Cremona - A new twist on an Italian Classic - The DoughDr Episode 9/24/22

Bakers!

I thought I knew almost everything you could possibly know about laminated doughs. Last week one of our bakers asked about a laminated dough from Cremona, Italy. “What?” This was news to me - a laminated dough from Italy, from the town where they make violins. If you remember the movie “The Red Violin” one major storyline was set in Cremona.

Oh my goodness! I quickly summoned the oracle that is Google and a quick search yielded a short blogpost and a reference to a book called “ Seven Fires, grilling the argentine way,” Well I quickly found the book at the Los Angeles Public Library and it gave me a rough guideline of how to put the Cremona together.

This bread is popular in Argentina - probably even more so than in Italy. Italians flocked to Argentina between 1870 and 1960 to escape economic hardship and the devastation of both world wars and they brought the Cremona with them.

The one problem was that it was classically laminated with lard , that’s hard to sell - very few people want to eat lard these days.
But what about a blend of garlic/extra virgin olive oil and butter? Yum! I think that works great. For this laminated dough we brush the magic melted mixture on the dough and then fold - so much easier. If you are just getting started with laminated doughs this is a great introduction.

The fringed horseshoe shape looks cool - great for feeding a crowd. And the flavor - my inspiration was garlic knots - how could this not be a tasty success.
And a shout out to our baker Kathy who asked about the Cremona - thank you! This was fascinating.

Bakers - give this a try - and let me know how it goes - tag me in your photos - I love to see your beautiful work.

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, scale, bowl scraper, half sheet pan lined with very lightly oiled parchment, plastic wrap, marker, scissors

Combine water, yeast and oil in the mixer bowl…let sit for 5 minutes then add flour, sugar and salt - ready to mix….

Ingredients:
283g water (70 degrees)
7g Instant yeast
20g olive oil
454g bread flour
10g sugar
9g salt

Butter/Oil Brushing Mixture
57g butter
57g olive oil
3 cloves of garlic

1. In a small saucepan combine the butter, oil and garlic, heat over low/medium heat until the butter melts. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. Leave the garlic cloves in the butter mixture to infuse more flavor.

The mix is a short mix as we will continue to develop the gluten through laminating.
1. Combine the water, yeast and oil and let sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to hydrate.
2. Add the flour, sugar and salt and mix on speed 2 for 2 minutes - the dough should begin to roughly clear the side of the bowl. Stope the mixer and scrape dough with the bowl scraper.
3. mix on speed 1 for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
4. Let rise in a warm place (kitchen counter is fine), covered for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
5. To laminate the dough - roll out to a rectangle that is about 8” X 20-24” - 1/4” thick. Brush liberally with the garlic and butter/oil mixture. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Repeat step 5 two more times.
6. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before shaping.
7. Have the lined sheet pan close by. Roll the dough out to 8” by 20/24” 1/4” thick and brush with the melted butter/oil mixture. Fold the dough in half lengthwise but leave 1” of the bottom half exposed. Move to the prepared pan and shape into a circle that almost closes.

Then with scissors cut through each edge of dough (you can cut them at the same time or separately) about 3/4” apart and 1” deep. The fringe is on the outside.
8. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

10. After the 45 minutes the Cremona will be slightly puffy and have a marshmallow texture. Brush with melted butter/oil mixture and bake for 30 minutes. Check to make sure it is a beautiful golden brown. Then turn off the oven and let the Cremona sit in the oven for 5 timed minutes to bake out the last of any excess moisture.
Garnish with chopped Italian parsley.
11. Cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Parmesan Cheese Version: Everything is the same except the Cremona is laminated with freshly grated Parmesan cheese as well as the melted garlic/butter and oil mixture. It is amazing! It will take between 113g-170g (4-6 ounces) depending on how much cheese you sprinkle on.

Cheesecake Bake A Long Part 2 - The DoughDr Episode from 9/17/2022

Lemon curd topped cheesecake…

Hello Bakers,

Here is the recap from Saturday’s show. Following these steps any cheesecake can be baked in a regular cake pan.
Before we go too much further I wanted to give you the recipe for Cake Goo that I am always talking about. It was what I used to grease the chessecake pan and all my pans.
Cake Goo Recipe
99g vegetable shortening, 71g all purpose flour, 106g oil. In a mixer (with paddle) or by hand (wooden spoon) mix the flour and shortening together then slowly add the oil. Store in an airtight container. Keep for sixth months to a year in the refrigerator.

