Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases

BASIC WHITE BREAD LOAVES RECIPE: TWD Baking with Julia — Julia Child That is!

This easy WHITE BREAD RECIPE comes from the cookbook "Baking with Julia" (Child) by Dorie Greenspan, and is the very first Tuesday's with Dorie recipe... the second edition!

Some of you may remember me baking along with this group a few years ago way back in March 2008. WOW! Has it really been that long? I had to take some time out to write a cookbook for Penguin Publishing—an Idiot's Guide at that! (Yes, I know. It was a shamelss plug!)

I figured I was ready to get back to baking with the Tuesday's with Dorie group again, until I found out they were done with the book "Baking: From My Home to Yours." They spent the last 4 years baking through that cookbook!

That's OK though. They were starting up a brand new group baking out of the new cookbook, "Baking with Julia." If you don't already have the cookbook, I strongly urge you to buy one for yourself. It's a huge, heavy, and pricey hardcover cookbook, but totally worth it! See all the TWD recipes I made in the past here.

White Rolls and Nutella Buns

Since I didn't need two large loaves of bread right now, I decided to make nice soft white rolls out of the dough instead of big loaves this time around. This worked out perfectly as I made them on Super Bowl Sunday and we used them for little sandwiches. Check out the Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Sticky Buns we made with the other half of the dough!

OK, I should confess here. John helped me make the dough. We have a shiny new KitchenAid mixer, and he wanted to be the first one to try it out by making bread dough. Besides our son John, BIG John has always been the best bread maker in the family, so I let him have his fun! I should also tell you something else while I'm at it. I'm using my cell phone camera for these shots. I apologize for the way they came out. Although I've had the phone since August, I'm still getting used to the camera. I should go back to taking photos with my good camera! Anyhoo...

The dough came together nicely, rose nicely, and baked nicely. John was totally impressed with his buns! The finished rolls were soft and tasted good, and although I'd rather have a little more taste, I think it's a good choice for an everyday bread. (I might add a pinch more salt the next time.)

Thanks to Laurie and Jules for hosting the first TWD: Baking with Julia recipe! Because Dorie would never sell any cookbooks if we ALL posted the recipe each time, the honor of posting that week's recipe will fall to the host. You can find the recipe on Jules' blog, Someone's in the Kitchen.

WORLD NUTELLA DAY 2012: Chocolate Hazelnut Sticky Buns Recipe

Celebrate World Nutella Day with Nutella Chocolate Fudge Brownies, Nutella S'mores, Nutella Hot Fudge Pudding Cake, and Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Sticky Buns—my latest concoction!

World Nutella Day 2012 fell on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5th. Since I wasn't able to participate last year, I decided to try and whip something up this time. The timing couldn't have been better as it also fell on the day I was baking the first recipe with  Tuesday's with Dorie, so I was in the baking mode! The cookbook the group is using for the first recipe is "Baking with Julia" by Dorie Greenspan, but that's another story coming tomorrow!

 What is World Nutella Day?

World Nutella Day is a day set aside every year to celebrate and enjoy eating Nutella. You know the stuff! The silky smooth and sinfully sweet chocolate hazelnut spread that's a narcotic to some people—something that can't be stopped!

According to NutellaDay.com, "World Nutella Day was created in 2007 when Sara Rosso, an American blogger living in Italy, thought that there were many days in the year but no day set aside to appreciate Nutella." Sara then recruited a few friends to join in the fun, and Nutella Day was born.

This is from their site, "Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso solemnly declare Sunday, February 5th “World Nutella Day 2012? – a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to EAT Nutella."

Follow along with the World Nutella Day Community

• Check out the action at the World Nutella Day Fan Page on Facebook!
• Follow their Twitter stream @nutelladay for updates and follow & use the Twitter hashtag #nutelladay to participate!
  
• Get creative with more than 700 Nutella recipes
• Drool at Nutella food p*rn in the World Nutella Day Flickr Pool
• New to Nutella? Learn what the fuss is about

 

Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Sticky Buns Recipe

I used the remaining dough for White Loaves (page 81-82) in the Tuesday's with Dorie recipe yesterday. They came out very good for an everyday sweet treat. I would definitely use the dough again for these Nutella Sticky Buns, although I would rather use my own sweet dough for these delicious gems.

Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Sticky Buns Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup pure Vermont syrup
• 1 Tablespoon liquid or granular soy lecithin, optional
• 1 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 Tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Nutella
  

Directions:

Using the ingredients listed above, continue to follow the directions for my Maple Cinnamon Rolls: Soft Homemade Sticky Buns with Icing on Suite101. Unfortunately, Suite's one year copyright prevents me from including the entire recipe right now.

