Ruthie
Well-Known Member
Neeners, did you make your own starter? I've done that before and might try it again. Think I'm going to be on a bread making kick for a while. I love bread but not all the chemicals that are in the grocery store kind.
I didn't make soap today...
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Neeners, did you make your own starter? I've done that before and might try it again. Think I'm going to be on a bread making kick for a while. I love bread but not all the chemicals that are in the grocery store kind.
There's something great about being in the kitchen, fresh pot of coffee, flour flying, oven warming up and cold outside. Good times!
Have you ever made bread by hand? It's really not difficult and seems to not take that much more time although the wait between rises is almost as bad as waiting for soap to gel and not peeking for 24hrs. My tools are a big bowl, a wooden spoon (never used to mix lye) and my hands. I did buy an old Oster blender online a while back. If not familiar, it's the original to what is now Kitchenaid. It weighs a ton. Anyway, didn't like how bread turned out so went back to hand made.
Hope things warm up for you soon. Have fun in the kitchen!
AnnaMarie
Well-Known Member
Dennis, I love making my own bread! Nothing beats homemade and you just reminded me that I've been meaning to make sourdough starter here....
Cheers!
Anna Marie
Cheers!
Anna Marie
Shortbread
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup superfine sugar*
2 sticks (1 cup) COLD butter, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup rice flour OR cornstarch (I just learned from another SMF thread that cornstarch is called cornflour outside the US)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Put an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 C).
Reserve 1 Tablespoon sugar for a garnish. Mix the rest of the sugar, the flours, and salt in a mixer bowl. With mixer on low, gradually drop the butter cubes into flour. Mix about 4 minutes until the dough is like pale yellow, damp crumbs.
Speaking from experience, the dough should remain crumbly for a delicate sandy texture. If it comes together and forms a ball, the cookies will be less sandy and tender. If that is what you prefer, then you can knead the dough briefly so it makes a ball before going onto the next step.
Pour half of the crumbs (or half of the ball of dough) onto a cookie sheet. The sheet should be ungreased or you can cover it with parchment paper. Pat firmly into a disk 8 inches across and about 3/8 inch thick. Repeat with the other half. If you have room, you can put the second disk next to the first on the same cookie sheet. If not, use a second sheet. (Or you can use a clay shortbread pan like I do: http://shortbreadpan.com/shortbread-pans/shortbread-pan-gallery/ )
Put shortbread in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 300 degrees. Bake about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and gently loosen the shortbread with a spatula if you aren't using parchment paper, but leave the shortbread on the sheet. Cut each disk into 16 wedges while the shortbread is still hot. Sprinkle with the reserved sugar.
Return to the turned-off oven, close the oven door, and let the shortbread cool in the oven. After completely cool, store in an airtight container. These cookies freeze beautifully.
*Superfine sugar: Blend regular sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. The result is something between regular sugar and powdered confectioner's sugar.
Chocolate shortbread variation: Substitute 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa for the rice flour
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup superfine sugar*
2 sticks (1 cup) COLD butter, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup rice flour OR cornstarch (I just learned from another SMF thread that cornstarch is called cornflour outside the US)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Put an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 C).
Reserve 1 Tablespoon sugar for a garnish. Mix the rest of the sugar, the flours, and salt in a mixer bowl. With mixer on low, gradually drop the butter cubes into flour. Mix about 4 minutes until the dough is like pale yellow, damp crumbs.
Speaking from experience, the dough should remain crumbly for a delicate sandy texture. If it comes together and forms a ball, the cookies will be less sandy and tender. If that is what you prefer, then you can knead the dough briefly so it makes a ball before going onto the next step.
Pour half of the crumbs (or half of the ball of dough) onto a cookie sheet. The sheet should be ungreased or you can cover it with parchment paper. Pat firmly into a disk 8 inches across and about 3/8 inch thick. Repeat with the other half. If you have room, you can put the second disk next to the first on the same cookie sheet. If not, use a second sheet. (Or you can use a clay shortbread pan like I do: http://shortbreadpan.com/shortbread-pans/shortbread-pan-gallery/ )
Put shortbread in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 300 degrees. Bake about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and gently loosen the shortbread with a spatula if you aren't using parchment paper, but leave the shortbread on the sheet. Cut each disk into 16 wedges while the shortbread is still hot. Sprinkle with the reserved sugar.
