November 6, 2020. Clear and cool. Semi-Homemade Apple Tart. I was in the mood for a slice of apple tart today. The unceasing election news for the past few days has thrown me off my usual routine. I have been too distracted to focus my …
November 3, 2020. Election Day. Sunny and cool. Carrot & Cardamom Cake. I did not expect to make this cake today. It’s Election Day in the US and I have planned to make yet another easy no-knead bread and English Cottage Loaves, and NOT a …
October 29, 2020. Rainy and grey. Savory Pesto Cheese Brioche Wreath.
I came up with this bold flavored savory brioche wreath recipe in early June this year. By that time, I was baking daily and really enjoy making and eating brioche bread. My family appreciates big bold flavors like pesto and cheese and I thought it might be fun to create something they would find tempting. A savory slice for snacking, breakfast or teatime when we don’t feel like eating something sweet.
For the first experiment I used green basil pesto and ricotta cheese. Then I decided to add roasted garlic to subsequent bakes. I love the smell of roasted garlic, so if you love garlic, please add them to the bread, if not just omit from the recipe. The pesto imparts a wonderful color and taste to the brioche, and ricotta cheese just balances out the flavors.
There are 3 parts to making this brioche wreath. First we make the brioche dough. Then, adding the tasty savory filling and finally, shaping the dough into a large round wreath before baking. The tricky part is cutting the rolled dough with the filling and then twisting it into wreath. It’s not too difficult and requires a bit of patience. Give it a try and you’ll be amply rewarded by this delicious bake!
Items listed roughly in the order used:
Brioche Dough
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
¾ cup + 2 tbsp. (200 ml) whole milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp salt
3⅔ cups (460 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. dried Basil
1 Tbsp. dried Rosemary
2 eggs at room temperature
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter softened
Filling
⅓ cup green pesto (homemade or your favorite store bought)
3 Tbsp. ricotta cheese
1 to 2 heads of roasted garlic* (or 1 Tbsp. of granulated garlic) Optional, highly recommended
Salt and pepper to taste
Finishing
1 large egg + 1 Tbs water, lightly beaten and mixed
You will also need a stand mixer, a rolling pin, a parchment lined 9″ (22-23cm) round pan, and a sheet pan for baking.
In a small bowl, mix yeast, lukewarm milk and sugar. Stir and wait for yeast to bloom 10 minutes. Next, sift flour and salt into mixing bowl. Add dried basil and rosemary. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Add yeast mixture and eggs to dry ingredients, use dough hook to mix for 2 mins until well combined. Increase speed to medium until a dough is formed approx. 4-5 mins. Scrape down sides and make sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Knead for another 3 minutes until dough becomes soft and smooth. Then, lower speed and gradually add in butter, 2 Tablespoons at a time until it is well mixed. Dough should be very soft when done, about 4-5 minutes.
When ready, form dough into a ball and put into a well oiled large container. Cover and let the dough rest at room temperature till double in size, approx. 60 mins.
Remove from container and punch down dough. Shape into a rough rectangle, wrap tightly with cling wrap and chill for an hour.
When dough is chilling, prepare the filling. In a small bowl, stir together pesto and ricotta cheese. If using, add in the roasted garlic or granulated garlic. Mix well with pesto and ricotta cheese. Taste and adjust filling with salt and pepper to suit.
Next, prepare parchment and line the round pan. Set aside.
Unwrap chilled dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a rectangle, approx. 14” x 20” (36 x 50cm) . Spread the filling evenly all over the rectangle, leaving approx. half an inch (1-2cm) around the border. Gently but firmly roll up the rectangle on the long side.
Cut the roll in half, lengthwise approx. 1-2” (3-5 cm) on one end, exposing the filling, creating 2 long pieces of dough. Gently crisscross the dough pieces, and tucking the ends together to create a wreath.
Transfer the shaped dough into the prepared parchment lined 9” (23cm) round pan and cover with cling wrap.
Baker’s tip: lightly grease the outside of a glass that is slightly taller than the height of the pan and insert in the middle of the pan before covering with cling wrap. This will create some space for the dough to rise. You can also lightly grease the cling-wrap so that the dough will not stick to the dough as it is proofing/rising.
Let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. When waiting, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). When ready, remove the cling wrap and glass, and brush egg wash over the brioche wreath. Place the prepared pan onto a sheet pan.
Pop the entire thing into the oven for 40-50 mins, or until the bread is golden brown, or the internal temperature reads 190°F (88°C). Remove from oven and place on trivet. After a few minutes, remove bread from round pan and peel off the parchment paper liner and cool on wire rack.
