Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 08:46:37 GMT -------------- BEGIN bread-bakers.v108.n045 -------------- 001 - "Mary Fisher" Subject: English Muffins Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 12:12:12 -0000 "Werner Gansz" wrote: >For most folks who grew up in the US, the gold standard for english >muffins are the Thomas(r) brand, famous for their "nooks and >crannies" that hold the melted butter when fork-split and >toasted. I have no idea if they are similar to English english muffins We call them 'pikelets' in Yorkshire, I've never heard anyone call them muffins. Crumpets, occasionally, in shops - but not by us old Tykes. :-) >I have been trying to achieve a good home-baked version for many >years without success. Same here. >Most often the interior is too cake-like, or even bread-like, and >often has an undercooked interior. Most recipes call for a >moderately wet dough, dry fried on a skillet or griddle. The recipe >and procedure below finally achieved both the "nooks and crannies" >and a fully baked interior. Fork-split, toasted, and buttered they >are delicious. OH! Thanks, I'll give it a go. Mary --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n045.2 --------------- From: "Werner Gansz" Subject: RE: Stand Mixers Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 09:31:02 -0500 Brett Baker's comments on KA stand mixers are consistent with my experience also. A mixer should be able to handle whatever amount of dough fits into it. I think the new KA's are intended primarily for mixing cake batters. There aren't enough bread bakers out there to warrant the extra cost of bigger motors and metal gears. One mixer not mentioned in Mike's discussion is my Viking stand mixer. I've had it for about 4 years and it is tough as nails. I posted a bagel recipe here several months ago that uses extra gluten added to the flour. I mix and knead a 6 cup batch of that very stiff bagel dough in the Viking and it just plows right through it. The only drawback is that it is a screamer! You won't be doing any covert baking with a Viking. Werner --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n045.3 --------------- From: Corina Gaffney Subject: Stollen recipe Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 07:30:20 -0800 (PST) Long-time lurker, some-time poster, and always "enjoyer" of this bread list. While I am not willing to part with all of my secrets for an authentic German Christstollen, here is a recipe for making 3 1-1/4 pound stollen (the perfect size, I think): 1 cup warm milk or cream 3/4 cup butter, softened (NOT melted - this is important) 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon rum (or 1 teaspoon rum extract, but the real stuff is better!) 1 teaspoon lemon zest 5 cups all purpose flour (sometimes more, sometimes less) 2 tablespoons active dry yeast 1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds 3/4 cup finely chopped candied orange peel 3/4 cup finely chopped candied lemon peel 1 cup dark raisins 1/2 cup golden raisins I only use my bread machine(s) for kneading stollen, and I have got the timing down pretty well. If you have a food processor, you can process the almonds and the orange and lemon peels with some of the flour, and save yourself A LOT of time. It is very important to chop the peels - it makes for a prettier stollen and it spreads out the wonderful flavor throughout the dough. I put all ingredients into the bread pan through the yeast, holding back about 1/2 cup of the flour to use in chopping the nuts and peels. While the bread machine does its thing, I chop the nuts and peels in the food processor. When the chopping is done, I add the nuts and peels to the machine (yes, while it's running). DO NOT add the raisins until your machine is about 7 minutes away from finishing the kneading cycle (before the first rise). If you put them in too early, you will have very small pieces of raisin throughout the dough, and it just doesn't look very appetizing. Add the raisins slowly in order to give the machine time to incorporate them. You may need to help things along a little by moving the very heavy ball of dough around. After the dough cycle is done, let the dough sit for another 15 to 30 minutes (or longer, if you like). Take it out of the machine onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal parts. With each ball of dough, pat the dough into a long oval shape, tapered at the ends. Make a small ridge on the long sides of the oval. Roll one long side toward the other long side, until you reach the ridge, tucking in the tapered sides a bit as you go along. Press down to flatten slightly and transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet. Allow to rise for about 1/2 hour in a warm place, or place in a cold oven and bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes. The loaves should be golden brown. If loaves begin to brown too early, lower the oven rack and/or cover the loaves with foil. Immediately after removing the loaves from the oven, slather them with 1/4 to 1/3 cup melted butter, and dust liberally with powdered sugar flavored with vanilla sugar. This last step is essential for the keeping the loaves fresh and delicious for a long, long time. In fact, in Germany it is common to eat the last stollen of the season at Easter! Enjoy this traditional Christmas treat, and Frohes Fest! Corina --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n045.4 --------------- From: Lawrence Klevans Subject: Panettone For Christmas Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:55:24 -0500 Panettone This is a bread machine recipe for traditional Italian fruit bread. It comes from the DAK gourmet Gazette. It works very well in the Breadman Ultimate Machine. 1 cup very warm water 5 Tablespoons of Sugar 5 Tablespoons of butter or margarine, softened or melted 3 Tablespoons non-fat dry milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1 egg 3 cups of bread flour 1 package or 2 1/2 teaspoons regular yeast 2 Tablespoons pine nuts 3 tablespoons dried or candied fruit 1/2 cup raisins soaked in rum or water and well drained I use the 2.0 pound nut and fruit bread setting with a light crust. Also I load the pine nuts into the dispensing tray and push the "Extra" button to have the nut dispenser open. When the dispenser opens, about 8 minutes before the end of the kneading cycle, I add the candied fruit. Three minutes later I add the raisins. The bread comes out of the machine very soft and needs to cool on a rack for about 30 minutes. Larry Klevans --------------- END bread-bakers.v108.n045 --------------- Copyright (c) 1996-2008 Regina Dwork and Jeffrey Dwork All Rights Reserved