Return to the turned-off oven, close the oven door, and let the shortbread cool in the oven. After completely cool, store in an airtight container. These cookies freeze beautifully.
*Superfine sugar: Blend regular sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. The result is something between regular sugar and powdered confectioner's sugar.
Chocolate shortbread variation: Substitute 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa for the rice flour
yes! I have my starter. it's a few years old now (I think it's coming on to 3 yrs old...). if you don't make bread every week, just keep the thing in the fridge. it'll separate and look awful. when you're ready, scrape all the gunk off, and keep a bit of the good stuff in the bottom and re-feed. you'll have a brand new starter in less than 24 hrs. better than starting from scratch.....
all this baking inspired me to finally make a couple loafs. have the flour hydrating right now!
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Lol! Are you moving to Oregon? -I would love to be friended! I have to admit I've been enjoying myself hugely on this forum getting to meet people who have similar interests. Baking and cooking are a couple of my other hobbies. Keep soaping Jules! Don't let the little mishaps deter you- just use them for motivation to make another batch to set things right
Cheers!
Anna Marie
I do plan on moving to Oregon at some point, its a matter of getting hubby to move really but someday. Baking is my No 1 but as I have been losing weight since Nov I am steering clear of goodies as much as possible so soaping has become my replacement. LOL!
I actually spent the weekend watching videos and reading blogs on Soap Queen to get ready for the goats milk again - I think I was just rushing so the milk didnt heat too much and didnt catch those few little undissolved lye pieces. I will be more patient next time and be absolutely sure no lye particles. Thanks for the encouragement!
AnnaMarie
Well-Known Member
Awesome!- all of it! I really like Soap Queen videos myself. I think she does a good, clear job of explaining things. I also enjoy Soaping (or soap making) 101 on you tube if you haven't seen those. I'll look forward to hearing about your milk soap and seeing pictures.
Cheers!
Anna Marie
AnnaMarie
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the recipe! I am looking forward to trying this. My father in law loves shortbread, so I'm in the market for a good shortbread recipe. I really love those old fashioned, tried and true recipes, so I know this will be good!
Cheers!
Anna Marie
AnnaMarie
Well-Known Member
Do you have a good scone recipe to share? I'm always looking for recipes
. And clotted cream I would love to try. We have a mock Devonshire cream recipe floating around here, but I don't do mock- I like doing the real thing Cheers!
Anna Marie
Alas the only one that I have found it to take full cream, put it in the oven on a low heat for about 8 hours! Scrape off the thick layer on top and that is your clotted cream.
So simple and yet such a pain in the outlet!
I will say, when making shortbread, go by looks rather than time. The Admirable lady likes it lighter rather than darker, but it's to each person's taste. But the times can vary a lot.
It is a good shortbread recipe, different to the one I use, in that it has more salt. Again, it's to each persons taste, but I know some people who had my shortbread would prefer it to have more salt, so I will up my amounts.
So simple and yet such a pain in the outlet!
I will say, when making shortbread, go by looks rather than time. The Admirable lady likes it lighter rather than darker, but it's to each person's taste. But the times can vary a lot.
It is a good shortbread recipe, different to the one I use, in that it has more salt. Again, it's to each persons taste, but I know some people who had my shortbread would prefer it to have more salt, so I will up my amounts.
coffeetime
Well-Known Member
Mmm, shortbread... I usually don't make them until just before Christmas because they are so addictive. But now I really want some!
I use the recipe from the cornstarch box (in Canada.) It is:
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup flour
3/4 cup butter (I use salted)
Mix dry ingreds, then cut in butter like pastry. Bake until just light tan on the outside edge in a 350F oven (6-8 mins). I usually roll them out and use a cookie cutter. They end up delicate and almost a pastry texture and not too sweet. Yum!