Your savory brioche wreath is ready!
I was curious as to what makes a brioche bread different from other bread. Here’s a short read on brioche => https://foodcrumbles.com/brioche-bread-science-of-enriched-breads/
Ready for more fun holiday bakes? Check out this spectacular 16-Point Star Bread that can be made sweet or savory!
For an easy, quick and delicious homemade soup, please check out this tomato carrot soup. It takes less than 40 minutes from start to finish which makes it perfect for busy days => How to Make Quick & Easy Tomato Carrot Soup!
If you love unusual and beautiful looking bread, check out these elegant Russian Lace Rolls. They are delicious as an everyday treat and looks festive for your Thanksgiving and holiday table => How to Make Elegant Russian Lace Rolls!
Looking for a colorful and delicious AND healthy recipe? Check out this => Colorful And Happy Veggie Blossom Tart
My absolute favorite Japanese meat and potato dish is Nikujaga – just the thing for a cold autumn day. See how I make it here => Japanese Nikujaga: The Best Meat And Potatoes Comfort Dish
October 27, 2020. Cold and rainy. Italian Wedding Soup. This is a recipe I’ve made countless times over the years. It’s quick, easy and perfect when you want something hot and tasty in under an hour. The original inspiration recipe was from AllRecipes.com. I love …
October 23, 2020. Beautiful sunny autumn day. Elegant Russian Lace Rolls. These Russian Lace Rolls are some of the prettiest and most elegant rolls I’ve ever baked. I made a version in May and since have made tweaks and adjustments to it. The swirls and …
October 20, 2020. Sunny and warm. Classic English Cottage Loaf.
Jump to RecipeMy favorite baking show, the Great British Bake-Off (or the Great British Baking Show in the US) is back on air and I am revisiting some of the delicious bakes featured in past seasons.
First off, I think this cottage loaf is a really cool iconic shape – it looks like a bread snowman. Then, when I actually made one, it looks like a lopsided B-B-8 Droid from the Star Wars movie! When I made it once again, I now think it looks like a stacked pumpkin. 😂 Well, whatever the shape maybe, it was lots of fun to make and relatively easy to pull together.
The bread is soft on the inside and wonderfully crusty on the outside. It has a close crumb (bakers’ speak for small holes) and slices of it taste lovely with pats of butter and jam or perfect for dunking into spicy curry. Thicker slices are sturdy enough for a hearty sandwich (reminiscent of ploughman’s lunches?).
I used Paul Hollywood’s cottage loaf recipe on the BBC website with some small tweaks and American measurements for ease of use. The hands-on time is probably about 15 to 20 minutes and the rest is just resting and waiting for the dough and yeast to do their thing.
Let’s bake!
4 cups (500 g) bread flour* (or high protein flour) plus more for dusting
2¼ tsp (7g) fast-action dried yeast
1¼ tsp (7g) fine salt
3½ Tbs (50g) of unsalted butter, shortening or lard, softened, cut into small pieces
1¼ – 1½ cups (300-450ml) lukewarm water
Olive oil to grease bowl
You will need a parchment lined baking pan and sharp knife to score the dough.
*In a pinch, if you do not have bread flour use the following substitute: for every 1 cup of All Purpose Flour, add 1 teaspoon of Vital Wheat Gluten. Whisk to combine and it’s ready to go.
If using a stand mixer, pour flour, yeast and salt into a mixer bowl. Add the butter (or lard, shortening) and pour in about 1 cup (225–250ml) of water. Stir, then add a further ¼-½ cup (75–100ml of water) a little at a time, until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is soft but not soggy. Mix on low-medium for 5- 6 minutes, until it is smooth and silky.
If kneading by hand, pour flour into a large bowl, add the yeast to one side and salt to the other. Add the softened butter (or lard, shortening) and pour in about 1 cup (225–250ml) of water. Mix using one hand, then add a further ¼-½ cup (75–100ml of water) a little at a time, until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is soft but not soggy. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5–10 minutes, until it is smooth and silky.
Next, place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
When ready, tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
Fold dough inwards repeatedly to knock out the air and ensure that it rises upwards, rather than outwards.
Pinch off one third of the dough and set aside.
Take the larger piece and shape into a ball. Flatten the dough into a rough rectangle, then roll it out. Fold the top down and the bottom up until you have a thick belt. Then fold the two ends to the center and press them down and you will have a chunky block.
