World Bread Day 2010 : Ciambelle al Mosto di Marino

Few days ago while I was thinking about the World Bread Day I spoke with my friend Cinzia and she told me she was trying to reproduce the typical Ciambelle al mosto di Marino, a little town near Rome famous for its wine, that are made during the grape harvest using must.

I searched my books and the net and found a nice recipe on Gennarino an Italian recipes website, if you desire here is the original recipe. Cinzia is always changing the given recipes as a pose to me so here is my Stick to the recipe version.

The ciambelle are really simple as old fashion cooking is : no butter, milk or much else not even olive oil. A very simple bread dough made with must and sweetened with sugar, raisins and anise seeds.

RECIPE

(from Gennarino by tuCoque)

Bread Flour 250 gr
All Purpose Flour 250 gr
Must 250 ml
Yeast 4 gr
Sourdough 120 gr
Sugar 150 gr
Raisins 70 gr
Eggs 2 n°
Anise seeds 4 TBS
Confectioners Sugar 2 TBS
Salt 1 pinch

If you do not have must but have two bunch of grapes smash (!) them with your hands and let them ferment for a couple of days covered with a clean cloth. When you see it bubbling strain it and cook it for 15 minutes on a low flame.

Use a sourdough refreshed two hours before.
Activate dry yeast dissolving it in 40 grams of warm water (26 °). After some minutes, add two teaspoons of sugar and 50 grams of bread flour and let rise for a quarter of an hour.

In a bowl of an electric mixer, pour the must, the yeast, the sourdough, and the remaining bread flour (200 grams). Mix on low speed until it comes together then for about 4 minutes at medium speed, cover and let rise for fifteen minutes, then turn on the mixer for a few seconds and cover again do this three more times.

Meanwhile, soak the raisins in a little liquor and water.
Beat eggs with sugar, add a pinch of salt and aniseed.

At the end of the first rising, add all other ingredients, including remaining flour. Knead until the dough is smooth. Finally add the drained raisins .

If you have time and desire, refrigerate for 12 hours. Otherwise you may let rise at room temperature.

When the dough has doubled, cut from it pieces weighing 100 grams each. With floured hands, form each piece quickly in a tight ball, then drill it with a finger, and gently enlarge the hole without tearing. Place the buns on baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let double in volume.

Meanwhile turn the oven to 180 degrees. Bake the buns for about 12 minutes (even less, depending on the oven). When still warm brush with a thick syrup made with icing sugar and very little must.

Few days ago I went to Amalfi and even if the wheather wasn't the best Costiera Amalfitana is always a great place to visit !

I went there for an estimate on a very precious piece which is kept in Amalfi's Museo del Duomo( in this link there is another picture of the mitre) .

Even from my photo you can see how beautiful this Mitre is !

French Fridays with Dorie : Vietnamese Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the third recipe I make from 'Around the French Table' by Dorie Greenspan and it is another success for my family.

I urge you all to join our group (which hasn't strict rules) or simply to get the book and enjoy cooking from it !

As you can see I had almost all the ingredients but substituted rice noodles and cilantro which is very difficult if not impossible to find fresh here.

Plese visit the other cooks here

Daring Cooks' Challenge : Stuffed Grape Leaves

Our October 2010 hostess, Lori of Lori’s Lipsmacking Goodness, has challenged The Daring Cooks to stuff grape leaves. Lori chose a recipe from Aromas of Aleppo and a recipe from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.

I had seen stuffed grape leaves many times but never made them so I was really happy about Lori's choice. As soon as I found the leaves I started rolling and I made both recipes suggested by Lori. We liked better the meat one because I seasoned the rice version too little probably but both were gone very fast !

I intend to try more variations of this recipe because my family loved it, Anita loved rolling the leaves and it is a fun dish to propose to friends.

