# The Baking Thread



## leggo PE (Sep 28, 2017)

Are there any other bakers out there? I love to bake, but typically stick to muffins, the occasional donut, and easy loaves I can make in a pan without yeast, starters, what have you.

I've been wanting to start to bake my own bread for a few years now, and I think I'm finally going to bite the bullet and attempt to get my own starter going. Has anyone here ever made their own bread? I'm also very interested in baking in my cast iron pan, since I did a few very simple cheddar biscuits as part of a Blue Apron meal a few weeks ago.

Anyway, let this be a place where we can all talk about baking processes, baking results, baked goods tried... Cakes, muffins, breads, oh my! And biscuits, cupcakes, tarts, pies, whatever!


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## knight1fox3 (Sep 28, 2017)

I tried making my own bread for awhile along with pizza dough and some other pastries. It can be fun but is quite time-consuming and takes a lot of practice to get it looking right when it's finished baking. At least it did for me. Then I had kids, pets, and grad school = no more free time


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## Supe (Sep 28, 2017)

Mrs. Supe is a good baker.  She's won back to back x-mas cookie contests so far.  Which is why I find it so hard to understand her complete inability to actually cook anything you'd consider eating other than chicken soup.

If anyone has any recipes for a lemon pie, I'm all ears.  And non of this meringue crap.


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## wilheldp_PE (Sep 28, 2017)

I had a bread starter going for a few years.  Phenomenal bread, but a pain in the ass.

I make my own pizza dough on occasion, and it is awesome.


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## willsee (Sep 29, 2017)

I thought it said balking thread

Thought that was a weird thread title for baseball


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## Road Guy (Sep 29, 2017)

for 12 years I have been trying to educate EB.com in the ways of proper biscuit baking and NOW we want a baking thread? FU and the horse you all rode in on!


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## matt267 PE (Sep 29, 2017)

These things are awesome...


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## knight1fox3 (Sep 29, 2017)

"Guest_matt267 PE"


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## leggo PE (Sep 29, 2017)

Road Guy said:


> for 12 years I have been trying to educate EB.com in the ways of proper biscuit baking and NOW we want a baking thread? FU and the horse you all rode in on!


I'm all ears! Do you make them in a cast iron pan? This is what I'm most interested in trying, I think.


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## Road Guy (Sep 29, 2017)

you have to experiment with the right amount of all purpose flour, Crisco and milk. Ill get our "recipe" and post it here, but it takes a couple times to get it right.. of course we had to figure out how much water and baking powder to add when we moved to 5280...


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## frazil (Sep 30, 2017)

My grandmother-inlaw from Biloxi, MS tried to show me how. It involved a pile of flour (1cup?) with a well dug out of the center for the milk (another cup?). That gets mixed and then cut in the crisco (1/2 cup?) until smooth. Then use a biscuit cutter to cut into circles and bake.  About right?


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 1, 2017)

Open can, place on baking sheet, bake as indicated on package. Slather with:


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## Supe (Oct 2, 2017)




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## leggo PE (Nov 1, 2017)

I have taken the leap of starting to read Tartine... Man, it's a beautiful (cook? bake?) book!


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## P-E (Nov 2, 2017)

is this the baking thread?


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## leggo PE (Nov 2, 2017)

P-E said:


> is this the baking thread?


No no, you're looking for the *baked* thread. I can understand the mistake!


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## leggo PE (Nov 6, 2017)

Made jacked-up banana bread last night. Use brandy instead of bourbon and left out the cloves. It is amazing. Recipe: https://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/jacked-up-banana-bread/


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## leggo PE (Nov 6, 2017)

From the fireplace thread, @Road Guy's family biscuit recipe (so you know it's gonna be good):



> get a large bowl, some self rising flour, and a stick of Crisco, and about a cup of water
> 
> you have to play with it @csb until it gets to a dough like consistency (start off with minimal water and use a fork to mix the flour and the Crisco)
> 
> ...


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## Master slacker (Nov 9, 2017)

I bake brownies really well


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## knight1fox3 (Nov 9, 2017)

Master slacker said:


> I bake brownies *make PB&amp;J* really well


Fixt.


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## Master slacker (Nov 10, 2017)

Dang!  I haven't had a PB&amp;J in so long I've forgotten my own skills!


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## leggo PE (Feb 9, 2018)

I haven't been baking much in the past few months, but plan to change the in the next few weeks! I've ordered a KAF starter to try my luck at the homemade bread I've been dreaming about for years.

I'm excited!


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## leggo PE (Feb 13, 2018)

The starter has arrived!


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## kevo_55 (Feb 13, 2018)

We want pics of the baking extravaganza!!


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## leggo PE (Feb 14, 2018)

Haha we'll see how it long it takes me to get something I'm reasonably comfortable sharing with you. I'm considering making sourdough pancakes this weekend, though. Or waffles!


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Feb 14, 2018)

I can bake.


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## matt267 PE (Feb 14, 2018)

Audi driver said:


> I can bake.


are you baked right now?


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Feb 14, 2018)

matt267 PE said:


> are you baked right now?


No.  Nor am I baking.


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## Supe (Feb 14, 2018)

matt267 PE said:


> are you baked right now?


An old coworker messaged me a few weeks ago to say "I am leaning against my car in a Goodwill parking lot vaping weed.  What happened to my life?"


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## csb (Feb 14, 2018)

Supe said:


> An old coworker messaged me a few weeks ago to say "I am leaning against my car in a Goodwill parking lot vaping weed.  What happened to my life?"


Probably something to do with life choices?


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## Road Guy (Feb 14, 2018)

Is he a flagger?


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## Supe (Feb 15, 2018)

It's a she.  There aren't enough hours in the day to describe her saga of ex husband, current husband, zillion kids, and how the abused SIL and "mee maw" all live in the same double wide.  It should come as no surprise that she lives in South Carolina.


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## csb (Feb 15, 2018)

Supe said:


> It's a she.  There aren't enough hours in the day to describe her saga of ex husband, current husband, zillion kids, and how the abused SIL and "mee maw" all live in the same double wide.  It should come as no surprise that she lives in South Carolina.


It cute how you guys assume Yankees know the difference between trashy South and regular South.


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## Supe (Feb 15, 2018)

There's a difference?


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## Ble_PE (Feb 15, 2018)

Watch it now.


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## Supe (Feb 15, 2018)

Ble_PE said:


> Watch it now.


It's too intermixed to be distinguishable.  You can be in a nice part and drive 15 minutes in any direction and hit trashy south.


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## Road Guy (Feb 15, 2018)

or you cold drive for 2 days and still be in trashy Wyoming / Montana / Dakota's, etc


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## knight1fox3 (Feb 15, 2018)

^^^


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## csb (Feb 15, 2018)

knight1fox3 said:


> ^^^


Watch it there, Mr. Making a Murderer State.


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## knight1fox3 (Feb 15, 2018)

csb said:


> Watch it there, Mr. Making a Murderer State.


WI never said it was a role model. Don't forget J.Dahmer as well. :thumbs:


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## csb (Feb 15, 2018)

knight1fox3 said:


> WI never said it was a role model. Don't forget J.Dahmer as well. :thumbs:


And now we're back on topic for the baking thread!


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## leggo PE (Feb 15, 2018)

Picture on the left is the starter last night before feeding, and on the right is it this morning, before stirring/discarding/feeding. I was happy to see the little bubbles!


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## leggo PE (Feb 15, 2018)

It needs a name. My fiancé suggested Doughboy. It might stick.


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## csb (Feb 15, 2018)

Tee hee!


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## leggo PE (Feb 19, 2018)

My first two sourdough loaves are in the oven! I'm a bit nervous...


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## knight1fox3 (Feb 20, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> My first two sourdough loaves are in the oven! I'm a bit nervous...


If you haven't already, you should probably take those out of the oven now. :thumbs:


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## kevo_55 (Feb 20, 2018)

Watch out, Leggo has two buns in the oven............... literally.

How did they turn out?


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## Ble_PE (Feb 20, 2018)

Yea, we want pictures of your buns @leggo PE!


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## leggo PE (Feb 20, 2018)

There is much room for improvement, but....


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Feb 20, 2018)

Your buns look different than I had imagined.


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## leggo PE (Feb 20, 2018)

It's because they're more a loaf than a bun.


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## leggo PE (Feb 26, 2018)

Okay, I've gotta say it!

Sourdough pancakes and sourdough English muffins are SO GOOD!


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## kevo_55 (Feb 26, 2018)

Good as a 6 or good as a 15? (Out of a 1-10 scale.)

I hope that you were not putting that Mrs Butterworth's on those pancakes!


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## leggo PE (Feb 26, 2018)

Definitely as a 15/10. So yummy! VT maple syrup on the pancakes perfectly balances out the more savory taste of them. Kerrygold unsalted butter on the English muffins and maybe a little jam? Perfect!


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## kevo_55 (Feb 26, 2018)

I would have also accepted a runny egg on those muffins.

Yum!!


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## Supe (Feb 26, 2018)

kevo_55 said:


> I would have also accepted a runny egg on those muffins.
> 
> Yum!!


Heh


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## leggo PE (Feb 26, 2018)

kevo_55 said:


> I would have also accepted a runny egg on those muffins.
> 
> Yum!!


Me too! Haven't gotten that far yet. Only made them yesterday.

They don't tear quite as easily as, say, a Thomas English muffin, but have the same hole-y crumb on the inside with the distinctly sourdough taste. This is the recipe I used: https://jonesinfortaste.com/sourdough-english-muffins/

The only modification I made was to bake in the oven on a baking steel at 375 degrees for 10 min. first side, then flipped and did 5 minutes on the second side. They were pretty puffy at the flip, but deflated a bit upon cooling.


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## kevo_55 (Feb 26, 2018)

Supe said:


> Heh


Keeping it PG Supe.


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## mudpuppy (Feb 26, 2018)

kevo_55 said:


> Keeping it PG Supe.


Since when?  This is EB!


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## csb (Feb 26, 2018)

I'm proud of all of you.


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## leggo PE (Mar 29, 2018)

My first naturally leavened (meaning no added commercial/instant yeast) sourdough loaf! And damn, is it good. I don't know if I'll ever buy bread again.


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 29, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> (meaning no added commercial/instant yeast)


So what do you use then?


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## kevo_55 (Mar 29, 2018)

Looking good leggo!


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## Ble_PE (Mar 30, 2018)

@leggo PE has good lookin' buns!!


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## P-E (Mar 30, 2018)

I wish I had buns like that.


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## leggo PE (Mar 30, 2018)

knight1fox3 said:


> So what do you use then?


Just the sourdough starter, which is flour and water. This entire recipe was actually only flour, water, and salt. The yeast is in the starter, and is naturally occurring from the flour and the environment.


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## Road Guy (Mar 30, 2018)

I love Gluten!


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## leggo PE (Apr 16, 2018)

I made sourdough biscuits last night! They turned out tasty, but only two truly looked like biscuits (with the distinct rise on the sides). I definitely patted the dough out too thin.

Planning on hopefully going through enough bread this week to bake more sourdough this weekend, or next weekend at the latest.


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## csb (Apr 16, 2018)

^ @Road Guy trigger warning


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## Road Guy (Apr 16, 2018)

Solid effort so long as it doesn't involve peeling a label of a can


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## leggo PE (Apr 17, 2018)

It was surprisingly easy with my sourdough starter. I'll try your recipe too, once these are gone!


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## leggo PE (May 1, 2018)

This past Sunday's bake:




They taste great!


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## MA_PE (May 1, 2018)

nice.  Those look really good!


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## kevo_55 (May 1, 2018)

I hope you had musterd and beer with those Leggo!

They look great!


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## leggo PE (May 1, 2018)

kevo_55 said:


> I hope you had musterd and beer with those Leggo!


You know it!

And thanks, you two! These turned out better than the first time I made sourdough soft pretzels about a month or so ago. The recipe's a keeper!


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (May 1, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> These turned out better than the first time I made sourdough soft pretzels about a month or so ago. The recipe's a keeper!


Did you buy sourdough starter? Or go the "wild" route? Looks so flippin' good.


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## leggo PE (May 1, 2018)

squaretaper said:


> Did you buy sourdough starter? Or go the "wild" route? Looks so flippin' good.


I bought mine from King Arthur Flour. But I think I'll probably start my own at some point too. Depends on how many starters I want to be in charge of, as I also got one sent to me that's osmotolerant, and good for lighter, sweeter breads (like brioche, for example). I have yet to rehydrate it and start to bake with that one, though.


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## leggo PE (May 21, 2018)

First whole wheat sourdough bread! This loaf actually proved for 6 hours longer than the recipe said, but I'm rather pleased with the crumb. Naturally leavened all the way!


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## leggo PE (Jun 8, 2018)

I'm about to get super lazy with my sourdough bread baking this weekend, using this no knead recipe: https://breadtopia.com/sourdough-no-knead-bread/

I'd actually rather be able to stick to one of the two recipes I've had successful bakes with earlier in this thread, but my friend's baby shower (twin baby boys!) that I'll be going to tomorrow won't allow me to do that. So instead, I'm deviating from the advice that is to get to know one recipe very well before you experiment with others, and throwing my starter at a fourth recipe in five sourdough bakes (third in four naturally leavened bakes). Wish me luck!


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## leggo PE (Jun 11, 2018)

Yayyyy more sourdough! I actually went with my normal recipe. and just changed a couple of things per my weekend schedule. I'm pretty happy with the results -- happy enough to freeze my prettier loaf whole, and take it across the country with me this Friday (defrosting on the plane) to gift to my best friend and her fiance!

Here are a couple of pictures of the process (I'm not great at remembering to take pictures before the finished loaf, but remembered to take a few here).

Just after the long proof (I used a different set up here to get prominent rings, and it worked!):




Post-scoring, ready to go in the oven!




Baked:




Yummmm!


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## kevo_55 (Jun 11, 2018)

Pardon my baking noobness but why did you put the rings on the loaf?


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Jun 11, 2018)

kevo_55 said:


> Pardon my baking noobness but why did you put the rings on the loaf?


If I had to guess... for prettiness.


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## leggo PE (Jun 11, 2018)

kevo_55 said:


> Pardon my baking noobness but why did you put the rings on the loaf?






Audi driver said:


> If I had to guess... for prettiness.


This ^^, basically. It's just for a certain look of bread.


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Jun 11, 2018)

But you broke the heart!


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## leggo PE (Jun 26, 2018)

I currently have three loaves of bread in my freezer. Which means no baking bread for a minute, unless I give some away. But even so, I tend to want to keep one of every two loaves I make, so I can taste it myself... Hmm, baker's conundrum!


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## Road Guy (Jul 16, 2018)

Meant to post this yesterday


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## Supe (Jul 16, 2018)

From a can, right?  To go with the Hormel gravy?


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## Road Guy (Jul 16, 2018)

I believe the Crisco came out of the can?

Had some elk sausage a friend of mine gave me to make the gravy it was really excellent


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Master slacker (Jul 16, 2018)

nice buns you got there


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## leggo PE (Oct 1, 2018)

From this weekend's baking adventures...

First up, sourdough country loaf, where I practiced my scoring:




Secondly, I took a sourdough banana bread recipe and converted it to muffins to freeze and eat throughout the week. They turned out great! So fluffy, moist, and delicious.


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## kevo_55 (Oct 1, 2018)

Great job! I'm jelous!!!


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## Supe (Oct 2, 2018)

You were doing great until you introduced bananas into the post.


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## MA_PE (Oct 2, 2018)

Get out of here.  I like fluffy moist and delicious muffins too!  We should hang out.


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## Road Guy (Oct 2, 2018)

what kind of pinko commie doesn't like banana bread?


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## Supe (Oct 2, 2018)

Road Guy said:


> what kind of pinko commie doesn't like banana bread?


The type of proud American who recognizes that bananas are just monkey shit that hasn't been digested yet.


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## Road Guy (Oct 2, 2018)

I smell a Yankee


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## Supe (Oct 2, 2018)

Road Guy said:


> I smell a Yankee


Smell whatever you want, but you can keep those mushy yellow fruit wangs to yourself.


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## Road Guy (Oct 2, 2018)

we also put chocolate chips in ours


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## csb (Oct 2, 2018)

Supe said:


> You were doing great until you introduced bananas into the post.


Your body probably wouldn't spontaneously combust if you'd give it some potassium.


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## Supe (Oct 2, 2018)

csb said:


> Your body probably wouldn't spontaneously combust if you'd give it some potassium.


I have loathed bananas as long as I can remember, and later found out that I also have a mild food allergy with respect to the yellow death sticks.  I'll take my potassium in pill form, thank you very much.


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## leggo PE (Oct 2, 2018)

I eat a banana literally every single day. Not usually in muffin form.

That's too bad you're allergic to them, Supe!


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## Road Guy (Oct 2, 2018)

true story -

my wife's family makes everything with nuts- I don't see the point in adding nuts to a chocolate chip cookies and similar baked goods, so I would never eat them when at my wifes grandmas house (when we were dating) and the grandma asked my why I didn't eat her cookies? so I just said that I was allergic to nuts - and up until the day that wonderful woman died she would always make me a special tin of baked goods (around the holidays) just for me :angel:   that went on for around 15 years


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## csb (Oct 2, 2018)

Road Guy said:


> true story -
> 
> my wife's family makes everything with nuts- I don't see the point in adding nuts to a chocolate chip cookies and similar baked goods, so I would never eat them when at my wifes grandmas house (when we were dating) and the grandma asked my why I didn't eat her cookies? so I just said that I was allergic to nuts - and up until the day that wonderful woman died she would always make me a special tin of baked goods (around the holidays) just for me :angel:   that went on for around 15 years


On the flip side, I have a sensitivity walnuts (my face gets red, I tend to throw up, I get migraines, general fun) and when my MIL found this out, she started putting walnuts in EVERYTHING.


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## leggo PE (Oct 2, 2018)

That's passive aggressive baking right there, @csb!


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## Road Guy (Oct 2, 2018)

damn that's cold as ICE!


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## User1 (Oct 2, 2018)

maybe she thought "has sensitivity to" meant "really enjoys" :dunno:


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## Supe (Oct 2, 2018)

Sounds like she needs a cake with some butter cre_arsenic_am frosting.


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## csb (Oct 2, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> That's passive aggressive baking right there, @csb!


I prefer to think of it as plain agressive baking. I started bringing my own food to holidays and sneak eating in our room.


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## User1 (Oct 3, 2018)

csb said:


> I prefer to think of it as plain agressive baking. I started bringing my own food to holidays and sneak eating in our room. ﻿


you should just plate it up and sit at the table

"why are you eating something else"

"because you put poison in everything you make" 

there will be witnesses.


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## Road Guy (Oct 3, 2018)

No nuts! +3 banana


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 13, 2018)

csb said:


> On the flip side, I have a sensitivity walnuts (my face gets red, I tend to throw up, I get migraines, general fun)


This explains a lot from the last visit. Or was that not from walnuts? :dunno:


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## leggo PE (Oct 17, 2018)

Reason to know I'm a baker as well as an engineer: I keep typing "loaf" instead of "load".  :rotflmao:


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## csb (Oct 18, 2018)

I write "resluts" as often as I write "results." I'm not sure what that says.


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## wilheldp_PE (Oct 18, 2018)

csb said:


> I write "resluts" as often as I write "results." I'm not sure what that says.


That you're a "baker"?


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## Supe (Oct 19, 2018)

She does live awfully close to Colorado.


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## csb (Oct 22, 2018)

Supe said:


> She does live awfully close to Colorado.


Yeah, but what if someone needs me to weld something in the Springfield Nuclear Plant? 

I rearranged the kitchen this weekend (so wild and crazy) and moved a ton of baking stuff to the basement. I used to make so many things and I just don't anymore. I left out some mini-bundt pans, mostly because I forgot them, but dang if a small lemon bundt covered in glaze doesn't sound good.


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## Ble_PE (Oct 22, 2018)

csb said:


> I rearranged the kitchen this weekend (so wild and crazy) and moved a ton of baking stuff to the basement. I used to make so many things and I just don't anymore. I left out some mini-bundt pans, mostly because I forgot them, but dang if a *small* lemon *bun*dt *covered in glaze* doesn't sound good.


Heh.


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## csb (Oct 22, 2018)

Ble_PE said:


> Heh.


I feel like there's a cinnamon bun joke hiding in here. Where the hell is JR?


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## Master slacker (Oct 22, 2018)

csb said:


> I feel like there's a cinnamon bun joke hiding in here. Where the hell is JR?


You just need to explore a little deeper to find what you need.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 29, 2018)

BAKING THREAD.  *cries tears of joy*  I haven't been able to bake/experiment the whole time I was studying.  My office is wasting away.  But I just bought 4 lbs of poppy seeds!  Which means it's time to start doing poppy rolls (my family's favorite treat) and practicing poppy seed filled kolache.


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## leggo PE (Oct 29, 2018)

Welcome to the Baking Thread, @JayKay0914! I'm glad you have time to bake again.

This past weekend's exploits included two more 50/50 whole wheat sourdough loaves, which didn't have the best rise, but on which I did some neat scoring, and my first try at making whole wheat sourdough pitas. The pitas ended up being much more sturdy than the ones I would usually buy in the store, with great flavor! I'll probably never buy pitas again, unless in a pinch.

Here are the two loaves of bread...

Scored, pre-baking:


         
\

After baking:


         
 

And the money shot (!):


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## JayKay PE (Oct 30, 2018)

Ugh!!!!  I am so jealous of your crust!  I actually did bake a nice batch of baguettes when I was studying, due to the multiple longish proves, but my loaves came out kinda whitish.  I don't think I over-proved, it tasted fine, had a nice crust due to a ton of steam, but I think it's just my oven?  I have a temperamental gas, which doesn't really heat evenly, and I don't have a convection option (I wish).  Unless I have an egg wash, a really heavy one, all my breads kinda come out very pale indeed.  But that doesn't stop people from eating them, so it's mostly just me complaining about aesthetics.

Have to start planning my springerle...They take so long, so I really need to clear out a weekend before all the holiday parties start so I can get it all done.  With all the pressing using the molds, letting them dry *undisturbed* and then having to bake them.  But the end product is so worth it!


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

@JayKay0914, how do you bake your loaves? I bake in just a dutch oven, first twenty minutes with the lid on at 500 degrees, then then next ten with the lid off at 500, then 20-25 at 450 still with the lid off. I don't provide any additional steam anywhere.

This most recently batch of loaves used a levain that was overripe by an hour or two, so I didn't quite get the rise or open, evenly distributed crumb, I would like ideally. But I'm still happy with how they turned out!

I don't usually bake cookies or cakes... But I'm participating in a cookie exchange this holiday season, so I'm going to be baking up a few dozen Pfeffernesse.  Yum, I want them just thinking about them!


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## JayKay PE (Oct 30, 2018)

@leggo PE I've never baked in a dutch oven (but I just bought one literally two days ago, so I am very excited to start using it)!  Usually I bake loaves that can keep their form without a dutch oven or dish.  Usually a yeast-based bread that is forgiving to my kneading/loaf forming.  My sister's BIL is actually a professional chef who used to work at a bread-specific bakery for a while, Brooklyn bread lab, and taught me how to do wet forming.  He said the most important thing when baking bread is the steam, since it makes a nice crust and keeps everything really light.  I mean, I assume you can bake without steam, especially since you're look great (!!!!), but I bought a crappy aluminum turkey basting tray for like $1 and after I throw my loaves in I throw some steaming water into the tray and close before all the moisture leaves.

You're loaves are amazing!  For me, I've never really dealt with starters (I am terrified of them) and I usually end up baking every day, or get caught up in work and then don't bake bread for a while.  Which is why a sourdough started always scared me.

I BAKE ALL THE COOKIES AND CAKES.  I only recently got into breads, which is why I think I'm having so much trouble.  Like, cookies and cakes it's about balancing your wet and dry, which means substitution can work as long as you know you basics and how it works in the oven.  Breads....I feel like if I add even a touch too much flour it comes out a mess!


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

Oh, but sourdough starters are so adaptable to baking every day or only once in a while (just stick your starter in the fridge). Though I suppose they do require a bit more advance planning. I always take my starter out of the fridge Thursday night to start forming dough on Saturday, and bake on Sunday. That's just the method I've used, based on the blog www.theperfectloaf.com, which has been a goldmine for me and my sourdough journey.

The idea of baking in a dutch oven is that by the fact that it's lidded, it itself is providing the steam. I can personally attest to this as after I've heated my dutch oven for an hour at 500 degrees, when I open the lid to put the loaf in to bake, steam definitely rises out of it! Then, of course, when the dough is put in, it emits steam that is captured by the lid and kept inside the dutch oven. All this is obviously for the rise. The crust color comes from the high heat and uncovered portion of the bake.

I should add that I also put a baking steel in the rack underneath my dutch oven, because I found the bottom crust of my sourdough loaves was getting really hard. Putting the baking steel in (at the start of the oven and dutch oven preheating, for it needs an hour to preheat too) has helped me a lot with that.

The next thing I'm considering trying is baking with a cold dutch oven. But that worries me a little bit, as I'm cautious about ruining my dutch oven somehow.


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 30, 2018)

Is it me or do these almost look like PE Stamps? :dunno: Looks tasty either way!



JayKay0914 said:


> @leggo PE I've never baked in a dutch oven


So what you're saying is that you've never actually fully experienced a dutch oven then? @Supe is our resident expert on that particular activity. May have some pointers for you. :thumbs:


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## JayKay PE (Oct 30, 2018)

@leggo PE Yeah, starters kinda frighten me, but I've been following/doing some of the KAF bakealongs to help me get into the mood.  My weekends are kinda a mess.  I have horseback riding on Sundays/I'm at the barn for a good chunk of time, and  I usually visit my parents on Friday night-to Sunday morning, and I don't feel like taking over their wonderful kitchen (they have a great 8'x3' peacock granite island that would be wonderful for kneading/rolling out thin pastry).  So I can really only bake/experiment during the week.  Which means longer proves/letting a dutch oven heat beforehand becomes a very calculated affair/I need to plan everything out beforehand.  

I do want to use the dutch oven!  I got a Kenmore kinda cheap due to a K-Mart closing in my parents town, and the red enamel matches my KitchenAid that I liberated from my parents.  My dad had bought it really cheap with coupons/gift cards, but then never used it.  I made sure to "steal it" in open view of my dad so he had the opportunity to complain about it.  Are you using a non-enameled dutch oven?  I know sometimes when I use my seasoned cast iron to make crepes it causes a little firmness if I don't really grease/butter it beforehand just because the heat/sugar cause a nice sticky seal?

The cold dutch oven method is something I was actually researching!  Low and slow!  It's something I'd like to tinker with, because I know some dutch ovens actually get messed up if pre-baked with nothing inside them (I've heard this, and I don't want to ruin my new one right out of the gate).

... @knight1fox3 I see what you did there.  I had a lot of strange looks discussing dutch ovens with my mom while shopping.  I'm the youngest child of a large Polish family.  I have experienced "traditional" dutch ovens too many times to count, and all under duress.

As for the cookies looking like stamps-that's what springerle are!  They're a cookie "stamp" that is pressed into a thin cookie dough, usually anise flavored, that are then left out for 24-hours to set the form before baking.  They actually don't change shape/look that much different when cooked.  My dad likes them a ton, due to it being very Ukrainian/Czechoslovakia, and they actually get better as they age (3-month old cookies are the bomb!).


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 30, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> ... @knight1fox3 I see what you did there.  I had a lot of strange looks discussing dutch ovens with my mom while shopping.  I'm the youngest child of a large Polish family.  I have experienced "traditional" dutch ovens too many times to count, and all under duress.
> 
> As for the cookies looking like stamps-that's what springerle are!  They're a cookie "stamp" that is pressed into a thin cookie dough, usually anise flavored, that are then left out for 24-hours to set the form before baking.  They actually don't change shape/look that much different when cooked.  My dad likes them a ton, due to it being very Ukrainian/Czechoslovakia, and they actually get better as they age (3-month old cookies are the bomb!).


It's important to have some sense of humor on EB.com. So it's nice to see you'll fit in nicely here. With that, I'll stop derailing this thread (another important trait of EB'ers).

Cool on the Springerle. Never heard of those but they sound great (even if they can be up to 3-months old!). :thumbs:


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

@JayKay0914, I use an enameled Staub 5.5 quart dutch oven. It is my faaaavorite to make my favorite things, bread and soup! It was also definitely a gift. Haha!


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## JayKay PE (Oct 30, 2018)

@leggo PE I am a big fan of soups/chilies!  But I use a busted up, cheapo, 12-quart stockpot from Walmart for cooking stuff on the stove top.  Mostly because my oven is really temperamental, so a cast iron gets way too hot/too easily with my anger flame.  The stockpot I can kinda control/take it off the flame to quickly cool, if necessary.  Also, I am usually just cooking for myself, so I often end up freezing a ton of stuff since I can only eat so much in one sitting!


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

I also feel that cold baking would not get me the nice medium brown crust I like, due to the lower temperatures... But again, what do I know until I try it.


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

Holy moly 12 qt?! I don't know if that would even fit on my stove! Haha.

I find my 5.5 qt dutch oven can give me upwards of three dinners for two, which I consider pretty good. My freezer is too full of bread anyway, to fit more than say 6t qts of soup in it at a time.


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 30, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> @leggo PE I am a big fan of soups/chilies!  But I use a busted up, cheapo, 12-quart stockpot from Walmart for cooking stuff on the stove top.  Mostly because my oven is really temperamental, so a cast iron gets way too hot/too easily with my anger flame.  The stockpot I can kinda control/take it off the flame to quickly cool, if necessary.  Also, I am usually just cooking for myself, so I often end up freezing a ton of stuff since I can only eat so much in one sitting!


Finally something that I can relate to and comment on. You should consider upgrading to an Instant Pot. It will forever change your life. And the quality of food produced by I.P. is equivalent to that of a stockpot. :thumbs:


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

knight1fox3 said:


> Finally something that I can relate to and comment on. You should consider upgrading to an Instant Pot. It will forever change your life. And the quality of food produced by I.P. is equivalent to that of a stockpot. :thumbs:


I've got a 6 qt IP too. Just made this and had it twice last week, it was so good: https://www.101cookbooks.com/spicy-instant-pot-taco-soup-recipe/

Also, you can apparently bake in the IP, but I think it's maybe only for like cakes and stuff... Haven't tried baking in it at all.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 30, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> I also feel that cold baking would not get me the nice medium brown crust I like, due to the lower temperatures... But again, what do I know until I try it.


https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2017/07/05/baking-in-a-cold-dutch-oven/

Check this out.  It turns out that the shape of the vessel you are baking in has a greater effect on the outcome than the temperature of the dutch oven you have the bread in.  Also states that cold dutch ovens lead to a lighter bottom crust.  

As for the 12-quart....It's what I grew up with!  My mom was one of those people who was really, really good at cooking (a meal every night), and she always made big batches of chicken soup once the weather turned using a whole boiled chicken, a ton of peppercorn, and lots of veggies!  But this means I end up cooking like I'm cooking for a hearty family, not just me, so anything I cook can usually feed me at least 4-5 days.  When I make chili...It usually can feed me for 2-weeks, if I didn't freeze it.

@knight1fox3 You have named one of the few things I fear in life.  IP scare me so much, mostly due to a improperly opened pressure cooker while in college (my friend was an idiot, opened it before it was done depressurizing, and killed the ceiling/spilled steaming hot beef stew everywhere).  I'll stick to my stockpots/crockpots.  They'll never hurt me.


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 30, 2018)

^ LOL, the power outlets in your home also have the "potential" to electrocute at any given time. There's also a label on most toasters not to put anything metallic inside while the unit is energized. It's all about following the directions so one doesn't become a statistic. :thumbs:

BTW, the new IPs, self-depressurize and alert you once completed. Stockpots/crockpots also cause more house-fires in the U.S. than any other appliance. Just saying.


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2017/07/05/baking-in-a-cold-dutch-oven/
> 
> Check this out.  It turns out that the shape of the vessel you are baking in has a greater effect on the outcome than the temperature of the dutch oven you have the bread in.  Also states that cold dutch ovens lead to a lighter bottom crust.


Ohhh I'm going to have to read through those comments some time! This looks so interesting.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 30, 2018)

@knight1fox3 I'm just going to eat cheese sandwiches the rest of my life to avoid all microwaves.  All canned soup is pre-cooked anyway.  I'll just eat it cold.  My life will be a cautionary tale.

As for the IPs...I know I could understand them if I read the directions, but I'm also of the Alton Brown-mentality of "Why should I buy another piece of technology for my kitchen when the stuff I have does what I need it to and I don't need to buy something new?"  I am a cheapo at heart and my kitchen is tiny, so why buy something new that would take up more space?

@leggo PE DEF CHECK OUT ALL THEIR STUFF.  I love KAF; they do a lot of bread/baking experiments and are always playing around in their test kitchen.  They also show you how to do neat bread braiding/displays that look awesome!


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## kevo_55 (Oct 30, 2018)

With respect to a dutch oven, we bought a le creuset and we simply love it. Yes, they are very expensive but once you have one it will last you forever.

Basically, the only way you can crack the enamel is to shock it. 

My wife bakes with it every now and then and it works out great!


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Oct 30, 2018)

Staub?? Le Creuset?? You EBers must be rich!!


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> DEF CHECK OUT ALL THEIR STUFF.  I love KAF; they do a lot of bread/baking experiments and are always playing around in their test kitchen.  They also show you how to do neat bread braiding/displays that look awesome!


Oh I know KAF very well. I use only their flours (until I get my hands on a Mockmill to mill my own flour), they are who I got my starter from, and I used to live in VT. I actually used a recipe from them for my first faux sourdough loaf, faux because it had some yeast in it. It tasted pretty good! It was the Merlin's Magic Sourdough Bread recipe.


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2018)

I've been intrigued by their bakealongs in the past, too! But have never done one. All my baking happens on the weekends and I don't seem to have ever made the time to do one.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 31, 2018)

squaretaper PE said:


> Staub?? Le Creuset?? You EBers must be rich!!


HA.  And I'm the one over here with a discount Kenmore thinking I've hit the jackpot.  I'm but a poor baker/engineer, striving to make good flavor combos without burning the house down.

@leggo PE I love KAF products!  I'm really lucky because the BJs near me carries both their regular flour, bread flour, and, sometimes, their whole wheat flour in bigger bags than I'd get from the specialty store/ordering direct.  I have two huge containers to hold a full 10-lb bag, and that's enough for my tinkering.  Milling your own flour!  Shit, you're way more advanced than me!  I do know a couple of private bakeries that do make their own flour...but their end-product is so expensive, I'm not sure I would actually use any flour I bought from them, in fear of messing up my bread somehow and not making it worthwhile of their efforts?

And their bakealongs are really fun!  They have them posted all year long, and it's nice if you're making some a little out of your normal to have all the pictures so you can follow along.  I did one recently, and it came out really good!


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## JayKay PE (Oct 31, 2018)

Also, starting my random baking thought:

I want to make ranger cookies, but want to make them dairy free.  I am thinking a 1:1 substitution of crisco/shortening for the butter in the traditional recipe.  I think the shortening will keep the cookies from spreading as much/not browning as much, though, which is one of the big draw of that type of cookie (they're kinda flat/brown/delicious).  I want to research more dairy-free cookie things due to someone in my office having a bad lactose allergy.  

But then again, butter has more water in its structure, so technically I would need to use less crisco?  I need to research this more/play around with mini-batches this weekend.


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## leggo PE (Oct 31, 2018)

I have noooo idea about Crisco/shortening vs butter. Honestly, I hardly ever bake with that type of shortening (if ever), and I even am uneasy by putting a lot of butter in a recipe.  :blush:


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## leggo PE (Oct 31, 2018)

@JayKay0914, had you considered using vegan butter sticks, or does that gross you out? I just saw them here: https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2018/05/10/how-to-bake-dairy-free/


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## Supe (Oct 31, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> had you considered using vegan butter sticks


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## JayKay PE (Oct 31, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> @JayKay0914, had you considered using vegan butter sticks, or does that gross you out? I just saw them here: https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2018/05/10/how-to-bake-dairy-free/


I agree with @Supe.  Why would you even, vegan butter, I, what?  I'd much rather use my crisco, where at least I know the origin of my death.  Vegan butter...Like, that is an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp or civil engineer.


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## leggo PE (Oct 31, 2018)

Woahhhh shots fired! You're talking with a licensed civil engineer. 

I dunno, I've certainly never tried vegan butter, haha. Just saw it in that KAF blog post.


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## kevo_55 (Oct 31, 2018)

Less fighting and more baking!


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## JayKay PE (Oct 31, 2018)

kevo_55 said:


> Less fighting and more baking!


Like this????  Peppermint cheesecake with a chocolate base/chocolate ganache?


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## Supe (Oct 31, 2018)

Now there's something I'd be proud to get diabetes from.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 31, 2018)

Yeah, I like making cheesecakes, but I got told by family I needed to stop...because they were too delicious and they couldn't eat them all.  I like making a Bailey cheesecake as well, but I've been told it's very boozy and I need to stop bringing it to the office.


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## FLBuff PE (Oct 31, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> I agree with @Supe.  Why would you even, vegan butter, I, what?  I'd much rather use my crisco, where at least I know the origin of my death.  Vegan butter...Like, that is an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp or civil engineer.


Or turkey bacon. @knight1fox3


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## JayKay PE (Nov 1, 2018)

@FLBuff PE Turkey bacon nowadays is the bomb!  Specifically because I am allergic to regular bacon!  At least this way I can just be seen as a pretentious hipster for not eating bacon as opposed to the usual, "You're allergic?  But bacon is soooo good."  Thanks Sharon, I know that, but unless I want my throat to close up, I'll have to pass.

ALSO.  BAKING PLANS FOR TONIGHT: I'm thinking pumpkin snickerdoodles?  I made some pumpkin spice a couple days ago (I like cloves AND allspice in my mix, and most commercially made ones don't use cloves), and I have an opened container of pumpkin puree I've got to use.  I'll post results if I actually go through with it.


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## csb (Nov 1, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> @FLBuff PE Turkey bacon nowadays is the bomb!  Specifically because I am allergic to regular bacon!  At least this way I can just be seen as a pretentious hipster for not eating bacon as opposed to the usual, "You're allergic?  But bacon is soooo good."  Thanks Sharon, I know that, but unless I want my throat to close up, I'll have to pass.
> 
> ALSO.  BAKING PLANS FOR TONIGHT: I'm thinking pumpkin snickerdoodles?  I made some pumpkin spice a couple days ago (I like cloves AND allspice in my mix, and most commercially made ones don't use cloves), and I have an opened container of pumpkin puree I've got to use.  I'll post results if I actually go through with it.


Do you need addresses to send us cookies? You know, like if you make too many?


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## JayKay PE (Nov 1, 2018)

csb said:


> Do you need addresses to send us cookies? You know, like if you make too many?


My office has already been warned.  I think after two or three days of them groaning about more baked goods, I may expand into EB.com territory.  I have a list of x-mas cookies I need to try first.  Also want to tinker with pie (though I hate making shells).  We'll see if people like the pictures first!


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## wilheldp_PE (Nov 1, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> Specifically because I am allergic to regular bacon!


How is that even possible?  What, specifically, are you allergic to?  Pork, salt, or maple syrup?


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## JayKay PE (Nov 2, 2018)

wilheldp_PE said:


> How is that even possible?  What, specifically, are you allergic to?  Pork, salt, or maple syrup?


I actually went to an allergist, who proved I was allergic (a 3+ on a scale of 4), and as I've gotten older my reaction to it has gotten worse every time I've accidentally (or not so accidentally) chowed down.  Not sure exactly how I am allergic, if it is a process or the nitrates or if I got bitten by a tick, but I know it does not end well for me when I eat it (severe migraine, nausea, throat gets really scratchy/starts to close).  Interestingly enough, one of my cousins has a similar allergy, so it might just be a weird recessive gene that my family has?


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## JayKay PE (Nov 2, 2018)

Also, FYI, made the cookies:


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## kevo_55 (Nov 2, 2018)

That's weird about the bacon JK.

Now about those cookies: YUM!


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## JayKay PE (Nov 2, 2018)

Bacon sucks for me because I feel like in the last five-years it's suddenly become "hip and with it" to have bacon in EVERYTHING.  Like, bacon used to be for breakfast or wrapping around scallops.  Now all of a sudden there is bacon ice cream and bacon cologne and I don't know what is happening to this country. 

Cookies are really soft and dense?  Not quite sure if that's the texture I was going for, but I do like the buttery/mild cinnamon flavor I have.  Def need to make another batch of pumpkin spice mix when I get home, though.  Ratios I had were good, but it only makes like 2-teaspoons after all the measuring.


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## Master slacker (Nov 2, 2018)

Bacon is everywhere because those who weren't "with it" before now want it everywhere to show how "with it" they are now. 

Kinda like beer with hipsters and the like.  They make beer taste like flowers (IPA) so they can drink it and then they make / buy the sh*t out of it.  Look at me!  I drink beer!


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## JayKay PE (Nov 2, 2018)

@Master slacker Are you trying to bash Ithaca Beer's award winning IPA "Flower Power"?  I actually hate IPas now because I feel like every single new one that comes out just has more and more hops than the last, thus negating any real flavor the brewing process might have generated.


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## knight1fox3 (Nov 3, 2018)

ANOTHER TURKEY BACON ADVOCATE! BOOM!!!!


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## Supe (Nov 5, 2018)

knight1fox3 said:


> ANOTHER TURKEY BACON ADVOCATE! BOOM!!!!


ONLY BECAUSE REGULAR BACON MAKES HER DIE.


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## JayKay PE (Nov 5, 2018)

Supe said:


> ONLY BECAUSE REGULAR BACON MAKES HER DIE.


I LITERALLY TEMPTED FATE THIS WEEKEND.  I got a delicious potato, scallion, bacon, chipolte gouda, omelette this weekend.  Asked for a chicken sausage substitute.  They did not substitute.  I had a bite, started coughing and drank three cups of water+coffee to flush my mouth.

They did not charge me for the bacon.  And I got a mini order of the pistachio pancakes for my almost dying!  Huzzah!


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## kevo_55 (Nov 5, 2018)

You almost died and all you got is a mini order of pistachio pancakes??

They better have been the best pancakes you have ever had then.....


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## JayKay PE (Nov 5, 2018)

I mean, this restaurant is known for their pistachio pancakes.  And they were really, really, good.  Worth the feeble attempt on my life by the waitress!  But I didn't get the milkshake I wanted...Their portions are insane and I left with over half my food.  T_T


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## Supe (Nov 5, 2018)

'Round these parts, we call that a "shitty restaurant."


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## JayKay PE (Nov 5, 2018)

Nah, @Supe.  Waitress actually was really concerned when I first mentioned the allergy.  I think it was just the guys in the kitchen working on auto-pilot when they saw the order (the place is packed/always has a wait/doesn't take reservations).  I'm fairly forgiving when it comes to food, as long as I don't die.


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## csb (Nov 5, 2018)

There's a fancy restaurant in Colorado named Snooze that's delightful for breakfast. Same thing- very busy, no reservations. However, they are f-ing rock stars about food allergies. I'd like to thank Boulder for that one.


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## Supe (Nov 5, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> Nah, @Supe.  Waitress actually was really concerned when I first mentioned the allergy.  I think it was just the guys in the kitchen working on auto-pilot when they saw the order (the place is packed/always has a wait/doesn't take reservations).  I'm fairly forgiving when it comes to food, as long as I don't die.


"Hey guys, you didn't put bacon in this, RIGHT?"


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## JayKay PE (Nov 5, 2018)

Supe said:


> "Hey guys, you didn't put bacon in this, RIGHT?"


PUT EXTRA BACON.  THAT IS WHAT SHE WANTED.


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## JayKay PE (Nov 5, 2018)

Okay.  I think tonight I will be making espresso brownies (because I promised work I would make them again and I finally finished my exam).  I'll keep the thread updated on any revisions I made to my usual recipe!


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## mudpuppy (Nov 5, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> Okay.  I think tonight I will be making espresso brownies (because I promised work I would make them again and I finally finished my exam).  I'll keep the thread updated on any revisions I made to my usual recipe!


That reminds me of the dark chocolate bacon espresso cupcakes my wife made me one year for my birthday.

