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Posted on www.evilshenanigans.com on 4/17/2009

Often when I make dinner I skip any kind of bread item.  It isn't that I don't like bread with dinner, on the contrary I love bread with every meal, but I usually forget to make or buy bread and so we skip it.  I justify it by thinking of all the calories I am missing.

However, sometimes I remember the bread and when I do I usually make these biscuits.  They take five minutes to prep and get into the oven, they bake in 15 minutes and, if you have left-overs, they keep pretty well for a second meal - just reheat them in a 325 F oven for ten minutes. 

These biscuits are perfect for a homey meal, and they are good for when you have company for dinner.  During the week they are not a chore to get into the oven, and you can easily double the recipe for a large gathering with little additional effort.

For the most part I am a traditional flaky biscuit kind of gal, and I will post a recipe for traditional cut-out biscuits one day, but these fluffy cheese streaked biscuits hold a special place in my heart because they are quick and delicious.

Garlic Cheese Drop Biscuits     Yield 12

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat the oven to 350 F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Blend the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and garlic powder into a large bowl.

With your fingers, blend the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse sand with pea sized lumps of butter in it.  Stir in the shredded cheeses.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk in.  With a spoon, gently mix until the dry ingredients are just moist.  Do not overmix.

Scoop the biscuits onto the parchment line sheet (roughly 1/3 cup - I used a large disher) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.   The tops will be pale, but the bottoms will be lightly golden brown.

Brush the tops with the melted butter and place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the tops become golden.

For months I have been trying to decide on buying a good quality grain mill and grinding my own fresh grains. I really don't want to buy what I can purchase easily locally, but we live in a rural area and it's a drive to a decent store that carries Organic. Jmonkey, Bill Wraith, Proth5 and many others have raved about how much better their fresh ground organic flours are. Today I baked up my first batch of Organic  Fresh Ground 100% WW bread. I used Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads Master recipe.

I'm still a little cynical about all this Organic and fresh ground stuff so yesterday I made a batch of the same recipe using Bob's Red Mill Stone Ground WW, which has been my usual WW flour. I was able to save half the loaf to compare with todays results. The bread was delicious on its own.

Today I used the flour I received from Country Creations mail order flour service. The price is right and due to a regional shipper I got the flour on my door step in 2 days for less than I would pay at TJ or Whole Foods. Rhonda took my order and ground the 2 bags I bought that day. The product is slightly grainy instead of the silky smooth KA brands but I think is fine for my use. I got good gluten development in the short mixing time and a nice rise during my over proofing :>(.

My family was asking what is in the oven since the aroma was stronger than my usual breads. The house filled with a rich wholesome aroma I have not experienced prior. When the loaves came out of the oven I was really surprised at the wonderful smell. I have always expected this kind of aroma but never experienced it. Knowing how much of our taste comes from sense of smell, I have high expectations.

Finally the taste test. My wife had been gone and so she was able to objectively try both versions and pass judgement. The overwhelming consensus is that the fresh ground is way better tasting and smelling.

So, I'm sold. Country Creations has a wide variety of the products I like to use and their prices are more than fair. To me it's a bonus that her farm is Certified Organic and also the taste test winner. It's a win win situation for us.

On another thread several members are discussing the changing flour situation and how hard it is to get a straight answer from TJ's. The Whole Foods is a huge place but they don't move that much product so I question how fresh it is, plus it is priced at double what I paid through these folks. I can't think of a reason not to support the small farmer/mill. Hey, it's Earth Day right? I'm taking a stand!

Eric

I was distracted and this got over proofed, sorry.

Formula - Japanese Style White Sandwich Bread - Water Roux Starter / Sponge

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/49353374@N06/sets/72157623866998940/show/

Sponge preparation:

a.                   Use the ingredients listed on the side column, mixed until all are well incorporated

b.                  Leave at room temperature ~ 76-80F for an hour

c.                   Grease a food grade plastic bag, pour dough in, leave enough space to allow the dough to expand to about 160% of its size, reinforce the bag with double or triple bagging before tightening it, retard overnight

d.                  Subtract the above ingredients from the main formula, whatever remaining will be mixed at the 'Mix' stage with the sponge.  Follow the rest of the formula. 

However, if your dough feels cold after mixing due to the refrigerated sponge, instead of following the time suggested in the formula, watch your dough:

1st Fermentation:           Completes when the dough has risen to about 180% of its size

Final Proof:                   Completes when a dent is formed and very slowly bounces back

                                    when dough is poked with a floured finger

To make rolls:

Scale: 60g each

Bake: 350F, about 15 minutes

rest of the procedures unchanged

Choice of fillings, if preferred: bacon, roast chicken, cheese, red bean, pork, curry and custard cream.

Pictures of assorted buns I made before:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33569048@N05/sets/72157617619002761/show

I created these breads and bread recipes to cope with my own multiple food allergies and sensitivities. After mastering and enjoying old fashioned sourdough rye bread I learned I was gluten intolerant and could no longer eat rye. I learned I was also allergic to eggs and dairy products.

Wanting to continue eating bread, I looked at the ingredients in retail gluten free breads and found there was at least one ingredient I needed to avoid in each one. If I was going to be able to eat bread I needed to be able to control the ingredients.
I began experimenting with the sourdough techniques I had mastered for the rye bread.

