Hot Cross Buns

In many historically Christian countries, Hot Cross buns are traditionally eaten hot or toasted on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of The Crucifixion of Christ.

They are a delicious sweet bread with candied fruit and raisins, best served the day they are made.

I went all out this easter and made all the traditional foods, not what we would eat in  Portugal since we have Folares de Pasqua, but this British tradition is pretty tasty too!

I adapted my recipe from King Arthur Flour's Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Buns

• 2 ounces rum
• 2 3/4 ounces mixed dried fruit
• 2 3/4 ounces raisins or dried currants
• 10 ounces milk, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, 1 separated
• 3 ounces butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 7/8 ounces light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 21 ounces flour (plus more as needed)

Topping

1 egg white (Saved from above)
1/2 ounce milk

Icing

• 4 1/2 ounces confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 4 teaspoons milk, or enough to make a thick, pipeable icing
Directions
1)      Lightly grease a 10" square pan or 9" x 13" pan.
2) Mix the rum or apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave briefly, just till the fruit and liquid are very warm, and the plastic starts to "shrink wrap" itself over the top of the bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Note: If you worry about using plastic wrap in your microwave, simply cover the bowl with a glass lid. 3) When the fruit is cool, mix together all of the dough ingredients except the fruit, and knead, using an electric mixer or bread machine, till the dough is soft and elastic. Mix in the fruit and any liquid not absorbed. 4) Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk.

5) Divide the dough into billiard ball-sized pieces, about 3 3/4 ounces each. A heaped muffin scoop (about 1/3 cup) makes about the right portion. You'll make 12 to 14 buns. Use your greased hands to round them into balls. Arrange them in the prepared pan.  6) Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they've puffed up and are touching one another. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F. 7) Whisk together the reserved egg white and milk, and brush it over the buns. 8) Bake the buns for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool. 9) Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the buns are completely cool, pipe it in a cross shape atop each bun. OR you can just do what I did and drizzle the delicious topping all over! Yum!

Daring Cook's Challenge April: Edible Savoury Containers

Renata of Testado, Provado & Aprovado! was our Daring Cooks’ April 2011 hostess. Renata challenged us to think “outside the plate” and create our own edible containers! Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 17th to May 16th at http://thedaringkitchen.com/!

I wanted to make something difficult and time consuming for this challenge. Crazy right? And I had this idea of making a bread bowl.. and then I started thinking about all the things I loved to dip in bread. And my husband's favorite pasta dish came to mind. It's a Portuguese dish that my mother used to create for me as a child and I loved it, and when I made it for my husband he devoured it!

Then I started to worry about the sauce seeping through the bread and making it fall apart. So I needed a back up plan, and I created a delicious salad to go in the basket.

The bread basket is what you are probably the most curious about so here it is.. I made a basic pizza crust and weaved it into a lattice pattern.

Basic Pizza Crust

Ingredients.
15 oz all purpose flour
5 oz whole wheat flour
0.5 oz salt
1 tsp instant yeast
2 oz olive oil
14 oz water

1.First you mix all the ingredients in a bowl except for the water.

2. Then you add half of the water. Never add all the water in at once, Chances are you will not need the full amount. Mix on first speed with  a dough hook. You can also make this dough by hand by kneading it. It will take a few minutes longer but it works just as well.

3. When the dough feels hydrated and not slippery wet, that's when you stop adding water. But do it at minute intervals as it takes a while for the starch to absorb the water. If you add it all in at once the chances are you over wet the dough. If this happens, add more flour gradually until the dough is not slippery wet.
4. When the dough starts to rise up the hook and peel off the sides you are in very good shape.

5. Poke the dough. If it springs back up then you are done and ready to rest the dough. Rest it until it doubles in size (covered with plastic wrap so the dough doesn't dry).

6. When the dough has rested, portion it into small uniform falls and rest for 5 minutes (covered with plastic wrap so the dough doesn't dry).

7. Roll the balls into long serpent-like shapes and allow the dough to rest another 5 minutes, covered, before you begin to weave it.

8. Once weaved into a basket, allow the dough to rest, covered, for another 30 minutes.

9. Bake for 15 minutes, on until done, in a preheated 500 degree oven.

Now for the Pasta Dish:

1 lb stew meat

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp Olive oil

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp Tomato Paste

1 can diced tomatoes

2 buillon cubes

1/2 C white wine

Water as needed

salt

pepper

1 lb pasta

Directions:

1. Sautee onions, garlic, bay leaf and a little pepper in the Olive oil.

2. When golden brown, add the tomato paste and tomatoes. Sautee 3 minutes.

3. Add meat and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add wine, buillon cube and just enough water to cover the meat. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours until the meat is tender. You may need to add water as the meat cooks.

