Pain de Cristal

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Without doubt my favorite bread, but it is a pain to make (heh, heh.) This bread takes about 7 hours, start to finish, with hands on about every 20 minutes for the first 5 hours, but it’s so worth every minute.

Pain de Cristal is “Glass Bread” developed in the Catalan region of Spain. It has a crispy thin crust that fractures like glass. The interior has large air pockets and an amazingly light, soft, chewy crumb, perfect to dipping in oil and vinegar. This is another addition to our QC Cadre Gathering, and may be my best bake of this bread ever!

It’s a 100% hydration bread, meaning equal parts water and flour. Initially, it looks like pancake batter, but after a few folds and coils begins to exhibit some structure. It is alway fragile so a tender touch is required to may this tender bread.

Pre-bake with large bubbles
Post-baked
Final, with oil and vinegar or butter.

Pain de Cristal


INGREDIENTS
• 500g water (80 F in warm weather, 100F if cold)
• 500g Bread Flour
• 3 g (1 tsp) instant yeast
• 10g salt
• 15g olive oil (for the casserole pan)

METHOD
This is KAB’s method

  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the water, flour, yeast, and salt until thoroughly combined and homogenous. Note: The dough starts off very slack and wet and resembles pancake batter. It will transform itself through time and folds.
  3. Oil a two-quart rectangular baking dish, or casserole pan, (10” x 7”) with the olive oil. The sides should be greater than 1.5” high.
  4. Pour the dough into the pan. Check the dough’s temperature by inserting a digital thermometer into the center. If it’s less than 72°F, move the pan to a warmer spot, e.g., your oven with the light turned on. The dough MUST ferment at a constant 72-78 F.
  5. Cover the pan and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. (Elapsed time: 30 minutes)
  6. Start with a bowl fold: Use your wet hands to grab a section of dough from one side, lift it up, then press it down into the middle. Repeat 8 to 12 times going around the periphery of the baking dish 2 or 3 times.
  7. Cover the dish and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. (Elapsed time: 70 minutes)
  8. Next do a coil fold: With wet hands, reach under the dough and stretch the middle upward until the dough releases from the dish. Roll it forward off your hands, allowing it to fold over (or “coil”) on itself. Rotate the dish 90 degrees (a quarter turn) and repeat. Continue performing this folding action until the dough will stretch and elongate easily, usually four to five times initially.
  9. Cover the pan and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. (Elapsed time: 90 minutes)
  10. Repeat the coil fold: Note: Do coil folds three more times, covering each time, to build strength and developing the dough. (60 more minutes.) (Elapsed time: 150 minutes)
  11. At this point, the dough should be easier to handle and feel tighter. Repeat the coil fold using only two or three folds this time. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. (Elapsed time: 170 minutes)
  12. Repeat the coil fold one last time, (5th coil fold) using only one or two folds if the dough is relatively strong and large bubbles should have formed. Transfer the dough to a larger, oil coated dish, cover the dish and allow the dough to rest for about 80 minutes. It should about triple in size. (After this rest 4 hours 10 minutes should have elapsed.)
  13. Divide the dough: Coat the top of the dough with flour. Use a bowl scraper to gently release the dough from the sides of the pan.
  14. As gently as possible, turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface, keeping the rectangle or square shape – be careful not to deflate the delicate dough. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on top of the dough, leaving no exposed sticky spots.
    a. For four small loaves: Working as gently as possible, use a bench knife or other sharp knife to divide it into four pieces. Gently place two pieces on a piece of parchment, leaving space between them.
    b. For two long loaves: lay two pieces of parchment paper, overlapping 2”. Carefully divide the dough in half lengthwise. Using a bench knife carefully slide some flour under each loaf and shape into regular rectangles. As gently as possible slide the loaves onto separate pieces of parchment paper. (Elapsed time: 5 hours)
    c. Allow the loaves to rest at room temperature for 1 hour, uncovered until large bubbles appear on the sides and surface. While the loaves are resting, preheat the oven to 475°F with a baking stone on a lower rack. The loaves are ready for the oven when there are a few large bubbles on the surface of each loaf, and they feel light and airy. (Elapsed time: 6 hours)
  15. To bake the bread: Carefully slide the two loaves (still resting on the parchment) into the oven onto the preheated stone or steel. If space is tight and the full sheet of parchment won’t fit on the stone or steel, cut the parchment between the two loaves and arrange them as best you can. Allow the other two loaves to continue to rest.
    a. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes, then transfer them, from the stone or steel, directly onto a rack in the upper third of the oven for an additional 13 to 15 minutes. Moving them allows the baking stone or steel to become hot again in preparation for the next two loaves. After a total of 30 minutes of baking, remove the loaves from the oven and allow them to cool on a rack. (Elapsed time: 6 ½ hours)
  16. Repeat the process with the two remaining loaves or loaf. Cool the bread fully before slicing.
  17. Storage information: Wrap the bread loosely and store it at room temperature for up to several days; freeze for longer storage.

