Bread Baking Day # 58 Apple, Mixed Flakes and More Bread

This Month Cinzia of Cindystar is the Host of Bread Baking Day the event created by Zorra.

The theme chosen is Breads with seeds and flakes, and what's more delicious then finding flakes and seeds in your bread ? I still remember the first time I had real german Bread with sunflower seeds : how delicious !

In the late months before, during, and after moving I didn't have access to my loved cookbooks so I almost always used the Millers Loaf recipe from Bourke Street Bakery . This is a recipe that allows to many variations that follow in the next pages of the book and in this case the Apple and Oat Loaf adding raisins and a few seeds.

Since I got this book I almost only used its sourdough recipes but it's filled with many different recipesI should try...

Apple and Oat Loaf

From Bourke Street Bakery

(makes 2 loaves)

70 g organic rolled oats

40 ml water

715 g sourdough dough (see later)

185 g apples, peeled, cored and cut into 2-3 cm pieces

80 g raisins

100 g mixed seeds

Method

Put the oats in a bowl and cover with water. Leave to saok for five minutes, cover with plastic wrap and refrigarate if not using right away.

After you reach the windowpane test mix in the oats and the apples until combined. Lightly grease a container and sit the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and st asid about an hour to bulk prove.

to knock back the dough, turn it on a floured surface  and press out into a rectangle, about 2.5cm thick. Fold one-third back onto itself, then repeat with the remaining third  can remember . Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold it over again into thirds. Place the dough back into the oiled container and prove again for another hour.

Divide the dough into two even-sized portions, weighing about 500g each. Working with one portion of dough at a time, shape the loaves into rounds.

Line a large baking sheet with baking paper and place the dough rounds, evenly-spaced, on it. Place in the refrigerator loosely covered with a plastic bag for 8-12 hours. 

Remove the loaves from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature - this can take anywhere between 1 and 4 hours - until each loaf has grown in size by two-thirds.Preheat the oven to its highest temperature. Spray the oven with water and bake the loaves for 20 minutes, then turn the loaves and bake for a further 10 minutes, watching carefully to make sure that the loaves do not burn. Baking shouldn't take any longer than 40 minutes. If the oven temperature is too fierce, turn the heat down a bit.

Millers Loaf

from Bourke Street Bakery

(makes 1,5 kg so if you only want to bake the apple and oat loaf above , halve the recipe)

390g sourdough starter
440g organic plain flour
145g organic wholemeal flour
145g organic rye flour
360ml water
20g sea salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached, add the plain flour, wholemeal flour, rye flour and the water. Mix on low speed for about 7 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the salt over the dough and mix on low speed for about 6 minutes, or until a smooth elastic dough forms, and you reach the windowpane test.

Lightly grease a container with oil spray and put the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to prove.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press out into a rectangle, about 2.5cm thick. Fold one-third back onto itself, then repeat with the remaining third. Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold it over again into thirds. Place the dough back into the oiled container and prove again for another hour. 
Divide the dough into three even-sized portions, weighing about 500g each. Working with one protion of dough at a time, shape the loaves into rounds.

Line a large baking sheet with baking paper and place the dough rounds, evenly-spaced, on it. Place in the refrigerator loosely covered with a plastic bag for 8-12 hours. The cold and long fermentation in the fridge is for flavour development and volume.

Remove the loaves from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature - this can take anywhere between 1 and 4 hours - until each loaf has grown in size by two-thirds.

Preheat the oven to its highest temperature. Spray the oven with water and bake the loaves for 20 minutes, then turn the loaves and bake for a further 10 minutes, watching carefully to make sure that the loaves do not burn. Baking shouldn't take any longer than 40 minutes. If the oven temperature is too fierce, turn the heat down a bit.

The Daring Baker's Challenge: Savarin

My dear friends this month I'm very honored to be the Daring Bakers' host and I followed the site to check every recipe that came up and..didn't think of posting mine ! Let pretend I live in the very last bit of soil before the International Date Line (and I would be late too).
When I read Lis' post about missing a host for April I wrote (out of craziness) and proposed a few ideas that seemed interesting, she chose Savarin which didn't relate to any of the recipe we will be baking and that was it. 