(Sorry couldn't help the bacon reference.  They were really good though!)


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## JayKay PE (Nov 5, 2018)

mudpuppy said:


> That reminds me of the dark chocolate bacon espresso cupcakes my wife made me one year for my birthday.
> 
> (Sorry couldn't help the bacon reference.  They were really good though!)


I actually do a chili brownie really good, which adds so really nice heat, but that requires actual thinking...whereas the espresso brownies are literally a tablespoon or two of strong espresso mixed into the dry before incorporation into the wet.

Also, I really wish macon was more of a thing in the US.  I tried it/it was a think in Ireland.  It's like...mutton bacon?  Lamb mutton that has been cured similar to bacon, and its so wild!  Such a weird/lamby flavor, but crispy?  I can't describe it but I wish that was a thing over here!  Maybe I'll start experimenting and try to make my own when the weather turns better?


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## JayKay PE (Nov 7, 2018)

Forgot to let the thread know!  Made the espresso brownies Monday night, but they're a recipe I know already, so it's not as exciting.  Hoping to try a pumpkin pie recipe tonight (I hate baking pies, so it'll be interesting).


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## leggo PE (Nov 7, 2018)

Ohhh yum, brownies! I'll take brownies over cake most any day.


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## Master slacker (Nov 7, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> Ohhh yum, brownies! I'll take brownies over cake most any day.


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## FLBuff PE (Nov 7, 2018)

Those of us in Colorado and Washington also have our "special" brownie recipes.


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## Master slacker (Nov 7, 2018)

FLBuff PE said:


> Those of us in Colorado and Washington also have our "special" brownie recipes.


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## JayKay PE (Nov 8, 2018)

I lied.  I didn't make pumpkin pie.  I picked up my farm share and someone foisted a half-dozen, over ripe, bananas onto me.  I instead made pumpkin banana bread?  Utilizing buckwheat honey as my moisture?  Never made the recipe before, so I'm trying it now for breakfast.  Butter and drizzled honey on a slice.


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## leggo PE (Nov 8, 2018)

What is buckwheat honey?


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## leggo PE (Nov 8, 2018)

Like, what's the difference between buckwheat honey and regular honey?


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## Supe (Nov 8, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> Like, what's the difference between buckwheat honey and regular honey?


The buckwheat.


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## leggo PE (Nov 8, 2018)

Supe said:


> The buckwheat.


Thanks.


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## Ramnares P.E. (Nov 8, 2018)

Supe said:


> The buckwheat.


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## csb (Nov 8, 2018)

My mother used to make buckwheat pancakes and I swear those things would practically mummify me, they were so dry. Ugh. 

Paying a friend to make pies for Thanksgiving. I'll post them like I baked them.


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## Supe (Nov 8, 2018)

csb said:


> My mother used to make buckwheat pancakes and I swear those things would practically mummify me, they were so dry. Ugh.
> 
> Paying a friend to make pies for Thanksgiving. I'll post them like I baked them.


Strangely enough, my grandmother used to get buckwheat pancake mix from a friend, and they were the best pancakes I've ever had.  I never was able to figure out what brand the mix was after she passed, and after trying three or four, just gave up looking.


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## MA_PE (Nov 8, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> What is buckwheat honey?


The question is: "who is buckwheat?", dear.




The answer is Billie Thomas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Thomas


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## csb (Nov 8, 2018)

Supe said:


> Strangely enough, my grandmother used to get buckwheat pancake mix from a friend, and they were the best pancakes I've ever had.  I never was able to figure out what brand the mix was after she passed, and after trying three or four, just gave up looking.


My mother has a cooking skill that allows her to turn anything good bad. 

It came from this cookbook, which she kept as a Bible: https://www.amazon.com/JANE-BRODYS-GOOD-FOOD-BOOK/dp/B0082AHK5I/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1&amp;amp;refRID=6A1BNWFZYSYR930FZ7FG

I'm now dying that it's "Living the High Carbohydrate Way." That doesn't sound keto. 

Here's the recipe:


YIELD


16


ACTIVE TIME


15


TOTAL TIME


30



INGREDIENTS





Dry ingredients for a mix for 16

2 2/3 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/3 cups unbleached flour

1 cup corn meal (or oat, millet or buckwheat)

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup dried buttermilk mix

1/3 cup powdered non-fat milk

To make a batch for 4 servings:

1 1/2 cup mix

1 1/4 cup water

1 egg white

1 TBsp oil

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

yogurt, fruit and syrup (optional)




PREPARATION





To make the mix, thoroughly combine all the dry ingredients and store in container in a dark place. To make enough pancakes for 4 people, combine the liquid ingredients and quickly stir them into 1 1/2 cups of the mix. Add more mix or water to make the thickness you prefer. Pour cakes into a very hot greased skillet and flip when ready. Top with yogurt instead of the traditional butter and fruit and syrup.


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## snickerd3 (Nov 8, 2018)

need to schedule my annual holiday cookie baking day soon before my schedule fills up.


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## leggo PE (Nov 9, 2018)

I made chocolate chip cookies last night for a friend's birthday today. But the mix was premade. They look good!


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## MA_PE (Nov 9, 2018)

Got to like a good looking set of cookies!


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## leggo PE (Nov 9, 2018)

Didn't taste them (probably a mistake) because I only made one dozen, and there are going to be 10 people at the house tonight... I didn't want to show up with 10 or 11 cookies, haha!


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## MA_PE (Nov 9, 2018)

Just add the "holiday 5-pack" of beer and you'll be fine.


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## leggo PE (Nov 9, 2018)

Funny you say that, I do need to go buy some beer this afternoon.


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## Ble_PE (Nov 9, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> Didn't taste them (probably a mistake) because I only made one dozen, and there are going to be 10 people at the house tonight... I didn't want to show up with 10 or 11 cookies, haha!


You can't bake cookies and not taste them. I think it's punishable by death in some places, at least in the south.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 9, 2018)

Good thing I'm not in the South then!

I tasted the dough. That tasted good!


----------



## knight1fox3 (Nov 10, 2018)

csb said:


> My mother used to make buckwheat pancakes and I swear those things would practically mummify me, they were so dry. Ugh.


Buckwheat pancakes/waffles are P90x approved!



Supe said:


> Strangely enough, my grandmother used to get buckwheat pancake mix from a friend, and they were the best pancakes I've ever had.  I never was able to figure out what brand the mix was after she passed, and after trying three or four, just gave up looking.


Same here. My grandma's were made with a mix by a supplier called Arrowhead Mills.


----------



## Dean Agnostic (Nov 11, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> Like this????  Peppermint cheesecake with a chocolate base/chocolate ganache?
> 
> View attachment 12068


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 11, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> Good thing I'm not in the South then!
> 
> I tasted the dough. That tasted good!


Don’t trust the dough!!!!! I made pumpkin snickerdoodles, tasted the dough, and it tasted so much like unseasoned pumpkin purée that I was gagging!!! But the cookies came out fabulous!!! Magic oven!!

Also, to answer your earlier question about what is the difference between buckwheat and regular honey. Regular honey is usually clover honey (the bees only pollenate/feed off of clover cover crop), pretty mild in flavor and color. Viscosity is fairly middle of the road (once commercial honey you buy at the store starts moving, actually goes fairly quickly). Buckwheat honey is, you guessed it, honey where bees only pollinate/feed off of buckwheat cover crop. Pretty dark in color, almost nutty in taste, and has a higher viscosity than normal honey (kinda moves as a huge blob instead of thinning out as you pour). I actually buy mine directly from a regional beekeeper, so the flavor changes from each variety/each area of the country. I think it’s an interesting substitute for brown sugar, almost acts like molasses and adds a nice “chew” texture. 

...I am sorry about the honey talk. Farming/animal horticulture is something that I’m actually really interested in as a hobby.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 12, 2018)

Well, the dough tasted good and the cookies did too! So I think that's a win. 

Thanks for the explanation about the honey! I guess I know most honey as clover honey.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 12, 2018)

Yes!!!!  I'm so happy your dough came out good!  And most 'supermarket' honey is either clover honey or wildflower honey.  They're really mild honey that are sweet, but don't have multiple layers/intense flavor profiles like other honey.  Plus they're usually not raw, so the pasteurization also strips some flavor away.

And I am thinking oatmeal pie tonight.  I don't have corn syrup, but maybe I can sub with maple syrup to make it really "autumn morning" flavoring?  Convince my office it's a 'breakfast pie'?


----------



## Dean Agnostic (Nov 13, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> Like this????  Peppermint cheesecake with a chocolate base/chocolate ganache?
> 
> View attachment 12068


That looks really YummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They don't sell this at Cheesecake Factory.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 13, 2018)

@Dean AgnosticI'm actually a little grumpy that I didn't smooth the cheesecake sides before I poured on the ganache.  It is what it is.

Also, oatmeal pie came out surprisingly good?  Kinda tastes like pecan pie/similar?


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 14, 2018)

Okay.  Oatmeal pie was a hit at the office!  Need to write down the recipe in my book and I am going to attempt ranger cookies tonight!  So I can use some of that coconut I have at the house.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 15, 2018)

I made the ranger cookies.  Depression era cookies are the best cookies.  It's literally an oat, coconut, sugar cookie with cranberries.


----------



## Dean Agnostic (Nov 16, 2018)

@JayKay0914 Cool! The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear pie is Perkins Lol. Whenever I go to any gathering, I'd always remember the dessert and not the people I meet Lol.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 16, 2018)

@Dean AgnosticThe first thing that comes to my mind when I hear pie is fur, hahahahahahahahahahahaha.  I try to make my desserts memorable!  I actually got told by people at work that I need to stop baking.  That too much of a good thing is bad, and that their metabolism isn't as good as it used to be!


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 16, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> I actually got told by people at work that I need to stop baking.  That too much of a good thing is bad, and that their metabolism isn't as good as it used to be!


That is so much on them. It's not like they have to eat what you bring in. Bake all day, every day!


----------



## Janthered (Nov 27, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> This past Sunday's bake:
> 
> View attachment 11132
> 
> ...


feel like sharing your recipe? (sorry if I overlooked it) I tried pretzels last week and failed horribly...


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 27, 2018)

Janthered said:


> feel like sharing your recipe? (sorry if I overlooked it) I tried pretzels last week and failed horribly...


Sure! These particular pretzels do require a sourdough starter... Which ironically, has worked for me, because in the past, when I had tried to make soft pretzels, I did fail MISERABLY.

Here's the recipe I used: http://withloveandcupcakes.com/2013/12/19/sourdough-soft-pretzels/


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

I forgot to post my daquoise!  My meringue was so delicate!  Some shattered, a bit, but the final product came out okay?  So I'll take it.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

I also made cinnamon star bread!  So easy, but looks so dramatic!!!!


----------



## csb (Dec 3, 2018)

1. I was confused at first at what kind of work meeting you were at that there was open coloring. I then realized it was Thanksgiving. 

2. Your vagina bread looks delightful.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

csb said:


> 1. I was confused at first at what kind of work meeting you were at that there was open coloring. I then realized it was Thanksgiving.
> 
> 2. Your vagina bread looks delightful.


I mean, I feel like I could color at work and they'd be like, "Yeah, stress relief, I'll allow it".

As for vagina bread...I mean, I think it's more vulva bread, but mom said I couldn't say that around the children.  I don't understand, it's educational and delicious?


----------



## csb (Dec 3, 2018)

My friend made a delightful Nutella pull apart pie and I ruined it with similar words. "Hand me some labia!" definitely works better with adults than children.


----------



## Supe (Dec 3, 2018)

JayKay0914 said:


> I mean, I feel like I could color at work and they'd be like, "Yeah, stress relief, I'll allow it".
> 
> As for vagina bread...I mean, I think it's more vulva bread, but mom said I couldn't say that around the children.  I don't understand, it's educational and delicious?


Maybe your mom doesn't want the kids giving you any lip?


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

Supe said:


> Maybe your mom doesn't want the kids giving you any lip?


HUIABHFBASN HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHA.  YES.  PERFECT.  THAT IS THE TYPE OF HUMOR WE LOVE AT OUR HOUSE.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 3, 2018)

I can't see the photos... 

I need to make pfeffernusse some time between today and Thursday. I couldn't find mace (the spice) or aniseed at the grocery store... Sooo I think I might try nutmeg. Or maybe cloves, or both? I couldn't even find allspice, god damnit!

For the record, what I need in terms of spices are: mace, cardamom, black pepper, and anise. What I have are cardamom, black pepper, cloves, and Chinese 5 spice (which has anise in it, but also has more savory spices in it so I don't think I want to use it for the pfeffernusse). Advice??


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

Hmmm, I know in the past my grandmother has substituted fennel seeds for anise seeds when she didn't have them?  For that weird licorice flavor.  Fennel works better for cooked instead of baked, but it can't hurt to try?  As for the mace...I mean, that's a part of nutmeg, right?  Can't you just do a direct substitute?  I feel like that would work?  A 1:1 sub?


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 3, 2018)

Thanks for the input! Yes, I think I will use nutmeg for the mace. I don't know if I'd like to try the fennel seeds... These cookies are for a cookie exchange and I don't have a ton of time to bake them, and then rebake if they turn out badly. Also, I think I'd need to grind the fennel seeds?


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 3, 2018)

All the substitutes I found online for anise seemed to be mostly for savory cooking, not baking.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

Do you have any anise extract?  That might be easier to get than the actual seeds?  It's what I use for my springerle family recipe.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 3, 2018)

Nope, no anise extract either... But I'm checking one more grocery store after work today. If Whole Foods doesn't have it, then I will give up!


----------



## Supe (Dec 3, 2018)

I've only ever seen anise sold whole.  Sometimes its in a plastic bag in the international aisle, other times its in the small glass jars.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 3, 2018)

Yeah, I had some star of anise semi-recently, but used the last of it for mulled beverages.


----------



## knight1fox3 (Dec 3, 2018)

leggo PE said:


> Yeah, I had some star of anise semi-recently, but used the last of it for mulled beverages.


That's the same thing I used it for over Thanksgiving.


----------



## Road Guy (Dec 3, 2018)

I have made 3 apple pies since thanksgiving, this was probably not a good skill for me to acquire!


----------



## csb (Dec 3, 2018)

I just bought anise extract this weekend and I live in the middle of nowhere.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

I have anise extract and anise oil.  The oil is terrifyingly potent.  Like, I only use 1/4 a tsp when making my huge batch of Christmas cookies or else it is too strong.  Makes the house smell lovely whenever I open it.  I have no idea how I acquired it but I'll prob have it for the next 20-years if I only use a drop at a time.

Also, I just got a huge amount of walnuts from Trader Joe's...I wanna make oatmeal walnut cookies tonight instead of anything exotic/exciting.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

Road Guy said:


> I have made 3 apple pies since thanksgiving, this was probably not a good skill for me to acquire!


DID YOU HAVE A SOGGY BOTTOM?

My older sister was texting me at 11:30pm one night when she made her first apple pie...it did not end well since it was already in the oven and I couldn't walk her through some of the mistakes she made.


----------



## Road Guy (Dec 3, 2018)

negative - it was some good eating. if it wasn't such as PIA to peel the apples I would make this 2-3 times a week!


----------



## Jmo_YaYmo (Dec 4, 2018)

I made these yesterday:

https://wickedgoodkitchen.com/gingerbread-gooey-butter-cookies-scratch/

So good! Not sure how to add a pic of my final product though :blush:


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 4, 2018)

Oh, oh! Whole Foods to the rescue. I got mace and anise seed there. Then I proceeded to make four dozen delightful Pfeffernuesse.


----------



## kevo_55 (Dec 4, 2018)

^^ YUM!!

Ever think about making a baking side business?


----------



## Supe (Dec 4, 2018)

Engineering sucks, make it a regular business.


----------



## MA_PE (Dec 4, 2018)

Road Guy said:


> negative - it was some good eating. if it wasn't such as PIA to peel the apples I would make this 2-3 times a week!
> 
> View attachment 12207


soggy?  It looks raw.

looks good...just uncooked.  Then again you southerners don't like to cook pork either.


----------



## FLBuff PE (Dec 4, 2018)

^Guest_MA PE


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 4, 2018)

Got to figure out what my next recipe should be.  Finally got a really solid chocolate chip cookie that keeps its height/doesn't spread thin (I like block/Frankenstein's monster looking cookies).  Maybe I'll attempt kitchen sink cookies?  But I don't have pretzels...

I really want to make sour cream doughnuts...But I don't think I can do that tonight.  Maybe a raspberry clafouti to get rid of the huge amount I have from Costco?


----------



## Master slacker (Dec 4, 2018)

MA_PE said:


> Then again you southerners don't like to cook pork either.


You shut your sissy yankee mouth up


----------



## Road Guy (Dec 4, 2018)

^-- Yeah!

and yes this was before cooking it- wasn't much left to photo after it was done...


----------



## kevo_55 (Dec 4, 2018)




----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 6, 2018)

Serious baking question: I want to start a blog, but mostly a way for my cousin and I to share recipes (we're both doing weird stuff balking-wise and we both think it'd be easier to blog a post to each other than to randomly spam text messages).  Does anyone know a good, free, blog, that would be good for image-heavy recipes and kinda easy to add entries to?


----------



## kevo_55 (Dec 6, 2018)

TY Google: https://www.blogger.com


----------



## csb (Dec 6, 2018)

kevo_55 said:


> TY Google: https://www.blogger.com


Yeah, this.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 6, 2018)

Yesssssssssss.  Going to poke at this a bit tonight and run it by my cousin/see what she thinks.  I think we both just want somewhere where we can post pictures of what we're working on and get potential improvements from each other.  Thanks guys!  I figured EB would come to the rescue!


----------



## Ble_PE (Dec 6, 2018)

Road Guy said:


> View attachment 12207






JayKay0914 said:


> Yesssssssssss.  Going to poke at this a bit tonight


----------



## Supe (Dec 6, 2018)

Whichever host you go with for your blog, better make sure they don't filter for lewd content if you're going to be posting vagina bread everywhere.


----------



## FLBuff PE (Dec 6, 2018)

This one goes out to @JayKay0914, to get you in the holiday baking spirit!

Simply...


----------



## Ble_PE (Dec 6, 2018)

FLBuff PE said:


> Simply...


Having...


----------



## Master slacker (Dec 6, 2018)

A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS TIME! :woot:


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 6, 2018)

@Master slacker *begins frothing at the mouth and writhing on the floor in pain*

Gasp~ No-I--Sir Paul---Please stop!!!  ToO MJHUCH CHRISTMAS SPIRTIT~~~~


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 7, 2018)

The pfeffernuesse tied for best tasting and won for prettiest at the cookie exchange last night! I was not expecting that at all.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 10, 2018)

Supe said:


> Whichever host you go with for your blog, better make sure they don't filter for lewd content if you're going to be posting vagina bread everywhere.


I came out to have a good time, and I'm honestly feeling so attacked right now.


----------



## Supe (Jan 7, 2019)

OK, I'm counting this, because it was baked!

After our Tuesday wing night venue went downhill due to an ownership and staff change, I haven't had buffalo wings in months.  I was due for a cheat meal, but hate dealing with the extra time, cleanup, and calories of deep frying wings, so I decided to see if I could make a decent baked wing.

Trimmed them up, patted them dry, and gave them a light dusting of baking powder, which is one of my spatchcocked chicken secrets for crispy skin.  Then into the oven for about 35-40 minutes on 425°F, but with the secret weapon - the convection setting.  

Mother of god, were those things good.  That convection setting crisped the hell out of the skin, and with the high temperature and fast bake, they didn't dry out at all.  I'm never deep frying my own wings again - these were every bit as good with the only cleanup being a wire rack and throwing away some aluminum foil.


----------



## knight1fox3 (Jan 8, 2019)

Supe said:


> After our Tuesday wing night venue went downhill due to an ownership and staff change, I haven't had buffalo wings in months.  I was due for a cheat meal, but hate dealing with the extra time, cleanup, and calories of deep frying wings, so I decided to see if I could make a decent baked wing.


You should also seriously consider trying wings in an air fryer. Which I suppose is essentially what you did with the oven convection setting. However, the air fryer gets them done quicker and crispier IMO as compared with baking in our oven (also has convection setting). Air fryer is great for other things that would be normally deep fried. And good for leftovers too in restoring them a bit better than what a microwave can do. :thumbs:


----------



## Supe (Jan 8, 2019)

But then I would have to buy and store another useless waste of space kitchen gadget, when I should be throwing ours out as it is!

P.S - I'd rather have an instapot, which I also don't have.


----------



## Road Guy (Jan 8, 2019)

We grill all our wings outside - they are way better than oven cooking them IMO.

Soak them in a soy sauce for several hours and then almost burn them. I lightly burn the skin on the wings and then toss them in a good wig sixes afterwards and viola!

We never have any left over when we make them...


----------



## Supe (Jan 8, 2019)

I'm not as big a fan of grilled wings, though I do like them grilled when they've been marinating in Kikkoman teriyaki sauce.


----------



## Road Guy (Jan 8, 2019)

I really think the key difference Is getting them to the point where they are almost burnt but not burnt if that makes any sense.

When you come out to help me install my lift kit I’ll make us some


----------



## jeb6294 (Jan 9, 2019)

Plenty of recipes out there for doing wings in the smoker, but I'm with Supe on this one.  I like my wings crispy and I'm not sure that would happen in a smoker unless you left them in there long enough to turn them in to chicken jerky.


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 9, 2019)

I don't usually make wings at home, because I am lazy and single, but when my mom makes them she twice bakes them?  So they get ultra crunchy.  I do not know if this is a real method or not.

Also...I want to bake/have a huge list I want to try, but our office is still under a deluge of vendor gifts/Christmas/Holiday food in the kitchen...And I don't feel like fighting that.  Right now I'm debating between poppy seed something (I have around 4lbs of the stuff I never used) or a Charlotte royale...which has always been a weird item of interest to me.


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 15, 2019)

I made some ridiculously good buttermilk blueberry muffins yesterday.


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 15, 2019)

I think I'm going to attempt to make these this weekend:

http://ashleymarielifestyle.com/fluffy-sourdough-cinnamon-rolls/


----------



## kevo_55 (Feb 15, 2019)

I expect a full report!

Maybe even some before and after pictures!!


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 20, 2019)

I didn't make those, but did make more sourdough!


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 1, 2019)

I wanna bake! @JayKay0914, have you been up to any baking lately?


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 1, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I wanna bake! @JayKay0914, have you been up to any baking lately?


I actually have not!  BUT I am free this Sunday, something that hasn't happened in a while, so I was planning on taking a stock of what I have in my cabinet and attempt something new with poppy seeds (since I still have a huge amount).  Also!  I have a ton of almonds, some bought and some from a coworker who doesn't like almonds, a bunch of almond paste, as well as other nuts (hazelnuts/walnuts, etc.) for the holidays and making meringue.  So I think I am going to attempt almond cloud cookies or an almond galette and maybe amaretti cookies?  Just so I can get down a few bags.

How about you, @leggo PE?  Anything you've been meaning to try and bake?????


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 1, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> I actually have not!  BUT I am free this Sunday, something that hasn't happened in a while, so I was planning on taking a stock of what I have in my cabinet and attempt something new with poppy seeds (since I still have a huge amount).  Also!  I have a ton of almonds, some bought and some from a coworker who doesn't like almonds, a bunch of almond paste, as well as other nuts (hazelnuts/walnuts, etc.) for the holidays and making meringue.  So I think I am going to attempt almond cloud cookies or an almond galette and maybe amaretti cookies?  Just so I can get down a few bags.
> 
> How about you, @leggo PE?  Anything you've been meaning to try and bake?????


I've still gotta attempt the sourdough cinnamon rolls I posted about previously, as well as sourdough bagels (but I haven't decided on a recipe yet, hmm), and I need to bake more sourdough bread this weekend. I'm thinking a whole wheat option this time.

I also want to make some muffins, purely because I haven't made any muffins in too long. But what kind? Preferably lower on sugar and healthier one's... Maybe I'll do the healthy carrot muffins I've done in the past. Those are yummy!


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 2, 2019)

In progress...


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 6, 2019)

@leggo PEWHERE ARE THE FINAL PICS.  WHY IS IT STILL IN PROGRESS.

Also, I have decided that if I don't go to the gym tonight, I have to bake.  No more lounging on the couch enjoying my spare time.  I've got to start doing something with my life, god.


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 6, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> @leggo PEWHERE ARE THE FINAL PICS.  WHY IS IT STILL IN PROGRESS.
> 
> Also, I have decided that if I don't go to the gym tonight, I have to bake.  No more lounging on the couch enjoying my spare time.  I've got to start doing something with my life, god.


No final pictures because they were pretty much a fail in multiple ways. I'd try the recipe again, but I think my issues began when I didn't prove the dough for long enough before rolling.

Instead, you can have some pictures of my 100% whole wheat sourdough bread.


----------



## kevo_55 (Mar 6, 2019)

100% Whole wheat? Isn't it really dry?


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 6, 2019)

kevo_55 said:


> 100% Whole wheat? Isn't it really dry?


Nope, it was somewhere around 80% hydration. All the flour added was whole wheat, hence the 100% whole wheat description.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 6, 2019)

I might try something next week.  My dad 'donated' a bag of bread flour to me.  Want to do a comp between normal KA flour and KA bread flour.  Might also steal the bad of wheat flour my dad bought as well.  They don't bake, so it'll be a fun experiment.

Also, I am close to running out of flour...and I don't feel like buying my usual huge bag.  Uggggh.  Decisions!


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 6, 2019)

KA flour is what I bake with!


----------



## Road Guy (Mar 6, 2019)

I made some corn bread to go with some white bean chilli and forgot to add the baking soda //content.invisioncic.com/r86644/emoticons/default_sad.png


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 7, 2019)

Flat as a brick?


----------



## Road Guy (Mar 7, 2019)

yup - straight to the trash!   I had mixed some pheasant in with the chicken in the white chilli and it was so good too..


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 7, 2019)

Wait, even though they were flat, you threw them out?  Did you try them?  I feel like I've made cornbread before without baking soda...but maybe I pan cooked them?  Like pan cakes?


----------



## Road Guy (Mar 7, 2019)

Took a bite and then tossed it


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 11, 2019)

Whole wheat cinnamon raisin sourdough!


----------



## kevo_55 (Mar 11, 2019)

Well, it does look better than a cinnamon ring.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 12, 2019)

Crappy shot of the lemon-poppy seed cookies I made with a lemon glaze.  Wish I had a lemon in the fridge so I could have substituted lemon zest instead of the extract.  Maybe some candied peel on top next time?


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 12, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> Crappy shot of the lemon-poppy seed cookies I made with a lemon glaze.  Wish I had a lemon in the fridge so I could have substituted lemon zest instead of the extract.  Maybe some candied peel on top next time?


Theose still look so yummy!!


----------



## vee043324 (Mar 12, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> Crappy shot of the lemon-poppy seed cookies I made with a lemon glaze.  Wish I had a lemon in the fridge so I could have substituted lemon zest instead of the extract.  Maybe some candied peel on top next time?


that mug??????? why????????????????


----------



## FLBuff PE (Mar 12, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> Crappy shot of the lemon-poppy seed cookies I made with a lemon glaze.  Wish I had a lemon in the fridge so I could have substituted lemon zest instead of the extract.  Maybe some candied peel on top next time?


Nice lemon party!


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 12, 2019)

vee043324 said:


> that mug??????? why????????????????


MY MOM GOT ME THAT MUG BECAUSE SHE KNOWS I LIKE SPIDERS AND SHE LOVES ME VERY MUCH.

@FLBuff PE


----------



## kevo_55 (Mar 12, 2019)

Ask @tj_PE how she likes spiders.

Those cookies do look yummy though!


----------



## csb (Mar 12, 2019)

I need you all to visit me and bring offerings of baked goods. I'll send my address.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 12, 2019)

csb said:


> I need you all to visit me and bring offerings of baked goods. I'll send my address.


You'll might be getting offerings sooner rather than later!  I'm making another batch of these later this week...and maybe some chocolate chip cookies.  MAYBE YOU'LL GET SOME.


----------



## FLBuff PE (Mar 12, 2019)

So @csb is ASKING for a lemon party, huh?


----------



## Road Guy (Mar 12, 2019)

Can you google lemon party and get the instructions?


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 13, 2019)

I mean, I heard you need to google with at least 2 more friends for moral support.  I guess you need to squeeze a lot of fruit!


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 14, 2019)

Guys.  I went down a terrifying 'what am I doing with my life'-spiral last night and decided to attempt a small batch triple-chocolate chip cookie at approx 10:30 pm last night.

The cookies came out beautiful.  Really nice browned base.  Chewy, but a little crisp at the edges, and the three different chocolate chips really melded well together.


----------



## Ble_PE (Mar 14, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> Guys.  I went down a terrifying 'what am I doing with my life'-spiral last night and decided to attempt a small batch triple-chocolate chip cookie at approx 10:30 pm last night.
> 
> The cookies came out beautiful.  Really nice browned base.  Chewy, but a little crisp at the edges, and the three different chocolate chips really melded well together.


Ok, this has got to stop. I can resist most kinds of sweets, but cookies are my kryptonite. No more talking about these unless they have been overnighted to me to try!!


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 14, 2019)

Ble_PE said:


> Ok, this has got to stop. I can resist most kinds of sweets, but cookies are my kryptonite. No more talking about these unless they have been overnighted to me to try!!


sorry bro.  I only ship cookies to friends and bagels to family.  Plus, I feel like USPS would not take a hastily wrapped box that says "to: Ble_PE" with no address.


----------



## Supe (Mar 14, 2019)

So you're saying that the EB collective aren't your friends?  That's fine.  We see how it is.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 14, 2019)

Supe said:


> So you're saying that the EB collective aren't your friends?  That's fine.  We see how it is.


You're, like, idk, the creepy neighbor who everyone knows about and I say hello to when I get my mail, but I wouldn't let into my house to watch my cats while I'm away on vacation.  So, yes.


----------



## mudpuppy (Mar 14, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> You're, like, idk, the creepy neighbor who everyone knows about and I say hello to when I get my mail, but I wouldn't let into my house to watch my cats while I'm away on vacation.  So, yes.




:banhim:  (we don't have a ban her emoticon?)


----------



## Supe (Mar 14, 2019)

Joke's on her.  We're going to start stealing her mail, and breaking in to shit in her cat's litter box.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 14, 2019)

If I am banned, you'll be sad, because there will be a severe lack of cookie photos.  But I understand.  I'll go hide out in the girls section and cry.

@Supe...It is terrifyingly hilarious that I ordered 2 boxes of cat litter today for delivery?  Just saying,


----------



## mudpuppy (Mar 14, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> If I am banned, you'll be sad, because there will be a severe lack of cookie photos.




You're just a tease!


----------



## Supe (Mar 14, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> If I am banned, you'll be sad, because there will be a severe lack of cookie photos.  But I understand.  I'll go hide out in the girls section and cry.
> 
> @Supe...It is terrifyingly hilarious that I ordered 2 boxes of cat litter today for delivery?  Just saying,


Good thing.  I had BBQ and beans for lunch.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 14, 2019)

I'm no longer doing anything for this weekend, which means I can bake something for St. Patrick's.  I did a Bailey's cheesecake with chocolate ganache a few years ago, and then a Bailey's poke cake with homemade butter cream last year...Maybe apple cake with a custard component?  If I had Guinness I could attempt that weird cake with a cream cheese frosting.  

Ugh.  I'll most likely get too deep into recipe mods and end up eating cheese balls instead of baking.


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 14, 2019)

I'm here to stand by JayKay!

She's awesome. And not just because she's the only other consistent baker to contribute to this thread!


----------



## Road Guy (Mar 14, 2019)

We
Made some
Cookies during be snow storm yesterday - well we made some
Cookie dough and then maybe one batch of cookies cause yeah... 6 teenagers were in the house...


----------



## Ble_PE (Mar 15, 2019)

Road Guy said:


> We
> Made some
> Cookies during be snow storm yesterday - well we made some
> Cookie dough and then maybe one batch of cookies cause yeah... 6 teenagers were in the house...


Is this some kind of weird poem? I keep trying to read it like a haiku or something.


----------



## kevo_55 (Mar 15, 2019)

^^ Lol!!


----------



## Road Guy (Mar 15, 2019)

Sorry I thought this was the “baked” thread..


----------



## csb (Mar 15, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> I'm no longer doing anything for this weekend, which means I can bake something for St. Patrick's.  I did a Bailey's cheesecake with chocolate ganache a few years ago, and then a Bailey's poke cake with homemade butter cream last year...Maybe apple cake with a custard component?  If I had Guinness I could attempt that weird cake with a cream cheese frosting.
> 
> Ugh.  I'll most likely get too deep into recipe mods and end up eating cheese balls instead of baking.


Do you have a link to the poke cake you did? There's a lot of them out there.


----------



## Ble_PE (Mar 15, 2019)

csb said:


> Do you have a link to the poke cake you did? There's a lot of them out there.


This could get really interesting... Does poke pie count?


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 15, 2019)

csb said:


> Do you have a link to the poke cake you did? There's a lot of them out there.


This work?  No link, but scratchy-scratchy JK writing?  If you want, I can try and look for the chocolate cake recipe I usually use, but it might be deeper in the book.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 15, 2019)

Ble_PE said:


> This could get really interesting... Does poke pie count?
> 
> *pic snip*


Too late.  Pie day was yesterday!


----------



## csb (Mar 15, 2019)

I get a denied on that picture. Can you Snapchat it to Vee to put in her Instagram stories so I can screenshot it?


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 15, 2019)

csb said:


> I get a denied on that picture. Can you Snapchat it to Vee to put in her Instagram stories so I can screenshot it?


THIS IS QUITE A ROUNDABOUT WAY.  IF YOU WERE PART OF THE EB GIRLS SNAPCHAT YOU GET ALL THE NONSENSE.  Lololol, I'll send it to @vee043324 and @tj_PE, so they can post it to instagram and MY RECIPE WILL BE STOLEN BY THE WORLD.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 15, 2019)

Did this work?  Now I'm curious on why some people can see some of my photos and some people cannot.  HMMM.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fRgdVWPizkWPKQdy5


----------



## csb (Mar 15, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> Did this work?  Now I'm curious on why some people can see some of my photos and some people cannot.  HMMM.
> 
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/fRgdVWPizkWPKQdy5


Perfect. 

FYI- Honey Drizzle is a friend's drag name.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 15, 2019)

csb said:


> Perfect.
> 
> FYI- Honey Drizzle is a friend's drag name.


Huzzah!  Ugly JK handwriting!!!  

And Honey Drizzle is the best drag name.  I feel like most baking things could be great drag names.  Like Moist Crumble or Soggy Bottom or Rapidly Whip.


----------



## csb (Mar 15, 2019)

Mine would be Muffin Top.


----------



## Supe (Mar 18, 2019)

I'm so used to reading "poke" like "poe-kay" because of how frequently we have sushi, that this thread really grossed me out for a minute.  Like, even for a fat kid, buttercream frosting on fish does not sound like a winner.


----------



## csb (Mar 18, 2019)

Supe said:


> I'm so used to reading "poke" like "poe-kay" because of how frequently we have sushi, that this thread really grossed me out for a minute.  Like, even for a fat kid, buttercream frosting on fish does not sound like a winner.


I found my next weight loss shake recipe!


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 12, 2019)

Which type of sourdough bread to make this weekend...

Also, my fiance is going to a sourdough pizza making class on Sunday. This was my gift to him for his birthday a few weeks ago. Partly to up our pizza game, partly to get him the knowledge himself for making sourdough pizza dough, and partly to just give him an introduction to the world of sourdough!


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 15, 2019)

Ok, not sure if this counts, but...

I love breakfasts on the go, so I’ve been trying to make meals in advance so I can grab something from the freezer to eat when I get to work. Normally I do egg sandwiches, but I wanted to try something a little different, that would be healthy at the same time.

So, I made a frittata with spinach, cherry tomatoes, onions, chives, bacon (so much for healthy), and cheese.

I had to cook it on the stove then put it in the oven, so it kinda counts as baked, right?

There are 12 eggs in this concoction. I think I’ll be set for a couple weeks.


----------



## Supe (Apr 16, 2019)

I like frittatas, and the wife likes quiches.  Problem is, if its my whole breakfast, I'll eat an easy 4-5 eggs worth at a clip, and it becomes not worth the prep time!


----------



## kevo_55 (Apr 16, 2019)

Your pan is RG approved!!


----------



## Dean Agnostic (Apr 19, 2019)

banana chocolate chia cookie from Starbucks. I ate two and bought 4 more for my snacks on the plane. @JayKay0914 @leggo PE maybe y'all know the real recipes for this.


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 19, 2019)

Cookies are not my forte, unfortunately. But I bet there is a recipe for this on Google!


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 22, 2019)

I was not adventurous with my toppings this time!

Two with salt, two with parmesan reggiano cheese, and two with everything bagel seasoning.


----------



## Supe (Apr 22, 2019)

I want that parm pretzel so hard right now.


----------



## kevo_55 (Apr 22, 2019)

YUM!

I want one of those everything pretzels!


----------



## JayKay PE (Apr 23, 2019)

@Dean Agnostic Mmmmmm, never worked with chia before, but I have made banana cookies before!  You can prob mod the recipe a little.  Big thing about working with banana is that it's super moist, depending on how ripe it is, so you usually end up with either way less batter or way more batter (depending on what you're baking).


----------



## leggo PE (May 6, 2019)

I couldn't help myself...







Oh and this...




It's a lemon yogurt cake!


----------



## Supe (May 6, 2019)




----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jun 13, 2019)

Don’t you hate it when you throw a bunch of ingredients together and a lovely loaf of bread comes out?


----------



## JayKay PE (Jun 13, 2019)

*need to bake rising*

I finally moved this past couple of weekends/been busy with life, but I might un-pack the mixer.  Whip up something that uses the 4-quarts of farm strawberries I got last week.


----------



## leggo PE (Jun 18, 2019)

Gahhh I haven't baked in too long... But I'm planning to make some crispy rosemary flatbread for dinner with friends tonight, and have been giving my lovely sourdough starter more attention this week after she was neglected in the fridge for a bit too long.

I'm thinking I might finally try to make sourdough bagels this weekend...


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 22, 2019)




----------



## leggo PE (Aug 23, 2019)

K, I haven't baked in like forever. But this morning, I put the sourdough sponge (essentially, the "mother dough") together for a dozen (!!) bagels I intend to somehow fit into making this weekend. 

I'm really not sure when I'll have time, since I'm going to two birthday parties tomorrow (one in the daytime, outside of the city, and one in the nighttime, luckily in the city), and then going to the A's-Giants game in Oakland on Sunday, which will eat up most of the day.

But hey, homemade bagels are worth it!!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Aug 23, 2019)

I've made a bazillion batches of superhero muffins lately and a triple berry buttermilk bundt cake but that's it. 

1. It's too hot

2. I'm never home

3. I can't stand my boyfriends oven plus my baking stuff is at my place not his so I'm not particularly inspired to make much while I'm there.

I really wanna bake. But my coworkers are also unappreciative, inconsiderate assholes. But boyf's coworkers like and appreciate my baking so this winter, they get the cookies!


----------



## Supe (Aug 26, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> K, I haven't baked in like forever. But this morning, I put the sourdough sponge (essentially, the "mother dough") together for a dozen (!!) bagels I intend to somehow fit into making this weekend.
> 
> I'm really not sure when I'll have time, since I'm going to two birthday parties tomorrow (one in the daytime, outside of the city, and one in the nighttime, luckily in the city), and then going to the A's-Giants game in Oakland on Sunday, which will eat up most of the day.
> 
> But hey, homemade bagels are worth it!!


Did y'all ever end up making sourdough pizza?  That sounded really good.


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 26, 2019)

Supe said:


> Did y'all ever end up making sourdough pizza?  That sounded really good.


Yes, we have been for several months now! It's really upped our homemade pizza game. My husband is super proud of it, and it tastes so good!

Also, the aforementioned bagels:


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 9, 2019)

Muffins galore!




I also made a blueberry lemon buttermilk Bundt cake... Here it is without it's lemon glaze:




I was and still am super stoked that it came out of its mold without sticking at all!


----------



## Supe (Sep 10, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I also made a blueberry lemon buttermilk Bundt cake... Here it is without it's lemon glaze


DO WANT.


----------



## kevo_55 (Sep 10, 2019)

It almost looks too good to eat......


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 10, 2019)

Oh but we've had no problem eating it! It's not super healthy... It had a lot of butter and a fair amount of sugar in it.

To offset that when the muffins we're being made, I subbed in the butter normally required for the recipe with coconut oil. The muffins required sugar too, but at least it was (much less, by volume) brown sugar.


----------



## Supe (Sep 10, 2019)

Yeah, because the person eating an entire bundt cake covered in a sugar glaze is super concerned about counting calories.


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 10, 2019)

Haha! I sure as heck didn't eat the whole thing. Pawned off more than half of it on drunken friends Saturday night. They were willing takers!


----------



## Master slacker (Sep 11, 2019)

I'll be in Colorado next weekend.  I'll update this thread as needed.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 11, 2019)

46 days until I can bake guilt freeeeeeeeee

My bestie is placing a King Arthur Flour order at some point soon and is getting me a sourdough starter.

So I'll be making sourdough bagels at some point after the exam. And feeding the starter while I study - hope it doesn't die like my cactus


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 11, 2019)

I just placed a KAF order yesterday... But for some flour. Can't wait for you to get your starter, @LyceeFruit! I use the Peter Reinhardt NY Style method of bagels using my sourdough starter. That's what it's been for the photos (I think) I've posted here! And most of my bread recipes have come from theperfectloaf.com. Maurizio has never led me wrong!


----------



## Road Guy (Sep 11, 2019)

Master slacker said:


> I'll be in Colorado next weekend.  I'll update this thread as needed.


They have professional bakers here, no need to bake your own - you can get pretty much anything in an edible format, from gummy bears, chocolates, pretzels, etc..

I only know by having done research for "science"

But in all reality you should check out one of the larger shops while here, even just to look, its a riot.  I took my Atlanta cop friends to the one in Vegas (its about the size of an Office depot) and they were like What the Fuck world am I in???


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 11, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I just placed a KAF order yesterday... But for some flour. Can't wait for you to get your starter, @LyceeFruit! I use the Peter Reinhardt NY Style method of bagels using my sourdough starter. That's what it's been for the photos (I think) I've posted here! And most of my bread recipes have come from theperfectloaf.com. Maurizio has never led me wrong!


thanks for the tips! I figured I'd just use whatever KAF had on their site lol

I think she's also getting both of us some flour - I no longer remember what I asked for. But standard KAF flour is easily accessible for us (AP, wheat, whire white, bread, etc) since KAF is considered local, the major grocery store here carries it. I personally don't notice a difference if I use store brand or KAF but KAF is an employee-owned company and local so I find that important to support


----------



## JayKay PE (Sep 12, 2019)

I love KAF so much.  I know the Costco/BJs near me usually sells it in 10-lb bags, and I'm worried I'll have to order it through the mail once I move.  I use regular AP flour for most of my baking, but I want to start experimenting with coconut flour to try and cut carbs while still baking.


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 12, 2019)

I order 5 lb bags from KAF or Thrive Market reasonably often. It's not a big deal to do!


----------



## Supe (Sep 12, 2019)

Hey bakers - what do you use for mixers than can power through the occasional heavy/thick dough?  Mrs. Supe wants a KitchenAid mixer,  and I'm wondering if the Classic Plus is good enough, or if we need to shell out the big bucks for the Artisan series.  She mostly does cookies/cakes, very rarely a bread or biscuit dough.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Sep 12, 2019)

Supe said:


> Hey bakers - what do you use for mixers than can power through the occasional heavy/thick dough?  Mrs. Supe wants a KitchenAid mixer,  and I'm wondering if the Classic Plus is good enough, or if we need to shell out the big bucks for the Artisan series.  She mostly does cookies/cakes, very rarely a bread or biscuit dough.


The standard KitchenAid (with dough hook recommended) should work fine. We love ours.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 12, 2019)

I believe mine is a standard, its from the early 90s and I've used it for doughs with no issue.

But things to think about! space between the counter and the bottom of your cabinets - the models are different heights if you get the tilt head vs the bowl raise. I don't think I could ever use one of the bowl raise ones. The tilt head seems so much easier to clean off the beater


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 12, 2019)

Yep, I have the standard KitchenAid also. I don't keep it on the counter, but instead in a cupboard. Head height is something definitely to consider.

