Archive for Breads

Challah returns

January 10, 2010 · Filed under Breads · Tagged ,

For my baking and pastry final a month ago, I had to make challah.  I didn’t do too well on it, either.  The proof box wasn’t proofing because all of the other students were constantly opening the door, so all of our breads were flat. 

But I am who I am, and that means that I can’t stand to not master something before moving on with my life.  I vowed (ok, that’s a little dramatic) to conquer the challah. 

While still not 100% perfect, at least it proofed and didn’t break this time.  Besides, I got to eat it while it was still warm, which makes up for just about everything. 

Where to start with this…challah isn’t complicated until you get to the part where you have to shape it.  That’s where things can go south.  To help you, I’ve included a how-to.

The recipe is here, and it’s good up until you get to the part where you need to shape the dough.  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/My-Challah-235867

Shape the dough into a ball:

Pinch off 9 equal portions (for a high braid and a 4-braid) of the dough.  On a clean working surface, roughly shape each into a ball.  Next, push the ball away from you with the side of your right hand.  Push back in the other direction with the side of your left hand, tucking in the part that drags.  If you don’t get enough friction on your countertop, sprinkle a little water on it. 

I can’t get my video to upload here, but if you go to this link, you can hear my instructions and see how I did it.

http://foodblogvideos.shutterfly.com/28 

Keep your dough covered as you work.  Once you have all of the balls formed, let them rest for about 15 minutes before you roll them out into logs.  It’s fairly simple to do, just make sure that you’re applying even pressure, letting up as you move towards the ends, because you want your logs to be even. 

Give them each one roll until they’re about the same size as the space between your outstretched thumb and your pinky.  Let them rest for a few minutes (5-10), then give them another roll so that they’re a little longer than the length of your forearm. 

At this point, you can shape the dough however you please, but I’ve included directions for two different types of braids here. 

High Braid

You will need 5 strings.  Pinch the ends together at the top and place 3 on the left and 2 on the right.

Place your right hand on the left side outermost string.  Cross your left hand over your right arm (so that your arms form an “X”) and grab the right side outermost string.

Pick up both strings and lift them so that you start uncrossing your arms.  Hold the string in your right hand up. 

Cross the string in your left hand over the base of the right string and place it down on the inside of the V. 

Move your left hand over one and grab the outermost string again.  Lift so that it’s up beside the lifted right-hand string.

Bring your right hand down to the left side of the V and lay the string down on the innermost part. 

 

Move your right hand over to the outermost string on the left side. 

Pick it up and lift it so that both of your hands are holding strings at the base of the challah.

Bring your left hand down and lay the string on the right inside of the V.

Repeat the procedure, always picking up from the outside and laying strings down on the inside.  When it’s finished, the braid should look like this.

Pinch the ends together and tuck under the braid.

4 Braid

You will need 4 strings.  Pinch the ends together at the base.  Lay 2 strings on each side, forming a V.

Place your left hand on the outermost right string.  Cross your right arm over your left and grab the outermost left string.

Lift both hands at once and lay the strings down on the inside of the V.

Continue procedure until you run out of string.  Pinch the ends together and tuck them under the braid.

The one in the background is the 4-braid and the one in the foreground is the high braid.

Eggwash each completed braid, loosely cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place it in a cool oven with the oven light on to proof for 2 hours or until tripled in size.  They’re finished when you press on the dough and it remains indented.

Eggwash again and bake at 325F for 25-35 minutes, rotating halfway, or until well-browned.  Let cool on a wire rack.

These are best the day that they’re made.  If you want to save it for later, freeze them.

Comments (6) »

Jalapenos are not my friends

December 12, 2009 · Filed under Breads, Entrees, Sides, Vegetarian

Between culinary school and my growing interest in organics and sustainability, my husband and I have been eating better.  We were never the type to consider KFC a well-rounded meal, but we were definitely guilty of resorting to pepperoni pizza here and there.  I now know that they’re pepperonis of death thanks to the nitrites and I should never eat one again.  Thank you for sucking all the joy out my life, culinary school!

I kid.  I kid. 

Well, I’m serious about the being aware of what we’re actually putting into our bodies part.  It’s important and it’s something that most people don’t do. 

Along those lines, we’ve both been keeping a food diary to see what we consume and how much.  I’m doing it because it’s part of my nutrition exam.  My husband is doing it because I was concerned that he wasn’t getting enough calories for the amount of work that he does.   It’s a tough balance because he needs so much, whereas I don’t really. 