Leave out the cinnamon in the Suite101 recipe and also in the Sticky Goo ingredients... unless of course you love cinnamon, in which case you should definitely try it! Follow the rest of the directions and you'll have about 10-12 of the best and sweetest Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Sticky Buns ever!

 

Easter Recipes: Hot Cross Buns for Good Friday and Easter Sunday

HOT CROSS BUNS for Good Friday: Soft, homemade hot cross buns with butter, vanilla, golden raisins, candied fruit and a touch of cardomon. The cross made of lemon scented icing makes them even more delicious!
 
History of Hot Cross Buns: What Does it Mean?

Hot Cross Buns do have Christian roots. "In many historically Christian countries, the buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. They are believed by some to pre-date Christianity, although the first recorded use of the term "hot cross bun" is not until 1733," according to Wikipedia.

Hot Cross Buns Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 ounces butter (1 stick), melted
• 1/4 cup vanilla
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamon
• 8-9 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup golden raisins or currants
• 1/2 cup candied fruit, optional

Glaze

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• Mix and heat in small saucepan until hot. Remove and set aside.

Hot Cross Bun Icing

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1-2 Tablespoons milk
• Mix in a small bowl until smooth and free of any lumps.

How To Make Hot Cross Buns

1. Heat milk in a small pan until it reaches 105 degrees F, or it feels lukewarm to warm. Remove from heat. Sprinkle yeast over the milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix milk, yeast and sugar on low speed for about a minute.
3. Add the butter, vanilla, water, eggs, salt, nutmeg and cardomon and mix again.
4. With mixer on low speed, add 4 cups of flour and mix. Add raisins, currants and/or candied fruit. Mix again. Add remaining flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated.
5. Turn mixer to medium and continue mixing until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. The dough is done when it starts to ride the dough hook to the top. The dough will be sticky st this point.If you feel it is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
6. Turn dough out into a greased or oiled bowl. Flip it over and cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm location until the dough doubles its size.
7. Punch the dough down and turn out onto a floured counter.
8. Divide the dough, and form it into approximately 30 - 36 balls, depending on the size. Place them in an oiled baking pan, and cover loosely with a towel. Set aside in a warm draft-free spot until hot cross buns double in size. This will take between 45 - 90 minutes depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
9. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
10. When dough is doubled in size, put them on a middle rack in the oven and bake for  between 52-35 minutes, depending on size. The hot cross buns will be done when the tops are golden brown.
11. Remove the buns from the oven and brush them with the glaze. Let cool before decorating the hot cross buns with icing.
12. To decorate hot cross buns, put icing in a pastry bag with a large round or flat tip, and make the sign of the cross.
13. Let icing firm up before wrapping loosely with plastic.
14. Makes 30-36 hot cross buns. Hot cross buns can be frozen.

Check Out These Recipe Collections for Easter!

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• Easter Brunch Recipes & Ideas - Over 20 recipes for brunch!
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Originally Posted on Examiner.com

VEGAN Baking Recipes: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Baking

You don't have to be on a vegan diet to enjoy these vegan baking recipes. Vegan Red Velvet Cake and Cupcakes Recipe and Vegan Cheesecake are just a few of the delicious vegan recipes in this brand new cookbook.

Save $5.90 by pre-ordering from Amazon, and Barnes & Noble now for only $11.05.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Baking is due to hit the book store shelves on April 5th, and Amazon will send the books the day it's released. It's also available in the Kindle edition for $9.99.

I received my two author's copies in the mail last week from the publisher and have been totally excited ever since. I still can't believe I'm holding the book in my hands after 14 months. It seems like yesterday!

Order from Amazon here
Order from Borders here
Order from Barnes & Noble here

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Zeppole for St Joseph's Day March 19: Felicia's Coffee, Rhode Island

 

Saint Joseph's Day is Saturday, March 19, 2011, but you don't have to wait until the Feast of St. Joseph to feast on Felicia's awesome Zeppole. They're available right now and for the rest of the week. This East Greenwich, Rhode Island coffee house/bakery is located at 5757 Post Road right next to the East Greenwich post office.

 
 

Felicia's luscious Zeppole are to die for. I'm sure these "Belly Bombs" aren't low-calorie, but it doesn't matter, it's not like you eat them every day. In fact, they're only available in certain bakeries around St Joseph's Day. Interestingly, this Italian holiday falls two days after the Irish holiday of St Patrick's Day on March 17th, which makes March a very tasty month! Don't forget we also had Mardi Gras at the beginning of the month to add to the feasting.

