Miracle Bread (Hannah's)

Photo thanks to Michelle

10 1/2 c. white bread flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. salt

3 rounded tablespoons saf-instant yeast

3 T. liquid lecithin (I didn't have lecithin, so I used 1/3 c. oil)

4 c. hot tap water

Mix dry ingredients. Add lecithin (or oil) and water. Mix for 1 minute and check consistency. If dough is too dry, add a little more water. Dough should be very sticky. Mix for 5 minutes. (Do not add flour to the dough after it has finished mixing.) Spray counter and pans with Pam. Shape loaves, place in pans and cover with a dish towel. Let rise 25 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.Makes 4 loaves.

For whole wheat bread, use the same recipe only with whole wheat flour; replace one cup of the hot water with applesauce, and add 1 additional tablespoon lecithin. Mix for ten minutes.

**Note: if you are making this in a KitchenAid, halve the recipe and make 2 loaves of bread.**



I made bread for the first time! It was so easy I want to make it again and again.

Olive and Bacon Fougasse

Although it is almost close to two months since I last wrote a post on bread-making, I had actually been baking bread on a regular basis. I keep going back to the usual recipes that I am familiar with. The ever tasty and soft Hokkaido Milky loaf, the very versatile Milk loaf, and the savoury Bacon and Cheese loafare some of the few regulars on our breakfast table.


After taking a short hiatus from baking, I thought I should get out of my comfort zone to try something new. I have been keeping this fougasse recipe since I borrowed this book from the library. I have seen this pretty bread from several cookbooks, but as it is a French bread, most of the recipes I came across require it to be made with a starter. I was happy to be able to find a recipe that uses a straight dough method.


Fougasse, originated from Provence, is a type of flat bread filled with olives, bacon, onion or herbs, not very different from the Italian Focaccia. It can also be made like a calzone, with fillings stuff inside the pockets made by folding over the dough. For the flat bread version, it is often shaped and slashed to resemble a leaf or the tree of life.


Base on the cookbook, the same dough recipe can be used for making focaccia or pizza. Since we have only 1A2C at home, I halved the original recipe and also added some dried mixed herbs to give it more flavour. I followed the instructions to roll out the dough into 5mm thickness. As a result, the fougasse turn out to be very thin and crispy. I was expecting something much thicker :(


I do not know how fougasse should taste like since this is the first time I have ever tasted it. Although I like the flavourful savoury taste, I would prefer a thicker bread instead of a crunchy texture, it was almost like eating some bread sticks! Well, at least I was compensated with the lovely and distinctive aroma emitting from the black olives and bacon when the bread was baking in the oven.

To enjoy the bread, I served it with cream of mushroom soup. Upon cooling, the bread hardened and it was so crispy that my kids broke it into pieces and drop them into their soup, just like croutons ^_^"'

I have posted the recipe here for those who are intersted to give a try. However, I would remind myself not to roll the dough too thin the next I were to make them again.


Olive and Bacon Fougasse

Ingredients

150g bread flour
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (optional)
90 ml water
1 tablespoon olive oil

5 black olives, coarsely chopped
2 strips of bacon, cut into small strips

Method

1. Stir bread flour, instant yeast, salt and dried mixed herbs(if using) in a mixing bowl.
2. Make a well in the centre and add in olive oil and water. Mix the ingredients with hand and slowly form into a dough.
3. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead until the dough no longer sticks to your hand, becomes smooth and elastic. This should take about 20 mins. (Note: the dough is a little on the dry side.)
4. Add black olives and bacon strips, knead till the ingredients are well mixed for about 5 mins. (Note: due to the moisture in the olives and bacon, the dough will become slightly sticky and wet. Dust lightly with some flour and continue to knead and the dough will become smooth and elastic again.)
5. Place dough in a lightly greased (with olive oil) mixing bowl, cover with cling wrap and let proof in room temperature (around 28 ~ 30 degC) for about one hour, or until double in bulk.
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and give a few light kneading to press out the gas in the dough. Divide dough into two equal portions. Smooth into rounds, cover with a damp cloth or cling wrap and let them rest for 10 ~ 15 mins.
7. On a lightly floured work surface, flatten each dough into a round disc, roll the dough from the centre to the edges to form a tear-drop shape, with thickness of 5mm (1/4"). (Note: for thicker bread, roll out to at least 10mm (1/2") thick). Place dough on a baking tray, well greased or lined with parchment paper.
8. For each dough, with a pastry scrapper or a knife, make two vertical slits in the centre (or just 1 long slit, as desired). Make three slanted slits on both sides of the vertical slits. Gently pull the slits apart to shape the dough to resemble a leaf.
9. Cover with damp cloth or cling wrap and leave doughs to proof for the second time for about 20 ~ 30mins. Brush dough lightly with some olive oil and sprinkle sparingly with some sea salt (optional).
10. Bake in pre-heated oven at 220 deg C for 18 ~ 20 mins or until golden brown.
    