There's no real point in getting a bigger/fancier KitchenAid unless maybe you're baking large quantities of things all the time. That is not my use for it!


----------



## Supe (Sep 12, 2019)

100% do not want the bowl raise one/Pro model.  We have pretty decent under-cabinet space, so no issue there.  She always uses it on our island anyways, so tilt head for sure.  

Thanks guys, I'll go with the standard version.


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 12, 2019)

That's a great husband right there!


----------



## mudpuppy (Sep 12, 2019)

We have the Aritsan, but I think mainly because my wife liked the color and she got it on a deal (I think we paid about $280).  We typically only use it around Christmas, but it's nice that it can do larger batches of cookies (we did around 60 dozen cookies last Christmas).


----------



## Supe (Sep 12, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> That's a great husband right there!


Her birthday is in early October, and I have no f'ing clue what else to get her.  She's been asking for one for about 5 years now, LOL.


----------



## kevo_55 (Sep 12, 2019)

^^ Costco has them on sale right now. BUY IT NOW.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 13, 2019)

mudpuppy said:


> We have the Aritsan, but I think mainly because my wife liked the color and she got it on a deal (I think we paid about $280).  We typically only use it around Christmas, but it's nice that it can do larger batches of cookies (we did around 60 dozen cookies last Christmas).


I would 100% do that too lol

And likely will when mine kicks the bucket. Mine is a hand-me-down from the earlys 90s but I'm hoping I can just find someone to repair it instead.


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 13, 2019)

That's a lot of cookies! All in one batch, mixed all at once?


----------



## mudpuppy (Sep 13, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> That's a lot of cookies! All in one batch, mixed all at once?




Oh geez no, that would be one huge batch!  But having the bigger mixer helped cut down on the number of batches we had to mix.


----------



## snickerd3 (Sep 15, 2019)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> The standard KitchenAid (with dough hook recommended) should work fine. We love ours.


This.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Sep 15, 2019)

So as it turns out, we actually have the artisan. Sorry for misleading.

But I did some research on the differences between the standard and the artisan, and it appears the biggest differences are 1) artisan has a bowl that is 0.5 quarts bigger, 2) artisan comes with a bowl with a handle, plus more attachments included, and 3) the artisan has a much bigger color selection. There doesn’t appear to be any difference in power or speed settings.

source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/shopping/kitchenaid-classic-vs-kitchenaid-artisan-mixer-comparison/


----------



## Supe (Sep 16, 2019)

The classic has 250 watts,  the Classic Plus is a 275 watt unit, and its 325 watts for the Artisan.  The Ultra Power slots in between the Classic Plus and the Artisan at 300 watts, but for some reason comes with burnished mixers/beaters instead of the coated ones.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 16, 2019)

@Supe don't forget to get Mrs Supe this:

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KFE5T-Beater-Tilt-Head-Mixers/dp/B004A15870

(or whatever one fits the mixer you buy - I just grabbed the first link listed tbh))

I absolutely love mine and no longer use the paddle that came with my mixer.


----------



## mudpuppy (Sep 16, 2019)

Supe said:


> The classic has 250 watts,  the Classic Plus is a 275 watt unit, and its 325 watts for the Artisan.  The Ultra Power slots in between the Classic Plus and the Artisan at 300 watts, but for some reason comes with burnished mixers/beaters instead of the coated ones.




I'll say when we do a big batch of dough it sounds like it's bogging down a little, even with the Artisan.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Sep 16, 2019)

Supe said:


> The classic has 250 watts,  the Classic Plus is a 275 watt unit, and its 325 watts for the Artisan.


I stand corrected.


----------



## mudpuppy (Sep 16, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> @Supe don't forget to get Mrs Supe this:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KFE5T-Beater-Tilt-Head-Mixers/dp/B004A15870
> 
> ...




That looks nice but it's a little pricey... does it eliminate the need to scrape the bowl while you're mixing, or do you still have to occasionally manually scrape?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 16, 2019)

mudpuppy said:


> That looks nice but it's a little pricey... does it eliminate the need to scrape the bowl while you're mixing, or do you still have to occasionally manually scrape?


you still have to scrape but it's way less. i usually only scrape once now. and i've had this paddle for like 7.5 years, it's so worth it


----------



## Supe (Sep 16, 2019)

Thanks guys.  I'm leaning towards the Artisan right now.  I had a feeling Mrs. Supe would like one of the color options for a little contrast/retro look, when I noticed that for some reason the gloss cinnamon color (basically a burgundy red) is selling for $279 new direct from Amazon.  All the other colors are selling for $379, normally $425.  The extra power/capacity/pouring shield for an extra $79 is kind of a no brainer.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 16, 2019)

@Supe if Mrs. Supe is left-handed, she may not find the pouring shield particularly helpful.

I ended up getting rid of mine since I'm left handed and using it didn't result in any sort of ease. Plus it's bulky and I keep a cover over my mixer to keep it cleaner - the pouring shield got in the way


----------



## Supe (Sep 16, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> @Supe if Mrs. Supe is left-handed, she may not find the pouring shield particularly helpful.
> 
> I ended up getting rid of mine since I'm left handed and using it didn't result in any sort of ease. Plus it's bulky and I keep a cover over my mixer to keep it cleaner - the pouring shield got in the way


She is right handed, and I'm sure would have no problem tossing in the trash if its utterly useless!


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 16, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> @Supe don't forget to get Mrs Supe this:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KFE5T-Beater-Tilt-Head-Mixers/dp/B004A15870
> 
> ...


Woah, that's awesome! I should get this for myself!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 16, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Woah, that's awesome! I should get this for myself!


It is! I ended up buying one for my grandmother for hers after I had had mine for awhile.

Just make sure you get the right one for your mixer - the link I posted was legit the first result for "kitchenaid paddle scraper" lol


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 16, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> It is! I ended up buying one for my grandmother for hers after I had had mine for awhile.
> 
> Just make sure you get the right one for your mixer - the link I posted was legit the first result for "kitchenaid paddle scraper" lol


Yeah, I saw that there's a place to search for the model number (which is probably what I'll do) to find the right version. Super handy!


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 23, 2019)

Yesterday, I baked these apple carrot muffins: https://cookieandkate.com/apple-carrot-muffins-recipe/

They are yummy but if/when I make them again, I will definitely heed the warning about lining the muffin tin! I didn't line it with anything, instead choosing to spray it with coconut oil (which is my normal go-to for my non-stick pan) and they stuck quite a bit. Maybe I should have let them cool completely before trying to get them out of the pan onto the cooling rack, because the batter was a bit more crumbly due to the oats in it. 

But in any case, I'm eating one right now and quite enjoying it!


----------



## Supe (Sep 24, 2019)

I gave Mrs. Supe her mixer last night (Gloss Cinnamon Artisan), even though her birthday is next week, in hopes that she'll get her baking frenzy out of her system next week while I'm out of town.  I think she was more excited over a damn mixer than she was her engagement ring.


----------



## JayKay PE (Sep 24, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Yesterday, I baked these apple carrot muffins: https://cookieandkate.com/apple-carrot-muffins-recipe/
> 
> They are yummy but if/when I make them again, I will definitely heed the warning about lining the muffin tin! I didn't line it with anything, instead choosing to spray it with coconut oil (which is my normal go-to for my non-stick pan) and they stuck quite a bit. Maybe I should have let them cool completely before trying to get them out of the pan onto the cooling rack, because the batter was a bit more crumbly due to the oats in it.
> 
> But in any case, I'm eating one right now and quite enjoying it!


Usually when I deal with oats/cake-breads/muffins, I let them cool for around 10-minutes after I pull them out of the oven before starting to play with them.  I learned the hard way with a chocolate chip banana bread that hadn't 'settled' and I ended up yanking it out of the bread pan...but only the top half of it.  Resulting in hot mush all over my hand from pulling too hard.

Also, I line with Crisco or butter+flour (because why not kill myself slower).  I always found sprays never worked for me, even the 'miracle sprays' that supposedly keep anything from sticking.  Maybe it's because I like to use more dark brown sugar than regular sugar in my desserts thus more sticky?


----------



## JayKay PE (Sep 24, 2019)

Double-post!

On the subject of KitchenAid mixers, I do have a pro 5+ (I believe, I know it's def a pro series and I don't think it's a 600).  5-quart capacity + a 425 watt motor = I can mix anything (or mostly anything).  Really helps when I'm working challah bread, which usually calls for around 5 cups of flour or more, and the handle on the mixing bowl comes in handy more than usual once you have it when you start working with bigger mixes.  Plus I like the lift more than the tilt head.  Means I can have my unit pretty close to the wall, if necessary, and I feel like the unit is more stable when it's grinding through some of my more tough doughs/cookies mixes, whereas I feel a tilt head would not have handled it so easily.  This is specifically when I'm working at medium-mix speeds with fairly dense mixes, like anise cookies or babka.  I also believe the Pro-series have the metal drive train throughout, and the artisan/smaller models didn't, but I can't recall if KitchenAid fixed that due to all the complaints?

Any who, I got it for really cheap due to a combination of Target no longer selling them/trying to get rid of them, a few Target gift cards, and my brother's Target employee discount.  I think it was like $90-something after all was said and done?  I mean, it's not as pretty as the tilt mixers, and I'm sad I can't add as many decals, but this this is a trucker that I've never feared of overheating or stopping, even when mixing some really tough bread.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 24, 2019)

Supe said:


> I gave Mrs. Supe her mixer last night (Gloss Cinnamon Artisan), even though her birthday is next week, in hopes that she'll get her baking frenzy out of her system next week while I'm out of town.  I think she was more excited over a damn mixer than she was her engagement ring.


TBH, I'd be more excited over a mixer than a ring


----------



## Supe (Sep 24, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> TBH, I'd be more excited over a mixer than a ring


It makes more sense when you consider it was me on the other side of the ring.


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 30, 2019)

Smitten Kitchen cinnamon sugar scones baked yesterday!

Debating trying to make challah tonight (L'Shana Tova to my Jewish EBers!) But not looking forward to the 3-4 goes or could take to make with the time or needs to rise...


----------



## JayKay PE (Oct 1, 2019)

I've got a pretty legit challah recipe, if you'd like.  I like to do 5 or 6-strand braids.  Usually it's a weekend project for me due to the multiple proves.

Also...was going to bake tonight/break in the new oven to see how it heats chocolate chip cookies, but I randomly got off the waitlist for a meetup group thing.  Since I'm trying to be sociable at this new location, I guess I need to go.  Maybe I'll bake on Wednesday after gym class?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 1, 2019)

@leggo PE those look so good.

I saw her post them on IG last weekend.

I made another batch of superhero muffins last weekend. And will likely make more this weekend lol


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## leggo PE (Oct 1, 2019)

Made the challah! Apple honey challah, recipe also from Smitten Kitchen. I was majorly inspired by her story yesterday, but didn't make the fig one she demonstrated because I didn't have any figs. I did have apples and honey though!

Yeah next time, I'll probably make challah on a weekend too. From start to end, it took about 4 hours, which had me up later last night than I would have liked normally. But I think it was worth it! 




It did end up being more square than round, but it rose well and smells delicious. It was a four strand braid. I definitely need to work on my braiding! I see much more challah in my future, since the actual process wasn't that difficult, more just time-consuming.

Can't wait to try it after work tonight!


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## JayKay PE (Oct 1, 2019)

@leggo PE Ah!!!  That looks so great!  I don't think I've ever had a 'round' challah?  I've always braided it and had it be as long as my forearm.  I have a huge container of buckwheat honey my mom bought me recently.  I reaaaaallly want to try and make a honey cake sometime this weekend.  

Being sociable is hard and is cutting into my baking time.


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## leggo PE (Oct 1, 2019)

Honeyyyyy! I want to bake more with honey. Which is saying something, seeing as honey is usually the sweetener (foregoing white sugar) in most of the things I bake. Probably because I look for recipes that don't use a lot of white sugar. And heck, I always sub in turbinado sugar instead of white sugar anyway.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 1, 2019)

I almost never bake with white sugar...because I like to use homemade brown sugar instead (mix all those molasses in!).  I don't think I've ever really used honey in a recipe before, but I use it a lot as a sweetener for my morning yogurt, when I remember.  I like using buckwheat honey in general since it's so much darker and has more of a nutty (?) taste to it instead of the clover and wildflower honey that is what is usually in super markets.  Def want to make a honey cake.  Maybe I can buy a pretty pan or something this weekend.  I also need to buy some shortening/Crisco.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 1, 2019)

I've wanted to make challah forever for some reason. I've never even eaten it but I think it's the braiding portion of it...

I also want to make the fig rolls from Great British Bake Off - learned they have a website with all of their recipes so that'll happen at some point soon.

KAF just posted buttery snickerdoodles on their IG and I want to make those too. I have a veryyyyyyyyy long "to bake" list


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## JayKay PE (Oct 2, 2019)

I need to learn how to convert weights to cups/tbsp/etc.  I always want to try BBO recipes!  But they are always listed by weight (which I knoooooow is more accurate) and always include simple or golden syrup....Which are ridiculously hard to find here in the US, unless I go to an extremely expensive import store or buy it online.  I might start tinkering because there were a couple of bakes that I was like, "This.  This is what I want to make."

Dude.  @LyceeFruit @leggo PE.  I know we all have potential bake lists that far out lengthen common sense.  Would it be possible to have a 'bake month' or something, where we submit the recipes we've always wanted to bake, but keep putting off, and then try to bake one once a week with results/pictures posted here?  Maybe staggered so one person posts on Monday, one on Wednesday, one on Friday, or something like that?  I feel like I'd be more inclined to attempting a clementine tea loaf if I knew some people were expecting photos.  Would force me outside my bubble/keep me expanding my baking instead of keeping towards the recipes that I like/know.


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## mudpuppy (Oct 2, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> I need to learn how to convert weights to cups/tbsp/etc.  I always want to try BBO recipes!  But they are always listed by weight (which I knoooooow is more accurate) and always include simple or golden syrup....Which are ridiculously hard to find here in the US, unless I go to an extremely expensive import store or buy it online.  I might start tinkering because there were a couple of bakes that I was like, "This.  This is what I want to make."
> 
> Dude.  @LyceeFruit @leggo PE.  I know we all have potential bake lists that far out lengthen common sense.  Would it be possible to have a 'bake month' or something, where we submit the recipes we've always wanted to bake, but keep putting off, and then try to bake one once a week with results/pictures posted here?  Maybe staggered so one person posts on Monday, one on Wednesday, one on Friday, or something like that?  I feel like I'd be more inclined to attempting a clementine tea loaf if I knew some people were expecting photos.  Would force me outside my bubble/keep me expanding my baking instead of keeping towards the recipes that I like/know.




You can make your own simple syrup.  Back when I used to drink cocktails I made my own simple syrup for them.  I'd be willing to bet you can make your own golden syrup too.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 2, 2019)

JayKay0914 said:


> I need to learn how to convert weights to cups/tbsp/etc.  I always want to try BBO recipes!  But they are always listed by weight (which I knoooooow is more accurate) and always include simple or golden syrup....Which are ridiculously hard to find here in the US, unless I go to an extremely expensive import store or buy it online.  I might start tinkering because there were a couple of bakes that I was like, "This.  This is what I want to make."
> 
> Dude.  @LyceeFruit @leggo PE.  I know we all have potential bake lists that far out lengthen common sense.  Would it be possible to have a 'bake month' or something, where we submit the recipes we've always wanted to bake, but keep putting off, and then try to bake one once a week with results/pictures posted here?  Maybe staggered so one person posts on Monday, one on Wednesday, one on Friday, or something like that?  I feel like I'd be more inclined to attempting a clementine tea loaf if I knew some people were expecting photos.  Would force me outside my bubble/keep me expanding my baking instead of keeping towards the recipes that I like/know.


140g = 1c for AP flour typically 

1tsp = 5g

1tbsp = 15g

King Arthur Flour has conversions on their website. A kitchen scale is like 15$ and not only is it more accurate, it's less dishes which won me over very quickly. 

Re golden syrup:

as  @mudpuppy said, you can make it yourself. But also light Karo is a substitute and is in most grocery stores.

And yes to the weekly baking things. Boyfriend's coworkers will hate me even more LOL


----------



## JayKay PE (Oct 2, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> 140g = 1c for AP flour typically
> 
> 1tsp = 5g
> 
> ...


Yeah, my mom got me a kitchen scale right before I moved so, unfortunately, it did not come with me on my big move across the states due to space being needed for clothes and other knick-knacks.

@mudpuppy Thanks for the info!  I never thought to make it myself, since I usually just see it in a recipe and that turns me off.  Maybe I'll have to attempt this weekend, but light Karo is also something I'll look into.

AND WEEKLY BAKING IT SHALL BE.  I need to get together a list of things I've wanted to try.  Maybe we could limit it to 4 recipes?


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 2, 2019)

@JayKay0914 i grew up with karo in my house - my grandfather put it on pancakes instead of maple syrup. it's also in pecan pie (i think, too lazy to google) and i feel like i used it when i made marshmallows (0/10 recommend btw)


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## leggo PE (Oct 2, 2019)

In for baking stuff together! I usually do my baking on the weekend, but can post photos whenever.

Also, the challah tasted okay, but the bites that didn't have apple in them were a bit plain tasting. A small bummer!


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## JayKay PE (Oct 2, 2019)

Ohhhh!  And maybe after the first month of us all trying different recipes, we could do a 'matched month' where we all bake the same thing, maybe with minor modifications (like more or less flour or vanilla) and compare the results?

JK wants to get back into baking and I think this would be fun too!


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 2, 2019)

@JayKay0914 as long as it's after the PE, I'm so down for this.

I wanna make scones. And muffins. and the SK apple plum pie (I legit was just telling my coworkers about it since he went apple picking!)

My bestie and I are going to do a GBBO bake-off. with one oven lol (and not a lot of counter space no matter whose house we're at lol)


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## leggo PE (Oct 2, 2019)

Could we stretch it out to like four recipes over six weeks or something? I might not always have the time to bake every week... Despite me baking twice this week!


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## leggo PE (Oct 2, 2019)

I would like to bake some cakes from the Simple Cake cookbook by Odette Williams. Also have been meaning to try a sourdough sandwich bread loaf. Maybe also sourdough foccacia? And I love making muffins!! I currently have some zucchinis I plan to turn into chocolate zucchini muffins this weekend...


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## JayKay PE (Oct 2, 2019)

We could def wait until after the Oct PE, @LyceeFruit! I was just spitballing an idea and didn't think you guys would be totes on board!  I think it would be fun, and if we're waiting until after the exam it'll give me time to get used to my new oven.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 2, 2019)

23 days! I'm so flipping excited.

Re sourdough:: I make no breads but my friend is getting me sourdough starter when she orders from KAF. I've named him Gerald already. I want to make sourdough bagels even though my attempt at regular bagels didn't work.

And now, the best place to proof bread in my boyfriend's house is in the direct path of the vent of his new heat pump -___-  which is still on AC (its 61F and grey here in Maine today)


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 2, 2019)

I'm also going to dabble in some keto desserts. I have a coworker who switched to keto to manage his t2d and it's working very well for him. I asked him if I found keto recipes, if he'd eat them and he said yes. So I have another new challenge


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## leggo PE (Oct 2, 2019)

My starter is named Sasha. I forget what my husband's is named... I want to say, Doughby or Doughboy or something, but I might be completely making that up.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 8, 2019)

Okay.  Made chocolate chip cookies this past weekend (mixed sugar base + molasses + bitter sweet chips) in an attempt to try my new oven.  It's an electric oven, not gas, and it seems to heat pretty evenly?  But I felt like it was getting slightly warmer as I threw batches in and the actual trays weren't that hot when I scooped on new dough.  Interested to see how it performs on a longer bake when I'm not opening/closing the door over and over again.

Wedding this weekend, but I have off on Columbus Day (whaaaaaaat), so I might make some almond cloud cookies that I've wanted to do for a while.


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## leggo PE (Oct 8, 2019)

I baked 50/50 wholewheat sourdough bread this past weekend... Not my best loaves by a long shot, mainly because I pushed the boundaries really far in terms of timing before mixing the dough. Basically, I think both loaves were massively over proofed. Oh well! They still smell great, and I'm sure they'll taste good too.


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## Master slacker (Oct 10, 2019)

Does this topic include only delicious, bread-based or snacky dessert-like noms or does it also allow for the inquiring of dutch oven based camp-style cooking (full meals)?


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## JayKay PE (Oct 10, 2019)

Master slacker said:


> Does this topic include only delicious, bread-based or snacky dessert-like noms or does it also allow for the inquiring of dutch oven based camp-style cooking (full meals)?


I think this thread originally was a 'baking-only', but it's turned into more of a cooking thread?  I like to do a lot of 'one pot'-cooking when I camp, so feel free to ask.  I don't think anyone will shun you for posting delicious questions vs. only treats.


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## Supe (Oct 10, 2019)

Master slacker said:


> Does this topic include only delicious, bread-based or snacky dessert-like noms or does it also allow for the inquiring of dutch oven based camp-style cooking (full meals)?


Just for you, @Master slacker, I am going to start a separate cooking thread.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 10, 2019)

Supe said:


> Just for you, @Master slacker, I am going to start a separate cooking thread.


You're a monster.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 10, 2019)

I'm thinking that homemade poptarts might be one of my first bakes post-PE.

Because why not make pie crust from scratch after an extended break lol

Likely the SK ones: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/homemade-pop-tarts/

But I may keep looking because I wanna do frosting and sprinkles (which is weird since I hate frosting cakes/cupcakes - I'm usually over the process by the time it's cooled enough to do so i do it begrudgingly)


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## JayKay PE (Oct 10, 2019)

I'm assuming you wouldn't do a cream cheese frosting for the poptarts, since you want it to firm up?  Maybe like a royal icing?  I'm eagerly awaiting the results!

Also, someone at work was ridiculously happy when I said I make sweet potato pie (he exclaimed something like, 'white women only make pumpkin pie here?!  My wife and I need to adopt you!"), so I guess that means I need to start practicing.  I need a better pie crust recipe.  I don't know if I should go butter crust or vodka/butter crust or Crisco crust.  I'm horrible at pie crusts, I never get them flaky enough, but I'm trying to figure out what would go best with sweet potato?

Monday I think I need to make a big batch of my pumpkin spice.  I hate the flavoring that the 'pre-packaged' pumpkin spice is mostly just cinnamon; my blend has more cloves and ginger.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 10, 2019)

I wouldn't do cream cheese frosting since I don't like cream cheese lol

But yeah, I was thinking royal icing - it's been a long time since i've made it. 

pumpkin pie spice is so easy to make, i don't know why you'd by it (says the one who buys taco seasoning half of the time lol)


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## leggo PE (Oct 14, 2019)

I wasn't originally planning on making sourdough bread this past weekend, but woke up Saturday with the intense urge to. My starter (all purpose flour based) wasn't active, but thankfully, my husband's rye flour starter was due to pizza dough making activities. So I took some of his starter, and for the second time ever, made sourdough from a recipe and process that was completely of my own design. This is a significant step in my  sourdough baking hobby! And big for me in general, because I am definitely typically a recipe follower.

Anyway, this is possibly the best bake I have ever had! I haven't cut into the loaves yet to see the crumb, but I have decently high hopes thanks to how much they rose!







That second loaf is coming with us our friends' place tonight. They just had a baby and we are making them dinner and get to meet the little one!


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## leggo PE (Oct 14, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Yes, we have been for several months now! It's really upped our homemade pizza game. My husband is super proud of it, and it tastes so good!
> 
> Also, the aforementioned bagels:
> 
> View attachment 13675


Also, my plain sourdough bagel got aa race review from my husband on Saturday! I wasn't home to try one, but am excited to now. I baked these at the end of August and we're only now getting to them since we've been so busy on the weekends!


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 14, 2019)

@leggo PE is there room in your house (or neighborhood) for me to move in and help with bagel consumption?


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## leggo PE (Oct 14, 2019)

We do have a second bedroom!


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## Supe (Oct 15, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I baked these at the end of August and we're only now getting to them since we've been so busy on the weekends!


A month and a half old bagel?  How are those not hard as a rock?


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## kevo_55 (Oct 15, 2019)

Supe said:


> A month and a half old bagel?  How are those not hard as a rock?


Butter, and lots of it.............


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## Supe (Oct 15, 2019)

kevo_55 said:


> Butter, and lots of it.............


Just submerge and simmer on low for 4 hours?


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## kevo_55 (Oct 15, 2019)

This may need to move to the cooking thread then.


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## Supe (Oct 15, 2019)

kevo_55 said:


> This may need to move to the cooking thread then.


It's a way better thread, anyways.


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## leggo PE (Oct 15, 2019)

Supe said:


> A month and a half old bagel?  How are those not hard as a rock?


Frozen, duh!


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## leggo PE (Oct 15, 2019)

Supe said:


> It's a way better thread, anyways.


I think you're just jealous...


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## Master slacker (Oct 15, 2019)

Supe said:


> A month and a half old bagel?  How are those not hard as a rock?






leggo PE said:


> Frozen, duh!


What magic does your freezer have that a frozen bagel is not hard as a rock?


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## leggo PE (Oct 15, 2019)

Umm freeze and toast, duh! My bagels are never hard as a rock... Unless they're left out at room temperature when first bought for too long. But that never happens in my household. We only eat bagels once a week max., so freezing is essential.

My sourdough bagels also happen to have excellent chew to them, which makes them even better than the local bagels you can get around here.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 21, 2019)

Anyone have a source for buying almond flour in bulk that isn't one of the membership stores (Sams, BJs, Costco) or Amazon?
I thought my local CoOp carried it in the bulk bins but they don't and otherwise it's buying 1lb bags at 6.99$-9.99$ a pop (depending if I get to Renys or get it at Hannafords). I can find the slightly bigger bags sometimes at certain Hannafords. But I'm thinking I need a bulk source soon and I'd like to avoid excessive packaging and adding to Bezos gold hoard.

Same for coconut oil. I've been buying the Hannafords brand since it comes in a glass jar but now I have a bunch of these glass jars. So I'm thinking I need to find another brand that sells it in like 32oz+ containers - even if it does mean plastic. I've got a bit of time til I need to go that route but curious if anyone has had success in either route.


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## leggo PE (Oct 21, 2019)

I don't know where you might get bulk almond flour, unfortunately. I don't use it thaaat much, so I buy the small Bob's Red Mill bags.

I made some more muffins this weekend: 




They are zucchini muffins and I filled the tins so much, I only got 11 muffins instead of 12. But they rose a lot, and taste good! 

I also made oatmeal chocolate chip raisin cookies, but somehow managed to double the amount of flour in them. Instead of 3/4 c, I put in 1.5 c, and didn't realize what I had done until they were already baking... Though I definitely noticed the dough was super dry and hard to mix together when I was mixing it. But despite them being somewhat crumbly, they actually still taste good! I would try that recipe again for sure, with the proper ratio of flour.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 21, 2019)

I'm thinking these will be my first bake post-PE:

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cheddar-cheese-and-scallion-scones-recipe

Because I want savory scones and the ones at our local bakery always have bacon in them. 

Plus it can replace the muffins for a few days


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## JayKay PE (Oct 21, 2019)

Uhhhhh.  Now I really want to make savory scones, but with chili powder/Mexican cheese.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Oct 21, 2019)

Last night wife made pumpkin scones with maple glaze. So delicious.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 21, 2019)

I just want to bake something, anything, that is not the muffins.

And doesn't require a mixer since I haven't moved that over yet.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 21, 2019)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Last night wife made pumpkin scones with maple glaze. So delicious.


Recipe please


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Oct 21, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> Recipe please


I’ll have to ask. She used a scone box mix and modified it slightly; turned out like dessert biscuits.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 22, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> I just want to bake something, anything, that is not the muffins.
> 
> And doesn't require a mixer since I haven't moved that over yet.


I mean, you could always do basic oatmeal cookies or sugar cookies that require fridging?  Leave butter out so it's soft, mix by hand, leave in fridge, and then cut/bake the next day?


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 28, 2019)

I made buttermilk biscuits (from SK of course).

Made biscuits to go with my soup!


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## leggo PE (Oct 28, 2019)

Those look awesome!

I've baked a dozen banana muffins and two dozen banana mini muffins yesterday. Lots of muffins in my household.

The other day, my husband mentioned that eating his muffin is his favorite part of his workday. So I guess I'll stay on the weekly muffin train! I've been enjoying doing a variety of muffins, too.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 30, 2019)

O hai, pumpkin snickerdoodles from last night:


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## leggo PE (Oct 30, 2019)

Um, can I have one?


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## JayKay PE (Oct 30, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Um, can I have one?


They're all gone!!!!  I now have a can of pumpkin that I need to use up soon.  I'm thinking, since I get paid this Friday, that I might buy some doughnut pans and attempt some baked doughnuts (my secret love).

(also, as a random aside, I told my mom about some of my Indiana experiences and she just replied "You New York Bitch!" in the family group chat and I cackled and scared one of my co-workers)


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## mudpuppy (Oct 31, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> The other day, my husband mentioned that eating his muffin is his favorite part of his workday. So I guess I'll stay on the weekly muffin train! I've been enjoying doing a variety of muffins, too.




Am I the only one tempted to replace "muffin" with the urban dictionary meaning of the word in this whole thread?


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## JayKay PE (Oct 31, 2019)

mudpuppy said:


> Am I the only one tempted to replace "muffin" with the urban dictionary meaning of the word in this whole thread?


That sweet sweet weekly muffin train!


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## leggo PE (Oct 31, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> They're all gone!!!!


I'm confused. I think you lied to me. I saw elsewhere that you were having the last one with a cup of tea this morning for breakfast. This fact does not correspond correctly to this statement from yesterday.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 31, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I'm confused. I think you lied to me. I saw elsewhere that you were having the last one with a cup of tea this morning for breakfast. This fact does not correspond correctly to this statement from yesterday.


ALL COOKIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC WERE GONE.  Cookies left for private, baker, consumption were left in my car overnight and miraculously discovered this morning under the parchment paper and stuffed into my lunchbox.

All facts stated by JK are circumstantial at best, except when I'm drunk and saying I'm not mafia.


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## leggo PE (Oct 31, 2019)

Fudgey to that!!!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 1, 2019)

My coworker sent this to me: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/mocha-cookies/

I thought she had made them before but talking to her about it further, it doesn't seem that way.

I'm thinking of making those this weekend.

Plus these: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cheddar-cheese-and-scallion-scones-recipe?utm_source=instagram&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=content&amp;utm_term=curalate_like2buy_yfO2JlI2__39976c89-cb32-4be7-a076-4a7435f2ffff&amp;crl8_id=39976c89-cb32-4be7-a076-4a7435f2ffff  except I'm going to use chives instead because I bought them thinking this recipe used chives


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## JayKay PE (Nov 1, 2019)

Ah yes, the good ole' co-worker, "I think this recipe looks fun!" suggestion, where they hope you'll make it and bring them into the office.  Of course.

Also, I am def going to attempt pumpkin doughnuts this weekend.  Got to use up that puree and it'll be a good excuse to hang with my dad.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 1, 2019)

@JayKay PE she works in a different office so it wouldn't benefit her


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## JayKay PE (Nov 1, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> @JayKay PE she works in a different office so it wouldn't benefit her


Trickery most foul!

Also, I read the comments on that mocha cookie recipe.  There is one lady who is so salty.  Bitching about how the recipe made more than stated (it says 15 cookies with rounded tablespoon placement [which makes me think slightly more than a tablespoon/a heaped tablespoon], and she's like it's made 24) and then she's bitching about how they didn't spread.  Which def makes me think she either substituted stuff in the original recipe, didn't fully soften her butter, or used way too much cooking spray on her tray.  All other comments are good.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 1, 2019)

@JayKay PE tbh I hadn't read the comments yet. It's hit or miss with Taste of Home recipes so I might find a similar version elsewhere? 

But yes, why is Sarah complaining about too many cookies? I'm annoyed when muffin recipes make more since I've always put away the liners when I realize I have to find another muffin pan and do that but I'm always happy to have more muffins/cookies/donuts.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 1, 2019)

@LyceeFruit I think I might have a double chocolate chip cookie recipe kicking around somewhere, if you're interested?  I tend to use melted chocolate (bittersweet chips) with espresso powder.  It's a modification of Ghiradelli double chocolate chip cookies.

I NEED TO START LEARNING ABOUT MUFFINS AND BAKING THEM.  I always stick too cookies or pan bakes, but I do want to start making muffins.  Also, when they say grease a tray with oil, what do you use?  I don't like to use cooking spray, since I feel like that leaves weird residue after it bakes.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 1, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> @LyceeFruit I think I might have a double chocolate chip cookie recipe kicking around somewhere, if you're interested?  I tend to use melted chocolate (bittersweet chips) with espresso powder.  It's a modification of Ghiradelli double chocolate chip cookies.
> 
> I NEED TO START LEARNING ABOUT MUFFINS AND BAKING THEM.  I always stick too cookies or pan bakes, but I do want to start making muffins.  Also, when they say grease a tray with oil, what do you use?  I don't like to use cooking spray, since I feel like that leaves weird residue after it bakes.


I either spray it (I have a misto sprayer which I fill with olive oil) or I just use liners because I have 8000 of them

I primarily make muffins/loaves/cakes. I'm too lazy for cookies usually - it's too much work


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## leggo PE (Nov 1, 2019)

Historically, I've never used liners. But I have some, for the next time I attempt to make muffins with much oatmeal in them.

I spray coconut oil these days, especially if I'm baking something sweet. I might use olive oil spray if I was spraying for something savory.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 3, 2019)

Cheddar and chive scones!!

Used garlic chives because I thought the recipe was for chives not scallions. Used Cabot cheese and butter but store brand sour cream (now need to find a recipe that uses the rest of the sour cream). KAF flour of course - which led to hilarious convo between me, Boyfriend, and Bestie. I wont merge his flour with me, which he thinks is absurd. She did too til she learned it was store brand vs my KAF, then she was on my side.

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cheddar-cheese-and-scallion-scones-recipe?utm_source=instagram&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=content&amp;utm_term=curalate_like2buy_yfO2JlI2__39976c89-cb32-4be7-a076-4a7435f2ffff&amp;crl8_id=39976c89-cb32-4be7-a076-4a7435f2ffff


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## JayKay PE (Nov 4, 2019)

Update on doughnuts:  did not make doughnuts since I was chilling with my dad and now my kitchen is filled with stuff that needs to be unpacked.

Did manage to score x2 muffin trays (6 muffin a tray) + an angel food cake pan + a real trademarked 'bundt' pan for under $4 at the local goodwill.  I was thinking of grabbing the other bundt pan, but then I'd have 2 normal bundt + the crazy ornate one my mom sent to me, and I think that's too many bundts with too little time.

@LyceeFruit the scones look amazing!  Def agree that you shouldn't mix crap flour with KAF.  I'm sure they tasted delicious!  Anything with cheese and scone tastes delicious!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 4, 2019)

@JayKay PE they are pretty good! We have 3 left lol.

I meant to make coffee cake yesterday too, to use up the sour cream. But we didn't get the kitchen into a usable state until about 630. And I was so tired by then, it wasn't happening


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 4, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> @JayKay PE they are pretty good! We have 3 left lol.
> 
> I meant to make coffee cake yesterday too, to use up the sour cream. But we didn't get the kitchen into a usable state until about 630. And I was so tired by then, it wasn't happening


Same thing happened to me.  I was thinking about making them/I could have made them, but then I wanted to just sit and breath after moving a ton of stuff, and then it was dinner time, and then I was watching French Gardens on Netflix and...welp.  It didn't happen.

I think my next bake, since the doughnuts I think require too much time, might be espresso bundt cake.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 4, 2019)

I might make coffee cake tonight or tomorrow night. The IEEE meeting I have tomorrow was canceled so there's half an hour of my life back.

I'm watching GBBO tonight with my bestie. I might put it on my tablet and bake during it lol


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 4, 2019)

Uggggggh.  I love GBBO, but I also feel so frickin' intimidated by those people.  Like, I can never make something without a recipe and I def am not as skilled, whereas they're like, "eeeeh, haven't made marzipan in a while, but I think I'll be able to pass through with what I remember."


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 4, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Uggggggh.  I love GBBO, but I also feel so frickin' intimidated by those people.  Like, I can never make something without a recipe and I def am not as skilled, whereas they're like, "eeeeh, haven't made marzipan in a while, but I think I'll be able to pass through with what I remember."


 I totally agree. I also don't love this season at all tbh


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 4, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> I totally agree. I also don't love this season at all tbh


I haven't watched this season.  The moment netflix was like 'updated weekly!' I was like...uh, no?  The point of netflix is to binge a whole season in one go.  Not wait for the next episode to launch.  What do they think I am, a cable watcher?

Another thing on all the contestants: how are they so young and so skilled (some of them)?  Is it just something different in England/Europe where people just bake more?  I feel like Americans def do not do half of that shit.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 4, 2019)

I have watched this new season, and liked the people on it. I've finished it, but won't post any spoilers!

I don't have an issue with it now being released every week. I'm not one to really binge watch shows, so it works for me. I didn't even watch it weekly, so if I found myself with a couple of free hours I could watch a couple of episodes. I agree though, HOW THE HECK ARE THEY ALL SUCH AMAZING BAKERS. I don't know how you'd do that with the jobs some of them have! Some are students, so I guess maybe they have large blocks of free time, but still.

My weekend bakes were double lemon poppyseed muffins and avant garde take on sourdough pretzels. I made double the pretzel dough and only six things out of it. The dough was a little difficult to stretch (maybe I didn't knead it quite enough?) so my pretzel shaps and other shapes busted out a bit, but they still taste great.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 4, 2019)

Also, I would never mix flours! I use KAF and the occasional Bob's Red Mill flour. I will mix these too, but the vast majority of the time, it's all KAF all the time. Which reminds me, I need to order some more whole wheat and all purpose KAF...

And this is probably super dorky, but I absolutely HATE plastic wrap and tin foil boxes. Maybe I handle them too roughly, but they always fall apart on me... I'm seriously eyeing the reusable dispensers KAF has.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 4, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Also, I would never mix flours! I use KAF and the occasional Bob's Red Mill flour. I will mix these too, but the vast majority of the time, it's all KAF all the time. Which reminds me, I need to order some more whole wheat and all purpose KAF...
> 
> And this is probably super dorky, but I absolutely HATE plastic wrap and tin foil boxes. Maybe I handle them too roughly, but they always fall apart on me... I'm seriously eyeing the reusable dispensers KAF has.


I hate plastic wrap in general but 100% agree on the boxes


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 4, 2019)

Yeah, plastic wrap is not my favorite either. One roll will last me forever, which is probably part of the reason why the boxes fall apart on me.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 4, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Also, I would never mix flours! I use KAF and the occasional Bob's Red Mill flour. I will mix these too, but the vast majority of the time, it's all KAF all the time. Which reminds me, I need to order some more whole wheat and all purpose KAF...
> 
> And this is probably super dorky, but I absolutely HATE plastic wrap and tin foil boxes. Maybe I handle them too roughly, but they always fall apart on me... I'm seriously eyeing the reusable dispensers KAF has.


I currently don't have KAF, because the Costco near me didn't stock it when I bought my stuff (but now they do!!!!!!).  I had to buy 'great river' white flour, which is organic, but I feel like it's not as 'clingy' as normal flour?  Hoping to use it up soon so I can get KAF back in my life (though I think my mom sent me a 10lb KAF bread flour bag with my dad in my things).

Tin foil boxes + parchment paper boxes = totally fine.  I loved the plastic wrap container my parents had.  It was from a warehouse and was like 1000+ feet, but it had a 'slide cutter' for the plastic, which made things so much easier to cut for specific lengths.never popped out of the box.  The best.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 11, 2019)

GOOD DEAL: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00063ULMI/ref=va_live_carousel?pf_rd_r=6G7KSYMDP98EY124F17T&amp;pf_rd_p=97b7c176-d09c-4eca-b9d1-20670651bdea&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_t=Gateway&amp;pf_rd_i=desktop&amp;pf_rd_s=desktop-editorial&amp;pd_rd_i=B00063ULMI


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 11, 2019)

Very good deal, indeed! I am pretty sure that's what I already have, and love. Buy buy buy if you don't already have a KA!


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 12, 2019)

Uhhhhhh.  I just found out the Costco I go to carries the sift magazine.  Deciding if I want to buy it or not,


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 12, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Uhhhhhh.  I just found out the Costco I go to carries the sift magazine.  Deciding if I want to buy it or not,


I've bought it twice. I don't think I've made anything from it. And not sure where they are rn


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 12, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> I've bought it twice. I don't think I've made anything from it. And not sure where they are rn


I think most of the recipes in the magazine are ones on the website, right?  I'm hoping my sister buys me the America's Test Kitchen cooking book and a cool dessert book I saw at Costco for Christmas.  Like, I don't mind using recipes off the internet, but it's just so nice sometimes to have a real copy in your hand.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 12, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> I think most of the recipes in the magazine are ones on the website, right?  I'm hoping my sister buys me the America's Test Kitchen cooking book and a cool dessert book I saw at Costco for Christmas.  Like, I don't mind using recipes off the internet, but it's just so nice sometimes to have a real copy in your hand.


maybe? i'll check when I find it.

I'm trying to write down the recipes I really like into a notebook so I can have them in my hand. I lost my fave mini cheesecake recipe a few years ago because the blogger went AWOL and the site went down and I didn't have it saved anywhere


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 12, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> I think most of the recipes in the magazine are ones on the website, right?  I'm hoping my sister buys me the America's Test Kitchen cooking book and a cool dessert book I saw at Costco for Christmas.  Like, I don't mind using recipes off the internet, but it's just so nice sometimes to have a real copy in your hand.


Is the cool dessert book the Simple Cakes cookbook? I haven't made a lot from it but I think I did do one bundt (posted earlier in this thread) so far. I think I'm going to make a sheet cake for a party we're throwing this weekend... Just which one??


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 12, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> I'm trying to write down the recipes I really like into a notebook so I can have them in my hand. I lost my fave mini cheesecake recipe a few years ago because the blogger went AWOL and the site went down and I didn't have it saved anywhere


I've been worried about this happening for a few recipes I found online, so I generally email myself recipes I want to try nowadays, no matter where they are from (unless it's like a NYT recipe or something).


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 12, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I've been worried about this happening for a few recipes I found online, so I generally email myself recipes I want to try nowadays, no matter where they are from (unless it's like a NYT recipe or something).


I usually print them because I don't like having my phone covered in flour. But I can't find my print out. But I did find my huge pile of recipes torn out from the old Martha Stewart FOOD magazine and there's printouts in there so there's hope. I started going thru and holy hell is that binder overwhelming. Some of it is organized - cut out &amp; taped to paper in page protectors and then some of it falls out every time I touch the binder lol


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 12, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> maybe? i'll check when I find it.
> 
> I'm trying to write down the recipes I really like into a notebook so I can have them in my hand. I lost my fave mini cheesecake recipe a few years ago because the blogger went AWOL and the site went down and I didn't have it saved anywhere


Yeah!  DITTO.  When I find a recipe I really like, I copy it down into a book I have.  I know there are some that I've missed, so when I have a good weekend when nothing is going on, my plan is to look for those recipes and copy them over.

I hate that bloggers just randomly lose their license and the recipe is gone!  I mean, I'm angry because a random site that had good directions on reheating frozen baguette isn't there anymore and I'm sad now!


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 12, 2019)

Also, has anyone figured out how to get around the NYT paywall?  Half the time I just want to check the recipe to see if it's similar to something I already have, but I don't want to pay for a subscription...


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 12, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Also, has anyone figured out how to get around the NYT paywall?  Half the time I just want to check the recipe to see if it's similar to something I already have, but I don't want to pay for a subscription...


incognito tabs?


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 12, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Also, has anyone figured out how to get around the NYT paywall?  Half the time I just want to check the recipe to see if it's similar to something I already have, but I don't want to pay for a subscription...


You could have me email it to you?

I have a NYT subscription haha!


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 12, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> You could have me email it to you?
> 
> I have a NYT subscription haha!


