Ma Niche : Bake along

Showing posts with label Bake along. Show all posts

4.9.13

Rugelach

Until the other day when I saw Rugelach in the Bake Along schedule, I did not know what it was. On google-ing i gathered, Rugelach is is a Jewish cookie traditionally rolled in the form of a crescent... somewhat like a croissant. Though according to wiki, the yeast-leaved-sour-cream-dough versions are much older, it is the cream cheese dough-ed ones that pop up most when you look for Rugelach recipes. so i chose to bake my first batch of Rugelach with cream cheese dough following the recipe from The Kitchn.

The recipe was for 64 rugelach cookies and for a change I decided to make the full recipe.... partly because I wanted to try out the various fillings and partly because it is wonderful to have your freezer stuffed with goodies when you are expecting lots of visitors in the next few weeks... I filled the first fourth of the recipe with peanut butter and chocochips. while they tasted good, I did not like the way they looked. I had stuffed them too much causing the chocochips to peep from every which way (not a pretty sight)... so i postponed posting the recipe till i had my second batch ready. these i filled with apricot jam and a mixture of nuts and raisins. they were nice and light... and the flavor grew on us as we popped in more and more of them...my husband who isn't a big fan of apricot jam also liked it. in fact he had six in a row... and then said "these wil taste great with orange marmalade, hazelnut and chocochip filling .." I kind of agree with him on that. think i'll try that combo for the third batch...

now the recipe...

Rugelach Recipe Source: T he Kitchn
ingredients for the dough 2 cups flour 1/4 tspn salt 1 package (8 ounces) cold cream cheese, cubed 2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg yolk powdered sugar the fillings i tried Jam and dry fruit 3 tablespoons apricot jam mix of pistachio, walnuts, almonds, cashews, raisins Peanut Butter and Chocochip 1/4 cup peanut butter miniature chocochips milk or egg wash for glazing the method combine the flour and salt in a bowl. add the cream cheese and butter cubes over the flour and using your finger tips work up the added ingredients until the mixture becomes crumbly. alternatively, add the flour, salt, cheese and butter into the jar of your food processor and pulse a few times till the mixture becomes crumbly. now whisk the egg yolk and vanilla in a bowl and pour it over the flour mixture. then either using your hands your hands or the food processor work up the mixture until the dough starts to clump together. i kneaded it using the kneading attachment of the hand mixer and within a couple of minutes had a smooth nice dough. once the dough is ready, turn it into the counter, divide into 4 equal parts, shape each into a disc, wrap the discs in plastic and refrigerate for atleast 2 hours or up to 3 days. In case you do not plan to use the dough within the next 3 days, freeze it for up to 3 months (thaw in the refrigerator before using.) when ready to bake, sprinkle some powdered sugar on a sheet of parchment paper. take a disc of the dough from the refrigerator and leave it on the counter top for about 10 minutes. meanwhile prepare the filling as mentioned below. once the dough becomes soft enough to work with, place it between the sheet of parchment paper sprinkled with sugar and a plastic sheet and using the rolling pin roll it into a 1/8 inch thick disc. spread the filling evenly in a thin layer over the surface of the dough. if using a topping of nuts or chocochips, press them lightly into the dough so that they do not fall off when you begin to roll the dough into crescents. then using a pizza cutter or sharp knife slice the disc into 16 wedges and starting from the wide outer edge and moving inward roll each wedge into a crescent. now align the crescents on a baking sheet and refrigerate it for the next 20 minutes. meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and begin working on the next batch of rugelach. glaze the chilled cookies with milk or egg wash and bake them in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden-brown. let the baked cookies rest for 5 minutes before serving. the fillings: for the jam and dry fruit filling, warm the jam in the microwave till it liquefies about 35 seconds. set it aside to cool. pulse the dry fruits in a food processor or put it in a plastic bag and hammer the contents with rolling pin until they break into small pieces. to assemble, spread the jam on the rolled out dough and sprinkle the dried fruit on top. for the peanut butter and chocochip filling, warm the peanut butter in the microwave until it liquefies then spread it on the dough and sprinkle it with the chocolate chips. storage : the cookies can be kept in air-tight container at room temperature for about a week or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Rugelach
Recipe Source: T he Kitchn

ingredients

for the dough

2 cups flour
1/4 tspn salt
1 package (8 ounces) cold cream cheese, cubed
2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
powdered sugar