Turn the dough over. Cup both hands around the dough and move the dough around the work surface in a circular motion for a few times. This tucks the dough under itself creating a taut surface. Repeat until the surface is smooth and taut.
Place the shaped large ball of dough on the prepared parchment lined pan. Repeat the rolling and shaping for the smaller piece of dough. When done, place the smaller ball on top of the larger ball, like a dough snowman.
To join the 2 balls, dust your index and middle fingers with flour. Push them through the center of the loaf all the way to the bottom, until you touch the pan. Do this twice to make sure the top and bottom balls are firmly joined together.
Next, use a sharp knife to cut 8 slashes on both the top and lower part of the loaf.
Then, carefully cover with plastic cling wrap (or put entire tray into a large plastic proof bag) and let it rest for about an hour. Preheat oven to 415°F (230°C/210°C fan/Gas 6–7) and put in an oven proof pan (I used my handy Le Creuset cast iron pan) at the bottom of oven.
When ready, remove wrap and lightly dust with flour.
Place the pan into the oven. Fill the prepared heated pan with water to create steam and quickly shut the oven door.
Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C/Gas 5) and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown. Gently tap the bottom of bread – it should sound hollow. If not, let the loaf bake for another 3-5 minutes.
When ready, remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack. Your classic English cottage loaf is ready!
I found this snippet on Food of England which talks a bit more about the Cottage Loaf. Did you know it was considered the most common bread form until the second world war? If you are interested, check in out here => http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/cottageloaf.htm
Also this short article from British Food History => https://britishfoodhistory.com/2020/07/01/a-cottage-loaf/
Recipe adapted from The Great British Bake Off site.
In a hurry and want to eat some delicious and healthy soup? Check out my Easy Tomato Carrot Soup that cooks up in a jiffy = > How to Make Quick & Easy Tomato Carrot Soup!
More easy English food to try – have you ever eaten a delicious mini Yorkshire Pudding, aka Popovers? Make this in under an hour from start to finish => How to Make Fun Pouffy Balloon Popovers!
Do you love eating food on a stick? Check out this grilled Asian Chicken Satay => Grilled Asian Chicken Satay: Awesome deliciousness on a Stick
If you are looking to add a bit of flair to your regular Eggplant Parm, check out this cool way of making and presenting this Italian favorite => How to make Fan-Shaped Eggplant Parmesan
October 17, 2020. Sunny and cool. Quick & Easy Tomato Carrot Soup. When my daughter was young and playing softball, we enjoyed stopping by the local Panera Bread to eat a lovely bowl of hot tomato soup after practice. It was always creamy, thick and …
October 14, 2020. Sunny and cool. Splendid Chinese Stuffed Cabbage Leaves. Today, I decided to make these Chinese stuffed cabbage leaves on a whim! One of my aunts loves to share videos and recipes she likes on Facebook. Once in a while a recipe catches …
October 12, 2020. Rainy and grey. Colorful Rainbow Bagels.
This was really a fun and spontaneous bake. It has been raining all weekend and I wanted to make something happy and colorful for this grey gloomy Monday. I remembered the latest round of Bread Week on the Great British Bake Off Show featured a rainbow bagel. After a brief search I found this recipe by Paul Hollywood, one of the judges. It seems like just the thing to brighten up the day.
I made New York style bagels and regular baked bagels before and the steps and preparation methods are not too different. If you have experience making bagels before this isn’t too difficult- the only change is preparing the dough and adding color to it before twisting them into rings of color.
The recipe overall requires patience and a bit of time for the dough to rise. If you are new to making bagels I have included lots of pictures and a short video clip to show how to shape the bagels. If not, you can skip straight to the recipe. Also, for ease of use, I included both the metric and American measurements so you can pick whichever one you are comfortable with.
Without further delay, let’s bake!
This recipe yields 6 large pouffy colorful rainbow bagels. You’ll need the following items:
3 cups (375g) bread flour* (or high protein flour)
1 tsp (5g) active dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup (240ml) lukewarm water
Food Color Gel – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue
1 tsp Baking Soda (bicarbonate of soda)
Water for boiling bagels
In addition to the items above, you will need a Large Mixing Bowl if you plan to knead by hand, or a Stand Mixer with dough hook (optional). You will also need 5 small bowls for proofing the colored dough. One large pan or pot to boil bagels and finally a parchment-lined baking pan for baking.
*If you do not have bread flour, in a pinch, use the following: for every 1 cup of All Purpose Flour, add 1 teaspoon of Vital Wheat Gluten. Whisk to combine and it’s ready to go.
