Posts Tagged pastry

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

“Put this in your oven and bake it”

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

  • 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp yeast (rapid rise)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp butter
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg
  • melted butter (for brushing top)

For swirl

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons cinnamon

In the bowl of a mixer, combine yeast and sugar.  In a saucepan, heat milk, butter and salt over low heat until butter melts 49-55°C  Slowly pour liquid into yeast and sugar. Stir and allow to rest for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer on low and add flour 1/2 cup at a time.  Midway through the addition of the flour, stop the mixer, scrape down bowl and incorporate an egg thoroughly.

Finish adding the flour and continue beating dough until soft and elastic, about 3-4 minutes in the mixer. For best results, the dough should be a little sticky. Handle dough with oiled hands to pull from the hook. Stretch and turn the dough in your hands. If kneading, turn and stretch dough on a floured board for 6-8 minutes.  Form dough in to a ball. Place ball into an oiled bowl. Cover, first with plastic wrap, then with a towel. Allow to raise until doubled in size (1-1.5hours).

Bread Raising Tip : Allow dough to rise in a comfortable, draft free location. With the oven turned OFF, place a steaming bowl of water on the bottom rack of the oven. Then, place the covered dough on the top rack of the oven. This creates the moist environment and comfortable temperature dough loves.

After dough has doubled in size, punch down, reform into a ball and allow to raise another 30 minutes, until doubled in size again. Punch down, knead and form dough into a rectangle.

When stretched and formed to the desired size, brush dough with water and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.  Roll up, tucking and stretching the dough into a spiral loaf. Tuck and pinch the ends.

Place into a lightly oiled loaf pan, seam side down. Cover and allow to raise another 30 minutes.  Loaf should puff and almost fill the pan. For a spilt-top look, use a butter knife and make an indentation into the top of the loaf. Do not slice into the dough.

Brush the top of the loaf with melted butter and bake in a 180°C oven for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Note : Follow the link to the original recipe, averagebetty.com is a fantastic site with great recipes, and they’ve done a phenomenal job with a step by step photo explanation of how to make this recipe.

Source : AverageBetty.com

Servings/Yield : Makes one loaf

Rating : Hasn’t been tested yet

Difficulty : Moderately Easy

Course : Dessert

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Steak and Ale Pie

steakalepie

“Beer helps to tenderise the beef and imparts a delicious flavour”

Season the flour to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the beef in the flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the steak in batches over a high heat until browned on all sides. Transfer the steak to a large saucepan.

Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring frequently.

Transfer the onion and mushrooms to the saucepan along with the stock, ale, bay leaf, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato puree. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish. Reserve 150ml (5fl oz) of the gravy and pour the rest over the meat mixture. Leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm and 5cm larger all round than the dish. Cut a 2cm strip from around the pastry, brush the rim of the dish with water, and place the strip on the rim. Brush with water. Place the pastry over the dish and press the pastry edges together to seal; trim off the excess with a knife.

Crimp the pastry edge. Use the pastry trimmings to decorate, if liked. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and make a hole in the middle for steam to escape. Place on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and dark golden. Serve immediately, with the reserved gravy served separately.

Notes : Prepare ahead : Make the filling up to 24 hours ahead and keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to make the pie.

Source : 1000 Recipes : Page 332 (aka. The Cooking Book)

Servings/Yield : 4 servings

Rating : 4 out of 5

Preparation Times : Prep: 20 Minutes Cook: 2 Hours 15 Minutes

Special Equipment : 9in (23cm) pie dish

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