Day 3: Whole Wheat Buttermilk Bread

I knew I should have finished these blog posts before I started school again! Oh well, my posts may be a bit delayed, but I do plan to write about my 7 days of home cooking. For Day 3, I wanted to try my hand at baking bread. It is not something I attempt often, maybe twice a year, but I always love the smell of bread baking in the oven. Baking bread can seem very daunting, what with the kneading and the rising and then kneading and more rising. Who has time to cook let alone bake bread? But aside from the time needed to rise, baking bread isn't all that complicated. I suggest baking on a Saturday or Sunday when you don't have much to do. It can be so relaxing kneading dough and then there's the final product - fresh baked bread!

I decided to peruse some of my cookbooks that have been collecting dust on the shelf. I settled on a book that my mother used when I was growing up called "Nikki and David Goldbeck's American Wholefoods Cuisine"published in 1984. The cookbook contains 1300 meatless wholesome recipes and may become a book I use more in the coming year. Although this buttermilk whole wheat bread was not something my mom made often, baking this bread makes me feel connected to my mom (and that just makes me happy).  In my family we have recipes that my mom made again and again and have become almost part of the family. I guess that's why I like cooking so much, because it becomes a centerpiece around which family and friends gather. Baking bread seems like a new tradition I could incorporate into my family.

This recipe makes 2 loaves, I made one in the standard bread pan and another freeform boule in a cake pan. While my technique may need some refining (I don't think it rose as much as I would have liked) the bread was tasty. I used it in grilled cheese with turkey sandwiches for dinner and toast the next morning (as well as several other sandwiches during the week)! So the next time you have a few hours to kill give this recipe a try.





Buttermilk Bread
Makes 2 loaves.

2 tbsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water (should be between 100-110 F)
2 cups buttermilk (I used 2% and added 2 tbsp vinegar)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp salt
about 5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Soften yeast in warm water. When dissolved stir in remaining ingredients, adding as much flour as possible in the bowl and kneading in the rest as necessary. (Note: This dough is a little sticky so I added a little more flour which may be why my bread was a little denser). Knead for 5-10 minutes.

Cover dough in an oiled bowl and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled. Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes.

Shape into two loaves; cover and let rise for 45 minutes until doubled (Note: you can wet a towel and use that to cover your loaf to prevent it from drying out). Preheat oven to 375 degrees F near the end of the second rising.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until nicely browned. Removed from pan and let cool completely until slicing.

Tis the season for Pumpkin Cornbread

Pumpkin Cornbread

Gosh it's been awhile since I last wrote. My oven has been broken for the past month or so, but I have been cooking (perhaps not as much as AJ would like). But now the oven is back and I can start whipping up some fall goodies.

I absolutely love fall, and eventhough the weather has been rather warm in Northern California, we have had hints of that lovely cool weather. I recently went for a walk one evening and could smell the lovely perfume of burning wood and damp leaves. This kind of weather inspires baking, especially with seasonal ingredients. My hands down favorite fall ingredient is squash. I love roasting acorn squash and eating it simply with a dab of maple syrup or pureering butternut squash and apples into a creamy soup. And of course you can't forget the pumpkin.

Mixing together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, and oil.

I use pumpkin as most people do, pureed in muffins, quick breads, and pies. But last night I was looking for a different way to use pumpkin. I had thoughts of making cornbread and asked myself, "Would pumpkin cornbread be good?" Now, you may think I'm crazy, but apparently I am not the only has thought about this unique combination. Recipegirl has a nice recipe for pumpkin cornbread. I decided to give it a whirl!

Mmm pumpkin.

The recipe, like most quick breads is very simple. Sift your flours and spices together in one big bowl. Then mix your wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Then combine in a couple swift turns of a spoon. Pour into a greased pan and bake in the oven. Thirty minutes later you have a somewhat denser, moister, spicier corn bread. I am absolutely in love with this bread. I reduced the sugar by half to get a more savory bread. I think this reduction allows the pumpkin and spices to shine through a bit more. But you could easily add back the sugar if you are looking for more of a sweet treat. The bread is super moist and yet you still get that lovely nuttiness from the corn meal. This is a hearty bread, perfect for serving with a bowl of chili or eating it with a cup of coffee in the morning (as I am right now).

Bottom Line: How could you not make yourself this delicious cornbread?!

