Baking

Really Great Granola

in ,







Hello Bakers,

Today's blog post is about granola. How to make really delicious granola.
I never buy granola. I make granola. I am a granola snob.
My granola roots run very deep. This is a truly delicious recipe and holds a place deep in my heart.

Years ago, I worked as a private chef for a group of residential Americorps volunteers,
stationed in Hawley, Massachusetts.
The kitchen was in the main building, it was huge, had two commercial ranges and a solid oak walk in. It was a great kitchen.
The buildings were built in the 1930s - the kitchen window looked out onto the pond.

I cooked mostly vegetarian fare on budget that was beyond meager.
But in summer there was the garden - which the volunteers tended and the local coop full of bulk items. Somehow it all worked out - we always had enough.

I baked and cooked everything from scratch and this granola was a mainstay. I made it twice a week.

The volunteers took on trail with them - their summer months were spent rebuilding YCC (Youth Conservation Corps) trails throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
In winter, they ate it on top of oatmeal for breakfast or took it for lunch when they went off to teach environmental education in the local schools.
The inspiration for this recipe came from the Curtis and Schwartz cookbook. 
Sadly, this wonderful cafe closed in 1997 - I am sure there are people in Northampton that miss it to this day.
Cooking for the Americorps  volunteers was a unique experience as far as private chef life goes - but I truly loved it - although I didn't make much money - I was able to make a difference.
Happy Baking!
Colette

Granola Recipe

2 cups (7 ounces) of whole oats (preferably organic)
½ cup (2 ounces) of walnuts
1/2 cup (2 ounces) of sliced natural almonds
2 Tablespoons (1 ounce) sunflower seeds
3 Tablespoons (1 ½ ounces) pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon (½ ounce) sesame seeds
½ cup (2 ounces) cashews
3 Tablespoons (1 ½ ounces) shredded coconut (preferably unsweetened)

1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon of peanut butter

Extras to be added after baking:
Any dried fruit, raisins, cranberries, blueberries and diced dried apricots

Equipment:
Baking sheet lined with Parchment Paper
Small saucepan
Large bowl for mixing
Whisk
Heatproof spatula

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.   Arrange all the dry ingredients in separate flat piles on the baking tray.
3.   Toast them for 10 minutes – the coconut will begin to turn a light golden brown.
4.   Once toasted, pour the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

5.   Place all the wet ingredients in a small saucepan and bring them to a low simmer – whisk until smooth.

6.   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until the dry ingredients are lightly coated.
7.   Spread the mixture onto the parchment lined sheet.
8.   Bake for 8 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, place on a heatproof surface and stir evenly. Place back in the oven and bake for another 8 minutes, remove and stir.
Repeat this process until the mixture is golden brown.

9.   Add any dried fruits to the granola while it is still cooling.
10.                Granola keeps for several weeks, stored in an airtight container.

 Garnish with yogurt, fresh fruit or stir it into your oatmeal.
Yum!





Homemade Bagel: All of the Deliciousness, None of the Junk!

in ,


Hello Bakers,

How many of you have been disappointed by supermarket bagels or even chain bagels?
I know I have been - driven by desperation to grab a fluffy processed bagel or a bag of them.
I used to try to convince myself that these things would be ok once they were toasted but
they aren't. Nothing is as delicious as a well made bagel.
Bagels are easy for us to make at home. Bagels rise (or ferment) only one time. Then they are poached, shaped and baked.
They can be topped with anything or nothing. The choice is yours.
Bagels are also a fun project to make with kids. They especially enjoy the shaping and the eating.
My culinary students turn into kids on bagel day - the only thing that makes them happier then
making bagels is making cinnamon rolls.
Another plus for bagels is that the baking time is short compared to other yeasted breads making a bagels a natural choice for summer baking.
Homemade bagels freeze for up to one month.


My go to bagel formula comes from Michael Kalanty's excellent book "How to Bake Bread",
published by Red Seal Books.
If you enjoy making bread and you do not have this book order it immediately.
This is the book.


I use this book as a textbook in my Artisan Bread Class at the Art Institute of Hollywood. All of the breads in the book are delicious and more importantly, they all work perfectly.
Chef Kalanty is a friend and colleague of mine and it is with his permission that I can pass the formula
on to you.
My only change is that I add a little more honey to the liquid the bagels are simmered. Years ago, I took a field trip to Montreal to study bagel making and noted that the bagels were boiled in a honey and water mixture.
When I asked the bakers how much honey was added to the water, they told me enough to make it look like weak tea.
There are two great cities for bagels in North America, one is New York and the other is Montreal
If you do not live in New York or Montreal you only option is to master the recipe that follows and make your own.

