Monday, December 13, 2021

HOMEMADE COUNTRY-STYLE BREAD

 I doubted my starter would work, and the bread turned out great baking in the clay flour pot.  Thanks! Alton Brown for the idea.
Plan ahead 3 to 4 days in advance - depending on the room temperature.
Make the starter.  Just plain water and flour. *Handmix the starter in the container till smooth.  Cover and keep them in dark draft free space.
*Follow the Tartine's County-Style Bread formula for details.

The float test when see the starter bubbly.
Sunk?  let it fermet a few more hours or day, etc.
Make the Leaven.  Then, the float test, again.
The leaven is ready?
Time to make the bread

Make the dough.   No need to make smooth.
Place in  a cambro.  Let the dough rise.  Turn every 30 min.   Pull the dough from the corner and fold over the top.  Do this to every corner. 3 or 4 time every 30 min, until a piece of the dough would pass another float testing.
Portioning.  Divide into two.
Cover and Rest.
Prepare the basket - Covered with rice flour.
Flip the dough's downside up and wedge the pastry knife right in the center.
Place in the basket.
I floured cheese cloth with rice flour and to hold the other dough.  Smooth side down.
Cover and let the dough rise in a warm spot.
Just about the dough are going to complete the final rise.  Prepare the clean unused clay bot and clay plate.  Unbleached parchment paper .  Plug the hole at the top of the clay pot.
Do the same for the Dutch Oven with lid.  Pre-heat the oven to 500'F, if you can, otherwise 475'F. 
Place the oven's roasting pan at the bottom of the pan.
Place a kitchen rag that you don't mind sacrificing to throw away at the end. 
Pour as much hot water as the roasting pan could and over the rag.  This will create steam in the oven.
Turn on the oven.
When the oven reaches the temperature, Remove the dutch oven with 'THICK" protective mitten.  Remove the Clay pot plate.  Leave the lids in the oven.

Carefully transfer the dough from the basket to the Dutch oven and to the Clay Plate.

Slit the top of the dough with Lame's blade corner.


Spray the dough with sprayer.  Place the lids back.
Place the Dutch Oven and Clay Pot back in the oven and bake for 20 min and or 212"F is reached.  There should be enough water in the roasting pan to provide steam for good 10 min or more.
Remove the lid.  Brown it further.  Check the roasting pan's water level. 


Slice and Enjoy with soup!



BREAKFAST MOCHI PANCAKE

 It's easy and delicious in the morning.

 
2/3 C Glutinous Flour
1/3 C Warm Water
Sugar 
Mix the flour with warm water to thick batter.   Add more glutinous flour to make it thicker or add more warm water to make the batter thin.
Add cooking oil to the pan.  Fry 4 min each side till golden brown.
Sprinkle with sugar to serve.


Saturday, September 11, 2021

Fresh Nectarine Almond Cookies with Apricot Jam

 This year, the Nectarine tree did really great.  More than I can handle, actually.  With extra nectarines, I topped my favorite Almond Cookies with fresh Nectarine and Apricot Jam.  It turned out great.

1.  1-1/2 Cup shifted flour with 1 tsp Baking Powder, 2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed Mills.
 
2.  Mix 3/4 stick softened butter in a bowl with spatula - about 10 times, then, mix in 1/3 C sugar.  Hand mix till pale.
 
3.  Add 2 tsp Cook's Pure Almond Extract (optional:  and 1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract ) to #2 above.
Mix #1 and #2 together well.
Heat oven to 400'F
Use 1" cookie scoop the dough and place on top of parchment lined cookie sheet.
Peel and slice nectarines.  Slice into wedges, then, into halves.  Top the cookies after making thumbprint dimple with apricot jam and with nectarine.
Bake for 8 min - 10 min.