5. When the meat is done add some water to the pot and cook the pasta in it. The pasta will absorb much of the water.

6. Season with Salt and Pepper and pour over the bread bowl.

7. Devour!!

King Arthur's Pizza

I am one of those people who is stubbornly against ready made mixes. Cake, Bread, Cookie, you name it.. I am so anti, but I heard so many raving comments about King Arthur’s Mixes that I gave in and decided to try. I had to make something that I couldn’t make on my own from scratch, so when I found the gluten free pizza base  I decided to go for it. I am no expert on gluten-free flours so this was new and different!

The mix was incredibly easy although the consistency was that of cake batter which didn’t leave me too convinced. If this was regular flour and water I would just increase the flour ratio but in this case, I couldn’t! So I decided to use a spatula to spread the incredibly soft batter. I put my regular pizza toppings, Portuguese Queijo da serra, marinated artichokes and olives, and some anchovies.  The pizza baked for slightly longer than a regular flour pizza, but let me just tell you the result was AMAZING! My husband said it was like eating a biscuit with toppings.  I don’t have celiac’s disease but I think I could get used to this pizza crust. Don’t tell the Italians but I might like this one better!

Daring Baker's Challenge March: Meringue Filled Coffee Cake

 The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.

It was a fabulous challenge and I want to do it again VERY SOON! Tasty and must be eaten right away.. it's too good not to.

FILLED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE
Makes 2 round coffee cakes, each approximately 10 inches in diameter
The recipe can easily be halved to make one round coffee cake

Dough Ingredients
For the yeast coffee cake dough:
4 cups (600 g / 1.5 lbs.) flour
¼ cup (55 g / 2 oz.) sugar
¾ teaspoon (5 g / ¼ oz.) salt
1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons / 7 g / less than an ounce) active dried yeast
¾ cup (180 ml / 6 fl. oz.) whole milk
¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl. oz. water (doesn’t matter what temperature)
½ cup (135 g / 4.75 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature

For the meringue:
3 large egg whites at room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup (110 g / 4 oz.) sugar

Directions:

Hydrate the yeast with warm (not hot) milk and let it dissolve. Stir it a little.

Place all the dry ingredients together.

In a stand mixer, mix all the ingredients together with a dough hook. The dough should feel like bread dough and spring back when you poke it.

Allow the dough to rest covered until it doubles. This depends on how hot your kitchen is, it took me 2 hours.

When the dough has risen, prepare the meringue. Whip the whites with the salt, when they are soft peaks, gradually add sugar and vanilla till stiff peaks.

Roll out half of the dough into a rectangle.

Spread half the meringue over it.

Sprinkle some nuts, chocolate chips, cinnamon, sugar, and whatever else you like.

Roll up the dough.

Connect the ends and using a pair of scissors, make cuts around it.

Allow dough to rise another 45 minutes. Repeat same process with the other half of the dough. 

When dough has risen, egg wash it and bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

Allow it to cool.

Add whatever glaze you like, I did a chocolate frosting. I added some green sprinkles and some leafy greens as decor for St Patty's Day!

This product freezes well, I recommend freezing it without frosting if you don't eat it that day, then thaw it at room temperature when you are ready to eat it and frost it. If you have some left-over with frosting that you didn't freeze, it might start to go stale, as did mine. I ended up turning it into a bread pudding breakfast. It was amazing!



The Husband's Favorite Bread

 

 Has your husband, boyfriend, friend ever tried this bread? Cinnamon-Raisin-Walnut Bread. It's my husband's favorite and I just made it this weekend because he asked me for it. He never asks me to make him anything, so I had to!

We all remember Pepperidge farm's Raisin Swirl bread from when we were kids, but now that we are all grown up, how about making it ourselves and add a little twist that we wouldn't have when we were children? Walnuts!

Peter Reinhart is behind this amazing recipe. 

His book Bread Baker's Apprentice is fabulous, it even won a James Beard Book Award, which if you've never heard about, it is like the Oscar for a book in the Culinary World.  The book is so comprehensive and he makes it so that if you've never taken any bread baking class, you get your lecture right in the beginning of the book.

So you're dying to get the recipe now aren't you? We'll get straight to it.. I can't give you the recipe exactly from the book since that's illegal but here is an adaptation.

Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

Adapted from The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart


3 1/2 cups (16 ounces) unbleached bread flour
4 tsp (.66 ounce) granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp (.31 ounce) salt
2 tsp (.22 ounce) instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp (.16 ounce) ground cinnamon
1 large (1.65 ounces) egg, slightly beaten
2 tbsp (1 ounce) shortening, melted or at room temperature
1/2 cup (4 ounces) buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
3/4 cup (6 ounces) water, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) raisins, rinsed and drained
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped walnuts

Optional:
Additional granulated sugar and cinnamon for swirl, and sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter for topping

1. Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the egg, shortening, buttermilk, and water. Stir together with a large spoon (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) until the ingredients come together and form a ball. Adjust with flour or water if the dough seems too sticky or too dry and stiff.

2. Sprinkle flour on a counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mixing on medium speed, switching to the dough hook). The dough should be soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. Add flour as you knead (or mix), if necessary, to achieve this texture. Knead by hand for approximately 10 minutes (or by machine for 6-8 minutes). Sprinkle in the raisins and walnuts during the last 2 minutes of kneading (or mixing) to distribute them evenly and avoid crushing them too much. (If you are mixing by machine, you may have to finish kneading by hand to distribute the raisins and walnuts evenly). The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77 to 81 degrees F. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size. (This is very important, don't skip the fermentation step or shorten it!)

4. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and form them into loaves. If desired, before rolling the loaves, sprinkle the dough with a mixture of 1/2 c granulated sugar and 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, creating a cinnamon-sugar swirl. Place each loaf in a lightly oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch pan, mist the tops with spray oil, and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

5. Proof at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or until the dough crests above the lips of the pans and is nearly doubled in size.

6. Preheat the oven to 350F with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Place the loaf pans on a sheet pan, making sure they are not touching each other.

7. Bake the loaves for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for another 20-30 minutes, depending on the oven. The finished breads should register 190F in the center and be golden brown on top and lightly golden on the sides and bottom. They should make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.

8. Immediately remove breads from their pans. If desired, brush the tops of the warm loaves with melted butter and roll the tops in cinnamon sugar. Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2, before slicing or serving. 

If you won't be eating all the bread, cut the loaves in half and freeze them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or ziploc bags. Then let them thaw at room temperature. Never put bread or baked goods in the fridge (unless they have frosting) the starches will retrograde and you will have a product that is inedible. If your bread goes stale, just make bread pudding with it or french toast. It will be the best bread pudding you'll ever have!

Enjoy!!

Devi

I'm in the middle of a move, as I empty out my fridge and come up with the most bizarre food combinations that surprisingly work, (Buckwheat pasta with anchovies, artichokes, walnut oil and goat cheese- believe me.. it was AMAZING!) I am getting tired of figuring out what I can make from canned and frozen food products, so I've been eating out a lot.

Just before lent started I decided to try a restaurant that had been on my list for quite some time, Devi. It is an indian restaurant with an almost royal ambiance. As soon as you walk through the doors you enter a reddish toned room with decorative lamps hanging from the high ceilings.

The restaurant looks very refined, not like a regular Indian buffet style restaurant.

The menu looks very intriguing and I had a hard time not trying the chef's tasting menu. If it wasn't Lent the next day, I would have done it.

To start us out they brought us a little amuse bouche. Some vegetable croquettes in a sweet sauce.  It was a great appetite opener.

Then I had a hard time chosing between the samosa trio (I LOVE Samosas!) and the chicken stuffed with lamb. I picked the chicken just because I can't find that at any regular indian restaurant. It was fantastic. If you like lamb you will enjoy this dish. And the tomato chutney that accompanies it is great to the last drop!

I was really going for unfamiliar territory with my main course, I tried the goat curry and the eggplant curry. Both mildly spicy and delicious! Does anyone make better curries than the Indians? I don't think so! I accompanied it with some garlic naan (tastier than the plain kind!) and loved every bite of it! Totally worth a try! The restaurant is very close to Union Square in Manhattan so next time you are craving indian, go for something different and try this delicious restaurant!

Naan is so incredibly easy to make: If you are a bread baking pro, try this one. My mother used to make panninis for me when I was younger using naan, brie cheese and ham. Not indian but very delicious.

Ingredients for indian naan recipe:

4 cups White Flour (Maida)
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Milk
1 tbsp Sugar
1 Egg
4 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Nigella seeds (Kalunji) If you can find them...

How To Make Naan:

• Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Mix the sugar, milk, eggs 2 tbsp of oil in a bowl.
• Pour this into the center of the flour and knead adding water if necessary to form soft dough.
• Add the remaining oil, knead again, then cover with damp cloth and allow the dough to stand for 15 minutes. Knead the dough again and cover and leave for 2-3 hours. Don't rush this process!
• About half an before the naan are required, turn on the oven to maximum heat.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls and allow rest for 3-4 minutes.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet with nigella seeds and put it in the oven to heat while the dough is resting.
• Shape each ball of dough with the palms to make an oval shape.
• Bake the indian bread naan until puffed up and golden brown. Serve hot.

