Kugelhof

The Great British Bake Off is a bad thing.  My Beloved keeps saying "if you want to make that . . ."  When the yeasted cake week came about, the kugelhof looked very interesting.  I know from past experience that I would have to say yeasted cakes are a favorite.  Since I have started making this kugelhof, there has been one in the house.

Kugelhof is nice by itself.  It is nice warmed with a bit of butter.  It is nice toasted or warmed with Boursin.  Boursin with garlic and herbs.  I have not tried the others.  It is just lightly sweet.  I do not have the traditional pan and my bundt pan is quite interesting so the first loaf I tried in that was yummy but very ugly.  I have been making small loafs since.  I actually made loafs for the Christmas boxes I send out.

I started with David Lebovitz recipe tweaked it.  Levain (sourdough) like normal.  I changed the fruit and changed the porportions of flavorings.  Then I tweaked the sugar glaze that you brush over it.  It is a lovely recipe without any tweaks but I like how I have changed it.

Kugelhof

Note:  adapted from David Lebovitz.  I make a small loaf or cob.

sourdough

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup chopped sour cherries (1/2 cup unchopped)

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg yolk

about 2 cups flour

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons orange extract

In a large bowl, mix the sourdough, 1/3 cup water, and 1/2 cup flour.  Cover and let sit over night until it is bubbly.  Save a bit for the next bake.

Mix in the milk and 1/3 cup flour.  Mix well.  Let sit a bit to let the yeastie beasties start bubbling.

Mix in the cherries.  Mix in the butter.  Stir until most of the lumps are gone, or appear gone with the cherries in the dough.  Mix in the sugar and salt.  Mix in the lemon zest and vanilla.  Mix until the lemon looks like it is all through the dough.  Mix in the egg yolks.  Mix well enough until the egg yolks are completely incorporated.  Mix in 1 1/2 cups flour.  It should be a soft dough.  If not add another 1/2 cup flour and mix well.

Turn out the dough onto a clean surface dusted with flour.  Knead until the dough turns smooth.  Yes, there is lumps of cherries.  When the dough is kneaded smooth, put in a clean bowl and cover.  Let rise until double.  It can be a slow rise.

Line a small loaf pan with parchment paper.  When the dough has risen, shape into a small loaf and place into the pan.  Let proof about an hour or until puffy.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.  The bread will be golden and thump hollow.

In a saucepan, bring the 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, and orange extract to a boil for one minute.  After the loaf has rested for 10 minutes, brush with the glaze.  This is enough glaze for many loaves.  I brush the loaf multiple times.  It helps with the keeping time.

It is just so yummy!

I have baked enough to share and take to the mountain next week.  I am hoping I can eat more of this then food out.

raised doughnut holes

I do believe that I have found the raised doughnut hole recipe for us.  Or at least the one that does not have potatoes added.  I used Ree Drummond's recipe (Pioneer Woman) and adapted it to sourdough and no appliance.  Small pet peeve.  Do not write a recipe that requires a microwave and a mixer, please.  Okay, it is a huge pet peeve but the recipe turns out well.

I find I like the taste of doughnut holes that are more similar to a brioche dough.  When I take half a batch of dough and make a cob, the bread should taste good and this does.  I bake the bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour.

I know these doughnut holes did not stick around long.  Like I said, the seem to be a keeper if you do not have potatoes in the house.  I found a doughnut recipe with potatoes in it that after I modified it, it beat red birthday cake for Koda Bear.  My biggest problem with any of them right now is that the house is so cold that I am having problems getting the second proof to go well.  I will get there.

raised doughnut holes

Note:  Adapted from Ree Drummond's recipe.

sourdough

1 cup flour

3/4 cup water

9 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

10 tablespoons soft butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 or more cups of flour

oil for frying

powdered sugar

milk

vanilla

The night before you plan to start, mix the starter with 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl.  I used whole wheat flour in this just because.  The next day, when the levain is bubbly, take a bit out for next time

Mix in the milk and sugar.  Mix the egg in well.  Cut the butter up into small chunks and add in.  Mix in the salt.  Mix in the flour one cup at a time.  You wish a soft dough.  Turn out onto a clean counter dusted with flour and start knead.  You will knead the dough until the dough is smooth and the butter is incorporated.  You will probably need more butter but keep the dough soft.