Classic Bruschetta

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It’s nearly time for another QC Cadre gathering. We welcomed new neighbors last month and will introduce them to the Cadre in a couple of weeks. The menu is under development and practice bakes are underway.

Yesterday I made baguettes in anticipation of today’s bruschetta. I made baguettes several times in the past, but none recently. (They came out great this time too.)

This morning I made the marinated tomato topping (along with an artisan bread for sandwiches etc.) It was delicious. Next time I will chop the browned garlic. I changed the recipe to reflect this alteration.

Classic Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE TOMATOES
• 2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 c. (2 Tbl) thinly sliced basil
• 1 Tbl balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

FOR THE BREAD
• ½ large baguette, sliced ¼” thick on the bias
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
• 1 clove garlic, halved

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, heat oil. Add garlic and cook until lightly golden, 2 to 4 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool, then chopped.
  3. In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, basil, vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add garlic and oil and toss to combine. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, toast bread: Brush bread on both sides lightly with oil and place on large baking sheet. Toast bread until golden, 10 to 15 minutes, turning halfway through. Let bread cool for 5 minutes, then rub tops of bread with halved garlic cloves.
  5. Spoon tomatoes on top of bread just before serving.

Daniels recipe: fresh basil and tomatoes, olive oil, salt, good quality balsamic, toasted baguette with olive oil, topped with fresh Parmesan

Look Ma! (I wish) I Did It Myself!

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QC and I rarely have desserts out, but last week it was included in our meal, so what’s a person to do? We had “pizookies” at BJ’s and I instantly thought: “You know, this could be even better if….”

I made my chocolate and raspberry brownie tart free standing, not in a tin. I also add raspberry Jammie bits to the batter, raspberry coulis and whole raspberries because, as you might guess, I like raspberries.

The amount of raspberry stood up to the otherwise overwhelming dominant chocolate. I also made the hot fudge, caramel sauce and coulis.

Tart Ring and Foil
Foil Wrapped Ring
Baked Brownie Base
Ganache Covered Brownie
Raspberry Coulis on Ganache Coated Brownie
Chocolate and Raspberry Brownie Tart with Raspberry Coulis, Hot Fudge and Caramel Sauce Drizzles.

Chocolate And Raspberry Brownie Tart

INGREDIENTS
BROWNIES
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup + 2 Tbl dark cocoa
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 2 Tbl sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup + 2 Tbl AP flour
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup jammy bits
• 1 ½ Tbl honey or seedless raspberry jam
• ½ Tbl water
CHOCOLATE GANACHE GLAZE
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 20 g (½ Tbl) light corn syrup
• 200 g (1⅓ c) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease eight 4” tart rings and cover the bottom and outside with aluminum foil. (Spray the sides of the tart ring and foil on the bottom cooking spray.)
  2. Crack the 2 eggs into a bowl, and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Add the sugar and melted butter, stirring until smooth.
  4. Add the flour, chips, and Jammy Bits, again stirring well. The batter will be very thick.
  5. Spoon 90 g of batter to half fill each tart ring and smooth with a small offset spatula
  6. Bake the brownies for 12-16 minutes, checking the temperature after 8 minutes. The brownies are done when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (200 degrees,) or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look moist, but not uncooked. Do not over bake! Remove them from the oven.
  7. Heat the honey or seedless raspberry jam with 1 Tbl of water and stir until smooth. Brush over the warm brownies. Set aside to cool for an hour or longer before topping with the ganache.
  8. Loosen the brownies from the rings by running a knife around the brownie. Carefully peel the aluminum foil from the brownie and release the brownie from the ring.
  9. To make the ganache, heat the cream and corn syrup until they begin to steam (60 sec in 1000W microwave.) Pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes, add any flavorings, and whisk until smooth. Let cool for 15 minutes or so.
  10. Spread ganache over the brownies while it’s still warm but has begun to thicken — reheat if it thickens too much as you work. Allow several hours for the ganache to set up fully. You may refrigerate the brownies to hasten the setting of the ganache.
  11. Spread a tablespoon of raspberry sauce on the ganache, top with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle sauce(s) of your choice, i.e. hot fudge, raspberry, caramel or marshmallow. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Hot Fudge

