HAWAIIAN BREAD ROLLS

Posted in Breads by sallybr

I have always flirted with the idea of baking these from scratch. This type of bread is popular in Brazil, although they don’t go as Hawaiian, they are just called pão doce, which translates as “sweet bread”. The shape, size, and taste is very similar, but the Brazilian concoction originates from Portugal. I adapted a recipe from Molly Yeh, the key component in this dough is pineapple juice, so go get some right away!

HAWAIIAN SWEET ROLLS
(adapted from Molly Yeh’s Girl Meets Farm)

390 grams all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
2 + 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 package)
1 + 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
160 grams pineapple juice, slightly warmed warmed (about 2/3 cup)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoons honey
1 large egg plus 2 yolks (egg white saved for egg wash later)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
Flaky salt, for sprinkling

Add the flour, yeast, kosher salt and turmeric to a mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low to combine. Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, honey, whole egg and yolks and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and mix to form a somewhat stiff, shaggy dough, about 3 minutes. With the mixer running, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding more. Once all of the butter is added, mix on medium-high to make a smooth, glossy, somewhat-wet dough, 10 to 12 minutes. Oil a large bowl and add the dough, turning to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal pieces. Butter a quarter sheet pan. Form each piece into a ball and roll on the counter encased in your palm to tighten up the ball. Lay the balls in a 3-by-4 grid in the buttered pan. Cover loosely and let rise until puffed but not quite doubled, about 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350F. When the rolls have risen, beat the reserved egg whites with a splash of water and brush over the rolls. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until puffed and a deep golden brown; start checking at 20 minutes. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove to cool completely sitting on the rack.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: These are not only adorable to look at but dangerously delicious. Soft, not too sweet (I cut the sugar a bit from her original recipe), and the salt on top should not be omitted. They go well with pretty much anything, savory or sweet. What is even more important in our case, is that they freeze well, and defrost quickly. So after enjoying a couple on the day I baked them, I placed them in a bag in the freezer and whenever convenient, in a few minutes we had a delicious Hawaiian roll ready for us…

ONE YEAR AGO: Incredibly Simple Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

TWO YEARS AGO: Cauliflower with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Olives

THREE YEARS AGO: Curry Sourdough with Sesame Seeds

FOUR YEARS AGO: Chocolate-Crusted Passion Fruit Tart

FIVE YEARS AGO: Lemony Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Almonds

SIX YEAR AGO: Savory Oatmeal with Bacon and Cheddar

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Carrots, Two Ways (most popular post on my blog!)

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Five Minutes in L.I.T (a tour of our laboratory!)

NINE YEARS AGO: Chicken Thighs with Artichokes and Capers

TEN YEARS AGO: Pea Pancakes with Herbed Yogurt

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Mushroom Stroganoff

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Tomato Sourdough

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Gamberetti con rucola e pomodori

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Flirting with Orzo

3May2024

A DUET OF SPRINGTIME MACARONS

Posted in macarons by sallybr

The recipe used for the shells is my default that you can find here. Simply divide the batter in three portions and use the colors of your choice. For the Ruby Red Ganache Macarons, I used yellow, green and plain batter. For the Neapolitan Version I used brown, pink and plain. I added a small amount of cocoa powder to the brown component. Decorations were all made with fondant and a silicone mold, later painted with luster powder and vodka.

RUBY RED GANACHE AND JAM MACARONS

220g ruby red chocolate
80g heavy cream
pinch of salt
mixed fruit jam (store bought is fine)

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edges. Pour over the chocolate, add a pinch of salt, cover and let sit for five minutes. Whisk gently at first, continue whisking until the chocolate is fully dissolved. If necessary, place in the microwave at 50% power for a minute. Reserve at room temperature for 1 hour or place in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.

Fill the shells with a small dollop of jam and a circle of ganache around it. Proceed as normally, keeping macarons overnight in the fridge to mature.

The jam is a nice contrast with the sweetness of the ganache and the shells. We love this brand of jam, or I should say Phil loves it, I don’t eat jam that much, prefer to use it in recipes such as this one…

Moving on…

STRAWBERRY GANACHE MACARONS

230g white chocolate, finely chopped
80g heavy cream
1/4 tsp strawberry natural flavor (I used Olivenation)
a drop of pink food color
1 tbs strawberry jam (store bought is fine)

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edges. Pour over the chocolate, cover and let sit for five minutes. Whisk gently at first, continue whisking until the chocolate is fully dissolved, then add the jam. If necessary, place the bowl in the microwave at 50% power for a minute. Reserve at room temperature for 1 hour or place in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.

Fill the shells with a small dollop of ganache and keep the macarons overnight in the fridge to mature.

ENJOY!

to print both recipes, click here

Adding a little drop of pink food gel is a good idea, otherwise the ganache tends to have a pale brownish color. Ganache fillings pair well with fruit, so both recipes today take this approach, and they are perfect for Springtime.

