Category Archives: Baking

Noreen’s Perfect Sandwich Loaf

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Ingredients

4 cups all purpose flour1 1/2 cups Warm Water2 teaspoons instant yeast2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons butter, softened1 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons instant dry milk powder

Step by Step Instructions

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the dough hook. 

If you are using a bread machine, please consult the manufacturers instructions for your model for the order in which to place the ingredients.  This make a 1 1/2 pound loaf.

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Allow ingredients to come together in the mixing bowl.  If dough seems too dry add a tablespoon of water at a time if it seems too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough reaches the desired consistency. 

The dough should not be sticking to the bottom of the bowl.  It should move around the bowl and the hook freely.

Allow the dough to knead for 5 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl and oil the bowl and return the dough and oil the dough as well.  Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least 1 hour or until double in size.

Deflate the dough gently and turn it out onto a board without additional flour.

Press into a rectangle that is slightly smaller on the short side than your bread pan.

Roll the dough into a log, keeping the spiral tight.

Pinch the seam together and push each end into itself and pull the bottom layer up over each end and pinch to close.

Place loaf into an oiled bread pan and cover. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Allow to rise for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until the dough has double and/or crowned to at least 1 inch above the rim of the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and when tapped, the loaf sounds hollow inside.

Remove from oven and immediately remove bread from the pan.

Allow to cool on a baking rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. 

Bread will slice much better once it has cooled completely.

SMBC via Sweetapolita

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Ingredients

  • 10 large fresh egg whites (300 g)
  • 2-1/2 cups 500 g sugar
  • 3 cups 680 g unsalted butter, cut into cubes and cool, but not cold
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon 20 ml pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and lemon juice, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 140°F, or if you don’t have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.
  2. With whisk attachment of mixer, begin to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes or so). *Don’t begin adding butter until the bottom of the bowl feels neutral, and not warm.
  3. Switch over to paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed, add butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth). *If mixture is too runny, refrigerate for about 15 minutes and continue mixing with paddle attachment until it comes together. Add vanilla and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.
  4. Add additional flavours, purees, as desired.

Sweetapolita’s Notes

*Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week, leaving out at room temperature when needed, rewhipping in mixer for 5 minutes.

**Can freeze for up to 6-8 weeks. To thaw, place on counter overnight, and rewhip for 5 minutes with paddle attachment in an electric mixer.

***If buttercream still doesn’t have its satiny finish after rewhipping, microwave 1/3 of the buttercream for approximately 10 seconds and add to remaining buttercream in mixer bowl, beating for a few moments to incorporate.

Sweetapolita’s Notes on a few Variations:

  • Chocolate Buttercream:  Add 300 g (1 1/2 cups before melting) melted bittersweet high quality chocolate (the best you can get–I use Callebaut) for every 5 cups of vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and beat until incorporated.
  • Strawberry Buttercream (or any other berry version):  Add fruit puree to taste (approximately 1/2 cup for 5 cups of SMB).
  • Vanilla Bean Buttercream: Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste OR 1 vanilla bean, scraped for every 5 cups of SMB, and beat until incorporated.
  • Lemon Buttercream: Eliminate vanilla extract and add 1 teaspoon of pure lemon extract  for every 5 cups of SMB, or to taste, and beat until incorporated.
  • You can also add liqueurs and other flavourings, as well as any food gel colours to achieve any desired colour.

4 Ingredient Crusty Bread

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1 1/2 Total Rising Time 40 minutes baking

Ingredients:
3 – cups all purpose flour 
2 – teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
1  1/2 – teaspoon kosher or sea salt 
1  1/2 – cups hot water

Covered Dutch Oven or Cast Iron Dutch Oven with lid

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine flour,  yeast and salt. Stir in warm water until well combined.  

2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. 

3. After the dough has rested for one hour, place it on a well-floured surface (the dough will be wet) and sprinkle with a flour. 

4. Using a scraper (or place the dough on a piece of floured parchment paper and use the sides of the paper) fold dough over several times and shape into a rough ball. 

5. Line a large bowl with a piece of parchment paper that has been sprayed with non stick baking spray. Place dough in bowl, cover with a towel and let sit on the counter for 20 -30 minutes. 

6. While the dough rests,  place a 3-6 quart Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. 

7. After 20 – 30 minutes, using oven gloves remove the lid to the pot and lift the parchment paper with the dough and transfer into the hot pot. The dough will sit inside the pot lined with parchment paper. 

8. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. 

9. After 30 minutes, remove lid. Bread should be light golden in color. 

10. Leave the lid off and return the (pot) bread to the oven and bake uncovered 10 – 15 minutes longer. Bake until bread gets a dark golden brown (not burnt), about 190 degrees.

11. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Cool bread for 30 minutes before slicing. 
  
Cook’s Note:  For a crunchier loaf allow the bread to cool directly on the oven rack (with the oven OFF and the door partially open) for about 15 minutes then remove to a cooling rack. 

Instant Yeast:can be added straight into the flour.  

Active Dry Yeast:needs to be dissolved in water first according to the package directions. When it gets bubbly and foamy mix in with the rest of the ingredients.