The August challenge, and my first, from Fresh From the Oven was to make a whole wheat walnut bread.   Like the Daring Bakers, Fresh From the Oven has a new challenge, hosted by one of its members, every month.    For July our host was Sarah from Simply Cooked who chose her recipe from The Neighborhood Bakeshop by Jill Van Cleave.

After some sourdough mishaps, I feel I have lost confidence in my bread making abilities, and am delighted to have joined Fresh From the Oven, and to have the nudge to make bread once a month and am looking forward to building my skills.

I pretty much followed Sarah’s recipe to the letter, but, my sponge starter was made with 50% white / 50% whole wheat flour, and I was out of walnuts and so used pecans instead.  I really like the sponger starter method, and will be using it again as I think that it gives far more flavour and hit of sourdough character to the loaf.   

Whole Wheat Walnut Bread
adapted from The Neighborhood Bakeshop by Jill Van Cleave
makes 2 loaves

1 t active dry yeast, divided
2 c (500 ml) lukewarm water (95 – 110F, 35 – 45C), divided
3 c (380 g) plain bread flour, divided
1 T honey
1 T olive or walnut oil
1 1/2 c (180 g) stone-ground whole wheat flour
1/4 c (40 g) semolina flour, oat flour, or more whole wheat flour
1 t sea salt
1 1/2 c (175 g) coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

First prepare the sponge starter. Dissolve 1/2 t yeast in 1 c (250 ml) lukewarm water in a medium bowl. Let proof until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 c (190 g) bread flour and stir until a thick batter forms. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature to rise and bubble for 6 to 8 hours. The starter is ready to use now or can be put in the fridge overnight. (Bring it back to room temperature before using.)

Dissolve the remaining 1/2 t yeast with the 1 c (250 ml) lukewarm water in a large bowl. Let proof for about 5 minutes.
Add the sponge starter and mix well. Stir in the honey, oil, whole wheat flour, semolina flour or oat flour (if using), and salt.
Add 1 1/4 c (160 g) of the remaining bread flour gradually to form a stiff dough.
Add the walnuts.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for ten minutes, adding as much of the reserved flour as needed to keep it from being too sticky. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Grease the bowl and return the dough, turning it to coat it in oil. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until it is doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Divide the dough into two pieces and form into loaves. Place on a baking pan and leave them to rise again, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 400 F/205 C for 30 to 40 minutes, until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Cool on a wire rack.

Ready for the Oven

Delicious.   We had several slices warm with butter, the rest will be for breakfast tomorrow and the second loaf will be sliced and squeezed into the freezer.

Many thanks to Sarah for an excellent challenge and I am looking forward to seeing what August brings.

It seems that the entire world has gone mad for matcha, and  once again I am late to the culinary bandwagon.   Last week I visited the Mind Apples pop-up health farm, then went to the Japan Centre for some of their splendid (and very affordable) sushi and spied lots of matcha.   I remembered reading about  Matcha Madness Month on Catty’s blog and decided that it was time to get some fuss free matcha madness in my kitchen.     Bewildered by the choice of matchas on offer I choose a 10g pouch for £2.

For those not in the know, matcha is finely ground Japanese green tea.    It is made from tencha, which is stoneground to a bright green talc like powder.   It is fairly labour intensive process, taking up to an hour to grind 30g.  The tea bushes are covered for several weeks before harvest; the shade slows down growth, resulting in darker leaves and more amino acids giving a more intense flavour.    Matcha is packed full of all sorts of things that are good for you; antioxidants, betacarotene and vitamins A, B & C.  And matcha is also delicious, like green tea, but more intense and sweeter in flavour.

When I bake there is a high chance that I will make muffins, and my first foray with matcha is no exception.  I used Kara coconut milk which added a hint of coconut flavour, but any milk (dairy or non dairy) would work here.    My full muffin method is here, if you eat eggs throw one in with wet ingredients, if not, leave it out.   I did not measure the buttercream ingredients – too much buttercream is not a bad thing and is delicious straight from the bowl!