RECIPE

(you can find a .pdf here)

Grape Leaves Stuffed with Ground Meat and Rice with Apricot Tamarind Sauce/ Yebra
Adapted from Aromas of Aleppo by Poopa Dweck and Michael J. Cohen. Published by Harper Collins, 2007

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients for hashu/filling:

1 pound (455 gm) ground (minced) beef
1/3 cup (80 ml) (2 1/3 oz) (65 gm) short grain rice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) all spice
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) kosher (coarse) salt **if using regular table salt only use ½ tsp.**
¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1½ gm) white pepper
1 onion, chopped **optional**
1 cup (5½ oz) (150 gm) pine nuts **optional**

Directions:

1.Soak rice in water, enough to cover, for 30 minutes. Combine meat, rice, allspice, vegetable oil, cinnamon, salt, white pepper, and if desired, onion and pine nuts, in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.

Ingredients for assembly:

1 pound (455 gm) hashu/filling (see recipe above)
36 preserved grape leaves, stems trimmed, drained, rinsed and patted dry
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
6 dried apricots – or more if you desire
3 tablespoons (45 ml) tamarind concentrate **if you can’t find it, you can omit it**
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (9 gm) kosher (coarse) salt **if using regular table salt only use 1.5 tsp.**

Notes:

If using grape leaves preserved in brine, to remove salt put them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Make sure that the water penetrates well between the layers, and leave them soaking for about twenty minutes, then change the water a time or two using fresh cold water.

If using fresh leaves, plunge a few at a time in boiling water for a few seconds only, until they become limp, and lift them out.

Tamarind is actually fairly easy to find. There is a paste that is in package already made up. You can find it at Asian, Mexican or Indian grocers. You can also find the pods (a little more difficult) and make it yourself. It is akin to a sweet/tangy tea flavor. If you can’t find it, you can skip the sauce all togheter. The grape leaves will be just as delicious without the sauce. But we hope that those that can find it will use it.

Directions:

1.Place a grape leaf on a flat surface, vein side up. You can trim the little stem if you would like.

2.Place about two teaspoons (10 ml) of the filling in the center of the leaf, near the stem edge.

3.Roll the leaf end to end, starting from the stem edge. As you roll, fold the sides of the leaf in toward the center. The leaf should resemble a small cigar, about 2 to 2 1/2 inches (50 mm to 65mm) long.

4.Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

a.(You can freeze the stuffed grape leaves at this point. Just line a baking sheet with wax paper. When firmly frozen, transfer to an airtight plastic bag place back in the freezer.)

5.In a medium saucepan put in the vegetable oil and then place the filled grape leaves in the pot.

6.Place apricots in between the stuffed grape leaves. Cover and cook over low heat for 5- 8 minutes or until the grape leaves begin to sweat.

7.Using all three tablespoons, place a little of the tamarind concentrate, if using, over the rolls.

8.Combine lemon juice, salt, and water then add to pan, filling it ¾ full.

9.Weigh down the grape leaves with a heat proof plate or board to prevent them from unraveling. Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes.

a.Alternatively, place the saucepan in an oven preheated to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 and cook for an hour.

10.Spoon cooking liquid over the grape leaves occasionally. You will know they are done, when the grape leaves are neither soupy nor dry.

11.Tilt pan sideways over serving platter, allowing the grape leaves to tumble out. Try not to handle them individually to reduce unraveling.

a.Alternately you can try spooning them out very gently.

Wara Einab or Dolma/Cold Stuffed Grape Leaves
Adapted from Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Eastern Food a Borzoi Book, published by Alfred A. Knopf

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

24 – 30 preserved or fresh grape leaves.
1¼ cups (300 ml) (9 oz) (250 gm) long grain rice
1- 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped or 4 tablespoons (60 ml) (35 gm) finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (25 gm) finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (15 gm) crushed dried mint
¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1½ gm) ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1½ gm) ground allspice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6½ gm) dill
Salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, sliced **optional**
3 or 4 cloves garlic
2/3 cup (160 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) sugar
Juice of 1 lemon or more

Notes:

If using grape leaves preserved in brine, to remove salt put them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Make sure that the water penetrates well between the layers, and leave them soaking for about twenty minutes, then change the water a time or two using fresh cold water.

If using fresh leaves, plunge a few at a time in boiling water for a few seconds only, until they become limp, and lift them out.

Directions:

1.Pour boiling water over the rice and stir well, then rinse with cold water and let drain.

