MEXICAN CONCHAS

Posted in Breads by sallybr

This recipe has been waiting for a long time in that list of “To Make Soon”. Better late than never, I actually made it twice, because I wasn’t totally happy with my first attempt. This is a classic Mexican sweet bread, with a colorful coating that is sweet and addictive…

for the concha press I used, click here

MEXICAN CONCHAS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

makes 8 large conchas

4 cups (550g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp instant yeast
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp (85g) butter at room temperature
3 eggs at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm milk

Topping
1 1/2 cups (185g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup (180g) powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coco powder
1 tsp freeze dried strawberries, ground
Food coloring (optional)

In the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer, add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, yeast, and butter cut into pieces. Using the hook, mix for a few minutes until the butter is fully incorporated. Add one egg at a time, mixing for a minute after addition. Slowly add the milk, and once the mixture is smooth, knead it for a full 15 minutes, until the dough is super smooth and elastic.

Transfer to a buttered bowl, and let it rise until doubled. About 2 hours.

Make the topping by kneading (by hand is fine) flour, powdered sugar and butter until a dough is formed. Divide it in four pieces, add cocoa powder to one of them fourths, strawberry powder to the second half, vanilla to the remaining pieces. Add food color of your choice, if so desired. You can leave one of the vanilla pieces plain. Place in the fridge to set while the dough rises.

Punch the risen dough down, divide in 8 pieces and form little balls. Place them over parchment paper, four per baking sheet. Divide the colored dough into two, so you have a total of 8 pieces, 2 of each color. Use a tortilla press to roll them out, placing parchment paper squares on top and bottom to make it easy to move the dough around. Place the dough over the little rolls, and cut around to make it neat. Use the concha press to make the design on top. Cover, let them rise for 30 minutes and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. Add a baking sheet with ice at the bottom of the oven to generate steam. You can also spray some water lightly over the dough after 2 minutes during baking.

Cool on a rack before eating.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Talk about a fun baking project, this is definitely it! When I made it the first time, I did not cover the breads fully with the colored dough, and later learned that the traditional way covers them fully. They get a more polished look that way. Below you see my first attempt, I used a heavier hand with the colors also…

When I make them again, I will either make half the recipe and form 6 little breads, or make the full recipe and shape 12 because I think these turned out slightly too big. Also, I think it would be fun to gather the different colors of topping and knead them slightly together to make a fun marbled topping. I just love the look of the bread as it goes through the final proofing.

I donated the whole batch, but of course had to ‘test taste” one. Love the cinnamon flavor, the bread is soft, tender, moist. And the topping, yes, addictive!

ONE YEAR AGO: Red Velvet Sugar Cookies, Three Ways

TWO YEARS AGO: Lemon Macarons

THREE YEARS AGO: Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

FOUR YEARS AGO: Baharat Flower Sourdough

FIVE YEARS AGO: Biscoitinhos de Canela

SIX YEARS AGO: Salmon Tacos

SEVEN YEARS AGO: The Chignon

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Rack of Lamb Sous-Vide with Couscous Salad

NINE YEARS AGO: Focaccia with Grapes, Roquefort and Truffled Honey

TEN YEARS AGO: Moroccan Carrot Dip over Cucumber Slices

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Cilantro-Jalapeno “Hummus”

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO:A Moving Odyssey

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO:Hoegaarden Beer Bread

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Ancho-Chile Marinade: Pleased to Meat you!

7Nov2024

BOLO DO CACO, A BREAD FROM MADEIRA ISLAND

Posted in Breads by sallybr

Think of an English muffin, but richer, more tender and with the most beautiful color offered by orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. Very easy to make and thanks to instant yeast, pretty quick to have at the table. Some recipes call for cooking it exclusively on a griddle, but I find it almost impossible to bake it fully without getting the surface too dark. I prefer to start them on a griddle and finish baking in the oven. They turn out much better this way.