Bagels -
(Formula reprinted with permission from the author and publisher)

This recipe yields 12 - 4 ounce bagels
It is best scaled in grams.

Equipment:
A stand mixer with a dough hook attachment
or a a dough whisk and a good sized mixing bowl.
A baking sheet lined with parchment brushed with vegetable oil
A large pot filled 1/3 of the way with water. Add enough honey to the water so that it looks like
weak tea.
Skimmer or Spider for fishing your bagels out of the boiling water
XL Ziploc bag for proofing, cup for hot water
Oven Temperature: 375 degrees

Ingredients
505g water (cool body temperature)
5g Instant yeast
10g sugar
15g canola oil or non-olive vegetable oil
450g Bread Flour (I use King Arthur Bread Flour or Gold Medal Better for Bread)
15g salt

Optional toppings: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion flakes, kosher salt.
You can also make an everything mix with equal parts sesame seeds, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, garlic flakes, onion flakes and kosher salt.

1. In a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, yeast, sugar, oil, flour and salt.
2. Mix on speed one for about 4 minutes until the dough reaches "clean up" stage.
3. Increase to speed two and mix for 3 more minutes. You may here the dough slap against the side of the mixer bowl. In bagel speak this is referred to as the dough being "bucky".
4. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead it briefly by hand.
5. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl and place in a warm spot to rise.
If you are a devotee of my Ziploc bag technique - place the bowl in the bag with a large cup filled 3/4s of the way with steaming water. Zip the bag shut and let the bagels ferment for 1 hour.
The ideal proofing temperature is 80 degrees.
6. After an hour, gently degas the dough and divide it into 4 ounce (114g) pieces.
7. Shape the pieces into rough torpedo shapes and let rest on your work surface, covered, for 15 minutes.

8. Turn the heat on under your pot of honey water - bring it up to a simmer.
9. Roll the bagels into a strand about 12-14" long. Join the ends by overlapping them. Roll over the join with the palm of your hand.
10. Once all the bagels are shaped poach the bagels in the simmering water for 20 seconds on each side. Place them on the oiled baking sheet about 2" apart.
11. Sprinkle with desired toppings. If the tops of the bagels become dry, spray them with a little water so your toppings will stick.
12. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.
13. When the bagels are done they are an overall golden brown. They should not feel heavy or look pale. If they do bake for an additional 5-7 minutes.
Happy Baking!
Colette








Cinnamon Apple Loaf: How Two Tired Apples Were Transformed

in ,
                                                                   
Hi Everyone,
This morning I discovered that I completely missed the two organic Honeycrisp apples in the bottom of the
big Ikea fruit bowl. Poor things - the had been covered over by the bananas, pears and cara cara oranges.
Well, they were two wrinkled to eat and they would not have made enough sauce to feed a baby if I had one.
The only thing to do was to turn them into this delectable bread. There is something so old fashioned and comforting about this loaf cake. It reminds me of my step grandmother's apple cake - it was baked in a 9x13" pan and iced with a boiled cider icing.
The loaf version is a little lighter on oil and sugar - the cinnamon sugar stands in for the icing.
Enjoy a thick slice with a mug of steaming coffee or tea. It is also perfect to brighten up a packed lunch
Happy Baking!
Colette

Cinnamon Apple Loaf
Yield: one loaf

Oven: 350 degrees
Pan Prep: Grease or spray an 8 ½”x 4” loaf pan and line the long side with parchment paper.
The paper should extend over the edge of the pan by 1”.

1 ½ cups +1 tablespoon (6.75 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¾ cups (5 ¼ ounces) sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons (1 ½ ounces) melted butter
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs

2 apples, peeled and cut into small dice or grated
Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Topping: Cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon)

1.       Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a bowl.
2.       In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, melted butter, vanilla and eggs until smooth and light in color – about 2 minutes.
3.       Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix only until they are combined.
4.       Add apples and optional nuts.
5.       Pour into prepared pan.
6.       Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar

7.       Bake for one hour – check the center with a skewer or cake tester.
8.       If the cake tester does not come out clean – then bake for an additional 7 minutes and check again.
9.       Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a rack
This loaf freezes beautifully - up to one month.