WAHATGYFUWSJIOMLKCFSA.  I have so many recipes that they send to me in the mail that I'm like, "huh, that looks interesting.  Maybe when I get a subscription I'll check this out/ copy+paste/ print it"  I def might be asking you for a couple recipes that keep bugging me.  !!!!!


----------



## mudpuppy (Nov 12, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> incognito tabs?


Incognito tabs stopped working a while back because they can detect you're using incognito tabs.  Google has promised a fix for this though.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 12, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> WAHATGYFUWSJIOMLKCFSA.  I have so many recipes that they send to me in the mail that I'm like, "huh, that looks interesting.  Maybe when I get a subscription I'll check this out/ copy+paste/ print it"  I def might be asking you for a couple recipes that keep bugging me.  !!!!!


I'm tempted to get a NYT sub


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 13, 2019)

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate fosting. 48 minis and 6 regular! I doubled the recipe that said 10 regular but didnt double the frosting


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 14, 2019)

^^ @LyceeFruit, obviously should have tripled the frosting.  For next time.

And I thought you weren't making...muffin-shaped things.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 14, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> ^^ @LyceeFruit, obviously should have tripled the frosting.  For next time.
> 
> And I thought you weren't making...muffin-shaped things.


lol, I actually had extra frosting.

And I don't like this frosting recipe - it's different than my normal buttercream, I made the one the blogger gave with the cupcakes.

A whole stick of butter. So to triple.... so much butter

And made mini cupcakes since they;re for my GOTR team (3rd-5th graders). It's the Superhero muffins I'm trying not to make lol


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 14, 2019)

K, I've been making muffins consistently for the like, last 6 weeks... I need some inspiration!

I've made the superhero muffins, the oatmeal zucchini muffins, banana muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins... 

Or maybe I should just make the chocolate zucchini muffins that are so, so good?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 14, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> K, I've been making muffins consistently for the like, last 6 weeks... I need some inspiration!
> 
> I've made the superhero muffins, the oatmeal zucchini muffins, banana muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins...
> 
> Or maybe I should just make the chocolate zucchini muffins that are so, so good?



https://siggis.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-banana-oat-bread/
 
http://kitchenconfidante.com/simple-sundays-chocolate-banana-muffins-recipe
 
https://www.shugarysweets.com/chocolate-banana-muffins/


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 14, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> K, I've been making muffins consistently for the like, last 6 weeks... I need some inspiration!
> 
> I've made the superhero muffins, the oatmeal zucchini muffins, banana muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins...
> 
> Or maybe I should just make the chocolate zucchini muffins that are so, so good?


https://smittenkitchen.com/recipes/muffin/?format=list


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 14, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> https://siggis.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-banana-oat-bread/
> 
> http://kitchenconfidante.com/simple-sundays-chocolate-banana-muffins-recipe
> 
> https://www.shugarysweets.com/chocolate-banana-muffins/


That's a lot of chocolate banana bread/muffin options... Do you have a preference?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 14, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> That's a lot of chocolate banana bread/muffin options... Do you have a preference?


I like the one with siggis. Read the comments for mods to make it muffins tho.

Note: it does get fuzzy in a few days if unrefrigerated.

But I've made all three. I just love bananas and chocolate lol


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 18, 2019)

Unbaked caramelized onion and butternut squash gallete (which was delicious):




Double layered vanilla cake with lemon buttercream frosting (I didn't saw off the top of the lower tier to level it because I got lazy). I also ran out of powdered sugar to make more buttercream, so the frosting application was a bit haphazard. Regardless, this is quite yummy!




And lastly, carrot tahini muffins... We'll see if the flavor off these grows on me.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 18, 2019)

so I had plans to bake &amp; cook this weekend.

And then we got a dog... so...


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 18, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> so I had plans to bake &amp; cook this weekend.
> 
> And then we got a dog... so...


Was getting a dog part of the original plans too?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 18, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Was getting a dog part of the original plans too?


A dog at some point, yes. A dog this weekend, no.


----------



## Supe (Nov 18, 2019)

Time to bake treats for the pupper.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 18, 2019)

Supe said:


> Time to bake treats for the pupper.


I should! When we get the tummy issues settled, I will. Except she seems indifferent about PB so...


----------



## csb (Nov 18, 2019)

If you wait for @Supe to settle his tummy issues, you're never baking for your dog.


----------



## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Nov 18, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> I should! When we get the tummy issues settled, I will. Except she seems indifferent about PB so...


Just in case it could be useful: our vet recommended canned green beans (low/no sodium) as both a healthy training treat and to add bulk to their meals so they don't eat so much. It has worked amazingly well, is cheap, and the doggos. freakin'. love. it. I don't know why, it's just gross, slimy green beans but hey, whatever works.

Edit: Sorry, a little off topic.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 18, 2019)

squaretaper PE said:


> Just in case it could be useful: our vet recommended canned green beans (low/no sodium) as both a healthy training treat and to add bulk to their meals so they don't eat so much. It has worked amazingly well, is cheap, and the doggos. freakin'. love. it. I don't know why, it's just gross, slimy green beans but hey, whatever works.


I'll ask when I pick her up. I'm deffo grossed out by canned green beans (&amp; most canned veggies tbh)  Maybe I can do frozen instead LOL (i kid). 

I walked a dog in college whose treat was 4-6 baby carrots


----------



## Supe (Nov 18, 2019)

csb said:


> If you wait for @Supe to settle his tummy issues, you're never baking for your dog.


I already told you people in another thread, I don't like pumpkin!


----------



## Ble_PE (Nov 19, 2019)

csb said:


> If you wait for @Supe to settle his tummy issues, you're never baking for your dog.


Especially when you read things like this in other threads:



Supe said:


> All time favorite Witcher 3 moment happened the other day.
> 
> So I'm sitting in the theater room Saturday morning playing Witcher.  Had some General Tso's Friday night that wasn't agreeing with me, and the gas was pretty bad.  I have completed the main story line, and was just into the beginning of the Blood and Wine expansion again.  The majordomo was showing me around the newly acquired vineyard in Toussant, and one of the NPC vineyard workers was just in front of me by the servant's quarters.
> 
> ...


----------



## Supe (Nov 19, 2019)

No pumpkin in the theater, either.  Just popcorn.


----------



## csb (Nov 19, 2019)

May I clarify what you almost peed your pants with? 

Circle one

Front

Back


----------



## Supe (Nov 19, 2019)




----------



## csb (Nov 19, 2019)

Back to baking- have any of you made sprouted bread?


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2019)

csb said:


> Back to baking- have any of you made sprouted bread?


I have, but...Idk, it just tasted like cardboard to me, and for the amount of work...I've never attempted again.

On a baking note: Making sweet potato pie tonight.  Made the crusts last night (which I'm sure came out horrible, I remember why I never make crusts), so I'm planning on rolling them out into a 9.5-inch glass.  Sweet potatoes were baked last night, since I feel like boiling them would just add extra liquid to the pie and ruin the flavor, but I need to run to the grocery to grab some evaporated milk and maybe some condensed milk.  I'm hoping I don't totally mess these up, since it's for office "Friends-giving" on Thursday (what the HELL are Midwesterners?  What?).  Since it's a 'custard' pie, I think it'll survive a day or two in the fridge.

Tomorrow night I am making challah.  Which isn't difficult, per se, it just takes a tooooooooon of time for the dough to prove (double prove).  Thus why I'm making the pie tonight instead of trying to juggle all of the pie baking/bread proving at the same time.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 19, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Tomorrow night I am making challah.  Which isn't difficult, per se, it just takes a tooooooooon of time for the dough to prove (double prove).  Thus why I'm making the pie tonight instead of trying to juggle all of the pie baking/bread proving at the same time.


Gimme your challah recipe!!

I was more impressed with the look than the taste of the challah I made and posted about previously in this thread.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Gimme your challah recipe!!
> 
> I was more impressed with the look than the taste of the challah I made and posted about previously in this thread.


Will do!  Main thing with challah is making sure that the proves are long enough (even though people say prove for an hour, I've had my challah take almost 2-hours sometimes for the first prove to double in size).  What did your challah taste like/what did you not like about it?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 19, 2019)

csb said:


> Back to baking- have any of you made sprouted bread?


I did once - the recipe of the bag from KAF lol.

I made a rye bread - it was either from KAF or SK. NEVER AGAIN. Such a freaking PITA to find all of the ingredients and then it didn't even taste good.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 19, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Will do!  Main thing with challah is making sure that the proves are long enough (even though people say prove for an hour, I've had my challah take almost 2-hours sometimes for the first prove to double in size).  What did your challah taste like/what did you not like about it?


I thought I gave it enough time to prove and it baked up well (though I think I left it in the oven for too long, resulting in a rather dark color and a stronger crust than I ideally would have liked). What the kicker was, was the taste -- it was pretty bland and definitely not sweet enough for what I was looking for. That, combined with the tough crust were the main issues. Adjusting bake time is easy enough, but I don't think I'd try that recipe again (it was a challah recipe from SK but I don't remember off the top of my head which one it was).


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I thought I gave it enough time to prove and it baked up well (though I think I left it in the oven for too long, resulting in a rather dark color and a stronger crust than I ideally would have liked). What the kicker was, was the taste -- it was pretty bland and definitely not sweet enough for what I was looking for. That, combined with the tough crust were the main issues. Adjusting bake time is easy enough, but I don't think I'd try that recipe again (it was a challah recipe from SK but I don't remember off the top of my head which one it was).


Huh.  I like having a dark color to my challah, but due to an egg wash, not from a tough crust. Is the tough actually strong in chew or is it just dense?  If it's denser there might have been over-proving going on.  Taste-wise, did you use any honey?  That usually makes things a little sweeter for the 6+ cups of flour used.  The challah I make also requires more egg whites than egg and a good 1/3 cup of honey (maybe more).  I like to use buckwheat honey in my baking because it just tastes better/more full, but that might change depending on what you use.  I only use challah recipes from "jewish" bloggers, since they have to make it every Friday for shabbat.  When I look it up again tonight I'll let you know.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 19, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Huh.  I like having a dark color to my challah, but due to an egg wash, not from a tough crust. Is the tough actually strong in chew or is it just dense?  If it's denser there might have been over-proving going on.  Taste-wise, did you use any honey?  That usually makes things a little sweeter for the 6+ cups of flour used.  The challah I make also requires more egg whites than egg and a good 1/3 cup of honey (maybe more).  I like to use buckwheat honey in my baking because it just tastes better/more full, but that might change depending on what you use.  I only use challah recipes from "jewish" bloggers, since they have to make it every Friday for shabbat.  When I look it up again tonight I'll let you know.


I made this one: https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/09/apple-and-honey-challah/

Because I had some apples I needed to use. I skipped the sugar on top. Maybe there wasn't enough honey? And I don't know, it was okay when there was apple in a bite but the dough itself wasn't sweet enough for my taste and relatively bland.

I did egg wash it, but definitely overbaked it a little bit because the bottom was a bit overdone (not burnt, but overdone). The top rest of the crust was thick and tough in that regard. I might have overproved it a bit.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I made this one: https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/09/apple-and-honey-challah/
> 
> Because I had some apples I needed to use. I skipped the sugar on top. Maybe there wasn't enough honey? And I don't know, it was okay when there was apple in a bite but the dough itself wasn't sweet enough for my taste and relatively bland.
> 
> I did egg wash it, but definitely overbaked it a little bit because the bottom was a bit overdone (not burnt, but overdone). The top rest of the crust was thick and tough in that regard. I might have overproved it a bit.


Just looking at that recipe based on the one I use: a bit more oil (I use like 2 tbsp, maybe), mine calls for one egg + 2 yolks and waaaaay more total flour.  Mine starts at 4.5 cups but I usually end close to 5.5 after I've mixed in/made the consistency closer to what I want.


----------



## csb (Nov 19, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> I'm hoping I don't totally mess these up, since it's for office "Friends-giving" on Thursday (what the HELL are Midwesterners?  What?).


The flyover states are built on a foundation of carry-ins.


----------



## mudpuppy (Nov 19, 2019)

csb said:


> The flyover states are built on a foundation of carry-ins.


Is a carry-in the same as a potluck?


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 19, 2019)

mudpuppy said:


> Is a carry-in the same as a potluck?


I'm wondering the same thing. My guess is yes?


----------



## csb (Nov 19, 2019)

mudpuppy said:


> Is a carry-in the same as a potluck?


Correct. 

https://dare.wisc.edu/words/quarterly-updates/quarterly-update-14/carry-in-dinner/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potluck


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 19, 2019)

I had no idea there was another term out there for potluck.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I had no idea there was another term out there for potluck.


tbh, I assumed 'carry-in' meant some type of non-threatening hostage situation.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2019)

Pie pics for everyone! Def should have blind baked the crust/let the crust get cold again before baking (would prob have prevented the side shrinkage and kept my crimp), and I’m hoping I don’t have a soggy, uncooked, bottom below. Also wondering how the crust is going to taste. 

Overall, pretty happy with how this came out since I have only made one other pie before this (I make crumbles specifically so I don’t have to do pie). Worried a bit that I overbaked the filling (I used a 9.5-inch instead of the standard 9-inch, and reduced the bake time by approx 10% but it still seem very loose, so I left it in for another 6min).


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2019)

Ugh, just looked at the bottom and it def looks like some wasn't baked.  I'm hoping the work people who are eating this aren't secretly high-palated that will judge me.


----------



## Supe (Nov 20, 2019)

Shrinkage and a soggy bottom, what a combo.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 20, 2019)

Supe said:


> Shrinkage and a soggy bottom, what a combo.


A well-known epidemic in the baking world.  Spoken in hushed whispers of fear as someone takes the first slice.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 20, 2019)

Ugggggggh.  I've gone down a par-bake/blind bake spiral.  Trying to figure out if I should do 350F for an hour, which I think full bakes, or switch to the more traditional 425F for like 15 min?  The method I like to use is 400F 15min (pie weights) + 8 or 15 minutes w/o weights + docking to determine if it's par or full baked.  I just par baking most of my custard or fruit pies instead of full baking, so it can be baked a little further by the filling.

UGUIVSJFOPIWMAOKEV


----------



## mudpuppy (Nov 20, 2019)

csb said:


> Correct.
> 
> https://dare.wisc.edu/words/quarterly-updates/quarterly-update-14/carry-in-dinner/


Interesting--there is a citation from the Battle Creek Enquirer, which is only about 30 miles from my house.  But I've never heard the term before.


----------



## csb (Nov 20, 2019)

mudpuppy said:


> Interesting--there is a citation from the Battle Creek Enquirer, which is only about 30 miles from my house.  But I've never heard the term before.


My dad is from Ohio, my mom from New Jersey, and we live in a town with an AFB, so who knows why I know the term. As a personal preference, I like the way carry-in sounds as opposed to potluck, but that has everything to do with how I feel about consonant sounds and that potluck reminds me ever so slightly of portapottie. 

And yes, I'm weird. 

And, @JayKay PE- no one in the Midwest will ever say anything out loud about food at an office gathering being gross.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 20, 2019)

csb said:


> And, @JayKay PE- no one in the Midwest will ever say anything out loud about food at an office gathering being gross.
> 
> *pic snip*


I think if it's smothered with enough whipped cream, it'll be fine (this is me just being over dramatic).  The crust itself tasted really good before being baked, so if it's a little soggy I won't worry too much about anyone saying they don't like it.  I do need to use the other crust though, and soon.  Maybe I'll make a French Silk Pie.  Or just freeze it so I can make something with it later.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 20, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Ugggggggh.  I've gone down a par-bake/blind bake spiral.  Trying to figure out if I should do 350F for an hour, which I think full bakes, or switch to the more traditional 425F for like 15 min?  The method I like to use is 400F 15min (pie weights) + 8 or 15 minutes w/o weights + docking to determine if it's par or full baked.  I just par baking most of my custard or fruit pies instead of full baking, so it can be baked a little further by the filling.
> 
> UGUIVSJFOPIWMAOKEV


Now, I will preface with the fact that I'm not a parbaking wizard, at all. I'm also not a pie baking person, at all. Like, ever.

But, why would you change your parbaking method to something different? I'd go with what you know, and what's worked for you in the past. Do you not cook the pumpkin filling (it's pumpkin, right?)? If so, why wouldn't you blind bake?


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 20, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Now, I will preface with the fact that I'm not a parbaking wizard, at all. I'm also not a pie baking person, at all. Like, ever.
> 
> But, why would you change your parbaking method to something different? I'd go with what you know, and what's worked for you in the past. Do you not cook the pumpkin filling (it's pumpkin, right?)? If so, why wouldn't you blind bake?


I'm always trying to improve myself and figure out what is the best methodology for baking pies (I've always wanted to wander more into fruit pies), but there is such discourse over blind baking fully or par baking.  I prefer to par bake when something is going back into the oven, since it'll cook for probably another 40-minutes+.  I tend to blind bake when it's a fruit or pudding pie, where it needs to be cooled completely before something is added and thus needs to be really cooked through. 

I cooked the sweet potato filling...I didn't blind bake for this pie...because I was tired last night (literally, my only reason not blind baking, and I was kinda on zombie mode after getting back to the gym after being kinda sick on Monday).  The crust itself looked okay, I use glass pie dishes for all my pies so I can check the crumb, but there is def a little wetter patch near the center of the pie dish.  Tbh, it was me being dramatic.  I'm sure it'll be fine, maybe a little wetter near the middle, but the crust itself tasted pretty good before going in, so it'll just taste a little like the cold pastry.  I don't think it'll affect the taste/structure for the rest of the pie.

This just means I have to deal with pies more...Which I really do not want to do.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 20, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> I'm always trying to improve myself and figure out what is the best methodology for baking pies (*I've always wanted to wander more into fruit pies*), but there is such discourse over blind baking fully or par baking.  I prefer to par bake when something is going back into the oven, since it'll cook for probably another 40-minutes+.  I tend to blind bake when it's a fruit or pudding pie, where it needs to be cooled completely before something is added and thus needs to be really cooked through.
> 
> I cooked the sweet potato filling...I didn't blind bake for this pie...because I was tired last night (literally, my only reason not blind baking, and I was kinda on zombie mode after getting back to the gym after being kinda sick on Monday).  The crust itself looked okay, I use glass pie dishes for all my pies so I can check the crumb, but there is def a little wetter patch near the center of the pie dish.  Tbh, it was me being dramatic.  I'm sure it'll be fine, maybe a little wetter near the middle, but the crust itself tasted pretty good before going in, so it'll just taste a little like the cold pastry.  I don't think it'll affect the taste/structure for the rest of the pie.
> 
> *This just means I have to deal with pies more...Which I really do not want to do.*


Gotcha. It sounds like it will taste delicious. It certainly looks delicious!

Now I'm just a little confused by the statements in bold, above...


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 20, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Gotcha. It sounds like it will taste delicious. It certainly looks delicious!
> 
> Now I'm just a little confused by the statements in bold, above...


I like the idea of learning more about pies/different crusts/etc.  Actually applying the knowledge...I do not want.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 20, 2019)

Challllllah!!!!! I swear, this recipe takes forever to make, but the end result always makes me happy!! @leggo PE Recipe is here: https://toriavey.com/how-to/challah-bread-part-1-the-blessing-and-the-dough/comment-page-2/

I try to use local/real honey. Mostly buckwheat. Also, since my eggs are usually extra large, I use close to 5.5 cups of flour. Hook attachment for mixing with the last half cup kneaded in before first prove. A pretty straight forward recipe. Always taps hollow and the egg wash gives it that darker color I like but doesn’t totally make the surface pitch black.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 21, 2019)

It looks awesome, @JayKay PE! Nice job with the braiding, too. How many strands was it? Gonna have to try to make it again...


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 21, 2019)

@leggo PE, I tend to use a really simple 6-strand braid, but you can tell it was getting wonky near the top (reason why I decided to cut off the weird part and make a smaller baby challah).  I always forget that I can go much tighter when I start, so it get's weird.  I've looked up other 6-strand braiding methods and they make the final product look more "chain-like", whereas I like a fat challah.

I actually might bake this again this weekend since it's not very labor-intensive...It just takes a lot of time management skills.  Except I ran out of eggs (!!!!).  So grocery shop run before I do anything!


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 21, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> @leggo PE, I tend to use a really simple 6-strand braid, but you can tell it was getting wonky near the top (reason why I decided to cut off the weird part and make a smaller baby challah).  I always forget that I can go much tighter when I start, so it get's weird.  I've looked up other 6-strand braiding methods and they make the final product look more "chain-like", whereas I like a fat challah.
> 
> I actually might bake this again this weekend since it's not very labor-intensive...It just takes a lot of time management skills.  Except I ran out of eggs (!!!!).  So grocery shop run before I do anything!


Maybe I'll make some this weekend too! But, it doesn't keep that well, right? My husband's going to be out of town and I'm not sure I would eat a whole loaf myself, haha.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 21, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Maybe I'll make some this weekend too! But, it doesn't keep that well, right? My husband's going to be out of town and I'm not sure I would eat a whole loaf myself, haha.


[email protected]!&gt;[email protected] Challah keeps so well!  It's supposed to be made on Friday to last until at least Sunday-longer due to shabbat (I think).  The first day I store it in the oven when I finish, but after that I just throw it in a plastic bag.  

Update on sweet potato pie: it was fridged and then not really thawed out when it was served.  Def going to blind bake next time, but I think it being in the fridge for around 2 days before eating didn't help it (I baked it Tuesday night).  Was kinda hard to get out of the plate because it was still cold.  Filling came out nice though, so I am prob going to keep that.  As I ate it I kinda realized I don't like sweet potato pie, but other people enjoyed it.  Going to have a bunch of that pie left over, because we had so much food, so I might cut it all up when I get home and freeze individual slices so I can heat one up in the oven when I'm feeling like pie.


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## JayKay PE (Nov 21, 2019)

Also check out this crumb! Always love a challah!


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 21, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Also check out this crumb! Always love a challah!
> 
> View attachment 14420


Goodness knows I love a good (or any) crumb shot!


----------



## Supe (Nov 21, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Goodness knows I love a good (or any) crumb shot!


Is that, like, an Urban Dictionary thing?


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 21, 2019)

Supe said:


> Is that, like, an Urban Dictionary thing?


UNF!  CRUMB ALL OVER HER FACE.  CRUMB ALL IN HER HAIR.  YEEEEEEEEEAAAAH


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 22, 2019)

Okay, weekend plan is as follows:

Bake, bake, and bake some more!

K, not really. But I do need and want to make more sourdough bagels (I'm thinking all plain this time, because those are so tasty!) and maybe @JayKay PE's challah too. And I am thinking I might make one of those chocolate banana muffins recipes a la @LyceeFruit!

I will report back next week!


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 23, 2019)

Quick mid-weekend status update:




Sourdough bagels shaped, risen, and ready to overnight in the fridge!

Baked bagels, challah and muffins to come tomorrow, woot woot!


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 25, 2019)

SHOW ME THE CHALLAH.  Also, I have decided that I am allowed to eat bread if I make it myself (is that healthy, I don't know if that's healthy, but it'll keep me using the yeast in my fridge).  I still have a little challah from the mini-loaf left that I am going to finish tonight, prob just butter and whipped honey/honey drizzle, and then I'll look up simple sandwich bread recipes.  I think my mom snuck bread flour in my 'care package' of stuff coming from home, so I'll root around in there to see what's there.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 25, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> SHOW ME THE CHALLAH.  Also, I have decided that I am allowed to eat bread if I make it myself (is that healthy, I don't know if that's healthy, but it'll keep me using the yeast in my fridge).  I still have a little challah from the mini-loaf left that I am going to finish tonight, prob just butter and whipped honey/honey drizzle, and then I'll look up simple sandwich bread recipes.  I think my mom snuck bread flour in my 'care package' of stuff coming from home, so I'll root around in there to see what's there.


I didn't end up making the challah. I chose to drink beers with friends instead. 

But, I might make some this weekend with the long weekend!

I did make the one of the chocolate banana muffin recipes @LyceeFruit posted, though. I think they might be on the sweet side for me (they did have a whole cup of sugar in them, which I thought was a lot when I read the recipe, but didn't lessen for some reason).


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 25, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I didn't end up making the challah. I chose to drink beers with friends instead.
> 
> But, I might make some this weekend with the long weekend!
> 
> I did make the one of the chocolate banana muffin recipes @LyceeFruit posted, though. I think they might be on the sweet side for me (they did have a whole cup of sugar in them, which I thought was a lot when I read the recipe, but didn't lessen for some reason).


BOOOO.  Tbh, I did no meal prep this Sunday since I met up with a friend, drank many tap-beers, and then wandered around downtown Indy before going to see Frozen II.

I am slowly running out of flour (!!!) so I def want to make cookies or something this week to empty that one container!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 26, 2019)

Made the SK cranberry-orange breakfast buns


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## leggo PE (Nov 29, 2019)

@JayKay PE the challah dough is on its second rise...

But I accidentally punched it down AND kneaded it after the first rise! Oops. Also not great because I am basically out of AP flour (good thing I didn't need all 6 c of flour to make the challah dough feel "right"). I'm hoping I didn't punch/knead too much of the gas in the dough with that unnecessary kneading.

I also have sourdough focaccia dough bulk fermenting right now! I'm gonna top it with garlic, cherry tomatoes, and halved olives. Here's to hoping it turns out well! I've never made it before.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 29, 2019)

Woot woot! Challah making me happy!


----------



## Road Guy (Nov 29, 2019)

Well done!


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## leggo PE (Nov 30, 2019)

Who wants cooooookies???


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Nov 30, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Who wants cooooookies???
> 
> View attachment 14560


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 1, 2019)

Made the bake sale bars from the SK Everyday cookbook. Used a mix of milk chocolate chips and mixed dried berries. NOM


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## JayKay PE (Dec 2, 2019)

@leggo PE did you like this recipe better than the one you were using before?  Loaves came out wonderful!

Also, I am thinking of making ranger cookies tonight...But not sure if I have coconut.  Might buy some after the gym.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 2, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> @leggo PE did you like this recipe better than the one you were using before?  Loaves came out wonderful!
> 
> Also, I am thinking of making ranger cookies tonight...But not sure if I have coconut.  Might buy some after the gym.


Yes, that recipe was 1000x better! The flavor was great. It even got rave reviews from my Jewish in-law aunt and uncle! Thank you so much for sharing it!


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## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Yes, that recipe was 1000x better! The flavor was great. It even got rave reviews from my Jewish in-law aunt and uncle! Thank you so much for sharing it!


I am so happy!  Yeah, when I was reading your first recipe I was kinda like, "Challah is egg-bread, there is not enough egg in this bread!  And no double rise!".  I just wish I could mod the recipe to make it smaller, but then I'd end up making fractional eggs which is weird.  Means I'll just need to make it when I'm going to have family eating it.

WHICH MEANS I MIGHT MAKE IT CHRISTMAS EVE TO BRING TO NEW YORK.  Except I need to make Christmas cookies...and then that weird poppy seed roll my dad likes.


----------



## NikR_PE (Dec 3, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> fractional eggs


This is the reason why I end up eating a whole chocolate lava mug cake for 2. Nothing to do with my lack of self control.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2019)

NikR said:


> This is the reason why I end up eating a whole chocolate lava mug cake for 2. Nothing to do with my lack of self control.


Wait...those are made for two people?

Fuuuuuuuuuuuu-


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 3, 2019)

Anyone have an everyday bread recipe they like?

I want to try making my own bread for toast for breakfast.

I found the recipe for the "rye" bread I previously mentioned. It wasn't rye. It's the "grain everyday bread" from the SK Everyday cookbook. it involves 9 grain cereal, we went to 3 stores looking for it so yeah fuck that. Plus it didn't taste that great.

I do have sourdough starter arriving soon I think, I think Bestie finally placed the order. She's been reading about gut microbiomes and sourdough is good for the gut so that inspired her to finally do the order.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2019)

I've never worked with sourdough.  I want to, but I also know I don't make enough bread to really have it?

Tonight JK is making parmesan &amp; leek quiche.  I also might start researching basic bread recipes, @LyceeFruit.  I was looking for a standard white/loaf bread, but is there any particular type you're looking into?  I might as well kill two birds with one stone if I'm looking around.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 3, 2019)

@JayKay PE im going to try the English Muffin loaf from KAF tonight I think - it's really simple.

Hardest part for me will be the heating up of the liquids since I have to do it stovetop and not in the microwave (we don't have a microwave)


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> @JayKay PE im going to try the English Muffin loaf from KAF tonight I think - it's really simple.
> 
> Hardest part for me will be the heating up of the liquids since I have to do it stovetop and not in the microwave (we don't have a microwave)


I...wait.  I've never used a microwave for heating up my liquids?  Now I'm concerned.

BUT I DEF WANT TO BAKE THAT TOO!!!  I'll let you know my results.  Depending on when I finish gym tonight/start my quiche, I might even attempt tonight.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 3, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> I...wait.  I've never used a microwave for heating up my liquids?  Now I'm concerned.
> 
> BUT I DEF WANT TO BAKE THAT TOO!!!  I'll let you know my results.  Depending on when I finish gym tonight/start my quiche, I might even attempt tonight.


the recipe specifically calls for the microwave lol

i often used the microwave when I had one tbh  - Idk if it matters


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> the recipe specifically calls for the microwave lol
> 
> i often used the microwave when I had one tbh  - Idk if it matters


It just says microwave-safe bowl?  Which means in my head I can just throw it on the stove, since I never trust my microwave and making it on the stovetop lets me judge the heat better (I lost my liquid temp/candy thermometer, so I just eyeball the textures of the candy and use the back of my hand for the temp).

I use the microwave for reheating stuff from the fridge, I don't think I've used it otherwise?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 3, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> It just says microwave-safe bowl?  Which means in my head I can just throw it on the stove, since I never trust my microwave and making it on the stovetop lets me judge the heat better (I lost my liquid temp/candy thermometer, so I just eyeball the textures of the candy and use the back of my hand for the temp).
> 
> I use the microwave for reheating stuff from the fridge, I don't think I've used it otherwise?


Ive used it to heat up water or milk.

tbh, im just gonna use my meat thermometer. i lost my candy one in a purge long ago


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 8, 2019)

Made the "favorite brownies" from SK yesterday


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 8, 2019)

Also made english muffin bread from KAF in MY BRAND NEW OVEN. Had a verrrryyyy long proof time as we had to go buy a new stove (pic is after 50min prove time)


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 8, 2019)

MAH NEW OVEN


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 8, 2019)

@LyceeFruit Looovvveee the new stove! It's so pretty! Do you own your property?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 9, 2019)

@leggo PE boyfriend owns the house so kinda lol


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 9, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> @leggo PE boyfriend owns the house so kinda lol


Gotcha. I was just wondering why you'd have to replace your own stove if you were renting. Either way, very nice!


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 11, 2019)

Ranger cookies!!!! I have no idea where I found this cookie/why (maybe a non-dairy friend?), but it’s shortening + sugar + rice crispy cereal + coconut + oats and it comes out amazing! I think the original recipe says chocolate chips, but I used dried cranberries. Also, it has more salt that I usually use in a recipe (1 tsp, when I usually use 1/8 with salted butter), so it’s a salty, chewy, can’t really taste the coconut, oat cookie. Love making them. Really easy!


----------



## csb (Dec 11, 2019)

I feel like they would be on Pinterest as Keto Cookies.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 11, 2019)

csb said:


> I feel like they would be on Pinterest as Keto Cookies.


Could they be keto cookies?  I don't ever know what is considered 'keto' except meat.


----------



## csb (Dec 11, 2019)

I have no idea either, other than there's fat involved.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Could they be keto cookies?  I don't ever know what is considered 'keto' except meat.


No, they can't. Keto is very low carb.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

Those look so yummy!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)

@leggo PE do you have bagel recipes you like? I just got sourdough starter. And bonito flakes - which I specifically bought to make bagels lol


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

This is my go-to bagel recipe that uses sourdough starter: https://honestcooking.com/peter-reinharts-new-york-style-bagels-wild-sourdough/

It does use a tsp of yeast, but that doesn't bother me. Most of the fermentation comes from the natural yeast in the sourdough starter, and I don't mind a bit of a boost from added yeast if it'll guarantee a good rise in the bagels.

Also, the overnighting in the fridge is key! And for shaping, I've gone back and forth between the rope shaping method and forming a ball that you poke a hole through and then shape, and I think I prefer the poking a hole method.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

I also never seem to have barley malt/syrup, so I just throw in some non-diastatic malt and call it a day.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> I also never seem to have barley malt/syrup, so I just throw in some non-diastatic malt and call it a day.


i have barley malt syrup from my sad attempt at bagels last summer


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> i have barley malt syrup from my sad attempt at bagels last summer


What happened when you tried to make bagels before?

My worst baking experience is a tie for two things, both a long time ago, before I was baking regularly in any capacity.. One involved scones that were just slop and didn't bake well (I don't know what I did wrong, but maybe added too much liquid?) and the second was for a soft pretzel recipe that was SO TOUGH my KA couldn't even handle it. More recently, I unintentionally doubled the dry ingredients when trying to make some oatmeal cookies... I think I talked about it earlier in this thread. They came out dry and super crumbly, but the flavor was actually still okay!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> What happened when you tried to make bagels before?
> 
> My worst baking experience is a tie for two things, both a long time ago, before I was baking regularly in any capacity.. One involved scones that were just slop and didn't bake well (I don't know what I did wrong, but maybe added too much liquid?) and the second was for a soft pretzel recipe that was SO TOUGH my KA couldn't even handle it. More recently, I unintentionally doubled the dry ingredients when trying to make some oatmeal cookies... I think I talked about it earlier in this thread. They came out dry and super crumbly, but the flavor was actually still okay!


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

What is wrong with them? The dough doesn't look smooth, and I can't tell how much they rose... Were they flat?

PS, the overnight proofing in the fridge is for development of the sourdough flavor!


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

And it's kind of annoying to do, because the trays have to be level and take up a lot of room in the fridge because of that... But it's very much worth it.

Be careful with how long you bake them. I've overbaked them a couple of times, when I was using sheet pans (that seem to bake things a little bit differently already). They still turned out okay, but my best attempt was my most recent one, where I figured out that using my baking steel is a great idea and then when I go to defrost and reheat the bagels, I don't need to toast them so much as just warm them at 350 degrees to make them super yummy. The crust was super chewy and crisp already from the original bake.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> What is wrong with them? The dough doesn't look smooth, and I can't tell how much they rose... Were they flat?
> 
> PS, the overnight proofing in the fridge is for development of the sourdough flavor!


flat, chewy


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> flat, chewy


I'm excited for you and your sourdough bagel journey! And sourdough journey in general.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

The recipe above has never truly failed me. The bagels have always risen and always tasted good. It's been more a process of me figuring out my baking vessel and my oven when I moved earlier this year.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)




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## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

Hello, Sir Reginald!

My preference is to keep all of our sourdough starters in Mason jars, so we can see the bubbles. Wrap a rubber band around it at the level of the top of starter right after a feeding, and you can easily tell when it has doubled in size (and thus, ready to use)!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Hello, Sir Reginald!
> 
> My preference is to keep all of our sourdough starters in Mason jars, so we can see the bubbles. Wrap a rubber band around it at the level of the top of starter right after a feeding, and you can easily tell when it has doubled in size (and thus, ready to use)!


Thats what bestie said. My biggest jar is a 32oz mason jar that I get yogurt in


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> Thats what bestie said. My biggest jar is a 32oz mason jar that I get yogurt in


Why do you need that big of a jar? All of ours are in the standard 16 oz jars. Are you going to be mass producing bread??


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Why do you need that big of a jar? All of ours are in the standard 16 oz jars. Are you going to be mass producing bread??


 its in a Cabot protein powder jug now which is like 2lbs


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

Cabot (who makes cheese) makes protein powder???  :dunno:


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 11, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Cabot (who makes cheese) makes protein powder???  :dunno:


Yes and cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, and butter. Oh and a popcorn seasoning. Its unflavored whey powder


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 11, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> Yes and cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, and butter. Oh and a popcorn seasoning. Its unflavored whey powder


Ohhh I was gonna say, they're dairy people! But whey protein makes sense. My protein powder is pea protein, and vegan... So I sometimes forget that whey protein can also be a thing.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 12, 2019)

@leggo PE: I left my sourdough starter out overnight but it was previously refrigerated. can i shove it in the fridge when i go home at lunch or am i screwed? i dont wanna have to feed it twice a day


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 12, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> @leggo PE: I left my sourdough starter out overnight but it was previously refrigerated. can i shove it in the fridge when i go home at lunch or am i screwed? i dont wanna have to feed it twice a day


When was it last fed?

If it were me, regardless of when it was last fed, I would discard and feed it again at your lunchtime, and then stick it in the fridge before going back to work.
 

The longer you have your starter, the more you'll get to know what will work. Sometimes I leave my starter out on the counter for a couple of days after a single feeding... I don't really recommend this as regular practice, but the longer you are consistently discarding and feeding Sir Reginald, the stronger (read: forgiving) he will get!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 12, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> When was it last fed?
> 
> If it were me, regardless of when it was last fed, I would discard and feed it again at your lunchtime, and then stick it in the fridge before going back to work.
> 
> ...


Sunday.

Except I forgot to even check it at lunch and now i'm back atwork so it'll have to wait til tonight *facepalm*


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 12, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> Sunday.
> 
> Except I forgot to even check it at lunch and now i'm back atwork so it'll have to wait til tonight *facepalm*


Okay then DEFINITELY stir down, discard, and feed it tonight, leave it out on the counter for an hour or so, and then transfer it into the fridge.

Or, even better (but it doesn't really matter), stir/discard/feed tonight and again tomorrow morning, and THEN transfer to the fridge before you leave for work.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 13, 2019)

I think I want to make a honey cake or something this weekend.  I mostly make cookies, because they're easy to grab/whatev, but I know I am going to make poppy seed cake for my dad/bring it home on the plane for Christmas.  That is my Christmas Eve bake.  Then I need to make springerle/anise cookies that weekend (since they taste better after they've been let to sit for at least 3-days).  Def want to try something new on Sunday.  Maybe doughnuts.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 13, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> I think I want to make a honey cake or something this weekend.  I mostly make cookies, because they're easy to grab/whatev, but I know I am going to make poppy seed cake for my dad/bring it home on the plane for Christmas.  That is my Christmas Eve bake.  Then I need to make springerle/anise cookies that weekend (since they taste better after they've been let to sit for at least 3-days).  Def want to try something new on Sunday.  Maybe doughnuts.


Odette Williams has a recipe for a milk and honey cake I really want to try...


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 15, 2019)

Made the KAF sourdough discard biscuits. Was supposed to get 6-7. I got 4 lol


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 15, 2019)

2 tier chocolate cake, buttercream frosting, and my 1st attempt at tempering &amp; piping chocolate.

Thanks @KentuckyKid for the idea!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 15, 2019)




----------



## KentuckyKid (Dec 15, 2019)

LyceeFruit said:


> 2 tier chocolate cake, buttercream frosting, and my 1st attempt at tempering &amp; piping chocolate.
> 
> Thanks @KentuckyKid for the idea!
> 
> View attachment 15481


Yeah!!  Awesome job on your first attempt! those trees look great! and that looks like it tasted so damn good!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 15, 2019)

KentuckyKid said:


> Yeah!!  Awesome job on your first attempt! those trees look great! and that looks like it tasted so damn good!


We'll find out in the next 2 hours or so lol


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 15, 2019)

@KentuckyKid it was good! I thought it was a bit dry, I tried a different recipe for the cake than I usually use. And one of the family members who I served it to was apparently a cake boss earlier in their life. They said it was really good so huzzah


----------



## KentuckyKid (Dec 15, 2019)

@LyceeFruit nice!!


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 16, 2019)

Nice work, @LyceeFruit! What recipe did you use for the buttercream frosting and how did you get the frosting to be so smooth?
 

This weekend, I baked possibly my favorite sourdough loaves I have ever baked. The crumb was well dispersed and soft as a pillow; the crust was not overly tough, and the rise was great! 87% hydration, 76% bread flour, 24% flour mix that included hard white, hard red, and malted barley flours. I could talk about these loaves forever... And was actually planning on giving a loaf away, but I'm selfish because I like them so much, so I'm keeping both for now!










I also made some pumpkin muffins:


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## JayKay PE (Dec 16, 2019)

Woah!  Very nice ear, @leggo PE!!!


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 16, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> Woah!  Very nice ear, @leggo PE!!!


Thanks! It's actually a very small ear by Instagram (aka my obscenely high) standards, but the way I scored the loaves, I wasn't going for a big ear anyway.


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 16, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Thanks! It's actually a very small ear by Instagram (aka my obscenely high) standards, but the way I scored the loaves, I wasn't going for a big ear anyway.


I don't think I've ever attempted to make an ear on my loaves/score them.  A majority of them time I'm just like "yes. rosemary salt loaf.  Perfect."


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 16, 2019)

@leggo PE angled spatula and patience. I was too lazy to do a rub down with wax or parment paper (which I've done previously).

This is the recipe:

1 cup Crisco

1c butter

cream together til fluffy (so buttah should be soft)

2lb powdered sugar

2t vanilla extract

4T milk (dairy or non-dairy works, I used almond milk)

mix


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 22, 2019)

Did someone say cookies?




I also made some more sourdough (this time, I gave a loaf away):


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 24, 2019)

Mini oreo cheesecakes

Also finally baked off the dough for the salted chocolate chunk shortbread. And made another batch of discard sourdough biscuits


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 24, 2019)

Made poppy seed roll and anise cookies! Anise cookies are still firming up; I’ll bake and frost them later tonight. Poppy seed roll...I like the recipe I have/it tastes amazing, but I always get blow out from having to roll the dough into a 12”x16” rectangle (which I think is really pushing the dough elasticity). I think I’m going to research some other roll recipes and see what they have for the dough, maybe play around with it. I think I might try and bake once a week as a New Years resolution. Maybe every Tuesday or something like that.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 24, 2019)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Also finally baked off the dough for the salted chocolate chunk shortbread.


Was this Alison Roman's recipe?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 24, 2019)

leggo PE said:


> Was this Alison Roman's recipe?


Smittenkitchen who got it from Alison Roman


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 26, 2019)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Smittenkitchen who got it from Alison Roman


I knew it!!

I've been so into Alison Roman's recipes recently... I got her Nothing Fancy cookbook and am in love. Also, been into Smitten Kitchen recipes recently. But where's the surprise in that?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 26, 2019)

@leggo PE I'm trying to branch away from SK recipes only because the addiction is real lol.

I love many of Deb's recipes but I should spread the baking love! lol


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 26, 2019)

I have no problem spreading the baking love, haha. But man, I made her unfussy sugar cookies the other day, and while they ended up being fussy (rolling them out between parchment paper did NOT work for me) and they were so tasty!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 26, 2019)

So much for my SK break 

Buttermilk biscuits because I have leftover buttermilk from the chicken. Have about 1.75c left and taking suggestions


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 28, 2019)

One of JK’s 2020 resolutions: bake or cook one new thing a week. My sister got me two cookbooks (America’s Test Kitchen 20th anniversary and a dessert only cookbook called “sweet cravings”) and I want to start getting myself on a schedule to try new things. 

Also need to copy the recipes I recently did (and edited) into my cookbook before I forget the variations I did.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 29, 2019)

I made dog treats!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 29, 2019)

Also made sourdough cranberry walnut muffins, so good!


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 6, 2020)

I baked my first sourdough loaves of the new year and decade yesterday. I did a 70% bread flour, 20% whole wheat, 10% rye flour, 87% hydration, 2.5% salt dough.

I wanted to see how adding rye flour into the dough would affect the flavor. It definitely gave the bread more depth in flavor and a more sour taste. It was an interesting experiment, but I think I will stick with adding either durum or spelt for a slightly sweeter loaf that is still on the sour side due to fridge retardation.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 6, 2020)

i made bagels aka bagel thins lol.

and white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies: https://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/oatmeal-cranberry-cookies/?epik=dj0yJnU9NHh0WWM5Z3hXVkRkVWZFTHFIY3ljT0NJaElIN0FFLWMmbj1TWV9YZ04tYU15TUlwU1RHM2lxWG1nJm09MyZ0PUFBQUFBRjRSSFVN  mine do not look like the picture. mine are darker brown (probs because I used dark brown sugar) but also spread way out. they're delicious, soft, thin, and very bendy lol


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 9, 2020)

So I attempted these: https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/sourdough-recipes/sourdough-banana-muffins/

When I mixed the sourdough starter with the dough, I couldn't get it all to mix in. I did it by hand. And let it sit for 24hours. I was able to get a bit more mixed in at 24 hgours. And then when I poured the wet ingredients over (I did it all at once tbh), I was struggling to get it mixed (also by hand). The starter/flour mix felt like it had hardened and thats why I had dumped it all in at once. The liquids helped soften it a bit but I wasn't able to get a non-chunky batter - there were large chunks of starter/flour mix. It kind of looked like vomit tbh.