2.Mix the rice with the chopped tomatoes, onion or scallion, parsley, mint, cinnamon, allspice, dill, salt and pepper to taste.

3.Place a grape leaf on a flat surface, vein side up.

4.Place about two teaspoons (10 ml) of the filling in the center of the leaf, near the stem edge.

5.Roll the leaf end to end, starting from the stem edge. As you roll, fold the sides of the leaf in toward the center. The leaf should resemble a small cigar, about 2 to 2 1/2 inches (50 mm to 65mm) long.

6.Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

a.(You can freeze the stuffed grape leaves at this point. Just line a baking sheet with wax paper. When firmly frozen, transfer to an airtight plastic bag place back in the freezer.)

7.Pack the stuffed leaves tightly in a large pan lined with tomato slices or imperfect grape leaves Place a whole garlic clove in between them for extra flavor. The tightness will help prevent the rolls from unraveling.

8.Mix together olive oil, 2/3 cup (160 ml) water, sugar and lemon juice and pour over the stuffed leaves. Put a small heat proof plate on top of the leaves to prevent them from unwinding, cover the pan and simmer very gently for about 1 hour, until the rolls are thoroughly cooked, adding water occasionally, a cup at a time, as the liquid in the pan becomes absorbed. Cool in the pan before turning out. Serve cold.

There are many variations you can use but here are just a few suggestions:

Add ¼ cup (60 ml) (1½ oz) (45 gm) raisins or currants and ¼ cup (60 ml) (1⅓ oz) (40 gm) pine nuts to the filling.

Mix a pinch or two of powdered saffron with the olive oil and water before pouring over the stuffed grape leaves.

Soak about ¼ cup (60 ml) (1½ oz) (45 gm) dried chickpeas in water overnight. Crush them using a processor or blender and add them to the filling. In this case use ¼ cup (60 ml) (1¾ oz) (50 gm) less rice. You could also use drained canned chickpeas.

Mellow Bakers : Roasted Potatoes Bread

This is my try with this recipe made subsituting sourdough for the preferment, my dough overriped so it is not the best looking bread but I loved it anyway !

Roasted Potato Bread
adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread

Pre-ferment - the night before
9.6 oz bread flour
6.2 oz water (left out overnight)
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/8 tsp instant yeast

Final dough
1 lb, 1.6 oz bread flour
4.8 oz whole wheat flour
13.3 oz water (left out overnight)
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
1¼ tsp instant dry yeast
Potatoes, roasted, cooled, and diced small (Yukon gold are best)
Pre-ferment (all)

Combine the preferment ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 14-16 hours.

The next day, mix all of the ingredients, except for the pre-ferment, in a stand mixer on low. After 3 minutes, start adding the pre-ferment in small chunks. Correct the hydration by adding small amounts of water or flour if necessary. I needed extra flour. The dough should be slightly stiff.
Mix on second speed for 3-4 minutes.

Let rise 1.5 hours. Fold dough after 45 minutes.

Divide into two and make rounds out of each half. Let sit 10-20 minutes.

Create loaf shapes or fendu (pressing deeply into the rolling pin to bisect it) and let rise in floured bannetons (good side down) or on the counter, covered, for 1.5 hours.

Bake in a preheated oven at 450°F for about 40 minutes. Until the bread has darkened and cooked through. Let cool on racks.

Per i Sourdough Baking Wednesday di Zucchero & Cannella ho un ottimo pane con patate al forno, nella ricetta originale c'era un abiga che io ho sostituito con la pasta madre.

TWD : Fold Over Pear Tarte

This week we bake a wonderful tarte thanks to the fantastic intuition of Cakelaw of Laws of the Kitchen that even without picture knew ..

I really loved this tarte even if it took me a while to understand where it was heading to.

I decided to roll the pastry almost to the exact mesure before putting it in the pan and left the oven paper underneath because I tought the folding over would be easier...

Anyhow the tarte came out well enough and so good I must take it somewhere else before I eat it all !

I'm really amazed of the variety of great baking we have been up to with Dorie !

Please visit the other lucky bakers and run here for the recipe !!