Gather all the ingredients. If kneading by hand: Place the flour in a mixing bowl, add the yeast to one side and the sugar and salt to the other. Pour in three-quarters of the water and combine the mixture with your fingers. Gradually add the remaining water, working in all the flour until a rough dough is formed. Then, tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5–10 minutes, until the dough is soft and surface is smooth.
If using a stand mixer with dough hook: Place the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into the stand mixing bowl. Turn on the mixer and combine. Gradually add the water to the dry mixture until a rough dough is formed. Then increase the speed to low and knead the dough for 5–8 minutes, until the dough becomes a soft, smooth ball.
Next, divide the dough into 5 equal pieces and cover with a damp tea towel.
Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, add a few drops of food coloring onto the dough, fold it up and around the color. Knead the dough to distribute the color evenly. Add more food coloring as needed and adjust until it reaches your desired hue. When done, place each piece of colored dough into a greased bowl and cover. Repeat with the remaining pieces, each using a different color until you have 5 brightly colored dough balls. Then, let the dough rest and rise for approx 1 hour, or until they have doubled in size.
When ready, tip out the Red color dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to an approx 8″ x 6″ (20 x 12cm) rectangle. Set aside.
Repeat with the Orange color dough. When done, carefully place the Orange rectangle on top of the Red. Repeat with the Yellow, Green and Blue doughs, rolling each one out, shaping into rectangle, and placing on top of one another. You will have a stack of 5 layers of dough, Red at the bottom, then Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue.
Next, lightly score and then cut the stacked dough into 6 equal sized slices, approx 8″x 1″ (20 x 2cm), slicing down through the layers so that each stacked strip has 5 layers of dough.
To shape the bagels, lay one of the stacked dough strips on your work surface. Place the palm of your hands at each end of the dough strip. Simultaneously, gently move your right hand forward and your left hand backward to twist the dough into a rope about 10″ (26cm) long. Pinch the ends together to form a circle and gently roll at the joint to seal. Place shaped bagel on parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with all the strips.
Cover the dough and let the shaped bagel rest for 20 minutes, until the bagels are pouffy.
When waiting, preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6). Next, boil water in a large saucepan or pot. Add the baking soda and stir.
When bagels are ready, add to the boiling water, depending on size of pot, 2 or 3 at a time. Do not overcrowd. Cook for 30 seconds on each side, until the bagels puff up and the shape sets. Using a slotted spoon, remove each bagel from the water, gently shake to remove water, and transfer back to the baking sheet.
Immediately transfer to preheated oven and bake the bagels for approx 25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Your colorful rainbow bagels are ready!
Tip 1: Working with food coloring was messy, I would suggest using disposable gloves as well as line the workspace with plastic cling wrap to prevent staining on your hands and work surface.
Tip 2: When coloring the dough, it might be better to start with the lightest color and work your way to the darker colors. This will minimize the effect of accidental color transfer/mixing to the next piece of dough.
Ever wonder why we boil bagels? I was curious too. I found this short and helpful article on the science behind why we boil and then bake bagels => https://www.thekitchn.com/food-science-why-bagels-are-bo-86711
Do you remember the mnemonic for the rainbow colors? My husband said his was always “Roy G Biv”. My mom taught me: “Richard Of York Gains Battle In Vain” = Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet. It’s funny how I always recite that whenever I am recalling the sequence of colors in the rainbow. Do you have a favorite way to remember sequences of things?
Recipe adapted from https://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/recipes/all/paul-hollywood-rainbow-bagels/
Have you ever eaten Pouffy Popovers (Mini Yorkshire Pudding) with Roast Beef? See how I make these delicious and simple baked treats in under an hour. A quick and easy recipe to make with the kids! => How to Make Fun Pouffy Balloon Popovers!
Do you love cakes? Have you ever eaten a Pavlova? This meringue based cake is originally from Australia and is a showstopper! Check it out => The Astonishing and Delightful Pink Ombré Pavlova Cloud Cake
In a hurry for dinner? Try this quick and easy fish dish that delivers dinner to the table in under an hour – pan seared halibut that takes less than 10 minutes to cook and 30 minutes to marinate. Check it out => Fish in a Hurry: Easy Pan-Seared Halibut using my Favorite Marinade
October 10, 2020. Rainy and cool. Chinese Flower Buns. Recently I was spending a bit more time on Pinterest setting up an Inspiration Board to pin awesome pictures and give me fresh ideas on what to tinker with and also new recipes to make. Well, …