I'm going to get more bananas and try again. And I realized that I had been overfeeding my starter with flour. The KAF instructions are 1/2c flour, water, starter. And I weighed out the flour and starter (because I don't like using measuring cups and I can't get a measuring cup into my mason jar). Well I was going way heavy on the flour, almost a full cup of flour. So I fixed that for the jar of starter I feed that night (I currently have 3 jars: 2 fed and one is discard).


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 9, 2020)

So I've already failed my baking resolution (a new recipe a week), which I am chalking up to having a faulty oven that I'm a little scared of putting anything in.

Does anyone have fun stove top/no bake recipes I can try?  I think I might make peanut butter oatmeal bars tonight, but I don't have an 8x8 glass dish (I def forget it at my parents when I moved).  Also, I have a ton of walnuts that I bought at TJ last year when I was doing some hazelnut stuff (and I figured I might as well buy them as well).  I might actually attempt candied walnuts this weekend (but I am def going to look into recipes). 

I want to get more into candy making again.  When I was really little my mom always did chocolate molds for major holidays, making the white lamb for Easter and the heart lollipops for Valentines, and my fondest memories were going to the specialty chocolate supply store that somehow had established itself in our small town and seeing all the different colors of chocolate in disc form.  Does anyone have any semi-easy recipes to attempt?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 9, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> So I've already failed my baking resolution (a new recipe a week), which I am chalking up to having a faulty oven that I'm a little scared of putting anything in.
> 
> Does anyone have fun stove top/no bake recipes I can try?  I think I might make peanut butter oatmeal bars tonight, but I don't have an 8x8 glass dish (I def forget it at my parents when I moved).  Also, I have a ton of walnuts that I bought at TJ last year when I was doing some hazelnut stuff (and I figured I might as well buy them as well).  I might actually attempt candied walnuts this weekend (but I am def going to look into recipes).
> 
> I want to get more into candy making again.  When I was really little my mom always did chocolate molds for major holidays, making the white lamb for Easter and the heart lollipops for Valentines, and my fondest memories were going to the specialty chocolate supply store that somehow had established itself in our small town and seeing all the different colors of chocolate in disc form.  Does anyone have any semi-easy recipes to attempt?


https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/10/buckeyes/ (or someone else's version of these)

can look at no-bake energy balls, no-bake cheesecake.

if you have a toaster oven, you could do small batch things...


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 9, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/10/buckeyes/ (or someone else's version of these)
> 
> can look at no-bake energy balls, no-bake cheesecake.
> 
> if you have a toaster oven, you could do small batch things...


I totally forgot about buckeyes!!!  And I really want to try this recipe since I do have a thing of cream cheese that was opened for bagels/not used all the way!  Thank you, my dear!  Now I just need to grab some graham crackers (maybe I'll do that tonight after I leave the gym, swing by Walmart to grab another 8x8 and some other tiny things I need).


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 9, 2020)

My online sourdough pastry course starts on Monday! It's totally at your own pace, and I have access to the material/classes/etc. forever. In it, I'll learn how to make sourdough brioche, croissants, and danishes. I'm particularly excited for the lessons in croissants, but I've never made anything like any of those, so I'm excited for all of it!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 12, 2020)

I made sourdough banana muffins (below), double batch of pudding cookies - chocolate with dark choc/mint chips and chocolate with butterscotch/espresso chips (below, 6th tray is in the kitchen), half a batch of dog treats but cut real small for clicker training (got 308 treats), brownies from SK, and sourdough discard biscuits but square!

The pudding cookies spread a shit ton and the recipe I used before, they didnt do that. This one required no chilling which is a requirement since my freezer is jammed packed and I can't fit 6 trays in my fridge (the chill recipe I saw said for 1 hour). They taste good but aren't what I was hoping for (same with the oatmeal cookies of last weekend)

My assumption is because I work in front of the fan for our heat pump so the batter just stays warm. But I don't have much work space in this kitchen to begin with and this space has the outlet


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 13, 2020)

Hahahahahahahahaha, I checked my oven temp using a little oven temp gauge.  My oven is ranging from 50 to 70-degrees under what I set it from on the middle rack.  This explains why so many things were undercooked/not baking like they usually were.  Def hoping my landlord can check it out (I think the husband is returning today).  Is it bad that I was him to be like, 'eh, it's old, we'll just get a new one', just so I can get a new oven?

@LyceeFruit PE I've been meaning to ask you.  Do you bake your muffins with liners all the time?  How vital is that for baking.  I want to make muffins (since yours look so amazing all the time), but I have no liners.  Should I buy them or could I get away with crisco + flouring my trays?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 13, 2020)

@JayKay PE i usually do liners since I make them for other people. and i'm often decent enough at pouring into the tins that i can just do a quick wash when i've taken everything out. i'm too lazy for flour/crisco method lol

i also have like 9000 liners so i'm just slowly working my way through them


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 13, 2020)

Ahhhhhh, okay.  That makes sense.  I have no liners (and don't know what size would fit my trays), so I wanted to attempt the usual way of baking things when I forget to throw parchment paper but also wanted to see if you had any experience with it.  May I ask how you have 9000+ liners?  OR IS THIS FORBIDDEN BAKING KNOWLEDGE?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 13, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> Ahhhhhh, okay.  That makes sense.  I have no liners (and don't know what size would fit my trays), so I wanted to attempt the usual way of baking things when I forget to throw parchment paper but also wanted to see if you had any experience with it.  May I ask how you have 9000+ liners?  OR IS THIS FORBIDDEN BAKING KNOWLEDGE?


i've totally done it without liners - i just lean towards liners. if you have a normal cupcake tin, you'd just standard size liners. there's mini, regular, and jumbo sizes.

you can also make your own liners with parchment paper instead of buying them.

i have 9000 liners since when I first moved out on my own, i took a cake decorating class so I bought the wilton kit and a bunch of liners (usually on clearance) so i'm still going through my stash. i got get of the wilton cake decorating kit - i'd like to do more cake decorating besides the basics i remember for the class but i don't really need nor want more plastic junk in my life. some of the stuff in the kit felt very cheap


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 13, 2020)

For muffin liner reference, I bake for home consumption and basically never use liners. I have a standard sized muffin tin as well as a mini muffin tin, and my go-to is to use coconut spray to make the muffins not stick to the pan. This has worked every time, except once a few months ago when I was making some sort of pay muffin and they stuck terribly! But in that case, the recipe had specifically recommended using liners and I ignored it, which in hindsight, I should not have done. I think the issue was the more crumbly consistency of the muffin batter due to the oats, so the liners were recommended to help keep the structure.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 13, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> I was making some sort of pay muffin


whats a pay muffin&gt;


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 13, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> whats a pay muffin&gt;


*Oat muffin


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 14, 2020)

The fudgiedt chocolate zucchini muffins ever (and they're vegan! And so, so, so good




Also, a seeded 100% einkorn sourdough loaf:




I still can't figure out how to rotate photos when uploading and posting on my phone. Blah!


----------



## mudpuppy (Jan 15, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> they're vegan! And so, so, so good


Those words do not belong together.


----------



## FLBuff PE (Jan 15, 2020)

Notice the use of the sad face.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 18, 2020)

Buttermilk biscuits from SK


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 18, 2020)

Homemade goldfish (more like cheezits) from SK


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 18, 2020)

Carrot oat muffins


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## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 18, 2020)

Yes, all from today. I also have the no knead crusty whited bread from KAF rising in the fridge


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## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 19, 2020)

I made bread


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## JayKay PE (Jan 21, 2020)

*cries*

My oven bake element is still broken.  I sent all the info/the element part number and everything to my landlord, but I think he's been overwhelmed since he came back from vacation for medical stuff (like, a ton of medical stuff).  I turned on the oven yesterday and the fire alarm went on, tons of smoke in the unit, so I think I'm only going to use the stove top.  

It sucks because I actually wanted to bake stuff this week and now I can't.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 21, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> *cries*
> 
> My oven bake element is still broken.  I sent all the info/the element part number and everything to my landlord, but I think he's been overwhelmed since he came back from vacation for medical stuff (like, a ton of medical stuff).  I turned on the oven yesterday and the fire alarm went on, tons of smoke in the unit, so I think I'm only going to use the stove top.
> 
> It sucks because I actually wanted to bake stuff this week and now I can't.


eeeep no bueno


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 21, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> eeeep no bueno


Yeeeeeeeeeeeeah.  Since I don't have anything planned tonight (except, maybe I'll see a movie...?) I might try and make candied walnuts or something since I have a ton kicking around.  I also still need to make those buckeye balls you posted, but not sure if I have the right type of melting chocolate in my cabinet (but I do have heavy whipping cream for some reason, so I might do that).


----------



## Supe (Jan 21, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Homemade goldfish (more like cheezits) from SK
> 
> View attachment 16045


Must be boxfish instead of goldfish.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 21, 2020)

Supe said:


> Must be boxfish instead of goldfish.


basically.

the first time i made these, i used a flower shaped cookie cutter and it was a PITA so I went lazy and just cut squares.

they'e already gone.

i might make more tonight.

i used the 50% reduced fat cabot cheddar for these since that's what I did last time but I think they changed the formula so it was v crumbly. i'm gonna go back to the full fat for the next batch(es).


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 22, 2020)

I made more bread. Same dough as before (literal same batch of dough). Didnt rise a lot (i think it's how I store it in the fridge). But cuts are better and it's darker.

Once my oven was preheated (475F instead of the recipes 450F), i started a timer for 25min (cocette was in the oven as it preheated). Baked with lid on for 30min and 7min with lid off.

This proved for over an hour on parchment paper in front of the vent for the heat pump


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 22, 2020)

For reference, I always preheat my oven at 500 degrees for an hour (with my dutch oven in it) before transferring my dough in to bake. When the dough is transferred in, I immediately turn the temperature down to wherever I'm starting my bake at (usually 450 degrees). Lately, I've kept the dough covered for 25 min at 450, then uncovered for 10 min at 450, then 10-15 min at 425. I end up with color similar to this:


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 22, 2020)

In other, no sourdough baking news...

I made Alison Roman's overnight focaccia, tonight, for the NFC championship game this past Sunday:




I also made sourdough quiches on Monday, which used discard starter for flavor in the dough. So, so good! I don't have a good photo though. I also majorly overfilled the quiches and some of them exploded, which was pretty entertaining to see the results of, and also quite delectable.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 22, 2020)

I made bread 

Left out to raise for like 3hours. Preheated the pan the same as last night.


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 23, 2020)

Lololololol, my landlord just sent me a picture saying the bake element is working and that when he set the temp to 550, it read higher than that.  He then sent me a pic of the oven thermometer I bought on the floor of the oven DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE HEATING ELEMENT.

I literally responded, "The heat of the actual bake rack, where stuff is cooked, doesn't reach the correct temp.  When I heated the oven to 500, the actual bake temp shown on the middle rack was around 425.  I don't know if that means the temp isn't being circulated."

Like, of course the temperature is going to be really high next to a heating element (even if it is broken), but that doesn't help that a &lt;10" distance from that results in an over 50-degree drop and none of my stuff is getting cooked all the way.


----------



## MA_PE (Jan 24, 2020)

Where is the thermocouple that controls the oven?  Seems like that’s what the setting is based on.  If you want the set point based on the middle rack, then put your thermometer on the rack and increase the set point until you get your target temp at your thermometer location. If the element gets up to 550 then it sounds like it’s working to me.


----------



## mudpuppy (Jan 24, 2020)

I did a little research and it sounds like some ovens also cycle the top element when baking.  Try putting the oven on broil and see if the top element works.  If not, then that might be the problem.


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 24, 2020)

Nah, top element def works (it's why my pizza was getting almost burnt on top, but the bottom remained ultra pale).  @MA_PE, I was thinking of trying to find the thermocouple/the internal thermometer and seeing if I could move it around.  I'm going to play around with the rack I bake on, but also see if I can adjust the temp manually (I think the oven manual said I can adjust up to 35-degrees hotter or cooler)?  I'm going to do a biscuit recipe to see.


----------



## MA_PE (Jan 24, 2020)

What’s the make and model # of your stove.  It’s been my experience that electric burners either work or they don’t.  When on full they should glow red.  I believe the check for an element is resistance.  Should be an easy thing to check.  The thermocouple should be pretty obvious.  like a probe hanging on the wall inside.


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 24, 2020)

Oh yeah, the electric burner works, was glowing bright red in the photo.  It's just the temp at the middle rack isn't hitting right?  I haven't looked for the thermocouple, but I might later tonight to just see.

Make/model: GE JSP31 (it's an ollllld model)


----------



## mudpuppy (Jan 24, 2020)

Agree with MA_PE that elements typically don't just partially work--they either work or they don't.  If the temperature isn't regulated right I would suspect the thermocouple itself, or the control circuit that turns the element on and off.


----------



## mudpuppy (Jan 24, 2020)

Here's an except from your range's manual.  Perhaps your thermostat is just adjusted incorrectly.


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 24, 2020)

Yeah, that's what I was going to do tonight (I could def see someone by mistake having changed it in the past).


----------



## MA_PE (Jan 24, 2020)

https://www.repairclinic.com/Shop-For-Parts?query=Jsp31
 

ive used repair clinic for appliance parts before.  Searching on jsp31 brings up a number of variations not sure what the difference is.  Sometimes it’s just the finish color.  Anyway they show an oven sensor for $75.  There are videos online on how to locate and change it.  It appears to be located in the top rear and is replaced/accessed from the back of the stove.  Have fun.   I’d try adjusting it first.  You might also clean the existing one.


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 27, 2020)

I made sourdough brioche!




I also baked some apple muffins:




And I have some more dough in the fridge to make sourdough brioche cinnamon rolls either tonight or tomorrow night...


----------



## Road Guy (Jan 27, 2020)

Damn both of those look excellent!


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 27, 2020)

Made sad lemon pound cake...


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 30, 2020)

But @JayKay PE, why is it sad? IT LOOKS SO GOOD!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 30, 2020)

I have a 32oz mason jar full of sourdough discard.


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 31, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> I have a 32oz mason jar full of sourdough discard.


Make some sourdough pie dough! You mainly use it for flavoring. Make a big batch, divide it up into servings for a pie, a whole quiche, or muffin quiches, and freeze in blocks!


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 31, 2020)

Make sourdough pretzels! That's my favorite thing to do with cold sourdough discard! I can send you the recipe I use, if you'd like.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 31, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> Make sourdough pretzels! That's my favorite thing to do with cold sourdough discard! I can send you the recipe I use, if you'd like.


yes please



leggo PE said:


> Make some sourdough pie dough! You mainly use it for flavoring. Make a big batch, divide it up into servings for a pie, a whole quiche, or muffin quiches, and freeze in blocks!


is there a recipe for this too? 

i made a double batch of discard biscuits. i have enough for another double batch lol


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 31, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> yes please
> 
> is there a recipe for this too?
> 
> i made a double batch of discard biscuits. i have enough for another double batch lol


PMing you!


----------



## JayKay PE (Feb 3, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> But @JayKay PE, why is it sad? IT LOOKS SO GOOD!


Sad = I thought it was going to rise more/be larger based on the recipe (the recipe actually called for a larger pan and I'm happy I stuck to my normal, 1 lb USA-Pan loaf).

On that thought, I do need to try and get more USA-Pan bakeware.  That loaf pan has always baked things so beautifully and I think they might be my go-to from now on.


----------



## JayKay PE (Feb 3, 2020)

Also.  I made espresso brownies last night for super bowl.  Still trying to figure out the new temps I programmed into the oven.  Baked a batch in a 9x13" glass pan, forgot to drop the temp by 25, so the outsides were firmer than I would have liked and it took a bit longer to bake through the middle.


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 4, 2020)

I made these over the weekend. They are beyond fantastic:




It's amazing what a few high quality ingredients can do! In this case, it was mainly just good quality cocoa powder and high quality dark chocolate.


----------



## kevo_55 (Feb 4, 2020)

The begging question is how many are left??


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 4, 2020)

kevo_55 said:


> The begging question is how many are left??


I shared them at the super bowl party I hosted... There were 48 to start, and I think there are maybe a dozen leftover? To be fair, there was also a dutch apple pie that some friends brought.


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 5, 2020)

You're reminded, once again, that you are a baker when you type "loaf" instead of "load" in your calculations package...


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Feb 5, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> I shared them at the super bowl party I hosted... There were 48 to start, and I think there are maybe a dozen leftover? To be fair, there was also a dutch apple pie that some friends brought.


Missed opportunity of the day...you could have made 49 of those for the Super Bowl party.


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 5, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Missed opportunity of the day...you could have made 49 of those for the Super Bowl party.


Well, the recipe was only supposed to make 24 and all I did was add 1/2 c finely chopped hazelnuts... I wasn't sure how many it actually made until I counted them out after they baked, as I lost count doing only one pan at a time in the oven...

But yes, missed opportunity nonetheless!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Feb 11, 2020)

Fake thin mints


----------



## JayKay PE (Feb 12, 2020)

@LyceeFruit PE, uh, those are better than normal thin mints because they have star sprinkles.  Everyone knows star sprinkles are top tier.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Feb 12, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> @LyceeFruit PE, uh, those are better than normal thin mints because they have star sprinkles.  Everyone knows star sprinkles are top tier.


The recipe did actually call for sprinkles so I went with stars &amp; finally finished a jar of sprinkles!

I would totally make these again but add more mint. I added 1/2t but could have added the full 1t the recipe called for.

The blogger also has other versions of these cookies on their site. I might try them with orange extract instead of mint nom


----------



## JayKay PE (Feb 12, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> The recipe did actually call for sprinkles so I went with stars &amp; finally finished a jar of sprinkles!
> 
> I would totally make these again but add more mint. I added 1/2t but could have added the full 1t the recipe called for.
> 
> The blogger also has other versions of these cookies on their site. I might try them with orange extract instead of mint nom


Yay!  I actually used way more sprinkles than I expected this last holiday season when I made my batch of cookies with the frosting.

Yeah, with extracts, I get why you'd be leery of adding less instead of more (I've had some recipes that I use oil instead of extract and it's something like 1/2 tsp for over 6c of flour in the recipe and you can still taste it), but mint itself isn't ultra-ultra powerful.  It's peppermint that I've always had trouble with balancing since the extracts tend to taste metallic-like when I've accidentally over-poured?  ORANGE + MINT = THE NUMBER ONE COMBO.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Feb 12, 2020)

@JayKay PE also my extract was also expired but I'm still alive so i'm not gonna worry about it...

and I meant orange instead of the mint so it tastes like those chocolate oranges you can get at Christmas... 

I still have a lot of sprinkles. I almost went with Christmas sprinkles but it was one of those containers with 6 compartments so even if I emptied 1, i'd have 3 more to go. but picking stars meant one whole jar got recycled last night. 

when Boyfriend is back in the office, I think I'll make cupcakes to send with him and get rid of more sprinkles lol


----------



## csb (Feb 12, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> ORANGE + MINT = THE NUMBER ONE COMBO.


"Are these the cookies that taste like when you forget you just brushed your teeth and drink orange juice?"


----------



## JayKay PE (Feb 12, 2020)

csb said:


> "Are these the cookies that taste like when you forget you just brushed your teeth and drink orange juice?"


Lol, I assumed it was going to be the chocolate cookie, but with these added.

As for the OJ + toothpaste combo...that never seemed that bad to me?  Idk.


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 14, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> As for the OJ + toothpaste combo...that never seemed that bad to me?


Ew.


----------



## JayKay PE (Feb 18, 2020)

I don’t know if this counts as baking or cooking, but cake is in the name: I made pancakes for the first time this weekend and they came out beautiful!!!


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 18, 2020)

Blood orange chocolate olive oil cake with blood orange citrus syrup:




I'm not normally a chocolate orange person, but this is freaking delicious.

Pictured on the edge are the cake baked as cupcakes, without the citrus syrup. Also quite yummy!


----------



## Supe (Feb 18, 2020)

Man, I love blood orange.


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 18, 2020)

Supe said:


> Man, I love blood orange.


Me too. It's my favorite citrus fruit! And my favorite part of winter, since that's when it is in season!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Feb 18, 2020)

i put slices of blood orange in my water today lol

thought of you @leggo PE


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 9, 2020)

I baked this weekend!




A silly sideways (how the HECK do I rotate photos on here when uploading and posting on my phone?? Using chrome browser...) Lemon yogurt cake that was fantastic with the accompanying lemon lime curd I made (curd is a lot of work but very worth it as it was so, so delicious).

I also made two loaves of sourdough bread... This is what they looked like before baking:







I was very uninspired (well, rather I didn't have any specific ideas) when I was about to score them, but like the designs I came up with on the fly!


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 16, 2020)

I texted my husband this picture yesterday...




And that was before I made 3 dozen of the best chocolate cookies ever. Also, if you're wondering, the dough on the cutting boards is sourdough pizza dough a la Mr. Leggo (shaped by me).


----------



## Road Guy (Mar 16, 2020)

Ive been kind of wondering if I should pick up a bread maker?  lol


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 16, 2020)

Road Guy said:


> Ive been kind of wondering if I should pick up a bread maker?  lol


It's called your hands!


----------



## Road Guy (Mar 16, 2020)

our oven is broke!


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Mar 21, 2020)

Baking bread today, because what else are you gonna do in a self-quarantine on a weekend?


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Mar 21, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Baking bread today, because what else are you gonna do in a self-quarantine on a weekend?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 22, 2020)

Double chocolate banana bread from SK


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 22, 2020)

I have Peter Reinharts super sprout bread rising rn (recipe on KAF). Had enough left of my sprouted wheat flour to make this which was the driving factor. I actually ended up throwing out about 1/3c of it since its all I had left. And I bought the 2lb bag in summer 2018. So yeah, we'll see how it tastes


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 22, 2020)

Garlic chickpea crackers from KAF


----------



## NikR_PE (Mar 22, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Garlic chickpea crackers from KAF
> 
> View attachment 16911


I read that as garlic chicken crackers and was confused for couple minutes.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 23, 2020)

NikR_PE said:


> I read that as garlic chicken crackers and was confused for couple minutes.


----------



## P-E (Mar 23, 2020)

We can't find flour (in stores or on line).  Well, except gluten free.


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 23, 2020)

I want to bake, but I also know I shouldn't be bringing in communal food to the office.  If I bake it will be too much for me to eat.

Going to start looking into 'single or double portion bakes', which might be more interesting to test out flavors since a smaller amount will make a bigger difference.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 23, 2020)

you can also freeze things. Like cookie dough already scooped up. same with scones &amp; certain biscuits. muffins &amp; cupcakes freeze well too.

i just don't have room in my freezer. and made shepards pie &amp; tomato soup...


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 23, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> you can also freeze things. Like cookie dough already scooped up. same with scones &amp; certain biscuits. muffins &amp; cupcakes freeze well too.
> 
> i just don't have room in my freezer. and made shepards pie &amp; tomato soup...


I have no room in my freezer as well, due to chicken soup and Italian goulash making + a couple of corned beefs + bagels.

Might need to start eating all my frozen stuff.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 23, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> I have no room in my freezer as well, due to chicken soup and Italian goulash making + a couple of corned beefs + bagels.
> 
> Might need to start eating all my frozen stuff.


I think we're gonna rotate that way a bit this weekend.

I needed a break from frozen veggies for a few days and that's what's taking up some of my freezer: family size bag of broccoli (because it's the only veg Boyfriend will reliably eat)


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 23, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> I think we're gonna rotate that way a bit this weekend.
> 
> I needed a break from frozen veggies for a few days and that's what's taking up some of my freezer: family size bag of broccoli (because it's the only veg Boyfriend will reliably eat)


I have a giant bag of Normandy vegetable mix from Costco that might get attacked this week for dinners.  Might make a huge tray to roast and pick at it.

I just hate having to meal prep/plan during this time.  Since so much stuff is made, I pretty much need to stick to it, but sometimes I really just want to have a single bowl of soup and that's it.  Uggggggh.


----------



## Roarbark (Mar 24, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> Blood orange chocolate olive oil cake with blood orange citrus syrup:
> 
> [Picture ommited to not spam forum]
> 
> ...


CHOCOLATE ORANGE, CHOCOLATE ORANGE!!! One of my favorite combos. 
Also Chocolate mint. But not chocolate mint orange. 

Maybe I should use quarantine to teach myself a few [more?] baking thingies. I wonder if I have everything I need... @JayKay PE made me want to make pancakes, to use the high quality Maine maple syrup my sister gave me for Xmas...


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 24, 2020)

Roarbark said:


> CHOCOLATE ORANGE, CHOCOLATE ORANGE!!! One of my favorite combos.
> Also Chocolate mint. But not chocolate mint orange.
> 
> Maybe I should use quarantine to teach myself a few [more?] baking thingies. I wonder if I have everything I need... @JayKay PE made me want to make pancakes, to use the high quality Maine maple syrup my sister gave me for Xmas...


YOU SHOULD MAKE PANCAKES.  I'm not good at stovetop stuff (except for soups), and the recipe I followed was amazing: https://cafedelites.com/best-fluffy-pancakes/

And good quality maple syrup = one of the best things you can have.


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 24, 2020)

I didn't bake at all this past weekend... I ran myself nearly completely out of my normal bread/whole wheat/all purpose flours with my last post in this thread. But I've since been able to restock bread and all purpose flour, with whole wheat and more bread flour expected at the end of this week.

I think I might make another einkorn bread, as I have more of that flour. I also have some spelt and some durum flours, but those need to be combined with flours with higher protein if I want to bake bread... So I shall be delving into my baking cookbooks for recipes! Or maybe make another cake that can use more flexible flours.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Mar 24, 2020)

Getting really frustrated at how hard it is to buy flour right now. Not even amazon has much in stock. I wanna try making sourdough, darn it!


----------



## Roarbark (Mar 24, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> YOU SHOULD MAKE PANCAKES.  I'm not good at stovetop stuff (except for soups), and the recipe I followed was amazing: https://cafedelites.com/best-fluffy-pancakes/
> 
> And good quality maple syrup = one of the best things you can have.


I have everything except eggs. Google has "eggless pancake" recepies, but sounds dangerous...


----------



## P-E (Mar 24, 2020)

Roarbark said:


> I have everything except eggs. Google has "eggless pancake" recepies, but sounds dangerous...


I'll trade you some eggs for some yeast.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 24, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Getting really frustrated at how hard it is to buy flour right now. Not even amazon has much in stock. I wanna try making sourdough, darn it!


Mainegrains.com


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Mar 24, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Mainegrains.com


Looks like they’re fair trade, too? Nice!

Unfortunately shipping to my location is expensive...like, 2x the product price.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 24, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Looks like they’re fair trade, too? Nice!
> 
> Unfortunately shipping to my location is expensive...like, 2x the product price.


get the 25lb bag &amp; it evens out?

I've gotten their small bags at the grocery store - they're newer and recently expanded their offerings in the southern Maine grocery stores.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Mar 24, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> get the 25lb bag &amp; it evens out?
> 
> I've gotten their small bags at the grocery store - they're newer and recently expanded their offerings in the southern Maine grocery stores.


The 25lb bag has a $75 shipping cost for my address   not as bad as the single 5lb bag, though.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 24, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> The 25lb bag has a $75 shipping cost for my address   not as bad as the single 5lb bag, though.


woof.

They mentioned that the sweet spot for shipping was a case box: 6 items


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Mar 24, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> woof.
> 
> They mentioned that the sweet spot for shipping was a case box: 6 items


I tried that also, it’s worse than the 25lb bag.

I’m half-tempted to just buy a milling machine.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 24, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> I tried that also, it’s worse than the 25lb bag.
> 
> I’m half-tempted to just buy a milling machine.


You check Bob's Red Mill?


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Mar 24, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> You check Bob's Red Mill?


Mostly out of stock. They have GF bags, I wouldn’t be opposed to getting a couple of those.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 24, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Mostly out of stock. They have GF bags, I wouldn’t be opposed to getting a couple of those.


Do you guys have stores like Christmas Tree Shops, Reny's, or Ocean State Job Lots?

Because often I find Bob's Red Mill at these stores for cheaper than the grocery store.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Mar 24, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Do you guys have stores like Christmas Tree Shops, Reny's, or Ocean State Job Lots?
> 
> Because often I find Bob's Red Mill at these stores for cheaper than the grocery store.


Not to my knowledge...and if we did, I’m sure they’d be closed right now.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 29, 2020)

Chickpea flour dog treats from acozykitchen

Hot butter pretzels from KAF

Back of the bag oatmeal bread from KAF (recipe on my bag did not match the website)

Ive finished my bag of bread flour. Last weekend killed the sprouted wheat flour.

Ive also made the KAF no knead bread but used the random bag of Bobs Red Mill AP i have. It turned out lighter and softer than using KAF.


----------



## FLBuff PE (Mar 30, 2020)

We got a portion of a friend's sour dough starter. Mrs. Buff made sourdough bread in the bread machine...it wasn't quite sour enough to taste like the real deal. Any suggestions (other than don't use the bread machine)? I think she planned on trying it in the real oven next, but should she let it sit out and proof longer to develop the sour taste?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 30, 2020)

FLBuff PE said:


> We got a portion of a friend's sour dough starter. Mrs. Buff made sourdough bread in the bread machine...it wasn't quite sour enough to taste like the real deal. Any suggestions (other than don't use the bread machine)? I think she planned on trying it in the real oven next, but should she let it sit out and proof longer to develop the sour taste?


Calling @leggo PE


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 30, 2020)

FLBuff PE said:


> We got a portion of a friend's sour dough starter. Mrs. Buff made sourdough bread in the bread machine...it wasn't quite sour enough to taste like the real deal. Any suggestions (other than don't use the bread machine)? I think she planned on trying it in the real oven next, but should she let it sit out and proof longer to develop the sour taste?






LyceeFruit PE said:


> Calling @leggo PE


I've never made sourdough bread in a breadmaker before (I don't have one to even try). But typically, the way you get the more sour flavor in a home bake would be to refrigerate the dough for an extended period of time before baking. I'm no expert, but putting the dough in a cold environment slows down the fermentation (so your bread shouldn't overproof) and also helps to develop the bacteria in the dough that promote the sour flavor. An additional way to also get more interesting and possibly sour flavor in your bread would be to put in a percentage of whole wheat or rye flour, but if you go too high of a percentage, it will also have an effect on your hydration. Whole wheat flour is thirstier than regular old bread flour!

I'm not sure how this would translate to a breadmaker, which from my understanding, kneads and bakes the bread all in on. For reference, here's my rough sourdough process (it's really not that hard to do, it just takes time, patience, and experience):

Friday night: feed starter

Saturday morning, early: mix levain with ripe (fed) starter

Early or mid Saturday afternoon: mix active levain, flour, and warm water (holding back 100g water to put in with the salt) and let autolyse for 1 huor

One hour later: mix salt in with remaining 100g warm water; perform set of stretches and folds

Mid afternoon to early evening (4 ish hours usually): do 4 sets of stretches and folds at 30 min intervals, leave dough alone (covered this whole time) for the remained of the 4 hours, all the while at a slightly warmer than room temp location (for me, this is on top of my gas stove)

Early evening: divide dough into two and pre-shape, let bench rest for 20 min

20 min later: shape and put into bannetons, cover bannetons and put into fridge

Following morning/afternoon: preheat dutch oven in oven at 500 degrees for one hour

One hour later: Score and bake loaves, one at a time, with reheated oven in between

Maybe this will help someone?


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 30, 2020)

K, here's my baking haul from the weekend:

First up, sourdough pretzels! I used a different recipe than my go-to one, and really, really enjoyed making them. The dough was so fluffy, like a pillow! Amazing since it was pretty low hydration -- you want that chewiness!




Then I made these giant, deliciously crinkled chocolate chip cookies:




And lastly, I made some bread. Gave one loaf to my upstairs neighbors!




That's all, folks!


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 30, 2020)

OMG @thekzieg HI! Long time no see (on here)!


----------



## thekzieg (Mar 30, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> OMG @thekzieg HI! Long time no see (on here)!


The rona brought me back!! Gotta get that socializing in somehow, ya know?


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 30, 2020)

thekzieg said:


> The rona brought me back!! Gotta get that socializing in somehow, ya know?


Welcome back!

Tagging @tj_PE because she's still around these parts too.


----------



## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Mar 30, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> First up, sourdough pretzels!


Homagah, looks amazing! I'm getting chonky just looking at these pics...

Edit: I spy an FX-115ES Plus! We're a TI household.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 30, 2020)




----------



## thekzieg (Mar 30, 2020)

Finally got a kitchenaid mixer and whipped out these Auntie Anne's knockoffs. They were goooooood!


----------



## JayKay PE (Mar 31, 2020)

I really want to make doughnuts...but I am still working, and I should not make a dozen doughnuts when I 'technically' can't bring them into work due to social distancing (which no one in Indiana is following, which in turn is making my skin crawl).  Ugggggggh.  I wish I had roommates or lived with people so I could bake and not feel horrible eating a ton of baked goods!


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 31, 2020)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> Homagah, looks amazing! I'm getting chonky just looking at these pics...
> 
> Edit: I spy an FX-115ES Plus! We're a TI household.


You'll love your TI until you take the CA state surveying exam and realize that the degree minute second button on the Casio's is GOLD.


----------



## leggo PE (Mar 31, 2020)

Note to self: NEVER WHISK EGG WHITES TO STIFF PEAKS BY HAND.

Seriously, I don't know why I did this... Well, I know why. I didn't want to get out my stand mixer. I was like, whisk and bowl and egg whites! That's all I need! Well, thirty freaking minutes of continuous rapid whipping later, I finally got them. Never. Again.

It does make me want a hand mixer though! For those in-between times.

Also, sourdough waffles are awesome! Happy birthday to Mr. Leggo!


----------



## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Apr 1, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> the degree minute second button on the Casio's is GOLD.


Noted! Good thing I have a Casio, too!

On topic: I only whip egg whites when LadySquare is occupying the stand mixer with something else. It's terrible. Your forearms must be stacked though!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Apr 2, 2020)

More cookies. Double batch got me 37. Single batch got me 21. I was a little heavy handed with the scoop this time.

Little pan was last to bake so dough was left to warm up longer. And its a darker pan. (Theres a 2nd little pan on another counter)

And i should have put less on a pan but since its the middle of the day, i wanted as few pans as possible


----------



## Roarbark (Apr 2, 2020)

Someone near me is making pancakes, which made me think of the baking thread. 

I decided to give it a go, and made quarantine pancakes for the first time ever, even though I had no eggs. Mission accomplished. Finally got to use some of the Grade A Maine Maple syrup my sis gave me, and some of the Fig Orange Jam that I've had in my fridge. (Not pictured: I cut up some fresh apple, and a little cinnamon on the fig cinnamon ones. Made me want to do some kind of stewed brown-sugar-cinnamon-apple topping....) 




But I'm almost out of flour, and I'm out of snacks. Maybe time to go shopping again.... 



leggo PE said:


> Note to self: NEVER WHISK EGG WHITES TO STIFF PEAKS BY HAND.


You'll either get ripped, or a repetitive strain injury.


----------



## JayKay PE (Apr 3, 2020)

Roarbark said:


> Someone near me is making pancakes, which made me think of the baking thread.
> 
> I decided to give it a go, and made quarantine pancakes for the first time ever, even though I had no eggs. Mission accomplished. Finally got to use some of the Grade A Maine Maple syrup my sis gave me, and some of the Fig Orange Jam that I've had in my fridge. (Not pictured: I cut up some fresh apple, and a little cinnamon on the fig cinnamon ones. Made me want to do some kind of stewed brown-sugar-cinnamon-apple topping....)
> 
> ...


YOUR PANCAKES LOOK AMAZING.  Mine came out really fluffy/thick, and I kinda wanted thinner pancakes like yours so I could eat more than one and be totally full...

I went shopping on Wednesday for fruit.  I think there was flour where I was?  But it was Costco in the Midwest.  Whereas Costco in the middle of the ocean might still be hurting a bit.


----------



## thekzieg (Apr 6, 2020)

Tried and failed to make some sourdough bread this weekend (I got a starter from a friend and I don't think she'd used it in a while, so it wasn't active enough). Made more bomb ass pretzels and some white chocolate orange cranberry scones though. Going to keep feeding the starter and see if I can't get some bread in the next few days.


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 7, 2020)

thekzieg said:


> Tried and failed to make some sourdough bread this weekend (I got a starter from a friend and I don't think she'd used it in a while, so it wasn't active enough). Made more bomb ass pretzels and some white chocolate orange cranberry scones though. Going to keep feeding the starter and see if I can't get some bread in the next few days.


What were the characteristics of the starter when you went to use it? Had it doubled in size? What did it smell like? Was it consistently doubling in size in 8-12 hours in the feedings you gave it before baking?

What failed about the sourdough bread? Was it simply flat? It would probably still taste good! It will generally always taste good unless you forget the salt.


----------



## thekzieg (Apr 7, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> What were the characteristics of the starter when you went to use it? Had it doubled in size? What did it smell like? Was it consistently doubling in size in 8-12 hours in the feedings you gave it before baking?
> 
> What failed about the sourdough bread? Was it simply flat? It would probably still taste good! It will generally always taste good unless you forget the salt.


The starter was bubbly and acidic smelling, but it hadn't doubled in size. I've been feeding it once a day for the last few days but it still isn't doubling.

The bread basically didn't rise at all (I gave it about 24hrs just in case) and was pretty gluey on the inside after I baked it.


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 7, 2020)

thekzieg said:


> The starter was bubbly and acidic smelling, but it hadn't doubled in size. I've been feeding it once a day for the last few days but it still isn't doubling.
> 
> The bread basically didn't rise at all (I gave it about 24hrs just in case) and was pretty gluey on the inside after I baked it.


If you have enough flour, I'd feed every 12 hours to revive the starter. When baking bread, you want to use a what called a "ripe" sourdough starter, which is one that is happy and fed and has doubled within the past 8-12 hours from the last time you fed it. If you don't have a happy, ripe starter, you might not get good results in your end bread in terms of rise. One thing that could be a shortcut to reviving your starter sooner would be to give it some rye or maybe whole wheat flour, if you have them available. Something about the digestive enzymes in those flours (vs. all purpose flour, which is what I'm assuming you're using to feed your starter right now -- correct me if I'm wrong!) can really wake up a starter and make them work really fast and need to be fed faster!

Without seeing the recipe you used for your method of making bread, it's hard for me to comment much on the actual bread you baked. The gumminess in the middle could have been because you didn't let it cool as much as it needed -- did you break into it when it was still warm? It's tough, but it's best to let sourdough bread completely cool so the crumb can fully develop. It's also possible that you didn't bake it hot enough, long enough.


----------



## thekzieg (Apr 10, 2020)

@leggo PE Ok, trying sourdough bread again. Doing the first prove now and then letting it rise in the fridge overnight. The starter was definitely not ripe last time, but it’s happy and doubling now!

I’m doing a single loaf that’s:
400g Bread Flour
230mL Water
5g Salt
160g Starter

Last time the bread was still slightly warm when I cut into it, so that may have been the issue. I definitely didn’t have any confidence in it and chucked the whole thing on the spot, so we’ll never know if it was actually ok tasting!

I also made a test cake for the kiddo’s upcoming birthday. She specifically asked for purple cake, so I’m figuring out the food coloring ratios.  It’s cooling now!


----------



## thekzieg (Apr 11, 2020)

Cake was just ok - turns out I don’t like how white cake tastes. 
View attachment 17224


The bread is a little burnt on top, but REALLY yummy 

View attachment 17225


(I don’t know why the pictures are rotated)


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 16, 2020)

My very first attempt at sourdough. It didn’t rise much overnight, which I attribute to collapsing my starter before adding (and possibly my starter not being ready...I didn’t test it before adding). As a result, the loaf is a little small. I didn’t cut into it yet, we’ll see what it looks like after.


----------



## snickerd3 (Apr 16, 2020)

no yeast to be found around these parts...was part of the initial shelf clearing like TP.


----------



## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Apr 16, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> As a result, the loaf is a little small.


Penny for scale!


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 16, 2020)

snickerd3 said:


> no yeast to be found around these parts...was part of the initial shelf clearing like TP.


Yep. One of the reasons I started so suddenly making my own sourdough starter.


----------



## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Apr 16, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> sourdough starter.


I still vote for Cheb-batta™ bread.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 16, 2020)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> Penny for scale!


How about a pencil?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Apr 16, 2020)

snickerd3 said:


> no yeast to be found around these parts...was part of the initial shelf clearing like TP.


check the bulk stores online. i had a friend score a 2lb bag of yeast and a 50lb bag of KAF lol

I told her I'd buy or trade her for some


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 16, 2020)

I've been having issues finding flour... Luckily, I got some from KAF as this was starting to ramp up, and more recently, was able to get a 5# bag of rye and a 50# bag of bread flour from a local mill. It hasn't shipped (that I can tell), but I've gotten the confirmation that my order has been processed. I've never ordered directly from a mill before, so I'm not sure what the timeline is.

I did have a dream last night that the 50# bag arrived with a hole in it, and my 6 (soon to be 7) year-old neighbor got to it and decided to decorate the garage with my precious flour, flinging it everywhere...

#BakersNightmare


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 16, 2020)

Texture is kinda gummy, sadly. I guess it didn’t bake long enough.

Tastes good, though!


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 16, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Texture is kinda gummy, sadly. I guess it didn’t bake long enough.
> 
> Tastes good, though!
> 
> View attachment 17285


Do you have a quick thermometer? Finished temps when right of the oven for sourdough loaves should be around 210-212 degree F.

How long did you wait to cut into it? The crumb won't properly set (and can be gummy) if you don't wait for your loaf to completely cool down.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 16, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> Do you have a quick thermometer? Finished temps when right of the oven for sourdough loaves should be around 210-212 degree F.
> 
> How long did you wait to cut into it? The crumb won't properly set (and can be gummy) if you don't wait for your loaf to completely cool down.


It was cooling for about 2 hours before i cut into it. It was still semi-warm, but not hot to the touch or anything.

I have a meat thermometer, which I assume will work in a pinch.


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 16, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> It was cooling for about 2 hours before i cut into it. It was still semi-warm, but not hot to the touch or anything.
> 
> I have a meat thermometer, which I assume will work in a pinch.


Yeah, I think you could use that! I have an instant digital thermometer. I think the finished temperature of the loaf (and whether it sounds hollow) are the best ways of making sure your loaf is fully baked.

Two hours of cooling was probably relatively enough time for it to cool. My guess, then, is that you were correct in thinking you didn't bake it for long enough.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 16, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> I have an instant digital thermometer.


What kind is yours? I might be making some other baking investments soon, anyway...I also need a better bowl (the kitchenaid bowl is shaped kinda strange), a better scoring knife, and a bench scraper, at a minimum.


----------



## JayKay PE (Apr 16, 2020)

I've always done the tap test with my loaves and I've never gone wrong.  Based on your pic, chebs, I can deff see some under baking near the bottom of the loaf (two spots semi-equidistant).  Also, I've found loaves that are underbaked/still dough tend to retain heat longer since it doesn't have a crumb to allow heat to leave (idk if that made sense, but that's usually how it's worked out for me?).


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 16, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> I've always done the tap test with my loaves and I've never gone wrong.  Based on your pic, chebs, I can deff see some under baking near the bottom of the loaf (two spots semi-equidistant).  Also, I've found loaves that are underbaked/still dough tend to retain heat longer since it doesn't have a crumb to allow heat to leave (idk if that made sense, but that's usually how it's worked out for me?).


No, it makes sense. I think next time I might also try increasing the temperature of the oven; I did 475, but I'm sure I could have gotten hotter than that.

Also I did preheat my pot, but probably not for long enough. I wasn't going to wait a whole hour since I was already "late for work."


