What are you Baking the week of January 5, 2020?

[RiversideLen]

Just the usual, I made sandwich buns this afternoon, they were done just in time for dinner.

[chocomouse]

I've been working on an interesting experiment all day. Yesterday I made bread, a recipe I've made dozens of times, with not problems, even with my personal changes. This time, it did not rise. Maybe, a tiny bit, I would say it was a little "puffy." I debated baking it to feed the birds, but really wanted to "fix" it - a nice smelling lump of pumpernickel, rye flavor, lots of seeds. I let it rest in the refrigerator over night, with no change. This morning, I put about 1/3 cup of AP flour and 1/4 cup of water and a 1/2 teaspoon of yeast in my bread machine on the dough cycle. As it mixed, I tore off small chunks of the original dough and tossed them in. I did have to add scant tablespoon of flour. Once it mixed thoroughly, I let it knead for a few minutes and shut it off. I put it into a tupperware and into the microwave with a cup of boiling water, which I reheated after an hour. It rose beautifully. I've now shaped it and it is once again rising with a cup of water in the microwave. I would say that yesterday I forgot the yeast - but I know I did not. I did it differently yesterday, for a lot of reasons, and put the yeast into the mix early, instead of adding it last. And, I went through my usual double-check when I was finished, and ticked off yeast. I was actually surprised this process worked, although it has been successful a few times in the past when I have realized I completely forgot the yeast.

[Mike Nolan]

I have taken the yeast out of the freezer and then forgot to put it in a few times. I tend to put ingredients that are staged to my left and ingredients that have been used to my right. So if the salt container is to my right, the salt is in.

[BakerAunt]

Excellent save, Chocomouse. It would have been horrible to lose those ingredients.

On Thursday, I baked two large loaves of the Wheat, Rye, Seed Bread that I adapted from a Pillsbury cookbooklet. I decided to use dark rye for all the rye this time, delete the ¼ cup wheat germ, and substitute ½ cup Clear Flour for that much bread flour. (I need to use up my Clear flour.) It’s a windy day, which makes it hard to keep the house warm, so the two risings are done in the room with the wood stove. [We are not happy that the expensive Anderson double-hung windows allow air in along the sides.] The loaves look good, and I look forward to slicing one tomorrow.

[Mike Nolan]

If they're allowing air in along the sides, they weren't installed properly.

When we built our house we went with Pella casement windows. 22 years later they're still air-tight.

[chocomouse]

I'm still not sure what I did wrong with the bread yesterday, but the "fix" has worked beautifully! I let the shaped bread rise for about 2 hours, again in the microwave with a cup of hot water, then put it into a cold oven set for 350 for 40 minutes. The oven spring blew the top right up off the bread!! Really - the top 2 inches or so of the loaf literally almost separated from the bottom part!! For the record - I made 2 loaves in cast iron 4.5 x 9 pans. I'll see what the texture is like when I cut into it tomorrow. And will also find if the top and bottom are completely separated!

[BakerAunt]

Hmm-the air is along the side where the windows slide up and down. That seems to be the case with the ones from the first reno (different contractor) and this second one. It was particularly an issue last night with an onshore wind. We will do some investigating.

[Mike Nolan]

That's why we prefer casement windows, they seal tighter.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Nice save Choco! I still proof my yeast even though I use instant which probably the only reason I always remember it. I have forgotten ingredients many times. Kids walk into the kitchen and need attention. I've tried to setup a system like Mike's with marginal success.

If anyone is watching the latest Kids Baking Championship there is a boy from West Hartford on. He made it through the first round which was making shag cakes (is that really a thing? Why!?!?) So if you're watching cheer on Sam.

[BakerAunt]

I use active yeast, so I always proof. I even proof with the special Gold yeast that is not supposed to need it. I still get a kick out of seeing the yeast bubble to life. My distraction in the open concept kitchen is usually my dog or my husband, but there are times when I distract myself when something is on my mind while working.

Now I need to google shag cake:

https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-alana-jones-mann-shag-cakes-20190520-story.html

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by BakerAunt.

[chocomouse]

I think her basket-weave cake is much more attractive, but my sister, who hand-paints fine yarns to sell, would have much more exciting color choices!

[Mike Nolan]

I don't get king cakes and I don't get these, either.

[Joan Simpson]

I agree with you Mike!

[Italiancook]

I made Snickerdoodle Bread. Found the recipe on Tasteofhome.com, but when I looked for it now to give a link, I can't find the recipe. It uses cinnamon chips and cinnamon. I've always baked bread in a lightly greased non-stick pan. This recipe stuck to the pan. It needs to go into a liberally greased pan. It's cooling, but because it stuck to the bottom of the pan, I've tasted it. As a cinnamon fan, I'm going to enjoy this bread. It definitely offers the lingering warmth of cinnamon.

[rottiedogs]

I think this is what you were looking for. I was going to make banana bread but I'm going to try this instead. It looks yummy!

How to Make Snickerdoodle Bread

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