Mom's Apple-Banana Cake

Apples and ba-nay-nays

Sometimes baking is an excuse to get rid of some fruit or milk that's about to expire. I know that statement isn't entirely logically (you're going to use flour, butter, and sugar just to make sure you don't waste one banana?) I know it's illogical, but sometimes inspiration comes in mysterious ways.

I had originally thought about making plain old banana bread, but it turned out I only had one banana sitting on top of my fridge. I realized that I had two gravestein apples (which are supposed to be great for baking) and a jar of applesauce. A-pples and Ba-nay-nays, I knew I could do something with that!

Apple Banana bread smells like cinammon, spice, and everything nice.

I searched the internet for some recipes involving apples and bananas and came across "Mom's Apple-Banana Bread". When I saw that the recipe involved adding caramelized apples to the batter, I knew it would be a winner. This recipe also appealed to me because it incorporates two treats that my mom and dad make really well - banana bread and apple cake respectively. My dad doesn't put on his baker's hat too often, but his apple cake has become a family staple. And my mom's banana bread just tastes better than any other banana bread I've tried. This recipe is essentially a combination of the two! The bananas and applesauce make for a very moist bread, and the caramelized apples add lovely bites of sweet and tart. The warm spices just scream fall. With the cooler weather approaching, I beg you to try this one.

I tweaked the recipe a little to accommodate the ingredients I had in my pantry (who uses that word?)

Ingredients

1 stick plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter (JAM Note: 1/2 stick butter, plus 2 tbsp, plus 1/4 c applesauce)

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 in dice (JAM Note: used Gravestein apples)

1 tsp cinammon (JAM Note: used 1 1/2 tsp)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (JAM Note: used 2 tsp)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cloves (JAM Note: used 1/2 tsp)

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (JAM Note: used 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup) (JAM Note: used 1 ripe banana, 1/2 c applesauce)

1/4 c orange juice (JAM Note: used 1/4 c applesauce)

Directions

In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter with brown sugar. Add the apples and cook over moderate heat, stirring until tender and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon and 1/2 of vanilla and transfer apples to a plate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5x4 in loaf pan. In medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg (JAM Note: allspice, pumpkin spice) and the remaining cinnamon.

In a large bowl, using the handheld electric mixer, beat the remaining butter (half stick) with the granulated sugar (JAM Note: beat in 1/2 c applesauce after). Beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time until smooth. Add in bananas (JAM Note: and applesauce), orange juice, and remaining vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Using a rubber spatula fold in apples.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 1 hr and 20 minutes (JAM Note: my bread was done in 50 minutes). Let the loaf cool and turn onto rack to cool completely.

Bagel Baking at Home?!

Whole-wheat Everything Bagels

AJ recently sent me an interesting article he found in Slate magazine discussing the cost-effectiveness of making things at home versus buying them in the store. I am all about homemade items, which can be attributed to my spoiled childhood, where my mother would never think of baking brownies from a box. However, there are some things I would never dream of making on my own - cream cheese, yogurt, and bagels. All of these items are investigated in the article. All of these require more effort than driving to your local grocery store, but some are deemed worthwhile, while others failed to impress. The author's bagel making experience, however, was one of the best. Her claims about the great taste and the cost-effectiveness of the home-made bagel inspired me to try it out. Click here for the recipe.

Little balls of dough, just waiting for holes to be punched!

The recipe, from start to finish, ended up taking about 2.5 hours. The dough came together rather easily - water, sugar, yeast, flour. A little kneading and I was ready to let my big ball of dough rise. After an hour, I divided the dough into ten little balls. These are poked in the middle, creating holes. The bagels are then allowed to rise another ten minutes.

Not as pretty as the ones in the store, but not too bad for my first try!

Steamy water bath.

After the second rise, I placed the bagels in a sugary water bath. The water bath gelatinizes the starches, giving the bagels their chewy crust. I used a small pot, so I only put in two at a time. As you can see, my shaping of the dough wasn't completely uniform, so little cracks appeared as they boiled in the water. However, I don't think that affected the baking process. Once the bagels have dried on a towel, you can place them on a greased baking sheet.

Garlic, poppyseeds, onion, and sesame seeds top them off.

I followed the directions with the eggwash and added poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic and onion. Whole wheat everything bagels are my favorite. I would def recommend using a brush for the egg wash, my attempt at using a paper towel was flawed. I may have put a little too much egg on top of the bagels. Up until the baking process I would say everything went very well. I baked the bagels according to direction. I believe I misinterpreted the directions, because my bagels came out overcooked. The bagels were extremely brown. I should have turned them over halfway through, but I misread and thought I should turn them over after 25 minutes. Well it was too late at that point.

