[skeptic7]

Joan, I'm glad your husband is enjoying eating again. I hope his strength returns quickly.

I did a bread based on Mrs. Cindy's Chocolate Cherry bread. I left out the cherries and use part buttermilk for the liquid -- about 1/2 cup buttermilk. I also sweetened with honey and increased the butter slightly. I also added a cinnamon swirl with brown sugar/cinnamon. I was thinking of Mexican chocolate when I planned this. This was placed in a normal loaf pan and let to rise overnight It was baked in a slow cooker for 3 1/2 hours till 190 degrees.
I was very pleased with the bread its very chocolatey with a cinnamon after taste. Not too sweet and it had risenvery nicely indeed being light and fluffy. I gave some away and the receipients liked it.

[skeptic7]

I can't understand the no-knead trend. I have a recipe(s) which doesn't require much kneading, but even that requires some kneading to prevent dry and wet spots where the flour wasn't well distributed.

[skeptic7]

Thats an interesting recipe.

[skeptic7]

I had looked up melting propensities of cheeses once. I was surprised to learn that some Indian Cheeses don't melt at all. Cheddar melts when young but not well when aged.

[skeptic7]

Its a pity that your professor is missing the very first loaf. I'm quite sure the subsequent ones will be just as pretty.

[skeptic7]

My Cloche is the type thats used dry. I also used the Dutch oven without any additional water. I don't put the bread directly down on either. With the cloche the bread is a round cake pan, and a normal loaf pan for the Dutch oven. I can do that as I have an oval Dutch oven. I've gotten used to round boules out of necessity but given a choice I prefer other sizes and shapes.

[skeptic7]

I bake using a cold Dutch Oven it seems so much safer than trying to handle the hot cast iron. I've also tried a clay coche over my bread and I like the results. The bread seems to rise higher and has a thinner crust. Has anyone tried baking in a thinner covered pan, like a small roasting pan? I'm wondering if the good results come from using a closed container, or from using a container with a relatively high thermal mass.

[skeptic7]

Those look wonderful. I'd gladly eat any of them. How big are they? Like a softball? They look like a group of hot cross buns but with cut crosses instead of frosting.

[skeptic7]

That sounds like a well thought out experiment! You and your wife must be very popular at work.

[skeptic7]

Got it

[skeptic7]

Mike;
How did the pie come out? Was it a one or two crust pie?

[skeptic7]

I guessed wildly, and guessed wrong.

[skeptic7]

I did Yankee style cornbread yesterday -- 1/2 flour, and 1/2 cornmeal and sweetened with honey. It was very good. I baked it in a square cast iron frying pan. I bought this frying pan years ago when I was curious to see how the different styles of cast iron worked. I couldn't find a lid for this, so I don't think I ever used it till now. It worked very nicely but it seems heavier and harder to balance than the round pans.

[skeptic7]

I guessed wrong too.

[skeptic7]

I often use the slow cooker when I don't want to heat up the kitchen. Also a decade or so ago, an oven was left on for a day and caused a house fire. This was in New York City, the owners were Jewish and didn't want to work on the Sabbath which included turning the oven on. However using an oven which was already on didn't count.
I have seen recipes by Cook's Illustrated which cook a stew in a Dutch oven in an oven set at about 300 degrees.

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