I started looking for recipes on my (too many) books and on the web and I selected three of them and started baking...on the very last day for the draft I was to send to Lis I found another recipe by a very famous Neapolitan blogger which used a different method ...so I had to try it and found THE recipe for the challenge.

Please visit the Daring Baker's blogroll to see all the daring people who took the chance to try the recipe and visit Adriano site to see more of his wonderful yeast recipes. 

I'm very sorry to say that some people didn't like or didn't manage to achieve the Savarin : I take all the blame for it , I'm sorry if my instructions weren't clear enough !

Here is the post you Daring baker's know already well..

Ciao I’m Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina.  I’m a textile conservator, wife, mother of two, cat lover,  crocheter and on and on but since I was a kid I have always been deeply  in love with baking and, obviously, baked treasures!

I must tell you that I started blogging  to participate to The Daring Baker’s group, thanks to the help of Enza of da grande who taught me many things about blogging; so it goes without saying how very honored I am to host this challenge ! I really hope you enjoy my choice the recipe I chose is Savarin: a yeasted cake made with the same dough as Rum Baba who has its controversial origins in the Polish Babka. Apparently, in the eighteen century the recipe traveled with the exiled Polish king Stanislas who  once soaked a dried Babka in an alcoholic solution  creating what is now known as Baba au Rhum. The original Babka (Christian version) is often baked in a tall ring mold but it is in the Julien brothers’ Patisserie in 1844 that it was baked in the classic Savarin mold  (who takes its name from the eclectic lawyer, politician and gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin). Years later thanks to an unknown French cook the Baba traveled to Naples were it is still one of the most popular treat: o’ Babbà!  

The Savarin ‘hole’ is filled with different creams, or custards and decorated with fruits, candied fruits and so on.

Recipe Source:  I must tell you that I tried many recipes (we are submerged in Savarins!) and the recipe I chose is a mix of the recipes from a very famous Italian Blogger, Adriano Continisio of Profumo di Lievito, and a very famous Italian Chef : Luca Montersino.  He has his show on Alice TV, a cable  channel that focuses on cooking . The link to their recipes are: and. For the pastry cream I followed the recipe in Professional Baking by Wayne Gisslen. For the syrup I followed the recipe from Luca Montersino  

Blog-checking lines:  Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina challenges us to make a traditional Savarin, complete with soaking syrup and cream filling!  We were to follow the Savarin recipe but were allowed to be creative with the soaking syrup and filling, allowing us to come up with some very delicious cakes! 

Posting Date: April 27, 2013

Note:  This is a very rich dough but following Luca’s and Adriano’s tips and with the help of a mixer you won’t have any trouble!

The key is to know how to handle a very rich dough.

We need a very healthy and active gluten in this recipe but fats can inhibit it; so we have to develop the gluten well before adding any fat. For this reason I liked the fact that Adriano adds even the yolks after the autolyse not to disturb gluten at all. The salt crystals can cut the elastic strands of the gluten too so they are added later as the butter who is the last addiction.

After the first proofing we proceed in a couple of folds to strengthen the structure of our dough with the ‘Dough Package fold’ method that will result in a smaller and tighter crumb. After that the dough will be shaped on the work bench  with a method called “Pirlatura” (that is used for Panettone as well) put in the pan, proofed , baked and then soaked in a flavored syrup. In my recipe I chose to fill the hole with what we, in Italy, call Chantilly that is a pastry cream thinned with whipped cream. And then I decorated it with fresh fruit.

Mandatory Items: You must use this recipe for the Savarin

Variations allowed: You can create your own syrup to soak the Savarin and choose a different filling to put in the ‘hole’ too!