the fillings i tried

Jam and dry fruit

3 tablespoons apricot jam
mix of pistachio, walnuts, almonds, cashews, raisins

Peanut Butter and Chocochip

1/4 cup peanut butter
miniature chocochips

milk or egg wash for glazing

the method

combine the flour and salt in a bowl.
add the cream cheese and butter cubes over the flour and using your finger tips work up the added ingredients until the mixture becomes crumbly. alternatively, add the flour, salt, cheese and butter into the jar of your food processor and pulse a few times till the mixture becomes crumbly.
now whisk the egg yolk and vanilla in a bowl and pour it over the flour mixture. then either using your hands your hands or the food processor work up the mixture until the dough starts to clump together. i kneaded it using the kneading attachment of the hand mixer and within a couple of minutes had a smooth nice dough.
once the dough is ready, turn it into the counter, divide into 4 equal parts, shape each into a disc, wrap the discs in plastic and refrigerate for atleast 2 hours or up to 3 days. In case you do not plan to use the dough within the next 3 days, freeze it for up to 3 months (thaw in the refrigerator before using.)
when ready to bake, sprinkle some powdered sugar on a sheet of parchment paper. take a disc of the dough from the refrigerator and leave it on the counter top for about 10 minutes. meanwhile prepare the filling as mentioned below.
once the dough becomes soft enough to work with, place it between the sheet of parchment paper sprinkled with sugar and a plastic sheet and using the rolling pin roll it into a 1/8 inch thick disc.
spread the filling evenly in a thin layer over the surface of the dough. if using a topping of nuts or chocochips, press them lightly into the dough so that they do not fall off when you begin to roll the dough into crescents. then using a pizza cutter or sharp knife slice the disc into 16 wedges and starting from the wide outer edge and moving inward roll each wedge into a crescent.
now align the crescents on a baking sheet and refrigerate it for the next 20 minutes. meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and begin working on the next batch of rugelach.
glaze the chilled cookies with milk or egg wash and bake them in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden-brown.
let the baked cookies rest for 5 minutes before serving.

the fillings:

for the jam and dry fruit filling, warm the jam in the microwave till it liquefies about 35 seconds. set it aside to cool. pulse the dry fruits in a food processor or put it in a plastic bag and hammer the contents with rolling pin until they break into small pieces. to assemble, spread the jam on the rolled out dough and sprinkle the dried fruit on top.
for the peanut butter and chocochip filling, warm the peanut butter in the microwave until it liquefies then spread it on the dough and sprinkle it with the chocolate chips.

storage : the cookies can be kept in air-tight container at room temperature for about a week or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

It was nice to bake these lovely cookies along with Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, Lena from Frozen Wings, Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and the others who Bake Along with them... Looking forward to baking the Chocolate Cream Pound Cake next week. wouldn't you like to join ?

Sharing these at the following parties...

Monday Food : Made with Love Mondays, Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks, Meatless Monday @Veggie Mama's, Meatless Monday My Sweet and Savory, Just Another Meatless Monday @ Hey What's for Dinner Mom, Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Mop It Up Monday, Mealtime Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Maniac Monday Linky Party

Tuesday Food: Totally Tasty Tuesday @ Mandy's Recipe Box, Tasteful Tuesday Party @ Nap Time Creations, Show Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home, Hand Made Tuesday @ Ladybug Blessings, Share it Link Party @ Winthrop Chronicles, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop , Tasty Tuesday

Wednesday Food : What's Cooking Wednesday @ Confessions of Overworked Mom, Cast Party Wednesday @ Lady Behind the Curtain , Wednesday Whatsit @White Lights on , Show and Share @ Semi Homemade Mom, Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ Home Take 2, Seasonal Celebration @ Natural Mother's Network

Thursday Food: Link it Up Thursday @ Seven Alive, Creative Thursday @ Michelle's Tasty Creations, Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs, Thriving on Thursdays @ Domesblissity, Freedom Friday @ My Turn, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Friday Food: Foodie Friday @ Home Maid Simple, Friday Favorite (DYI too) @ Simple Sweet Home, Foodie Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm , Weekend Wonders @ The Thriftiness Miss, Friday Food Frenzy @ Mostly Food and Crafts , Weekend Potluck @ Sunflower Supper Club, The Weekend re-Treat @The Best Blog Recipes

13.8.13

Classic Cinnamon Rolls

I have had Cinnamon Rolls in my to-do list f-o-r-e-v-e-r and know what i made them last Sunday so that I would be prepared with my post on Wednesday for Bake Along. but life happened and couldn't quite squeeze out the time to write the post. so here it is for you today... the Classic Cinnamon Rolls that I Baked Along with Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, Lena from Frozen Wings and me, Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

Initially I had intended to follow the suggested recipe to the T... but half way through I changed my mind and made the few modifications. first of all I replaced 11/2 cups of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, added a pinch of ginger powder and an extra tablespoon of butter to the dough and kneaded it in the bread machine. secondly I used only half of the dough to make the cinnamon rolls. I baked a savory pull apart bread with the second half and that was delicious. more on the other bread tomorrow .. for now let talk about the cinnamon rolls...

well these were delicious. really..GOOD.. my husband couldn't stop praising them and reaching out for the next. neither could I. this recipe is certainly a keeper. will definitely be making them again when family or friends are visiting. it sure to please everyone..

