Spice Buns Again - a Typo Hunt
After recently making spice buns using the recipe for "multipurpose sweet dough" on page 130 of Crust and Crumb by Peter Reinhart with so-so results I tried a modified version of the recipe. Others almost universally include eggs in recipes for similar doughs, but Reinhart does not. Assuming eggs might have have been inadvertantly left off Reinhart's ingredient list, I included 2 eggs (~100g) in my latest batch. This resulted in a much nicer dough, soft and kneadable where the previous by-the-book dough was so dry it wouldn't come together in the mixing bowl.
The unmodified ingredient list is in my previous post at http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/29929/spice-buns-ala-reinharts-crust-and-crumb.
In my latest bake with the modified recipe I included 2 eggs, used a tablespoon of "mixed spice" (aka pudding spice) instead of the allspice/ginger mixture Reinhart calls for, and reduced the raisins down to 200g. I formed the dough into 9 rolls (instead of 18 as in my first trial) and let them rise a couple hours before baking for 20 minutes at 350F.
The result was very nice, and 3 of the rolls didn't survive long enough to be photographed. The crumb was very tender, more so than anything I've baked before - I really don't have a good way to describe the texture since I've never had anything similar. The crust of the was thin and slightly crispy when eaten hot. The british style "mixed spice" was more pleasing to me than the simpler allspice/ginger mix Reinhart calls for but I think using a teaspoon of it rather than a tablespoon might have been wiser.
I sent Peter Reinhart an email pointing out what seems to be a typo in his recipe.
Here's a photo of this latest bake.
Comments
Hi ph_kosel
A quick flick through the recipe you linked to would have told you that it was short of liquid. 1lb (for that is what 454g equates to) needs at least 10fl oz of liquid - and I would add more.
Whether the typo was leaving out an entire ingredient - an egg or eggs - or whether the liquid should have been 10oz instead of 8 is a moot point.
To my mind, and in my experience, eggs are a over-rated ingredient in many forms of cooking, not just breadmaking. I make wonderful fruit buns and Chelsea buns without using an egg.
I have to say, however, that your second batch of buns certainly look the business - very attractive.
Since you're obviously a fan of fruit breads, here's a post I update every now and again, on the premise that if you've made one type of fruit bun there are many more fruit breads out there you may well enjoy:
http://nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/now-youve-made-hot-cross-buns.html
Best wishes, Paul
I noticed that that recipe was short on liquids too. I figured maybe Reinhart knew something I didn't, so I tried it his way and concluded there must be a typo or something.
I took a look at a couple of the recipes on your site and was struck by some of the Britishisms like "sultana" for "raisin", "strong white flour" for what I assume is "bread flour" (~11% protien), "200g or 1 mug" as a flour quantifier (your mugs are bigger than mine, it seems), and "dessertspoon" (as in "dessertspoon of sugar", which I guess is less than a teaspoon). It's fascinating that two countries can both speak something they call "english" and yet use different words for the same thing. What fun!
That recipe for "Two Harvest" Tuscan Grape Bread with raisins and and seedless grapes is interesting, unlike anything I've seen.
British "mixed spice" is somewhat similar to "pumpkin pie spice" sold in the USA. I think I prefer cinnamon with a touch of cardamom over either of them.
"It's fascinating that two countries can both speak something they call "english" and yet use different words for the same thing. What fun!"
Churchill once said, talking about the US and Great Britain, "Two countries divided by a common language"!
I've never been able to tell the difference between sultanas and raisins, TBH!
The term 'strong' flour (or bread flour) distinguishes it from plain flour - used for cakes and biscuits. It has a higher protein content, meaning more gluten as a rule.
The mug and metric measurements are not meant to be interchangeable. As long as you stick to one or the other, it doesn't matter what the size of the mug is.
Spoon measurements over here are based on the teaspoon (tsp) - 5ml. Dessertspoons (dsp) contain two teaspoonsful - 10ml. Tablespoons (tbsp) contain 3 - 15ml.
I've got two recipes for schiacciata con l'uva on the blog - a 'normal' one using wheat, and one using cornmeal, which I'm guessing is the one you're referring to. I should revisit that and see if I can't use oatmeal in other recipes. I'm always looking for GF breads.
I'm stuck in a rut regarding spices - I've just made a carrot cake with cinnamon, ginger and cloves, and the combination is wonderful. Must use that in my spicy buns next time.
Best wishes, Paul
I've eaten a really nice carrot/cardamom/pistachio desert called "Gajar Halwa" at Indian restaurants. There's a recipe at http://www.phamfatale.com/id_420/title_Gajar-Halva-Indian-Carrot-Halwa-Dessert/ (although it might not be the most authoritative). The stuff might make a great topping for sweet rolls instead of fruit.
I cringe a bit from the flavor of "mixed spice" and "pumpkin pie spice" because they remind me of many many Thansgiving Day overeating binges where I was informed I absolutely must eat some of the obligatory pumpkin pie no matter how full I was.