[skeptic7]

The Hot Cross Buns were great. They rose a bit when baked and were nicely light and fluffy. I used dried cherries and dried cranberries for the fruit. I've given some away to neighbors with dogs. I like to make at least one batch of Hot Cross buns which are raisin free and safe for dogs. I had one friend who couldn't tolerate raisins -- she got cold sores when eating them -- and loved the idea of raisin free Hot Cross buns.

[skeptic7]

I just read the labels on my yeast. I am ashamed to admit that they are both the same but in different packages Kroger's Fast Rise Yeast in the jar, and in envelopes. They are suppose to be mixed with the dry ingredients. Previously I was using Fleishman's Active Dry Yeast to good results, and before that Red Star ADY also without problems.
I normally buy some brand of active dry yeast and use it for all my cooking. I don't like instant yeasts as I normally make a sponge or at least proof my yeast and don't need the quick dissolve feature. I've used cake yeasts for recipes that called for it but its hard to find.

[skeptic7]

I formed the Hot Cross Buns into well buns last night and it rose respectfully by this morning, that is 10 hours later. I'm baking it now and hoping for the best. I'm surprised at the differences between different strains of yeast. Does the brand matter? I have a jar of Kroger's Active dry yeast to use now. I'm going to have to try using the Instant yeast for a pizza

[skeptic7]

BakerAunt;
I used a teaspoon of yeast the first time around. I know that isn't very much but I started with a sponge, and that amount of yeast works with Fleishman Active Dry Yeast and this recipe. I normally make a sponge with all the milk and about a cup of flour and the yeast and water. The sponge had risen nicely and was light and full of bubbles. The dough seems to have risen a bit since this morning and the additional yeast. I probably used another teaspoon then.

[skeptic7]

I did steamed fish on Sunday with stir fryed brocolli. I was planning on cooking it Friday evening but the fish started out frozen and wasn't thawed till yesterday. Not bad but I might have overcooked it slightly. It was cooking with ginger and sesame oil with a little soy sauce.

[skeptic7]

BakerAunt;
7 tablespoons of sugar. 1 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup water and 2 eggs. A little over 4 cups of flour. Also 1 cup of butter. This is the Hot Cross Bun recipe I've been doing twice this year and three or four times last year. Adding a little yeast at 7:30 doesn't seem to have fixed things. I'm going to have to try more yeast.

[skeptic7]

Has anyone have instant yeast start growing and fail? I was making another batch of Hot Cross Buns and wanted to use some Instant Yeast I had been given by a friend. I started my normal sponge and the yeast grew and had bubbles and made a thick sponge. Than I mixed in eggs and sugar and flour. This is a relatively sweet dough. Nothing happened when I let it sit for awhile before kneading in butter and spices, but it was a short time so I didn't expect much. I then left it for 6 hours and the dough hasn't risen at all!! Did the yeast fail because of too much sugar?
I have added a little water and some active dry yeast and am now waiting to see if this fixes things.

[skeptic7]

Its amazing that it just came out of nowhere in such a neat rectangle. I'm glad no one was hurt

[skeptic7]

I made Red-cooked Pot Roast with Vegetables form "Chinese Casserole Cooking" by Lilah Kan; only I cut up the beef into stew size pieces before starting and cooked it in a very large magnalite roasting pan last Tuesday. I placed it in the oven at 280 degrees and cooked for hours. It was a very cold day and I was looking for an excuse to heat up the kitchen. I've made this recipe before in a slow cooker, and found the oven cooks much faster. I probably over cooked it slightly. I enjoyed it a lot and will probably be enjoying it for several more days. Thursday I cooked Quaker Quick Barley as sort of a pilaf and ate it mixed with the beef. The Barley is very boring by itself but mixes well.

[skeptic7]

I made a small batch of Hot Cross Buns with my kitchen aid mixer. Same small recipe from Babe's Cookbook but with dried pineapple and currants for the fruit. The mixer did a very good job of kneading the dough and it rose very well. I am glad I have this as my shoulder is still sore from chipping the ice from the January ice storm.

[skeptic7]

I was going through my hoard of Washington Post newspapers. I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed the articles in the food section. I have only used a few recipes but the stories about the food and cooks and writers were great. I used to have boxes and boxes of unread newspapers but a friend has been taking them away and bringing them to a friend of hers who often fosters puppies and can use newspapers. I was saving them in the hopes that I would eventually read them or place the in the garden to control weeds. I also used them for shipping.

[skeptic7]

I did a small batch of Hot Cross Buns yesterday. I used my Kitchen Aid Mixer for almost all the kneading and mixing. I did knead the fruit in by hand and formed the dough into the proper buns. My arm is still sore from the big snowstorm at the end of January. I had snowcrete -- snow mixed with rain and freezing down to the sidewalk. The chipping necessary to try to clean one walkway and the driveway before the thaw has left me with a sore right shoulder. I am trying to avoid lifting objects with my right arm and was glad to do almost no kneading.
I made 20 small rolls in a 8x13 pan following the Babe (pig) cookbook recipe.

[skeptic7]

Thank you. I like hearing the details of your using the Ankarsrum mixer. Overall do you like this better than your old mixer?

[skeptic7]

Thank you. Is an oil cake like a muffin recipe? Do you worry about glutein development? I can't remember making an oil based cake. I've made sponge cakes with no oil except for the egg yolks.

[skeptic7]

I went to the grocery store (Krogers) as soon as I saw this. I can buy the store brand of frozen concentrate but they only have one variety. Minute Maid orange juice came in Regular, Extra Pulp ( Country style ), and Calcium supplement. I will miss Minute Maid but glad that some orange juice is available. Frozen concentrate is much better for bicyclists and anyone who has to carry the groceries home and is useful in some recipes.

[Author]

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