Search Results for '("C'

[Mike Nolan]

I haven't tried the parchment sling idea yet, it probably works better if you have full sheet pan sized parchment sheets (26 inches long, probably cut in half lengthwise.) I generally use my cookie spatula, which has a long enough handle I've never come close to burning myself as I lower the bread into the Dutch Oven. While moving the pan or lid around is a different story, though.

[Mike Nolan]

I read an interesting article recently on the guy who was involved with several pizzerias and restaurants in the north Chicago suburbs, including the Inferno in Evanston, Gulliver's in Rogers Park, the original Pequod's in Morton Grove and more recently Burt's Place in Morton Grove.

Burt Katz died in 2016.

BTW, Gullivers's is apparently for sale again, and there was an article in the Trib that the Malnati family is considering selling Lou Malnati's for somewhere around $ 700 million. (It has around 68 locations in several states.) I've been told by more recent Northwestern grads that Gullivers went downhill after it was sold (the second time, I think) in the late 70's, the new owner tried to use cheaper ingredients, it seems. Their pizza bread was so popular you'd order it as you were waiting in line for a table, just so it was ready when you were seated.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any information on when The Pizza Oven on Main Street in Evanston closed (I think it morphed into a Giordano's takeout location), I wish I could find someone who was involved with it to see if their recipes are available.

[chocomouse]

BakerAunt, I believe, but not sure, that the 00 flour has been available at KABC for several years, and the Italian style was quite recently introduced. When I first saw it, I thought it was part of their logo change and "new" bag style, and they had just given it a new name. From what you just posted here, it seems that the folks at KABC are just as confused as we are!

I did notice the Italian was advertised to not fight back (perhaps for the new, impatient baker?) - and thought sheesh, just let it rest a couple minutes, or add some dough relaxer.

[BakerAunt]

Chocomouse--the low amount of gluten in the the Italian-style is supposed to make it easier to roll out the dough so that it does not fight back, I would guess that the pizza flour KABC sells has a little more gluten in it, since it uses some hard red wheat? I have never bought either flour, but since my sister gifted me the Italian-Style, I wanted to find a way to use it. At the KABC site I found a recipe for bread sticks that uses it, and the bag has a focaccia recipe.

I'm wondering if the cracker recipe was originally developed with a different kind of flour--which would explain the odd inclusion of the dough relaxer, which should not be needed (and indeed is not needed) with such a low gluten flour. It's puzzling, since PJ apparently uses the Italian-Style in her blog for the crackers. However, my dough looked nothing like the pictures of hers. I wonder if the recipe originally used that mellow pastry blend--which I never tried.

[Mike Nolan]

Ask three Italians about the right way to make pizza dough and you'll probably get 5 recipes, using everything from a soft pastry flour to a high-gluten flour. My former neighbor sold tons of high-gluten flour (15%) to local pizza chains.

Although we like the pizza crust I've been making lately, I think I'm going to do some experimenting with pizza dough crusts again, I'm still trying to come up with something close to the thin crust pizza we got in Evanston 45 years ago. :sigh:

[BakerAunt]

I talked to the KABC Baker's Hot Line about the recipe. She suggested reducing the water to 2 Tbs., which I already planned to do next time I bake these, but she too thought it odd that the dough had been so goopy. She said that she would send it in for a re-test. She did not think that there had been a flour mix-up.

The crackers are still in the pan in the still warm oven and have crisped nicely. I tried a couple warm ones, and these crackers are good--think superior Saltines--and I will definitely make them again, especially as I have the Italian-Style flour to use. I did not put any topping on them, but they are good plain and would also be nice with a topping. (I would put the topping on, and press it into the the crackers BEFORE cutting into squares.) My husband keeps opening the oven and sneaking some. It made about 48 2-inch crackers. I plan to try these with some quick guacamole tomorrow.

Now I need to look at the pita chip recipe.

[BakerAunt]

On Friday (another busy day in the kitchen), I baked Skeptic’s Pumpkin Biscotti, using some pumpkin I froze last fall. As always, I slightly reduce the sugar to 2/3 cup and use white whole wheat flour rather than AP. I also sprinkle the log with demerara sugar before the first bake.

I also made dough for another batch of my Whole Wheat Sourdough Cheese Crackers. I will bake them later next week.

My final project was to try KABC’s Italian-Style flour, which was a part of a Christmas present from one of my sisters. I found a recipe on the KABC site for Gourmet Soda Crackers. The dough is mixed the night before and rests in a covered bowl in the refrigerator (a dough bucket in my case) for up to 17 hours, so I will shape and bake them tomorrow. I am concerned, since it was a very wet dough, almost like a thick batter. However, I looked at the recipe reviews, and people rave about the crackers, so we shall see.

[Mike Nolan]

Fuji and Gala are good apples, but Honecrisp is a better apple, and so is Cosmic Crisp. Gala has a thicker skin than Honeycrisp (so much so that I almost always peel it) and Fuji is a bit sourer, though if you like a tart apple it is great. SweeTango is similar to Honeycrisp but has more sweetness up front and more of a tart aftertaste, which can be surprising.