I Heart Cooking Clubs : Benvenuta Giada ! - White Beans and Roasted Eggplant Hummus

A whole new season has started at I Heart Cooking Clubs as we are cooking with Giada De Laurentiis.

I must confess I had never heard of her as most of Italians (we know of course about her Grandfather and wonderful Grandmother) but no one knows about her and as I searched some italian news about her I did find only two not kind comments.

Anyway I'll try what she makes and we'll see, I'm not searching for real Italian food anyway !

As a benvenuto (as noun, instead if it is an adjective it is benvenuta if female) (I'm really a bore tonight !!!) I chose a fast starter which sounded great in taste and fridge availability I found the recipe here and even if SOMEONE stole part of my wonderful eggplants I loved the results.

As you can see I roasted three garlic cloves and used them instead of the raw one, I also substituted borlotti for cannellini and basil for parsley... Hope Giada won't mind !

Please visit the other cooking clubs lovers !

French Fridays with Dorie : Gerard's Mustard Tart

This is the second recipe we try from Dorie Greenspan's new book Around the French Table and I must tell you that if if Dorie's recipes are all so good this book is a gold mine !

I really enjoied the tart even if I had undercooked the leeks but the most surprisingly delicious thing was the mustardy custard : FABULOUS !!

Now I absolutely want to make the tomatoes' tart as well.

Please visit the new group site and all the tarte makers.

Sourdough Baking Wednesday : Roasted Hazelnuts and Prune Bread

This is really a wonderful wonderful recipe which comes from Bread from J. Hamelman. I really urge to try it because I simply cannot stop eating it !

The recipe calls for a stiff levain build and I used my stiff levain 12 hours after feeding him.

RECIPE ( 2 large loaves)

Stiff levain build :

bread flour 6.4 oz

water 3.8 oz

mature culture 1.3 oz

Final dough :

bread flour 1lb, 1.6 oz

whole-wheat flour 8 oz

water 1lb, 1.3 oz

butter, soft 1.6 oz

salt .6 oz (1T)

yeast .17 oz, instant dry (1 1/2 tsp)

levain 10.2 oz (all less 2 T + 1 tsp)

hazelnuts (roasted and skinned) 4 oz

dried prunes, coarsely chopped (I used figs in this recipe) 4 oz

1. Make the final build approx 12 hours before the final mix.

2. Add all ingredients to the mixing bowl, except hazelnuts and prunes (fig). Mix on first speed for 3 mins, Turn the mixer to second speed and mix for approx 3 mins more, to moderate gluten development. Add the nuts and prunes (fig) and mix on first speed just until they are evenly incorporated.

3. Bulk fermentaion 1-1.5 hrs

4 Fold after 45 mins.

5.Divide the dough into 1.5 pound pcs, and final proof fir 1 hr.

6. Bake with normal steam at 460f for 40-45 mins. Lower th oven temp to 420f after 15 mins to avoid excessive browning due to the prunes .

Mando questa ricetta a Zucchero & Cannella, é un pane veramente squisito che vi straconsiglio !! Come al solito se non funziona il traduttore Google fatemelo sapere !!

Double Apple Bundt Cake

This week Lynne of Honey Muffin chose Double Apple Bundt Cake

I usually follow the recipes as closely as I can but lately with the new job I have very little time and no time for making apple butter ( that isn't available in Italy) so I substituted with a cup of blended peaches, as I was changing the recipe I omitted the nuts and substituted dried strawberries for raisins... the result was a wonderfully moist ad flavourful cake that will appear often on our table ! Please visit Lynne for the recipe and the other bakers here

I Heart Cooking Clubs : Farewell Foods - Peach and Blueberries Pudding

3

The Mark Bittman's Age at I Heart Cooking Clubs is ending so in his honour we are throwing a farewell party.

When I think of a party I think of dessert so I got this Pudding recipe from his How to Cook Everything site.

I had some end of the season's peaches around and I love them coupled with bluberries but I only had a blueberry jam on hand so I made the recipe as written substituting the peaches and added some 'dollops' of jam on top of the batter in the pan.

