Category Archives: Bread

Witches Bread Bowl

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I wanted to do something special for Halloween this year and I was looking at pumpkins. Now I confess to being the world’s worst pumpkin carver, so I thought I’d try something I’m better at: bread and soup.

I ran across a recipe for black bread that really piqued my interest. Most black bread recipes are really dark brown and I was looking for a real black bread. Here is the recipe I came up with for my experiment.

Black Bread

I decided to use my best go-to bread recipe as a base.

  • 1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
  • ½ cup applesauce (this replaces the oil. You could also use strained prunes in a pinch but applesauce is nicer)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
  • Mix and let stand for 10 minutes.  Then add:
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons finely ground food grade activated charcoal (I ordered mine online). However if that idea is too far a reach you can combine equal amounts of red, blue and yellow food coloring.

You can use a stand mixer for this.

In a bowl combine warm water, applesauce and yeast. Mix and let stand for 10 minutes or until the yeast has bloomed. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (including the charcoal).   Add the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

In the mixer bowl you can knead the bread (8-10 minutes is ideal). Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until it is double in size.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.

While the bread is rising it’s time to make the soup, creamy pumpkin soup, of course. I encourage you to make this the day before.

Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk

You will need one smallish pie pumpkin (Sugar Pumpkins). I won’t bore you by making you watch me cut and clean the pumpkin. We all know it’s a struggle just to cut the thing in half. Save the seeds for roasting.

Place the halves face down on a silpat mat or foil or parchment paper. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 55-70 minutes or until you can pierce it easily with a fork.

Let the pumpkins cool and scrape the pulp into a bowl. I like to puree the pumpkin ahead of time using a stick blender. You can store it in the fridge overnight.

While the bread is baking, start the soup. You will need 1 cup of water or vegetable stock, 1 cup (about 3/4 can) of full fat coconut milk, spices.

In a sauce pan combine the pumpkin puree with the stock or water and heat. Pour in the coconut milk and stir. Continue heating and stirring until smooth and creamy. Seasoning are a matter of taste. I used salt, pepper, turmeric, smoked paprika and garam masala, but you can use any kind of seasoning that you like.

Considering that this is my first bread bowl, not too bad. The soup was warm, slightly spicy and just the thing after a night of trick or treating. Enjoy.

Medium Dark Rye Bread

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This is what I saw when I looked out my front door this morning, just the kind of day that I want to spend in the kitchen.

We’ve had a couple of weeks of bone chilling cold and icy roads.
There’s just nothing to do but bake bread.

I love rye bread, and when I found this recipe on The Stay at Home Chef I immediately wanted to try it out. Thank you Rachel Farnsworth for this simple recipe. Today’s the day I try baking rye bread, and I get to use my new pullman bread pans.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons caraway seed (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 4 cups all purpose flour

 

Instructions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm water (about 110° F), yeast, salt, caraway seeds, molasses, unsweetened cocoa powder, and the rye flour. Using the dough hook, mix on a low speed until completely combined. Use a plastic spatula keep the sides scraped clean (do this carefully).
  2. Add in 3 cups of the all purpose flour and knead until combined. Continue adding flour 1/4 cup at a time until thoroughly combined and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. Remove from the bowl and form into a ball. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl (I just wash the mixer bowl and use that – no point in making more dishes).
  4. Cover the dough with a towel or piece of plastic wrap and set in a warm place in your kitchen and let the dough rise for 90 minutes.
  5. After 90 minutes divide the dough into two portions and shape into loaves by stretching the dough and rolling the edges underneath. Do this several times.
  6. You can bake this as a rustic loaf on your pizza stone, or try out your new fancy bread pans like I did.
  7. Grease and flour the pan and line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper. Place the loaf in the pan and level the top of the dough. Cover the pan with the top (pullman pans have a top so you can make sandwich loaves.) If you want to use the pizza stone for a rustic loaf, sprinkle some cornmeal on your pizza peel or cutting board and place the dough on the board. 
  8. Let the loaf rise for another 40 minutes.
  9. Heat your oven to 450° and heat the pizza stone. Place a shallow pan filled with water on the second shelf to provide a nice steamy oven.
  10. SPECIAL TIP: Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of warm water. Microwave for about 45 seconds and stir. The liquid should be clear. Brush the top of the loaf with the liquid (makes the crust nice an crispy) and cut several parallel lines across the top of the loaf.
  11. Place the loaf on the pizza stone. Add water to the shallow pan to create steam. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a thermometer reads the center of the loaf at around 190-195°.
  12. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. The loaf should come out of the pan easily.
  13. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

 

 

 

Let’s make toast.

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Nordic Nut Bread

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Thanksgiving is over and I survived the mashed potatoes, the dressing and the gravy along with all the pies and sweet potato side dishes.  However, for those of us who appreciate the savory side of life here is an idea for  an addition to your next appetizer selection, traditional holiday smorgasbord, or just as a healthy late night snack while you binge on Vikings and wait for the next season to start.  This Nordic style nut bread would have been a familiar menu item on Ragnar Lothbrok’s table.