    Recipe source:adapted from 爱上做面包, 德永久美子

Raspberry Freezer Jam

I made some yummy freezer Jam the other day. Since I'm off sugar for a while I used 'Agave' instead of sugar. If you don't know about agave you should pick some up. It's the about the consistency of honey and it's 3 times sweeter than sugar so you use a lot less.

In a large bowl mash up

7 cups of Raspberries

3 small Peaches

10 Strawberries

1 cup Agave Nectar

2 tsp Vanilla (I think Vanilla cuts the tartness of the fruit but it's a personal preference, I add Vanilla to everything)

2 packets of Freezer jam Pectin

Follow the directions on the packet, which basically says stir, put in containers and freeze or refrigerate. Then eat it up Yum!

My favorite way to eat it which completely defeats the purpose of using Agave is putting it over Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream. I need to get some plain Yogurt and try it in that too. Plus it's just good on toast. Which reminds me I want to make whole wheat bread too. Shoot I'm hungry now.

Popovers

I finally figured them out! I've made them a few times recently and they've always turned out like the ones on the left. Still yummy but not popped like they should. Then I looked up the recipe on http://www.allrecipes.com/ and read a suggestion that said to put a little dallop of butter in each cup after heating up the pan in the oven for about 5-10 mins. So I put a little drop of butter in the six cups on the left and see what happened. Woo Hoo lovely popped Popovers. I've also tried making the batter as room tempature as possible which may help too, but my little experiment proves that a little butter is the key. So go make them, I've already made them twice this week and will probably make them Sunday morning too since Ryan said he's never had them before.

Ingredients:

2 Eggs (room temp if possible)
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Flour

Pre heat oven to 450* put the muffin tin in while it's heating. Take tin out, spray and add a drop of butter to each cup. Bake at 450 for 20 mins then lower the temp to 350 and bake another 10-15 mins. Eat warm with butter and strawberry jelly or lemon juice and powder sugar.

Grandma Hatton's Porterhouse Rolls

2 pkg dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 Tbs sugar

• Mix together & let stand 20 minutes in warm room

1 cup scalded milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup oil

2 tsp salt

2 eggs beaten

• Mix these ingredients together well. Add 4 - 5 cups flour. Then add yeast mixture and flour, stir well, then knead until smooth. Add just enough flour to make a soft dough that can be handled well.
• Let rise to double in size.
• Roll out and cut into biscuits. Cut half way through each one and dip in melted butter. Fold over half way.
• Let rise in pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown.
• Makes about 30 rolls.

Easy Dinner Rolls

Mix in bowl.

2/3 cup scalded milk

1 cup warm water

½ cup butter or margarine (melted)

½ cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. salt

3 eggs

5 ½ to 6 cups white flour

2 Tbs yeast added with flour

• Knead for 10 min
• Let dough rise till double,
• For rolls, break off pieces and form into balls and put on cookie sheet.
• Let rise.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 min.

Variations:

2 Tbs. honey

1 cup Quaker Instant Oatmeal

1 cup whole wheat

2 Tbs molasses

Chilli, Indian Fry Bread & Wheat Bread

Here's another of Sharon's meals - that Mom made - and I'm posting - deligation at it's best!

Sharon’s Chili and Fry Bread

1 lb hamburger
1 cup chopped onions (I use 1 small onion)
¾ cup chopped green pepper
1 glove garlic minced
Brown and drain the above ingredients

Add:
1 16 oz can cut up tomatoes
1 16 oz can red kidney beans (drain and rinse)
1-8 oz can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Simmer 20 minutes. Serve over fry bread

Indian Fry Bread

Mix:
1 cup hot mashed potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons melted shortening
2 Tablespoons yeast dissolved in 2 cups warm milk
2 beaten eggs

Add: 6 cups flour approximately
Let rise/ roll out/ cut in squares/ fry

Sharon’s Whole Wheat Bread

Use Hard White Wheat

9 cups fresh ground hard white wheat
3 cups white flour
2 T Salt
½ cup powder milk

Mix slightly

Add:
½ cup canola oil
½ cup honey or sugar
2 T lecithin
3 eggs
5 cups very hot water from tap

Mix till moist

Add:
2 ½ T yeast
Mix 10 minutes

Add more flour if needed

Let rise. Flour counter. Cut into four equal pieces. Press out and roll to make loaf. Flour outside. Place in ungreased pans. Bake 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Variations:
Add 2 cups 6 grain flour for 1 cup whole wheat flour
Can add cranberry dried things for fruit

Can roll and add butter, cinnamon and sugar and roll to make cinnamon loaf