INGREDIENTS

  • ⅔ c heavy cream
  • 144 g (½ c) light corn syrup
  • 70 g (⅓ c) light brown sugar – not packed
  • ¼ c unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 170 g dark or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbl unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    METHOD
  1. Bring cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, optional salt, and half the
    chopped chocolate to a boil in a 1½-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat,
    stirring, until chocolate is melted. Reduce heat and cook at a low boil for 5 minutes,
    stirring frequently.
  2. Turn off the heat and add butter, vanilla, remaining chocolate, and stir until smooth.
  3. Cool slightly before serving.
  4. Cooled sauce can be stored in a jar with a lid or in airtight container in the
    refrigerator for many weeks. Reheat sauce before using by placing the desired
    portion in a microwave-safe bowl and heating for about 10 to 15 seconds, or reheat
    on the stovetop

Caramel Sauce
INGREDIENTS
• 112 g (½ c) RT butter
• 106 g (½ c) light brown sugar
• dash salt
• 144g (½ c) light corn syrup
• 7 oz (½ can) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
METHOD

  1. Melt the butter in 1½ quart or larger saucepan.
  2. Add the brown sugar and salt and combine. Stir in the corn syrup, mix well.
  3. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly. It can take 10-15 minutes to add the milk. Go very slowly!
  4. Cook and stir over medium heat to 220°F for sauce viscosity.
  5. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
  6. Store in sealable container when cool

Seedless Raspberry Coulis

INGREDIENTS
• 480 g fresh washed and dried raspberries
• 200 g (1 c) caster sugar
• 60 g (1/4 c) cold water
• 2 Tbl lemon juice

METHOD

  1. Add all ingredients to a 1 ½ quart saucepan
  2. Cook while stirring and mashing over medium heat until it thickens (~220 F)
  3. Strain the coulis through a fine mesh sieve.
  4. Pour into an airtight container and cool before sealing

White Sandwich Bread

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It’s been a while since I made any basic, traditional sandwich bread, but that ended this afternoon.

At 3:30 we decided to have BLT’s for dinner, except we didn’t have any bread. In her infinite wisdom QC said, “It’s only 3:30. Can’t you make bread before dinner?” Usually I start baking around 6am, but in a crisis I can be flexible.

We bought some “B” at the market this noon, and had one “T” left over from our favorite roast beef wraps. (Flour tortillas, mayo, lettuce, tomato, roast beef and in QC’s case, cheese and in mine pickled jalapeños.) My garden lettuce is starting to bolt and grew very tall over the last week, so it needs to be eaten right away, hence the “L” in our sandwich. (I gave “stalks” of lettuce to the QC Cadre.) The head lettuce has another week or two.

I used to make this bread as my standard, until I found the artisan breads that have nicer crust and crumb.

Bread – White Gold Medal Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 Loaves
Bread flour • 6 to 7 cups
Sugar • 3 Tbl
Salt • 1 Tbl
Shortening • 2 Tbl
Yeast • 4 ½ Tsp
Warm water • 2 ¼ cups (120° to 130°F)

METHOD

  1. In large bowl, stir ½ of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
  2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 30 to 40 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
  3. Grease bottoms and sides of 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
  4. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18×9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface.
  5. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf.
  6. Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 20 to 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
  7. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
  8. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped and internal temperature is 195 deg. (Tent the bread with aluminum foil if the brown too soon.) Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.

Puff Pastry Berry Dessert

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Here’s another nice looking dessert. It had the advantage of using puff pastry and I wanted another excuse to make more Sally’s puff pastry. My first attempt went well so I tried it again. (It went well also.)

The dessert also uses berries, and if you know me, that is a deal maker!

The published recipe used too much jam filling for me. It made the pastry too wet which resulted in a messy final product. I cut the berry jam contents in half for future bakes, as noted below.

Wet mixture prior to first chilling
First roll after first chilling
First fold after first chilling
After 6 “roll and folds” the pastry was smooth and elastic
Using tart pan to cut 2 “circles” of pastry
Coat one circle with cream cheese
Coat the cream cheese with cinnamon
Cutting pastry into 12 sections, protecting the center
After filling and cutting, twist each section. (This is where it got messy.)
Baked Puff Pastry Berry Dessert

As I said, the final product was messy but Sally’s puff pastry is perfect. (Find her recipe in the link above.) It is light, flaky and as GBBO demands, has excellent layers.

