Mushroom & Onions Focaccia

 

Hi!

The Focaccia frequents my kitchen quite regularly as these are enriched breads which are easy to make. One can try making them with various toppings and variations. This one is the third focaccia recipe that I’m posting here. I’ve previously posted Rosemary-Onion Focaccia and Focaccia Caprese.

I was baking another batch of Focaccia Caprese when I decided to make this combination too. I wasn’t too sure how mushroom would taste on it but decided to give it a go and I was contented with the outcome. Focaccia is a very forgiving bread and one normally can’t mess it up. The combination worked and the addition of sea salt gave a nice coarse crunch and saltiness to the topping. I would recommend you not to skip the coarse sea salt. S’s verdict was that the focaccia tastes awesome because of the sea salt.

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Persian Bread Komaj | We Knead To Bake #18 | Stepwise

 

 

Hi All!

This bread is a part of We Knead To Bake challenge thrown every month by Aparna. Though I baked this bread more than a week back but amidst son’s assessments I could not get enough time to write the detailed post.

Komaj is a sweet and savoury Persian bread with a filling of chopped dates and served with tea. The bread is spiced with turmeric and cumin and it’s the turmeric that gives the yellow colour to the bread. I was looking forward to see how turmeric, cumin and dates work together.

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Petit Pains Au Lait- French Milk Bread/ Roll | Step Wise

Hi All!

Days are very hot these days and kitchen is the most hated place! I know I know, you would say how can a food blogger speak like that? Believe me friends, the heat and humidity takes away all the enthusiasm and the only thing I want to do is sip cold water and eat very light food. I’m just back from my vacation and after all the fun and relaxing, I hate to get back to the regular grind.  The school would reopen in two more days and then the most hectic schedule would start.

Probably it’s the change of climate that after coming back, both I and S are under the weather. As I said, the temperature here is quite high and more than that the humidity is killing. The sweating enervates me completely. Moreover, the heat causes dryness in my eyes leading to severe headaches, so I have to ensure that I keep washing my eyes, drink loads of water and also put eye drops at regular intervals.

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A Peep Into ‘Around The World with Tadka Girls’ | Cookbook Review along With Recipes To Share | Winners Of ‘Only’ Event

Hi All!

I’m back with yet another cookbook review and this time it’s very special as it’s a book written by two popular bloggers Ruchira and Ranjini from the popular blog Tadka Pasta.

I was initially approached by Ruchira Ramanujam  in last December for their book launch here in Westin but unfortunately I could not attend it as I was travelling. She approached me again about a month back asking whether I would be interested in reviewing the book and I was ecstatic to give a nod. I found the name of the book very interesting  and after reading the book realised that it was absolutely apt.

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Focaccia Caprese | We Knead To Bake | Baking Bread| Vegan | Winner Of December’s ONLY Event

Hello All!

Here comes the first post of 2014 and I’m amused at myself that I’m starting off with a bread. I have posted an Onion-Rosemary Focaccia earlier and is one of my favourite posts from my blog. I have recently joined a group called ‘We Knead To Bake’, created by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen.  When I was thrown to this first challenge of baking Caprese Focaccia by her, I was overwhelmed. My only worry was how to avoid the APF since I’ve been trying to cut down on the it’s use. I initially thought that I would make a whole wheat Focaccia but then I knew it won’t be as soft and spongy so I kept postponing it. The pictures of the bakes posted by others in the group were too tempting and they lured me to finally  bend my rule and I decided to bake this bread only to land up watching smiling faces of the family.

I’ve provided step wise instructions on making this bread here and hence I’m only repeating the important steps in this post but I do want to discuss more about this rustic Italian bread  the name of which has been derived from ‘Panis Focacius’ which means a flat bread baked on the hearth.

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Paul Hollywood’s White Bread & The Lesson’s Learnt | Vegan Recipe | Dairy Free | Step Wise

Hi all!

I’m back to a baking spree and I do not regret it at all!!!!! As a matter of fact I’m loving it, the entire experience of proofing the yeast and baking the bread is so captivating and I’m so much in love with my breads that I can’t stop admiring them. I’m like a self obsessed kid who just can’t stop praising herself..and for all this I must thanks Sharanya SL, who is reader of my blog and had requested me to post a tutorial on making a white bread.

With all the candor, I must confess that I have baked many breads till now but never  baked a whole white bread only for the simple reason that I’m not very fond of the processed flour. But a request is a request and I respected that and took it as an opportunity to learn new.

