What are You Baking the Week of November 14, 2021?

[BakerAunt]

We started the week with a light snowfall that speckled the plants and ground but which has now melted. Still, it is a cold day, and time to set the tone for this week's baking!

On Sunday, I baked Pumpkin doughnuts in my two Norpro doughnut pans that I coated with The Grease. For this recipe, I used the same mixing measure and same dry ingredient proportions as I used in the baked applesauce doughnut recipe that I developed earlier this month, except that I used cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg as the spices and omitted the vanilla and boiled cider. I did add 2 Tbs. Bob’s Red Mill milk powder. I replaced the applesauce with a cup of my pumpkin puree (7.5 oz.). I find this version superior to the King Arthur recipe that I have baked in the past and consulted this time; it is less spongy and sticky and more of the texture of cake. (I think the KABC people were going for a muffin texture.). I sprinkled the warm doughnuts with Penzey’s Cinnamon Sugar.

I nearly had a disaster, as my husband was making his lunch in the kitchen, and I was distracted. Right after I mixed the wet and dry ingredients, I realized that I had forgotten to add the salt and baking powder! I sprinkled both on top of the batter, then mixed with a spatula.

The mini-spoonula I have is perfect for filling the doughnut pans. I drop in batter in three dollops, evenly around the pan, and it works great!

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[chocomouse]

I made Wild Rice and Onion Bread, from Brother Juniper's Bread Book. I haven't made it for years, but recalled that it would make tasty rolls to have in the freezer for soup meals. It came out very sticky, wet, and I had to add about a cup of flour. I don't recall that this was a problem previously. I used fresh chopped onion, which added to the moisture in the bread (compared to dehydrated onion, which was an option). I also subbed whole wheat flour for 2 cups of AP. The rolls came out fine, and smell wonderful.

[Mike Nolan]

King Arthur has a European Style Hard Roll recipe I'm going to try, I'm looking for some dinner rolls for Thanksgiving. It uses an overnight sponge or a sourdough levain. You shape the rolls, let them rise, then refrigerate them so that they go into the oven cold, that helps keep the crust thinner.

We won't have family here on Thanksgiving but we will have one or two friends dining with us. We may have family here for Christmas, that's still kind of up in the air.

[Italiancook]

A customer service rep at portugaliamarketplace.com sent me a link that I've posted below. It's for a crusty, Portuguese bread to serve with olive oil for dipping. I'm hoping to make this bread next week. The recipe doesn't specify what type of flour to use. I like KA bread flour and am thinking of using that. But you're all more expert bakers than I. If you have time, please look at this recipe and tell me what type of flour you'd use. https://portugueserecipes.ca/recipe/778/5/Portuguese-Homemade-Bread-Recipe-

[Mike Nolan]

I'd probably use KA AP, but KA bread flour should be OK, too. The recipe is kind of low in salt (1 tsp to 4 cups of flour or about 1.25%, 2% is more typical), so I would expect it to rise a lot, but not as much as a salt-free Tuscan bread.

European flours are typically lower in protein than US flours, though.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook--based on my experiences with the Rosetta rolls, I suggest using the King Arthur AP and not bread flour for a first try.

[BakerAunt]

I had some beets from the farmers’ market that have been in the refrigerator bin for a couple of months, and on Monday, I used them to try a new recipe from Ken Haedrich’s The Harvest Baker: “Roasted Beet, Spinach, and Feta Cheese Flatbread.” As my husband cannot eat onions and is not a fan of beets, it will be my lunch into this week.

I used Haedrich's crust but opted for his variation of half whole wheat flour, and I reduced the salt from 3/4 to 1/2 tsp. He makes it in a food processor, but I used the bread machine. I do not know if that made a difference, but my crust was very thin and crisp, like crackers. His recipe called for a pound of spinach; I used the 4 oz. that I have on hand. I also used just 4 oz. of feta (real feta made of goat cheese!), which is about a cup, and the recipe calls for 2 cups. The beets have to be roasted and peeled before using as a topping, so that was an adventure for me, as I have never cooked beets before.

Although he bakes directly on the pan, I lined mine with parchment. The recipe makes two, and he baked one on a lower and one on an upper rack, then switch, for twelve minutes each. I baked one at a time and set the timer for 20 minutes. When I checked at 18, I pulled it out because the edges were getting burned. For the second flatbread, I checked at 15 minutes, then pulled it out at 16 minutes. These flatbreads are a great light lunch or light dinner. They would work well as appetizers as well. I will bake these flatbreads again, so that is one more great recipe from this seasonal baking book.

[Italiancook]

Thanks, Mike and BakerAunt for your expert opinions on the flour type. I'll go with KA AP. Mike, I'm glad you mentioned the salt level. I hope the bread does have a good rise.

[chocomouse]

I made Tropical Treat Bread. It's a yeasted bread with lots of chopped dried fruit, and although it is not very sweet, does get some sweet flavors from the fruit. I used pineapple, mangoes, orange peels, apricots and coconut.

[Mike Nolan]

I'm making a test batch of the King Arthur European hard rolls recipe I gave a link to a few days ago. I divided them into two batches of 6, I plan to put the 2nd batch in the freezer for a few minutes before they go in the oven.

I'm also going to see how well they reheat, the hope being that I can make them ahead of Thanksgiving and reheat them before dinner that evening.

[Mike Nolan]

Freezing the second batch of rolls for a half hour didn't seem to make a lot of difference, I thought the crust was possibly a little crisper but that could have been due to baking time differences. The ones that had been in the freezer were a little easier to slash.

Neither batch had the eggshell-like crust that is my Grail. But they're pretty good rolls, the overnight sponge gives them some of the blistering of sourdough without the full-out sourdough texture and taste.

We'll see what happens with them when I try to reheat them tomorrow. I put them in breathable (microperforated) bags for the night.

The ones on the left were the ones that spent a half hour in the freezer. They might not be quite as tall, I didn't try to measure them.

They weigh about 62 grams each after baking, a good size for a dinner roll.

I made these in the small oven, so they didn't get steam, I might try that on a subsequent batch. I also think I'd like to see what happens if I sub in some whole wheat flour, rye flour or triticale flour.

With an overnight sponge, a bulk rise of 3 hours and then 1-2 hours of final proof and another hour or two in the refrigerator, these aren't a 'last minute' roll. But assuming they reheat well, I'll probably make more next week for Thanksgiving.

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[RiversideLen]

Those are real nice looking dinner rolls, Mike.

[BakerAunt]

Thanks for the detailed report Mike. I've been thinking of trying this recipe, so your report helps. I'll be interested to see if you can incorporate some wholegrain flours.

The Rosetta rolls also use a long rise (a LOT longer than these), as well as refrigeration for a couple of hours before baking. Although that recipe says to rest them at room temperature for 20 minutes after they come out, the next time I bake them, I plan to put them into the oven directly from the refrigerator. That was Cass's suggestion.

The Rosetta rolls do have that thinner crust and the soft interior. Of course, what I am trying to achieve with those is the hole.

[Joan Simpson]

Good looking rolls Mike!

Yesterday I made a batch of oatmeal cookies with a cup of coconut added and 12 oz. of mini chocolate chips.Very good cookie and makes a lot.

https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/grandma-helens-oatmeal-cookies.html
I got this recipe from Just a pinch, excellent.

[Mike Nolan]

I had one for lunch, the crust had softened overnight but it was still soft and a bit chewy inside. I'll reheat a few of them at suppertime and see how that goes.

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