Afternoon tea with Portuguese Pao de Leite

Famous all over the world, especially in Hawaii: the Portuguese Sweet Rolls or as we call them, Pao de Leite. I love them for breakfast with a little butter and ham. They are great. My favorite place to get them is the Pao de Milho Bakery in Ironbound, NJ at 149 Oliver Street Newark, NJ 07105-2006

Their baked goods are all amazing and I recommend all of them! I was there this weekend and got inspired to make the bread at home. This is my version of the Portuguese sweet bread, with a little hint of vanilla and lemon.

My little kitten Penny wanted to join us for tea with the portuguese sweet bread..

Restaurant Week at Artisanal

I love restaurant week, why? Discounted Dining at some of the best places in the city. This time I tried Artisanal. I'm sure you've heard of their numerous cheeses.. they have a wide selection of hard, soft, young, old, smelly, pleasant, everything cheesy!! And if you stop by in February they have their Cheesy Fondue Month.. 28 different fondues.. Amazing and gooey-licious!

So here's what we had.. the amazing gougeres. I'm sure you've seen these before.

Gougères are a classical preparation often served at wine tastings in France. The puffs are made from a savory pâte á choux, or cream puff dough-flavored with cheese. They are best served hot out of the oven, offering that creamy-dough gratification. And, if you don't add the cheese, the puff is a base for a dessert just like profiteroles. (Recipe below)

The gougeres

Then  a Daube of Beef with Spaetzel. The best part was the Spaetzel

And a Mushroom Risotto. Yum.. but the best part was still...

Dessert!! a Chocolate Marquise with crunchy Hazelnut Feuilletine in the centre. It was delicious but it was such a tiny slice.. I am watching my figure but I do love dessert!! More please!

And then it came.. petit fours.. Madelines with powdered sugar and mini brownies.. well.. the brownies were a little floury for my taste but the madeline was impeccable!

I give this restaurant week menu a 3 out of 5 stars.

And as promised here is a recipe..

 Gougeres Recipe by Thomas Keller

 

1 cup water
7 tablespoons (3-1/2 ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or more to taste
Pinch of sugar
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
4 to 5 large eggs
1-1/4 cups grated Gruyère (5 ounces)
Freshly ground white pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add all the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium, and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, or until the mixture forms a ball and the excess moisture has evaporated (if the ball forms more quickly, continue to cook and stir for a full 2 minutes).

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle and beat for about 30 seconds at medium speed to cool slightly. Add 4 eggs and continue to mix until completely combined and the batter has a smooth, silky texture. Stop the machine and lift up the beater to check the consistency of the batter. The batter in the mixing bowl should form a peak with a tip that falls over. If it is too stiff, beat in the white of the remaining egg. Check again and, if necessary, add the yolk. Finally, mix in 3/4 cup of the Gruyère and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain pastry tip with the gougère batter. Pipe the batter into 1-tablespoon mounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the gougères as the mixture will spread during baking. Sprinkle the top of each gougère with about 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they puff and hold their shape. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. And bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. When the gougères are done, they should be a light golden brown color. When you break one open, it should be hollow; the inside should be cooked but still slightly moist. Remove the pans from the oven and serve the gougères while hot.

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/2000/laundry/gougeres.html#ixzz1DaHxVMRV

Cheesy muffins for my Black and Yellow team

If you're rooting for the steelers.. there is still time to prepare this tasty snack.. Assiago Cheese muffins.
They are like pop overs but the cheese won't actually let them pop over..

These beauties are backed right in a muffin pan, no liners necessary.. Make these right before party time so they are still warm when you dig into them. Guests will love them, even if they aren't rooting for Steelers. (Recipe yields about 15-18)

Ingredients

6 eggs (warmed to room temperature)

3 1/2 cups milk (warmed to the touch)

4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

4 cups shredded Assiago cheese (or any other cheese you like)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Mix all dry together.
3. Whip eggs at high speed till very fluffy and pale in color.
4. Reduce speed to low, gradually add milk in a stream.
5. Add dry ingredients and cheese.
6. Let batter rest for 1 hour.
7. Heavily pam or oil a Muffin tin. Fill cavities all the way to the brim.
8. Bake for 15 minutes, reduce temperature down to 375, then bake for 30 minutes till golden.
   Enjoy warm!

This dough freezes well and can be warmed slightly in a microwave.