Matcha Muffins (Makes 4)

For the muffins

“Dry” Ingredients
4.5oz plain flour
1.5oz  sugar
1 heaped tsp matcha powder
1tsp baking power
pinch salt

“Wet” Ingredients
4.5oz  Kara coconut milk
1.5oz  sunflower oil

Whisk the oil and milk mixture with a fork.   Mix the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in your favourite muffin pan for 20 – 25 mins until risen.

For the buttercream

1 tsp butter or non diary spread
1 tsp milk (I used Kara)
1 tsp  matcha powder
About 4 heaped tbs icing sugar

Beat the butter & milk together for a minute with an electric mixer, add the matcha and icing sugar and beat for at least 5 minutes until fluffy.   You may need to add more liquid or icing sugar.   Too much frosting cannot be a bad thing! Wait until the muffins are cold before frosting them.

This week’s Blogger Secret Ingredient is hosted by Jenn who is responsible for the wonderful Jenn Cuisine,  she has choosen honey as her secret ingredient.

For my submission I wanted to make a springtime deeply feminine cake, with spelt flower and almonds, sweetened with honey and flavoured with orange blossom water.   I would have liked few drops of pink food colouring in the frosting to make it even more spring like, girlie and carefree!

Having written the post I discovered that sadly the cake is utterly horrible – with a nasty bitter aftertaste.    If anyone has any ideas why please let me know.     At least the frosting is nice – I do recommend a bowlful and a spoon!  I still really like the idea of a apricot and orange blossom cake, I shall try again without the nuts and honey.

Honey, Apricot & Orange Blossom Cake (serves 6)

Dry Ingredients
4oz / 100g spelt flour
2oz / 50g ground almonds
pinch salt
1 tsp baking powder
6 or so dried apricots chopped up small

Wet Ingredients
2oz / 50g  honey
2oz / 50g sunflower oil
40z / 100g milk – I used soy milk
1/2 tsp orange blossom water

Give the wet ingredients a good whisk to dissolve the honey, throughly mix the dry.    Pour the wet into the dry fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in a linied 6″ / 15cm cake tin for 20 – 25 mins until risen (when a tooth pick poked into the middle comes out clean it is done).   Leave for a few minutes, turn out (I find cakes made from spelt are very crumbly so be gentle) and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
1 oz / 25 g butter or diary free spread
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp orange blossom water
4oz  / 100g icing sugar

Place all ingredients into a pudding basin and mix for a good few minutes with an electric beater until light and fluffy.   You may need to add a little more icing sugar or a drop more orange blossom water.

Frost cake, and decorate with a few nuts.

I have only recently discovered Blogger Secret Ingredient and have not managed to take part in the last 2 challenges.   However I am well prepared for this week which is cashews and is hosted by Aubree Cherie from Living Free.    For those not familiar with BSI it was set up by Biz at Biggest Diabetic Loser. Every week the host picks an ingredient and a prize, posts the summary and picks the winner and next week’s host on the Sunday.     I have no idea why I have not discovered the event before and am delighted to be joining in now.

This week the ingredient is cashews and I have reworked my oaty biscuit recipe to include them, chewy cranberries give contrast to the crisp biscuits and look like jewels baked into the biscuit.

Cashew and Cranberry Oaty Biscuits (makes about 20)

Wet Ingredients
4oz soft margarine
3oz sugar (I used half white and half Demerara)
1 tbs golden syrup (Fuss Free tip – run hot water over the spoon you use for the syrup – it will then easily slide off)

Dry Ingredients
4oz porridge oats
4oz plain flour
1oz unsalted cashews – broken into pieces
1oz dried cranberries – roughly chopped
1tsp baking powder
Pinch salt

Weigh the wet ingredients into a saucepan and melt on a low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile mix all the dry ingredients well into a bowl. When the margarine is melted stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly. If necessary add more oats until you have a firm and not sticky dough.