I loved the consistency of this pudding with a layer of custard on the bottom and peaches and blueberries paired very well.

Please visit the site to enjoy the party !!

Homemade Cottage Cheese

Few days ago I got Mark Bittman's recipe for cottage cheese making from Heather, I finally managed to make it and I'm so happy about the result !

In Italy the only cottage cheese we get is the low fat type so it is always associated with diets, when I came to the US I was amazed by all the different kinds there were in the supermarkets !

So now thanks to this very simple recipe I can make my own as I wish !

In my neighbourhood twice a week there is a little truck selling unpasteurized milk (prize winning ) ad cheese so I used their rich milk for my cheese.

RECIPE

kindly given to me by Heather

1/2 gallon milk (highest fat content you can find for creamiest results)

1 qt. buttermilk

salt (optional)

Put milk in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally to keep itfrom scorching, until the milk bubbles up the sides of the pot, 10 to 15 minutes.

Line a strainer with 3 layers of cheesecloth or a piece of undyed cotton muslin.

Add the buttermilk to the boiling milk all at once and stir constantly until the mixture separates into curds and whey. It will look like cooked egg whites suspended in a slightly thick yellowish liquid. Remove from the heat and stir in a large pinch of salt if you like.

Carefully pour mixture into cloth and strainer. Let curds sit in strainer until they've drained the amount of moisture you desire, anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. Scoop the curds into a container and store in the refrigerator.

I'm submitting this recipe to Roz at la bella vita

French Fridays with Dorie : Gougeres

As we are getting closer to finishing Dorie Greenspan's fabulous book Baking from my home to yours we couldn't bear not cooking with her any more so we are starting today a new group that will be cooking from the new Around the French Table wich is a very rich book filled with all kinds of french recipes. If you think you may be interested please join us !

The first recipes were chosen by Dorie herself and the first month's recipes are on a pdf you can find in the site.

Our first appetizer were delicious and fast to make Gougeres , I made them with part Parmigiano and part Caciotta cheese they were a great success and couldn't stop eating them !

As you can see good is never enough so Carlo used them as a sandwhich and filled them with mortadella and mozzarella.

Plese visit the wonderfully design new site you'll be hooked !

Bread Baking Buddies : Brunkans Langa

This month's Babe, Gorel of Grain Doe chose a bread made in a Stockholm's bakery which usually is baked in a very long loaf.

The bread is made with a sourdough made with Graham flour and Muscovado sugar.

I really fell in love with this wonderful loaf, I usually eat my bread for breakfast spread with some jam but this was so good it didn't need any jam. Even Andrea who is not so into bread loved it particularly, what can I tell you more ? Go and bake it !

I already own a sourdough starter so I just fed it with graham flour three days before baking but I didn't find the real flour so I just made it following Gorel's recipe.

RECIPE

Graham flour* sourdough:

Day 1, morning:
Mix 60g/100 ml/0,42 cups graham flour
with 120 g/120 ml/0,5 cups water.
Cover with cling film and leave at room temp.

Day 1, evening:
Add 60g/100 ml/0,42 cups graham flour and
60 g/60 ml/0,25 cups water.
Mix, cover with cling film and leave at room temp.

Day 2, morning:
Add 60g/100 ml/0,42 cups graham flour and
60 g/60 ml/0,25 cups water.
Mix. By now, the sourdough should be a little active (bubbly). If not, add a teaspoon of honey, some freshly grated apple or a teaspoon of natural yoghurt. Leave at room temp.

Day 3, morning:
Feed the sourdough with 60g/100 ml/0,42 cups graham flour and 60 g/60 ml/0,25 cups water.
Mix, cover with cling film and put in fridge.

Day 4
By now, the sourdough should be ready to use. If you don’t want to use it right away, you can keep in the fridge if you feed it as above a couple of times/week.

