What are you baking now?

[GPN]

I baked brownies yesterday in my Perfect brownie pan!! They are great, the youngest niece said they were hard, But I like the hard corners and athe oldest niece asked if I could make brownies that were not chocolate!!! I said not from a chocolate brownie mix!

GPN

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
They are called "Blondies". Brownies without the cocoa. They taste very different from brownies though. They use brown sugar instead of cocoa and I love them! Here is a recipe for them... http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/blondies/
I use toffee chips instead of butterscotch chips in mine and increase the vanilla to a tsp and a half (sometimes even more) but I adore vanilla!
I bet they come out great in a special brownie pan that gives them that nice chewy edge! Great with macademia nuts! The kids like white chocolate chips added but I don't care for any chips in them. Too sweet!

I made carrot, zucchini, pineapple bread. Trying to replicate a recipe I used to have a hundred years ago but the results were not as good as I'd hoped. In my old recipe, I had substituted honey for the sugar and whole wheat flour for the white and it came out soooooo delicious! Rich, dark, gooey. I will experiment some more since this came out plenty moist but it was a fairly standard fruit bread and what I'm looking for is way beyond standard. I'm going to try adding more honey (or maybe I'll try a little agave nectar since it's flavor is more subtle) and this bread needs a lot more spice!

I used nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel and clove. Other than obviously adding more of these spices does anybody have suggestions on other spices I can use to ramp up the flavor in this sweet bread? I thought of using a little cardamom (not sure of spelling). I've used it in cookies but never tried it in sweet breads.

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Thank you all so much for your input. I Keep repeating to myself "I will learn this" "I will learn this"....

I'm careful with the yeast and water temp and it did make a nice sponge that I used for a Whole Wheat Bread recipe, which came out really well. The Cinnamon Buns that I made before came out really nice and this batch was a flop! I think you are all correct that I need to not knead so much in mixer or do by hand. I followed the recipe for 8 minutes of kneading and could tell it was getting tougher, but that's what the recipe said.

As I think more about the first time I was inpatient and stopped early - may be why they were successful. Also, I am going to try again this weekend and use my scale instead for measuring. Since this recipe is from All Recipes I can convert it to weights.

Our only source of heat in our house is a wood burning stove. The house is cool and I usually set the dough in front of wood stove with a damp cloth over the top. I noticed that this tougher dough had a hard time raising. After reading all your great advise here I beginning to believe that I just over did it with the mixer.

I'm quickly learning that like all the art and crafts that I do it all takes patience and practice. Thanks again - everyone is so helpful and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

Sandee

 

[jojo54]

I put my dough to rise in the oven with only the light on. It provides enough heat to keep it warm plus it is out of drafts.


I am making hot cross buns and gump cinny buns today.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
We need pics when you're done! It's been too long since I had fresh baked goodie pics to drool over here. This morning I had to go back over the past posts to cheer myself up and get motivated.

 

[mikenandrea]

Second attempt at gumps bread.. Got all new flour and yeast in a jar, not the packets.. Dont know if this is what has enabled me to succeed this time..
Here is it rising:

I forgot to snap a photo of it before we cut into it.. .LOL But here is whats left from 2 people eating on it.. LOL still have 2 more to dig into it..

I also made the BLT soup that was posted by Ozark Hen, if I'm not mistaken?
My thoughts is that it is an ok soup.. I dont think it is something that I would cook again though..

 

[jojo54]

Quote:
We need pics when you're done! It's been too long since I had fresh baked goodie pics to drool over here. This morning I had to go back over the past posts to cheer myself up and get motivated.

Here are the gump cinny buns (some disappeared before I could take a pic)

Here are the hot cross buns and the recipe. They are heavenly!! Last year was my first attempt at them and my DH and I ate two batches (48 buns - oink,oink!). Its a little early for Easter Baking but we wanted them bad.

Hot Cross Buns – makes 24 buns

1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp yeast
1 tsp sugar

1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves

3 eggs
1 egg yolk
5+ cups all-purpose flour
1cup dried currants
1cup chopped mixed candied peel

1 egg white

Glaze
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp milk

Mix yeast, sugar and water. Let stand 10 min. Mix together milk, butter, sugar, eggs, salt and spices. Add yeast mixture. Add flour. Add peel and currants. Knead 5+ min. Let rise double. Cut into 24 pieces and place on greased sheet. Let rise again.
When buns have risen, take a sharp or serrated knife and carefully slash buns with a cross. Brush them with egg white and place in oven. In the meantime, pre-heat oven to 400° F. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F, then Bake until golden brown, about 5 -15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack. Whisk together glaze ingredients, and spoon over buns in a cross pattern. Serve warm, if possible.

 

[Jen4]

Those look soooooooooo good, wish I had some right now!

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
We need pics when you're done! It's been too long since I had fresh baked goodie pics to drool over here. This morning I had to go back over the past posts to cheer myself up and get motivated.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/39800_dscn2898.jpg

Here are the hot cross buns and the recipe. They are heavenly!! Last year was my first attempt at them and my DH and I ate two batches (48 buns - oink,oink!). Its a little early for Easter Baking but we wanted them bad.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/39800_dscn2896.jpg

YUM!

 

[Kim_NC]

Yesterday I baked Challah (Egg Bread), today it's Sourdough.

Oh my, Jojo, I just want to climb in the computer and gobble up those Hot Cross Buns!