Place walnut sized balls of the dough on a greaseproof paper covered baking tray and flatten slightly; allow room to spread – the baked biscuits will be around 2 ½” (6cm) across. Bake at GM4/350F/180C for 10- 15mins or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly and firm up before peeling from the paper before leaving to cool on a wire rack.

These should keep a week in an airtight tin, but I usually never have any left after a few days.

I have not seen my friend Sue for seemingly eons, so I texted her yesterday and asked her over for brunch.   She is having a work crisis but said she would love to pop by for an hour.   As she is a self confessed chocoholic I designed these muffins just for her.

These follow my usual muffin recipe;  but in these the orange zest reacts with the baking powder when you mix the wet and dry ingredients together giving the batter a fluffy almost moussy consistency.     We scoffed these when they were still warm, enjoying the still molten chocolate chips.   The photos are not going to win me any prizes, obviously we were keen to eat them as soon as possible.

Double Chocolate Cranberry and Orange Muffins (makes 4 medium muffins)

“Dry” Ingredients
4.5oz plain flour
1.5oz  sugar
0.5oz cocoa powder
Finely Grated zest of one small orange
1 Large tbs chocolate chips
1 tbs cranberries (I snipped the larger ones in half)
1tsp baking power
pinch salt

“Wet” Ingredients
4.5oz  milk (I use soy)
1.5oz  sunflower oil

Whisk the oil and milk mixture with a fork.   Mix the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in your favourite muffin pan for 20 – 25 mins until risen.

Madhuram of Egg Less Cooking is challenging us to “Bake anything egg less using one or more of the whole grain forms of quinoa (whole quinoa, whole grain quinoa flour, quinoa flakes, quinoa cereal, etc).“  As I have  a) not taken part in a foodblogging event for ages and b) bake almost everything without eggs  I was keen to take part.   The obvious thing for me to make was, of course, muffins!      Muffins are one of my favourite things to bake and are a weekend breakfast tradition.

I used whole quinoa which I soaked overnight in apple juice then followed my usual vegan muffin recipe.   When baked the quinoa retained a some texture and crunch, the muffins were OK – far better with some jam and I want to try them again with some modifications.

Quinoa and Banana Muffins (makes 6)

“Dry” Ingredients
1 oz / 25g quinoa – soaked overnight in 3fl oz / 75ml apple juice
4.5oz / 110g plain flour
1.5oz / 35g sugar
1tsp baking power
pinch salt

“Wet” Ingredients
5oz / 125ml apple juice and milk*
1oz / 25ml sunflower oil
1 banana

Whizz the wet ingredients together using a stick blender.  Mix the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in your favourite muffin pan for 20 – 25 mins until risen and dark golden.

These were far better with some fig jam.

* I used the remainder of the apple juice that the quinoa had been soaking in, made up to volume with soy milk.

Notes: I was not ecstatic with these.   I think that next time they need a little more oil, a different sugar to plain granulated and would benefit with some dried fruit or nuts.   I really liked the texture of the quinoa which I think would be lost if I used it pre cooked rather than soaked.

Many thanks to Madhuram for hosting and I am looking forward to seeing the round up!

We have a tradition of having muffins for breakfast on weekend mornings.   Based on my basic muffin recipe these are easy to whip up first thing in the morning.   Using a mixture of spelt and wheat flour makes the muffins more cake like (if you do not have spelt flour use all plain flour), the bran provides a good measure of fiber.   Using soft dark brown sugar and leaving it slightly lumpy will produce caramelised specks in the baked muffins.

Spiced Apple Bran Muffins (Makes 6 medium muffins)

Dry Ingredients
4 ½oz flour (I used half plain and half wholemeal spelt)
1 ½oz soft dark brown sugar
1tsp baking powder
½tsp  ground all spice
½tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt
1 grated apple

Wet Ingredients
4 ½oz milk (diary or non diary)
1 ½oz sunflower oil

Mix the dry ingredients well so each piece of apple is coated and not sticking ot the others, whisk the wet.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in your favourite muffin pan for 20 – 25 mins until risen and dark golden.

