Sourdough Rye bread revisited!
So I decided to bake the rye bread again with my improved protocol:
http://uncreativefoodblog.tumblr.com/post/12452838672/first-bread-loaf
The loaf is properly cook throughout and I think it is a success!
I do need to get some really decent sharp blades to score my bread. It looks as good as not being scored. =/ I should have scored it right after shaping, which I forgot. =P
I should start finding some other recipe to bake and do some dinner rolls!
Ditch the detox and get baking...apple, walnut & custard cake...
One of my favourite Christmas presents was my ‘Short & Sweet’ recipe book by Dan Lepard (or Def Leppard as my Mum has coined him)…
His recipes in the Guardian magazine have had my mouth watering on many occasions and I’ve already attempted his clementine and oat muffins…
his herb roti, which I served up with a curry made from Christmas leftovers…
and his sticky lemon and poppy seed cake…
However, my first choice from the many ‘must bake’ items, which I’ve earmarked, was this amazing apple, walnut and custard cake…
There are three main stages to this cake, so not the quickest of bakes but well worth the effort!
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line a 20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.
First up you need to make the custard. You’ll need…
175ml milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
50g light soft brown sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
1 medium egg
Whisk all of the ingredients above, together in a saucepan until smooth. Bring to the boil, whisking continously until it’s thick. I found that the turning point came about very suddenly so don’t get complacent, just keep whisking! Once it’s reached a very thick consistency, spoon it into a lightly buttered bowl and chill until firm.
Next up you need to prepare your apple and walnut filling. You need…
50g light soft brown sugar
3-4 dessert apples, peeled, cored and quartered
75ml brandy
75ml water
75g walnuts, chopped
Place all of the ingredients above in a frying pan and cook over a high heat until the liquid has evaporated. Then leave to cool whilst you make the cake batter. For that you’ll need…
100g light soft brown sugar
75g unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
50g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Beat the sugar and butter together with an electric or handheld mixer (or a lot of elbow grease) until light and smooth. Beat the eggs in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Finally stir in the flour and baking powder with a spoon. Chop the set custard into chunks and fold into the cake batter being careful not to break it up. Now, tip it into the prepared cake tin…
and finally, place spoonfuls of the apple and walnut mixture on top. Swirl it slightly with a teaspoon to make sure it’s bedded in well. Then pop it into the oven for about 50 minutes…
At which point it will look like this…
Serve it warm, drizzled with maple syrup and a good dollop of creme fraiche…
The apples retain a slight crunch, the walnuts are beautifully caramelised and brandyfied and if that weren’t enough, you’re rewarded with fantastic pockets of vanilla laden custard…sheer heaven on a plate! ditch the detox and get baking!
Marmorkuchen (Marbled chocolate crumble cake/DAN LEPARD)
Was ein himmlischer Marmorkuchen!
Wieder ein Rezept von DAN LEPARD aus unserem neuen Lieblingsbackbuch: “SHORT&SWEET-THE BEST OF HOME BAKING”.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-Sweet-Dan-Lepard/dp/0007391439
Es macht so eine kugelrunde Freude nach seinen Rezepten zu backen.
Hopsdipops!
Für 1 quadratisches, etwas tieferes Backblech/Backform á 20x20
CRUMBLE (Streusel)
125g Mehl
2EL echten Kakao
75g RohRohrzucker (also der hellere, braune Zucker)
75g Butter
Mehl, Kakao, Zucker&Butter gut miteinander mit den Händen vermischen.
Damit es nicht gar so trocken ist, kann man am Schluss noch ein paar Tropfen Wasser dazugeben.
Beiseitestellen und den Kuchen machen…
KUCHEN
175g Zucker
175g Butter
3 Eier
2TL Vanille-Extrakt (Mark einer Vanilleschote tuts auch)
175g Mehl
2TL Backpulver
2EL echten Kakao
100g dunkle Schokolade, grob gehackt
Butter und Mehl für die Form
Das Backblech mit Butter einfetten und mit Mehl bestäuben.
Den Backofen auf 180 Grad (Umluft 160 Grad, Gas Stufe 4) vorheizen.
Zucker und Butter miteinander verrühren, bis eine glatte Masse entsteht, die Eier dazugeben und wieder gut verrühren, dann die Vanille dazugeben.
In einer separaten Schüssel das Mehl mit dem Backpulver gut vermischen und zu der Buttermasse geben. Wieder gut vermischen.
Dreiviertel des Teiges in kleinen Häufchen in die Form geben (in englisch versteht man es besser:”…spoon three-quarters of it in blobs into the tin…”).
Den übrig gebliebenen Teig mit dem Kakao zusammenführen, bis er ganz mit diesem durchzogen ist, dann die Schokolade gleichmässig unterheben.
Nun den Teig auch in die Form “bloben” und mit einem Löffel die beiden Teige miteinander vermischen, bis sie einen Teig ergeben.
ABER: nicht ganz vermischen, nur so, dass sie zusammengeführt werden und die Marmorierung entsteht.
In den vorgeheizten Backofen 25 min. backen, dann den Kuchen mit dem Streusel bestreuen und weitere 10 min. backen.
(Mit einem Holzspieß testen, ob der Kuchen fertig ist. Ist noch Teig dran: weiterbacken, wenn nicht: fertig.)
In der Form auskühlen lassen, in Quadrate schneiden und mi-ma-mampfen!
SOURDOUGH BREAD
I have had my sourdough starter for almost a year now and only baked a sourdough loaf about ten times, this saddens me. Sourdough for some people is an acquired taste but a taste that I feel is easily acquired, Makes sense? For me after baking and eating my own sourdough other mass produced breads stuffed with additives and preservatives paled in comparison. Home made bread will have so much more flavour, texture and reward including nutritional value and a great smelling house. Great bread requires a few things, Good flour, good salt and, clean water. Thats it!
You can get these things in Belfast, Nutmeg in town sells doves farm flours and its the cheapest too. doves farm does a wide range of specialist flours and ancient grains that industrial bread production have almost wiped out. Experiment with flours, there is no right or wrong. For example my starter is made of wholegrain rye, then the create the dough I used spelt flour and strong bread flour.
Different flours give different flavours, crumb, textures and colours to a loaf. I’m only at the stage now where i experiment a little, going off the beaten track with flours but the basics are also very important. The ratio of flour, starter, water and salt will greatly effect the final loaf.
If you want to start making your own bread then get a good book. two I would suggest are
River cottage bread handbook:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/074759533X/?tag=hydra0b-21&hvadid=9550947189&ref=asc_df_074759533X
Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard:
Both are great covering many different bread types along with how to set up and care for your own sourdough starter! Please if you have ant questions or interests feel free to ask, I would be more than happy to get some feedback. Happy Baking!