Puff Pastry Berry Dessert

INGREDIENTS
• 800 g puff pastry ( two 400 g sheets = 2 of Sally’s recipes)
• 100 g spreadable cheese cream
• 3 g cinnamon
• 200 g berries
• 50 g water
• 25 g honey
• 20 g cornstarch
• 20 g melted butter
Note: The quantities of berry jam were halved from the published recipe

METHOD

  1. Cut 2 circles from the puff pastry as big as possible
  2. Spread cream cheese over the entire area of one piece of pastry
  3. Sprinkle with cinnamon
  4. Add berries to 100g of water and boil for 20 minutes
  5. Add honey and corn starch mix well
  6. Preheat oven to 425⁰F
  7. Cover the dough with jam then add the second layer of puff pastry
  8. Place an inverted glass at the center of the tart and cut radially into 12 strips
  9. Prick with a fork
  10. Twist each triangle
  11. Return to refrigerator for 30 minutes
  12. Brush with melted butter
  13. Bake 35 minutes at 425⁰F

New Bread Recipe to Try Today

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If you know, or follow me, you know I am always looking for new recipes, even if I already use a great one. Case in point is the No-Knead Artisan Bread I found a PreppyKitchen.com. It’s wonderful bread with a nice crunchy crust and soft, chewy interior and excellent flavor. Plus it is easy to make, uses few dishes and only takes a couple of hours. However, I do often find alternate recipes and occasionally give one a try. Hence, today’s experiment.

I found a recipe called “Homemade 25 Minute Bread” and made a loaf exactly following the instructions (even though I knew they were wrong.) At this point I am an experienced bread baker and am comfortable with my abilities to distinguish what will work and what will not, but you never know. I bake to learn.

I modified the published recipe, and for expediency used a stand mixer rather than kneading by hand. I enjoy hand kneading, (when I have the time,) but I was making 2 sequential loaves this morning, before I made a batch of rough puff pastry, and watched the RBC Heritage Golf Championship.

The basic difference in the two breads involves handling the dough. The original specified a 5 minute hand knead until the dough was “smooth and elastic.” I increased the kneading time to 8 minutes so it would just about pass the windowpane test. It also only had a 10 minutes “rise” rather than a full “normal” proof, which was 45 minutes at ~90°F. It also did not suggest a lame or sharp knife slash. This gives the dough someplace to expand rather than burst through the sides of the loaf during baking.

The published recipe resulted in a very dense, not very pleasant loaf. ( I see French toast in my future.) The altered recipe was much lighter. While the crumb was very similar it was light and soft with a good crust. The final result is, back to PreppyKitchen!

I renamed the recipe “Homemade 45-Minute Bread – Dede’s Version. It’s slightly more accurate. (The time does not include proofing time.)

Original on the right, “improved” on the left
Original with torn sized on the front left, “improved” without tears on the back right.

Homemade 25-Minute Bread

INGREDIENTS :
• 360g 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 15g 1 tablespoon sugar
• 15g 1 tablespoon salt
• 11g 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 236g 1 cup warm water (110°F)
• 23g 2 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Mix well.
  2. Add the warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir until a dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  5. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let it rise for 10 minutes.
  6. After the dough has rested, punch it down and shape it into a loaf or divide it into smaller rolls.
  7. Place the shaped dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  9. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Homemade 45-Minute Bread – Dede’s Version

INGREDIENTS :
• 360g 3 cups all-purpose flour – Divided
• 15g 1 tablespoon sugar
• 15g 1 tablespoon salt
• 11g 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 236g 1 cup warm water (110°F)
• 23g 2 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

  1. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour (less 4 Tbl) , sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Whisk well.
  2. Add the warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a dough hook until a dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough is very sticky. Add the reserved flour one tablespoon at a time until the sides of he bowl begin to clean.
  4. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let it rise for 45 minutes. The dough weighs ~684g at this point
  5. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  6. After the dough has rested, punch it down and shape it into a loaf or divide it into smaller rolls.
  7. Place the shaped dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Slash with a lame or knife
  9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is ~195⁰F and bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  10. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Pastéis de Nata – Portuguese Custard Tarts

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Somewhere I came across Pastéis de Natas, so I researched online for a suitable recipe. I had 6 left-over egg yolks and an extra sheet of puff pastry. Doing the maths I calculated if I used two more sheets of puff pastry and made 18 tarts I should about run out of left overs.