DoughDR Archive Link

Once you are ready to serve and decorate your cake this is what you need:
1 cardboard round
Presentation board or serving platter
Offset spatula
If desired piping bag and piping tip of choice
Pastry torch
Plastic wrap

1. The cake can be unmolded when it is frozen or thawed. Thawing it overnight in the refrigerator is the best way to thaw it.

2. Shrink wrapping the cardboard. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover the cake cardboard in plastic wrap as tight as possible.

3. Place the wrapped cardboard in the oven for 3-4 seconds - remove carefully.

4. Place the shrink wrapped cardboard on top of the unwrapped cheesecake and invert.

5. Turn the torch on and wave it over the bottom of the pan (1-2 inches above) for 1-2 minutes.

6. Turn off the torch and using oven mitts, pick up the cardboard and cake and give it a quick shake and the cake will release.

7. Invert a presentation board or platter onto the cake bottom and flip.

8. Remove the plastic wrap from the cardboard and if clean - it is fine to reuse.

9. Now the cake is ready to decorate.

In the show, I used lemon curd - here is that recipe and a border of sweetened whipped cream.
You can top the cheesecake however you like - this is just an idea.

Equipment: saucepan, whisk, strainer, scale, medium bowl, small baking tray lined with plastic wrap, spatula, instant read thermometer

Ingredients:

100g fresh lemon juice
125g sugar
72g egg yolks (4 large)
Zest of one lemon
85g butter - softened

1. In the saucepan, whisk the lemon juice and sugar together until well combined, Add the egg yolks and zest. Whisk until smooth not foamy.

2. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the mixture begins to thicken but does not boil. Stir all the while.

3. The curd is done when the initial foamy created by whisking the ingredients together subsides, steam wafts off the surface and the the temperature of the curd is about 176-180 degrees.

4. Stran the curd into a medium bowl cool to 100 degrees and whisk in the softened butter.

5. Pour the curd onto the plastic lined sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap - there is usually enough to fold over the curd.

6. Chill for several hours or overnight. Lemon curd lasts for 5-7 days in the refrigerator - it does not freeze well.

   Chantilly Cream

   Equipment: chilled large mixer bowl and whisk, stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or handheld mixer fitted with whisk attachment or standard beaters.

   Ingredients:

   1 cup, 8 ounces, 227g heavy or whipping cream
   2 Tablespoons, 1 - 1 1/2 ounce, 28g - 35g powdered sugar - sift before adding to cream
   2 tsp, 8g vanilla extract or vanilla bean extract

   1. Whisk the cream vigorously or use mixer until it has the consistency of Greek yogurt, add the sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until soft peaks form - taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.

And as I said on the show this cheesecake is not very thick - if you want a thicker cheesecake go to last week’s post and you find (at the bottom) an increased amount - scaled up to either make a 9” or 10” cake or a thicker 8”.

Any questions - please reach out. Happy Baking! Colette

Cheesecake Bake A Long...Part 1...The DoughDr September 10, 2022

Hello Bakers,

Summer is done and it’s time to gear up for fall baking. Our first September show focused on making a easy straightforward cheesecake recipe. It is a master recipe that is easy to customize. As I said in the show, I was determined to find a great cheesecake that did not have 19 ingredients in it and did not leave me with 3/4 of a carton of sour cream in the back of the refrigerator. I think you’ll love this for ease and it can be made with a food processor or a mixer - both methods are detailed below. But it is a great recipe to do in your food processor which I feel we really are under utilizing these days.

And speaking of the show - here is the link to Saturday’s show:

Preheat Oven 325

8” cake pan, spread with pan spread, line the bottom with a parchment paper circle or an 8” springform pan that is greased, (no parchment paper liner) and wrapped (triple wrap) in 3 sheets of aluminum foil to prevent leaks. Food processor fitted with the metal blade, spatula, scale, if baking in a cake pan - a creme brulee torch is very helpful for unmolding.

Larger pan to hold cake pan to create a water bath for cheesecake pan

Crust

100g graham cracker crumbs (takes about 7.5 crackers)
20g sugar
57g butter, melted

Pack a 1/8” thick layer of crumbs on the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Bake for minutes to dissolve and set the sugar and toast the crumbs.

