French Baquettes

The image is of French Baquettes that i decided to bake this evening.



The Recipe for the Baguettes came from the Book:
The Bread Baker's Apprentice
by Peter Reinhart

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Fresh Strawberry Cake

Fresh Strawberry Cake
recipe from
Cooking in the South with Johnnie Gabriel

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Hazelnut Cheese Cake

Graham Cracker Crust:

1/1/4 cups of Graham Crackers

3 tablespoons of sugar

1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon

1/4 cup of melted butter or margarine

In a small bowl stir together crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter or margarine.

Stir till well combined. Press crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom of a greased 9" spring form pan.

Ingredients for Cheesecake:

For 9" spring form or round cake pan

4/8oz packages cream cheese (use only full fat and always at room temperature)

1 2/3 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of cornstarch

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract (pure is best)

2 extra large eggs

½ cup Nutella Hazelnut spread

3/4 cup of heavy or whipping cream

Makes one 9" cheese cake about 2 1/2 inches high

1. Preheat oven to 350F (I have a separate oven thermometer to make sure the temp is correct) it is optional.

2. Place one package of room temperature cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at the time, scraping down the bowl after each one.

3. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups of sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one, add ½ cup Nutella and mix until combined. Add the 3/4 cup of cream beat only until fully blended. - Be careful DO NOT over mix it! - Gently spoon the batter over the crust.

Place a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about an inch up to the side of the spring form pan.

(Hint: I use a disposable pan you can buy at most grocery stores , like a lasagna pan or a pan to make your turkey or ham in) Hint about your spring form pan: Generously butter the spring form pan the bottom and sides of your spring form. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending up all the way of the sides. This will prevent water to leak in the spring form pan.)

I have been using 9in silicone Baking Pan for my cheese cakes and after completely cooling it is easy to remove and no problems with leaks. Silicone Pans are my personal preference.

Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top has a golden tan, about 1:15min. Remove the cheese cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire or cooling rack, and let cool for 2hrs. " Just walk away do not move it before " Then leave the cake in the pan cover it loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold a minimum of 4hrs best is over night.

Hint:
The Water Bath will prevent the cake to crack . The room temperature of the cream cheese will allow it be creamy.

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Peanut butter Cookies

2 ½ cups Pastry flour

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

1cup of brown sugar

1cup of sugar

1cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softend

1 ½ cup of creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

1cup chopped roasted peanuts

1. Sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder together and set aside. Cream the sugars and butteron high for about 3minutes or until light and flully , scrape the bowl down as needed. Add the peanut butter and blend until just combined, about 1 minute, add your 2 eggs one at the time and scrap down after each egg. Last add your flour mixture and chopped peanuts. Just long enough to combine all ingredients.
   
2. Divide the dough in half and roll into logs that are approximatly 12 inches long. Wrap each log into parchment paper and then in plastic wrap, label and freeze.
   
3. Preheat the oven to 350f . cut the log into 1inch slices and place the cookies
   
4. onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown but still soft in the middle , about 20 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature before serving.
   

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NY Style Dough

NY Style Dough
1 1/2 cups warm water (105F)
4 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbls. olive oil
2 1/2 teas. sugar
2 1/2 teas. salt
1/2 teas. yeast

In a large bowl, mix water with sugar and salt until dissolved. Add oil, and
then flour. Stir with heavy spoon for 1 minute. Turn out to a floured board and
press into a circle (it will be quite dry). Sprinkle yeast evenly over dough and
knead for twelve minutes.

Divide dough into portions:
6 oz. for Calzones, 10 oz. for 9 inch, 18 oz. for 12 inch, 25 oz. for 15 inch
(This recipe makes about 34 oz. Adjust ingredient amounts for your purposes)
Shape each portion by sliding your palms across the top portion of dough while
curving your fingers inward toward each other and "tucking" the dough into
the center. You want a dough ball without visible seams except the bottom. Set
formed dough balls on plate, cover with plastic, and allow to proof for 1−2 hours
at room temperature to use the same day, or store in refrigerator to use the next
day. To stretch dough, place dough ball on lightly floured surface, and lightly
flour the top. Use fingertips to evenly flatten out the dough ball. Work from the
edges to the center. Place both hands within the shell edge and stretch with
fingertips and palms maintaining an even pressure. Or, use a lightly floured
rolling pin to stretch to desired shape.

Cooking pizzas with this dough should be done on a baking stone. Using a pan
will produce a very soft "doughy" crust. The stone in the oven should be
preheated to 500F for an hour prior to baking, and should be placed in the
middle of the oven. After stretching the dough, liberally sprinkle cornmeal or
semolina on pizza peel (a wooden paddle with a handle to slide the pizza in
the oven) or a cutting board. The cornmeal allows the pizza to slide onto the
stone easily. After topping the pizza, when you are ready to cook it, pick up
an edge of the dough and lightly blow air underneath. This will loosen any
sticky areas under the dough and redistribute the cornmeal. Shake the peel
or cutting board to make sure none of the dough is sticking. Carefully slide
the pizza into the oven.

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Italian Bread (Bread Machine ) baked in the oven

image ©2009kat

Italian Bread (Bread Machine) baked in the oven !
original recipe can be found HERE

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups water (110 degrees F)
• 2 cups all-purpose white flour
• 2 cups white bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt (can use up to 1-1/2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (you could just use a small package of yeast which is 2-1/4 teaspoons instead of the 2-1/2 teaspoons)

TOPPING

• 1 small egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3-4 tablespoons cornmeal (to sprinkle on baking sheet)

Directions
1. Place the water, flours, olive oil, salt, sugar and yeast in the bread pan in order recommended by the manufacturer.
2.Place into the bread machine and set to dough cycle; press start.
3.When the cycle has finished deflate the dough and remove to a lightly floured surface.
4.Divide the dough evenly in half (or you may leave in one large piece).
5.Cover the dough with a clean tea towel and let rest for 4-5 minutes.
6.Roll up the dough, shape into two loaves, then seal the seam.
7.Place the loaves spaced well apart seam-side down on a 15 x 10-inch baking sheet that has been generously sprinkled with cornmeal.
8.Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise for about 40 minutes to 1 hour (be careful not to over rise your dough or it will deflate when brushing with the egg mixture and will taste yeasty after baked).
9.In a small bowl whisk together egg with water.
10. Brush the egg mixture gently over the loaves.
11. Make one long fast slit down the middle of the dough using a very sharp small knife or a razor blade.
12. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Immediately remove the loaves to a wooden cutting board (if the loaves stick to the pan gently place a spatula underneath loaves to loosen).

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Mediterranean Beef Kebabs

Mediterranean Beef Kebabs
1 1/2 pound boneless beef sirloin steak
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried tarragon, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 1-1/2-inch cubes. Place meat
cubes in a self-sealing plastic bag set in a shallow dish.
2. For marinade, in a small bowl, combine green onion, olive oil,
lemon juice, garlic, tarragon, oregano, and pepper. Pour over
meat; seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours,
turning bag occasionally. Drain meat, discarding marinade.
3. Thread meat cubes onto six 12-inch metal skewers, leaving 1/4
inch between pieces. Place kebabs on the unheated rack of a
broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 10 to 12 minutes
or until meat is slightly pink in the center, turning occasionally
to brown evenly.
Makes 6 servings.

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