[skeptic7]

I use a heavy duty flat whisk for mixing most batters. It serves the same purpose as KAF dough whisk but is easier to clean. Lets see if I can find a picture on Amazon. I'm not sure if this is the same size. If there are two sizes, the smaller is more useful.

[skeptic7]

I am back to wearing masks in public places indoors, and sometimes outdoors. I finished a batch of masks just before I finished my vaccines and thought they were going to go unused. Now I'll probably end up using them. I had just started to enjoy shopping for amusement and being free to travel when the Delta variant showed up, now I am back to only doing essential trips.

[skeptic7]

I made strawberry spoon bread from the NY times recipe. Its somewhat like a corn spoon bread, but there are some striking differences, its made with wheat flour instead of corn meal, it doesn't have any eggs and it does have lots of butter and sugar. It also has strawberries macerated with brown sugar and their juices added into it. The texture ends up very like a spoon bread. I had hoped to give it away but couldn't connect with the friend I had in mind. He likes everything strawberry. I ended up eating it myself with ice cream. The texture also reminded me of a bread pudding. Its much softer than a bread or cake. This was on Saturday.

[skeptic7]

I did a double batch of blueberry quick bread -- its my blueberry scone recipe, but baked in a 9x13 pan. I'll be giving half of it to a friend for a birthday present.

[skeptic7]

I did the White Sugar Sponge Cake again. This time I tried cooking it in a water bath in a slow cooker as if it was Boston Brown Bread. Took about an hour to cook and turned out very nicely, same appearance and texture as if it had been steamed, but I didn't have to watch it as closely.
Its the sort of dish to be made during the winter when the air is dry and additional moisture is to be enjoyed not avoided.

[skeptic7]

I don't know if this counts as "baking" but I did a Chinese steamed pastry. I remember my mother describing this, so I sent an email to my remaining uncle on that side of my family, and my cousins to ask about this desert. My cousins said that my aunts liked it and used to buy it as treats after brunch, and my uncle said it was a common desert in Hawaii. I bought the rice flour necessary some time ago, but just got the courage to try this on Sunday. It actually came out fairly well but I found it very sticky when first cooked, but its more manageable after refrigerating over night.

White Sugar Sponge Cake (Bai Tang Gao – 白糖糕)

[skeptic7]

I did blueberry scones again from blueberries from the farmer's market. I baked it in a square frying pan so I could cut it up in slices later and warm them up by grilling with butter in a hot frying pan. Horribly decadent and slices are easier to refry then wedges and offer so much more surface to have buttered and toasted. This recipe was nearly healthy with oil instead of butter before I discovered this trick.
Oh for all you rye and sourdough bakers, is there a way to compensate for lack of sourdough starter. I don't really want to keep one. If I make a starter the day before and let it ferment will this add enough acid? I am looking at this recipe. If I make the starter with 1/2 cup of water and 1 cup of flour and 1/2 teaspoon of yeast the day before will everything work?

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-rye-dessert-focaccia-recipe

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2020/09/24/sourdough-rye-dessert-focaccia

[skeptic7]

I made blueberry scones on Saturday. I had to get up very early so it was cool enough to be in the kitchen. It was very hot all week and I ate a lot of hamburgers which took minimal cooking. It would be nice to have more baked goods to eat, but its too hot to do more than dream about recipes.

[skeptic7]

I did cheese pizza on Monday, and apple scones the previous Saturday but for the most part its too hot to cook. I've been subsisting on chocolate chip cookies from the grocery store and milk for the most part. I'm going to see if I can get up the energy for a real supper.

[skeptic7]

BakerAunt;
No thank you. I have an oil pie crust recipe that works for me when I have to have pie. I think I tried your pie crust and found the buttermilk harder to work with. There are times when I absolutely have to have pie.

[skeptic7]

Yesterday I did a half recipe of the KAF Cheese filled fake braid
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/cheese-filled-sweet-braid-recipe

only I did it in all whole wheat flour. It came out much better than I expected and was fairly soft and light. I thought it was going to fail completely and end up hard and flat. I'm enjoying it as a snack and breakfast and its going fast.

[skeptic7]

I did chocolate walnut biscotti yesterday. Very tasty. I used a fat free recipe and added some espresso powder for more flavor. These are going fast.

[skeptic7]

Happy Birthday. I hope your legs heal quickly.

[skeptic7]

I did apple pizza today. One of my favorites but I splurged on a half bushel of Gold Rush apples when the Farmer's Market opened at the beginning of the month so I need to use all my favorite apple recipes.
The weather was fine today and yesterday but soon its going to be too hot to bake except in the early morning.

[skeptic7]

I normally buy sandwich bread, but the last two times I was at Trader Joe's they didn't have the whole wheat bread I normally buy. I might have to bake some so I don't have to avoid sandwiches. When I bake I prefer scones, or pizza, or sweet breads that I can't buy. Most of yesterday's apple challah is in the refrigerator so I can share it with friends later.

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