Classic Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Source : Willams Sonama, Baking Book
ingredients for the dough 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water 1/2 cup plus 1 tsp granulated sugar 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast 2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour pinch of ginger powder 1/2 tsp sea salt 2 large egg yolks 1 cup (250 ml) warm whole milk for the filling (I reduced the quantities from the original recipe to half ) 3/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 cup raisins, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, drained, and squeezed dry - what i did in a bowl, i combined the warm water and 1 tsp granulated sugar. sprinkled it with the yeast and let stand for 2 mins. then i swirled the yeast-solution and let it stand until foamy, about 5 mins. in another large bowl, i combined the flours, the granulated sugar, the salt and powdered ginger. Poured in the yeast mixture, egg yolks, and warm milk in the flour and tried to knead the dough into a ball. but at this point things were getting difficult so i placed all the ingredients into the bread machine pan, added 1 tbsp butter to it and set the machine on dough-cycle. after about 10 minutes i added another tbsp of butter and let the cycle continue to completion. while the machine ran i mixed the 3/8 cup of the brown sugar with 2 tbsps of melted butter and the corn syrup to a smooth paste and spread the mixture over the bottom of a 9-inch pan. then in another small bowl i mixed the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon and kept it aside. once the dough cycle completed i punched it down, divided it into 2 equal portions, covered one with a plastic cling wrap while i worked on the other half. i rolled the other half into a 9 inch by 13 inch rectangle, brushed it with a tablespoon of melted butter, scattered the rolled dough with raisins, pressing them lightly in. i then sprinkled the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top and staring at one long edge rolled the dough into a cylinder. cutting the cylinder crosswise into 14 rounds, i arranged the dough rounds on the prepared 9-inch pan, covered it with a plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes. meanwhile i preheated the oven to 350 degrees F and once the dough rounds were ready i baked them in the preheated oven for 22 minutes, until they looked golden brown. i then let them cool down completely before serving. (according to the recipe i was suppose to invert the rolls over a wire rack and then pull off the rolls apart. but i didn't bother. it was just us and we happily skipped that step. )

Classic Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe Source : Willams Sonama, Baking Book

ingredients

for the dough

1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
pinch of ginger powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 large egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) warm whole milk

for the filling (I reduced the quantities from the original recipe to half )

3/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, drained, and squeezed dry

what i did

in a bowl, i combined the warm water and 1 tsp granulated sugar. sprinkled it with the yeast and let stand for 2 mins. then i swirled the yeast-solution and let it stand until foamy, about 5 mins.
in another large bowl, i combined the flours, the granulated sugar, the salt and powdered ginger. Poured in the yeast mixture, egg yolks, and warm milk in the flour and tried to knead the dough into a ball. but at this point things were getting difficult so i placed all the ingredients into the bread machine pan, added 1 tbsp butter to it and set the machine on dough-cycle. after about 10 minutes i added another tbsp of butter and let the cycle continue to completion.
while the machine ran i mixed the 3/8 cup of the brown sugar with 2 tbsps of melted butter and the corn syrup to a smooth paste and spread the mixture over the bottom of a 9-inch pan. then in another small bowl i mixed the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon and kept it aside.
once the dough cycle completed i punched it down, divided it into 2 equal portions, covered one with a plastic cling wrap while i worked on the other half.
i rolled the other half into a 9 inch by 13 inch rectangle, brushed it with a tablespoon of melted butter, scattered the rolled dough with raisins, pressing them lightly in. i then sprinkled the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top and staring at one long edge rolled the dough into a cylinder.
cutting the cylinder crosswise into 14 rounds, i arranged the dough rounds on the prepared 9-inch pan, covered it with a plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes.
meanwhile i preheated the oven to 350 degrees F and once the dough rounds were ready i baked them in the preheated oven for 22 minutes, until they looked golden brown.
i then let them cool down completely before serving. (according to the recipe i was suppose to invert the rolls over a wire rack and then pull off the rolls apart. but i didn't bother. it was just us and we happily skipped that step. )

It was fun to bake these along with the others...

check out their cinnamon rolls too and check back tomorrow for the savory pull-apart bread that i baked with the other half of the dough...

8.20.2013. update: in case you are interested, here is what i did with the other half of the dough.

These Rolls are being Yeastspotted.

Sharing these at the following parties...

25.7.13

Rum and Raisin Pear Buckle

Last night while hopping around the blogs, I landed on Bake for Happy Kids. In the sidebar I spotted that today was the in "Bake Along" they were baking Fruit Buckle. I was a little curious about what buckles were, so i googled and decided to bake along with them... and today i baked a Rum and Raisin Pear Buckle....

well, Rum & Raisin is my latest craze. I had planned a rum & raisin ice-cream today. since the ice-cream plan had to be delayed, i sneaked in some of that combination in the buckle. it worked really well. I used Angostura Trinida & Tobago Caribbean rum (aged 7 years) in the recipe. but i guess any dark rum will work. the pears poached in rum taste great by itself. in case you haven't tried the combination you should cook up some right away. you'll thank me for the recommendation !