Sourdough baking is a time tested bread baking technique that was used exclusively until the discovery of modern commercial yeast. It utilizes the natural yeasts and bacteria present on the grain and in the air to leaven bread. Sourdough bread becomes highly digestible because the flours are "soaked" in the starter and in the long rise period. Some people may remember their grandparents soaking oatmeal the night before cooking it for breakfast. Soaking neutralizes natural enzyme inhibitors in the grain, begins breaking down the tough cellulose fibers, fosters the formation of probiotics and enzymes and releases vitamins. All this makes for a more nutritious finished product that is easy on the digestion with many nutrients available for assimilation. Sourdough breads have a robust taste, long shelf life and freeze well.

For those of us who are gluten intolerant and have other food allergies these sourdough bread recipes can be a welcome addition to our diets.
The recipes in my gluten free recipe package are free of gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, yeast, sugar, baking powder/soda, and xanthan and guar gums.
It can be purchased at: http://glutenfreesourdough.com

Free starter recipes on my personal blog: http://glutenfreesourdough.blogspot.com

It's been so long since I baked in a loaf pan.  This is just a simple recipe out of my Zo breadmachine book that I hand mixed useing 5 grain cereal mix and added some  K.A. organic white wheat and Bread Flour, reduced the yeast and added a little sourdough.  This is what I got...nice and tender sandwich loaf with a bit of fiber and a nice flavor. 

Sylvia  

Modified from Toxo Bread's Ale and Cheddar Bread which I found via Wild Yeast. As made they have a very faint beer flavor and a mild tang of sourdough. The cheese offers up surprise bites of salty goodness. I think if I were to make this again I'd replace some of the water in the final dough with beer for a stronger beer flavor, and possibly add more cheese, possibly sprinkled over the top half-way through baking as well. I've got all sorts of variations I'd like to try with this, including upping the whole grain content if I can do so without sacrificing the crumb. That might involve incorporating an overnight soaker as well.

Pre-Dough

280g 100% Hydration starter

125g Guinness 

50g Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour

75g Bread Flour

Final Dough

- All of Pre-Dough

-660g Bread Flour

-360g Water, Lukewarm

-12g salt

-About 80g Sharp Cheddar

1. Mix starter and luke warm Guinness, add in flours. Allow to sit at room temperature until the starter becomes very bubbly and foamy - about 3-4 hours.

2. Add water to Pre-Dough, then flours. Knead for about 10 minutes, adding as little flour as possible, until dough becomes silky. Let rest 5 mins then knead in salt and cheese.

3. Allow dough to nearly double in size. Divide dough in half and shape into desired shape. Allow dough to proof until it has almost doubled again.

4. Preheat oven to 475F and when oven is hot, bake for 5 minutes at 475, then lower temperature to 450F and bake until internal temperature reaches 200-205F, about 20 minutes.

The crumb isn't quite as dense as it looks here. My cheese was very finely grated so didn't leave very many big holes due to that. It's hard to describe - it's very close, but not heavy or dense. Instead it has a plethora of tiny little air bubbles that have left it with a light mouth-feel to it.

Poted on www.evilshenanigans.com on 4/20/2009

If given the choice of any dessert I want, I almost always pick the cookie.  I adore them.  During the Holidays I tend to eat and bake so many cookies that I get a little tired of them and I can't stand to make them until Spring is fully underway. 

These cookies have a delicious secret hidden in them.  A mixture of ground almonds, mini-chocolate chips, vanilla sugar, and cinnamon.   I love little suprises like this in my desserts.  People always think you slaved to make something so impressive, but I must confess ... these are so easy to make!  The dough is supple and easy to work with, and they hold the filling well. 

Once baked they maintain their shape well, and once cool completly are sturdy little things.  The dough is not terribly sweet, it is more like a pie dough than a cookie dough in many aspects, so the dusting of powdered sugar is a welcome addition.  If you do not want to roll or dust your cookies, and often I feel that step is one step too many myself,  feel free to add a tablespoon or two of additional sugar to the dough.

These cookies are crisp, buttery, delicate, and remarkable good.  They keep for as many as five days in an air tight container on the counter.   

Plus, they just look darn pretty!

Almond and Chocolate Filled Butter Cookies   Yield 36 cookies

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (or 2 tabplesoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla)
1 cup salted butter
2 tablepsoons milk
1 tablespoon water

Filling:

1/2 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup vanilla sugar
3 tablespoons mini-chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons water

Powdered sugar for dusting

Heat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix the almonds with the sugar, chocolate chips and water.  Mix well and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor add the flour, cinnamon, sugar, milk, water, and butter.  Pulse the mixture until it forms a ball.  You may need to add up to an additional tablespoon of water.

Roll the dough into a log about 18″ long, then cut into 1/2″ slices.  Roll each slice into a ball.

Take one ball of doug, press your finger into the center, then shape the ball into a cup. 

Fill each cup with a little of the filling then pinch the dough closed.  Roll gently between your palms to round the ball and place seam side down on the prepared pans.  Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden.  Cool completly on the pan.

Roll in powdered sugar before serving.

Link to formula

One great way to relax and celebrate the end of tax season is to try a new recipe:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33569048@N05/sets/72157616853314402/show/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33569048@N05/sets/72157616853314402/

This was created by accident.  Meant to bake a 100% whole wheat loaf but must be dozing off when I added the remaining 30% flour to the sponge:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33569048@N05/sets/72157616485135015/show/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33569048@N05/sets/72157616485135015/