What are You Baking the Week of September 1, 2019?

[BakerAunt]

With the start of September, I begin to anticipate fall baking with cooler temperatures, and that is what we have this weekend. Right now, I'm dreaming of English muffins....

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[Mike Nolan]

I need to make Vienna bread today, I took the last segment out of the freezer the other day.

[chocomouse]

Today I made the KAF recipe for zucchini brownies, and doubled it for a 9 x 12 pan. I've make it before, and was not overly impressed, but I do need to use up more zucchini. I got the same results this time -- it's OK, not great, but more cake-like than fudgy. I've marked it to "not make again". I put a chocolate ganache on it, so it does have some redeeming qualities.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Chocomouse, I'm looking at the brownie recipe and if you added some melted chocolate to them instead of just using cocoa that might help make them fudgy.

After our discussion of ice cream cones and sandwiches I made my own. I made s'more ice cream sandwiches.

A couple of problems/lessons learned.

First, I used both caramel and semi sweet chocolate on the graham crackers. I'm not sure that I needed both but if I do it again I'll either drop the caramel or use bittersweet chocolate. My wife complained they were two sweet but no one else did. I could also could fancy and make salted caramel. Also between heating and cooling the caramel became a little grainy. I could probably add a little corn syrup or maybe some cream to it. It can be more liquid than it was as the chilling will make it hard.

Next, I just melted chocolate and spread it on the caramel coated graham crackers. I think next time I'll make a ganache and spread it. Like the caramel it will harden in the freezer but it will be more pliable.

I used marshmallow spread. I think I need to use marshmallows. And I need a real torch (I think I have one if I can find it) to brown them. My broiler might have worked but they were on parchment and the broiler ignites the parchment.

I need to make my own graham crackers (I used store bought to make this quick) and I need to make my own marshmallows. I need thin, square marshmallows and then I can cut them to fit the graham crackers.

It was cool to make this and there may be a more efficient way to do it but it was a multi-step process, layer various things on the graham crackers.

[aaronatthedoublef]

BA, it seems like there are two types of English Muffin recipes - batter and dough. Have you made both? Which do you prefer?

I've only made dough. Thanks

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by aaronatthedoublef.

[RiversideLen]

I made my rye/wheat/semolina buns but I changed up the procedure a little. Last night I took the rye with a pinch of yeast and soaked it with an equal amount of water (3 ounces). I reduced the milk the the same amount and added 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to it and let it stand in the fridge overnight. That worked out real well, the buns baked up taller and lighter than before.

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[BakerAunt]

Aaron--I cannot recall if I've made a dough English muffin that is rolled out, then cut with a cutter. I've made a KAF recipe that used rings that was more of a batter, but I never quite got what I wanted in an English muffin. Of course, I did not have good pans (cast iron) at that time. The one I'm using now (see following discussion) is probably between a dough and a batter. They did have excellent rise, and are worth the mess. I will work on fine-tuning what I do. There must be an easier way of getting them divided. The dough/batter is too sticky, I think, for a scoop.

I’ve been dreaming of English Muffins, on which to use a bit of jam left over from a batch of strawberry-blackberry jam that I recently made. It’s a cooler, rainy Tuesday, and I bought new batteries for my infrared heat reader on Sunday, so I pulled out the recipe for Easy Buckwheat Oat English Muffins, which is my favorite. As always, I substituted 12 oz. buttermilk for that much regular milk, then used ¼ cup warm water to proof my yeast. Usually, I substitute honey for sugar, but this time, I decided to use the sugar. I reduced the salt to 1 tsp. and added 2 Tbs. flax meal and 3 Tbs. special dry milk. I replaced the 3 Tbs. of butter with 2 scant Tablespoons of canola oil. I resisted the urge to use the bread hook, which I’ve done in the past, and instead mixed the dough for 5 minutes using the paddle, scaping as I went. I used speed 3 on my Cuisinart stand mixer. (The recipe states, “medium speed.") I let it rise in the mixing bowl. The rise took the full two hours. It’s a very sticky dough. I used farina (cream of wheat) rather than semolina on the tray. I managed to cut the dough into ten pieces, not the twelve specified—and there was no way that I could weigh them. I used a bowl of water to help shape them into the semblance of a disc, then let them rest, covered for 20 minutes. I only have two medium sized griddle pans; one a Le Creuset (probably sold as a crepe pan), and one a Lodge 10-inch griddle pan. I was able to fit three on each. Once the pans came to temperature, I put the flame as low as it would go on both burners. [Major thumbs up here to the gas cooktop on my Wolf!] After 15 minutes, I turned them for another 15 minutes. All but one tested done the first time, and I moved the slacker muffin to a hotter spot and let it go a little longer. I then did the other four—two on each pan. While my English muffins are not perfectly round, they are about 1 ¼-inches high. I’m looking forward to toasting one to have with breakfast tomorrow.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by BakerAunt.

[chocomouse]

Aaron, I had not thought of that, but a good idea; Thank you. I'll try it next time, probably in a couple of weeks, to use up more zucchini.

[BakerAunt]

Chocomouse--I think that I tried the zucchini brownie recipe once and was similarly underwhelmed.

[Mike Nolan]

I've made both types of English muffins, and I preferred the dough ones.

[Joan Simpson]

I've made the dough ones from KA recipes and they turned out nice,that's been several years ago.I made the sourdough ones and made half a recipe and I got 15 -3 inch English muffins

[skeptic7]

You might enjoy this link

https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-crumpets-113577

I've only made the dough versions of English Muffins .

[BakerAunt]

That's a fun link, skeptic!

Upon reflection, I would say that the recipe I made yesterday is a dough English muffin, but a slack dough.

After sampling at breakfast, I am very pleased--holes and cooked through nicely. Of course, I would have been ranked low in the Great British Baking Show because I was only able to make ten and not a dozen--another reason that I would never want to compete on a TV baking show: it takes the spontaneity out of baking--and the fun--and the need just to go with what works.

[chocomouse]

That is an interesting article. I didn't know that crumpets are cooked only on one side and have holes on top. But you don't just "whip out" a batch of muffins - they take a long time to make and cook. I make a yeast dough muffin. At the English muffin class I took at KAF last year, we were told to have a very wet dough; it helps to develop the big holes. And, also, to not cook them thoroughly, that they would dry out when toasted. But I like mine completely cooked. I have to admit -- I'm a little OCD when it comes to my baked goods. I weigh my dough and use rings. I like my muffins (and buns, etc.) to look perfect, like store-bought! I just don't want them to taste store-bought.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I was given a bread class as a gift. It was by a chef who knew less about bread making than he thought he did. But I can usually learn something from anyone.

He did have a good English muffin recipe that my kids love. My wife only likes Thomas's. 🙂 It has milk, butter, and butter milk.

It is not a slack dough although I may make it a bit looser after reading the comments above. I make four ounce balls and flatten those. I cook all of them on a sheet pan on a griddle and then finish them in the oven. But I may stop using the oven, again, based on the comments above.

I was under the impression that English muffins only had nooks and crannies if you fork split them. Store brands like Thomas's are pre-split so they will always have them. But some fancier, more expensive brands are not and people cut them with knives and are disappointed.

Because crumpets are only cooked on they always have the holes.

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