Recipe

Preparation time:

Sponge: 30 minutes
First Mixing and Autolyse: 35 minutes
Second Mixing: 35 minutes
Proofing: 2 to 3 hours
Shaping: 20 minutes
Final Rising: 1 to 1,1/2 hour
Syrup preparation: 15 minutes
Glaze preparation: 10 minutes
Pastry cream preparation: 30 minutes
Whipped cream preparation: 15 minutes
Baking: 40 minutes
Soaking: 1 hour
Glazing: 10 minutes

Equipment required:
• Scale or measuring cups and spoons
• Stand mixer with paddle and beater or hand held mixer with dough hooks and beaters or very motivated arms!
• Dough scraper or spatula
• Grater for lemon and orange zest
• Knife for lemon and orange peel
• Small bowl for the sponge
• Bowl for egg whites
• Bowl for yolks
• Small bowl for butter
• Saucepan for pastry cream
• Bowl for Pastry cream
• Saucepan for syrup
• Saucepan for the glaze
• Brush for the glaze
• 28 cm (11 inches) Savarin mold (springform or not)
• Cling film
• Cooling rack to let the cake drip
• Pan that fits under the cooling rack to catch the drippings
• Ladle
• Big bowl for soaking the Savarin


Servings: 8/10

Ingredients

2½ cups (600 ml) (12-1/3 oz) (350 gm) bread flour

2 tablespoons (30 ml) water, lukewarm

6 (320 gm) large eggs at room temperature, separated

½ satchel (1½ teaspoons) (4 gm) instant yeast or 15 gm (½ oz) fresh yeast

4 teaspoons (20 ml) (20 gm) sugar

2/3 stick (1/3 cup) (80 ml) (75 gm) butter at room temperature

1 tablespoon (15 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) orange and lemon zest (optional)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt

¼ cup (60 ml) (2 oz) (55 gm) butter for greasing the work surface, hands, dough scraper & baking pan

Directions:

Sponge
In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lukewarm water, 3 tablespoons (1 oz) (25 gm) flour and yeast , cover with cling film and let rise 60 minutes

Dough

1.After 30 minutes put the egg whites in the mixer bowl and start working with the paddle at low speed adding flour until you have a soft dough that sticks to the bowl (about 2 cups or 270 gm) and work until it comes together , cover with cling film and let rest 30 min

2.Add the sponge to the mixer bowl along with a tablespoon of flour and start mixing at low speed (if you wish to add the zests do it now)

3.When it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl add one yolk and as soon as the yolk is absorbed add one tablespoon of flour

4.Add the second yolk , the sugar and as soon as the yolk is absorbed add one tablespoon of flour

5.Raise the speed a little

6.Add the third yolk and the salt and as soon as the yolk is absorbed add one tablespoon of flour

7.Keep on adding one yolk at the time and the flour saving a tablespoon of flour for later

8.Mix the dough until is elastic and makes threads

9.Add the butter at room temperature and as soon as the butter is adsorbed add the last tablespoon of flour

10.Keep on mixing till the dough passes the window pane test

11.Cover the dough with cling film and let it proof until it has tripled in volume 2 to 3 hours.

12.You can prepare the Pastry cream now if you chose to use it, and refrigerate it

13.While you wait prepare your baking pan buttering it very carefully not leaving too much butter on it

14.Grease your dough scraper, your hands and your work surface and put the dough on it and fold with the Dough Package Fold two or three times around (5 folds twice or three times). Cover with cling foil and let it rest 15 minutes on the counter

15.Turn the dough upside down and with the help of your buttered dough scraper shape your dough http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta2_h6Qogp0 in a rounded bun

16.Make a hole in the center with your thumb and put it in the prepared pan

17. Cover with cling film and let rise in a warm spot until the dough reaches the top of the pan about 1 hour

18.Pre-heat oven to moderate 340°F/180°C/gas mark 3 

19.Bake the Savarin for about 40 minutes until the top is golden brown

20.Meanwhile prepare the Syrup

21.When the Savarin is done take it out of the oven, let it cool and remove carefully out of the pan

22.You have two choices now : you can immerge it in syrup right away or you can let it dry out (so it will lose some of its moisture that will be replaced by the syrup) and soak it later on.

23.To immerge it in syrup it is a good idea to place it in the mold you baked it in (I’m afraid a spring-form one wouldn’t work for this) and keep adding ladles of syrup until you see it up to the rim of the pan. Or you can just soak it in a big bowl keeping your ladle on top of it so it doesn’t float. Once the Savarin is really well soaked carefully move it on a cooling rack positioned over a pan to let the excess syrup drip

24.The soaked Savarin gains in flavor the next day

25.Whatever you decide the day you want to serve it glaze it and fill the hole with your filling of choice and decorate it. You can serve the Savarin with some filling on the side

26.Enjoy it !

