Baking away | The Fresh Loaf

A couple of recent things I baked

Some french bread I put together quickly for a pot of black bean soup. Not world class bread, but great for mopping up the soup.

My Christmas Stollen. I used the Peter Reinhart recipe. I changed a few things, like using Amaretto instead of Grand Marnier and dried cranberries instead of raisins. I was very pleased with the results.

Floydm's Blog
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I love your stollen. I must admit that I am still a little hesitant to make one although I REALLY want to. I just don't like to use alcohol in my baking. I am still studying ways to get around that.

~TableBread

http://tablebread.blogspot.com 

Eh... that recipe would be fine w/o the booze. Soak the fruit in hot water for a little while or orange juice so it softens up.

Yes I agree with floyd. Soak the fruit in orange or even apple juice to soften it up.

I think the alcohol thing isnt such a big thing either, but I have a man who enjoys it so I used apple brandy to soak my fruit.

I mean, I wasnt satisfied with mine and I am not the best baker, I am still completely amateuer and mine turned out better than I thought! (And I have eaten most of it and I initially made it for my hubby!)

Give it a go!

Floyd, that "chucked together french bread" looks amazing comparred to the charred crusts and dense crumb I made yesterday!

That Stollen looks fantastic too :) I can almost taste it!

I really must try cranberries in my baking. *thinks*

Thank you. It is just a matter of practice.

Floyd, both your French bread and stollen look great. Black bean soup is one of my favorites. The cranberries in the stollen are a very nice idea and give it great color. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Using alcohol. Correct me if I'm wrong but I would think all the alcohol used to macerate the fruit will evaporate during the baking process, leaving only the flavor of the liqueur. I've done a lot more cooking than baking, so I know it evaporates in the cooking process (sauces, ragouts, etc.), leaving only the flavor of the wine or whatever alcohol (Cognac, brandy, etc.) was used for flambe.

I would think all the alcohol used to macerate the fruit will evaporate during the baking process, leaving only the flavor of the liqueur. Agreed, I think after baking there are only trace amounts of alcohol left. I have no issues feeding this bread to my kids... there is a very slight warmth in your mouth, but it is hardly boozy tasting. Still, if someone doesn't keep alcohol around the house and that is preventing them from trying this recipe, I suggest just skipping it.

Here's a link to a spiffy little chart that details how much alcohol is left according to how it is cooked/baked. At these percentages it would seem that there is next to no discernible alcohol left in a slice of booze-enhanced bread.

And I have never even tasted stollen, but change is in the wind, everyone is making it look so good.

I guess my problem with the alcohol is more quantity specific. I mean, my wife and I don't drink liquor so I would be using maybe a cup to a cup and a half with a ton left. I think I will try the orange juice trick.

but you can buy most liquor in 1/2 pints.

Yes that is true. :)

I find that some people just prefer not to do so. To be honest, I dont really taste a difference in the fruit when I soak it. :S maybe I just didnt have enough fruit IN my Stollen :S Or that it is that I pick it out! lol.

I may try the juice thing next year too! Although I'd use apple jouce.

Now this "taste" thing has got me thinking!

A Happy New Year to you and your family (and your extended family of bakers). I am taking this opportunity to thank you for all the excellent management, patience and time you have provided for the benefit of us all. I am looking forward to another friendly, interesting and helpful year here with your evergrowing well-grounded 'family' of bread bakers. M

Thank you. Happy New Years to you and your loved ones!