Rye Rolls with Poppy
Monday, November 14, 2011Those dinner rolls, made from egg white enriched rye dough, have a really shiny and beautiful crust, partly because of overnight proofing in the fridge, partly due to the egg white wash applied prior to baking at high temperature with steam.
Starter | Starter | Others |
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- Dissolve the fresh yeast in the water. Stir in bread and rye flours until well combined. Cover and leave it at room temperature for 2 hours, then transfer to the fridge for 12 hours.
- Place all the dough ingredients together with starter in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Stir at low speed until all ingredients have been incorporated, then increase the speed and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if too stiff.
- Cover with a plastic and set aside until it doubles in size, 1-2 hours. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly press down the dough and shape into a round. Divide the dough into 10-15 pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a round or an oval. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and proof until double in bulk. This will take about 90 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 230C/450F and place an old baking pan on the bottom rack. Combine egg white and water in a bowl. Brush the top of bread rolls with egg wash and sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Slash a 1/4-inch/5-mm deep cut across the top of each roll. Place rolls in the oven on the next shelf up, pour 1 cup of water into the old baking pan and close the door quickly. Bake for about 20 minutes until richly brown.
Crusty Hard Rolls
Monday, November 07, 2011Those bread rolls, known in Germany as Brötchen, are crunchy, richly golden brown rolls with a soft interior, and flavourful thanks to an overnight sponge. Serve them warm with jam or/and butter for the breakfast or with a bowl of piping hot soup as dinner. You can always freeze them and re-crisp in the 150C/300F oven.
Starter | Dough |
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- Combine together the flour, water and yeast in a mixing bowl. Cover and leave the starter at room temperature for 16-20 hours.
- Whisk together the water and fresh yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add in the rest of ingredients together with the sponge. Mix until a soft, smooth dough forms.
- Shape the dough into a ball and return it to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle a bit of flour over the top of dough. This will keep the dough from sticking. Cover with a plastic and set aside for 90 minutes to rise.
- When the dough has doubled in bulk, turn it out on a lightly floured work surface. Lightly press down the dough and shape into a long roll. Cut the roll into 12 - 15 pieces. Take each piece of dough and form into a round or oval shaped roll.
- Place rolls on the baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise until double, about an hour. Preheat oven to 230C/450F and place an old baking pan on the bottom rack. Slash a 1/4-inch/5-mm deep cut across the top of each roll.
- Place rolls in the oven on the next shelf up, pour 1 cup of water into the old baking pan and close the door quickly. Turn oven down to 220C/425F and bake for 20-25 minutes until they're richly brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a wire rack.
Vanillekipferl Vanilla Crescent Cookies
Friday, November 04, 2011Vanillekipferl are simply sugar cookies in the shape of crescents that are traditionally as a part of the typical Christmas baking in Austria, Hungary and Germany, but can be enjoyed all year round.They usually contain ground nuts, mostly almonds and hazelnuts, flavoured with vanilla, and often served dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
Recipe adapted from Ulrike Kraus -"Kekse und Gebäck rund ums Jahr"
- 300 g All purpose flour
- 250 g Butter, cut into small pieces
- 125 g Sugar
- 3 Egg yolks
- 125 g Ground almonds
- 1 tbsp Vanilla sugar
- 2-3 tbsp Powdered sugar
- Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add in butter, sugar, egg yolks, and ground almonds. Mix until the dough has become smooth. Form the dough into a ball and wrap well with a cling film. Chill for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 80 pieces. Shape each one into a rope, approximately 7mm thick, and bend into a crescent.
- Place the kipferl on a baking trays, and bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Mix the powdered sugar together with the vanilla sugar. Roll the crescents in this mixture while they are still hot.
Yeast Corn Bread with Chilli, Capsicum and Cheddar
Tuesday, November 01, 2011Unlike many other cornbread recipes, this one uses yeast as the leavening agent other than baking soda and baking powder, so the texture is different from the cakey quick bread. This cornbread has a crispy cheesy crust and a flavourful, moist interior, which is generously studded with sweet corn kernels, capsicum, chilli threads, and paprika salami.