This is not bread in any ordinary sense, and it certainly isn’t the familiar sweet fruit and nut bread that we’re used to seeing on holiday tables, but it is an excellent delivery vehicle for a whole array of tasty toppings like paté, lingonberry jelly, a smear of brie cheese, onion jam or even peanut or almond butter.  Plain cream cheese is great too.  You could, of course, throw in some dried apricots, or raisins if you crave something sweeter, but my personal favorites are red onion jam and mushroom paté.  I’ll include quick versions of those condiments in this post.  This recipe is just unbelievably easy and very, very healthy.

NORDIC NUT BREAD

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Ingredients

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  • 3.5 oz  pumpkin seeds
  • 3.5 oz sunflower seeds
  • 3.5 oz almonds
  • 3.5 oz walnuts or pecans
  • 3.5 oz flax seeds
  • 3.5 oz sesame seeds
  • 3.5 oz poppy or chia  seeds or substitute 1/2 cup of chopped dried fruit (optional)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 5 eggs
  • 3.4 oz  oil (I use grapeseed or avocado)
  • 3.5 oz water (optional)

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Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until it forms a thick mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

Press into generously oiled loaf pans (will make 3 small or 1 large).  Bake in a preheated 320 degree oven for 1 hour.   The look of the loaves will not change very much in appearance, just slightly brown around the edges.  Let the loaves cool completely before slicing.  The bread keeps for a week in the refrigerator, and freezes very well.

This is a perfect delivery system for all kinds of yummy toppings.  Here are some of my favorites.

DSCF2975You can use any combination of nuts or seeds that you prefer.  However, for every 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of additional seeds or nuts remember to add 1-2 extra eggs and water and oil as needed.

A good suggestion is to make a large batch of nuts/seeds, divide them into bags with enough to make the above recipe.  Store them in the freezer and take out a bag when you want to make the bread.

 

 

 

 

 

Red Onion Jam

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Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

6 cups thinly sliced red onions (about 3 1/4 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

2 cups apples, peeled and chopped

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup Ruby Port

1/4 cup red wine

1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup dried cherries

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat. Add the onions and dried red pepper. Cover, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender.  Add brown sugar, vinegar, port, red wine and ginger. Cook uncovered over medium low heat until onions are very tender and mixture has a thick, jam like consistency.  Add the dried cherries and cook until mixture is very thick and dark, stirring frequently, about 20-25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool completely. Put in jars and refrigerate.  This stores very well and can be made well ahead.  I put this on all kinds of things and almost always have a jar on hand.

Mushroom Paté

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Ingredients

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1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots

1/2 cup unsalted butter

¼ pound shitake mushrooms, chopped

¼ cup crimini mushrooms, chopped

¼ pound white button mushrooms, chopped

1/4 lb dried woodear mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped

1 tablespoon roasted garlic puree

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Toast the walnuts either in the oven for 10 minutes at 350° or in a dry frying pan on the stove top until fragrant and slightly browned.

In a large skillet or sauté pan cook the shallots in butter until translucent.  Add the chopped mushrooms, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring often until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Process the walnuts and olive oil in a blender or food processor until mixtures form a thick paste.  Spoon in the cooked mushroom mixture and process until the desired texture.  I like mine smooth and creamy.

Press the mixture into oiled ramekins or bowls.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.     ♥

Farinata (Chickpea Flatbread)

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I love bread, all kinds of bread, wheat, corn, barley, rye and that’s just the beginning because as I discovered recently, bread isn’t just made from grain.  Lately, I’ve been sampling flatbread in a search for the perfect pizza delivery system.  That’s how I discovered bean flours, specifically garbanzo or chickpea flour and a beautiful, crispy, delectable Mediterranean flatbread called farinata or socca in Sicily.  Practically every country in that part of the world has some version of it.  At this point, we’re no longer discussing pizza crust, so stay with me.

I’m still trying to figure out how I could not have known about something this yummy, but better late than never.  Farinata is one of those comfort food dishes that disappears from the plate before it’s even had time to cool off and I understand that some cafes and restaurants in Italy post the time that their farinata will be coming out of the oven and people line up to get it while it’s hot.  I’ve been known to bake it in the morning and eat every crumb before anyone else gets home.  The best part is that it is so easy to make.  Get out the cast iron and warm up the oven.

Farinata

Farinata

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes one serving for me, or two if I’m feeling generous.

  • 1 cup garbanzo or chickpea flour
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary (or other herb of your choice), chopped fine
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Combine chickpea flour and water in a bowl; whisk until the batter is smooth.

Batter 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight to ferment.

Cover with wrap

 

This adds a lovely nutty flavor to the bread.

Fermented 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following morning (or later if you’re sharing), heat the oven to 450 degrees and place your cast iron pan (I used an 8-inch skillet) in the oven, heating it until it’s smoking hot.

In the meantime, remove the plastic wrap from the batter and stir in the salt, chopped herbs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Batter with rosemary and oil

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove the pan from the oven, pour in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and swirl around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan and to heat the oil.

Pour the batter into the pan and swirl to cover the bottom like a pancake.  The batter should sizzle.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are brown and crispy.

Farinata in the oven

Remove from the oven and turn out upside down onto a plate (you want the pretty crispy side to show).

Farinata in the Pan

Farinata

Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Then…..

Wednesday 020

 

 

 

 

 

And…..

Thats All FolksThat’s all folks.   ♦