Put into a cleaned bowl, cover, and let rise until double.

When risen, I shaped half the dough into a cob shape for bread and I rolled the other half of the dough.  I cut the rolled out half into small squares.  Separate them on parchment paper so they have room to rise.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, both the "holes" and the bread.

When risen to double, bake the cob at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour.

Mix a glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.  My Beloved does this bit and I am not sure of his proportions though the last batch you might have been able to get drunk from the vanilla.  You want a glaze thin enough to be able to coat the doughnut when dipping.  You do not wish to spread.

In a large pot, like a chicken fryer, heat about 3 inches of vegetable to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  When hot, add the holes a few at a time.  They should float to the surface if the oil is hot enough and the holes have proved enough.  Turn when the side in oil is golden.  Remove when both sides are golden.  Drain.

Dip in the glaze when hot.

Do not let anyone burn their tongues.  

These are quite good and easily do not need the appliances to make them.

beignets

So far this week, I have had the early tireds.  I am ready to go to bed by 7:30 pm.  Yesterday, there was a rescue mission for soft friends that had been left at Daddy's house for Koda Bear.  By the time we got back, I was so tired I did not even have energy from tea.  That is very amazing!

Tonight is not much different.  I definitely did not gallivant as much but still seem very tired.  My concentration seems to be off as well.  I know it will get better.  Because it has too, yes?

I have been wanting beignets.  I actually would like to take a long weekend trip to New Orleans but I do not see that happening any time soon.  I am also being very anti-social which would mean that it would not be much of a success either.  But I can make beignets at home.  Make cafe au lait as well if I wish.  Right now I am drinking tea.  Either East Frissian TGFOP or Blood Orange Pu-Erh.  Both go well with beignets.

Most of the beignet recipes I read used evaporated milk and I just did not wish to use that.  I found a savoury beignet that used heavy cream.  I decided to go with that recipe, with a few adaptions, and cut it in half.  If there are only a few people in the house, a half batch is more then enough.  There were no leftovers because I had boyos and they had friends come over.  I did have enough for me.  I would make these again!

beignets

Note:  adapted from Southern Souffle.  I cut the original quantities in half.

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water 

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup whole milk

2 - 3 cups flour

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Canelo oil for frying

powdered sugar (icing sugar)

In a large bowl, mix the sourdough starter, 3/4 cup water, and 1 cup flour together.  Cover and let sit overnight or at least 8 hours.  It needs to be bubbly.  Take a bit out for next time.

Mix in the sugar, eggs, cream, milk, salt, and butter.  Add two cups of flour.  Beat hard with a wooden spoon breaking up the butter.  It should be a soft dough.  Turn out on a clean surface and knead until smooth.  Add a bit more flour if needed, but the softer the dough the better the crumb.  Bring up into a ball, place in a ball, cover, and let rise until double.

When risen to double, turn the dough out of the bowl on to a clean surface.  Pat into a rectangle that is about a 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into about 2 inch square pieces.  I find that even smaller is liked around here.  Place on a piece of parchment paper with space between each and let rise until double again.

When the beignet have risen until double, put a large amount of vegetable oil into a pot for frying.  I use a chicken fryer.  Heat until 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  When the oil is hot, carefully drop in the beignets.  They should slowly come to the top of the oil.  If not, the oil is not hot enough.  Cook until that side is brown.  Turn and cook the other side until brown.

Take out of the oil and let drain.  Dust with powdered sugar.  

These, of course are best hot, but I do find that the sourdough means that they taste good for longer then expected.

I need to make these again already.  I have been experimenting with a new recipe for raised doughnuts.  Still not right but I might be getting closer.

