Chad Robertson Crusty White Bread

Until couple of years ago, my kind of bread is a soft, cottony, slightly sweet and milky bread. The less I have to chew is the better...

That was until I came to Europe. At the beginning I thought....'Why did all the bread here are chewy with an even harder crust on??'I need to chew and chew and chew to swallow it. I really didn't get it. I didn't like it. I refused to eat bread if there's no milk bread available(that's the closest one with the bread I grew up with).

It even got worse when I went to visit my husband's family in French. Unlike the Dutch people who eat potato most of the times for dinner, my French in-law family eats every single meal with baguette. And as we all know, the French baguette are the one with strong aroma (from the long resting time) and the crustiest U can find. I miss my normal bread, or just rice with my meal.

But the more I tasted this kind of bread, I started to appreciate the unique aroma that come out of the crumb when I ripped the baguette ends. Or the thick brown crust that kept it's texture when I dip it in Boeuf Borguignon jus. And how good the crumb tasted when I use it to whipe off my salad dressing on the plate. I started to miss it when I was back from our visits.

So then I tried to buy French baguette in Holland. Or the pain rustique. Or the more expensive sourdough bread. But none can even compared to the baguette from the humblest boulangerie in french. Maybe it's the feeling of being in French..eating baguette...I don't know.

So when I found the video of Chad Robertson about his Tartine Country Bread, I cannot wait to try his recipe. I am usually not a bread baking girl, I am more in to sweet dessert. But somehow watching him, talking about his love of bread making...I got the virus I guess. So then I start making my sourdough starter. But from what I read it took about a week to make the first starter. I can't wait any longer. So I put my sourdough starter aside and found a short cut starter recipe. I made it last night and this afternoon I baked one baguette and one loaf.

It tasted so good...directly from the oven I pulled one end of the baguette and smell it....took a bite and hhmmmm... I missed U.

*note:The aroma was kinda less than what I was expected though. I think it's because of the short resting time I chose. I just let it rest at room temperature for couple of hours instead of overnight in the fridge( I can't wait!!). And I should've bake it longer looking at the thickness of the crust which should be more. It was good out of the oven but after half hour outside it gets a bit softer. I just baked it for 20 minutes instead of exactly followed the recipe (again..I can't wait!!). As for my sourdough starter, I'll let U know hot it goes on my next post.

I found this recipe from food and wine website white several adjustment with the baking and resting time.

Recipe: Crusty White Bread

Pre-ferment

1. 250 grams warm water (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
2. 1/4 teaspoon dry granulated yeast
3. 300 grams organic all-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups)

Bread Dough

1. 1.25 kilograms warm water (5 1/2 cups)
2. 1.8 kilograms organic all-purpose flour (13 3/4 cups)
3. 200 grams organic whole wheat flour (1 1/2 cups)
4. 5 tablespoons kosher salt dissolved in 1/2 cup of warm water
5. White rice flour or all-purpose flour, for dusting
6. In a medium bowl, mix the water with the yeast and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Stir in the flour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 10 to 14 hours.
7. In a bowl, combine the warm water with the pre- ferment: Using your hands, break up the pre-ferment until dissolved. In a very large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour with the whole wheat flour. Using your hands, mix the dissolved pre-ferment into the flours, until a smooth dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.
8. Uncover the dough and add the salt water. Gently fold the dough over onto itself until the salt water is thoroughly incorporated. Loosely cover the dough and let rest for 1 hour; every 20 minutes, gently fold the dough up and over onto itself 4 times. Cover the dough and let stand for 3 to 4 hours.
9. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in half. Using a bench scraper and floured hands, gently shape the dough into 2 rounds, folding the dough under itself as necessary. Let the loaves stand on the work surface for 20 minutes and then gently fold the sides under again.
10. Line 2 large bowls with kitchen towels and generously dust the towels with rice flour. Transfer the loaves to the bowls, rounded sides down. Cover the loaves with clean towels and let rise for 4 to 5 hours. Alternatively, let the dough rise for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate the loaves overnight. Let the dough come to room temperature before baking.
11. Preheat the oven to 490°. Heat 2 large enameled cast-iron casseroles or cast-iron skillets with lids for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust the bottoms with rice flour. Turn the loaves into the casseroles, rounded side up, and score the tops with a sharp, thin knife. Cover the casseroles and bake the bread for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 470° and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake the loaves for 25 minutes or until the bread is richly browned. Transfer the bread to a rack; let cool before slicing.

