2023 Edition - What are you baking?

[taxlady]

TL, All you would need to get that 2 oz of butter would be a half cup of 40% cream, but you need more milk, so 1 c milk and 1/2 c heavy cream would give you 1¼ c milk, plus the ¼ c butter. The 50/50 suggested by dragn would give a little more butter, and probably give a really moist bread.

I think I'll go with the 50/50 solution. I don't feel like doing the math. I can't find 40% cream anymore. Our heavy cream is almost all 35% with carrageenan (actually, I'm lucky when that's the only thing that has been added to the cream).

 

[msmofet]

Peach cobbler (DD took a serving before I got to take a picture), and plum cobbler. They're dark because I added cinnamon to the batter, and cinnamon sugar on top. I used fresh peaches and fresh plums. Note: I won't toss with sugar and allow to sit next time. Too much syrup/liquid accumulated. Next time, I'll toss with sugar just before adding to batter.
Before
Peach

Plum

After
Peach

Plum

 

[pepperhead212]

I think I'll go with the 50/50 solution. I don't feel like doing the math. I can't find 40% cream anymore. Our heavy cream is almost all 35% with carrageenan (actually, I'm lucky when that's the only thing that has been added to the cream).

You don't sound like a lady that wouldn't like to do math! I haven't even looked at the labels on my creams recently - it may have changed here, too. It used to be 40% heavy, and 35% whipping cream, and the only unusual thing it used to be was ultra pasteurized.

Yesterday I baked some bread sticks, after grinding that rye flour yesterday (only 12 minutes of the oven on, so not bad, despite the AC being on). I used the end of my rye flour the last time I made bread, but not to fear - I still had a little more than 4 c of rye berries left, from when I bought 25 lbs of them in the beginning of the pandemic, along with a bunch of hard white wheat, so I was set for bread for a long time! I just got another 25 lb bag of rye berries, but I find WW cheaper at lidl, where they have a good WW @$2.59/5 lb bag, with a high protein (gluten), so good for bread. That's cheaper than a lot of AP flour I see!
Whole rye flour, ground from the last 25 oz of rye berries, from whenever I got them in 2020, and 4 lbs, from the new 25 lb bag I just got. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Some bread sticks I made last night, after I ground that rye flour. Already had the WW flour, which is cheaper to buy at lidl now, but not whole grain rye, which is outrageous. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[taxlady]

You don't sound like a lady that wouldn't like to do math! I haven't even looked at the labels on my creams recently - it may have changed here, too. It used to be 40% heavy, and 35% whipping cream, and the only unusual thing it used to be was ultra pasteurized.
<snip>

You are too right. The problem is that I get too picky about details. E.g., that 35% BF is by weight (I assume) and all the ingredients are listed by volume. I don't know where to find an accurate conversion of cream by volume to cream by weight, which of course will be different depending on the fat content. So, what should be a fairly straight forward calculation, actually has layers of complications for me. No matter how I calculate this, I'm going to have to make some estimates. I have a choice. I can try to get the best, most accurate result by spending hours trying to get the exact information or I can take a reasonable estimate. That's why I will probably go with the 50/50 simple method. Hmm, maybe I will weigh stuff myself and figure it out mostly by weight. I guess it will depend on my mood.

 

[dragnlaw]

Need to bake some bread today. Can't make up my mind whether to try Marlingardener's French Bread or the Pullman sandwich loaf.
Decisions, decisions, the stress, the stress.

 

[Kathleen]

I made a banana cream pie that turned out so pretty - until I cut it. It was yummy but you needed a spoon to eat it. You also needed a spoon to get it out of the pie plate.

 

[dragnlaw]

As long as it tastes good, Kathleen.

 

[Xocolatl]

I made Pisang Goreng (Indonesian fried bananas)

 

[msmofet]

I made Pisang Goreng (Indonesian fried bananas)
View attachment 65762

YUM! Please post recipe.

 

[Xocolatl]

YUM! Please post recipe.

Here it is:

Pisang goreng or Indonesian fried banana

I made some today and @msmofet asked for the recipe so here it is: Ingredients: 100 g self raising flour 150 ml carbonated water 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 2 large bananas 1) Mix the flour with the salt and sugar, and slowly add the water while whisking. 2) Put the batter aside for 30 mins...

www.discusscooking.com

 

[Meryl]

Just baked some almond muffins.