*Graham flour can’t be found everywhere. If you want to recreate an exact substitute, here’s what to do, according to Wikipedia:

Graham flour is not available in all countries. A fully correct substitute for it would be a mix of white flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ in the ratio found in whole wheat. Wheat comprises approximately 83% endosperm, 14.5% bran, and 2.5% germ by mass. For sifted all-purpose white flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ having densities of 125, 50, and 80 grams/cup, respectively, one cup of graham flour is approximately equivalent to 84 g (~2/3 cup) white flour, 15 g (slightly less than 1/3 cup) wheat bran, and 2.5 g (1.5 teaspoons) wheat germ.

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Brunkans långa
The long (tall?) loaf of Brunkebergs bageri
2 large loaves
Ingredients
600 g/600 ml/2,5 cups water
1125 g/2,48 lb high-protein wheat flour
375 g/13,2 oz graham sourdough (see above)
20 g/0,7 oz fresh yeast
150 g/5,3 oz dark muscovado sugar
25 g/0,88 oz honey
30 g/1 oz sea salt

Day 1
Mix all ingredients except the salt. Work the dough in a stand mixer for 10 minutes or by hand for 20. Add the salt. Knead the dough for 5 minutes more. Put the dough in a oiled, plastic box and put the lid on. Leave the dough for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes: fold one side of the dough against the centre of the dough, then fold the other end inwards, finally turn the whole dough so that the bottom side is facing down. Put the plastic box with the dough in the fridge and let it rise over night.

Day 2
Set the oven temp to 250 C/480 F. Leave the baking stone in if you use one.

Pour out the dough on a floured table top and divide it lengthwise with a sharp knife. Put the dough halves on a sheet covered with parchment paper and place another parchment paper or a towel on top. I dusted them with some flour at this point. When the oven is ready, put in the sheet or shove the parchment paper with the loaves onto the baking stone. Put a small tin with 3-4 ice cubes at the bottom of the oven. (The water releases slowly which is supposed to be better.) Lower the oven temp. to
175 C/350 F immediately after you have put in the loaves.
After 20 minutes, open the oven door and let out excess steam.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the loaves have reached an inner temp of 98 C/208 F.

Let cool on wire.

Ciao a tutti cari panificatori con lievito madre, questa settimana per il Sourdough baking Wednesday di Zucchero & Cannella vi propongo un pane fantastico dal sapore leggermente dolce che per la prima colazione è ideale. Il procedimento è un po' lungo ma ne vale proprio la pena.. il problema è che non ce la faccio a tradurre la ricetta di Gorel spero che vi accontenterete del traduttore, se non funziona traduco la ricetta fatemelo sapere !

TWD : Tarte Fine

This wonderful recipe was chosen by my friend Leslie of Lethally Delicious, I never actually met Leslie, but whenever I visit her blog and are welcomed by her kind smile I really think of her as a dear friend.

She chose a very special recipe because it's quite fast and easy (if you buy your puff pastry) but looks extremely elegant.

I had huge apples on hand and they were new ones so very crunchy ... impossible to cut a quarter in seven slices ! After destroying a couple of apples I decided to use them in the middle of the tarte and to cut the thin slices with a potato peeler !

Wonderful choice Leslie !!!

Daring Baker's Challenge: Decorated Sugar Cookies

The September 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mandy of “What the Fruitcake?!” Mandy challenged everyone to make Decorated Sugar Cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking.

I must say that with this month's challenge the kids and me had lots of fun. I would have loved to achieve those perfect cookies we could find on the suggested sites but I had to settle for fun and good cookies to eat. We shared them at school and all the kids loved them too and Anita advertised the blog promising the recipe.

Mandy chose a very good recipe, not too sweet and easy to handle. I'm sure I will make more trials hoping to become a better cookie decorator.