Actually I want a deeper crack on the skin, but somehow I didn't achieve that, I am still happy with this one though.

This is how the crumb looked like. It was moist and tender, too bad was lack of that yeasty aroma, but still tasty.

Lara Ferroni Raised Doughnut

Douhgnuts.....I can't think of one thing I don't like about doughnuts. It's sweet...fluffy....with many kinds of (even sweeter) toppings or fillings....and it's fried!!!!What's not to like.

The first doughnuts franchise we've known in Indonesia was Dunkin Donuts......ooohhh...I can still remember clearly how the shops looked like back then...
There was those pictures on the walls of tiny men with bakers costume trying to roll a giant doughnut holes in sugar......must be a perfect world to live. Giant doughnut holes surrounded world......

They had so many flavours I can barely choose. Usually we were allowed to choose two flavours for each of us (my parents have four childrens, so my mom always bought a dozen of it and we can have two doughnuts ). Most of the times I had the marble frosted (chocolate glazed with sugar icing swirled on top) and double chocolate. Growing up I had different preferences....I start to choose a more humbly looking doughnuts, the ones with fillings. My favourites were lemon, rhum, or durian fillings. It still is actually. I would always bite the side without the fillings first.....so I can keep the delicious soft fillings for last.

Living in Holland currently I can't find those american doughnuts neither Dunkin Donuts nor Krispy Kreme. So I end up made it myself most of the times. Couple of weeks ago I found this recipe from Lara Ferroni which got good reviews. I decided to give it  a try. And it was really good, I mean really really good compared to my homemade doughnuts that tend to stale really quick. This one was really soft, and fluffy with slightly sweet crumb. Well of course it is best eaten fresh but my husband ate it at midnight (I  fried it in the afternoon) after work and he actually ate like seven of it at once=D.

Glazed Doughnuts Recipe

Ingredients

For the doughnuts

• 3 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup whole milk, heated to 110˚F (43°C)
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for the work surface
• 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Vegetable oil for frying

For the sugar glaze

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted to remove any lumps
• 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

For the chocolate glaze

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons milk or water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Make the doughnuts

1. In a medium bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of the yeast in 3/4 cup of the warm milk. Stir in 3/4 cup of the flour to create a smooth paste. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

2. Combine the remaining warm milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the flour mixture along with the sugar, salt, vanilla, and egg yolks. Mix until smooth. Turn off the mixer and add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour. Mix on low for about 30 seconds. Add the butter and mix until it becomes incorporated, about 30 seconds. Switch to a dough hook and, with the mixer turned off, add more flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. Knead the dough on medium speed between additions until the dough pulls completely away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth and not too sticky. It will be very soft and moist, but not so sticky that you can’t roll it out. (You may have flour left over.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

3. Line a baking sheet with a lightly floured dish towel. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. With a doughnut or cookie cutter, cut out 3-inch-diameter rounds with 1-inch-diameter holes. (Note: If making filled doughnuts, clearly, don’t cut out the holes.) You can re-roll the scraps and cut out additional holes.

4. Place the doughnuts at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rest in a warm spot to proof until they almost double in size, 5 to 20 minutes, peeking every five minutes. To test whether the dough is ready, touch it lightly with a fingertip. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it springs back slowly, it is ready. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it has over-proofed, in which case you can punch it down and re-roll it once.

5. While the doughnuts are proofing, heat a heavy-bottomed pot with at least 2 inches of oil until a deep-fat thermometer registers 360˚F (182°C). With a metal spatula, carefully place a couple of doughnut holes or doughnuts in the oil, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a wire rack over a paper towel, and let cool slightly before glazing. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts and holes, keeping the temperature consistent.

Make the glaze

6. Whichever glaze you’re making, place the sugar (and cocoa powder, if relevant) in a bowl and slowly stir in the milk and vanilla, if using, a little at a time, to make a smooth, pourable glaze.

Glaze the doughnuts

7. Pour the glaze into a shallow bowl. Dunk the doughnuts, let any excess glaze drip off, and then transfer them to a wire rack placed on a baking sheet or over a sheet of parchment paper to rest until glaze sets.

*Note: I didn't make the chocolate glaze, cause it was yummy enough with just sugar glaze

Happily tired

Hi there!
It's been a while since I've been posting anything.....not like I posted that much though. But it has been a very busy weeks...well, actually months for me. Which is good. But everytime I reached weekend I get so tired all I wanna do is just having a long lazy breakfast...taking a late long shower...made some bad food ( and I mean reeeaally really bad, which most of the times includes butter, mayo, or fried stuffs, or all of those at the same time) and then sitting on my couch watching a marathon of Korean series, or The Kardashians.
Beside working, I am busy with cursus, traineeships at restaurants (with abnormally long hours) and my soon to begin specialized pastry course.
So..... I am tired...but I am definitely happy, cause I am allowed to do the things I love and learn so much these days. Well see U next time then...and take care.