Peach Flavored Syrup:

Servings: 1 savarin

Ingredients
1½ cups (350 ml) peach tea
1½ cups (350 ml) peach juice
1½ cups (350 ml) water
1 cup (240 ml) (8 oz) (225 gm) sugar
zest of one lemon
one cinnamon stick

Directions:

1.Combine tea, water, sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil
2.Let boil 5 minutes and remove from the stove
3.When cooled a bit add the peach juice.

Pastry Cream and Chantilly:

Servings: 1 savarin plus some for serving

Ingredients
2 cups (500 ml) milk
¼ cup (60 ml) (2 oz) (60 gm) sugar
zest of one lemon
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (1¼ oz) (35 gm) cornstarch
¼ cup (60 ml) (2 oz) (60 gm) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream

Directions:

1.In a saucepan bring to a boil milk and sugar

2.In a bowl whisk together egg yolks, egg, cornstarch and sugar

3.Add the hot milk to the eggs one tablespoon at the time to temper it

4.Pour in the saucepan again and bring to a boil stirring constantly

5.When the cream thickens remove from the stove

6.Put cling film onto the cream (touching the surface) and cool

7.Pour 1 cup (250 ml) cold heavy cream in mixer bowl with the whisk attachment

8.Beat until whipped

9.Combine with the cooled pastry cream adding a tablespoon at the time of whipped cream until it gets to the right consistency. Or it looks right to you !

Glaze:

Servings: 1 savarin

Ingredients
2 tablespoons (30 ml) apricot Jam
2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1.In a saucepan mix jam and water and warm up
2.When the savarin is cool and soaked brush it with the glaze

Storage & Freezing Instructions/Tips:

You can store the dried savarin for 5 days in a airtight container. If you have soaked it, cover well with cling foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The Bread Baking Buddies : Pane Bianco

This lovely loaves are baked thanks to the Bread Baking Babe Natashya who chose their recipe as the recipe of the month.
Actually this is not any recipe: it's the winner of the National Festival of Breads so you can imagine how good it is.

The great part of this is that the bread is quite easy to put together and beautiful (please visit Natashya for beauty).
The changes I made to the recipe are a few: I used sourdough (one third of the total amount of flour) I used soy milk instead of milk and flaxseed flour instead of eggs.
For the fillings I used dried tomatoes and pesto in the one below and tomato sauce, pesto, dried tomatoes and capers in the one above.

Tomato, Basil, & Garlic Filled Pane Bianco

King Arthur Flour website
The winning recipe from the first-ever National Festival of Breads, this white bread filled with fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic powder, and shredded cheese has a wonderful soft texture and is packed with flavor. The unique shape is simple to achieve and makes an impressive presentation. Congratulations and thanks to Dianna Wara of Washington, Illinois, for creating this recipe — it's a winner, for sure!

Ingredients by volume: 
* 1/2 cup warm water
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 4 teaspoons instant yeast
* 1 cup warm low-fat milk
* 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 6 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
* 1 (8 1/2-ounce) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
* 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese, divided
* 2/3 cup chopped fresh basil

 Ingredients by weight: 

* 4 ounces warm water
* 1 3/4 ounces sugar
* 4 teaspoons instant yeast
* 8 ounces warm low-fat milk
* 2 3/8 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 25 1/2 ounces King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
* 1 (8 1/2-ounce) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
* 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
* 6 ounces shredded Italian blend cheese, divided
* 1/2 ounce chopped fresh basil

Metric
    113g warm water
    50g sugar
    4 teaspoons instant yeast
    227g warm low-fat milk
    67g extra-virgin olive oil
    2 large eggs
    2 teaspoons salt
    723g King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
    1 (241g) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
    3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
    170g shredded Italian blend cheese, divided
    14g chopped fresh basil

Directions

1) Combine the water, sugar, yeast, milk, olive oil, eggs, salt, and flour, and mix and knead by hand, stand mixer, or bread machine until you've made a cohesive, soft dough. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take 5 to 7 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. In a bread machine (or by hand), it should form a smooth ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and turn to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 45 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, thoroughly drain the sun-dried tomatoes; lay them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Using kitchen shears, finely chop the tomatoes.