You can download a printable pdf of the recipes HERE

RECIPE

Basic Sugar Cookies:
Makes Approximately 36x 10cm / 4" Cookies

200g / 7oz / ½ cup + 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
400g / 14oz / 3 cups + 3 Tbsp All Purpose / Plain Flour
200g / 7oz / 1 cup Caster Sugar / Superfine Sugar
1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
5ml / 1 tsp Vanilla Extract / Or seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Directions
• Cream together the butter, sugar and any flavourings you’re using. Beat until just becoming
creamy in texture.
• Tip: Don’t over mix otherwise you’ll incorporate too much air and the cookies will spread during
baking, losing their shape.
• Beat in the egg until well combined, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the sifted flour and mix on low until a non sticky dough forms.
• Tip: I don’t have a stand mixer so I find it easier to switch to dough hooks at this stage to avoid
flour flying everywhere.
• Knead into a ball and divide into 2 or 3 pieces.
• Roll out each portion between parchment paper to a thickness of about 5mm/1/5 inch (0.2 inch)
• Refrigerate for a minimum of 30mins.
• Tip: Recipes commonly just wrap the whole ball of dough in clingwrap and then refrigerate it for an
hour or overnight, but by rolling the dough between parchment, this shortens the chilling time and
then it’s also been rolled out while still soft making it easier and quicker.
• Once chilled, peel off parchment and place dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Cut out shapes with cookie cutters or a sharp knife.
• Arrange shapes on parchment lined baking sheets and refrigerate for another 30mins to an hour.
• Tip: It’s very important you chill them again otherwise they’ll spread while baking.
• Re-roll scraps and follow the above process until all scraps are used up.
• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C Fan Assisted) / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
• Bake until golden around the edges, about 8-15mins depending on the size of the cookies.
• Tip: Bake same sized cookies together otherwise mixing smaller with larger cookies could result in
some cookies being baked before others are done.
• Tip: Rotate baking sheets half way through baking if your oven bakes unevenly.
• Leave to cool on cooling racks.
• Once completely cooled, decorate as desired.
• Tip: If wrapped in tinfoil/cling wrap or kept in airtight containers in a cool place, un-decorated
cookies can last up to a month.

Royal Icing:

315g – 375g / 11oz – 13oz / 2½ - 3 cups Icing / Confectioner’s / Powdered Sugar, unsifted
2 Large Egg Whites
10ml / 2 tsp Lemon Juice
5ml / 1 tsp Almond Extract, optional

Directions

• Beat egg whites with lemon juice until combined.
• Tip: It’s important that the bowls/spoons/spatulas and beaters you use are thoroughly cleaned and
grease free.
• Sift the icing sugar to remove lumps and add it to the egg whites.
• Tip: I’ve listed 2 amounts of icing sugar, the lesser amount is good for a flooding consistency, and the larger amount is for outlining, but you can add even more for a much thicker consistency good for writing. If you add too much icing sugar or would like to make a thinner consistency, add very small amounts of water, a few drops at a time, until you reach the consistency you need.
• Beat on low until combined and smooth.
• Use immediately or keep in an airtight container.
• Tip: Royal Icing starts to harden as soon as it’s in contact with air so make sure to cover containers with plastic wrap while not in use.

Mellow Bakers : Cheese Bread

This is one of the breads the Mellow Bakers chose to bake in September from J. Hamelman Bread book.

As I read that some found the crust bitter from the cheese pieces sticking out I tried to push them in but some pieces came out anyway not causing too much damage. Actually we quite enjoied this bread.

I used Parmigiano Reggiano as cheese.

With this bread I'm partecipating to Zucchero & Canella's Sourdough Baking Wednesdays

Questo pane al formaggio viene da un bellissimo libro di J. Hamelman che si chiama Bread. Ho un po' di difficoltà con i pesi in caso vi sembri troppo provate con la metà.

Ricetta

820 gr farina

492 gr acqua

50 gr olio extravergine

1,5 gr sale

1 gr lievito secco

288 gr lievito madre

200 gr Parmigiano (metà grattugiato e metà a pezzettini)

Unire tutti gli ingredienti escluso il Parmigiano nella planetaria e lavorare per 3 minuti a velocità minima. L'impasto dovrebbe essere abbastanza sodo. Lavorare a velocità media per altri tre minuti. Aggiungere il formaggio e lavorare al minimo fino a che è incorporato.

Far lievitare per 2 ore e mezza.

Dare le pieghe a metà lievitazione

Dividere l'impasto a metà e formare in filoni lunghi o tondi.

Far livitare 1 ora circa o mettere in frigorifero fino a 8 ore.

Cuocere in un forno caldissimo per 40 minuti abbassando la temperatura dopo i primi 15 minuti.