Model Bakery English Muffins - Baked Not Fried

I’ve been in a reflective sort of mood the last few days after a visit from someone I haven’t seen in some time.  Seeing this person stirred up a storm of emotion, good, bad, and everything in between.  I’ve been trying to move past some uncomfortable feelings about a situation in which I no longer have any control.  I’ve been desperately clinging to past hopes and dreams, while the universe is now the one leading the charge.   It’s unfair and unkind and many ways, but it just is and I have to find a way to be okay with it.

I wasn’t too excited about my first experience making English muffins; actually they weren’t at all what I hoped for.  With a little perseverance and quite a few more tries I did finally land on a version that makes me smile from the inside out.  I’ve been making a ritual out of baking these every few weeks now for the last few months, and one I don’t plan on changing any time soon.  The original recipe calls for frying the muffins in Ghee and after several experiments and lots of smoke alarms going off in my kitchen, I can now say baking them as I’ve instructed is my preferred method.  

Model Bakery’s English Muffins

Biga

1/4-cup water

1/2-cup (75 g) bread flour

3/4-teaspoon instant yeast

Dough

1 1/3 cups water

3/4-teaspoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 1/2 cups (510 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (35 g) yellow cornmeal, preferably stone ground

6 tablespoons melted clarified Butter (ghee)

1.  Make biga:  1 day before.  Combine water, flour and yeast in a small bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.  I often forget to make the biga the night before, so if you desire to make the muffins same day, leave the prepared biga on the counter in a warm spot for 2-3 hours and proceed with the recipe as follows.

2.  Make dough:  combine biga, water, yeast, olive oil, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Affix the bowl to stand and add dough hook attachment and mix on low speed until combined.  Or mix by hand.

3.  Mix in flour to make soft dough that barely cleans the mixer.  Knead on medium-low speed about 8 minutes. 

4.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit 2 hours. 

5.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, brush with a little clarified butter and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. 

6.  Using a silicone spatula scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface.  Roll dough out with a rolling pin into a circle about 3/4-inch thick.  Cut the dough with a 4-inch round cutter and place 6 muffins per baking sheet.  Reroll scraps and cut as many as you can get.  Sprinkle cornmeal on the top of the rounds.  Loosely cover the pans with wrap.  Let stand until the rounds have increased by half, about 1 hour. 

7.  Preheat oven to 410 degrees F.  Drizzle the top of the muffins with a little of the clarified butter.  Place one sheet at a time on center rack and cook for 8 minutes, carefully flip the muffins, and drizzle with a little more clarified butter.  Cook 8 minutes longer.  Cook second tray the same way and let cool completely on cooling rack.
8.  To serve, slice muffins in half and lightly toast.  A good way to store the muffins is individually wrapped in plastic wrap and if you have more than you think you will eat in 2 days put the remainder in the freezer.

Makes 10-12 muffins depending on how thick you make them.  

As for me I'm enjoying this spring, its fickle nature, and some smiling faces I adore.  I'm also reminding myself, it's an evolution; not a revolution.

Enjoy,

Gina

Bruleed Steel-Cut Oatmeal with Apple Compote

I know it is a great morning when I have breakfast waiting for me in the fridge.  I didn't even have to jump out of bed this morning and get my daughter off to school.  Nope, all I had to do was heat my breakfast up, pour myself a cup of tea and crawl back into bed.

Yep, it's gonna be that kind of day, easy street all the way.  Not only did I make breakfast in advance but I am sharing it with all of you over at the lovely Mangiabella.

You are gonna want to hurry up and make yourself a batch of this Bruleed Steel-Cut Oatmeal with Apple Compote so you can get back in bed and spend the day under the covers ignoring the world.  I know I will be here as long as humanly possible or at least till I can't stand the lunch hunger pangs anymore.

Hope you all have a lovely carefree day today!

Gina 

The Dahlia Bakery English Muffins

Have you ever been stuck in the negative head space of "Does it really make a difference?"  I've been stuck there for a few weeks.  I think it boils down to the fact I'm the type of person who cares immensely about whatever it is I do.  Sometimes I don't even get it, is it a hill climbing thing?  Or is it something along the lines of I've already learned that, now let's move on kind of thing?  I'm never quite sure.

I've tried to never stop learning.  I'm convinced the mental decline kicks in pronto when you do, or at least in my case.  I have been going to night school for the last couple months to learn web design (feel free to quit laughing at any time).  I struggled through the beginning class and despite learning a few things; I didn't feel like I was any further along than when I started.  I decided when it was over to take an advanced class at a different school.  I don't know if I was just burned out from being so busy this last year or what, but I left half way through the first class and didn't return.