3) Line two baking sheets with parchment. Gently deflate the dough and divide it in half. Roll one piece into a 22" x 8 1/2" rectangle. Sprinkle on half the garlic, cheese, basil, and tomatoes.

4) Starting with one long edge, roll the dough into a log the long way. Pinch the edges to seal.

5) Place the log seam-side down on a baking sheet. Using kitchen shears, start 1/2" from one end and cut the log lengthwise down the center about 1" deep, to within 1/2" of the other end.

6) Keeping the cut side up, form an "S" shape. Tuck both ends under the center of the "S" to form a "figure 8"; pinch the ends together to seal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.

7) While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

8) Bake the first loaf for 35 to 40 minutes. Tent the loaf with foil after 15 to 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. Bake the remaining loaf.

9) Remove loaves from their pans; cook on racks. Store any leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature.

Yield: 2 loaves.

The Cake Slice Almond Streamliner Cake

This cake is fantastic. And it's easy.
It's The Cake Slice cake of the month and I'm not the only one who thinks so...
Last week-end I was in Pescara for a class on natural dying and, knowing nobody would have eaten the cake at home, I packed it and brought it along on the bus to Pescara.

Between a blue and a green we took a break and had the cake which disappeared and had a lot of ravishing comments.
In the group in the last month there were some discussions about publishing recipes or not. Not really knowing what to do I just googled the name of this cake I found it on Ophra's site here, and on a blog here, and since a few days almost all the blogs in The Cake Slice blogroll will have it so just go ahead and check them before deciding to buy the Vintage cakes book.
Please bake this cake !!

Bread Baking Buddies : Gateau à la Crème (with strawberry jam...)

This month the Bread Baking Babes led by Lien decided to bake us a sweet tarte with a brioche dough. I should have filled the tarte with an egg custard but I'm trying to reduce the animal foods so I've used eggs in the dough but substituted corn's kernel oil for butter and jam for the custard..I hope it's ok.

The tarte looks so wonderful in all the Babes posts that I cannot wait to see mine (it's in the oven right now). I'm always too late posting for the BBB so writing a post while waiting for the oven's bell seemed a good idea.

If you have a mixer on hand this dough is very easy but by hand it would take lots of energy !

If you wish to participate to the bake along bake this bread and post before the 29th and send the links to Lien (notitievanlien(at)gmail(dot)com).

Gâteau à la crème

recipe for 2 small gateaux, or 1 gateau and a small brioche loaf (serves 4-6 per small gateau)

(PRINT recipe)

For the brioche dough
250 g strong plain flour
3,5 g sea salt
2 TBsp caster sugar
1 TBsp fresh yeast or 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3,5 free-range eggs, preferable organic (the other half egg will be used for the glaze)
150 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (cool room temperature)

For the crème filling (for two small gateaux, if you want to make 1 small gateau and 1 plain loaf, half it)
6 free-range egg yolks, preferably organic
60 g caster sugar
1 lemon, juice and zest
250 ml crème fraîche

For the glaze
1/2 egg, preferably organic
1/2 TBsp caster sugar
10 g (¾ oz) butter, cut into cubes (optional)
1/2 - 1 TBsp nibbed sugar, to decorate

Preparation method
1. For the brioche dough, place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast (keeping the yeast away from the salt as it will attack it and damage its ability to ferment), in an electric mixer bowl. Add the eggs and mix with a dough hook attachment for 5 minutes on low power until the eggs are completely incorporated (alternatively, place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together for 5 minutes).

2. Increase the speed of the machine or your stirring and mix for another 5 minutes until the dough comes away from the edge of the bowl. Then add the cubes of butter and continue to mix for 2-3 minutes until completely incorporated.

3. Remove the bowl from the machine, if using, then cover with clingfilm and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to prove, then chill the dough for a further hour (it will be easier to work with).

4. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/360ºF.