Well, I was once semester short of graduating with a math minor, but somehow I ended up with two small bowls of custard. This isn’t a problem as it is smooth and delicious. (I have some raspberries that need to be used soon so a nice raspberry coulis could be used here.)

Pastéis de Nata

INGREDIENTS

• 296 g (1⅓ c) granulated sugar
• 115 g (½ c) water
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 225 g (1 c) whole milk
• ½ cup (115ml) double cream
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 28 g (¼ c) cornstarch/cornflour
• 1 pack frozen puff pastry

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 500°F.
    Making the Custard:
  2. In a small pan, add the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and set it aside to infuse.
  3. In a separate saucepan, combine milk and cream and place over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.
  4. To a large bowl, add the egg yolks, whole egg, vanilla extract, and cornflour. Whisk until fully combined and no lumps remain.
  5. Temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring the hot milk to it briskly whisking as you go.
  6. Return this egg mixture to the saucepan and place over low-medium heat. Whisk continually until mixture thickens, around 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  7. Whisk in the cooled cinnamon sugar syrup. Set the custard aside.
    Assembling the Tarts:
  8. Lightly flour a work surface and cut puff pastry into roughly 14 equal rounds using a 3 ½ inch cookie cutter.
  9. To a lightly greased muffin tin, push each piece of puff pastry down and up into the sides of the muffin holes until evenly distributed.
  10. Pour custard into each muffin tin so each one is three-quarters full. Bake for roughly 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.
  11. Serve warm as is or with a dollop of cream on top, or dusted with confectioners sugar.

Seven-Strand Plaited Wreath

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Mostly I followed Paul Hollywood’s recipe. I wanted a larger wreath so I extended each strand by a few inches. I plan to add some Easter eggs to the center for our brunch next Sunday. Hopefully there is room enough for an egg for each kids in attendance.

Paul Hollywood’s Seven-Strand Plaited Wreath

INGREDIENTS
• 500g bread flour
• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• 10g fine salt
• 340ml of water
• 1½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 1 egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

METHOD

  1. Make the dough. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and salt, and stir to mix.
  2. Pour three-quarters (225ml) of the water into the flour mixture. Add the olive oil and mix by hand until combined, then mix in the rest of the water to form a dough.
  3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes, until the dough looks silky and stretchy. Place the dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
  4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface again and knead it to knock it back. Shape the dough into a ball. It should weigh ~930 g. Divide the ball into 7 equal pieces, (~133g each) then roll each piece into a strand about 80cm long.
  5. Make the plait. Lay out the strands on a lightly floured work surface like an octopus, with the legs fanned out from a central, top point, stretching towards you. Stick all the ends at the central point to the work surface with your thumb. Take the outside strand on the right and cross it over 3 strands towards the middle while gently stretching it, then take the outside strand on the left and cross it over 3 strands towards the middle. Stretching the strands makes a slightly tighter braid.
  6. Repeat this process, always taking the outside strand (first on the right and then on the left) and crossing it over 3 strands into the middle until you have plaited all of the strands.
  7. Shape the plait. Trim each end of the plait to neaten, then form the plait into a wreath, pinching the ends together to join them and tucking the join underneath to give a neat finish. Trim enough off so the join is about the same diameter as the rest of the plait. Optionally put a small oven safe bowl in the center of the wreath to maintain the size and shape. As a treat roll the end trimmings into a ball and bake on the same sheet as the wreath. Don’t forget to egg wash it.
  8. Place on the parchment paper lined baking tray, then into a proving bag and leave the shaped loaf to prove for 45 minutes, until almost doubled in size.
  9. Heat the oven to 425°F. Brush the top of the loaf with the beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown, and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

They are Berry, Berry Good

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I make these drop scones with whatever berries I have on hand. I would rather spend a half hour making scones, than throwing slightly old berries away.

I made some Caramel Coconut Macaroon Thumbprints for Sally’s Baking Addiction April Challenge and had some strawberries left over. (They were BOGO.) Waste not, want more.