I have lots of Zeppole favorites around the tiny state of Rhode Island, but Felicia's Coffee makes the most humongous Zeppole I've ever seen. One of these tender pastries is enough to keep you full all day. At a recent visit, we sat down in the cozy East Greenwich coffee shop with a zeppola each and our favorite iced coffee. By the way, Felicia's Coffee is called Felicia's Coffee because they also have the best flavored roasted coffee beans.



Don't let the $3.99 price tag scare you off. Like I said, Felicia's Zeppole are huge. A box of four set me back $15.96, but it was the sweetest money I spent all week. After both of us eating one each, there's still two in the box for tomorrow.

Felicia's says, "of course our famous giant zeppoles are baked, never fried, made from scratch here in our kitchen with the freshest dairy cream, milk, eggs and cheese."

A word of warning... call in your Zeppole order ahead of time. They go like hotcakes and you risk them selling out before you get there. When you get there, have a seat near the fireplace, or if it's warm outside, sit at one of their outdoor tables. Felicia's is worth the drive.

 

 Felicia's Zeppole Flavor Choices

• The Classic - Delicious homemade boiled cream
• The Italian - Blended with ricotta, sweet cheese and golden rum
• Felicia's Blend - Fresh whipped with Felicia's Coffee Blend (this is my favorite)
• The Cream Puff - Sweet vanilla whipped cream
• Lucky Charm - Our own sweet Irish Cream
• Pumpkin - Pumpkin pastry cream

 

Felicia's Coffee

5757 Post Road
East Greenwich, RI 02818
401-886-4141

More Zeppole Articles

• Zeppole for St. Joseph's Day
• St. Joseph's Day 2010: Zeppole cause traffic jams
• St. Joseph's Zeppole on St. Patrick's Day? Baileys Irish Cream Italian Pastries
  
   

Lot's of St Patrick's Day Recipes!

• Last Minute St. Patrick's Day Recipes
  
• Healthy Irish Soda Bread Recipe
  
• Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe 
  
• Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake Recipe
  
• Homemade Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur Recipe
  
• White Chocolate Baileys Irish Cream Mousse Pie Recipe

IRISH SODA BREAD RECIPE: St. Patrick's Day Recipes for Irish Leprechauns

Looking for Irish recipes for Saint Patrick's Day 2011? You're in luck! While many people are looking for corned beef and cabbage recipes, St Patty's Day is also known for its Irish Soda Bread and Bailey's Irish Cream.

The "green" holiday falls on Thursday, March 17 this year, which means you can wear green to work or school, or when looking for your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Because the Irish holiday falls on a weekday, you may not even want to cook or bake. That's when you get in the car and head to your local Irish pub for  some yummy corned beef and cabbage and a pint of Guinness. And while you're out, stop by the bakery and pick up a loaf of Irish Soda Bread!

Irish Soda Bread Recipe

• 7 to 7 1/2 cups Unbleached white flour, sifted
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 3 Tbsp Caraway seeds, optional
• 6 Tbsp Cold Butter (3/4 stick)
• 2 1/2 cups Raisins, Currants and/or Golden Raisins
• 1 3/4 cup Buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 2 large Eggs   
• 2 tsp Baking Soda 
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 Tbsp milk or cream

How To Make Irish Soda Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with vegetable spray.
3. Sift flour into a large bowl and add sugar, salt, baking powder and caraway seeds.
4. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until it looks like peas. You can also rub the butter into the flour with the palms of your hands. Keep your hands full of flour and with the butter in the middle, work it into what looks like small peas. Mix in raisins and set aside.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream and eggs. Add baking soda and mix.
6. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together. Working with your hands, pull up all the dry ingredients from the bottom of the bowl and mix just enough to make sure all the dry ingredients are blended with the wet.
7. Work the dough as little as possible. Add more flour if necessary to keep it from being sticky. The dough is ready when it holds together and and can be shaped.
8. Divide into 3 or 4 round loaves and place on baking sheet. Do not flatten loaves. Brush with the yolk and cream mixture.
9. Using a sharp knife, cut an X into the top of each loaf.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and knife comes out clean.
11. Makes 3-4 loaves!

This recipe can also be made with a KitchenAid mixer, but you have to be real careful that you don't overwork the dough.

Lot's of Irish Recipes!

• Last Minute St. Patrick's Day Recipes
  
• Healthy Irish Soda Bread Recipe
  
• Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe 
  
• Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake Recipe
  
• Homemade Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur Recipe
  
• White Chocolate Baileys Irish Cream Mousse Pie Recipe

Recipe originally posted on Examiner.com

National Pancake Day 2011: IHOP Free Pancake Day on March 1, 2011

Celebrate National Pancake Day with free pancakes at IHOP, or make your own German Pancake Recipe. Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras aren't until Tuesday, March 8th even though you might think they're all on this year's National Pancake Day.