ONE YEAR AGO: Fiesta Bakes for Cinco de Mayo

TWO YEARS AGO: Thai-Meatballs Over Wilted Bok-Choy

THREE YEARS AGO: Asparagus with Gunpowder Masala

FOUR YEARS AGO: The Home Bakers Collective, April Project

FIVE YEARS AGO: Asian-Style Eggplant Meatballs

SIX YEAR AGO: Uzbek Flatbread

SEVEN YEARS AGO: First Monday Favorite – Black Sesame FOUR

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Chocolate Orange Mini-Cakes

NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, May 2015

TEN YEARS AGO: P90X3, a Review of Tony Horton’s Latest Fitness Program

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Pasta and Mussels in Saffron Broth

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Triple Chocolate Brownies

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Shanghai Soup Dumplings

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Bite-sized Chocolate Pleasure

29Apr2024

BEET-PICKLED DEVILED EGGS

Posted in Appetizers, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Totally smitten by this recipe, because… color! It was inspired by a version I saw on Molly Yeh’s show Girl Meets Farm, but I made a few modifications.

BEET-PICKLED DEVILED EGGS
(adapted from Molly Yeh’s recipe)

3 cups of water
1 medium beet, peeled and cut in half
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 avocado, mashed
Tajin seasoning to taste
salt to taste

Put the beet in a medium saucepan and add the water, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, peppercorns, cider vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Add the peeled boiled eggs to the pan, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight for the most intense color.

Cut the eggs in half, then scoop out the yolks and place them in a medium bowl. Put the egg white halves on a serving platter. To the yolks, mix all other ingredients, making a paste. Adjust with more yogurt if needed. Pipe the mixture into the holes of the egg whites, sprinkle additional Tajin all over.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Have you ever seen more beautiful color in a boiled egg? Now, the texture of the egg will be slightly different from that of a regular deviled egg due to the pickling step. It is going to be firmer and have a more assertive taste. Phil is not usually too fond of brined/pickled concoctions, but he loved these eggs, so if you are over-the-fence about it, don’t let it scare you. We don’t eat mayonnaise ever, but if you prefer the more authentic version, use it in place of yogurt. These were great as appetizer but also fantastic as my lunch next day. I will be re-visiting this recipe often… Such mesmerizing color!

ONE YEAR AGO: My Cookie Blog Turns Two!

TWO YEARS AGO: Masala Shrimp

THREE YEARS AGO: Victoria Sponge Mini-Cakes

FOUR YEARS AGO: Red Beet Sourdough

FIVE YEARS AGO: A Modern Take on Tarte Tatin

SIX YEARS AGO: Minnie-Macarons, a Fun Project with a Happy Ending

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Nigella Lawson in the Bewitching Kitchen

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Walnut-Raisin Bran Muffins

NINE YEARS AGO: Gingersnaps with White Chocolate Chips

TEN YEARS AGO: Turkey Chili with Almond Butter

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club: Leek and Cheese Tart

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club; Triple Chocolate Brownies

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Shaved Asparagus Salad

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Indonesian Ginger Chicken

25Apr2024

COCOA LATTICE SOURDOUGH

Posted in Breads by sallybr

I consider this a work in progress, but for a first time using this technique, I am happy with it. You can use pretty much any formula you like, but go for a minimum of 500g total flour, as you will be removing 150g of dough to make the lattice. To cut the lattice, consider getting this gadget. You can always try to cut it by hand, but I imagine that would be quite tricky… at least for me!

COCOA LATTICE SOURDOUGH
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

400g white bread flour
150g whole wheat
80g sourdough starter at 100% hydration
9 g salt
360g water (I had to add flour as I mixed the dough, it was too sticky)
30g cocoa powder (see comments about it in the method description)

After mixing the dough in the Kitchen Aid for 4 to 5 minutes as I normally do, I went through a series of folding/kneading at 45 minutes intervals for a total of 5 cycles. At that point, I removed 150g of the dough and added the cocoa powder, kneading it into the dough, as best as I could. Not all the amount was incorporated, but the dough was dark enough.

The main dough was shaped as a boule and placed in the fridge overnight. The dark, smaller portion was covered with plastic wrap and also placed in the fridge. Next morning the dark dough was rolled as thinly as possible and cut with the pie lattice gadget. That was carefully placed on top of the main dough right before baking. Keep in mind that the moment the lattice touches the dough you won’t be able to move it and adjust it.

The bread was baked at 450F for 30 minutes covered, and 15 minutes without a lid. Slice after completely cool.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The picture above was my first attempt at rolling the lattice, and it was too thick, it barely opened at some parts. So I gathered that dough and rolled it again. Try to go as thinly as possible, which was not very easy, the gluten tends to put up a fight. I definitely want to do it again, using other colors, but mainly making sure to roll the lattice thinner. Wish me luck! Why don’t you try it also and let me know how it goes for you? 😉

We did not detect any particular cocoa taste on the bread. The dark part gets a different texture, almost like a cracker. We both loved it… Stay tuned for more lattice adventures in the bread world!
.

ONE YEAR AGO: Pistachio Sugar Cookies, the Uzbek Way

TWO YEARS AGO: Carrots and Zucchini Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

THREE YEARS AGO: Cookie Therapy, Anyone?

FOUR YEARS AGO: The Quasi-Vegan Quiche

FIVE YEARS AGO: Not Quite Moqueca

SIX YEARS AGO: Roasted Butternut Squash with Cashew Nuts

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Mississippi Roast and the Open Mind

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Walnut-Raisin Bran Muffins

NINE YEARS AGO: A Star is Born!

TEN YEARS AGO: Chestnut Flour Sourdough Bread

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Kinpira Gobo and Japanese Home Cooking

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Walnut Sourdough