AJ and I still ate two bagels each, but I was disappointed with the overall results. Another concern was the consistency of the dough on the inside. It almost seemed like it could use a couple more minutes in the oven. I think I would reduce the temp of the oven to 325 and experiment with the baking time. Let me know if you try these out, or if you have a better bagel recipe!

Cranberry Walnut Carrot Bread

A plethora of baby carrots were sitting in my fridge, begging to be used. I had recently seen a recipe for carrot cake cookies on The Gastronomer's blog, and it inspired me to use my carrots in some sort of baked good. This could be a healthy treat, I thought to myself.

I scanned the internet and came across a "Cooking Light" recipe. I tweaked it slightly, adding cranberries and walnuts. The cranberries and walnuts were definitely a nice addition. The bread itself is fluffy, with a nice crunchy exterior. The spicy undertones from the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves are complimented nicely by the tart cranberries and crunchy walnuts. Next time I would toast the walnuts prior to baking, to bring out more of their flavor. The bread is earthy, and not too sweet. A perfect afternoon snack or breakfast treat, best served with a hot cup of tea!

Recipe is as follows.

Carrot Bread

3/4 cup sliced carrots (about 4 oz)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (JAM Note: I used King Arthur's white whole wheat flour)
1 tsp cinammon
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 ground ginger
1/4 ground cloves
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 egg white
1/4 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries (JAM Note: add-ins optional)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (JAM Note: add-ins optional)


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Place dried cranberries in a small bowl of warm water. Let stand for 30 minutes.


Boil carrots until tender (JAM Note: the baby carrots took about 6 minutes). Place carrots in food processor and chop.


Mix flour and the next six ingredients in a large bowl.


Whisk together carrots, sugar, yogurt, oil, and eggs.

Drain cranberries. Combine wet mixture, cranberries, and walnuts until just combined.

Butter an 8-in loaf pan. Pour batter into pan and bake for 50 min or until toothpick comes out dry (JAM Note: finished baking in 40 min).

Mmm fresh out of the oven!

2 out of 3 JAMs

Seasonal Eats - Pumpkin Bread

To me, nothing says fall and winter holidays like pumpkin (well, besides chocolate and peppermint), so when I was baking a pumpkin pie, I knew I wanted to try some other pumpkin inspired recipes. Seeing as the pumpkin bars I made earlier were such a hit, I decided to make some pumpkin bread with cranberries for Thanksgiving/post-Thanksgiving.

Adapting a recipe from The Joy of Baking, I made the pumpkin bread with some slight alterations, adding dried cranberries for a little extra holiday cheer. The bread was moist and carried an aroma of pumpkin pie spices, with just a hint of sweetness. It was delicious!

I brought some in for my coworkers as a Thanksgiving treat and they all enjoyed it (though obviously if you are not a fan of pumpkin pie, this pumpkin bread might not be your JAM). We ate it during the morning as a breakfast but certainly it could serve as a not so sweet dessert (probably delicious served warmed with ice cream).

Pumpkin Bread (makes 1 loaf)

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan (9x5).

Ingredients:

Whisk together in a medium bowl:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp grated or ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Combine in a small bowl:

• 1/3 cup water or milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat in a large bowl until fluffy:

• 6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Once the butter and sugar are fluffy and well combined, add in 2 eggs, one at a time, and beat on low until well blended.
2. While still beating on low, add in 1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin puree.
3. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture, while beating on low, being sure to scrap down the sides of the bowl. Beat until smooth.
4. Fold in 1/2 cup dried cranberries.
5. Pour batter into loaf pan and spread evenly, ensuring batter is evenly distributed.
6. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, approximately 1 hour.
7. Let cool in pan for 5 to 10 mins before unmolding. Cool completely before cutting.

All in all, a 2 1/2 out of 3 JAMs. While the texture could have been a bit more moist and less crumbly (next time I will probably add a little more pumpkin), the flavor and aroma were amazingly fragrant and very very festive.

Yum!

Hollah! (aka Challah)

So there is nothing I love more than fresh baked bread. The smell of yeasty dough wafting through the house will send me running to kitchen, eager to grab the first warm slice straight out of the oven. I am not much of a bread baker, but tried my hand at some challah a couple months ago.