 

[GotGarlic]

@taxlady Here's a basic cornbread recipe, that I just increased the masa in, and reduced the flour, and increased the milk by ¼ c. The original recipe had 1/4 c sugar as an option, but I have just 2 tsp. Another way of making it, I remember from an old James Beard book, is using heavy cream in place of the milk and butter, which is easier, if you have that on hand.

1¼ c masa harina
3/4 c AP flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar (or as desired)
1¼ c milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c melted butter

Grease a 9x9 pan, lining with parchment, if desired.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then make a well in it. Add the milk and eggs, and beat together briefly, followed by the butter, then whisk together with the dry ingredients. Pour into pan, leveling the top, and let rest 10 minutes, while preheating oven to 425°. Bake about 25 minutes, or until it tests done, with a toothpick.

When I used the masa harina for cornbread, I didn't use any flour - I figured the baking powder would give it enough of a rise and I wanted to see what the flavor would be like. It worked perfectly and we love it.

Also, here's a tip from Uncle Bob: turn on the oven, put 1/4 cup oil in a cast iron skillet, swirl it around and put it in the oven to preheat. Make the rest of the batter and pour it into the hot pan, then bake. That gives you a nice crispy crust. So good.

 

[GotGarlic]

Need to bake some bread today. Can't make up my mind whether to try Marlingardener's French Bread or the Pullman sandwich loaf.
Decisions, decisions, the stress, the stress.

I'm getting to be like you! I can't decide what to make, and DH just says, "Whatever you want!" so he's no help! What to do?!

 

[dragnlaw]

Weds. I made a 2lb Pullman loaf from a recipe I'd used once before. She'd mentioned that, in a hurry, skip the first rise and put directly into loaf pan to rise. So I tried it. It rose fine, I lidded and baked. Didn't rise the rest of the way to become a really good square but almost.
The top seemed to sink a tiny bit while cooling.
Now, the original time I did it was great (the 2 rises) the crumb was super soft, the crusts nice and firm. You do have to wait a very long time to slice as crumb just rolls under the knife.
The 2nd loaf, heel sliced off nicely and was also able to slice the entire loaf in half well. But then the next slice was a disaster - it just rolled and I am using a bread slicer guide! You have to wait a good 24 hours before slicing.

Still delish though! I gave the other half to a friend to try and give me feed back on how they managed it. ( Did warn about the softness!)

 

[taxlady]

So, I guess you have found out some of the reason for two rises.

 

[dragnlaw]

Well, I always knew the reason - just never done it before. Most recipes that suggest/talk about it - actually give you the possible results. Some are more obvious than others - depends on the actual recipe.

 

[blissful]

I made 4 loaves of WW bread today, since the forecast says 90 or over for the next 5 days......too HOT. I don't like baking when it's that hot.

 

[dragnlaw]

There are many drawback to basement apartments but being too hot is not one of them. (usually)
I can and do bake in the toaster oven, thank goodness!

How often do you bake bread bliss? and do you usually do multiple loaves like that?

 

[blissful]

There are many drawback to basement apartments but being too hot is not one of them. (usually)
I can and do bake in the toaster oven, thank goodness!

How often do you bake bread bliss? and do you usually do multiple loaves like that?

I usually make bread every 7 days to 10 days, 2 loaves. I slice it by hand, freeze it in 5-7 slice packages. The forecast is saying 90 deg F or higher for the next few days and we're almost out of bread. And it's canning season so getting some baking out of the way so I can do canning makes more counter space in a small kitchen.

 

[GinnyPNW]

I usually make bread every 7 days to 10 days, 2 loaves. I slice it by hand, freeze it in 5-7 slice packages. The forecast is saying 90 deg F or higher for the next few days and we're almost out of bread. And it's canning season so getting some baking out of the way so I can do canning makes more counter space in a small kitchen.

I'm not consistent enough to do a nice job on slicing bread for sandwiches...so, a few months back I got a gadget for that. I love it and it is made in the USA! Folds up flat to store in a drawer too.