I felt like a total loser.  I gave myself the whole "It really doesn't make a difference anyways" speech.  It did make a difference though and I guess if I really do want to learn it, I just have to dust myself off and force myself to go back and try again.

I picked up The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook the other day and the first recipe that screamed "make me" was the English Muffins.  I really went through that whole "does it really make a difference thing" as I read through the four pages of directions (no four isn't a typo).  I thought after all there is a ton of recipes online already for simple English Muffins that are baked on a griddle.  After much debate and seeing them on Lottie and Doof I decided to give them a go.

Here is the English Muffins recipe I used. I did follow per directions, but I did have a few issues with them.  The dough was over hydrated in my opinion.  Next time I would scale back the water a bit until I got dough that I could handle a bit easier.  My dough was so sticky I had as much on my hands as I did on the rolls.  The wet dough makes shaping a real bear.  I did manage to get them to look sort of round.

Also the recipe calls for equal parts of all-purpose flour and equal parts cornmeal for dusting the pans.  I think next time I will use only cornmeal on the pans, I just don't love that baked flour taste on the outside of bread.  If you do, feel free to ignore me then.  I also dusted the tops of the muffins with the flour/cornmeal mixture or I knew the towels would end up sticking due to the moisture in these muffins.

They ended up having a nice developed flavor from all the rise time and a chewy texture, but most importantly they have the trademark nooks and crannies.  My husband ate three of them for breakfast this morning so I'm going to call them a success.

Maybe my success with these English Muffins will break the night school drop-out curse.  Cross your fingers for me, pretty please!

Gina

Chocolate Waffles with Whip Cream and Strawberry Coulis

The smell of these waffles cooking is so strong and so haunting, it will make you stop what you are doing and go investigate.  I love making these for the girls for breakfast because they will come sleepy eyed down the stairs, with a big smile on their faces.

Chocolate Waffle Batter

2 large eggs 

2 cups milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and melted (chips will work fine)

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla.  Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.  Add chocolate and butter and whisk until smooth.

Heat a waffle iron and pour batter in, cook for about 4 minutes.  I took mine from okay to stop the car, with the addition of some fresh whipping cream and a strawberry coulis.  Amazing what you can do with a few cookie cutters, huh!  The heart shape is to send a little love to anyone who needs it.

Strawberry Coulis

1 pint fresh strawberries

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

Pulse strawberries and sugar together in a food processor and pass through a fine sieve.

I just wanted to share this thought with you today.  It's about perspective; taking a minute to enjoy the moment, smells and taste of food.  That is what leaves an imprint on your brain and keeps you inspired and passionate.  We are constantly bombarded by the ideal of perfection; don't compare yourself to those images, revel in every success there is no such thing as a small one.  Rejoice with every small step you take and keep pushing forward and you can get anywhere you want to be.

Enjoy, 

Gina

Nutella and Apricot Streusel Sweet Rolls

I've been having a hard time getting the girls out of bed these days; so a couple of weekends ago I made them a huge pan of cinnamon rolls that got them up quicker than I don't know what. There is just something about the smell of baked goods in the morning.  Maybe instead of those white noise machines, alarms should come with baked goods smells; I'm on to something here - right!

I got a second request for the cinnamon rolls a couple of days later; instead I thought I'd change them up a bit.  I had my daughter's friend Megan over and could you believe she had never had Nutella; I had to fix that.  Upon scouring my pantry, I found these dried apricots begging to be used.  I think you can see where I am going with this.

Dough

2 cups milk (I used 1%, but use what you have on hand)
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
4 1/2 - 5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Heat the milk in the microwave on High power for 2 minutes until the temperature reaches 110 degrees F.  If you overheat it, just leave it on the counter to cool for a few minutes.  Add the yeast to the top of the milk, let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

I just guessed at the two minutes and looky there, yeah I'm that good lucky!

Add the 4 1/2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vegetable oil to a mixer with a dough hook.  Mix on low speed until the dough starts coming together.  If the dough is still very wet, add the other 1/2 cup flour, till the dough is starting to have a little better shape.  Knead for 2 to 3 minutes on low speed, cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour.

You can do the dough by hand, just knead the dough for a few minutes on a flour covered board and place it back into a bowl that has been oiled.

Apricot Streusel & Nutella Filling
8 ozs. dried apricots
1/2 cup oats - old fashioned
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup Nutella
2 tbsp. heavy cream

Add apricots, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon to a food processor and pulse until the apricots are broken down into small pieces.  Set aside.  You could also add some nuts here and it would be good, the girls said, "No" to the nuts, but I think I would have liked them in there.