My mom, knowing how much I love challah, pointed me to the New York Times Magazine feature article on this beloved bread. I decided to test it out, to compare to previous recipe I had used. The taste testers would be my beloved friends Natalie, Jenny, Travis at the dinner party Malia and I planned on hosting.

Now I am not the most fastidious person alive, and I failed to read the directions properly. I began mixing the flour and yeast mixture together, and quickly realized that this dry, crumbly mass could not be right. I consulted with my friend Natalie and we agreed I should trash the dough, and start over.

With Natalie's help I began to activate the yeast in warm water adding a 1/4 of a cup of flour from the well. This sat for 40 minutes. Then I added the sugar, butter, eggs, salt, and cinnamon. The rest of the flour was incorporated in small amounts until the dough no longer stuck to my hands.

The dough was allowed to double in size and then kneaded and rolled into long snakes. These snakes were then braided into a loaf.

The challah before it was baked for 40 minutes.

The final product! Pictures can't convey how amazing this bread smells straight out of the oven.
1976 Challah
This recipe from Sarah Schecht of Brooklyn appeared in an article by Craig Claiborne.

9 cups sifted, unbleached (JAM NOTE: I used about 5 cups)flour, plus additional flour for kneading2
(¼-ounce) packages dry active yeast (JAM NOTE: I used 1 package)
½ teaspoon baking powder (JAMNOTE: 1/4 tsp)
½ teaspoon cinnamon (JAM NOTE: 1/4 tsp)
1 tablespoon salt (JAM NOTE: 1/2 tbsp)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (JAMNOTE: 1/2 tsp)
4 large eggs (JAM NOTE: I used 2 for the bread, 1 for the egg wash)
¾ cup corn oil or clarified butter, plus more for greasing (JAM NOTE: I used clarified butter, 3/8 cup)
baking sheet
¾ cup plus 1 1/8 teaspoon sugar (JAM NOTE: 3/8 cup)
1 tablespoon sesame or poppy seeds.

1. Place 6 cups (JAMNOTE: 3 cups) of the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. In a small bowl, stir the yeast into 1 cup (1/2 cup) of lukewarm water until dissolved. Add this to the well. Using a fork, stir around the well, gradually incorporating ¼ of the flour (JAM NOTE: make sure to incorporate only some of the flour. I started mixing it all together and had to throw that batch into the trash!) — no more — into the yeast mixture. Set the bowl in a warm place and let stand 45 to 50 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the baking powder, cinnamon and salt over the flour mixture. Add the vanilla, 3 of the eggs (JAMNOTE: 2 eggs), the oil (or butter) and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Add 1 1/2 cups (JAM NOTE: 3/4 cup) lukewarm water and blend again, first using the fork and then your hands. Add 2 cups of flour (JAM NOTE: 1 cup), kneading for about 10 minutes. If the mixture is still too sticky, add up to a cup more of flour (JAM NOTE: Used 1 more cup). The dough is ready when it doesn't stick to your hands. Shape into a rough ball, cover, let stand 20 minutes and then turn it out onto a lightly floured board. Knead well for about 5 minutes, adding a little flour to the board as needed to prevent sticking. Set the dough in a floured bowl and lightly coat in flour. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Turn the dough onto a flat surface and knead briefly. Cut off 1/8 of the dough (JAM NOTE: Cut into 1/3 pieces), knead quickly, shape into a ball, flour lightly and let rest briefly. Repeat with remaining 7 pieces (JAM NOTE: remaining 2 pieces). Using your hands, roll each piece into a 12-to-15-inch-long rope. Continue with remaining balls.
4. Align the ropes vertically, side by side. Gather the tops together, one at a time, pinching down to seal. Separate the ropes down the center, 4 to a side. Braid them as follows: bring the outer right rope over toward the center next to the inside rope on the left. Bring the outer left rope over toward the center next to the inside rope on the right. Repeat this process until the loaf is braided. As the last ropes are brought over, pull and stretch them a bit as needed. When braided, gather the bottom ends of the ropes and pinch them together. (JAM NOTE: Made a simple braid using three pieces)
5. Generously oil (or butter) the bottom and sides of a large baking sheet. Carefully lift the braided loaf and transfer to the baking sheet. Cover the loaf with a towel and place in a warm spot until the loaf is doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.6. Beat the remaining egg with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of sugar. Brush the loaf with the egg wash and then sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake until puffed and golden, about 1 hour (JAM NOTE: Baked 40 min). Makes 1 loaf.

This loaf was very large. I can't imagine having made the originally recipe with double the amount of flour and yeast!