But $3.99 a pound for apples is pretty steep, and I'll often go with Fuji or Braeburn instead. I strongly recommend peeling Braeburn.

(Almost ANYTHING would be better than Red Delicious, and even Granny Smith has gotten mediocre lately.)

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook--I also cannot judge "half the batter." What I do now is I have the weights written down for my good set of mixing bowls. After I mix up a batter, I weigh the bowl with the batter, subtract the weight of the bowl, then divide the batter weight in half. I add that half weight to the bowl weight, and then I know when I have removed half the batter.

On Thursday, I baked Deep Dark Brownies, a recipe that came from King Arthur years ago. I delete the chocolate chips (sigh). I used white whole wheat flour in place of AP and added 2 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill milk powder. I scattered chocolate sprinkles over the top before baking in a 10x10-inch ceramic square dish (works much better than the 9x9 pan specified). These will rest overnight and be dessert beginning tomorrow.

[chocomouse]

We had grilled salmon with a homemade maple-bourbon glaze, cole slaw, and onion rings. I bought frozen, breaded rings (which we never eat!) and finally had great success using the air fryer function of my Breville oven.

[BakerAunt]

On Wednesday, I baked Ginsberg’s Spiced Pumpkin Bread (on the website, not in his rye book). I have baked it at least five times over the past two years, and I have noted that it is hard to mix and knead in my 7-qt. Cuisinart stand mixer, as I must keep stopping it to adjust the dough, and I do not think that the stopping and starting is good for the mixer, not to mention my patience. Today, I decided to make the dough in the Zo bread machine, then move it to a dough bucket for the rise. I still added 2 Tbs. more of whole wheat flour. It is a sticky dough and must be shaped on a floured surface. (I use white rye for that surface.) It baked well. I look forward to slicing it tomorrow—and to using it for turkey sandwiches.

[BakerAunt]

Quaker Oatmeal Muffins

Note: This recipe originally appeared on boxes of Quaker Oats. That recipe used an egg white in the muffins and 1 Tbs. margarine in topping. We now know that egg yolks should be eaten, so I always used a whole egg. We also know that margarine is much worse than butter, so I have made that change. This recipe also appeared in a recipe collection with two alterations, and I have added those as a note at the end. I have made them both ways, and both are wonderful.

1 1/2 cup oats
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I reduce to 1/3 cup)
3 Tbs. canola oil
1 egg white (I use the whole egg)

Topping: 1/4 cup oats
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbs. butter, melted (original recipe used margarine)

Heat oven to 400F. Grease 12 regular muffin cups. (I have also made these as 6 large muffins.)

In large bowl, whisk together oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. In small bowl, combine applesauce, milk, brown sugar, oil, and egg. Add to dry ingredients, mixing until just moistened. Let set for 5 minutes while you combine the topping ingredients.

Fill muffin cups. Sprinkle topping evenly over tops. Bake 20-22 minutes (check at 18 minutes) until deep golden brown. Remove from pan and serve warm. (These are also good at room temperature.)

Note: A variation on this recipe appeared in The Bed and Breakfast Cookbook, compiled by Martha W. Murphy (p. 152), who says it is from Murphy's Bed and Breakfast in Narragansett, Rhode Island. That version reduces the cinnamon to 1/2 tsp., and instead of the oat topping uses a maple glaze after baking.

Maple glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbs. butter, melted
2 Tbs. maple syrup (only use real maple syrup)

Dip slightly cooled muffin tops in glaze and let rest until glaze sets.

[BakerAunt]

I made soup for lunch on Tuesday and into the week; even though it is a warmer day the end of the week is projected to be cold and rainy. As with many of my soups, it was a matter of what needs to be used up and what is in the freezer. I used the leftover potato water and the broth from cooking the giblets on Sunday. (It has been a while since we were given giblets in a turkey.) I used a bit of chicken drippings that I had stuck in the freezer. I sauteed chopped carrots and celery in some olive oil, added leftover sliced mushrooms from when I made pizza last week, 2 tsp. dehydrated onion, 2 cups of great northern beans that I had cooked and frozen a few months ago, and 1/3 cup pearled barley. I seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sage, and a bit of sweet curry powder.

[BakerAunt]

I may have that recipe, Aaron, as I have several of the Quaker Oats cookbooks, and I occasionally make oatmeal muffins from those recipes. I will look. What else do you recall about it?

Italian Cook--Nordic Ware also has a Cinnamon Bunny recipe, in which cinnamon and brown sugar is put inside the rabbits (on half the batter, then the other half added). That one uses 3/4 cup sugar, which is one reason I knew that I could reduce the sugar in the other cake recipe. Of course, the cinnamon bunnies have additional sugar in the center with the cinnamon.

[Mike Nolan]

The Challah Prince has many interesting ways of braiding Challah, he's teaching a class on it next Sunday for $35. (Yes, I'm registered for it.)

See Challah Braiding Class

He's getting ready to move from Berlin to Israel, I wonder what changes that will make in his baking?