BOLO DO CACO
(from The Bewitching Kitchen, adapted from several sources)

2 sweet potatoes (enough to have 250g cooked flesh)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon honey
2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
400g bread flour (about 3 cups)
2/3 cup water (adjust depending on softness of the dough)

My favorite method to cook sweet potatoes is low and slow. Prick the potato skin with a fork and bake it at your favorite temperature until soft. Remove the skin and rice or cut the flesh in small pieces, measure 250g for this recipe. While warm, add to the bowl of a KitchenAid type processor and mix with the paddle attachment until soft. Add the butter, honey and salt, mix well. Allow it to cool until lukewarm. You can cook the potato in advance and reserve it.

Mix the yeast with the flour, add to the potato and work with the dough hook, adding water until a dough forms. It should not be dry, it is best if it clings a bit to the bottom of the bowl. Do not add all the water at once, go a bit at a time, as the moisture in potato might differ.

Transfer to a slightly oiled bowl, and let it rise at room temperature for 90 minutes. Cut the dough in 8 pieces, form each one into a ball, flatten it and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375F.

Heat a griddle until water evaporates quickly on contact with the surface. Cook each side of the little buns for a couple of minutes, until a golden crust forms. Place them all in the oven for 20 minutes to finish baking. Internal temperature should reach 200-205F.

Place them on a rack to fully cool before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I honestly don’t know how some recipes would advise to cook them on a griddle and call it a day. No way it would cook all the way through, unless you rolled them out super thin, but I believe they are better as “muffin” creatures, a bit on the plump side.

The crumb is very delicate, they have a slight sweetness, and go superbly well with some Roquefort cheese. Or many other tasty things you can think of. They also freeze well, I like to freeze slices in half as they will defrost quicker.

ONE YEAR AGO: Silikomart Raggio

TWO YEARS AGO: Cremino a la Nociolla

THREE YEARS AGO: Roasted Broccoli and Apple Salad with Tahini Dressing

FOUR YEARS AGO: A Different Kind of Cookie Swap

FIVE YEARS AGO: Scary Good Recipes for your next Halloween

SIX YEARS AGO: Pumpkin Sourdough

SEVEN YEARS AGO: First Monday Favorite

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club: Paalak Paneer, a Farewell Post

NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, November 2015

TEN YEARS AGO: Helen Fletcher’s Oatmeal Cookies

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Thai-Style Pesto with Brown Rice Pasta

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: A Simple Appetizer (Baked Ricotta)

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Sour Cream Sandwich Bread

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Pasta with Zucchini Strands and Shrimp

10Oct2024

MJUKKAKA, A SWEDISH SOFT FLATBREAD

Posted in Breads, Breakfast & Brunch by sallybr

Totally in love, I must admit… Huge thank you to Mimi, a food blogger and friend I’ve been following and learning from for so many years! Check her detailed post about it clicking here. If you want to make the real authentic version, a special rolling pin is a must, but you can probably get by with a dough rolling docking gadget of even the tines of a fork. I have a tough time resisting gadgets, as you may have noticed, so I got one (amazon is your friend, I suppose).

MJUKKAKA
(from Chef Mimi’s blog)

2 cups bread flour plus an extra tablespoon or two if necessary and more for rolling the dough
3/4 cup barley flour
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup water room temperature
1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon canola oil plus more for oiling the bowl and cooking the flatbreads
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Whisk bread flour, barley flour, yeast, salt and sugar together by hand in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add water, yogurt and 1 tablespoon oil to the dry ingredients.

Fit a stand mixer with the dough hook and begin mixing at medium-low speed until dough just comes together. Increase mixer speed to medium and knead dough for three minutes. If dough is sticking to the sides or the bottom after the first 3 minutes of kneading, add an additional tablespoon of bread flour before continuing the kneading process. Continue kneading at medium speed until the dough is tacky but not sticky and clears the bottom and sides of the bowl, approximately 2-3 more minutes. Add an additional tablespoon or two of bread flour if dough continues to stick to the sides or bottom of the bowl during the kneading process.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for an hour at room temperature or until doubled in size. Transfer dough to a clean countertop and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 80 g each. Roll each piece into a rough ball. Cover with plastic wrap.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, use a rolling pin to create a thin circular flatbread (like a thin tortilla). If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, sprinkle a little flour on top. It’s okay if the dough is sticking to the work surface. Finish by rolling the flatbread a couple of times with a deep notched rolling pin. Brush off any excess flour from the top of the dough.