Chicken, Halloumi and Green Chilli Spring Roll

I always try my best to serve a proper dinner for me and my husband every day, how hard though it could be. Being a baker most of the time I went home exhausted, but still it is very important for me to have a nice decent dinner with my husband. I don't mind to eat a simple dinner like a bowl of meal salad or just pasta with tomato sauce. Bust my husband is quite a big eater, so if I just cook pasta or salad two hours later he'll be hungry again...my poor baby=).So when I found handy recipes that I can made in advance and freeze it definitely made me happy...and my hubby's belly happy, which is very very important=D.

I saw this recipe at the BBC show Saturday Live Kitchen from chef Silvena Rowe. It was first just curiosity because this recipe contains dried mint and pieces of halloumi cheese which I had never eat or cooked with.

So I tried it, and it was soo yummy. The dried mint and the other herbs just create a direct yummy middle east aroma in my kitchen when I cook it with the chicken legs. And that halloumi added a nice creaminess to this spicy dish. Combined with the crispy filo pastry and the cumin coleslaw....delish. And even better I can freeze this big spring rolls and it still tastes as good. I just wrapped it in plastic foils individually so it won't dried out or stick to each other.

I did served this with the coleslaw in the recipe, but instead of raisins/ sultana I used red grapes because I find it more tasty. I served this for dinner so I made big spring rolls and served two pieces for each of us. But it should be good too as a party snack or appetizer just make a smaller spring rolls. So...do try this recipe!!definitely a keeper.

Chicken, Halloumi, and Green Chilli Spring Roll with cumin Cole Slaw

Ingredients For the spring rolls

1 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken legs, skin removed
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried mint
1 bay leaf
4 shallots, peeled and sliced
110ml/4fl oz chicken stock
3 tbsp roughly chopped flatleaf parsley
200g/7oz halloumi cheese, small diced
3 small chillies, seeds removed
and sliced finely
16
sheets of filo pastry, each 10cm/4in x 10cm/4in
5-6tbsp melted butter, for brushing
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds, for sprinkling

For the coleslaw

200 grcarrots, peeled, grated medium coarse

100 gr white cabbage, thinly sliced
150 gr thick, strained yoghurt

150 gr tbsp good quality mayonnaise
grapes
½ tsp ground cumin
salt
and freshly ground black
pepper
2 tbspfresh chives, finely chopped

Preparation
method
1. For the spring rolls, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Heat an ovenproof frying pan
until hot, add the olive oil and chicken and lightly brown the chicken.
2. Add the cumin, mint, bay leaf and shallots and fry for for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and place in the oven to cook
for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken and place to one side until it is cool enough to handle. Set aside
the stock, then pull the meat off the chicken and shred it into a bowl,
discarding the skin and bones.
5. Add the shallots and stock from the chicken, along with the parsley, the crumbled
cheese and green chillies to the chicken, and give it a good mix.
6. Heat the oven on 200 C/ 400 C or heat a deep fryer on 180 C/ 350 C.
7. Place a filo sheet on a clean work surface.
8. Spoonsome chicken filling onto one end of the filo sheet, pull the bottom over and
roll up. Close in the sides, brush with melted butter and seal. Sprinkle with
the sesame or hemp seeds. Repeat to use up all the filling and filo.
9. Arrangethe rolls onto a tray and bake for 5-6 minutes, or until golden (or place in a
deep fat fryer and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown and hot
through).
10. For the coleslaw, add all the ingredients together except grapes and chives, mix it all together and at last sprinkle the grapes and chives.
11. To serve, pile the spring rolls onto a plate and spoon the salad alongside.

Thick-moist and fluffy American Pancakes

I remember the first time I saw american pancakes was from the old series The Brady Bunch
family when I was about eight. I remember I was droooling over those tall
stacks of thick fluffy pancakes with melting butter on top and lots of brown caramel-y
syrup. And since then I have this picture in my mind of how it would taste. I
was imagining it should be moist, soft and fluffy....absorbing those sweet
syrup (which I thought was caramel back then instead of maple syrup) and creamy
salty butter. Well....we didn't grew up eating pancakes for breakfast in
Indonesia, so, that stacks of pancakes stayed as just a dream for a while.