Berry Drop Scones

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup (67g) sugar
  • Zest of 1 small lemon (or orange or lime)
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
  • 150-175g berries. Use any berries that you like.
  • 1 cup heavy cream + extra if required
  • Coarse or turbinado sugar for topping

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and zest. Pulse a few times to incorporate.
  3. Add the cubed butter and pulse to incorporate. The mixture should resemble very coarse sand.
  4. Empty the flour mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the cream and stir until just barely incorporated. Add additional cream by the tablespoon to help the dough come together
  5. Gently fold in the berries. (It’s fine if the raspberries or blackberries break up a little – it adds a nice pink stain to the dough.) The dough should just be moist, not wet, but also not crumbly or powdery looking. If it looks too dry, add a tablespoon of cold water.
  6. Spoon the dough into 12 equally sized pieces on the parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle some coarse or turbinado sugar over the top, if desired.
  7. Bake for 16-19 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The scones should be lightly golden and cooked through. I rotate the pan after 10 minutes
  8. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes then carefully remove to a cooling rack.

Deep Dish Pan Pizza

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While not exactly a baking item, my deep dish pan pizza does incorporate a home made pizza dough, which combined with the other ingredients makes an easy, delicious meal.

Before Baking

Pan Pizza

INGREDIENTS

Crust
• 2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup (170g) lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon (13g) olive oil + 1 1/2 tablespoons (18g) olive oil for the pan
Topping
• 6 ounces (170g) mozzarella, grated (about 1 1/4 cups, loosely packed)*
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup (74g to 113g) tomato sauce or pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought
• freshly grated hard cheese and fresh herbs for sprinkling on top after baking, optional*
• *See “tips,” below.

Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.

METHOD

  1. Place the flour, salt, yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon (13g) of the olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer or other medium-large mixing bowl.
  2. Stir everything together to make a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of flour. This should take 30 to 45 seconds in a mixer using the beater paddle; or about 1 minute by hand, using a spoon or spatula. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to gather the dough into a rough ball; cover the bowl.
  3. After 5 minutes, uncover the bowl and reach a bowl scraper or your wet hand down between the side of the bowl and the dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out. Instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up and over its top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90° each time. This process of four stretches, which takes the place of kneading, is called a fold.
  4. Re-cover the bowl, and after 5 minutes do another fold. Wait 5 minutes and repeat; then another 5 minutes, and do a fourth and final fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest, undisturbed, for 40 minutes. Then refrigerate it for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 72 hours. It’ll rise slowly as it chills, developing flavor; this long rise will also add flexibility to your schedule.
  5. About 3 hours before you want to serve your pizza, prepare your pan. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons (18g) olive oil into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet that’s 10” to 11” diameter across the top, and about 9” across the bottom. Heavy, dark cast iron will give you a superb crust; but if you don’t have it, use another oven-safe heavy-bottomed skillet of similar size, or a 10” round cake pan or 9” square pan. Tilt the pan to spread the oil across the bottom, and use your fingers or a paper towel to spread some oil up the edges, as well.
  6. Transfer the dough to the pan and turn it once to coat both sides with the oil. After coating the dough in oil, press the dough to the edges of the pan, dimpling it using the tips of your fingers in the process. The dough may start to resist and shrink back; that’s OK, just cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then repeat the dimpling/pressing. At this point the dough should reach the edges of the pan; if it doesn’t, give it one more 15-minute rest before dimpling/pressing a third and final time.
  7. Cover the crust and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature. The fully risen dough will look soft and pillowy and will jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
  8. About 30 minutes before baking, place one rack at the bottom of the oven and one toward the top (about 4″ to 5″ from the top heating element). Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  9. When you’re ready to bake the pizza, sprinkle about three-quarters of the mozzarella (a scant 1 cup) evenly over the crust. Cover the entire crust, no bare dough showing; this will yield caramelized edges. Dollop small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese; laying the cheese down first like this will prevent the sauce from seeping into the crust and making it soggy. Sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella.
  10. Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are a rich golden brown (use a spatula to check the bottom). If the bottom is brown but the top still seems pale, transfer the pizza to the top rack and bake for 2 to 4 minutes longer. On the other hand, if the top seems fine but the bottom’s not browned to your liking, leave the pizza on the bottom rack for another 2 to 4 minutes. Home ovens can vary a lot, so use the visual cues and your own preferences to gauge when you’ve achieved the perfect bake.
  11. Remove the pizza from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Carefully run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool very briefly; as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, carefully transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack or cutting surface. Sprinkle with a few basil leaves.
  12. Serve the pizza anywhere from medium-hot to warm. A pizza cutter, kitchen shears or a large pair of household scissors are good tools for cutting this thick pizza into wedges.