquid (¼ cup coconut cream, ½ cup cream and ¼ cup milk) whisked with 2 egg yolks, and the filling ingredients of ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup dried cherries soaked overnight in rum or cherry brandy or orange juice, ¼ cup dark chocolate chips. Line a baking dish with the ripped croissant pieces, add the custard liquid and the other ingredients stir gently. Cover with plastic and place a light weight on top and let soak for at least one hour (or overnight is better). Preheat an oven to moderate 180°C/350°F/gas 4, remove the plastic from the pudding add some more chocolate chips (do not add soaked fruit they will burn) and place the baking dish into a larger baking pan place enough boiling water to reach about half way up the pudding dish and bake for an hour. The centre should be slightly wobbly. Let cool to warm (about 45 minutes) and serve with vanilla ice cream. Marvellous warm but better at room temperature the next day. <br /><br />So oozy with deliciousness<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/40.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <br /><br />What to do with the left over trimmings of the croissant dough?<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/52.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />After so many batches of croissants I have lots of trimmings, (a lot of long trimmings and short trimmings) so I thought I would share what I make these them. Scrolls are always good to make with the long lengths of trimmings, Danish pastries and pain au chocolat are great when you have a lot of shot trimmings just roll out and fill as normal. <br /><br />Scrolls made with the long lengths of trimmings - on the left the filling is soaked raisins and the other is filled with stewed apple pieces<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/51.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/50.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Danish pastry<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/53.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Crumb of the pain au chocolat roll<br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww24/Audax_Artifex/Sep%202011%20DB%20croissants/54.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Audaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14576459734840482775noreply@blogger.com77