I can practice my frying skills with beignets though.  These are keepers.  They have been mentioned that it would be nice to have them again.

Already!

country loaf

It is supposed to be stormy and dark outside right now.  It is not.  When I planned dinner, I planned for that weather.  Oh well.  Dinner was a country loaf and smoke salmon chowder.  Very simple.  After I have been trying to find fancy baked good recipes, I made simple bread.

Life is very good.

What can I tell you about a country loaf?  Simple ingredients.  Long slow rise.  Good proof.  I like a crust that does not cut my mouth so it will never have the crusty French loaf look.  It is what I like.  It is what the boyos like.  If I want that crisp, I toast.  Boyos like warm bread.

Bread goes fabulously with soup by the way.

country loaf

sourdough starter

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup water

1 cup water

2 teaspoons salt

3  to 4 cups all purpose flour

In a large bowl, mix the starter, 3/4 cup water, and whole wheat flour together.  Cover and let sit overnight.  You want bubbly.

Take a bit out for next time.

Mix in the water, salt, and one cup of flour.  Mix in two more cups of flour until you have a thick wet dough.  Depending on how dry  your flour is, you may wish to knead in a half a cup of flour now or put that half a cup of flour on a counter.  Turn out the dough and knead for ten minutes.  Do not add any more then a cup of flour.  If it feels too sticky, wet your hands to knead.

Put in a clean bowl, cover, and let rise until double.  Or, put in a ziploc and let rise 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

When risen, sprinkle the counter lightly and shape into a long oval shape.  Put on a parchment covered baking sheet.  Let rise until almost double.

Turn oven on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put in the bread.  Bake 40 to 60 minutes, dependent on the shape of the loaf.  The bread should be golden and sound hollow when the bottom is thunked.

It is lovely with soup.  And as toast with butter and homemade jam.

There are some fancy thoughts and tweaking of recipes being thought about for this weekend.  I am still not feeling very creative but I am still doing simple.  Obviously.

yeasted sopapillas

I have had the quiet weekend I hoped for but I probably did not heal as much as I hoped.  My throat is still sore and my stomach is still sensitive to what I eat.  I will just try to rest for the week before the travels start.  A funeral and Alaska.  We will get to spend some time on our mountain though.

One of the people I worked with in an Artistry in Clay and Lime class posted a link to New Mexican recipes.  One the recipes was a yeasted sopapilla.  This appealed to me because of sourdough and I always do better when yeast is involved.  I am a very strange baker because most people are scared of yeast.  I never have been.  Started baking with yeast when I was about eight. 

I find I like these yeasted sopapillas better then the just baking powder ones.  I can let the dough sit in the refrigerator as long as I wish.  Also, they get puffy then the ones made just with baking powder.  Okay, baking soda and cream of tartar in my case.

yeasted sopapillas

Note:  I started with the I love New Mexico recipe.  I also did not need 4 dozen sopapillas so I cut the recipe.

sourdough starter

1 cup flour

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/2 cup flour

Canola (rape seed) oil for frying

honey

Mix the sourdough starter, 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup water in a medium size bowl.  Cover and let sit overnight, or until the starter gets very bubbly.  Remove a couple tablespoons and put in refrigerator for next time.

Mix in the milk, sugar, olive oil, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar.  Mix in 1 cup of flour.  Mix in as much of the last 1/2 cup flour as needed to make a soft dough.  Knead just a bit until smooth. 

At this point, I usually put the dough in a ziploc bag and into the refrigerator until later in the day or week.  You can also cover and let sit a bit before using.  Both work.

Heat the canola oil in a deep pan over a medium high heat.  I use a cast iron chicken fryer with two or three inches of oil.  You want the oil to be hot but not too hot.

Take a golf ball size ball of dough and roll out.  Put in the oil.  Let the dough cook for a few minutes until the underside is golden.  Turn to let the top become golden.  Remove from the oil and let drain on paper towels if you have them.

They are best a bit warm served with honey.  So good.  I have actually had sopapillas requested multiple times sends I found this recipe I rifted on.