I’ve many books on bread baking in my collection and the recent addition to that is Paul Hollywood’s 100 Great Breads. I had read a mixed bag of reviews for this book and decided to buy it simply for the person behind it..Paul Hollywood, who is a baker’s son who went on to work as a baker for many leading hotels. He has also judged many TV shows. This particular book was awarded the ‘top bread and pastry book of the year’ for 2005 by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

 

When I started reading the book, I thought that’s it quite simple to understand and also realized that this man does not rely on big tools and machine and depends more on hand kneading, I thought suits me fine. It was only when  I started using the recipe in terms of ingredients and measures that I realized the problem of this book..the weighs & measures!!  The biggest difficulty was that the yeast measure was given in ounces and grams rather than spoons and he also insisted on using fresh yeast like most of all the famous bakers. Fortunately I had got hold of fresh yeast recently and I was more than willing to use it. But measuring fresh yeast in ounces was the trickiest part.. but somehow I sailed through the hurdle..

I tried to stick with the weighs & measures in the book but then I realized that the measure of salt was also high, so I decided to adjust it as per my understanding and expertise..

I decided to use my old OTG and not the microwave for baking.The bread turned out fine and rose well too, but it rose  much more than expected and the bread got stuck into the top heating rods of the oven. Fortunately, I was alert and I moved the bread to the bottom shelf but by then it already  had got a light burn mark  .. The book said that the bread would get ready in 35mins but mine was ready in 20mins, a pat on the top produced a hollow sound, indicating that it was done. I’m still to come across such tips in the book.. When I cut the bread and I looked at the cut slice, the word WOW came out instantly  and after eating the first bite I was a happy to see that it was light, moist and soft but I was also disappointed that the bread was very mildly yeasty, which also explained the bread hitting the top of the oven.. So, it confirmed that the yeast required should have been less and the measure probably is incorrect in the book, which even I had felt earlier, but since I was using the fresh yeast for the very first time, I did not take any chances. Due to which  my bread was not absolutely white..lessons learnt.

Preparation Time: 15mins | Rising Time: 2hrs | Baking Time: 20-35mins | Serves: 4 | Makes- 1loaf  | Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ingredients

500g/ 1lb/ 2oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

1tsp salt

60ml/ 2fl ounce olive oil

15g/ 1/2oz yeast ( I thought less would be better)

270ml/ 9fl ounces water ( I used only about 200ml)

Method

Sift the flour, add the yeast, oil and spread the salt over the flour, avoiding direct contact with the yeast.

Warm the water slightly and knead the dough using that. The quantity of water required will vary from flour to flour. Knead the flour for about 10mins, till it’s shows a gloss on the top.

Shaping The Bread

Grease it lightly and leave it to rise for an hour, till it doubles in volume.

Punch down the dough and knead lightly.

 

Dust the kitchen platform floor with some flour and spread the dough.

Fold the dough slightly from the left and right side of the dough.

From the top fold the dough and start rolling it towards the bottom. Roll completely and shape.

Place the shaped dough in a greased bread tin.

Let the dough rise for about 40-45mins, till it doubles in volume.

Dust the dough on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 230C for 20-35mins till done. A baked bread sounds hollow when tapped on top.

Remove on a cooling rack. Slice and serve.

Sending it to my event ‘Only’- Cooking From Cookbooks guest hosted by Gauri.

Paav Bhaaji…No, No Bhaaji In The Paav | Quick Bite | Step Wise Method

 

Hi All!!

I’m sure many would relate to me when I say that the kid’s exam is your own exam..though my kid is grown up and quite independent in many ways but during his assessments he needs me the most. I do not indulge myself in teaching him word to word but I’m always there to solve his difficulties and also to boost up his morale, so I get tied up at home..last few days saw me doing that only..After finishing morning chores, I would sit and make a test paper for him to solve once he is back from school and then stay with him till he finishes studies. Amongst all this I was also helping a friend to look out for a house. Today is the day when I’m breathing in a relaxed manner, now that the tests are over and the friend also has has got an extension in her lease, phew!!

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Rosemary-Onion Focaccia (Frame By Frame)

Hi all!!

In almost all my recent posts I’ve spoken about my health and I’m definitely going to avoid that topic right now.. but I must thank all my friends who inquired about me and sent me their wishes, it means a lot.

I’m overwhelmed by the response I got to my previous post on the Effect of Estrogen On Osteoporosis, it is a well read post and I’m glad I posted that, makes me believe, I should write more of such posts.