Using a dough scraper and your fingers, gently release the flatbread from the countertop. Add to a skillet with a little oil heated over medium heat. Cook the first side for 1 to 2 minutes, flip and cook the second side. Remove the flatbread from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt, if so desired (I omitted the butter).

Repeat the process with the remaining portions of dough. Eat immediately or wrap tightly and freeze once the flatbreads have cooled to room temperature

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love the pattern that the rolling pin makes on the dough, and also how it prevents the bread from puffing too much during cooking. I used a dosa flat pan to cook it over the stove, but you can use cast iron and probably a griddle might work too. As to oiling the pan, what worked better for me was brushing oil right on the bread after rolling and brushing the excess flour off. I used a silicone brush and added a very light coating. I did not add more oil to the other side before flipping the bread, it was not necessary.

We had it for a weeknight dinner with several different goodies: smoked salmon with yogurt dill dipping sauce, ham, prosciutto, mortadella, mustard, hummus… It was simple and fun at the same time. I placed all flatbreads wrapped in foil in a very low oven (used our Breville small oven for that), and the bread stayed soft and warm through the whole meal. We did not bother slathering the bread with butter, but feel free to do so.

This one is definitely going into our rotation, and I hope you will give this recipe a try. Thank you so much, Mimi!

ONE YEAR AGO: Polka Dot Love Sourdough

TWO YEARS AGO: Plum Sorbet

THREE YEARS AGO: Grilled Chicken with Sesame Roasted Carrots

FOUR YEARS AGO: Let’s Get Spooky!

FIVE YEARS AGO: Miso and Sesame Roast Chicken with Revelation Quinoa

SIX YEARS AGO: Incredibly Simple Times Four

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Parsnip, Coconut and Lemongrass Soup

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2016

NINE YEARS AGO: Paleo Moussaka

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2014

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2013

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Bourbon and Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Crimson and Cream Turkey Chili

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Taking a break from the nano-kitchen

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Chocolate Chip Cookies

2Feb2024

MEXICAN BOLILLOS

Posted in Breads by sallybr

Super excited to share these! Hubby loves them and always gets a bag at the grocery store, so I was tempted to bake them from scratch. My first attempt got over-baked and the crust was not as soft as the commercially available, but my second batch was pretty close to perfect, even if I say so myself… This is a very easy bread, made with instant yeast. From start to finish, about 3 hours.

MEXICAN BOLILLOS
(adapted from this post)

1 ½ cups warm water, plus more for steam baking
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
500g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or another neutral oil)
vegetable oil spray (I used olive oil)

Prepare the yeast. Mix the water and sugar with the instant yeast. Let it stand for 5 minutes until it gets foamy. Prepare the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.

Attach the dough hook to the mixer. Drizzle the oil over the yeast-water mixture, whisk a bit and with the machine running in low-speed, add the whole mixture to the bowl. Knead on the same low-speed for 7 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky. If it seems too sticky, knead in 1 tablespoon of additional flour at a time until smooth and elastic. If it’s too dry, add a little water and keep kneading for another minute.

Place the dough in a slightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof at room temperature for about 90 minutes, when it should double in size. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough in 6 equal pieces (I used a scale, they were about 148 g each), shape each as a little oblong bread, trying to mimic the shape of the bolillo as you form it.

Spray the surface lightly with olive oil. Cover with plastic loosely and let it rise for 45 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 420F and 15 minutes before you bake the rolls, place a 9 x 13 pan in the bottom rack and add 10 cups of hot water inside. That will generate steam for the baking.

Slit the dough in the center, spray the rolls with a little water and bake for about 30 minutes. If they are darkening too much, reduce the temperature to 400F and cover the surface with foil. Bread is baked if internal temperature reaches 205F.