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 16, 2020)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> What kind is yours? I might be making some other baking investments soon, anyway...I also need a better bowl (the kitchenaid bowl is shaped kinda strange), a better scoring knife, and a bench scraper, at a minimum.


Thermapen is the gold standard, from what I know. But I started with a cheap, $20 one that folded up and was magnetic. It worked well and I loved it! But it was cheap and I broke it after a year or so of use. Then I upgraded to one of the less expensive Thermapens... I think this one: https://www.thermoworks.com/600D??tw=TPL

It's only $30!


----------



## leggo PE (May 11, 2020)

How come no one's posting here but me any more... Did no one else order 50 lbs of bread flour like me??

The weekend roundup:







I got fancy with my scoring. I think both loaves turned out quite nice!

I also made a lemon poppyseed yogurt loaf cake:




It has a lemon syrup on it to give it that nice shiny glaze. It's quite good too!


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (May 11, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> How come no one's posting here but me any more... Did no one else order 50 lbs of bread flour like me??
> 
> The weekend roundup:
> 
> ...


Lol, I guess I got caught up on other things.

My sourdough starter (made using flour I milled from wheat berries I ordered) seems to be doing well. So far I've used it to make biscuits, cinnamon rolls, and pancakes (I can post pics later). I'm going to attempt another loaf of sourdough bread as soon as I can here...

Those treats look pretty amazing!


----------



## Road Guy (May 11, 2020)

I know you all are pros and dont buy box cakes but have you all been to the "box cake" section of the grocery store?  ours is more empty than the TP aisle!


----------



## leggo PE (May 11, 2020)

Road Guy said:


> I know you all are pros and dont buy box cakes but have you all been to the "box cake" section of the grocery store?  ours is more empty than the TP aisle!


Noooo box cakes for me! I have a cookbook called "Simple Cakes" (by Odette Williams) that is now my go-to for cake baking. And yes, I baked my own birthday cake last year and it was scrumptious.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (May 11, 2020)

I finally scored bread flour last weekend and made the "back of the bag" bread from KAF (but the website version). It raised funky (plus too long). Tasted great but was rather crumbly when I cut into it, especially as the loaf got to the end.

I've also made the miso chocolate chip cookies from A Cozy Kitchen a few times. 

And some buttermilk cheddar chive scones.

And I'll be making some buttermilk blueberry muffins soon.

I also scored a 1lb bag of yeast so I think more pretzels are in our future as well.


----------



## JayKay PE (May 12, 2020)

I just...have not been baking.  Because if I bake, it would only be me eating it.  And I'm already getting fat since I have no gym and/or drive to exercise.  So baking for me is on hold until the quarantine lifts a little in my area.

...but I might make lemon bars since thunderstorms are coming this way and I won't be able to walk after work anyway.


----------



## Supe (May 12, 2020)

Road Guy said:


> I know you all are pros and dont buy box cakes but have you all been to the "box cake" section of the grocery store?  ours is more empty than the TP aisle!


BJ's had a chocolate truffle cake - basically a half sphere with chocolate on the outside, chocolate cake, some kind of chocolate buttercream/ganache inside, and what I'm pretty sure was about a full inch of chocolate pudding in one layer, and it was f*cking amazing.


----------



## JayKay PE (May 12, 2020)

Supe said:


> BJ's had a chocolate truffle cake - basically a half sphere with chocolate on the outside, chocolate cake, some kind of chocolate buttercream/ganache inside, and what I'm pretty sure was about a full inch of chocolate pudding in one layer, and it was f*cking amazing.


*creepily stalking Supe because they're the only other person who understands my deep love for BJs and all things purchased from there*

All cakes from BJs are amazing.  The standard three-pack of pound cakes that I used to buy there were amazing!  Stayed moist no matter what type of nonsense you put it through!


----------



## Ble_PE (May 12, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> *creepily stalking Supe because they're the only other person who understands my deep love for BJs*


rlyflag:


----------



## JayKay PE (May 12, 2020)

Ble_PE said:


> rlyflag:


----------



## Supe (May 13, 2020)




----------



## snickerd3 (May 13, 2020)

the bananas are ready just right for baking so looks like we might be making banana bread at lunch today because I need the oven for dinner tonight.  Minisnick has been begging for it for some reason.  I utterly despise anything banana with the exception of eating a fresh banana.


----------



## Master slacker (May 13, 2020)

snickerd3 said:


> we might be making *banana beard* at lunch today


----------



## thekzieg (May 13, 2020)

I've been baking 2-3 loaves of sourdough every week. I turned my starter into 75% hydration so the bread has a nice light tanginess to it now. I still haven't been able to score a banneton, so I've just been doing the second proof in a greased bowl overnight in the fridge, and it works great, but the oil just makes the top of the loaf darker than I'd like.

I also just scored a whole bunch of yeast from a friend, so I'm going to be making pretzels again soon!


----------



## snickerd3 (May 13, 2020)

BLah, the house now smells like banana bread.  It is so horrible.  THe bread turned out okay in the looks department.  it just came out of the oven


----------



## Road Guy (May 14, 2020)

I hide bananas in the cabinet just so we have an excuse to make banana bread when they turn brown 

Also, when our oven died I got talked into buying this monstrosity: shouldn't this result in some high end baked goods?  I mean I know she is working through this pandemic and all but can we not squeeze out a lemon cake or two? AFAF?


----------



## wilheldp_PE (May 14, 2020)

csb said:


> "Are these the cookies that taste like when you forget you just brushed your teeth and drink orange juice?"


Seriously.  Orange and mint sounds like a Wayne's World ice cream flavor.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (May 16, 2020)

I made another attempt at sourdough, and I can already tell this one is better. Much more laborious than the last one, but quite a bit more filled out.





For comparison...



ChebyshevII PE said:


> View attachment 17281


Tomorrow will be the crumb reveal.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (May 16, 2020)

It’s amazing!!!!

Note, this is approximately 77% hydration, give or take. For flour I used 90% bob’s red mill artisan bread flour and 10% spelt flour.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (May 16, 2020)

And loaf #2. Attempted the wheat stalk pattern; not too shabby for an amateur, methinks.


----------



## leggo PE (May 19, 2020)

Great job, @ChebyshevII PE! Yummm sourdough.

I made sourdough bagels this past weekend. I mean, nothing new for me. I have my favorite recipe and I am not sure I'll ever use another, though I would like to work some whole wheat flour into it at some point (right now, I am using up some KAF High Gluten flour I have, but have also used bread flour).

Anyway, bagels:


----------



## mudpuppy (May 19, 2020)

I'm nowhere near the baking level of most of you in this thread, but we have rhubarb ready to harvest and I want to make a pie.  Any good recipes?  I like my rhubarb extra tart!


----------



## JayKay PE (May 19, 2020)

mudpuppy said:


> I'm nowhere near the baking level of most of you in this thread, but we have rhubarb ready to harvest and I want to make a pie.  Any good recipes?  I like my rhubarb extra tart!


Yoooooooooo.  Let me get my recipe book and I post a pic.  I made a rhubarb and I think berry crumble that is pretty legit (if you don't want to deal with an actual pie crust, but then you get crumble).  I'm a huge fan of rhubarb and love baking with it.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (May 19, 2020)

mudpuppy said:


> I'm nowhere near the baking level of most of you in this thread, but we have rhubarb ready to harvest and I want to make a pie.  Any good recipes?  I like my rhubarb extra tart!


I did a strawberry rhubarb galette last summer but i can't find the recipe but galettes are easy and lazy pies


----------



## JayKay PE (May 20, 2020)

mudpuppy said:


> I'm nowhere near the baking level of most of you in this thread, but we have rhubarb ready to harvest and I want to make a pie.  Any good recipes?  I like my rhubarb extra tart!


Hopefully these pics from my phone post. One is a rhubarb pie I do (no crust) and the other is a rhubarb peach ginger crumble I like. For some reason I can’t rotate some of the pics?


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (May 26, 2020)

More sourdough this weekend. Tried 80% hydration. Man, that dough was sticky. But look how good they look!


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jun 13, 2020)

Last couple months are really paying off!


----------



## JayKay PE (Jun 15, 2020)

I like seeing bread pictures.  I need to get back into baking, but I just...the whole covid thing shut down any want of my to bake.


----------



## leggo PE (Jun 15, 2020)

Nice job, @ChebyshevII PE!


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 6, 2020)

Gosh I have so many photos to post here, but how the heck do you post photos from your phone (using Chrome browser) and NOT have them be rotated 90 degrees?!

I guess I'll just summarize with words... Over the course of the past few weeks, I've made sourdough Pain de Mie (SO GOOD and good practice for me pullman loaf shaping as well), spelt sourdough pretzels, sourdough banana muffins, wholewheat sourdough bagels (which I think I like better than my other sourdough bagel recipe), and the freaking easiest, most delicious strawberry spooncake that I'm still dreaming about.


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 7, 2020)

Oh, and brown butter chocolate cookies for my camping trip this past weekend. Yummy!


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 8, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> Also, I would never mix flours! I use KAF and the occasional Bob's Red Mill flour. I will mix these too, but the vast majority of the time, it's all KAF all the time. Which reminds me, I need to order some more whole wheat and all purpose KAF...
> 
> And this is probably super dorky, but I absolutely HATE plastic wrap and tin foil boxes. Maybe I handle them too roughly, but they always fall apart on me... I'm seriously eyeing the reusable dispensers KAF has.


Wow, much about this post has changed! I absolutely mix flours now, mainly whole wheat and all purpose, based on what I have available to me and what looks best. I still haven't quite bitten the bullet to mill my own flour...

And well, I still hate plastic wrap and tin foil boxes, but I invested in KAF's plastic wrap dispenser thing, and wow, do I sure love that thing!


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 10, 2020)

I wanted to bake something yesterday.... And I hadn't used my bundt cake pan in a while.... So I made this, and it turned out great: 







Link to recipe: https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/06/triple-berry-summer-buttermilk-bundt/


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 12, 2020)

Challah is on its final rise...

@JayKay PE I’m using the recipe you shared! But this time with 40% white spelt and the rest bread flour, because I’m conserving my all purpose flour at the moment.

I did a six strand braid, which was way easier than I expected, and a linked loops. I’m excited to see how they bake up!


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 12, 2020)

She’s pretty and smells great!


----------



## kevo_55 (Jul 13, 2020)

OMG!

YUM!


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 29, 2020)

Still life of freshly baked sourdough loaf, peaceful kitty, and snake plant. Also, my view right next to my main work at home setup.


----------



## csb (Jul 29, 2020)

Last week I learned that sourdough starter, when ignored in the fridge for 6 weeks or so, will make hooch. I also learned that you can pour that off, scrape the gray layer off, and feed that sucker and go. 

Bread was way easier to make when I was WFH. There's no time to do it and I was close to bringing it to the office to get it going and then decided that was not smart for many reasons.


----------



## leggo PE (Jul 29, 2020)

Yeah, you can stir the hooch back in and discard and feed as normal, or pour it off and discard and feed as normal. I typically pour it off, if that happens.

When I'm in the office, I do not bake during the week. I will make my levain either Friday night or (more often) Saturday morning, form my dough over the course of Saturday, retard in the fridge overnight, and bake on Sunday.

This is even an abnormal bake for me during WFH times, but my neighbor just got back from having surgery, so I'm baking a loaf for him and his wife as a get well soon gift.


----------



## snickerd3 (Jul 29, 2020)

Been watching Nailed it on Netflix...baking show that purposely looks for BAD bakers.  Now I have this wanting to try and make some of the things they had the contestants make.  But I have no time...I wouldn't put the ridiculously short time frames given either...if I am going to make a multilayer cake with fondant and buttercream i am going to do it the right way


----------



## kevo_55 (Jul 29, 2020)

That cat looks wasted Leggo.


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 10, 2020)

I made hermit bars yesterday!

Which is actually not anything I had ever heard of, despite having lived in New England for seven years... I guess I didn't frequent too many classic New England bakeries.

Hermit Bars Recipe: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/hermit-bars-recipe

I also made some no bake granola bar things. I'm thinking I might finally try to get Mr. Leggo off of his Kind bar kick, and these (with variations) might work as he and I both think they're quite good! Even with me forgetting the vanilla extract and the cinnamon. I did end up sprinkling cinnamon on top, but blew it on incorporating the vanilla extract. Brown rice syrup was a bit tricky for me to find, unless you go to Amazon as your first stop (I was trying to find it locally).

Glo Bar Recipe: https://www.chatelaine.com/health/healthy-recipes-health/angela-liddon-vegan-energy-bar/


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 10, 2020)

I should add, both recipes were super easy! I did half of the Hermit bar recipe, because I didn't think we needed three dozen of them... And baked in a 9"x13" pan, for I do not have the jelly roll pan that was listed. I also used a 8"x8" pan for the Glo bars, because I don't have a 9" square pan. In the future, I'd prefer them to be a little thinner, so I think the 9" pan would be good (or adjust the recipe by reducing everything by 20%) for an 8" square pan.


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 18, 2020)

I've never truly been one to incorporate other ingredients into my sourdough loaves, but I plan to make this loaf in the next few days!

https://breadtopia.com/olive-rosemary-sourdough/


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Aug 18, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> View attachment 18419


That is some weird-looking bread.


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 19, 2020)

Hahahahahaha!


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 19, 2020)

Well, everyone's gotta post their failures, right?

Bonus points to you if you actually know what that image I posted is or where it's from!


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 27, 2020)

Got some sourdough focaccia dough in the making, and it's looking good!

Over the weekend, I made a loaf of kalamata olive and rosemary sourdough. Um, so good!


----------



## JayKay PE (Aug 27, 2020)

I made some oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips...but I ran out of chocolate chips (only had half a cup of required 2 cups) so I used walnuts to bulk up.  I'm...not sure if these are good or not.  They kinda taste ultra walnutty, and I didn't chop the walnuts because I was super tired when making them.  So.  Yeah.  Not the best.


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 27, 2020)

Ack, it's a tragedy to not have enough chocolate chips for a recipe! Last weekend, I woke up on Saturday and really, really, REALLY wanted to make Smitten Kitchen's Raspberry Breakfast Bars (I mean, come on, just look at the photo here: https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/raspberry-breakfast-bars/). I knew I had some raspberries and blackberries in the fridge, but couldn't remember how many... I didn't even have half the amount needed. No frozen berries, either. So I have now just been sitting here, waiting to make them THIS Saturday instead... Since I've now supplied myself with enough raspberries to get the job done.

I bet chopping up the walnuts would have helped! I'm not sure what size your walnuts were (halves? Bits and pieces?) but I always chop walnuts down to bits and pieces size, and even sometimes all bits... Haha.

Okay, sourdough focaccia time!


----------



## Dothracki PE (Aug 28, 2020)

I did not need to see this thread. Now I have to try to make ALL the recipes!


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 28, 2020)

Dothracki said:


> I did not need to see this thread. Now I have to try to make ALL the recipes!


I need you to have seen this thread, to have more company in my baking posts!


----------



## Road Guy (Sep 9, 2020)

we ( I grew the zuchinins) made some Zuchini bread yesterday and it was actually really good.


----------



## Dothracki PE (Sep 20, 2020)

My wife and I made mini apple crumb pies with Jonathon and Spartan apples we just picked yesterday. Usually we just make a large pie but we decided to try this out. It was a little more work to cut out the dough into smaller circles to put in a cup cake tin but they turned out really good.


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 21, 2020)

I made two apple cakes (my husband's grandma's recipe) and they turned out well! I was thinking about making some sourdough soft pretzels, but then decided to drink some beer yesterday instead.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 30, 2020)

I got picked for the King Arthur Baking Company consumer advisory board! YAY


----------



## JayKay PE (Sep 30, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> I got picked for the King Arthur Baking Company consumer advisory board! YAY


WHAT.  THAT'S FRICKING AMAZING!!!!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 30, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> WHAT.  THAT'S FRICKING AMAZING!!!!


i'm so excited

but also i want to bake more things. but i can't since it's just the 2 of us and my freezer is full (we're drowning in rhubarb and he doesnt like rhubarb). and im not allowed to bring stuff to work to share. but i have a couple of friends who will take baked goods. one who has her jaw wired shut (&amp;shes the one person i see the most, from a masked distance)


----------



## JayKay PE (Sep 30, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> i'm so excited
> 
> but also i want to bake more things. but i can't since it's just the 2 of us and my freezer is full (we're drowning in rhubarb and he doesnt like rhubarb). and im not allowed to bring stuff to work to share. but i have a couple of friends who will take baked goods. one who has her jaw wired shut (&amp;shes the one person i see the most, from a masked distance)


I FUCKING WANT ALL THE RHUBARB AND IT LIKE NOT A THING HERE.  I SAW IT FOR A WEEK AND THEN IT WAS GONE.

Indiana is in full swing of opening up and I just...I'm going to start baking again and giving specific treats to specific shop groups.  Hopefully they won't mingle with each other and will be good.  On the docket is:

HVAC shop - Espresso double chocolate brownies

Electric shop - Ranger cookies (shakes in maf excitement)

Pipe shop - Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

Wood shop - Apple cider doughnut (might just make these into pumpkin spice/cinnamon doughnuts since I haven't made doughnuts in forever)


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Sep 30, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> I FUCKING WANT ALL THE RHUBARB AND IT LIKE NOT A THING HERE.  I SAW IT FOR A WEEK AND THEN IT WAS GONE.
> 
> Indiana is in full swing of opening up and I just...I'm going to start baking again and giving specific treats to specific shop groups.  Hopefully they won't mingle with each other and will be good.  On the docket is:
> 
> ...


I WANT AN APPLE CIDER DONUT

Friendo, come to maine, take this rhubarb off my hands. and enjoy more reasonable covid guidelines.


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 30, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> I got picked for the King Arthur Baking Company consumer advisory board! YAY


Me too!!


----------



## leggo PE (Sep 30, 2020)

Except, now I don't really remember what this was for? Will I get sent stuff, or is it just giving feedback on surveys and stuff?


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 1, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> Except, now I don't really remember what this was for? Will I get sent stuff, or is it just giving feedback on surveys and stuff?


yes


----------



## JayKay PE (Oct 1, 2020)

I am so happy for both @LyceeFruit PE and @leggo PE!  Super bakers!!!!


----------



## Dothracki PE (Oct 1, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> I FUCKING WANT ALL THE RHUBARB AND IT LIKE NOT A THING HERE.  I SAW IT FOR A WEEK AND THEN IT WAS GONE.
> 
> Indiana is in full swing of opening up and I just...I'm going to start baking again and giving specific treats to specific shop groups.  Hopefully they won't mingle with each other and will be good.  On the docket is:
> 
> ...


I'll send you my address for those ranger cookies


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 1, 2020)

i still dont know what ranger cookies are lol


----------



## Supe (Oct 1, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> i still dont know what ranger cookies are lol


They have coconut in them, but aren't Samoas, so they're garbage.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 1, 2020)

Supe said:


> They have coconut in them, but aren't Samoas, so they're garbage.


But they also have chocolate?  And taste the best when the person who makes them is drunk.  (It's me.  I'm the person).


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 2, 2020)

Supe said:


> They have coconut in them, but aren't Samoas, so they're garbage.


I only like samoas when theyre frozen. Also in Maine, they're caramel delites


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## leggo PE (Oct 2, 2020)

I made cheddar beer bread dinner rolls to have with dinner the other day! Used yeast, because I've gotta live a little some times, right?

I think I'm going to attempt to make some more sourdough bagels this weekend, though. I've got all four starters out of the fridge for a feeding tonight... I'm not sure which one I'm going to use, but they all need to be fed!


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 2, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> I made cheddar beer bread dinner rolls to have with dinner the other day! Used yeast, because I've gotta live a little some times, right?
> 
> I think I'm going to attempt to make some more sourdough bagels this weekend, though. I've got all four starters out of the fridge for a feeding tonight... I'm not sure which one I'm going to use, but they all need to be fed!


i gave up on my sourdough

and i totally meant to make bagels. but i'd rather hike this weekend.


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## Dothracki PE (Oct 3, 2020)

Bacon, cheddar, and chive scones! I think this is actually a recipe from King Arthur flour.


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## Dothracki PE (Oct 3, 2020)

I also make something called a Brown Betty today with apples, toasted breadcrumbs, and spices. I was actually surprised with the results. It doesn't look great but it tastes really good, especially with ice cream.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 4, 2020)

O hey. It’s me. Covid jk. Making baked good for all my shops because I’m a mean person. Ranger cookies were made with cranberries instead of chocolate chips because that’s how I like them/I want the guys to get some type of non-candy in their belly. Still have to hype myself up for doughnuts (I’ve never made them before), but here’s the current state of my kitchen:


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## JayKay PE (Oct 4, 2020)

THERE WERE DONUTS


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 4, 2020)

I made the old fashioned apple cake with brown sugar frosting from King Arthur Baking Co - they featured it in their stories this morning and we're drowning in apples from the CSA. Almost out of the ones we got on 18 Sep.

Also made baked blackberry jam donuts. They need more jam but otherwise are delish.

Theres also a quiche but I used storebought pie crust since Ive never made a quiche and wanted to save my energy for the donuts.

I also made a double batch of the miso chocolate chip cookies from A Cozy Kitchen on Friday


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## JayKay PE (Oct 5, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Also made baked blackberry jam donuts. They need more jam but otherwise are delish.


O hey.  Plz send recipe.  I only make non-fried things (not for health, more because I am terrified of frying things in my home), and those look super tasty.

thx


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 5, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> O hey.  Plz send recipe.  I only make non-fried things (not for health, more because I am terrified of frying things in my home), and those look super tasty.
> 
> thx


Im totally afraid of frying

https://natashaskitchen.com/baked-donuts/#jump-to-recipe


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## leggo PE (Oct 5, 2020)

I made the focaccia and the bagels! This time with the bagels, I had a request for more surface area on the bagels (we typically turn them into bagel sandwiches for awesome bagel sandwiches), so I used the same recipe but simply made 10 bagels instead of the normal dozen. I think it worked!

I also canned 6 more quarts of tomatoes and 3.5 half pint jars of raspberry jam that I’m afraid I might have slightly burnt...


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## JayKay PE (Oct 6, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> raspberry jam that I’m afraid I might have slightly burnt...


That sounds slightly good?  Like one of those hire tier restaurant things:

"Everything bagel base with a burnt raspberry jam compote and gently whipped cream"


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## leggo PE (Oct 6, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> That sounds slightly good?  Like one of those hire tier restaurant things:
> 
> "Everything bagel base with a burnt raspberry jam compote and gently whipped cream"


I like this take on it! But does this mean I have to go hand whip whipped cream again? I mean, I've done it before...


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## LyceeFruit PE (Oct 25, 2020)

Homemade poptarts (blackberry jam) [recipe is smittenkitchen]

Yorkshire pudding [recipe is fannie farmer]

Babkallah [recipe is KABC]


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## Dothracki PE (Oct 26, 2020)

Damn, forgot to take pictures but I made pumpkin cheesecake for mini-thanksgiving this weekend. My brother is moving to Colorado this week and he will miss out this year due to the travel restrictions. I tried everything in the book to get it not to crack but I still got a grand canyon in the middle... still tasted good though and the texture was amazing.


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## snickerd3 (Oct 26, 2020)

Experimented with Gluten free baking yesterday.  Took a tried and true recipe...tollhouse chocolate chip cookies and made two batches.  One with Pillsbury's (I figured they are a flour company they should know their stuff) gluten free all purpose flour and the other with America's test kitchen gluten free all purpose flour recipe mixture (white&amp;brown rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch).  Although I didn't add the xantham gum to the ATK one to see what would happen....they flattened out to be more of a cookie crisp than a normal thicker cookie. 

THe ATK flour was the winner of the taste test even without the xantham gum.  I was shocked how good the gluten free cookies tasted.  I figured I was going to be screwed for christmas cookies, but I think it will be fine.


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## leggo PE (Oct 26, 2020)

I baked some sourdough banana bread last weekend, and some sourdough boules two weeks ago. I've got this mix (I know, so unlike me!) for a devil's food cake thing that I want to split up and bake in the mini loaf pan I bought a while ago but have yet to use... I haven't been making quick breads as much as I used to, but know that I think about it, I probably could have done my banana bread as mini loaves too. My idea with the pan was eventually to turn it into baking fun holiday loaves that I would then give as gifts to people. But I don't have a specific loaf in mind yet....


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 12, 2020)

I haven't really been baking so much for funsies so much as for necessities recently, but in the coming weeks, I plan to make some really good sounding brioche cinnamon rolls, linked here:

https://centralmilling.com/recipes/brioche-cinnamon-rolls-with-cardamom-and-toasted-pine-nuts/

As well as this cake for my upcoming birthday, which I have been daydreaming about (in the hopes that it kind of resembles a crepe cake I had in LA last year) ever since I discovered it about a month ago:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019089-russian-honey-cake

The funny thing about that cake is that it's the recipe of a cafe here in SF, but I've never been to, nor had I ever even heard of, said cafe. I could actually order this cake from them to pick up, but I am silly and want the challenge of baking it myself.

Speaking of making something oneself that could easily be bought at a store, I was trying to convince an old friend of mine to make her own pie crust for the apple pie she was planning to make with some of the apples she'd got from apple picking. Unfortunately for me, it was on a video call with two other old friends, and I don't think I won the battle of making it oneself vs. buying a premade frozen one. Pie crust is something I used to be afraid of, but not so any more! It's really not that hard. The hardest part is cutting up the butter quickly with either your hands or butter/dinner knives, and even that can be avoided by freezing and then shredding your butter.  :dunno:


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## snickerd3 (Nov 12, 2020)

you use butter in pie crust?

THe honey cake looks yummy


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## leggo PE (Nov 12, 2020)

snickerd3 said:


> you use butter in pie crust?


Yes, like seen here:

https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/11/pie-crust-102-all-butter-really-flaky-pie-dough/

I also have a sourdough pie crust recipe that uses cream cheese (and also butter). It's yummy!


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 13, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> The hardest part is cutting up the butter quickly with either your hands or butter/dinner knives, and even that can be avoided by freezing and then shredding your butter.  :dunno:


I usually cut then freeze for like 15-20min - this is for any recipe that requires really cold butter. I don't make a lot of pies. But I did make the SK pop-tarts a few weeks ago, so that's almost a pie lol 



snickerd3 said:


> you use butter in pie crust?
> 
> THe honey cake looks yummy


What do you use in pie crust?


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 13, 2020)

I'm hoping to bake this weekend, especially if we can get Leggy Boi tired. Idk what I want to make - maybe donuts again?

Adrianna (A Cozy Kitchen) just posted a recipe for parker house rolls that I want. And I still wanna make the lemon rolls from Quin (Butter Be Ready).

I am def making the miso chocolate chip cookies again from Adrianna. They're basically on recipe in our house. Usually don't bake them, just eat the frozen dough balls lol


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## JayKay PE (Nov 13, 2020)

I forgot to post; I made a Black Forest cake. I haven’t made one of these in forever (and I no longer have a turntable), so please excuse the unevenness.


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## leggo PE (Nov 13, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> I usually cut then freeze for like 15-20min - this is for any recipe that requires really cold butter. I don't make a lot of pies. But I did make the SK pop-tarts a few weeks ago, so that's almost a pie lol
> 
> What do you use in pie crust?


Those poptarts look SO GOOD! And everyone knows strawberry poptarts are the best poptarts, hands down.

I'm guessing she might use crisco or lard? Dunno for sure though.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 13, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> Those poptarts look SO GOOD! And everyone knows strawberry poptarts are the best poptarts, hands down.
> 
> I'm guessing she might use crisco or lard? Dunno for sure though.


I did blackberry since that's the jam I have (and prefer). My non-jam eating partner loved them and tried to hoard them all (I had baked some for a friend lol)


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## leggo PE (Nov 13, 2020)

I'm sure blackberry was delicious too! But, are there blackberry real poptarts, like to be bought in the store? I only remember raspberry and the weird, I dunno, smores or something ones? And then also the unfrosted ones...


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 13, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> I'm sure blackberry was delicious too! But, are there blackberry real poptarts, like to be bought in the store? I only remember raspberry and the weird, I dunno, smores or something ones? And then also the unfrosted ones...


i have no idea - idon't buy poptarts ever really.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 13, 2020)

@leggo PE

https://www.poptarts.com/en_US/products/all-flavors.html


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## JayKay PE (Nov 13, 2020)

I think I'm going to make almond cookies this weekend.


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## JayKay PE (Nov 13, 2020)

WHOMEVER BOUGHT ME A TURNTABLE AND LEVELER (IM LIKE 99% SURE IT WAS SOMEONE FROM EB), THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM SO HAPPY AND THIS WILL HELP MAKE MY CAKES SEMI-PRESENTABLE.


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## JayKay PE (Nov 13, 2020)

AMAZON SAID THEIR NAME WAS MIKE. AND THEY KNOW MY ADDRESS. AND ITS NOT MY DAD. I JUST WANT TO SEND COOKIES IN THANKS.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 15, 2020)

I made more miso cookies and the Back of the bag oatmeal bread from KAF


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## JayKay PE (Nov 15, 2020)

I FOUND OUT WHO MIKE IS. My cousin rocks and she used her husband’s Amazon Prime because she’s too lazy to get her own Prime account. She said it is vital I learn how to make beautiful cakes and succeed where she failed (though she doesn’t actually bake). 
 

I also failed in baking anything this weekend since I was too busy caulking windows and meal prepping (because I need to be more serious about this). I do want to attempt pumpkin cookies or something this week so I can maybe get rid of some of this purée I have. Also, almond cookies didn’t happen because I have almond paste...but no almond flour. *sigh*


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## LyceeFruit PE (Nov 16, 2020)

@JayKay PE swap pumpkin for the sweet potatoes? https://www.butterbeready.com/sweet-potato-buttermilk-biscuits/


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## snickerd3 (Nov 16, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> I usually cut then freeze for like 15-20min - this is for any recipe that requires really cold butter. I don't make a lot of pies. But I did make the SK pop-tarts a few weeks ago, so that's almost a pie lol
> 
> What do you use in pie crust?


it's my grandma's recipe.  solid Crisco, flour, water, and a pinch of salt.


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## leggo PE (Nov 16, 2020)

Yayy for the turntable, JayKay! I actually just ordered one too, but it wasn't gifted to me. I did it for myself. Which is fine! Because I really think I'll appreciate it for that Russian Honey cake.... Which was a BITCH to spread out into extremely thin layers! I ended up only doing a half recipe for it, which I was hoping to get six layers from... Well, I ended up with four useable layers and two layers that were nothing resembling the 9" circles of thinly spread out cake that they should have been. People said it was difficult to spread in the comments, and boy, they weren't kidding! Especially without an offset spatula (I used a combination of a spoon and my fingers... Not the greatest combo).

I'm going to make the frosting and assemble the cake tomorrow night. Wish me luck!


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## Supe (Nov 16, 2020)

I wonder if you could spray your cakes with frosting using a drywall texture gun for a perfect finish.


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## leggo PE (Nov 16, 2020)

Supe said:


> I wonder if you could spray your cakes with frosting using a drywall texture gun for a perfect finish.


Perhaps. But this is a frosting that had a whipped cream base... And I don't have a drywall texture gun. My sense is that it would just sputter everywhere?


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## leggo PE (Nov 17, 2020)

I present to you all, my Russian Honey Cake:




It’s now in the fridge for it’s overnight rest! It’s supposed to be served chilled anyway.

I will follow up with a slice picture when I get the chance. I think that will be more fun to look at, with the layers of the cake and frosting!


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## JayKay PE (Nov 18, 2020)

Ah!!!  Medovik!!!!  I made that a while ago, an 8-layer version, by Natasha's kitchen.  The main thing is making sure you have all the parts 'ready' since it's a fairly quick turn around making it.

I made oatmeal butterscotch cookies yesterday night!  I don't like butterscotch, but someone from work specifically asked for them.  I modified my normal oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe and added some almond extract/upped the molasses, and then chilled the batter for around a half hour before I started baking (because I had to shower and because it was a super sticky dough).  Also attempted flattening, but it made the spread crazy, so I left as balls and they baked up really nice!


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## akwooly (Nov 20, 2020)

i gained 10 pounds reading this thread


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## leggo PE (Nov 20, 2020)

That cake tasted way better last night (after a meal of broccolli and cheddar soup) than it did after a meal of takeout Omakase sushi!


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## leggo PE (Nov 25, 2020)

Is anyone baking anything for Thanksgiving?

This morning, I put together the levain for these guys: https://centralmilling.com/recipes/brioche-cinnamon-rolls-with-cardamom-and-toasted-pine-nuts/

And I also plan to attempt to make Ina Garten's Cacio e Pepe Cheese Puffs tomorrow. I've never made anything like a pâte à choux before, though I've definitely seen it on GBBO! Recipe here: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021628-cacio-e-pepe-cheese-puffs


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Nov 25, 2020)

I had intended to bake sourdough this week, but things didn't work out that way. 

I want to be able to share my new skill with extended family. Maybe I'll try looking into mailing sourdough loaves.


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## leggo PE (Nov 25, 2020)

I've never mailed sourdough bread before, but I know people have done it! The most I've done is fly on a plane with it, once. For that, I froze the loaf in advance and took it with me in my carryon.


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## Dothracki PE (Nov 26, 2020)

Bourbon Apple Pecan Pie


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## maryannette (Nov 27, 2020)

My daughter, with my guidance, baked two pies - a pumpkin pie and a pecan pie. I wasn’t up to baking this year, so she filled in for me. Pies (mostly the scratch-made crust) are sacred in our family. She did an excellent job!!!


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## leggo PE (Nov 27, 2020)

maryannette said:


> My daughter, with my guidance, baked two pies - a pumpkin pie and a pecan pie. I wasn’t up to baking this year, so she filled in for me. Pies (mostly the scratch-made crust) are sacred in our family. She did an excellent job!!!
> 
> View attachment 19633


Ah, this pie looks excellent! Kudos to your daughter for helping you out. And homemade crust is TOTALLY the way to go! It's really not hard!

My cheese puffs and sourdough brioche cinnamon rolls were a success! The cinnamon rolls are so ridiculous good (who knew orange would be such a complimentary flavor?) and the cheese puffs are pretty dang addicting to eat. Like an upscale cheddar bunny/goldfish.

Recently, I was gifted a fancy doughnut pan and doughnut baking book... So don't be surprised if you see some doughnuts make an appearance here in the near future!


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## envirotex (Nov 29, 2020)

Dothracki said:


> Bourbon Apple Pecan Pie
> 
> View attachment 19630


My favorite baked pies all in one!  Yummy.


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## snickerd3 (Nov 30, 2020)

made gluten free dinner rolls from scratch last week.  took almost 3 hours with all the proving and cooling.  They turned out okay a little too yeasty of a taste for me, but one roll really fills you up.   I cheated with a gluten free cornbread mix for thanksgiving, I didn't have time for made from scratch.  THat was actually really good.


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## JayKay PE (Nov 30, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> I've never mailed sourdough bread before, but I know people have done it! The most I've done is fly on a plane with it, once. For that, I froze the loaf in advance and took it with me in my carryon.


I've literally walked onto a plane with two dozen bagels without freezing or anything for a 7+ hour trip.  Everyone was super jealous/angry because they smelled super good, but I would not share.

@maryannette THAT PIE LOOKS AMAZING AND THE CRUST LOOKS SO GOOD.  My crust always flattens during baking, but tastes good, so I don't really complain too much.


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## leggo PE (Dec 4, 2020)

Because I'm insane and apparently don't really want to sleep any more, I have decided to embark on making cookie boxes for my friends who are local.

I have now purchased ten cookie tins, two silpats (I'm not sure why it's taken me this long to get some silpats!), two new baking sheets (because I'm guilty of using the crappy old ones that I got from the grocery store when I was in college, that warp when in the over for too long -- and I've also been gradually replacing our crapping bakeware anyway, like an upgrade for the 9x13 pan I got earlier this year), and a cookie press.

Now, I'm trying to decide what cookies to make, roughly using Melissa Clark's "How to Make the Perfect Cookie Box" as a guide for types of cookies.

Here's what I have so far:

Non-negotiable cookies: gingerbread cookies (w/ icing/sprinkles), vanilla spritz cookies (with sprinkles), and peanut butter cookies (the peanut butter cookies are a non-negotiable per Mr. Leggo)

Possible others: almond thumbprint cookies (with apricot jam to check the fruity cookie box), fudge bourbon balls (because they sound and look delicious), and the bestest ever chocolate cookies -- aka the "Tiny, Salty Chocolate Cookies" as can be seen here: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020520-tiny-salty-chocolaty-cookies

But yeah, I'm not sure I want to make many dozens of 6 types of cookies? Especially when I'm planning to start studying for the S.E. this weekend, and all the cookies will need to be baked on approximately the same day, and then cooled and packaged to be delivered within a day or two. Some of the recipes, like the bourbon balls and the gingerbread, actually improve if chilled overnight (or up two 2-3 days for the bourbon balls), so that is a definite advantage!

So tell me, what would be in YOUR ideal holiday cookie box?


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## mudpuppy (Dec 4, 2020)

You can DO IT @leggo PE!  Silpats are the bomb too.

So I think I mentioned last year my wife and I made around 60 dozen cookies.  And two giant batches of chex mix.  And snappy cheese wafers that my wife really likes.

For me the must-haves for Xmas are the standby chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter with heresy's kisses.  I also get nostalgic about walnut balls because my grandma always made them.  My wife likes to make mini baklava tarts (we cheat by buying pre-made phyllo shells), and I like to make peanut butter/chocolate no-bakes (with dark cocoa.)

We didn't do any spritz cookies last year, but you can easily pump out tens of dozens of those, so I'd think those are a good filler cookie if you don't have enough of the others to fill your boxes.  Since we're not visiting any family this year my wife wants to make her grandpa's bourbon balls too.

We usually get started in the morning and just keep rotating through all the different cookies--one of us mixing up dough and the other cycling the cookie sheets through the oven.  Takes pretty much all day on a Saturday and a portion of Sunday.  It's less work and more fun than canning tomatoes at least (which we did dozens of hours of this year.)


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## leggo PE (Dec 4, 2020)

Wow! @mudpuppy, thanks for the super informative and motivational response!

I think, I might be following you in your ways? I canned tomatoes (for the first time, and I didn't grow them myself, either -- I think you did?) earlier this year. (12) 24 oz jars worth. 

That's helpful to know the amount of time it took for you and your wife. Mr. Leggo offered to help, but I think he's rethinking this offer and I might be on my own to make the cookies. I might wring him into being the delivery person though.

I think I'll come up with a pretty detailed logistical plan to figure out how much butter and sugar I need to buy, and then also figure out the timing of the making of the doughs and the bakes. Especially because, like I mentioned above, some of the cookies seem to want to rest for several hours, or overnight, or overnight for 2 - 3 nights. That would help me a lot in not having to make so many different doughs all on the same day, and I could start off my Saturday with the baking of those doughs while I go and make the other doughs and, eventually, the icing.


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## kevo_55 (Dec 4, 2020)

I'm partial to spritz cookies this time of year.


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## frazil (Dec 4, 2020)

Wow, @leggo PE and @mudpuppy!! That’s impressive. I’m not much of a baker, more of a cookie connoisseur. So if you want to send a box of cookies for feedback, I’d be happy to assess.  My favorite Christmas cookies typically are rum balls, pfefferneuse, and these orangy, nutty, chocolate-covered things that I’ve never been able to find a recipe for.


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## akwooly (Dec 4, 2020)

First attempt at deep dish pizza


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## leggo PE (Dec 7, 2020)

frazil said:


> Wow, @leggo PE and @mudpuppy!! That’s impressive. I’m not much of a baker, more of a cookie connoisseur. So if you want to send a box of cookies for feedback, I’d be happy to assess.  My favorite Christmas cookies typically are rum balls, pfefferneuse, and these orangy, nutty, chocolate-covered things that I’ve never been able to find a recipe for.


Well, I plan to do rum balls! I did pfefferneuse for a cookie swap a few years ago, and made so many, my husband got sick of them so I'm skipping them this year.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 7, 2020)

im gonna make chocolate crinkle cookies and ginger rye cookies this week, hopefully tonight/tomorrow night.

probs tonight since i think ill be working late tomorrow night. 

im not allowed to bring baked goods into the office so itll just be for us and a couple of friends.

Boyfriend accidentally bought the huge bags of the nestle tollhouse chocolate chips so at least ill have plenty of chocolate for the crinkle cookies


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## JayKay PE (Dec 7, 2020)

@leggo PE, if scheduling is difficult, you could always make something like springerle cookies (but don't press/add a design).  They need to 'dry' like 24-hours before you bake them so they can develop flavor, and they taste way better when they get older, so that might work if your time is crunched?


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## JayKay PE (Dec 9, 2020)

Made some doughnuts for one of the electric shop guy. He’s hauling ass and helping me put some power in for my project.


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## JayKay PE (Dec 9, 2020)

Money shot. Added like three more layers of glaze to build it up.


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## leggo PE (Dec 10, 2020)

Those doughnuts look awesome! Are they fried?

I'm planning on getting started on my cookie baking tomorrow, if I can come up with the four stupid priority mail flat rate boxes I need to ship cookies to the four households I unfortunately won't be able to deliver to locally this holiday season, due to our reinforced stay-at-home order. My goal was (and still is, if I can find those boxes by Sunday) to ship the cookies out on Monday, and finish baking on either Saturday or Sunday.

But, I tried to order those boxes at USPS.com the other day, and it said the boxes were out of stock in my local post office, and that I'd have to wait 3-5 business days for them to ship from somewhere else... I'm still in the waiting time and since they haven't shipped yet, I'm nervous they might not arrive in time for shipping out on Monday...


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## JayKay PE (Dec 10, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> Those doughnuts look awesome! Are they fried?


Nope!  I'm terrified of frying things, so I am constantly searching for baked doughnut recipes.  I tried one for apple cider doughnuts and these are sour cream doughnuts.  Both batches I did not get to eat one, since they were for co-workers.  Tbh, I might make another batch of these since they were fairly simple to make?

As for Christmas cookies...I have been in a super hard baking rut over the last couple of weeks and just...haven't been doing anything.  Another co-worker, the one who wanted the black forest cake, has his birthday at the end of the month.  I'm not going to be here (hopefully), so I'm going to bake him a NYC-style cheesecake sometime next week.


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## leggo PE (Dec 10, 2020)

Boxes attained!!

Cookie baking will commence! I think I'll be starting with the fudgy bourbon balls and gingerbread dough tomorrow!


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## leggo PE (Dec 13, 2020)

I am 3.5x through baking all of my cookies! I've done the fudgy bourbon balls, the peanut butter cookies, the trios (which were definitely time consuming but look so cute that I think it was worth the fuss), most of the gingerbread cookies (I have my scraps from my first round rolled into a ball in the fridge, to roll out, cut, and bake later), and the spritz cookies all baked. I still have the remaining gingerbread and the tiny, salty, chocolatey cookies to make, which I plan to do later today. I also still need to decorate the gingerbread cookies -- I plan to make a royal icing and then decorate with sprinkles, sugar, etc.

What have I learned throughout this process? My main takeaway is that sprinkles are not meant to go in the oven... Only sugars and nonpariel's should go on before baking. I messed up a couple of my spritz cookies due to this, but it's okay... I easily ended up with 4 dozen spritz cookies, so a couple that don't look the nicest is fine with me!


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## leggo PE (Dec 13, 2020)

Also, Mr. Leggo is a former bike courier (he once owned his own bike courier company, way before Postmates was a thing!) and will be bike couriering the cookies that getting shipped to the post office, and the ones that are getting hand delivered locally as well. Yay!


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## JayKay PE (Dec 14, 2020)

Made some cinnamon star bread yesterday for brunch, but I didn’t use cinnamon and sugar as my base. I have a “pumpkin spice” seasoning I make every year that uses things I like: cloves, all spice, nutmeg, etc. everyone liked it. I wonder if this can be modified so it can prove overnight instead of requiring me to get up ultra early to make it?


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 14, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> Made some cinnamon star bread yesterday for brunch, but I didn’t use cinnamon and sugar as my base. I have a “pumpkin spice” seasoning I make every year that uses things I like: cloves, all spice, nutmeg, etc. everyone liked it. I wonder if this can be modified so it can prove overnight instead of requiring me to get up ultra early to make it?
> 
> View attachment 19941
> 
> ...