Last few days, while I was sick and tired sitting and resting on my bed, I also did  a lot of reading…Yes, you guessed it right, I read a lot of recipes..I flipped over again all the past editions of Good Food Magazine and bookmarked many recipes to try. I do not know how much my cooking has improved over the years but I must confess  after reading so many  cookbooks my vocabulary in terms of food and food related products is improving day by day..

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Bundt Garlic- Parmesan Pull Apart Bread With Tomato-Parsley Sauce, Step Wise & The New Winner Of ‘Only’ Mangoes

Hi!
There are certain recipes that captures one’s attention the first time one reads it and then one gets desperate to try it. One such recipe that instantly clicked in my heart and brain was the Bundt Garlic and Parmesan Pull Apart Bread made by Pastry Affair.

I believe that when one read’s a recipe, one eats it first through one’s eyes, then imagine the flavors mentally and when finally, one tries it in their kitchen the virtual image turns into a physical reality. I truly followed the sequence this time. I was awed by the picture and technique and imagined the flavors and I was so desperate to try it that creating the  physical reality also happened very fast.

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Eggless & Whole Wheat Garlic Cheese Italian Flat Bread..Step by Step

Hi All!

I know, I know, you might say this looks like a pizza but it isn’t..

Recently, the kid insisted to buy this version of bread from a famous bakery here. He loved the flavor of the bread and insisted that I should also make this. Now, being a mother, I had to tweak the recipe and make it more healthy, hence, I opted for a whole wheat version.

I decided to make a round shape flat bread only for simplifying my work (the reason it looks more like a pizza), one is free to make a square, rectangle, oval or any shape of their choice. The bread is a little dense because of the use of whole wheat but there’s no compromise on the taste.

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Pesto & Olive Soda Bread

Hi All!

I have always had a penchant for making breads and baking as I always say is therapeutic. It was one such day when I was feeling lost for no reason and I knew it was time to bake but bake fast. Somehow, I did not have the patience of waiting for the yeast to proof and rise, though the temperature here would have really helped that.

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California Rolls

 

Hi friends!

Today I was supposed to go out and shop with a blogger friend but all plans were washed off in the heavy rains. Since I had not planned anything majorly for today as I was surely looking forward to my shopping, I had some time in hand, so I decided to use it wisely.

Recently, during my visit to one of the finest bakeries here I came across a bread roll which had a seekh kebab filling. Looking at it, I had mentally made a note to try this one at home, the roll was named California. Since this is my take on that  roll  I decided to name it California Rolls.

Now patience  was surely not my virtue today as I was very hungry and I definitely had no intention of making seekh kebabs (those who are regular readers here will surely understand my penchant for making the seekh kebabs) as that would have taken a long time and I was already hungry so decided to make quick vegetable cigars and then coil the bread rope around them.

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Herbed Wheat Buns and Winner of ‘Only’- Fasting Food

Hi!

In my last post I had very confidently said that I will post regularly as I was pretty confident that S will lend me his data card till we get a permanent internet connection but S had to travel in the last week so I had no internet service at home but now that I’ve got a one do castigate me if I’m not regular here as that will be only because of my laziness..

The city in which I live now is surely not a favourite of mine and ever since I’ve landed here I’m praying that we move out fast from here..so you can realise how ecstatic I’m in life right now!!!

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Whole Wheat Buns Stuffed With Spicy Minced Cauliflower (Keema)

Hi!

I have always said that baking is a great stress reliever and have always used it for the same. I mentioned in my previous posts that the temperatures are soaring high here and kitchen does grill you most of the times and I try to conveniently escape the heat by cooking quick meals.

In my attempt to do so I experimented with Cauliflower Keema and after I relished it’s awesome taste, I realised that it has multi purpose use, will be a great stuffing for a bun and  make a great snack/ breakfast item.

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Spicy Stuffed Dinner Rolls

Hi.

Today morning was quite depressing as I woke up with a spitting headache and the outside weather was even more depressing as it was foggy, with a visibility of about 5 meters. I just made some Maggi with veggies for me and S and after sending him off to office I was wondering what to cook for lunch.. but just did not feel like getting up and cooking. I wanted to recharge myself in someway but today was not the day. I read my post on feel good hormones here and here and I felt a little better. After cooking some stuffed paratha for the younger one I felt much better so I decided to bake.

And I must say, I am elated after making these rolls and why should I not be? Every time I work with yeast it turns out to be most happening and satisfying experience, an experience that I look forward to. The aroma of freshly baked bread in the kitchen is always heavenly and I was missing it so much..  I have always found baking a bread therapeutic in cheering me, what’s your take on that?