In case fruit buckles are new to you too... here is what they are. They are a type of cake in which fruits are added to the batter and are topped with a struesel. now why are they called buckles ? well because, as the cake bakes, it tends to "buckle" around the fruits. i also gathered that originally blueberries were the star-fruits used to bake buckles... but as it turned out, rum-poached pears also taste wonderful nestled in the cake !

Rum and Raisin Pear Buckle
ingredients for the fruit 1 1/2 green D'Anjou Pears, sliced lengthwise 1 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsps sugar 4 tbsps rum 2-3 tbsps water zest of 1/2 lemon pinch of salt 3 tbsps golden raisins for the streusel 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 2 tbsp oats 2 tbsp brown sugar (plus more if you like) 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder for the cake batter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 3 1/2 oz evaporated milk 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream 1/3 cup sugar - what i did treating the fruit first i melted the butter in a saucepan, stirred in the sugar and added the pears. immediately afterwards i added the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and let the sliced pears poach in the liquid for 5 minutes. then switching off the heat i left the raisins in the liquid until they had plumped up a bit, about 30-45 minutes. for the struesel, i simply hand-mixed all the ingredients together and kept it aside. for the cake first i preheated the oven to 375 degrees F, lined a 6 inch springfoam pan with a parchment paper, then sifted the flour, salt and baking soda together and set it aside. next using the hand mixer i whipped the sugar with the butter until the mixture looked creamy. then added the evaporated milk and sour cream to the butter-sugar mixture and whisked till the mixture was well-combined. i then stirred the sifted flour-mixture to the butter mixture with a light hand until the flour got incorporated into the batter. then adding the soaked raisins in the batter, i poured it into the prepared springform pan, arranged the rum-poached pears on top of the batter in a circular pattern, spread the struesel on top of the pear and transferred the pan into the preheated oven and baked for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer inserted came out clean. - references Pear-Blackberry Buckle from Diana's Recipe Book Nectarine Brown Butter Buckle from Smitten Kitchen Poached Rum and Raisin Pears from Epicurious

Rum and Raisin Pear Buckle

ingredients

for the fruit

1 1/2 green D'Anjou Pears, sliced lengthwise
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsps sugar
4 tbsps rum
2-3 tbsps water
zest of 1/2 lemon
pinch of salt
3 tbsps golden raisins

for the streusel

3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp oats
2 tbsp brown sugar (plus more if you like)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg powder

for the cake batter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 1/2 oz evaporated milk
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup sugar

what i did

treating the fruit

first i melted the butter in a saucepan, stirred in the sugar and added the pears.
immediately afterwards i added the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and let the sliced pears poach in the liquid for 5 minutes.
then switching off the heat i left the raisins in the liquid until they had plumped up a bit, about 30-45 minutes.

for the struesel, i simply hand-mixed all the ingredients together and kept it aside.
for the cake

first i preheated the oven to 375 degrees F, lined a 6 inch springfoam pan with a parchment paper, then sifted the flour, salt and baking soda together and set it aside.
next using the hand mixer i whipped the sugar with the butter until the mixture looked creamy. then added the evaporated milk and sour cream to the butter-sugar mixture and whisked till the mixture was well-combined.
i then stirred the sifted flour-mixture to the butter mixture with a light hand until the flour got incorporated into the batter.
then adding the soaked raisins in the batter, i poured it into the prepared springform pan, arranged the rum-poached pears on top of the batter in a circular pattern, spread the struesel on top of the pear and transferred the pan into the preheated oven and baked for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer inserted came out clean.

references

Pear-Blackberry Buckle from Diana's Recipe Book
Nectarine Brown Butter Buckle from Smitten Kitchen
Poached Rum and Raisin Pears from Epicurious

all that said, I have a few concerns about the buckle. i think in trying to make the recipe eggless I might have overdone the oil in the cake. it oozed oil after being taken out off the oven. keeping that in mind, i think, replacing the sour cream with Greek yogurt might be a good idea. also the crumb could use a little less butter, perhaps two tablespoons instead of three...

so much for today. Baking this along with Joe of Bake for Happy Kids, Joyce of Kitchen Flavours, and Lena of Frozen wings, the three three baker-teers behind Bake Along....

also check out what the others have baked....

Also sharing this at the following weekly parties....

Ma Niche

Pages

4.9.13

Rugelach

13.8.13

Classic Cinnamon Rolls

25.7.13

Rum and Raisin Pear Buckle

Like us

Printfriendly

.