After dinner Sunday, I mixed up the ingredients for Skeptic's Pumpkin Biscotti. I used white whole wheat flour, rather than regular. I followed Skeptic's lead in reducing the sugar to 2/3 cup. I added 3 Tbs. powdered milk to the flour mixture. (I'm trying to make sure I get enough calcium.) I made it into a long log (16 inches), but I only made it 3-inches wide. It was 1/2 inch high. I spritzed it with water and sprinkled it with demerara sugar (Sugar in the Raw) to give it a bit of sparkle.

It's in the oven on its first bake. I'll add to this post after it is finished.

The first bake was 25 minutes. After the 15 minute cooling period, I spritzed it with water, moved to a cutting board, then cut straight, rather than on a diagonal, 1/2 inch thick. I checked on the second bake at 15 minutes, then gave them another 5. I'm waiting to taste test until tomorrow, since I want the spices to have a chance to meld, but I did nibble some of the crumbs after I sliced the log, and the taste is great. It made 28 biscotti (counting the little curved ends).

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by BakerAunt.

BakerAunt;
I have other low fat Biscotti recipes developed after a friend had a heart attack. You can reduce the fat still further by using egg whites instead of whole eggs, and by leaving out the nuts. I prefer recipes with whole eggs so I don't have to think of uses for extra yolks or extra whites.
Do you want them?

Today I baked Whole Wheat Sourdough Cheese Cracker dough I made last week. I used 1/3 cup canola oil in place of the usual 1/2 cup butter. On the positive side, I found the dough easier to work with. I could roll it right away when I took it out of the refrigerator, and it was easier to get it to 1/16-inch thickness. The crackers baked well and are crisp. They may even be more crisp than the butter ones. On the less positive side, without the butter, the Vermont Cheese powder flavor does not come through as nicely. I wonder if olive oil might have been a better choice for the dough, even with its stronger flavor.

I might need to think about other ways of flavoring the crackers if I'm going to make the oil for butter substitution. That might mean omitting the cheese powder and using some kind of herb mixture in the dough.

I'll add a note to this post after they have a day or so for the flavors to blend.

On Monday evening, I baked Baker’s Grain Sourdough Bread, a recipe that appeared in a KAF catalog last year. I did not start the dough until after 8:30, so it was a late night. I baked this recipe once before, and it came out very well in the Emile Henry long baker.

It requires some alteration, as it calls for 1/2 cup of their Ancient Grains Flour Blend, which I tried years ago and did not like. It’s also expensive to buy. I know that my sourdough starter is not as thick as what KAF uses in its recipes, so I expect to add about ¼ cup flour per cup of sourdough starter. The recipe calls for the Harvest Grains blend, and I have that ingredient. While they soak them in a cup of hot water, I soak them in ½ cup of warm buttermilk. I was delayed in starting the bread, so they soaked about 3 hours.

I proof the yeast with honey in the other ½ cup of water. The recipe calls for ½ cup potato flour, but I used 1/3 cup. For the Ancient Grains mixture, I used ½ cup dark rye flour, ¼ cup barley flour, ¼ cup spelt flour, and ¼ cup flax meal. (Yes, that is more whole grain flour than KAF specifies.) After proofing the yeast, I added the rest of the honey and the soaked grains and mixed. Then I added the whole grain and potato flour blend, and ½ cup of the high-gluten flour, and the 2 Tbs. oil (I use canola) and mixed. I let it sit for 10 minutes. I mixed the salt (reduced to 1 ¾ tsp. from 2 tsp.) with the other 1 ¾ cups of high-gluten flour and mixed it in. Once it was incorporated, I kneaded on speed 3 for 5 minutes. The dough passed the window pane test.

The first rise was 1 hour and 15 minutes. I de-gassed, then pre-shaped and let sit for 5 minutes. I then shaped by folding the oval longways in half, sealing the edges with the heel of my hand, flattening to an oval, and again folding it over. (I turn so that the smooth side will be the outer side.). I then roll it as a cylinder, and put it in the greased, and sprinkled with farina, Emile Henry long baker. The second rise was 50 minutes. Although the recipe did not specify to do so, I slashed it before putting it into bake with the lid on for 35 minutes (recipe says 35-40 min.), then an additional 10 minutes until 190F.

Note: I sliced it the next day, and I love the way the whole grains meld with the sourdough tang.

Today I made a chocolate zucchini cake. It is dense, and rich, and delicious. I made a ganache type frosting for it, which really isn't needed, but adds to the richness. I also used an extra cup or so of zucchini - the last one from the garden.
Yesterday I baked an herbed, cheesy zucchini bread, not yeasted. I used extra sharp cheddar, rosemary, thyme, and basil from my herb garden, and then at the last minute thought that didn't sound quite right, so added two minced cloves of garlic and some minced onion. A little garlic and onion is always good, right? It's OK but I would try different herbs next time. Somehow, the taste just isn't quite right.

BakerAunt;
I have uploaded Judy's Biscotti -- low fat, low salt.
How did the crackers and biscotti come out after the flavors had a chance to mellow.
I am impressed by the Whole Grain Sourdough, it must have been difficult to knead properly.

Yesterday I made an apple pie. I used 2 each, Granny Smith, Gala and Pink Lady. Made it with a crumble top that includes oats.