I am have always been one to jump late onto any bandwagon and this is no exception.    3 years ago a recipe for the no knead bread (adapted from Jim Lahey,  Sullivan Street Bakery) appeared and it took the food blog world by storm with seemingly everyone making it, blogging about it and even stealing each others blog posts.

The recipe is the easiest in the world, simply mix flour, yeast, salt and water, leave to rise for 12 – 14 hours, knock back and leave for another few hours and cook in a preheated casserole dish.  I was highly skeptical it would work; and I posted a string of tweets to this effect, but I was proved totally wrong and was very very nicely surprised with my crusty, delicious loaf

I urge everyone to go and mix flour, water and yeast to make a loaf tomorrow, unless you made one 3 years ago along with everyone else, in which case it’s probably time to make another.

We have a tradition of having muffins for breakfast at weekends which has been neglected for some months and I was missing my muffins; so I resolved to make some this morning.    It is now November and a murky, wet, grey morning so a warming, spiced muffin was required and there was a lonely sweet potato in the bottom of the fridge that needed using up which made its way into the muffin.

These were perfect for this morning with coffee, warming and delicious.   My sugar had got slightly damp and I did not sieve all the lumps out which left partially caramalised little pockets of sugar throughout the muffins adding to the deliciousness!

I have my basic muffin formula down to a fine art  – equal weights of wet and dry ingredients with an optional* egg if you a) are in the mood, b) have any or c) eat them.     I find that I can generally add about up to half as much again of any other ingredient can be added to the batter without tweaking the amounts of wet and dry ingredients as long as your extra ingredient has approximately the same consistency and wetness as plain muffin batter.

*I am generally a huge fan of baking (and mainly eating) vegan as it suits me, is better for the environment and what can be better than being able to bake with no notice without needing any fresh ingredients?

Spiced Sweet Potato Muffins (makes 6 small muffins)

Dry Ingredients
4 ½oz flour (I used half plain and half wholemeal spelt)
1 ½oz soft dark brown sugar
1tsp baking powder
½tsp  ground all spice
½tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt

Wet Ingredients
4 ½oz milk (diary or non diary)
1 ½oz sunflower oil
3 oz mashed sweet potato

Fisrt make your mashed sweet potato – I peeled mine and put in a bowl with a little water and microwaved for 3 mins and then mashed with a fork.   Mix the dry ingredients, mix the wet (I blitzed with a stick blender).  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in your favourite muffin pan for 20 – 25 mins until risen and dark golden.

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

It seems like I am constantly playing Daring Bakers / Cooks catch up so yet again I am a few days late.  Apologies once again to the lovely Daring Bakers hosts who tirelessly host these challenges.

I was delighted to see that the challenge was for Apple Strudel, something that I have never made before, and something that; compared to some of the more indulgent challenges is relatively healthy – even counting towards my 5 a day!

I actually found this a very easy challenge to make, I was suprised at how easy I found the stretching of the dough to be (I worked on a large tea towel which I could rotate on the work surface).  For my filling (I had run out of bread to make crumbs from) I used a layer of  homemade apple butter (if you have not made this then I higly recommend it as it is delicious) topped wtih a layer of bramley apples that had been tossed in a demerara sugar and cinnamon.   

This is definately on my to cook again list – I can see an apple and mixed berry strudel for autumn or an apple and ginny damson strudel to use up the damson gin damsons!

Having just posted the full recipe I have realised that I somehow managed to leave out the vinegar from the strudel dough!

Many thanks to Linda and Courtney for choosing and hosting a great challenge.

The full recipe is below:

Preparation time
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes

15-20 min to make dough
30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling
20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough
10 min to fill and roll dough
30 min to bake
30 min to cool

Apple strudel
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.

3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.

4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it’s about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.