"Join IHOP on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 7:00 am - 10:00 pm, for National Pancake Day and receive one complimentary short stack! In return for the free flapjacks, we ask you to consider leaving a little something behind for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other designated local charities. Thanks to our guests' generosity, IHOP raised more than $2.1 million last year. IHOP began its National Pancake Day in 2006, and since then, has raised $5.35 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities and given away more than 10.1 million buttermilk pancakes."

Anyway... drive to your local IHOP Restaurant and get a free one-stack plate of buttermilk pancakes today. If you can't make it in for breakfast or lunch, there's always pancakes for supper at IHOP! Looking for the IHOP restaurant closest to you? Click here for a list of local IHOP locations.

 

Awesome Pancake and Breakfast Recipes

• Oma's German Pancake Recipe
• Overnight Baked French Toast Recipe
  
• Overnight Strata Breakfast Casserole Recipe
• Amish Baked Oatmeal Recipe
• Bacon & Cheese Strata Recipe

 

St. Patrick's Day Recipes For The Irish In All Of Us!

 

 
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Rumor has it "There's a little Irish in all of us." Irish Soda Bread Recipe, Homemade Baileys Irish Cream, White Chocolate Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake, Baileys Irish Cream Mousse Pie, and even a Healthy Irish Soda Bread Recipe will tempt you into kissing the Blarney Stone early. There's no need to wait until March 17th to celebrate St.Patty's Day. Do it now, and party all month!

I'm Irish, what can I say? We love to party and eat good food. The St. Patrick's Day recipes below are my own creations that we've made and eaten over many years in the bakery and at home. You don't have to be Irish to love their food. Any time of the year is a good time to be Irish! Enjoy the holiday early and often. St. Paddy would be proud!

 

 

St. Patrick's Day Recipes

• Irish Soda Bread - You can't celebrate St. Patrick's Day without a slice of traditional Irish Soda Bread. Have it for breakfast with a cup of Irish Breakfast Tea.
• Healthy Irish Soda Bread - Looking for a healthier Irish Soda Bread? This delicious bread is made with honey and King Arthur's Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour. Add some raisins or get crazy with craisins, and have a slice with honey!
• White Chocolate Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake - Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with an over-the-top, ultra-rich White Chocolate Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake baked in an Oreo Cookie crust! Sounds simply decadent doesn't it?
• White Chocolate Irish Cream Mousse Pie - Whip up an easy Irish Cream Mousse Pie for St. Patrick's Day! Pile this fluffy Baileys mousse in a graham cracker or flaky pie crust and decorate it with white chocolate shavings.
• Homemade Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur - Making your own thick & creamy Irish Cream is easier than you think with this fool-proof recipe. Just throw all the ingredients together, whisk and chill. Serve it on the rocks for the ultimate St. Patty's Day drink!
• Make a Reuben Sandwich with Corned Beef Leftovers - What are you going to do when St. Paddy's Day is over, and you've got tons of corned beef leftovers? Make a sandwich! It's no wonder Grilled Reuben Sandwiches with swiss cheese & sauerkraut on rye with thousand island dressing and mustard is the top selling sandwich the day after St. Patty's Day!

Sweet Potato Biscuits - Tuesdays With Dorie

Sweet Potato Biscuits, so light and sweet, are great with butter and jam or just by themselves. Made with canned or fresh sweet potatoes, these biscuits will go as fast - as fast as you can pop them in your mouth!

Here I am, two weeks in a row. Aren't you impressed? But I'm still a week behind! The Sweet Potato Biscuits were Tuesdays With Dorie's recipe for last week. This week is supposed to be the Cherry Brownie Fudge Torte. I made brownies instead. More news (brownies) at 11:00.

I can't take any credit for making Dorie's recipe this time. I made my son Brad (25) do it. He was home and bored stiff, so I threw the recipe at him and said, "Here, you do it!" Actually, he was more than happy to get back into the galley. He really does enjoy baking and cooking. The Sweet Potato Biscuits were delicious, as you can see from the photos. Thanks to Erin of Prudence Pennywise for choosing this recipe from Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home To Yours. It's the perfect time of year for baking, especially with sweet potatoes! You can find the Sweet Potato Biscuit Recipe on page 26, or go check out Erin's blog and get the recipe from her (copyright reasons). She also made Sweet potato Rolls. They look delicious too.

Halloween Recipes and Costumes and Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils

Who's looking for Pumpkin recipes? How about free pumpkin carving patterns? Then there's the question of what to do with all the pulp and seeds! Here's some Halloween articles I've been working on the last few weeks. Hope you like them!

Related Halloween Articles:

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Download Free Michael Jackson Pumpkin Carving Templates

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Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils are Hot Items

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