It's been a while. 

I have been reading but not really baking.  Perhaps blogging is not for me, however, I will attempt to renew my initial vigor and post a couple of times a week.

After all, a job and a child can't keep one occupied all of the time.

Bread is wonderful.  I have a great and simple bread recipe that I got from a class with a master baker.  While many might say that I paid too much for two recipes and some advice I think that the time spent and the ability to ask questions about techniques and how things should feel was well worth the price.  FYI: for those who would love to take a baking class in San Francisco go to www.bakingarts.net and check out the classes. Richard is an amazing teacher.

I recently saw one of his recipes on  Facebook.  It's pretty basic, and I am not posting it in its entirety because it was passed on to me in his class and that would be rude.  But, it's just flour, yeast, salt, and water.  I recently made a batch and upped the amount of salt.  Amazing....just that bit of extra salt.

Nice.

I hope to move into making soft pretzels this fall AND it's almost gingerbread house time again.  I really enjoy the gingerbread houses.

Til next time.

Book & Baking Blog Entry 21

Well, it's been a while since I covered baking.  So, just for fun I'm trying a new recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com.  I also filled out a profile and joined.  It's free.  I just hope that I don't get a bunch of stupid emails (yes, I used the word stupid.  It's not a four-letter word.  Count.)


So, in honor of October (OktoberFest) I'm going to make soft pretzels for our Mommies & Mojitos drop in for drinks on Friday.  Usually I'm a cookie woman, so it will be interesting to see how this recipe turns out.  So far, I'm a little skeptical because you don't boil the bread prior to baking (a traditional method for bagels and pretzels.)

So the pretzels are made.  Ruth and I spent a short period of time putting them together.  I found the recipe on allrecipes.com.  Interesting site.

The recipe itself was very quick and easy to put together.  Flour, sugar, yeast, water, and salt.  Let it rise and cut it into pieces.  Shaping was fun.  Ruth decided that she wanted to help.  She also decided she wanted to eat the dough.  She really liked it.  So we worked together to create "snakes" and then fold them into pretzels.  Then we dipped them into hot water with baking soda dissolved in it (please, someone explain this to me--or maybe I'll look it up on the Internet) and sprinkled them with kosher salt. 

The recipe called for baking at 450 for 8 minutes.  WAY too long in my oven (which is kind of a small, not so reliable oven.) 

So the result is mixed.  They tasted pretty good, although my husband pointed out that they a little sweet.  I have to agree, but once you were into it, it wasn't so sweet as the initial bite.  I would prefer a traditional texture.  I like the, hmmmmm, how do you describe the traditional outside of a soft pretzel--leathery? outside.  Oh, for heaven's sake.  You know what I mean.  And the inside wasn't as moist and chewy.  The trade off is that these were REALLY fast and easy and you don't stand over a pot of boiling water.

Here was the bonus: My husband, not liking my water boiling skills, bought me a hot water maker.  Maybe that's not what it's called.  I actually thought that it was a bit silly.  However, today, for the water and baking soda wash I needed hot water and had the 4 cups right at my fingertips!  YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!!  Thank you technology.  I really should be more open to new technology than I am...:)

I'm going to make another batch of these for Mommies & Mojitos.  It should go well with the beer. 

Happy Baking. 

AND for those who are more interested in books:  I just started Case Histories (an awesome friend highly recommended it to me about 2 years ago.)  So far it's making me cringe BUT it is somewhat riveting.  I just wonder how someone who can't watch Pieces could read this book.  A bit gruesome.  S

So bon appetite and happy reading.