5. Lightly flour a work surface and your hands. Take half of the brioche dough and bring it together with the palms of your hands to form a ball, then place it on a baking tray and flatten it slightly. Starting from the middle of the dough, gently press the dough flat and spread it out to form a circle to approx 24 cm ( 9,5 in) in diameter, but leave a 2 cm (1 in) gap from the edge as this will create the rim of the tart. Be careful not to stretch the dough and try to keep the base even in thickness. Use the second half of the dough for another gateau or make a small loaf from it.

6. Cover with lightly greased plastic and a clean tea towel and place the dough in the warm area for 25 minutes.

7. For the crème filling, mix the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice together in a large mixing bowl and gradually mix in the crème fraîche. Set aside.

8. For the glaze, brush the rim of the gateau with the egg yolk and sprinkle with the nibbed sugar and prick the base of the dough evenly with a fork to help the even cooking and rising of the dough. Pour 1/4 the crème mixture inside the rim of the dough of one gateau, sprinkle with the caster sugar and dot with the butter. Pour in the other 1/4 when the baking sheet is already in the oven, so you won't spill. (make the second one the same way)  and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the brioche has risen and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, then serve.

NB: For this recipe you will need a food processor with a dough hook attachment.

(adapted from: Raymond Blanc "From Raymond Blanc's Kitchen Secrets")

______________________________________________________________________

The Cake Slice : Honey Bee Cake

I'm finally blogging again and the Cake Slice group was so nice to keep me in after such a long iatus.  Here is my first recipe from the new book 'Vintage Cakes' by Julie Richardson .

This month the recipe is from the Every day section. It's a simple cake to prepare and was very fast to disappear ! I actually baked another one the next day seeing how sad my honey loving husband was while eating the last slice...

I made it using corn's kernel organic oil instead of  butter  and soy milk with lemon juice instead of buttermilk in the cake but made the glaze with butter. I really loved the smooth crumb and the honey smell.

RECIPE

from Vintage Cakes

Cake:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk (at room temperature)
3/4 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

Glaze:
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
heaping 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" cake pan (round or springform) and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper or wax paper.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then whisk the ingredients by hand to ensure they are well mixed.

- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or just in a large bowl) combine the butter, sugar, honey and vanilla on low speed until blended. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl down often.
- Blend in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, adding the next one as soon as the previous one has disappeared into the batter.

- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts, beginning and ending with the flour. After each addition, mix until just barely blended and stop and scrape the bowl. Stop the mixer before the last of the flour has been incorporated and complete the blending by hand with a rubber spatula to ensure you do not over beat the batter.
- Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan. Rap the pan firmly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place the pan in the center of the over and bake for 45 minutes. The cake will turn a deep golden color and be firm on top, and a wooden skewer inserted in the middle will have moist crumbs attached. If the cake cracks on the surface while baking, that's ok. It will just soak up more glaze 

- While the cake is baking, make the glaze. Add the honey, sugar and butter to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until combined. Bring the mixture just barely to a simmer. Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the burner to keep warm.

- When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and poke holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer. Pour half of the glaze over the cake, evenly sprinkle the almonds over the cake, then pour the rest of the glaze over the almonds. Place the pan back in the oven (still at 350) for 5 more minutes. Cool the cake on a wire rack for about an hour. Then turn the cake upside down onto a plate to remove it from the pan (not the serving plate), and turn from that plate back right side up onto your serving plate.

 

Bread Baking Buddies :_Assyrian Spinach Pies

After such a very very long time ..I'm still alive and baking but what I cannot actually believe is I'm writing a new post on this poor neglected blog. Anyway let's try !
The recipe I'm resuscitating my blog with is the '5th year celebration bread' that the Bread Baking Babes baked, it was chosen by Tanna from a book I own too, it's called A Baker's Odyssey: Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes From America's Rich Immigrant Heritage by Greg Patent. 
The recipe it's quite easy and forgiving; I added some leftover lentils and substituted pine nuts for walnuts. I'm trying to go vegan so I really appreciated this recipe and intend to make it often also because both my kids enjoied these pies and this is a rare event in this house !
By the way in this lapse of time we've moved to a new apartment with a very big kitchen and one room for each kid. 