Sourdough that ish!


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 14, 2020)

Give me 2 hours on a Sunday night and 6 dozen gingerbread cookies, and I will make royal icing and decorate them all:


----------



## SoVA Eng (Dec 14, 2020)

Joining here to try and pass the time from looking at the WTTS board. Here are my sugar cookies for Christmas


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 14, 2020)

SoVA Eng said:


> Joining here to try and pass the time from looking at the WTTS board. Here are my sugar cookies for Christmas


Wow! Did you make, decorate, and package those yourself? They look so professional!


----------



## SoVA Eng (Dec 14, 2020)

leggo PE said:


> Wow! Did you make, decorate, and package those yourself? They look so professional!


Yes, I did   Thanks! I finally found something I actually enjoy to do in my spare time haha


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 14, 2020)

SoVA Eng said:


> Yes, I did   Thanks! I finally found something I actually enjoy to do in my spare time haha


That's awesome!! Very nicely done!


----------



## JayKay PE (Dec 15, 2020)

SoVA Eng said:


> Joining here to try and pass the time from looking at the WTTS board. Here are my sugar cookies for Christmas
> 
> View attachment 19973


Hoooooooooooow.  Tell me your icing technique/secrets!!!  It looks so smooth and professional!  I'm assuming a stamp for the big white frosted ones, but the reindeer coffee mug is ADORBS.


----------



## SoVA Eng (Dec 15, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> Hoooooooooooow.  Tell me your icing technique/secrets!!!  It looks so smooth and professional!  I'm assuming a stamp for the big white frosted ones, but the reindeer coffee mug is ADORBS.


I use The Cookie Countess royal icing recipe. I also follow a TON of people on IG and have watched so many of their tips and tricks. I would say the biggest thing is to start out with thick icing and slowly add water until you get the right consistency. It takes some practice but it is so relaxing for me. The big white ones with the moose are stencils! I have a stencil genie (bought on Amazon) and I got the stencil from The Sweet Design Shoppe


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## leggo PE (Dec 15, 2020)

I'm mainly impressed by your SUPER clean edges! When I was decorating my cookies, I watered down my white icing way too much and it caused issues with trying to pipe it. Also, I don't have the piping tips or pastry bag setup... I use the cut corner of sandwich ziploc bags. It worked, but was a hassle.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 15, 2020)

i'm in awe of your skills @SoVA Eng and your patience.

i get annoyed with decorating cakes lol

which is why i bought Boyfriend's this year instead of making it.

but being charged a 10$ decorating charge and having it be done not in the color i asked for - i was very annoyed

it was a really simple design - a bicycle. in 1 color. and "31" in the same color. but i didn't feel like mixing up and piping such a small amount of one color.


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 15, 2020)

Did this in college before in clicked in my brain that "Happy Memorial Day" was not the right phrasing.


----------



## DLD PE (Dec 15, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Did this in college before in clicked in my brain that "Happy Memorial Day" was not the right phrasing.
> 
> View attachment 20086


I still REALLY like it (as a son/grandson/cousin of veterans) and it's the thought that counts!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 15, 2020)

DuranDuran said:


> I still REALLY like it (as a son/grandson/cousin of veterans) and it's the thought that counts!


I'm daughter/granddaughter/great-granddaughter/cousins of vets and it still didn't effing click til like 6 years ago lol


----------



## DLD PE (Dec 15, 2020)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> I'm daughter/granddaughter/great-granddaughter/cousins of vets and it still didn't effing click til like 6 years ago lol


LOL

I still don't think it's wrong to say, "Happy".  I think with most veterans, just being acknowledged in some shape or form, even a simple "thank you" goes a long, long way.  

https://observer.com/2015/05/its-perfectly-ok-to-say-happy-memorial-day/


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## Dothracki PE (Dec 15, 2020)

The wife and I made crumb cake.


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## JayKay PE (Dec 16, 2020)

Dothracki said:


> The wife and I made crumb cake.
> 
> View attachment 20126


IN YOUR NEW HOUSE?!?!?!?!


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## Dothracki PE (Dec 16, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> IN YOUR NEW HOUSE?!?!?!?!


Not yet, still in our apartment.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 24, 2020)

I'm not sure where my head was this morning...

Last night, I prepared a levain to be ready this morning to turn into some sourdough. At the time, I also refreshed the rye starter I was using for the levain as well as the AP starter I was getting ready for sourdough brioche cinnamon rolls for Christmas Day morning.

I got up this morning, ready to make dough! So, I'm going along, measuring out the levain, the water, the flour, mixing it all together. After doing the initial mix, and setting my dough aside to rest before shaping and folding, I look back to the table and spot it: the levain I'd made for the bread, sitting there, in it's jar on the table. I'd just put the refreshed rye starter in as my levain, instead of using the levain itself for the bread.

Now, using the rye starter isn't a big deal, but I didn't want to waste the levain!

So, now, I'm making my standard variation of sourdough (this time, 20% whole wheat) and also am making a fennel &amp; golden raisin sourdough, since I have some extra golden raisins besides what I need for the cinnamon rolls.

Hopefully I'll remember to take some photos, in which case, you'll potentially see four loaves of bread, sourdough brioche cinnamon rolls, and whatever dinner rolls I make for dinner tomorrow.

It's going to be a big bake day tomorrow!


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## snickerd3 (Dec 28, 2020)

tried 3 of my regular holiday cookies in gluten free versions this year: butter cookie, pizzelles, and kolackies.  I went straight 1 to 1 on the gluten free flour mixture.  most turned out ok, but they were definitely more crumbly and a little gritty.  Will need to read up on trouble shooting these issues for next year.


----------



## leggo PE (Dec 30, 2020)

So, I after baking up 4 loaves of bread as well as the cinnamon rolls, I ultimately decided not to bake additional dinner rolls and just have some of one of the loaves of bread I made with Christmas Day dinner.

Anyway, here were my bakes:

20% whole wheat sourdough:




(My batard shaping could use some work, haha! But I actually was very happy with the shape of the loaf when slicing it up)




Fennel &amp; Golden Raisin Sourdough (wholy moley, this flavor combination is THE BEST. The golden raisins were freaking delicious, providing just the delectably right amount of sweetness in every other bite or so. Fennel was more felt in aroma, than taste, but I'm sure it added something flavor-wise, as well. I will absolutely make this again!):










And last, but not least, the sourdough brioche cinnamon rolls:




In other baking news (if you've stuck with me this long, but look, pretty pictures!!) is that one of the gifts I received for Christmas was Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss (aka The Wednesday Chef). I can't tell you how excited I am to try some recipes that will remind me of my studying abroad in Austria! I'm mainly stoked to try a lot of the savory recipes, specifically, many different little brötchen. I've been making loaves of dough for so long now... I think it'll be fun to try my hand at some rolls!


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## JayKay PE (Jan 4, 2021)

I made a ton of stuff for Christmas, but I'm too lazy to get pictures, so here's what I baked and my thoughts:

Gingerbread; soft gingerbread, not building gingerbread, like one of my dad's students baked and gave to the family.  Stayed soft for many days, and surprisingly kept the imprint, but I think I want to split the dough into four instead of two next time, so I can work in smaller batches/not over work and heat the dough prior to putting the stamps/cut outs.

Christmas anise cookies; still tinkering with a modification of grandma's recipe.  I think the hartshorn was super reactive so they puffed a lot more than usual, so maybe I need to roll even thinner (even thought I rolled to around 1/4").  Want to play around with this a bit more.  I think I have to bake them much longer and at a lower temp, that might help the puffiness and make the gold a little more present underneath.

Chocolate chip cookies; it is surprisingly difficult to cream butter and sugar by hand after you've been lazy and enjoying a KitchenAid.  Also, my parents gas oven reacts super differently from the electric oven I've been working with.  Literally want to buy a house just so I can get a gas oven.  That's all I'm saying.

Biscotti; surprisingly easy to make and super delicious!  Did a simple almond/vanilla with sugar crystals on top (the sugar was a vanilla bean infused sugar that I never got to use).  Want to try and work up to a date a nut biscotti, so I don't need to buy so many.

Cinnamon star bread; the more and more I make this, the more and more I realize how forgiving this is.  I totally didn't line up my circles/slapped it together, and it still looked amazing.

One of my 'resolutions' this year is to try and bake one thing a week, even if it's something simple.  Now that I have biscotti on my list (which doesn't require yeast or rising and I feel like has less calories than a huge batch of cookies), I think I'll be able to do it.  Two things I really want to attempt this year are kolache (poppy seed, not jam) and houska (triple layered braided bread).  I also want to get into more ryes, but I have to find a flour supplier, since I don't really want to order flour online/I'd prefer to shop locally if I could.


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 4, 2021)

Yum! Great job, jk! Sounds like you put in WORK!

And...



JayKay PE said:


> Literally want to buy a house just so I can get a gas oven.  That's all I'm saying.


I fully support this. I'm so spoiled with the oven I have now. It's a gas Wedgewood from the 1960's. If and when I ever own a house, I don't know if I could have anything else... I love it so!

Also....



JayKay PE said:


> Biscotti; surprisingly easy to make and super delicious!  Did a simple almond/vanilla with sugar crystals on top (the sugar was a vanilla bean infused sugar that I never got to use).  *Want to try and work up to a date a nut biscotti, so I don't need to buy so many.*


I originally read this as you wanting to "work up to date a nut biscotti", which, you know, might not be the worst idea and possibly much more rewarding (though requiring work, if made handmade) than dating anyone else!


----------



## JayKay PE (Jan 4, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> I fully support this. I'm so spoiled with the oven I have now. It's a gas Wedgewood from the 1960's. If and when I ever own a house, I don't know if I could have anything else... I love it so!
> 
> Also....
> 
> I originally read this as you wanting to "work up to date a nut biscotti", which, you know, might not be the worst idea and possibly much more rewarding (though requiring work, if made handmade) than dating anyone else!


Yeah, I'm super used to cooking with gas.  My last apartment had a gas oven and, even though the place was a dump and the starter was crap for the range surfaces, it made everything come out amazing.  I forgot how nice it was to put on the convection setting and have things bake beautifully.  I'm not staying in Indiana (I hope not), but if I do...a nice kitchen and a little patio are my main house items.

...as for dating a nut biscotti...I see nothing wrong with this, and it would be an improvement over my last dating period.  I think I'm going to stay single and just start baking with dates.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 9, 2021)

I made the potato donuts from KAF. Not bad but I doubt I'll make them again. I've had potato donuts before and these were lighter than those so huzzah. But overall meh


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## leggo PE (Jan 20, 2021)

I'm getting the baking itch... It's been a few weeks since I last baked!

I definitely am going to make some bread... I've got all four starters (my three and Mr. Leggo's one) ready in expectation to make dough tomorrow. I just have to pick... Really, the choice is between my three starters, one of which is fed with all purpose flour, another one of which is a whole wheat starter, and the third of which is a rye starter. It doesn't really matter which one I use, but I like to alternate between them. However, I've used them all in my most recent bread bakes....

Also, Mr. Leggo requested sourdough pretzels, which I will probably do! I have been wanting to make pretzels again for a really long time now, but kept getting distracted. I kind of want to make something sweet too, but we were unexpectedly sent a bunch of cookies from Mr. Leggo's aunt, which we're still working through... Might try to make the raisin brotchen in the Classic German Baking book though!


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## leggo PE (Jan 20, 2021)

OH! Sourdough Pan de Mie....

It's not sweet, but it is delicious. I might make that!!


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## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 22, 2021)

@leggo PE can i haz a basic bread recipe plz?

I'm sick of making the no-knead from KAF and I want to expand my skills.
I have: bread flour, AP, medium rye, semolina, self rising, another bag of rye from Maine Grains, and *maybe* whole wheat. 
i don't have sourdough starter at this time - i am considering restarting it tho.


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## leggo PE (Jan 22, 2021)

Well, unfortunately, without starter, I'm not really that much of a help... I literally use sourdough starter as the yeast in all breads that I make.

What kind of bread are you looking to make, @LyceeFruit PE? Like, a crusty loaf? A sandwich loaf? Something sweet? I can research some recipes for you!!


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## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 22, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Well, unfortunately, without starter, I'm not really that much of a help... I literally use sourdough starter as the yeast in all breads that I make.
> 
> What kind of bread are you looking to make, @LyceeFruit PE? Like, a crusty loaf? A sandwich loaf? Something sweet? I can research some recipes for you!!


oh whomp, i didn't know you only used starter.
i can do research and find the things for the yeast lol


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## JayKay PE (Jan 22, 2021)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> @leggo PE can i haz a basic bread recipe plz?
> 
> I'm sick of making the no-knead from KAF and I want to expand my skills.
> I have: bread flour, AP, medium rye, semolina, self rising, another bag of rye from Maine Grains, and *maybe* whole wheat.
> i don't have sourdough starter at this time - i am considering restarting it tho.


I've got a pretty sweet/simple rosemary bread I like to make. There are also a couple other loafs I like doing.

I am terrified of starters and have never used them.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 23, 2021)

JayKay PE said:


> I've got a pretty sweet/simple rosemary bread I like to make. There are also a couple other loafs I like doing.
> 
> I am terrified of starters and have never used them.


Please send! 

I'm not terrified of starters, I'm just fecking lazy


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## Dothracki PE (Jan 25, 2021)

I made espresso chocolate chip cookies over the weekend. I slightly messed up and forgot to add the baking soda while the ingredients were being mixed. So I added it afterwards to the dough. I think it turned out okay, they taste great although I think they were supposed to be chewy. They were chewy when I first baked them but not much after that. But still look and taste really good.


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## LyceeFruit PE (Jan 25, 2021)

I made an herb bread - it's the bread on the back of the bag of KAF Bread Flour (new logo bags).
It's not bad but it isn't crusty at all. And they give you the option of braiding it but it was so sticky, idk how you would do that.

I also made chocolate pudding cookies with chocolate chips & toffee pieces


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## BebeshKing PE (Jan 25, 2021)

I know how to bake PANDESAL. A famous Filipino bread roll.


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## JayKay PE (Jan 25, 2021)

LyceeFruit PE said:


> Please send!
> 
> I'm not terrified of starters, I'm just fecking lazy


Fuck, I forgot. I'll text you the recipe tonight as well as a couple others.


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## leggo PE (Jan 25, 2021)

I'm not sure I baked enough between Friday and Sunday...

I made my normal two boules of sourdough bread on Friday, as well as some sourdough pretzels that turned out freaking awesome (I thank the barley malt syrup I finally got my hands on). Then yesterday, instead of sourdough pan de mie, I made a 100% whole grain spelt pan loaf, in the hopes that it would be a good sandwich/grilled cheese/toast bread. Let me tell you, WOW. It was freaking delicious. This is the recipe I used (I adjusted the ingredient amounts down to be an 1100g [rather than 1400g] loaf for my Pullman pan): 









Whole Grain Spelt Pan Loaf | The Perfect Loaf


A whole grain spelt pan loaf that's as delicious as it is healthy. This bread conforms to a low FODMAP diet with no compromises. Delicious!




www.theperfectloaf.com





Were I to do one thing differently with that loaf in the future is let the final proof go longer. It rose a bit more in the oven than I would have preferred (which is ironic, because generally, when making my boules, I want a good rise), because here, I was looking for a consistent small crumb. However, the taste and texture of this bread were freaking AMAZING. It might be my favorite thing I've made recently. I mean, I love spelt flour, so I don't know why it took me so long to try a 100% spelt loaf. SO GOOD! And if you're a bread nerd like moi, then you might realize the pan provided the structure for the spelt bread, which normally isn't able to provide the same level of gluten as bread flour would.

I highly recommend this recipe, if you've got a starter around! It was super easy. Same day bake (i.e. no overnight retardation, like I normally do with my standard boules/batards) and soooo good.

Also, please don't be scared of starters, anyone and everyone! If you bug me enough, I could send you some of one of my starters... Which would stop you from having to deal with the part that annoys most people (I think?), which is making a starter.


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## snickerd3 (Jan 25, 2021)

Made this a couple weeks ago. My first attempt at a cake build with homemade buttercream. 3 different colors inside. I was going to cover in fondant but it had already taken me several hours at that point and said screw it.


----------



## leggo PE (Jan 25, 2021)

Um, wow! That looks awesome! I bet the frosting tasted better than the fondant anyway!

Very nicely done!


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## leggo PE (Jan 25, 2021)

That’s my standard sourdough boule. I did a very basic, quick grid scoring to aim for a very even rise. It worked beautifully! This loaf was 20% whole wheat, 10%
rye.




The most fluffy, beautiful whole grain sourdough soft pretzels. I was super happy with this dough!

And last but not least, a not great picture of my spelt pan loaf. Sorry for the not superior lighting!





Also, I’ve been here for how long and still dint know how to rotate photos when posting from my phone??


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## leggo PE (Jan 28, 2021)

Sideways Lemony Turmeric Tea Cake!


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## DLD PE (Feb 11, 2021)

I have a sourdough starter that I had been keeping up with, but recently I let it go and fed it after 9 days. How do I know it's still alive? I rarely use it because my wife doesn't care for the sweet taste of sourdough bread. I usually make a "no knead" artisan loaf, the simplest kind (all-purpose flour, salt and yeast) but I put it in a baking pan to give it a typical sandwich bread shape. I tried to alter it using a combination of all-purpose, bread, and whole wheat flours, but wife just likes the all-purpose flour tasting bread.


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## leggo PE (Feb 11, 2021)

DuranDuran said:


> I have a sourdough starter that I had been keeping up with, but recently I let it go and fed it after 9 days. How do I know it's still alive? I rarely use it because my wife doesn't care for the sweet taste of sourdough bread. I usually make a "no knead" artisan loaf, the simplest kind (all-purpose flour, salt and yeast) but I put it in a baking pan to give it a typical sandwich bread shape. I tried to alter it using a combination of all-purpose, bread, and whole wheat flours, but wife just likes the all-purpose flour tasting bread.


First question, was it kept on the counter, or in the fridge?

Either way, discard and feed like you were before. In all likelihood, it’s very hungry, and feeding it will bring it back to its former hopefully bubbles and fun self!

Of course, if it has anything that looks pink or green or gross mold on it, I would toss the top layer and discard and feed as normal. I’ve brought bake starters that were in the fridge too long without a feeding via this method, at least a few different times. If there is a brownish liquid on top that has separated from the rest of the starter, this is your starter’s hooch. It is a sign that your starter needs food, stat! You can either stir it back in or discard it (I typically discard it, personally).

Starters are pretty hardy, and support a lot of healthy bacteria in them! I have full faith you can rescue yours!


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 11, 2021)

Okay, @DuranDuran, it actually sounds like you already fed it (sorry, I got so excited at you mentioning you have a starter that I apparently didn’t properly read your post). When did you feed it? It might be a bit sluggish getting back to its normal self. But don’t give up! I would keep it on the counter and feed it 2x a day until it’s back to it’s normal bubbly self!


----------



## DLD PE (Feb 11, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Okay, @DuranDuran, it actually sounds like you already fed it (sorry, I got so excited at you mentioning you have a starter that I apparently didn’t properly read your post). When did you feed it? It might be a bit sluggish getting back to its normal self. But don’t give up! I would keep it on the counter and feed it 2x a day until it’s back to it’s normal bubbly self!


I know there's some chemistry/biology involved here, but I'm new to the baking scene (been doing this for 2 months). My mother in law gave me some of her starter two months ago when she visited, and it's been going since 2005, so I guess there's some nostalgia to it. Anyway, per her instructions, I keep it in the fridge (jar with lid on but not tightened), and every 5-7 days I feed it and have it sitting on the counter for 8 hours minimum, then I put back in the fridge. I'll toss out a cup or at least half of it if I'm not using it that week. 

So Tuesday, I realized I forgot to feed (usually I feed it Saturday or Sunday). After one feeding, I noticed a whitish ("hooch" as you call it?) floating on top, so I discarded that and fed it a second time. I'm not seeing anything green or brown, and it looks like stuff was floating/moving around as before, so I think it's ok. I'll feed it again in the next couple of days. 

If anyone has a good pumpernickel recipe I can use with the starter that can also be used with a breadmaker (we have a Cuisinart CBK-200), please send it. I would love to make some pumpernickel. 

@leggo PE , your spelt pan loaf AND your sourdough boule look amazing!


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## DLD PE (Feb 11, 2021)

This is my typical "artisan/no knead" loaf I bake in a bread pan.


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 11, 2021)

DuranDuran said:


> I know there's some chemistry/biology involved here, but I'm new to the baking scene (been doing this for 2 months). My mother in law gave me some of her starter two months ago when she visited, and it's been going since 2005, so I guess there's some nostalgia to it. Anyway, per her instructions, I keep it in the fridge (jar with lid on but not tightened), and every 5-7 days I feed it and have it sitting on the counter for 8 hours minimum, then I put back in the fridge. I'll toss out a cup or at least half of it if I'm not using it that week.
> 
> So Tuesday, I realized I forgot to feed (usually I feed it Saturday or Sunday). After one feeding, I noticed a whitish ("hooch" as you call it?) floating on top, so I discarded that and fed it a second time. I'm not seeing anything green or brown, and it looks like stuff was floating/moving around as before, so I think it's ok. I'll feed it again in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


It sounds like you’ll be fine! I’m glad you know about keeping the starters in the fridge. I’ve gone probably a good 2-3 long, dark months of no sourdough baking with the starters in the fridge and have always been able to bring them back just fine.


----------



## DLD PE (Feb 12, 2021)

How long do you typically keep starter in the fridge between feedings? My MIL told me 3-7 days, but could I go longer?


----------



## leggo PE (Feb 12, 2021)

DuranDuran said:


> How long do you typically keep starter in the fridge between feedings? My MIL told me 3-7 days, but could I go longer?


I stretch it much longer! 7 days is what I aim for, but generally I sometimes go up to 2-3 weeks. I do try not to go longer than that, but have gone up to 2 or months (in which case, you’ll definitely get a hooch forming because the starter will get so hungry).


----------



## snickerd3 (Feb 16, 2021)

Made some paczkis this weekend. Had a little help from the 6yr old....shook in the sugar a little too hard.


----------



## Supe (Feb 16, 2021)

I disagree, sugar quantity looks just right! 

Did you fill them with anything? I haven't had those in years, really ought to try making some. I just hate the cleanup associated with frying/oil disposal.


----------



## snickerd3 (Feb 16, 2021)

The super sugared ones I did. She shook so hard the sugar fell off and outer layers started falling off. 

No, I didn't fill them. I'm not a filled donut type of person in general. I fried in a deep pot so there wasn't a lot of splash back. I hear you on the deep frying mess cleanup. We don't typically deep fry for that reason either.


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## leggo PE (Mar 25, 2021)

It’s a heavy dough week in the leggo household! Bagel dough made and shaped yesterday, baked today, by me. Pizza dough made today (some of which is to be baked tonight, yum!) by Mr. leggo. And tomorrow, I’ll be making bread dough to be baked on Saturday, S.E. Review class be damned!








All sourdough, natürlich! Also, I apologize for the sideways photos.... I still have not figured out how to rotate the photos when posting from my phone. At this point, I probably never will figure it out.


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## leggo PE (Mar 25, 2021)

I should say, I’ve been working on my bagel shaping technique a lot. They’re not perfect (you can see some separation of my dough seams on some of them), but they are improving! For some reason, I refuse to shape the dough portions into balls and just poke a hole in them, like I’d done previously. I simply must roll them into fat sausages and try my best to convince slightly tapered ends to fuse together by gently rolled them with my index, middle, and ring finger against my humongous bread board (which is definitely one of my favorite kitchen tools — no cutting allowed!), hoping the ends will fuse together and not separate in the overnight retardation, boiling, or baking stage, not to forget I don’t want to deflate the perfectly supple, risen, possibly over-proofed bagel dough. Trust me, I need more than a hope and prayer!


----------



## LyceeFruit PE (Mar 26, 2021)

My best friend and her partner have agreed to check in on my dog while I'm at work (I'm now ~40min commute) so she's crated. They're taking payment in baked goods. I'm excited because I've missed baking and they'll try anything.

I made lemon rolls from ButterBeReady over the weekend and more miso chocolate chip cookies. 

I'm going to make anadama rolls this weekend and see what else I got stored away on my pintrest account to test on them.


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## leggo PE (Mar 28, 2021)

Ridiculous rise on these two little boules:


----------



## akwooly (Apr 3, 2021)

First attempt at challah bread


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## leggo PE (Apr 6, 2021)

akwooly said:


> First attempt at challah breadView attachment 21543


That looks great! Isn’t the braiding easier than you expect? And then it comes out looking amazing! How did it taste?


----------



## akwooly (Apr 7, 2021)

Thanks Leggo! The three strand braid was easy and looks cool. My kids think I am some kind of pro baker now. It tasted delicious. And it makes awesome French toast.


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## Dothracki PE (Apr 7, 2021)

I made cinnamon rolls two weeks ago. The rolls came out pretty well but the glaze was a little clumpy even after a lot of mixing. Still tasted good, so I guess that's what counts.


----------



## JayKay PE (Apr 20, 2021)

Forgot to post. Made some espresso brownies, a strawberry cream shortbread cake, and a black velvet birthday cake this weekend. Wasn’t able to test the cake itself (tasted good, but they collapsed in the middle/baked through. It was a very “melting chocolate cake” situation. Going to have to tweak the recipe a little)


----------



## snickerd3 (Apr 27, 2021)

i didn't get any pictures, but I made Mr snick a Gluten Free Carrot Cake with a cream cheese frosting for his birthday this past weekend. I hate carrot cake so I have no input on the flavor, but mr snick said it was AMAZING. He said if he didn't already know he wouldn't be able to tell it was gluten free. He has diverticulitis so I didn't include the nuts. The way he plowed through it, I would say he liked this recipe better than my regular carrot cake recipe. 

The only issue with all from scratch gluten free baking is shelf life. even in the fridge it started getting soggy middle after a day.


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 27, 2021)

I made bread the day before the S.E. Exams.


----------



## DLD PE (Apr 27, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> I made bread the day before the S.E. Exams.
> 
> View attachment 21653


Dang @leggo PE that looks so good!

I need your help. I have been keeping up my sourdough starter my mother-in-law gave me, but it makes a "sweet" sourdough bread. Everyone else (including me) seems to like non-sweet breads (there is an artisan bread I enjoy making as well as a simple "white" bread in the bread machine my wife and son like). Is there a way to make a more "sour" sourdough with my starter? Or should I start altering what I feed it? My mil gave me a recipe to feed it: 1/2 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of potato flakes and 1 cup of warm water. That's what I'm supposed to feed it anyway.


----------



## snickerd3 (Apr 27, 2021)

when people talk about sour dough starter...this is what pops to mind


----------



## leggo PE (Apr 27, 2021)

DuranDuran said:


> Dang @leggo PE that looks so good!
> 
> I need your help. I have been keeping up my sourdough starter my mother-in-law gave me, but it makes a "sweet" sourdough bread. Everyone else (including me) seems to like non-sweet breads (there is an artisan bread I enjoy making as well as a simple "white" bread in the bread machine my wife and son like). Is there a way to make a more "sour" sourdough with my starter? Or should I start altering what I feed it? My mil gave me a recipe to feed it: 1/2 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of potato flakes and 1 cup of warm water. That's what I'm supposed to feed it anyway.


Ah, a sweet starter! I’ve never had one before, but have heard of them. I am definitely a savory bread gal, but have been known to introduce sweet add ins (I’m looking at you, Golden raisins!) and make sweet things (hellooo brioche cinnamon rolls!!) with my regular old sourdough starter.

If you’re game to experiment, I would take a clean jar/container/whatever you keep your starter in, and put a 1 or 2 teaspoons of your sweet starter in it. Then I’d mix in 2 oz of warm water, and 2 oz of your flour of choice (I’d probably start with all purpose, if it has a good protein amount, or otherwise rye flour, if you happen to have it). Feed like this, discarding at every feeding and keeping at room temperature (or in a warm place, if your home is on the colder side), 2x a day for a few days, and see if the transformed starter doubles in size. I am not sure, it might happen right away!

I’m guessing this sounds much like how you may or may not feed your sweet starter, but with only the ingredients of the starter, flour and water.

If this doesn’t work, I’d try making a starter with flour and water from scratch, but that can take upwards of two weeks to get going depending on a multitude of factors. Still, it’s a viable option!


----------



## leggo PE (May 8, 2021)

Before:




And after:




Whole wheat everything and plain sourdough bagels!


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## leggo PE (May 14, 2021)

Baking bread to be delivered as gifts... I’m giving these two beaut’s away!








I’ve gotta say, I’m quite proud of myself for the shaping, and like how the scoring turned out! They are both dang near perfect circles!


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## snickerd3 (May 14, 2021)

Bread is like gold, it should not be given away


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## leggo PE (Jun 10, 2021)

Has anyone been baking anything recently? 

I cannot believe it, but my freezer has been out of sourdough for 1.5 weeks now… Gotta go bake me some boules stat!

I also need to come up with a dessert for a get together with some friends, most of whom I haven’t seen in quite a while. Maybe something with blueberries that I got from the farmer’s market. Maybe a clafoutis?


----------



## Dothracki PE (Jun 12, 2021)

I made a cherry pie for the first time. Definitely won't win awards on presentation, but I hope it tastes good. Used fresh cherries from our cherry tree.


----------



## Ramnares P.E. (Jun 14, 2021)

Mrs. Ram made Tres Leches cake this weekend. It was fantastic but holy heck is that stuff sweet. One thing came immediately to mind:


----------



## leggo PE (Jun 14, 2021)

No clafoutis was made by me over the weekend. Not were, much to my chagrin, and boules produced. Instead, I did make cinnamon roll up cookies!


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## snickerd3 (Jun 14, 2021)

too hot to bake. The heat humidity messes up my dough, hence no fancy baking in the summer. I've tried several times and results were tragic. Cookies like Chocolate chip or heavy on the fats are really the only thing that tune out decent.


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## Dothracki PE (Jun 14, 2021)

Dothracki PE said:


> I made a cherry pie for the first time. Definitely won't win awards on presentation, but I hope it tastes good. Used fresh cherries from our cherry tree.
> 
> View attachment 22783


Update: Pie tasted amazing anyway. I knew it would since the crust recipe is always a hit.


----------



## Supe (Jun 14, 2021)

Ramnares P.E. said:


> Mrs. Ram made Tres Leches cake this weekend. It was fantastic but holy heck is that stuff sweet. One thing came immediately to mind:


Flan is the one that always gets me. The couple I've tried were so overwhelmingly sweet, I felt like a guy in a costume was going to jump out and warn me about the dangers of tooth decay.


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## leggo PE (Jun 18, 2021)

Taking guesses for what you think this dough is going to be once baked….


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## leggo PE (Jun 21, 2021)

Okay, since no one guessed, it was bagel dough (surprising? Probably not).

But then I also made these delicious little hand pie babies (I don’t know how the only picture I have of the 2 dozen I made is one pan before baking):


----------



## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Jun 21, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Okay, since no one guessed, it was bagel dough (surprising? Probably not).
> 
> But then I also made these delicious little hand pie babies (I don’t know how the only picture I have of the 2 dozen I made is one pan before baking):
> 
> View attachment 22846


OMG these are heckin' cute.


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## DLD PE (Jun 24, 2021)

How much does humidity affect rise? I'm guessing at least a little. My last artisan loaf didn't seem to rise quite as much, and it was good, but a bit more dense than usual. I remember reading somewhere adding powered milk might help, 1-2 teaspoons, but I'm open to suggestions. I'm using a simple, overnight rise recipe.


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## leggo PE (Jun 24, 2021)

DuranDuran said:


> How much does humidity affect rise? I'm guessing at least a little. My last artisan loaf didn't seem to rise quite as much, and it was good, but a bit more dense than usual. I remember reading somewhere adding powered milk might help, 1-2 teaspoons, but I'm open to suggestions. I'm using a simple, overnight rise recipe.



Humidity can definitely affect rise. I’m assuming you are referring to proofing rise (before baking) vs. oven rise (during baking), here. Typically, I have read that warmer, more humid environments (like lots of U.S. places in the summer, but not really where I live) will cause doughs to proof/rise at a much faster rate than a colder, less humid environment. So what I’m guessing is, your dough may have actually gotten overproofed, because it proofed very quickly.

The caveats to all of this are that I mainly deal with sourdough, not yeast (and I’m not sure what you’re using here), and I live in a fairly Mediterranean climate where the temperature and humidity don’t change that much with the seasons.

But, I think the general principles are the same, since the whole thing with sourdough is that it is simply using natural yeast vs added yeast to get the rise in the loaf.


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## leggo PE (Jun 28, 2021)

Sourdough blueberry muffins and mini loaves! The sourdough was mainly for discard, not the rise.


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## leggo PE (Jul 19, 2021)

Because, holy moly, it’s been 2 months since I last baked bread and even longer since I bread made bread for myself and Mr. Leggo, here are the loaves from today’s bake!


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## JayKay PE (Jul 19, 2021)

I haven't baked in a very long time...my schedule is kinda hectic during the week if I do gym and it's difficult to do stuff beforehand to allow it to rise. I want to get back into it, but I feel like I need to plan things out way before so I don't get overwhelmed.

Maybe I'll make cookies or something tonight, just to make something.


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## leggo PE (Jul 19, 2021)

You can do it, @JayKay PE! Cookies, muffins, quickbreads are all within your grasp!


----------



## JayKay PE (Jul 19, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> You can do it, @JayKay PE! Cookies, muffins, quickbreads are all within your grasp!


I'm going to take a quick inventory of what I have in my pantry and see what I can make tonight cookie-wise. Worst case, I can make chocolate chip-less cookies, which are actually my favorite.


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## Supe (Jul 19, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Okay, since no one guessed, it was bagel dough (surprising? Probably not).
> 
> But then I also made these delicious little hand pie babies (I don’t know how the only picture I have of the 2 dozen I made is one pan before baking):
> 
> View attachment 22846


If these had lemon fillings I would probably eat them until I explode.


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## leggo PE (Jul 19, 2021)

Supe said:


> If these had lemon fillings I would probably eat them until I explode.
> 
> View attachment 23117


Ohh, like a lemon curd filling? Definitely could be a possibility… I’ve made lemon curd before (it’s pretty easy) and it was so delicious.


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## Supe (Jul 19, 2021)

Curd, pie filling, whatever floats your boat. The more intensely lemon the better! Those shitty frosted lemon pies in the wax wrappers you could buy at the register at the grocery store were my absolute favorite fat kid treat growing up.


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## leggo PE (Jul 23, 2021)

Anyone got any weekend baking plans? I don’t have anything specifically on the docket… But that might change soon!


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## leggo PE (Aug 4, 2021)

Gettin’ all up on it!







Yummmmm!


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## Supe (Aug 5, 2021)

I'm over here tryin to diet, and posting bagel pics isn't helping, especially when junior asked last weekend to go to the local bagel place that sells NY style bagels.


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## leggo PE (Aug 5, 2021)

Aw, sorry to hear all of that, Supe! In the leggo household, we actually only eat bagels once a week, a ritual Saturday brunch tradition. I find myself baking more bagels these days as I’ve also been sharing some of my bagels with Mr. leggo’s aunt and uncle.

I tried yet another new shaping technique (that of Alton Brown in his Serious Eats episode about bagels) and was super impressed with the rise. There was a bit of a learning curve to this technique, but the results were quite fantastic!


----------



## leggo PE (Aug 5, 2021)

I also made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies last weekend, but apparently didn’t take any photo evidence. In any case, they were really good!


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## snickerd3 (Aug 5, 2021)

I made 3 batches of rice krispie treats for daycare last night.


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## leggo PE (Aug 5, 2021)

snickerd3 said:


> I made 3 batches of rice krispie treats for daycare last night.


Mom of the year right there!


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## leggo PE (Aug 31, 2021)

And now, a change of pace from the usual baking postings of one leggo….

I am now a pie baker!




It’s an apple pie with an all-butter crust. The filling was delicious, but my crimping could use a bit of improvement. In any case, it was quite tasty and enjoyed by all who got a slice! The birthday boy (my dad) claimed the extra slices at the end.

I see more pies in my future now that I own a pie plate!


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## snickerd3 (Aug 31, 2021)

Just one pie plate?  I think I have 3-4 glass ones in a couple sizes and a pamerered chef stoneware one.


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## leggo PE (Aug 31, 2021)

snickerd3 said:


> Just one pie plate?  I think I have 3-4 glass ones in a couple sizes and a pamerered chef stoneware one.


I have never baked a pie from scratch before this, and don’t do the whole gazillion pies for holidays thing (yet). Mine’s a $10 glass one that was the only option at my local coop. Haha!


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Aug 31, 2021)

snickerd3 said:


> I made 3 batches of rice krispie treats for daycare last night.


I generally don't like cakes, pies, cookies, pastries, crumbles, muffins, cupcakes, or really any kind of sweets. BUT I WILL DESTROY SOME RICE KRISPIES TREATS.


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## kevo_55 (Aug 31, 2021)

YUMMMMY!!!!!!


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## leggo PE (Sep 1, 2021)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> I generally don't like cakes, pies, cookies, pastries, crumbles, muffins, cupcakes, or really any kind of sweets. BUT I WILL DESTROY SOME RICE KRISPIES TREATS.


Brown butter rice krispy treats are where it’s at! Or any rice krispy treats by @snickerd3, obviously!


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## leggo PE (Sep 6, 2021)

Give me a three day weekend at home, and I will do as much of things with dough as I can! Sourdough bagels, two loaves of sourdough bread, approximately 40 momo with homemade dumpling dough wrappers (super easy, but very time consuming to make and totally worth it all), and now, not a dough, but a lemon yogurt cake!


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## JayKay PE (Sep 7, 2021)

I made biscuits and gravy this past weekend. I forgot how easy it is to make biscuits by hand. Might start doing them again.


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## leggo PE (Sep 10, 2021)

Guys and gals and everyone! Netflix announced that the GBBS will be back with a new season on 9/24!!


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## leggo PE (Sep 11, 2021)

Fresh out of the oven, using a not refreshed starter only a few hours (2?) out of the fridge:


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## snickerd3 (Sep 13, 2021)

Minisnick wants the gluten free carrot cake I made for mr snick's bday for his birthday cake. minisnick is NOT a cake person at all, so this sort of shocked me.


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## leggo PE (Sep 25, 2021)

The raspberry bars (referenced in the It’s Friday! thread) are in the oven. I’m stoked about that fact! Just now gotta work for a few hours… Blah about that, but hey! This is The Baking Thread and that means happy and delicious times, all the time!


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## JayKay PE (Sep 27, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Guys and gals and everyone! Netflix announced that the GBBS will be back with a new season on 9/24!!


BUT THEY'RE RELEASING IT ONE EPISODE AT A TIME. LIKE WE'RE ANIMALS.

Also, I made some spiced molasses cookies to celebrate the first day of Autumn last week. They're my favorite. Super chewy/dense and must be eaten with a cup of coffee or tea to truly appreciate the flavor profile.


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## JayKay PE (Sep 27, 2021)

Plan for tonight or tomorrow: almond shortbread. I've been looking for ways to use more almond paste in my baking (besides the normal Italian Christmas cookies) and this might be an easier way of getting rid of it instead of making horns...Though I do have almond slivers that could be used for that...


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Sep 27, 2021)

JayKay PE said:


> BUT THEY'RE RELEASING IT ONE EPISODE AT A TIME. LIKE WE'RE ANIMALS.


Because, Americans: the very archetype of moderation and restraint?


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## JayKay PE (Oct 4, 2021)

Lemon bars (which…I’m not sure how they came out. Odin was attacking me while I was whisking on the stovetop…and I’m not sure it set right) and almond jam bars (because I have way too much almond paste for some reason and I’ve got to start using it).


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## leggo PE (Oct 5, 2021)

I’m finally making time in my schedule to go pick up the 100 lbs of flour I ordered a couple of weeks ago, and chose to pick up from the mill to avoid shipping costs. Tomorrow’s the day!


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## Dothracki PE (Oct 10, 2021)

Peach and Blackberry tart, both fruits sourced from my backyard


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## leggo PE (Oct 10, 2021)

Dothracki PE said:


> Peach and Blackberry tart, both fruits sourced from my backyard
> 
> View attachment 23699


Yum!!

And in the leggo household, pancake muffins:


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## leggo PE (Oct 14, 2021)

It’s only been four days but the itch to bake is calling for attention again…


----------



## leggo PE (Oct 18, 2021)

I ended up making pistachio sablés, which are freaking unheard of good even with so few ingredients.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 19, 2021)

I am working from home today, Wednesday, and Friday (some OSHA training being done). I'm hoping to get a little baking done on Wednesday. Peanut butter cookies for my co-worker who is transferring to a different VA, since he is stated he has simple likes and wants the criss-cross peanut butter cookies, and maybe whip together a batch of my grandma's recipe of walnut date cookies (which then need to be fridged for a day). I got her recipe from a cousin and I, surprisingly, have dates in my fridge as well as walnuts


----------



## DLD PE (Oct 19, 2021)

I made a parmesan peppercorn loaf Sunday. Sorry I don't have a pic.


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## JayKay PE (Oct 19, 2021)

Lol, I lied. OSHA class requires the camera to be on at all times. So. Baking on Wednesday might be a no-go, depending on what I can get done during the breaks mixing/measuring. I think the peanut butter cookies can def be measured during the breaks or maybe in the morning before class. Shouldn't be too difficult. But I do think that the walnut date cookies will have to be a holiday cookie I make in November to bring home.


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## pbrme (Oct 19, 2021)

JayKay PE said:


> Lol, I lied. OSHA class requires the camera to be on at all times...


Just do a Cartman and pull the old swap out.


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## leggo PE (Oct 19, 2021)

Got bread dough in the works currently. Will bake it tomorrow!


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## leggo PE (Oct 20, 2021)

My little bread babies!










40% hard white whole wheat, 20% whole durum, using my rye starter named Boris. I’m calling these my golden loafs; I simply love the golden color durum flour always gives bread. Obviously it adds great flavor, too!


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## leggo PE (Oct 25, 2021)

I had to bake, so I made a gingerbread banana bread. It was okay. Not overly sweet, which was good, but it could have used more gingerbread spice. Also, it was fairly dense. Can’ twin ‘em all!


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## DLD PE (Oct 25, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> My little bread babies!
> 
> View attachment 23739
> 
> ...


This looks so good! I want to learn how to do this!


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## pbrme (Oct 25, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> I ended up making pistachio sablés, which are freaking unheard of good even with so few ingredients.


After seeing your post, I wanted to try these for the upcoming holidays. So yesterday I spent a few hours with this recipe:
Brown Butter and Pistachio Sablés
The dough was very crumbly prior to chilling, so I ended up rolling out the square a little thicker than I would have liked. But overall, they are very tasty. I brought them into work today to field comments, and because I had like four of them yesterday. They are fantastic crushed up on ice cream btw.


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## leggo PE (Nov 1, 2021)

I shall just leave this here:


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## pbrme (Nov 1, 2021)

@leggo PE 
^ Holy smackers. The hell kind of trick or treaters y'all get over there?


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## snickerd3 (Nov 2, 2021)

Made some gluten free chocolate chip cookies on Halloween. Recipe said to let the dough sit for 30 minutes before baking. They ended up sitting for about 1.5 hrs since we went trick or treating. They actually turned out much better after the extended wait. That gritty texture with the gluten free flour mixture was all but gone. It's just unfortunate that the GF flour mix has powdered milk and the recipe adds milk. Mr snick can eat them, but I have to be careful. So I can't just make one type during the holidays....I'll have to make two, one GF the other normal.


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## DLD PE (Nov 2, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> My little bread babies!
> 
> View attachment 23739
> 
> ...


Did you use a Dutch oven for this?


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## Supe (Nov 2, 2021)

pbrme said:


> @leggo PE
> ^ Holy smackers. The hell kind of trick or treaters y'all get over there?


I'm guessing a bunch of Dr. Rockso costumers:


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 2, 2021)

pbrme said:


> @leggo PE
> ^ Holy smackers. The hell kind of trick or treaters y'all get over there?


Not trick or treaters at all. 95 lbs of flour, two different types! My typical bread flour and my favorite whole wheat flour. The bag of the whole wheat flour actually got repurposed as my Halloween costume.