The roll turned out scrumptious with a feather light sponge and an absolutely tasty and spicy filling, just perfect to make me feel at the top of the world.

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Chelsea Buns

Hi!

There are certain recipes which you want to try immediately once you have seen them. Today I am posting another version of buns and these are called the ‘chelsea buns’. I had seen this recipe on the TV and had liked it so much that I watched the repeat telecast again to copy down the recipe properly. I did not have the tuti fruiti so had to wait for a while to try them, plus my patience with yeast in winter has not been so good but I overcame my doubts about myself and indulged making these.

These are sweet buns with a filling of butter icing and tuti-fruti. A sure shot hit amongst the children, these look vey colourful and are amazingly soft. And gladly I found “a full proof method” to work easily with yeast in the winter about which you can read here in my other blog KITCHEN- BASICS.

These are perfect for an evening snack and even for lunch box.
Ingredients
250gms APF
15gms/1-1/2 tbsp Yeast
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup warm milk
50 gms sugar
20 gms butter
1 tsp salt
50 gms butter icing
about 100 gms tuti-fruti
sugar syrup 1/8 cup
Method

Warm the water and dissolve 50gms sugar into it and then add the yeast, wait till it froths.
Take the dough and make a well in the centre and add the yeast and knead the dough. Later use the milk to knead the dough. Mix properly.
Cream the 20gms butter and salt together and then knead the dough into the butter. Knead for about 8-10 mins, till a soft and elastic dough is formed.
Oil a bowl and keep the dough in that, cover with a cling film and let the dough rise to double it’s volume.
Punch down the dough and divide it into two parts.
Flour the platform and roll half the part into a square shape of 1/4 inch thickness.
Apply half the butter icing and spread half the tuti fruti and roll the dough. For the butter icing cream 40gms white butter with 2-3 tbsp icing sugar.
Cut it into 6 equal pieces.
Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough.
Arrange the cut pieces in a greased square dish and let the buns rise again for 15-20 mins. Keep the buns covered with a cling film.

Preheat the oven at 200C and bake the buns for 15-20 mins.

Cool and then using a brush apply sugar syrup on them. The syrup provides a glaze to the buns. For the sugar syrup boil 5tbsp water with 4tsp sugar for 3-4 minutes.

This recipe goes to Champa's Bake off, yeastspotting.

Pizza Style Braided Bread

Hi!

I love braided breads, now my friends would say, what’s the new information in that? No, nothing new about making braided breads, the only thing new is, innovating the fillings and making the bread more scrumptious.

I had mentioned to you earlier that I love this bread that I get here in a bread shop called Grand Plaza and the last time I made the braided bread I wanted to make something similar to that. The bread was surely amazing  but the flavour was different and I was still trying to attain that taste. So this time I tried a filling using Marinara sauce and veggies and then used cheese as a filling as well as a  topping and I must say that I was happy with what I ate. It was good and very similar to what I get from the bread shop.

The other change that I made this time was that I rolled the crust more thin, cut more braids and kept the spice level a little high. The end result was that it gave me a feel of a spongy, thin crust pizza. The family loved it and the loaf disappeared in a go.

The only problem I faced was, as the winter is setting in, the dough took a long time to rise and did test my patience. If you have any tips to share with me on how I should work with yeast in winter, do let me know.

I used the same measure to make the dough as I had used here and the recipe of marinara sauce used to make the filling can be read here. In the marinara sauce I added about half a cup of boiled corn. Apart from that I used grated mozzarella cheese and chopped capsicum for the filling and topping too.

Method

I followed the same method of making dough and braiding as I did here. I filled it with stuffing of marinara sauce and corn, then sprinkled 2-3 tbsp mozzarella cheese and capsicum.

After the braiding I applied an egg white wash and then sprinkled some more mozzarella cheese and chopped capsicum as a topping.

Let it rise again and then bake  in a preheated oven at 190C for 15-20 mins till the crust turns golden in color.

Cool it and cut into slices and serve.

I also want to send two of my best posts of this year, which I loved writing and then reading the valuable comments on it, to 30 Best Recipes of 2010 hosted by Chackos Kitchen along with Little Food Junction, Alka at Sindhi Rasoi and Cooking With Thas.
1. Cauliflower Butter Masala, The Feel Good Hormone and My experience with Kashmiri Red chilies
2. Mughlai Dum Aloo On a Foggy Day