Add the Nutella and heavy cream to a small saucepan and heat on low.  Stir until creamy and pourable.  Add a little extra cream if needed.

Place risen dough onto large floured surface.  I like to cover my counter with freezer paper and use it to roll out large dough, it makes clean up a snap.

Roll the dough out into a large rectangle about 1/2" thick, I didn't measure it, but it was about 24" by 16".  With the widest part of the dough facing you.

On top of the dough sprinkle the apricot streusel and drizzle with the melted Nutella, leaving 1/2" around the edges empty.  Roll the dough starting with the longer side, which should be facing you.  Make sure and roll the dough as tightly as possible.  When you get to the end, pinch the seam.

Be sure and lick the pot clean of any extra Nutella.  Come on, who wants to wash extra pots anyways.

Cut the roll into 1/2" to 1" slices and place into a greased casserole dish 13" x 9", may need two dishes depending how small you slice the rolls.  I place the rolls leaving a 1/2" gap or so between them.  Cover the pan with plastic wrap.

I also like to add a sheet of parchment to the bottom of my pan; it ensures easy removal of the rolls.

Rise in the pan for 30 minutes, remove plastic wrap prior to baking.  Bake in 400 degree F oven for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.

When these were hot out of the oven, the girls just put a knife full of Nutella on the top for icing.  A powdered sugar icing would work well too.  I did both, because I'm wrong like that.

Breakfast anyone?

Enjoy,

Gina

Strawberry Lemonade Waffles

I'm sure all of you are in full-on holiday prep with Easter just around the corner, I know I am.  I was feeling rather uninspired as of late.  I figured the best way to get my cooking mojo back was to go fool around for the day.  No work, no cooking, just hanging out with my sister and laughing at silly stuff. I helped her shop for a birthday gift and then we stopped for a little snack.  It's very easy to work up an appetite after a hard day of shopping I hope you know.  My daughter ordered frozen strawberry lemonade, she insisted I try it and I craved one for days afterward.  After decompressing, I decided I was ready to get back in the kitchen.

My college girl is home on break; she came home with a mountain of laundry and a huge appetite. She says she has been living on pizza and wanted some real food.  She loves waffles; little did she know she was getting an upgrade to the usual.

Strawberry Coulis

16 ounces fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Lemon Mascarpone

8 ounces Mascarpone cheese

Zest of one lemon

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

Lemon Waffles

3 cups waffle mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups water

Zest of one lemon

4 tbsp. lemon juice

Place strawberries and granulated sugar in a food processor and pulse until pureed.  Pass puree through a fine strainer to remove seeds.  Set aside.

Combine mascarpone, lemon zest, powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Mix until combined.

In a mixing bowl combine, waffle mix, eggs, oil, water, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix until no longer lumpy, if it seems too thick to pour, add a little extra water.

Cook waffles in a waffle maker.

To make mine look extra fancy, I placed the mascarpone mixture in a piping bag with a star tip and put a nice dollop on my warm waffle and then I drizzled it with a nice amount of the strawberry coulis.

You will swear you are enjoying strawberry lemonade, with its tart tingly deliciousness.  You don't have to just take my word for it, try them for yourself.

Serves 4-6

Happy Easter Everyone,

Gina

Dutch Baby Pancake

I remember seeing a heavenly puffy pancake over at Kim's - Liv Life Too blog and I've been craving one ever since.  This weekend presented the perfect opportunity to stay home and have a great breakfast.  Most of my mornings are way too busy and fueled only by caffeine, bad habit I know!  Sometimes we need to slow down even for a few minutes and fix a hearty breakfast.

I'm sure most of you are in holiday preparation overdrive, like myself.  So this week I will be making all easy stuff you can do in a hurry.  There is nothing worse than being over-stressed and hungry at the same time.  It can lead to eating a whole box of cookies and before the sugar even reaches your brain and you realize, "Oh no, what have I done."  Not that it's happened to me or anything.

Save yourself from the hard crash later and have a good breakfast!

Dutch Baby- from Cooks Country

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. salt

3 large eggs beaten

1 1/4 cups skim milk

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla 

Heat oven to 450 degrees F, brush inside of 12" ovenproof skillet with 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil and place in oven for 10 minutes.

In a bowl mix together flour, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt.  In another bowl combine, eggs, milk, lemon juice, butter and vanilla.  Combine wet and dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Pour this mixture into the hot skillet and bake for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and more lemon juice if you wish.

I would have made this one fancy like Kim's with apples, but my husband was in such a hurry he ate the whole thing within minutes.  

Enjoy,

Gina