I use the recipe from the cornstarch box (in Canada.) It is:
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup flour
3/4 cup butter (I use salted)
Mix dry ingreds, then cut in butter like pastry. Bake until just light tan on the outside edge in a 350F oven (6-8 mins). I usually roll them out and use a cookie cutter. They end up delicate and almost a pastry texture and not too sweet. Yum!
AnnaMarie
Well-Known Member
All we need is a pot of good,hot tea right now...
FlybyStardancer
Well-Known Member
Tried my bread machine yesterday for the first time in years and it was a dismal flop.
You remind me, I've been meaning to get ingredients in my machine to bake overnight! I'm sorry yours didn't turn out.
I've been going a couple years now without buying loaves from the store... (Specialty breads, like tortillas, are still purchased, though.)Your loaves look gorgeous! I've always had better luck with making the dough in the bread machine, though I did pull it out to shape and bake in the oven before my oven broke. The few times I tried making dough by hand, it always came out tough and dense. I think my problem is that I can't correctly 'read' when the dough is done kneading and taking in flour... Unfortunately, I don't have a local friend to bake with and show me how its done!
I did bake bread with my paternal grandfather once. One of my few cherished memories with him. My bread machine was his--we shipped it here from FL when we were cleaning out his house after he passed. He was rather hardcore about baking his bread... He even had a grain mill right next to it in his house! And my brother remembered him baking a lot of bread, and he knew our grandfather better than me.
I am a tea drinking machine! Enjoy about 15 cups a day - it's fuel for an Englishman.
tortillas are surprisingly easy to make. here's the recipe I use for flour tortillas, substitute the lard for regular cooking oil (I use rice bran oil). these are my bf's favourite.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/flour-tortillas-recipe.html
if you want corn tortillas, you can find a cast iron tortilla press on amazon or in your friendly local Hispanic store. don't bother with the aluminum ones. they're a waste of time (we had one, and bought a cast iron one).
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00164T384/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
I love tea too! I have mine in quart sized mason jars. people, especially here, look at me funny b/c I drink loose leaf tea (apparently some people don't realize tea doesn't always come in a bag). delicious!!
sourdoughs are on their final proof. it's going to smell heavenly here shortly.....
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Thank you. When I first started making bread I didn't have a clue and found good recipes and instructions online. That's how I learned and found a couple of vids on kneading dough. It seems to be a combination of art and science, not unlike soapmaking. Here's a helpful link for a video that includes another link for the window pane test. Maybe you'll want to give it a try sometime.
http://www.thekitchn.com/-home-hacks-108771
Neeners, Thanks for the tortilla link. When reading I thought maybe I would give it a try and lo and behold your links followed.
Ruthie
Well-Known Member
Yes, Dennis, I used to make my own bread by hand. (Though I don't remember it being as lovely as yours!) I loved the process, and relieved lots of frustrations through kneading. Then several years ago I tore a nerve loose from its channel (like carpal tunnel but further up in the arm.) Did this while yanking on the cord of a chainsaw. Now kneading (and even stirring! Don't think I'd make soap without a SB) is too painful a process. I considered surgery but there was only a 50% probability things would improve. So I just deal with it. It's really not so bad as long as I stay within my limits.
Yes, Dennis, I used to make my own bread by hand. (Though I don't remember it being as lovely as yours!) I loved the process, and relieved lots of frustrations through kneading. Then several years ago I tore a nerve loose from its channel (like carpal tunnel but further up in the arm.) Did this while yanking on the cord of a chainsaw. Now kneading (and even stirring! Don't think I'd make soap without a SB) is too painful a process. I considered surgery but there was only a 50% probability things would improve. So I just deal with it. It's really not so bad as long as I stay within my limits.
Sorry for your injury. Oh chain saws! So good, yet so bad. Yes, 50% is not very good odds really. Accepting limitations can be a humbling experience. I can relate. Do something that takes 30 minutes and pay the price for days or weeks. Grrrrrrrr.
I've never made sourdough but love it. That looks delicious. The only thing that stopped me was "feeding" the starter. My knee jerk reaction was to reject one more critter to feed! Not very good reasoning, but that was it. Now, it is definitely on the list.