My nutrition professor charted out my husband’s caloric intake versus his exercise level and deduced that he needed to consume more good fats and more fruits and vegetables.  He eats them, just not in enough quantity to support his level of activity.  Like most Americans, though, what he eats plenty of is protein.  In general, most Americans have no problems with protein because we eat so much meat, maybe even too much.  For us, we decided to eat meatless during the week in order to get more of the fruits and vegetables that he was lacking. 

I have to say that I haven’t really missed the meat.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy ribs and bacon as much as the next person (and duck…and fried chicken…and filet mignon…), but I feel better eating foods that are less processed and I feel like I’m doing right by my body.  So, in the weeks to come, you’ll likely be seeing several meatless options, like the spicy black bean soup below. 

I have to say that I loved this recipe.  It’s been so cold here and I’m a sucker for anything Tex-Mex-ish.  However, one word of caution.  Do not stand over the pot when you saute the jalapenos.  I was so careful not to touch my face after cutting them, but I didn’t even think of inhaling it.  My entire nasal passages burned for hours and it got so bad, that my nose is still bleeding a little bit.  My upper lip was pretty bad, too.  I had to swab a sugar and milk mixture all over my face and shove a paper towel dipped in it up my nose.  Really, not the best look for me. 

But, hey, the food was good.

Jalapeno Corn Muffins (adapted from Marth Stewart Living, March 2004)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for tin, melted

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

Unsalted butter, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with melted butter, and set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and sour cream in a medium bowl until combined, and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and jalapenos in a large bowl until combined.

With a rubber spatula, fold buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture until well combined. Fold in melted butter.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let muffins cool in tin 5 minutes.

Turn out into a basket or bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel; cover to keep warm. Serve with butter.

Spicy Black Bean Soup (Gourmet, December 2008)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 fresh jalapeño (2 inches), seeded and minced

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 (19-ounces) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups water

1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

Directions

Heat oil in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onion, garlic, and jalapeño with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until onion is beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beans, water, and bay leaf and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until soup has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

Transfer about 2 cups soup to a blender and purée (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Discard bay leaf. Season with salt.

My photos of the soup were crap, so I’ll make it again soon so that I can get a decent picture.

Comments (2) »

My first attempt at bread

October 5, 2009 · Filed under Breads · Tagged , ,

I don’t bake much, but I do eat a lot of baked goods.  Ok, not really a lot, per se, but I enjoy them. 

I don’t think that I have ever met a bread that I didn’t like.  My mom could probably verify that.  When they’re hot and fresh from the oven and the butter melts the second that you put it on the roll…mmm. 

Since this blog is all about challenging myself, and since my first class in winter term will be Introduction to Baking, I felt like doing a roll was fitting.  I found this recipe in Gourmet. 

These are definitely savory and would pair really well with leek and potato soup.  Great for fall.  Milo liked them, too.

Parmesan Pull-Aparts (Gourmet, February 2009)

  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-ounce package)
  • 1 teaspoon mild honey or sugar
  • 2/3 cup warm milk (105–115°F), divided
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoon for sprinkling
  • 1 1/4 cups grated (with a rasp) Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/3 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs (2 for the dough, 1 for egg wash)
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces and softened
  • 1 tablespoon water

 

  • Equipment: a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment

Directions

Stir together yeast, honey, and 1/3 cup warm milk in mixer bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, start over with new yeast.) Whisk together flour (2 1/2 cups), cheese, and salt, then mix into yeast mixture along with remaining 1/3 cup warm milk at low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat in 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until a very soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is elastic, about 2 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.)

Scrape dough into center of bowl and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoon flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch down dough (do not knead) and turn out onto a floured surface. Cut dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball by cupping your hand and pushing dough against work surface as you roll in a circular motion. Arrange rolls 1 inch apart in a buttered 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and cover with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled and dough fills pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Whisk together remaining egg with water and brush on tops of rolls. (You will have leftover egg wash.) Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Loosen edges of rolls from pan with a sharp knife and invert rolls onto a rack, then reinvert and cool at least 20 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen rolls. 

Active time:  35 minutes 

Total time:  4 hours 45 minutes (includes rising)

Cooks’ note: Rolls are best the day they’re made but can be frozen (cool completely, then wrap well) 1 month. Thaw, then reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until warmed through, 5 to 10 minutes.

100_0909

Comments (1) »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.