Let them cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Such a fun little bread to make! Just make sure to not bake them too long, because the crust will get very dark and hard if you do. It is still great but not like the original. Here you see my first bake maybe you can tell the crust got a little too baked, but the crumb was still very nice, just a bit harder than the second batch.

I urge you to make these, they go well with so many fillings, and even just a smear of olive oil and balsamic if you like to keep it simple. I know I will keep making batches to have some in the freezer at all times, just like I do regularly with sourdough. It is just a different style of bread.

ONE YEAR AGO: Brazilian Style Banana Cake

TWO YEARS AGO: Tiger Shrimp in Chili Sauce

THREE YEARS AGO: Tangzhong Hamburger Buns

FOUR YEARS AGO: Potato Soup with Spicy Shrimp

FIVE YEARS AGO: Rose-Harissa Chicken Thighs

SIX YEARS AGO: Caramel-Chocolate Tartlets

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Korma-ish

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Sunday Gravy with Braciola

NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, February 2015

TEN YEARS AGO: Avocado and Orange Salad with Charred Jalapeno Dressing

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Green Olive, Walnuts and Pomegranate Salad

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Romanian Flatbreads

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Ziti with Artichokes and Meyer Lemon Sauce

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Blasted Broccoli, Stove-top version

29Jun2016

DAN LEPARD SIMPLE WHITE LOAF

Posted in Breads by sallybr

I suppose most of my readers know that I am crazy for sourdough bread. But there’s something to be said for a simple, straightforward loaf that is a breeze to make and will be so much better than anything store-bought. Granted, it won’t stay good for as long because you won’t be adding preservatives to it, but isn’t that a bonus? This recipe from Dan Lepard is simplicity in itself. Think of the usual suspects, flour, water, salt, and yeast, with a smidgen of butter that will contribute with flavor and improve texture. Anyone can make this bread, beginners, experienced bakers, children, yeast-o-phobes. All you need is a loaf pan, although you could conceivably shape it free form and bake it on a stone or baking sheet.

SIMPLE WHITE LOAF – RECIPE OVERVIEW

The recipe calls for a sponge, which is simply a very liquid mixture of water, flour, and commercial yeast, allowed to ferment for a couple of hours or overnight. The longer you allow the sponge to ferment, the better. I’ve made this bread after overnight “spongification” or after 2 hours, both worked quite well.

Once your sponge is ready, you will add the rest of the flour to the dough, a little softened butter, and do the minimal kneading technique 10 minutes after mixing the dough, again at 25 minutes, and one final time at 40 minutes (timing is quite flexible). A final 30 minute-proofing and you’ll be ready to shape the loaf.

The shaped loaf sits for 90 minutes, gets slashed and baked for about 45 minutes.

The full recipe can be found in Short and Sweet. You might be able to find it also through a google search.

For my review of his book, click here.

This simple recipe can be adapted in many ways. Dan himself used whey liquid from fresh mozzarella as part of the water in the recipe and loved the slight “tang” in the bread. One person who discussed this recipe in a Facebook page mentioned that a little soy sauce together with the water does wonders. Quite intriguing, I should try that at some point, probably reducing a little the amount of salt as soy contributes with some.

Slightly toasted, it is perfect to go with pretty much anything you’d like… from sliced ham to jams, or a smear of butter with Maldon sea salt flakes… heaven! I made this recipe three times so far, and after we enjoy it on the day of baking, I wrap 4 slices together and freeze them. Within 10 minutes at room temperature and a brief encounter with our small Breville oven, they are as good as freshly baked.

Before I leave, allow me to share a link to the best 10 breads to have in your repertoire according to Dan Lepard. I was happy to see several that I made (and blogged about) included in his list.

ONE YEAR AGO: Maureen’s Fabulously Fudgy Brownies

TWO YEARS AGO: Wheat Berry Caraway Bread

THREE YEARS AGO: Mexican Focaccia

FOUR YEARS AGO: Sunny Kamut Salad with Roasted Lemon Vinaigrette

FIVE YEARS AGO: Pane de Casa & Crostini

SIX YEARS AGO: Down-home Dig-in Chili

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Cinnamon Rolls