Search around, let simmer...

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Wintery Baking...

Loaves of the Yule


Yes, I've been neglecting the blog but it's that time of year! A friend of mine has been staying with me and my last week before break was busy. Last weekend I did get a chance to do some good baking however. Out of the Bread Bible came Molasses Bran Sunflower Bread. A hearty loaf that baked up nicely, perhaps a bit too dense due to a lack of gluten but good nonetheless.

More recently however (On Christmas Eve it was) I baked the books recipe for Apple Walnut Loaf:
Look at those loaves. if you look closely at the top image (loaf 1 of 2) you can see all the apple goodness dotting the interior.
You could sell that in a store...
I baked my bread up with whole wheat flower in place of white. I'm sure it would have risen further yet and been lighter had I used unbleached white flower but I'm a stickler. Just be sure to use about a tablespoon of wheat gluten (Bob's Red Mill!!!) for every cup of whole Wheat flower subbed in for white flower.

The loaves baked up thick and moist. Especially give the apple-walnut loaf a go if ever you find yourself drooling over the Bread Bible. It was wonderful for toasting bread Christmas morning and I look forward to using it for French Toast tomorrow before shoveling out this New England Blizzard quickly bearing down upon us.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas (or rather a have a happy new year as it is coming up next!)

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Baking Up a Slow Weekend...

So the fact that I haven't baked much from The Bread Bible has been bothering me. Being Hanukkah and the holidays generally, I decided to try Challah.
Well, I promptly botched the recipe from the book, and a smaller batch (simpler batch...) from King Arthur Flower never rose properly (but looked and tested pretty good).

What I did bake that came out well was a loaf of delicious
Low-Fat High-Texture Pumpkin Bread
Thanks to my new William Sonoma 1lb Gold non-stick Loaf Pan I found the enthusiasm to bake a perfect loaf.

1.5 cups whole wheat flower (light whole wheat is good)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
.75 tsp salt
2 tbsp baking soda
2 tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup shredded (grated carrots), drained
1.5 cups canned (or homemade) pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1/3 cup water
A sprinkling of walnuts, shopped, and to your liking...

Combine the dry ingredients then add in all of the wet ones. Mix well, but not too well - never over-mix quick breads!
Lightly grease your loaf pan (or hardly at all with your gold non-stick William Sonoma loaf pan :D) and add batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until an inserted knife is just dry. Careful not to over bake, however. Letting the pan stand to cool will complete any baking (or over bake it...)

Makes 1 large loaf.

It was moist, sweet, pumpkin-y, and perfect. The key is in the pumpkin/carrot/applesauce additions.
possibly my best quick bread yet! For despite common belief, substitution (and the omition of fat) does not harm these quick breads if done well.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Sunday...


Still nothing about my Thanksgiving so I guess I'll jsut say that I made some good Black Bread rolls from the Bread Bible:

And to accompany my bread [which was said to be the ideal stew accompaniment but perhaps too dense for a dinner roll (one for two, I'm fine with that)] I had, among other things, some terrific Field Roast Celebration Loaf, which made excellent faux-after-Thanksgiving Sandwiches I might say, in place of the Turkey I do miss from time to time...

More recently however I made some delicious Buckwheat Carrot-Spice pancakes.

Vegan Buckwheat Cakes:

1 cup Buckwheat flower
1 tsp canola oil
1 cup water
2 tbsp soy milk (or the mammalian variety if you prefer)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large carrots, grated
Lots of ginger, cinnamon, and Garam Masala
2 tbsp raisin (I prefer golden myself)

Grate carrots and squeeze some of the water out with a paper towel
Combine dry ingredients then add the wet ingredients. Add in the carrots, spices, and raisins. Add water and milk to get the consistency just right (The carrots and buckwheat flower makes the batter a bit thick).
Cook them up and serve with some syrup, applesauce, preserves, or yogurt

Thursday, December 2, 2010

A Belated greeting...

I've been so wrapped up I forgot to post my thanksgiving dishes and pics (made some great bread from The Bread Bible - birthday gift!!!
So when I get to that...
In the mean time, I just made the Meatless Meatloaf from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. It was delicious and with some roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes it hit the spot on a cold night.

Check out the recipe here

I added Craisins to the batter and used Bok CHoy with Celery seed in place of celery. It made the grade in my house!