A couple of years later I suddenly found this imported pancake mix at the supermarket...an
american brand...with exactly the same pancake stacks picture on the package,
just as I remembered it from the TV. I was so excited and begging and begging
my mom to buy it for us (it was quite expensive since at that time we didn't
have that much imported stuffs). So we bought it....I made
it.....AND!!!!well.....it was okay, but it was not the moist and fluffy pancake
I had in my mind for years.

Growing up I kept on searching and searching for the perfect pancake recipe. I didn't give
up, until one day I found this recipe on a magazine my mom's bought back then.
I remember I had two big books filled with cut-off recipes from that
magazine...just like what my mom did when she was just got married. So I
tried....and it was really good, much better than the package. But I still
missed that fluffiness. So then I made my second batch, with egg whites and
yolks separated and beat the egg whites to stiff peak.

And there it was...my childhood dream american pancakes...exactly the way I've always imagined.

Fluffy American Pancakes

makes about 15 @12 cm diameter pancakes

225 gr self raising flour

2 eggs, separated

300 ml milk

pinch of salt

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Sieve self raising flour in a bowl, make a whole in the middle and throw in the egg yolks, salt, sugar, and vanilla exctract. Pour the milk in the middle while gently whisking until you got a smooth batter.

2. Mix in the melted butter.

3. Beat the egg whites to a stiff peak and mix it gently with the pancake batter, do not overmix!! because you want to keep those air bubbles in the pancakes.

4. Warm a pancake pan, or just normal flat pan. With medium heat on spoon the pancakes at the pan. Wait until you see small bubbles coming up on the batter. Flip it and cook the other side until both side has nice brown colour.

5. Serve warm with butter (I prefer salted) and your favorite syrup.

Desperately blogging...

I now this sounds soo stupid...but,..can anyone tell me how to post more than one picture in a post. Everytime i try to post more pictures i replace the first one instead.
I really appreciate if someone please kindly tell me how to do it(I've been googling it too but can't find any).
Thank You!!

-Yana-

Mascarpone Taart with Forest Fruit topping

When price of fruits are at the lowest with the best quality like this moment, i try to buy and use them as much as i can. Like this easy mascarpone taart. So simple..so easy, no-bake, and ready to eat in couple of hours dessert which is just perfect in a hot summer days to fix my crave for sweet freshness.

It's very creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture and not too sweet. Just perfect for afternoon tea, or to finish my light summer dinner meal. While it's very easy to make, there's nothing simple about the taste...yummm...

Mascarpone Taart with Forest Fruit topping

For the crust:
150-200 gr of your favourite biscuits, i used graham crackers
100 gr of melted butter
1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder(optional)

For the mousse:
250 gr mascarpone cream
200 gr whipped cream
2 tbsp fine sugar
2 gelatine leaves or 5 gr gelatine powder
1/2 vanilla pod or zest of 1/2 lemon

Forest Fruit topping:
a handful of mix forest fruit
2 tbsp of sugar for jam making (or more depends on how sour the fruits are)

Preparation:
1. Prepare a 24 cm round springform pan. Line the sides with plastic or aluminium foil to make it easier for loosing the taart.

2. To make the cookie crust process the biscuits in a food processor until crumbly, pour in the melted butter and cinnamon if you use and mix thoroughly. Press this mixture into the bottom of the spring form pan until about 1/2 cm thickness. refrigerate until firm.

3. To make the mascarpone mousse, lightly beat the mascarpone with a whisk just until smmoth. In a separate bowl beat the cream with sugar and scrap in the vanilla pod. Beat until creamy but not stiff (in consistency of yoghurt). Dissolve the gelatine powder in 2 tbsp of cold water and put it in warm water bath until it's transparent. If you are using instant gelatine powder this won't be necessary, you can dissolve it directly in hot water. And if you are using gelatine leaves then soaked the leaves in iced water just until it soften a little bit and then dissolve it in hot water.

4. Mix the mascarpone with the whipped cream mixture and at last pour in the dissolved gelatine. Pour the mousse onto the crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate until set.

5. When the mousse is about to set, prepare the topping by processing the mix fruit in a food processor and cook with the jam sugar just until it's cooked and the mixture thickens a little bit. Let the topping cooled down a bit and then pour it over the cold mousse, smoothen the top and refrigerate again.

6. To loosen the taart gently pull the spring form pan out and peel the foil/ plastic. Cut with hot water damped knife to get the best results. Enjoy!!