Cheesecake

454g (2 packages) cream cheese
132g sugar
2 eggs, large (100g)
2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Flavor variations are after the method - along with larger ingredient amounts for 9” and 10” pans

Cut the cream cheese into small chunks. Let sit covered at room temperature for 1 hour
Put it in food processor fitted with the metal blade), add sugar
Process for 1 minute, scrape down and process for an additional minute
Add the eggs, vanilla and salt and process for 2 minutes until smooth. Scrape down and process 1 more minute. it should be nice and smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the water bath.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Turn the oven off (DO NOT OPEN) and let the cake sit undisturbed for 30 minutes.
Remove cake from oven and allow cooling 30 minutes before wrapping and wrap and store in the pan. Do not unmold until it is good and chilled.
Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight - keeps fine in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. May be frozen up to one month.
Unmold as per demo. - directions coming in Part Two…Next week’s episode

Flavor Variations: Chocolate cheesecake - add 3 ounces melted semi sweet or milk chocolate in the last minute of mixing - or until combined - may take another 30 seconds. Pumpkin cheesecake, increase sugar to 170g, add 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teas. cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ginger) Lemon Cheesecake, Add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice and the zest of 1/2 lemon. For extra lemon you can swirl in some lemon curd (1/3 cup) - homemade or store bought both work.

Mixer method:
Cut the cream cheese into small chunks.
Put it in the mixer with the paddle attachment.
Cream on low speed for 1 minute
Add the sugar – mix for 3-4 more minutes until smooth
Add the eggs 1 at a time – mix slowly at first.
Increase to medium speed to smooth out any lumps
9-10” Pan Amounts

Crust
113g graham cracker crumbs
22g sugar
57g sugar

Filling
680g (3 8 ounce packages) cream cheese
198g sugar
3 eggs (150g)
1 Tablespoon (14g) vanilla

Cream Cheese Icing for Warm Weather and Quick Red Velvet Cupcakes

Hello Bakers,
On Saturday’s show, I demoed a cream cheese icing that holds up in warm weather. It’s classic counterpart can be problematic once temperatures creep toward 80.

Here is the link to the show archive and demo: https://youtu.be/RITpC5kXwxQ

However stable or not - It is still cream cheese so it should not be out for more than four hours and leftovers must be refrigerated.

What makes this more stable - the solution was to remove the butter and stabilize the icing with a little gelatin. This icing is not super sweet. If this icing is not sweet enough for you add more sifted powdered sugar.

And following the cream cheese icing recipe is a quick and easy no mixer red velvet cupcake recipe. The one you need when you need cupcakes right away.

The request for a warm weather cream cheese icing came from one of our bakers - and I love taking on these challenges. So you have a baking challenge let me know and we will take it on. Happy Baking! Colette

Happy Baking! Colette

    Equipment: stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, scale, sifter, spatula,  container and lid for chiling, small bowl for combining the gelatin and small amount of cream cheese icing.

• 16 oz full fat cream cheese (450 g), room temperature

• 1 cup powdered sugar (113g), sifted

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine (7 g) I used Knox

• 35g ice water

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup (8 ounces) whipping cream, min 35% fat (250 ml), chilled

         Instructions

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let sit for 5 minutes. It should look like applesauce. Place in the microwave for 10 - 15  seconds to melt the gelatine 

2. Add the cream cheese to the mixer bowl and cream for 2 minutes to soften.

3. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

4. Take a small amount of the cream cheese mixture and add the gelatine - mix until smooth. Now add the mixture back into the mixer bowl and mix on medium low speed until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.

5. Change out the paddle for the whisk - scrape the paddle thoroughly.

6. Add the cream and start on low speed - and increase to speed to medium and then medium high.

 as the cream begins to thicken. Do not over whip. This takes about 2-3 minutes.

It should be thick and creamy but not be at icing consistency - it will thicken in the refrigerator.

1. Chill for a minimum of 20 minutes or overnight.

2. Soften with a spatula before using.

Red Velvet Cupcakes (Makes 10)

Equipment: 2 large bowls, whisk, spatula, scale, cupcake pan lined with paper liners, measuring cup with spout.

Ingredients:

142g vegetable oil

113g buttermilk

187g sugar

50g eggs (1 lg eggs)

1 tablespoons red food coloring

3g white vinegar

3g  vanilla

160g all purpose flour

3g  baking soda

1g  fine salt1

10g Dutch process cocoa

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oil, buttermilk, sugar, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.

In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment paper, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.

4. Add dry ingredients to the wet. Whisk until smooth but do not overmix

5. Transfer the cupcake batter to a large measuring  cup as it is easier to pour this batter than to scoop. Fill the prepared cupcake pans ¾ full. 6. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean. Mine took 23 minutes - I would check in 20 minutes and adjust. Cool completely before icing.