The recipe from Tanna's blog:

Assyran Spinach Pies

Recipe adapted from Greg Patent: A Baker’s Odyssey: Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes From America’s Rich Immigrant Heritage

DOUGH
1 tablespoon active dry yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons) = 1 package
2 cups warm water (105° to 115°)
1/2 teaspoon ground mahlab, I’ll use 3/4 to a full teaspoon next time
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for kneading, use some white whole wheat next time

3 tablespoons ground flax (my signature addition so optional, you are free to leave it out)
1 tablespoons granulated sugar, I cut this back from 2 tablespoons
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup olive oil

FILLING
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to sauté onion, 3 tablespoons to filling mix
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 pound cleaned baby spinach, coarsely chopped
160 grams chopped walnuts, I increased this from 4 oz.
1 cup pomegranate seeds, increase these from 1/2 cup
2 cup crumbled feta cheese, increased from 1 cup
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1/2 – 1 cup lentils, optional but this was nice

Olive oil cooking spray
Plain yogurt for serving

Directions:

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients: yeast, flax, mahlab, flours, sugar, salt.
Mix together water (I usually “warm” it by microwaving it about 15 seconds, it’s just above room temp then) and olive oil.

2. Pour water, olive oil into dry ingredients and mix together until the dough gathers into a rough ball. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes letting the flour absorb some of the water.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured counter until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, soft and slightly sticky dough ball – mine took about 6 minutes.

3. WASH AND DRY THE BOWL – now aint that a kick in the pants, how many Babes are going to follow that directive. We know Elizabeth will. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! and rub it lightly with olive oil Elizabeth won’t do that part.

Place the dough ball into a rising container … I have a wonderful straight side clear 4 qt container with lid: I can easily see when the dough has doubled in volume. The lid means I don’t have to use plastic or even a shower cap.

Allow the dough to double in volume – mine took about 90 minutes: if you press a finger into the dough and relase it, a depression should remain and it’s ready for the next step.

4. If you follow the recipe directions and divide the dough into 24 pieces (about 2 oz each) you’ll get what I consider a reasonable portion size hand pie although we were all eating at least one and a half each. I actually weighted the balls and they ranged from 50 to 60 grams each. I might have enjoyed them more made slightly smaller say weighting closer to 40 grams … then I’d have had no quilt eating two and probably even three.

When the balls are formed, allow to rest so they will be easier to roll out.

If you’ve made the full recipe and don’t want to make them all at one go, my suggestion here would be to immediately cover however many you want to bake tomorrow or the next day and retard the balls in the fridge.

Allow the dough balls you plan on baking to rest for the 30 minutes before rolling them out.

5. Saute the onion in the olive oil, they should be nicely caramelized. Allow to cool.

6. Chop the spinach and mix with chopped walnuts, pomegranate seeds, feta, lemon juice – I used the lemon zest as well – and the olive oil. Mix all with the sautéed onions. I used a pinch of salt and some aleppo pepper.

Good ideas for alternatives and additions: pine nuts, dried cranberry, dried cherry, goat cheese, small cubes or large grating of any cheese you like, lentils I added one night to some of the filling was a real winner.

7. Pre-heat the oven to 375°.

My large cookie sheet held 6 of these at the most. I lined the cookie sheet with a Silpat but parchment paper would equally as well.

8. With a light to good dusting of flour on your counter, roll the dough ball into a thin 6-inch circle. I was generous with the dusting to prevent sticking. I tried to really fill these and used at least 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the filling for each one.
Check out this video for shaping or try the recipes directions: “Pile 1/2 cup of the filling, loosely measured, onto the center of the circle, leaving about 1 inch of dough exposed all around. Brush the exposed dough lightly with water. Imagining the circle to be a clock, lift up the edges of dough at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions to cover the top part of the filling and pinch firmly to seal, going all the way to 12 o’clock. Lift the 6 o’clock position of dough to meet in the center and pinch the two edges firmly to seal. The seams will look like an inverted Y. Set the pie on one of the prepared sheets. “

9. Before putting into the oven, rush the pies with olive oil before baking. I brushed mine with a mix of half olive oil and half melted butter 

10. Recipe suggested 375° I found I like them best at 380° (convection) and the full 30 minutes.

11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 375° to 380° depending on your oven.