Inspired by WDR
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- Measure the cornmeal into a large bowl. Pour in hot water and leave it to soak for about 20 minutes. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet until hot. Add in sweet corn and red capsicum. Stir briefly, and add in chilli threads. Cook until softened. Season with black pepper. Remove and leave it to cool until ready to use.
- Place water, fresh yeast, cornmeal mixture and flour in the bowl of a table mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir at slow speed for 3 minutes, then increase the speed and mix for another 3 minutes.
- Cover the dough in the bowl and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. Now add in the corn capsicum mixture and paprika salami. Use your hand to mix them evenly into the dough. Cover again and rest for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220C/430F. Divide the dough into 3 large portions for loaves or 12 small portions for smaller buns. Shape each small portion of dough into a round. Place Cheddar in a heatproof bowl. Put over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts.
- Spread melted cheese all over the surface of bread and sprinkle cornmeal over the dough and lightly press in with your hands. Bake buns for 15 minutes at 220C/430F, then reduce the oven temperature to200C/400F and bake another 20-25 minutes.
Pommes Duchesse
Saturday, October 29, 2011Pommes Duchesse, also known as Duchess potatoes, are basically some puréed potatoes that includ egg yolk, butter and seasonings. They can be simply shaped into a mound with a spoon or piped through a pastry bag into various shapes. The edges of the piped potatoes are crisp after baking, while the interior remains soft and creamy. Serve duchess potatoes as a side along with a good portion of meat.
- 400 g Potatoes, peeled, roughly chopped
- 1 Egg yolk
- 50 g butter, melted
- A pinch of nutmeg
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- Place potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring it to the boil. Boil for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Transfer to a bowl. Mash with a potato ricer or using a large metal spoon, press potato through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add egg yolk and half the butter. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Preheat oven to 220C/428F. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Spoon the potato mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe swirled rosettes onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle remaining butter over potato. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Baked Stuffed Hokkaido Pumpkin
Tuesday, October 25, 2011A beautiful whole baked Hokkaido filled with ground beef, pumpkin seeds, shiitake mushrooms, ricotta, herb and spices. It’s delicious, remarkably easy and can be prepared in advance. The filling should be for enough for either two mini Hokkaido pumpkins or a large one. If you have too much filling left, bake a casserole!
Inspired by Essen und Trinken
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- Cut off top of pumpkin to make a lid and spoon out the seeds and pulp. Rub the inside with some salt. Place, cut side down, on a piece of kitchen paper, for 30 minutes.
- Soak the dried shiitake in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes until softened. Squeeze out the water and finely chop the shiitake. Finely dice the shallots.
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Heat 2 tablespoons of corn oil in a skillet. Add in chopped shallots, shiitake, allspice, juniper berries, pumpkin seeds and thyme. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Place the ground beef,breadcrumbs, egg, ricotta, and shiitake mixture in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until all the ingredients are well blended.
- Fill the pumpkin with ground beef mixture and place on a baking tray together with the lid. Brush the pumpkin with 1 tablespoon of corn oil. Bake at the 2nd rack from bottom for an hour. About 10 minutes before the pumpkin has finished baking, cover with aluminum foil.
Hasselback Potatoes with Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing
Friday, October 21, 2011Swedish version of baked potatoes. These baked potato fans, also known as “accordion potatoes”, were named after the Hasselbacken Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden that first introduced them in the 1700s. They are crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and make an excellent accompaniment to baked cod, and roasted wagyu beef, or simply as an appetizer served with herb sour cream or blue cheese dressing. Potatoes may be fanned in advanced and placed in cold water to prevent discoloring until ready to use. Dry potatoes well before baking.
Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing | Hasselback Potatoes |
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- In medium bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients except cheese. Gently fold in the crumbled Gorgonzola. Dressing may be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Rinse and dry the potatoes. Grease a baking pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Put each potato, in turn, in the bowl of a wooden spoon, and cut across at about 3mm intervals.
- Brush the rest of olive oil all over each potato, then arrange in the baking pan together with garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Sprinkle with salt. Bake the potatoes in the middle of the oven until tops are crispy and potatoes are cooked through, 45 minutes. Serve warm with creamy blue cheese cheese dressing.
Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Thyme Breadcrumbs
Tuesday, October 18, 2011Brussels sprouts don’t have to be boring and tasteless. Ordinary ingredients, if used and combined properly, could bring ‘wowed’ result. The balsamic vinegar and shallots emphasize the delicate sweetness and earthiness of Brussels sprouts, while the toasted spelt bread crumbs lend extra crunchiness and additional flavour to this winter dish.
Inspired by Food Network
Thyme Breadcrumbs | Braised Sprouts |
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- Pulse the bread to rough breadcrumbs in a food processor. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat, and fry the breadcrumbs with garlic powder and the thyme until golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in shallots, and stir until fragrant. Add in shredded sprouts and garlic, and sauté, tossing frequently, until sprouts are nicely browned.
- Increase the heat to high, then pour in balsamic vinegar and vegetable broth. Cook until sprouts are tender and glazed, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and scatter bread crumbs on top.
Savoury Pumpkin Spelt Tartlets with Sage and Lemon Thyme
Saturday, October 15, 2011Not only is pumpkin delectable and loaded with nutrients, but it can also be used to make a variety of sweet and savoury holiday tarts. Mellow, sweet flavour of pumpkin blends so well with cheese and herbs. The cream is used to give extra smoothness and richness to the filling. To enjoy them at their best, serve those tartlets soon after baking.
Inspired by Gordon Ramsay Recipes
Whole Grain Spelt Hazelnut Pastry | Filling |
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- To make the pastry, combine whole grain spelt flour, hazelnut and salt in a bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolks and 1 tbsp water and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together. If it is too dry, add another 1–2 tsp water, until you can press the dough together into a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, for the filling, put the cream into a small saucepan and add the snipped sage, lemon thyme sprigs and a pinch of salt. Bring just to a simmer, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse and cool completely.
- Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface and use it to line twelve 5cm tarlet tins, trimming off the excess pastry. Place on a baking tray and chill for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line the tartlet cases with greaseproof paper and baking beans or dried beans and ‘bake blind’ for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the setting to 170C/340F.
- Strain the herb-infused cream through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding the herbs. Stir in the pumpkin purée, beaten eggs and freshly grated Parmesan. Season well to taste. Spoon the filling into the pastry cases, then sprinkle a few lemon thyme leaves on top. Bake for about 20–25 minutes until lightly golden and set. Let the tartlets cool in the tins before unmoulding.
Pistachio Cranberry Biscotti
Tuesday, October 11, 2011Crunchy, nutty, and acceptably sweet, those Italian twice-baked cookies are really delicious and make a great coffee dunker. They can be adapted to include any of your favourite nuts, fruit or spices. I like the combination of 'red cranberries and green pistachios', that makes those an ideal Christmas treat. Serve them for the dessert or afternoon snack.
- 190 g All purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp Star anise powder
- 4 Egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 100 g Sugar
- 50 g Dried cranberries, roughly chopped
- 100 g Pistachio, roughly chopped
- Whisk together the flour, cinnamon powder and star anise powder. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F. Line a loaf pan, 10x33-cm / 4x13-inch with baking paper.
- Beat the egg white and pinch of salt until foamy. Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff. Add in the flour mixture and fold to combine. Add in chopped chopped dried cranberries and pistachios.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cookie loaf from the pan and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Adjust the oven temperature to 75C/170F.
- Cut the cookie loaf diagonally into 3/4-inch thick slices. Place back on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for another 80 minutes, or until dry. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.