DuranDuran PE said:


> Did you use a Dutch oven for this?


Sure did! All my bread (besides loafs that use a pan) currently get baked in my Dutch oven. But in the coming months, I’m gonna get a big upgrade because I bit the bullet and preordered a Fourneau Grande Bread Oven. Man, the thought of just being able to easily slide my dough into that bread oven, vs. my current method of scoring the loaf on parchment on a pizza peel, which I then place atop my screaming hot preheated Dutch oven, centering the loaf as best I can, carefully grasping the edge of the parchment round and whipping out the pizza peel from underneath to have the dough drop hopefully straight down into the dutch oven, is a HUGE upgrade to me. I’ve actually gotten really good at my pizza peel Dutch oven maneuver, and it’s always exciting, but it’s the kind of excitement I could go without in my bread baking. Ha!


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## DLD PE (Nov 2, 2021)

I don't have a Dutch oven. I basically put the dough in a bread pan and put it in the oven that way. Looks nice, tastes good, but I don't get that crisp crust I see in your photos. I guess that's good in a way though, because my wife and son prefer the more "chewy" crust. I would prefer the crisper crust.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 2, 2021)

DuranDuran PE said:


> I don't have a Dutch oven. I basically put the dough in a bread pan and put it in the oven that way. Looks nice, tastes good, but I don't get that crisp crust I see in your photos. I guess that's good in a way though, because my wife and son prefer the more "chewy" crust. I would prefer the crisper crust.


You should get a Dutch oven. It’s hugely beneficial for bread, soup, beans, making yogurt, basically anything you need a heavy bottomed pot for!


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 6, 2021)

Guys and gals, should I open up a bagel shop??




These are by far my best looking, and equally great tasting, bagels yet! I actually made 10, but neglected to take a photo until after two were already eaten.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 8, 2021)

I need to get baking again. Like, seriously. But I feel like I never have the time in the day.


----------



## Supe (Nov 8, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Guys and gals, should I open up a bagel shop??
> 
> View attachment 24547
> 
> ...


I am in favor of anything that lets engineers quit their day job!


----------



## pbrme (Nov 8, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Guys and gals, should I open up a bagel shop??
> 
> View attachment 24547
> 
> ...


I've never had fresh homemade bagels. What's the best way to eat? Butter, cream cheese, jam?


----------



## Supe (Nov 8, 2021)

pbrme said:


> I've never had fresh homemade bagels. What's the best way to eat? Butter, cream cheese, jam?


Yes


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 8, 2021)

pbrme said:


> I've never had fresh homemade bagels. What's the best way to eat? Butter, cream cheese, jam?



The best way to eat is whatever you want!!


----------



## akwooly (Nov 11, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Guys and gals, should I open up a bagel shop??
> 
> View attachment 24547
> 
> ...


Yes. Those look yummy


----------



## Audi Driver P.E. (Nov 18, 2021)

Anyone want to make me some donuts?


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2021)

I am going to a winter festival thing this weekend. I am hoping I can buy real cider. Real cider in a gallon container. So I can make apple cider doughnuts.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 19, 2021)

I have a donut pan and an accompanying little donut cookbook.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 19, 2021)

I like baked doughnuts more than fried doughnuts, but that's because I love a dense doughnut with a cup of coffee in the morning.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Nov 22, 2021)

The fruits of my labor…
I also made a video, but I don’t think I’ll post it here since I want to sorta remain anon and I would probably dox myself.

Also, I gave some sourdough starter to a friend! That’s a first for me.


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Nov 22, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Guys and gals, should I open up a bagel shop??
> 
> View attachment 24547
> 
> ...


I would fly down there just to try one of your bagels.


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## leggo PE (Nov 22, 2021)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> The fruits of my labor…
> I also made a video, but I don’t think I’ll post it here since I want to sorta remain anon and I would probably dox myself.
> 
> Also, I gave some sourdough starter to a friend! That’s a first for me.



VERY nice!!!


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## leggo PE (Nov 22, 2021)

Money shot from one of the loaves I baked yesterday. It smells soooo gooood!


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 24, 2021)

Wish me luck, fellow bakers and baked goods enjoyers! I'm going to attempt to make a pumpkin tart today, using this recipe: 









Pumpkin Tarte à la Bouillie


It only took me over six years of Louisiana be make a proper Cajun sweet dough and pudding pie but friends, here we are! This is the kind of deep




joythebaker.com





I mean, I was sold once I saw the scalloped edges, and read the description that the crust is thicker and more like a sugar cookie.


----------



## Dothracki PE (Nov 26, 2021)

I made a pumpkin spice latte cake using a recipe I just found in BH&G. It didn't swirl as much as I would have liked, but I'll have to give it another shot with a few tweaks. It was a little dense.


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## leggo PE (Nov 26, 2021)

Here’s my pie! It was really quite tasty. The reviews of the thick, cookie-like crust were positive! The one thing I would have changed is I do not think I cooked the custard filling quite long enough to get it to set with straight edges when cut. But that was small fries; it was a little mushy but not overly so, and it tasted really good. I also whipped up some fresh vanilla whipped cream, which tasted sooooo good. So easy to do, also.

Oh, and I ended up doing it in a pie pan because the tart pan I have would have been too small. Luckily, I realized that BEFORE I started to assemble the pie!


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 29, 2021)

Apparently I didn’t take any pictures of the finished loaves, so here’s some scoring for ya!


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Nov 29, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> View attachment 26004
> 
> 
> View attachment 26005
> ...


Bee-yootiful. I should probably start doing some of that fancy stuff...


----------



## snickerd3 (Nov 29, 2021)

i need to sit down and plan out my christmas baking day this year...


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 29, 2021)

snickerd3 said:


> i need to sit down and plan out my christmas baking day this year...



Me too! Especially since I did Christmas cookie tins last year, and got requests for them at the Friendsgiving I attended yesterday. I went sort of crazy and I think I made like 5 different types of cookies last year, all in the course of 1 day pretty much. I will have to rethink if I want to do that many different cookies this time around.


----------



## leggo PE (Nov 29, 2021)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Bee-yootiful. I should probably start doing some of that fancy stuff...



It’s not that hard, I promise!


----------



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Nov 29, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> It’s not that hard, I promise!


I'm getting the hang of it. I think at first I was like "OMG I don't have time to do that because my dough will be ruined" but now I'm not terribly concerned with how fast I put the dough in the oven out of the fridge.


----------



## JayKay PE (Nov 29, 2021)

snickerd3 said:


> i need to sit down and plan out my christmas baking day this year...


You aren't like me, where I just start making cookies, and then add more and more to them.


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## snickerd3 (Nov 29, 2021)

JayKay PE said:


> You aren't like me, where I just start making cookies, and then add more and more to them.


That's usually what I do, but I as I learned last year that doesn't work out so well for adding in gluten free options too. The GF doughs need to rest before baking or else they turn out gritty. For chocolate chip cookies, at least 2hrs for best results.


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## snickerd3 (Nov 29, 2021)

so i will be mixing those first then letting them sit while I make the regular stuff. just need to figure out the most out of the time


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## Dothracki PE (Nov 30, 2021)

My wife and I made a German chocolate cake for her coworker's birthday. Haven't made this before, but it tastes good. I would expect so with so much butter and sugar in the cake and two frostings.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Dec 1, 2021)

Dothracki PE said:


> My wife and I made a German chocolate cake for her coworker's birthday. Haven't made this before, but it tastes good. I would expect so with so much butter and sugar in the cake and two frostings.
> 
> View attachment 26051


Mmm, good stuff. It’s a birthday tradition for my grandfather. I didn’t used to like it on account of the coconut, but I got over it.


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## Dothracki PE (Dec 1, 2021)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Mmm, good stuff. It’s a birthday tradition for my grandfather. I didn’t used to like it on account of the coconut, but I got over it.


I don't really get why it's in there but I guess because American not really German? We are often extra with desserts.


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## leggo PE (Dec 8, 2021)

Additional cookie tins have arrived, and nearly all ingredients for my cookies this year are in hand. Here’s the lineup:

1. Chocolate biscotti
2. Pistachio Sablés 
3. Iced gingerbread cookies (only repeat from last year)
4. Lemon meltaways

With this lineup, I’m hitting a chocolate note, a citrus note, gingerbread, and a wildcard (I have mentioned these pistachio sablés in this thread before, I believe). I’ll probably be baking all these on Sunday this weekend. I need to double check my recipes to time everything right (like, which doughs need to be cooled, or things that can be made ahead).

Later on this month, I’ll definitely be planning some sourdough cinnamon rolls. Previously, I’ve made these:









Brioche Cinnamon Rolls // Central Milling


Close your eyes. Imagine you’re eight years old, laying in bed… A waft of magic seeps under your door and tickles your nose. It’s clearly the holiday season, but there’s something different about it – it reminds you of that trip to Aunt Matilda’s house in Santa Fe last winter. Cardamom and pine...




centralmilling.com





They are decadent and absolutely divine, very rich. This year, I’m thinking I might change it up a bit and go with this recipe instead:









Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls | The Perfect Loaf


Bake flawless sourdough cinnamon rolls with a brown sugar cinnamon spread and cream cheese glaze. These rolls are the perfect holiday treat!




www.theperfectloaf.com





I absolutely love Maurizio (the author behind The Perfect Loaf blog) and his recipes have literally not once failed me.

How are everyone else’s holiday baking plans shaping up?


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## leggo PE (Dec 8, 2021)

P.S.,

I highly, highly recommend Central Milling flours. They are almost exclusively the only flours I will use these days, and their Organic Beehive AP is my standard all purpose flour, the Organic High Mountain is my go-to bread flour, the Organic Hi-Pro Fine is my absolute favorite whole wheat flour, and the Type 80 whole wheat lends an incredible and undeniable flexibility to my bread and bagel doughs. I also have smaller bags of their dark and medium ryes, durum, and spelt, and probably a couple of others. I can’t recommend their flour enough!


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## leggo PE (Dec 12, 2021)

Mid-holiday cookie baking adventure update!

The chocolate biscotti is done, and very delicious. 3/4’s of the gingerbread cookies are baked; scrap dough is in the fridge cooling to be rolled out again (a second time, probably the last time). The first pan of pistachio sablès is in the oven, with 1.5 pans more to go. The lemon meltaway dough is also in the fridge, in rolls waiting to be sliced and baked.

I still need need to make the icing for the gingerbread cookies and the glaze for the lemon meltaways, and decorate decorate! Then, of course, pack the tins. The ones that are getting shipped will get put in the mail (2 day USPS) tomorrow, and the ones getting delivered locally will get biked to their doorsteps on Tuesday!

I’ll try to remember to take pictures to post here!


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## Dothracki PE (Dec 12, 2021)

I found this recipe in a magazine and wanted to try it. These are called anzac biscuits, an oat ookie with coconut originating in Australia/New Zealand.


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## snickerd3 (Dec 13, 2021)

two batches buttercookies
GF ch.chip cookies
ch.chip cookie
GF pizzelles
pizzeles
Kolckies - raspberry and apricot


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## snickerd3 (Dec 13, 2021)

I still need to make rice krispie treats and probably another batch of pizelles


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## leggo PE (Dec 13, 2021)

By the time I was done packing tins and packing the boxes that are getting shipped, it was nearly 11 pm. People better appreciate these cookies!


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## DoctorWho-PE (Dec 20, 2021)

The miniHab and I made almond bark and Rolo pretzels last night, and i made spritz cookies and Chewy ginger cookies. No photos, I was tried when I was done. last week I made chocolate crinkle cookies, which are one of my holiday favs, but such a pain in the butt.


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## leggo PE (Dec 20, 2021)

vhab49_PE said:


> The miniHab and I made almond bark and Rolo pretzels last night, and i made spritz cookies and Chewy ginger cookies. No photos, I was tried when I was done. last week I made chocolate crinkle cookies, which are one of my holiday favs, but such a pain in the butt.
> View attachment 26545


Those chocolate crinkle cookies look so good and everything else sounds amazing! I was wondering what a rolo pretzel was, and then it occurred to me, could it be a pretzel stick stuck into a rolo?


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## DoctorWho-PE (Dec 20, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Those chocolate crinkle cookies look so good and everything else sounds amazing! I was wondering what a rolo pretzel was, and then it occurred to me, could it be a pretzel stick stuck into a rolo?


It is a round pretzel with a Rolo melted in the middle, M&M on top. Because kill it with sugar. You can also use a walnut or pecan half, but the kids do not like the nuts. If I remember/there are any left, I'll take a picture of the goodies when I get home.


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## leggo PE (Dec 20, 2021)

vhab49_PE said:


> It is a round pretzel with a Rolo melted in the middle, M&M on top. Because kill it with sugar. You can also use a walnut or pecan half, but the kids do not like the nuts. If I remember/there are any left, I'll take a picture of the goodies when I get home.


Ah, so more complicated. Wow, sounds like a lot! Ha. I get it, if I were still a kid, why would I accept a walnut or pecan when I could have an m&m? And while we’re on the topic, let’s be honest, peanut m&m’s are where it’s at, unless of course, you have a peanut allergy.


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## snickerd3 (Dec 21, 2021)

I'll be making several batches of rice krispies treats for Daycare's xmas party tomorrow.


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## DoctorWho-PE (Dec 21, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Ah, so more complicated. Wow, sounds like a lot! Ha. I get it, if I were still a kid, why would I accept a walnut or pecan when I could have an m&m? And while we’re on the topic, let’s be honest, peanut m&m’s are where it’s at, unless of course, you have a peanut allergy.


Oh def not complicated. Photo from internet since I just ate cookies instead of photoing last night.... you drop rolo in middle, stick in oven till melty (this is what makes it "baking" hahah). Put thing on top.


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## JayKay PE (Dec 21, 2021)

Basic cookies. Just chocolate chip and macaroons. Gingerbread is in the fridge. Didn’t bake last night because I ate pepperoni pizza and was dying from the allergic reaction. Going to do more baking tonight. Prob biscotti and special anise cookies. Maybe another batch of chocolate chip. Also need to figure out the date and walnut bar that my dad loved when he was a kid.


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## steel (Dec 21, 2021)

I've only baked two kinds this year: pizzelles and peanut butter blossoms. Both my grandmothers recipes.

But hopefully this week before Christmas I'll get the anise christmas tree cookies and some cheesecake tarts made!


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## leggo PE (Dec 21, 2021)

snickerd3 said:


> I'll be making several batches of rice krispies treats for Daycare's xmas party tomorrow.



Are we on the same wave length? I just made rice krispy treats on Sunday. Smitten Kitchen’s version, because duh. But I had to use knock-off rice krispie because the Safeway only had chocolate Rice Krispies (I could NOT BELIEVE they didn’t have regular rice krispies and they had NO OTHER comparable riced cereal, trust me, I checked and re-checked and re-checked) and I wasn’t going for chocolate Rice Krispie treats. Then the second place I went only had some supposedly healthier knockoff Rice Krispies, so I used those instead. I was NOT going to a third store. It was crazy!


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## leggo PE (Dec 21, 2021)

Still on the docket for this week for me are a batch of sourdough bagels, an orange cranberry cake loaf, and sourdough cinnamon rolls. Yum!


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## snickerd3 (Dec 21, 2021)

leggo PE said:


> Are we on the same wave length? I just made rice krispy treats on Sunday. Smitten Kitchen’s version, because duh. But I had to use knock-off rice krispies because the Safeway only had chocolate Rice Krispies (I could NOT BELIEVE they didn’t have regular rice krispies and they had NO OTHER comparable riced cereal, trust me, I checked and re-checked and re-checked) and I wasn’t going for chocolate Rice Krispie treats. Then the second place I went only had some supposedly healthier knockoff Rice Krispies, so I used those instead. I was NOT going to a third store. It was crazy!


The boxes had a coupon on them a week or so ago. buy 2 boxes and get a bag a marshmellows free. That's probably why they all disappeared I bought two, the original and then the xmas colored


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## leggo PE (Dec 21, 2021)

snickerd3 said:


> The boxes had a coupon on them a week or so ago. buy 2 boxes and get a bag a marshmellows free. That's probably why they all disappeared I bought two, the original and then the xmas colored


I don’t think they disappeared. There was no spot for them on the shelves! Unless they did sell out and they replaced them with something else unrelated… I guess that’s in the realm of possibility. Well perhaps that’s what I get for my last minute, spur of the moment Rice Krispie treat idea!


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## DoctorWho-PE (Dec 22, 2021)

Cookies! I remembered!


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## JayKay PE (Dec 22, 2021)

lol, I haven't baked due to pork-products and work drama.

Hopefully today I can bake because it's super dreary/rainy outside, and work should calm down a bit.


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## snickerd3 (Dec 22, 2021)

made 3 batches of rice Krispy treats last night. two for daycare one for home Yummy!


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## leggo PE (Dec 22, 2021)

Bagel dough is in the works! It’s doing its bulk fermentation right now, and for the first time with this I’m using my new Raisenne dough riser (which is a flat plate that heats to consistent 80 degree temperature; all you have to do is stick your covered bowl on top of it. I love it!). It’s chilly in my house today and I’ve used the dough riser with my recent bread loaves to great affect!


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## snickerd3 (Dec 22, 2021)

okay crazy question...anyone ever seen a recipe for cake with grapes? Snickette told me this morning she wanted a grape and strawberry birthday cake next month.


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## leggo PE (Dec 22, 2021)

Nope, I haven’t, but I think a loaf cake could work with strawberries and grapes. Or does she want a grape flavored cake? Then I’d think about reducing some grape juice to use in the batter. It might not turn out the prettiest color. Something to think about!


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## snickerd3 (Dec 22, 2021)

I'll have to ask again...it was one of those conversations quick conversation when walking from the car to a building. Real grapes were a definitive though.


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## Dothracki PE (Dec 22, 2021)

Never done this before, hopefully this works. This is a recipe I found for freezer cheesecake in a jar. I decided to make these as Christmas gifts for a few people because I really don't know what to get anyone anymore. Once they get a hot bath for 20 minutes and cool off, they go into the freezer. I'll have to read up on this more and figure out how to jar sauce and other stuff.


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## leggo PE (Dec 23, 2021)

Bagels are baked and cooling (haven’t taken any photos yet, will try to remember later!), and the sourdough brioche dough for the cinnamon rolls is almost done with its first bulk fermentation (on the dough riser). My overworked, old Kitchenaid mixer couldn’t handle incorporating the butter, so I had to incorporate it by hand, which took a lot of time and patience, and set me back in my timeline for today by about 45 min. Oh well! The dough is now silky smooth and it will be worth it!

The Kitchenaid mixer’s struggles again remind me, I think I want to invest in an Ankarsrum mixer at some point… Maybe in the next year or so. I like that with that mixer, it’s the bowl that rotates, not the attachment!


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## Dothracki PE (Dec 26, 2021)

Cinnamon rolls! A KAF recipe that is so good. We made these twice as big as they should be, but we were just lazy and didn't want to have to split the cinnamon rolls into two baking times (there was another tray of 6)


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## steel (Dec 27, 2021)

Dothracki PE said:


> Never done this before, hopefully this works. This is a recipe I found for freezer cheesecake in a jar. I decided to make these as Christmas gifts for a few people because I really don't know what to get anyone anymore. Once they get a hot bath for 20 minutes and cool off, they go into the freezer. I'll have to read up on this more and figure out how to jar sauce and other stuff.
> 
> View attachment 26596


I need to try these! My mom found a recipe for cheesecake tarts while I was a kid, and I've been dying to make those, too. 

At least for me, Cheesecake > All other cakes/pies


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## Dothracki PE (Dec 27, 2021)

structurenole15 said:


> I need to try these! My mom found a recipe for cheesecake tarts while I was a kid, and I've been dying to make those, too.
> 
> At least for me, Cheesecake > All other cakes/pies


Here is the recipe I tried. I honestly haven't tried it yet so I hope they are good. Otherwise all of the people I gave them too will think I hate them. I used the canned topping stuff but I would have made my own strawberry topping with sliced strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice. You could probably use the same for any other fruit.









Freezer Cheesecake


You can make this Freezer Cheesecake and freeze it until you need it. Great to impress unexpected company! Hello Cheesecake Lovers! Have I got a GREAT recipe for you today! You know, there are loads of recipes for freezer meals and freezer rolls, etc. but I’ve seen very few freezer desserts...




www.thisgrandmaisfun.com


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## Dothracki PE (Jan 1, 2022)

Made some bread today using our new Dutch oven!


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## leggo PE (Jan 9, 2022)

One dozen quick and easy peanut butter cookies, which provided another dozen peanut butter cookie dough balls in the freezer for a future date!


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## Dean Agnostic (Jan 9, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> Guys and gals, should I open up a bagel shop??
> 
> View attachment 24547
> 
> ...




mmmhmmm


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## leggo PE (Jan 13, 2022)

I want to bake this weekend. I thought I was going to bake bread, but it turns out we don’t need any more bread yet. I also don’t just want to make more cookies. No need for bagels yet either. What should I make?


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Jan 14, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> I want to bake this weekend. I thought I was going to bake bread, but it turns out we don’t need any more bread yet. I also don’t just want to make more cookies. No need for bagels yet either. What should I make?


Nothing like a good spice cake. Goes with just about anything. I say go for that.  Cheers!


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## snickerd3 (Jan 14, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> I want to bake this weekend. I thought I was going to bake bread, but it turns out we don’t need any more bread yet. I also don’t just want to make more cookies. No need for bagels yet either. What should I make?


a tart or pie


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## leggo PE (Jan 14, 2022)

KAF has a recipe for a rye coffee cake that could be fun! I haven’t baked with rye flour other than as more a complimentary flour in my typical bread or bagel recipes. I did try and make a rye loaf a year or two ago, because I was going for that classic Jewish rye sandwich bread, but it didn’t turn out exactly like I wanted (which wasn’t surprising, since I only made one attempt). Along these lines, I do want to make a good sandwich/toast bread, it’s not usually my style of bread. But then again, maybe I’ll make this ridiculously good looking crepe cake, though I’ll have to see what the local co-op has so far as plums go; maybe I could sub in something else?









Roasted Plum Crepe Cake


Here's the thing. There's no time to waste. We're here. We're here and we're making our own dreams come true. We're not waiting. From here on out -




joythebaker.com





Thanks for the ideas, everyone!


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Jan 17, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> KAF has a recipe for a rye coffee cake that could be fun! I haven’t baked with rye flour other than as more a complimentary flour in my typical bread or bagel recipes. I did try and make a rye loaf a year or two ago, because I was going for that classic Jewish rye sandwich bread, but it didn’t turn out exactly like I wanted (which wasn’t surprising, since I only made one attempt). Along these lines, I do want to make a good sandwich/toast bread, it’s not usually my style of bread. But then again, maybe I’ll make this ridiculously good looking crepe cake, though I’ll have to see what the local co-op has so far as plums go; maybe I could sub in something else?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well, what did you end up making/baking?


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## leggo PE (Jan 17, 2022)

Unintended Max P.E. said:


> Well, what did you end up making/baking?


See the cooking thread!


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## snickerd3 (Jan 18, 2022)

First time working with fondant.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jan 18, 2022)

Sourdough cinnamon rolls. Made them this morning.


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## leggo PE (Jan 18, 2022)

snickerd3 said:


> First time working with fondant.View attachment 26806


Wow! Well done!


ChebyshevII PE said:


> Sourdough cinnamon rolls. Made them this morning.
> View attachment 26808


Yum! I love making sourdough cinnamon rolls. Who doesn’t like cinnamon rolls, anyway? And isn’t it fun to do them without added yeast?


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jan 18, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> Wow! Well done!
> 
> Yum! I love making sourdough cinnamon rolls. Who doesn’t like cinnamon rolls, anyway? And isn’t it fun to do them without added yeast?


It is.

This recipe also used TangZhong, this is the first time I've had to do something with it. I tried one of them, even being pretty well cooked on the outside they were still nice and fluffy on the inside.


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## leggo PE (Jan 18, 2022)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> It is.
> 
> This recipe also used TangZhong, this is the first time I've had to do something with it. I tried one of them, even being pretty well cooked on the outside they were still nice and fluffy on the inside.


I’ve heard of the TangZhong method before, but haven’t tried it myself. Based on what you describe, it seems to have worked (and been executed) perfectly!


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## Dean Agnostic (Jan 19, 2022)

snickerd3 said:


> First time working with fondant.View attachment 26806



Looks tasty. The artform, aesthetics, softness, color schemes, and I just wanna slice and taste it.


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## Dothracki PE (Jan 20, 2022)

snickerd3 said:


> First time working with fondant.View attachment 26806


I can't not read the word fondant in my head without Buddy Valastro's accent...


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## Dean Agnostic (Jan 22, 2022)

The modern Cucina . It's not good to envy, but I envy the baking skills of our engineers on this thread. 

Photo Source: Leggo PE and snickered3 PE


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## JayKay PE (Jan 24, 2022)

Just some basic sour cream donuts last night to make for the locksmiths who did me a solid swapping out cores on like seven doors. I need to figure out a better glaze. I might reduce the milk to see if I can thicken it up so it sets quicker.


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## snickerd3 (Jan 24, 2022)

had 3 over ripe bananas sitting on the counter, so I made banana bread in muffin cups yesterday. I hate banana bread but the kiddos love it.


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## leggo PE (Feb 1, 2022)

I’m gonna bake this weekend and you are the second to hear it! First was Mr. leggo. We need bagels, and I want to make some blueberry muffins. I haven’t made bread in forever, but we also haven’t been eating it that much lately (shocker! I know), but I’m hoping I will get to that next week!

Our poor starters had been a bit neglected, but I got ‘em out of the fridge and gave them a feeding last night, and will do again tonight.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Feb 1, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> Our poor starters had been a bit neglected, but I got ‘em out of the fridge and gave them a feeding last night, and will do again tonight.


My life was changed once I figured out the fridge method for storing my starter. I can go for a few months without having to feed it, which really saves me money and time.


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## leggo PE (Feb 1, 2022)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> My life was changed once I figured out the fridge method for storing my starter. I can go for a few months without having to feed it, which really saves me money and time.


Yep, the fridge is the way to go unless you’re baking daily! Which I certainly am not. Weekly, yes!


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## leggo PE (Feb 5, 2022)

This is what I’m talkin’ about!




On a related note, I had a bagel from a place I’d been meaning to try essentially since I started making my own bagels, yesterday. This place made a lighter textured bagel that had good flavor, but it made me realize I like my chewy, crispy, really more flavored bagel myself! +1 for making something yourself that you can customize to your own preferences!


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## leggo PE (Feb 16, 2022)

Sometimes it’s not about uniformity, and instead worth it to focus on the complete originality and uniqueness a scoring pattern can turn out once baked.


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## snickerd3 (Feb 28, 2022)

Made King Cake yesterday. Recipe made two, but I think next time I would double the filling. it seems a little sparse, but I have never had king cake so I don't know how full it is suppose to be


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## Supe (Mar 6, 2022)

I didn't bake anything, but I did find a bagel place about 15 minutes away in SC. When the customer in front of me started talking with a thick NY accent, I knew I was in the right spot. Owners are from NY, and have two stores - the one in SC, and one in Manhattan. Best bagels around, by far. Picked up half a dozen and a lox bagel with capers/tomato/red onion for breakfast, and I was in heaven.


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## leggo PE (Mar 6, 2022)

Fresh out of the oven! Pane Bianco, recipe from King Arthur Baking. Way outside my normal bread baking repertoire (i.e. yeasted, filled, not a boule!) but it wasn’t difficult to make at all. It smells so good!


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## JayKay PE (Mar 7, 2022)

Yessssssss. I love making that bread. It looks so impressive but, tbh, it's super easy. I always want to add more cheese to it...


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## leggo PE (Mar 7, 2022)

JayKay PE said:


> Yessssssss. I love making that bread. It looks so impressive but, tbh, it's super easy. I always want to add more cheese to it...


Yeah, the bang for buck in terms of looks is off the charts! This version turned out pretty tasty, too.


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## leggo PE (Mar 11, 2022)

So I’m not going to be able to attend it live, but I’m signed up for a 3-day sourdough croissant workshop through one of my favorite resources for learning more about sourdough and getting continuous inspiration for recipes, The Sourdough Schoolhouse. I will get access to the recordings afterwards, and I will need to find time to watch and digest everything! I’ve been interested in attempting croissants for a while now, but just haven’t taken the bait. I fully believe it’s something I’m capable of making successfully. Fingers crossed I’m right about that, ha!


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## leggo PE (Mar 11, 2022)

Also, I just needed somewhere to say this… I need some stuff to come back in stock at KAB so I can finally purchase this baby:









Giant Spatula


America's favorite baking supply company. Top-quality all-purpose and specialty flours, specialty baking ingredients, baking sheets & pans, baking tools & supplies




shop.kingarthurbaking.com


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## leggo PE (Mar 14, 2022)

Full disclosure, the only thing I baked over the weekend were some buttermilk biscuits, and I have no regrets. I might be making biscuits more, as they literally take 30 min to make from start of mix to finishing baking. I am v down with that for a weeknight!

On a separate note, I’m gonna need to find time to watch the nearly 4 hours of instruction from the first day of the croissant workshop that happened earlier today!


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## leggo PE (Mar 24, 2022)

Sourdough whole wheat bagel dough is in the works! Man, I can’t tell you enough how I love to mix and knead dough by hand.

Which is good news for me, because I also have plans to make sourdough boules and maybe some sourdough pretzels this weekend. On only a related baking note, I may also attempt to make homemade Oreos…


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## leggo PE (Mar 25, 2022)

Bagels, pre-boiling/topping/baking:


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## leggo PE (Mar 25, 2022)

Bagels for the next several weeks!


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## leggo PE (Mar 28, 2022)

Homemade sourdough soft pretzels and just for fun, I turned half the dough into pretzel buns!




And here’s some scoring inspiration:


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## leggo PE (Mar 29, 2022)

You haven’t lived until you’ve had a homemade Oreo:




Or, ya know, made 40 of ‘em! The cookies themselves were quite tasty, but they truly sing and bring joy to the heart with the simple vanilla cream sandwiched between them.


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## snickerd3 (Apr 4, 2022)

forgot to take pics but made 2 loaves of frenchbread yesterday.


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## leggo PE (Apr 4, 2022)

snickerd3 said:


> forgot to take pics but made 2 loaves of frenchbread yesterday.


Nice!


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## leggo PE (Apr 8, 2022)

Hm, what to bake this weekend… Maybe a simple yogurt cake served with some sort of curd. I saw blood oranges in the store last weekend, which gosh I love, so maybe I’ll tie those in somehow.

Does anyone have any plans?


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## snickerd3 (Apr 8, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> Hm, what to bake this weekend… Maybe a simple yogurt cake served with some sort of curd. I saw blood oranges in the store last weekend, which gosh I love, so maybe I’ll tie those in somehow.
> 
> Does anyone have any plans?


curling up in a pile of blankets waiting for spring to arrive.


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## leggo PE (Apr 11, 2022)

I made a standard (very dependable) lemon yogurt cake with blueberries on top:



Freaking delicious and so tender a cake crumb, very moist thanks to the yogurt!

Also, it wasn’t baking-related, for I was making spring onion fritters, but chickpea flour! Oh wow, amazing flavor. They made the fritters taste amazing and now I’m wondering how the bit of it I have left (probably about 3/4c) would work in a bread or a roll recipe (I rarely make rolls/buns, but why not start now?)….


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## BlueBlueprintPE PMP (Apr 11, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> I made a standard (very dependable) lemon yogurt cake with blueberries on top:
> 
> View attachment 27460
> 
> ...


At first glance, I thought it was chocolate chip banana bread, which I made this weekend .... since my husband always asks me to buy bananas ... and only eats half of them. Then I end up making banana bread, which I'm pretty sure is his plan all along!


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 11, 2022)

My parents are letting us stay with them for easter this year on the condition that I make sourdough bread.

That is, of course, exaggerated. But they do want the sourdough real bad. It's apparently that good.


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## leggo PE (Apr 11, 2022)

ChebyshevII PE PMP said:


> My parents are letting us stay with them for easter this year on the condition that I make sourdough bread.
> 
> That is, of course, exaggerated. But they do want the sourdough real bad. It's apparently that good.


It *IS* that good! The sourdough, I mean! I don’t even have to taste it and I know it is!

And yay for them giving you advance warning! I tend to not get the warning and show up without any sourdough baked goods, and then get the request on the spot. My answer is always, sorry!! You needed to tell me that three days ago!


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## BlueBlueprintPE PMP (Apr 11, 2022)

ChebyshevII PE PMP said:


> My parents are letting us stay with them for easter this year on the condition that I make sourdough bread.
> 
> That is, of course, exaggerated. But they do want the sourdough real bad. It's apparently that good.


My mom is always "assigned" to bring cardamom bread.... to pretty much every gathering.... I really need to get her recipe and make it. it's my favorite breakfast/dessert type bread.


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## leggo PE (Apr 13, 2022)

@squaretaper LIT AF PE more focaccia discussion here!

This is the recipe I use for sourdough focaccia:









A Simple Sourdough Focaccia | The Perfect Loaf


My recipe for a simple sourdough focaccia with a golden, crisp crust and chewy interior using your ripe sourdough starter. Easy and delicious!




www.theperfectloaf.com





My favorite topping combination is cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives (I may try castrelvano olives this time around), rosemary, and flaky sea salt.

Sooo good!

Also, I should mention, The Perfect Loaf blogger Maurizio Leo is coming out with a cookbook!! Or should I call it, a bakebook? Haha! Anyway, I’m super excited about it. His recipes have never failed me!


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Apr 13, 2022)

I pulled out bubbles 2.0 from the fridge this morning. He was pretty hungry. Hopefully he doesn't escape from his jar (again).


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Apr 14, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> @squaretaper LIT AF PE more focaccia discussion here!


Yasss! Growing up in SF we would always walk to Liguria Bakery near Washington Square on Sundays after church. SO GOOD. If I had to pick, I would probably pick focaccia over pizza as my desert island selection. I know, I know, fight me.

On topic: I'm *really *not a baker so I just made a huge batch of 8 portions (instead of the recipe's two). Folded and stretched twice last night, but now it's daytime and I have to work so the dough is in the fridge chillin otherwise it's gettin' YUUUUGE. Will portion it out and bake tonight and freeze the remainder. My herb garden is blowing up so I have fresh rosemary (2 varieties, but I forget the names), lemon thyme, parsley (not a fav, but will use a bit just for looks), 2 kinds of basil (Globe and Sweet), a bit of lavender, and got some heirloom tomatoes from my CSA box. I will not shut up about focaccia to LS and she's about to dedd me.  Plan is to make a bunch for regular eating but I want to make sammiches for a work moving party (we're all moving cubicles).


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## leggo PE (Apr 14, 2022)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> Yasss! Growing up in SF we would always walk to Liguria Bakery near Washington Square on Sundays after church. SO GOOD. If I had to pick, I would probably pick focaccia over pizza as my desert island selection. I know, I know, fight me.
> 
> On topic: I'm *really *not a baker so I just made a huge batch of 8 portions (instead of the recipe's two). Folded and stretched twice last night, but now it's daytime and I have to work so the dough is in the fridge chillin otherwise it's gettin' YUUUUGE. Will portion it out and bake tonight and freeze the remainder. My herb garden is blowing up so I have fresh rosemary (2 varieties, but I forget the names), lemon thyme, parsley (not a fav, but will use a bit just for looks), 2 kinds of basil (Globe and Sweet), a bit of lavender, and got some heirloom tomatoes from my CSA box. I will not shut up about focaccia to LS and she's about to dedd me.  Plan is to make a bunch for regular eating but I want to make sammiches for a work moving party (we're all moving cubicles).


This sounds like a bomb combination. Any and all of the above! And can I just reiterate my jealousy of you living somewhere that gets consistent heat and sun, and thus you can grow lots of things? We don’t get enough of either to really grow that much, though we are doing round 3 of tomatoes this year, in containers on our little balcony. More discussion in the gardening thread!


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Apr 15, 2022)

Pretty happy with the crust, buuuut was impatient with the rise. Only 30 minutes vs the recommended 2 hours. But I was hungry! Will wait longer next time.

The bottom crust was my fav part, had the scrape-y cronchy texture I like. Will try again tonight. Be gentle, I AM NOT A BAKER.


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## Dothracki PE (Apr 15, 2022)

I made a simple cheesecake recipe for Easter dessert. Hoping for no more cracks, I already have one around the one edge....

Update: Actually not really any noticable cracks on this one, especially in the center. This is probably the first plain cheesecake I've ever made. Maybe that was the difference. I've usually made pumpkin, eggnog, or some other fancy holiday cheesecake. This recipe had sour cream in it that held it together and had me cut the edges of the cake as it came out of the oven so it doesn't stretch while cooling.


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## leggo PE (Apr 18, 2022)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> Pretty happy with the crust, buuuut was impatient with the rise. Only 30 minutes vs the recommended 2 hours. But I was hungry! Will wait longer next time.
> 
> The bottom crust was my fav part, had the scrape-y cronchy texture I like. Will try again tonight. Be gentle, I AM NOT A BAKER.


It looks yummy! But the rises are also vital, ha!

I didn’t get my proverbial ducks in a row to make focaccia but fear not, I’ll probably get them aligned this week!

Instead (well, it was planned anyway), I made chocolate cardamom sugar cookies for my friend’s bachelorette on Saturday. They were pretty good, by my standards anyway (which are too high, I think! Haha). No pictures were taken for documentary purposes though!


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## Dothracki PE (Apr 18, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> It looks yummy! But the rises are also vital, ha!
> 
> I didn’t get my proverbial ducks in a row to make focaccia but fear not, I’ll probably get them aligned this week!
> 
> Instead (well, it was planned anyway), I made chocolate cardamom sugar cookies for my friend’s bachelorette on Saturday. They were pretty good, by my standards anyway (which are too high, I think! Haha). No pictures were taken for documentary purposes though!


No pictures of the cookies or the Bachelorette party?


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## leggo PE (Apr 18, 2022)

Dothracki PE said:


> No pictures of the cookies or the Bachelorette party?


I can neither confirm nor deny!


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Apr 20, 2022)

Feelin' cute, might do a little chemistry:


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## leggo PE (Apr 20, 2022)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> Feelin' cute, might do a little chemistry:


Nice beaker!


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Apr 20, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> Nice beaker!


Yasss! Normally used for brewing, but turns out it’s pretty convenient for a pre-ferment.


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## leggo PE (Apr 28, 2022)

On the docket:









Pain de Mie Sandwich Bread | The Perfect Loaf


A recipe for sourdough pain de mie sandwich bread that's super soft and slightly sweet. Also called a Pullman loaf, this bread is a kid, and parent, favorite!




www.theperfectloaf.com





Because I’ve made Pan de Mie before and it’s quite yummy, and I think it will make a delicious bread base for jalapeño popper grilled cheeses.

Also, I think I’ll make some more bagels this weekend!


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## leggo PE (Apr 30, 2022)




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## leggo PE (May 16, 2022)

A bit of almond chocolate chip cookies! 


Almond, you say? Yes, this leggo unbelievably ran out of vanilla extract and had to supplement with a tiny bit of almond extract. It definitely altered the flavor, even though it was probably 1/4 almond to 3/4 vanilla. Mr. Leggo really enjoyed it! I think they’re good but would prefer all vanilla.


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## DLD PE (May 16, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> A bit of almond chocolate chip cookies! View attachment 27827
> 
> 
> Almond, you say? Yes, this leggo unbelievably ran out of vanilla extract and had to supplement with a tiny bit of almond extract. It definitely altered the flavor, even though it was probably 1/4 almond to 3/4 vanilla. Mr. Leggo really enjoyed it! I think they’re good but would prefer all vanilla.


I would prefer all these cookies!


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## leggo PE (May 20, 2022)

I’m supposed to make dessert for a dinner of 5 tomorrow. Should I make this cobbler?









The Secrets To My Favorite Blueberry Cobbler


In a shock to no one, I have a lot of thoughts about the perfect summer cobbler. Cobbler is a sweetened fruit base topped with a wet biscuit batter that




joythebaker.com


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## pbrme (May 20, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> I’m supposed to make dessert for a dinner of 5 tomorrow. Should I make this cobbler?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


^Umm yes.


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## leggo PE (Jun 6, 2022)

I made a strawberry spoon cake last night. It’s fabulous.


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## JayKay PE (Jun 8, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> A bit of almond chocolate chip cookies! View attachment 27827
> 
> 
> Almond, you say? Yes, this leggo unbelievably ran out of vanilla extract and had to supplement with a tiny bit of almond extract. It definitely altered the flavor, even though it was probably 1/4 almond to 3/4 vanilla. Mr. Leggo really enjoyed it! I think they’re good but would prefer all vanilla.


On the subject of almond extract - I def wish it came in bigger bottles in the store. I surprisingly use a lot when I bake, and I prefer it over vanilla. Now I might make biscotti this weekend...


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## leggo PE (Jun 8, 2022)

I think almond extract provides a lot more flavor in smaller in amounts than vanilla extract! I definitely don’t use it as much as vanilla though.


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## leggo PE (Jun 16, 2022)

Which starter to bake with… 

• Sasha (OG starter, all purpose flour, slower speed starter rise)
• Boris (rye starter, medium speed starter rise and best oven rise)
• ? (Whole wheat starter, fastest speed starter rise, second best oven rise)

I need to make bread and need to figure out what exactly what to make!


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Jun 16, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> need to figure out what exactly what to make


Sourdough focaccia! Rosemary edition!


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## leggo PE (Jun 16, 2022)

Focaccia is always good! I did make it more recently than anything else besides bagels. I’m thinking more like a sandwich loaf and my typical boules — maybe a bit more on the white than whole wheat side. (I’ll still put whole wheat flour in there but maybe not like, 40-50% like I typically do).

I am still looking for a good sourdough sandwich loaf recipe! I don’t make sandwich loaves nearly as often as I do boules, so the progress in finding a good sandwich loaf recipe has been slower going for sure. Maybe it’s time to try another one! Maybe something with rye….


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Jun 16, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> I’m thinking more like a sandwich loaf


I like the batard loaf for sammiches. Portability is key for work sammich.


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## snickerd3 (Jun 16, 2022)

too hot to bake...


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## leggo PE (Jun 16, 2022)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> I like the batard loaf for sammiches. Portability is key for work sammich.


Batards are a good idea! I’m much less experienced in shaping batards vs boules. Could use some practice there as well. I now have a better tool for baking batards so it might be worth trying out!

I was think of using my Pullman pan and go for a more traditional sandwich loaf shape, maybe. Gah, too many options!


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jun 16, 2022)

snickerd3 said:


> too hot to bake...


Blasphemy.


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## snickerd3 (Jun 16, 2022)

ChebyshevII PE PMP said:


> Blasphemy.


my baking recipes aren't written for super hot heat. I've tried baking my winter specialties in the hottest part of summer and they don't come out right.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jun 16, 2022)

snickerd3 said:


> my baking recipes aren't written for super hot heat. I've tried baking my winter specialties in the hottest part of summer and they don't come out right.


I guess that makes sense. Environment does change cooking/baking procedures.


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## leggo PE (Jun 17, 2022)

100% whole Spelt sandwich loaf that was too big for my loaf pan:




And yep, I still do not know how to rotate portrait images when posting from a iPhone here.


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## leggo PE (Jun 20, 2022)

The balance of the weekend’s baking:

Sourdough batard, nicest looking loaf I’ve made in a long time — and the first batard I’ve made in years, because now I can bake them in my bread oven! 25% whole wheat, 25% type 80 whole wheat:




Crumb shot:




Same dough as above, but shaped into my trusty boule:


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## snickerd3 (Jun 23, 2022)

found a gluten and diary free recipe for keylime pie...now to find dairy free cream cheese and coolwhip and key limes (or bottled juice) Probably the most expensive pie I will ever try to bake.


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## leggo PE (Jun 23, 2022)

snickerd3 said:


> found a gluten and diary free recipe for keylime pie...now to find dairy free cream cheese and coolwhip and key limes (or bottled juice) Probably the most expensive pie I will ever try to bake.


I can’s wait to hear how it turns out!!


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## Rodeo_EIT (Jun 29, 2022)

leggo PE said:


> I can’s wait to hear how it turns out!!


Looks good. How was it?


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