What are You Baking the Week of December 26, 2021?

[BakerAunt]

Skeptic--I agree that it is cheating to count self-rising flour as a single ingredient.

I have seen White Lily in the store here but have not felt a need to try it.

On Thursday, I baked my version of the KABC recipe Ginger Pumpkin Braid. I substituted 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour for that much bread flour. I use my own pumpkin puree, (about 1 3/4 cups), so I needed to add another 3 Tbs. bread flour. I added 1/3 cup special dry milk and 1/4 cup flax meal to increase nutrition and cut the salt by a third. I replaced the 4 Tbs. of melted butter with 3 Tbs. avocado oil. I heated both the golden raisins and the dried ginger in bowls with a little water in the microwave, then allowed them to rest before adding them to the dough. I was able to use the bread machine for the kneading. Making the six braids is a challenge, but this time I did not have to unbraid. I do need to try to get the bread stretched out longer rather than fatter and to tuck the end so that it does not separate. I had to bake it covered with foil for an additional 5 minutes, as it did not test done but was overbrowning. (I skipped the egg wash.)

I baked this bread to have something special for New Year's Eve and Day (and a little beyond). A slice goes nicely with breakfast, afternoon tea, or as a snack.

[Joan Simpson]

I baked a Lemon Supreme pound cake that our son asked for,he and my husband are enjoying it.

[Italiancook]

Cass, I baked the Portuguese Bread today. (1) I used half KA unbleached AP flour and half Pillsbury unbleached AP. Turned out my husband was wrong when he said he found Gold Medal unbleached. It was Pillsbury. (2) As you suggested, I used the stand mixer. Thanks for the much-needed suggestion. My mistake was that I used the kneading attachment. The paddle would have mixed it better. With all that water, it was a mixing, not kneading matter. I let it knead for 6 minutes after ingredients were mixed in. I wouldn't call this a dough -- it looked and acted more like a batter. (3) The recipe called for the first rise of 1 hour. That was more than doubled, and I don't know if that matters.

(4) I used a bench scraper to pull the beautiful risen batter that had turned into a loose dough onto the pastry board. I was grateful this wasn't my first rodeo, so I knew to use the bench scraper to work additional flour into the dough. I didn't want to overdo the additional flour, but I don't think I used enough. My finished product is only 3-1/2" high, which looks shorter than the picture. It is also much wider than the picture. The dough was luxurious and airy. It felt wonderful to work with. It reminded me somewhat of KA's Tuscan-Style bread dough.

(5) I didn't make a biga, Cass. I couldn't find anything in the KABC's blogs that told me how to make a biga out of this recipe. I called their hotline and didn't net an answer.

(6) My husband has plans for the bread -- he wants to use it for bruschetta. I gave him your instructions about oiling and peppering the bread. I'm sure he'll try that tonight with the Portuguese olive oil. I'll report back on Saturday about how it looks inside and on the taste.

Thanks, Cass, for your help with this. The recipe leaves out some important details, and I'm glad I wasn't a novice with this recipe. If I like the taste, I'll probably make it again, paying attention to how much extra flour I use on the board to make it into a workable dough.

[BakerAunt]

On Friday, I baked my Whole Wheat Sourdough Cheese Crackers from the dough I made earlier this week.

That's great that you baked the Portuguese bread, Italian Cook. Congratulations!

[Italiancook]

BakerAunt, I thank you again for posting the suggestions from Cass. I cut the bread tonight to make myself bruschetta. It has a crisp crust with small holes in the crumb that make it look light and airy. Yet, the crumb has body to it, which I like in bread with a crisp crust. I will definitely work on perfecting this recipe.

[Italiancook]

Cass, I just reread your instructions for the Portuguese Bread. You suggested using a pan, and I completely overlooked that this morning! Without the pan, I ended up with a round loaf. It wasn't a pancake, but it wasn't far from it. I'm afraid my 9" round cake pan might be too small -- not deep enough. That's the largest size I have. The recipe calls for 4 cups of flour, and my guess is that I added close to another cup after the first rise. I'm thinking the dough might fall over the edge of my 9" cake pan. Hmm . . . could this be a reason to buy a 10" pan?! An excuse to browse William-Sonoma's website!

[Mike Nolan]

Fat Daddio makes some tall cake pans, some as tall as 4 inches high. They'd make good bread pans, but for bruschetta I think a more rectangular loaf would have advantages.

[Italiancook]

Thanks for telling us about Fat Daddio, Mike. I didn't find anything deep at Williams-Sonoma, but I read an interesting review at KABC. They have a recipe for a sweet Portuguese Bread. It calls for a 9" round pan. One reviewer mentioned using a springform pan. Offhand, I don't know whether I have a 9" or 10" springform pan, but I'm going to use it the next time I make today's  Portuguese Bread. It's certainly deep enough.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook--some kind of ceramic baking bowl (well-greased and perhaps lightly coated with uncooked cream of wheat) would probably work. I also think that this recipe would work well in a covered baker or perhaps Dutch oven.

[Italiancook]

Thanks for the ideas, BakerAunt. I don't own a ceramic baking bowl or covered baker. I'll ponder the Dutch oven. My first reaction is that both my Dutch ovens are too large for the amount of dough. But, my 2022 Wish List is a smaller Dutch oven.

[BakerAunt]

I bet the King Arthur baking bowl would work for that amount of flour.

Here is a cute little baking cartoon:

Close to Home by John McPherson (msn.com)

[Italiancook]

I checked out the baking bowl, BakerAunt. I didn't even know they sell that. It bakes a 1-1/2 pound loaf. I didn't weigh the finished Portuguese bread, but I think it weighed closer to 2 pounds. Nevertheless, I'm thinking I may buy the bowl for a couple semolina boules that require an 8" round pan. First, I have to figure out where I'll store it. Thanks for thinking of it and posting!

[BakerAunt]

I have baked rye as well as semolina boules in mine. I grease it with Crisco, then sprinkle with farina before putting in the loaf. You can sprinkle it with semolina, but I find that farina does not burn, so I use it. King Arthur also used the bowl for their porridge bread (begins with Pomp--I can never remember how to spell it), It really rose over the bowl, so that recipe was probably too much for it. I think that a recipe that uses 4 cups of flour would work in it.

[chocomouse]

BakerAunt -- I'm laughing!!  You don't know how to spell it, and you probably don't know how to pronounce it!  I live about 2 miles from that river, and even people who live around here don't know either. I think it is 'Ompompanoosuc' River. The beginning Om- is usually omitted, and most of us just call it the Pompy.

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