Sourdough Bread

We have absolutely hopped the sourdough trend during these strange times. Baking bread gives us something to focus on while we are at home more. It is also just plain comforting to smell and taste. This recipe was shared with us by a family friend.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup warm water (split)

• 3 cups BCF Partially Sifted Flour

• 3/4 cup active sourdough starter

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Mix together 1 cup warm water, flour and starter. Let it sit 15-30 minutes. You are hydrating the flour in this step.

2. Dissolve the salt and honey in the remaining 1/4 cup of water.

3. Add the salt and honey water to the flour mixture and need for 8 - 10 minutes.

4. Put it in an oiled bowl and let rise for at least 3 hours. You can turn and fold the dough once or twice during this time.

5. Remove the dough, turn and fold it again. Put it in a rising basket or bowl. Allow it to rise for 2 hours.

6. Preheat a Dutch oven in the oven at 450F.

7. Gently dump the bread onto parchment paper. Slash the top of the dough 1 inch deep.

8. Bake for 15 minutes with the lid on.

9. Bake for 15 minutes longer with the lid off.

10. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Hamburger Buns

Today was the first day we decided to fire up our barbecue for the season. We grilled veal and black bean burgers and ate them with these scrumptious buns.... and some Heartbeat Hot Sauce! 

1 cup warm water
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp Brule Creek Farms Canola Oil
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 cups Partially Sifted Flour (plus extra for dusting)
1 tbsp melted butter
sesame seeds

In a large bowl, add the water, sugar and yeast. Let this rest for about 10 minutes so it foams. 

Add in the milk, salt and oil. Add in the flour one cup at a time until the mixture is smooth. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes.

Put it in a covered bowl and allow it to rise until doubled - 1-2 hours depending on the temperature. Punch down the dough and split it into 12 pieces. 

On a parchment lined baking sheet, place the balls of dough and cover. Allow them to rise for another 45 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 425F. Sprinkle the buns with sesame seeds and melted butter. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Allow them to cool before letting them become a vehicle for delicious, delicious barbecue! 

This recipe was adapted from Binjal's Veg Kitchen's Homemade Hamburger Bun recipe. 

Strawberry Haskap Galette

It's strawberry season around here and we waited in line for the first public pick at Belluz Farms. We used some of those juicy gems and some of our own haskaps to make two delightful galettes (we doubled the following recipe). Simone just couldn't wait to taste our creation!  

Pastry

3/4 cup BCF Partially Sifted Flour
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup cold milk

Filling

1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup haskaps (or other berries)
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla

Egg Wash

1 egg
1 tbsp water
coarse sugar
 

Preheat your oven to 350F. 

Mix together the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter until it looks like coarse oatmeal. Add in the milk and mix just until combined. Overworking it will make your crust tough instead of flaky. The less you handled it the better! Cover the ball of dough with a tea towel and stick it into the fridge while you make the filling. 

Mix together the sugar and cornstarch. Very gently add in the berries and vanilla and stir until they coated. 

Roll your dough into a large circle (about a foot in diameter) and pile the filling in the middle. Fold up the edges so you leave some of the filling showing in the middle. It should look sort of like a danish. Brush it with your egg wash and sprinkle some coarse sugar if you like. 

Bake for 45 minutes.

Serve it warm with something creamy. We used plain yogurt and honey but ice cream or whipping cream would be wonderful too! 

Apricot & Pistachio Crisps

The. Best. Cracker. Ever. They are full of nuts, seeds and just a smigin of sweetness. Honestly, our family loves these so much I have to hide them in the freezer. The first time I made them, Jeff ate an entire tray with yogurt cheese from Slate River Dairy and honey. Anytime I serve these crackers, whether it is book club or a dinner party, I get requests for the recipe. I usually double the recipe and tuck away the other three loaves in the freezer or a special treat. If I were I a kinder person I think these would make a great gift paired with some homemade jam and local cheese. 

I first stumbled upon this recipe by Charmaine Christie in a copy of Bakers Journal but  you can also find it here or in her book The Messy Baker. 

Ingredients

2 cups BCF Partially Sifted Flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray two 8- x 4-inch or 9- x 5-inch loaf pans with non-stick spray, or grease liberally with butter and dust with flour.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dried apricots, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed and rosemary, and toss to coat evenly with the flour. Stir the brown sugar and honey into the buttermilk, making sure they dissolve. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on a wire rack. The bread is easier to slice when cool, so bake it the next day or pop it in the freezer to cool it down. 

Preheat the heat to 300 F. Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves as thinly as you can. Aim for no thicker than 1/8th inch thick. Place the slices in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and bake them for 15 minutes. Flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes or until they are crisp and deep golden brown. 

See more at: http://www.bakersjournal.com/snacks/bakers-formula-4930#sthash.7SKRlqKB.dpuf

Naan Bread

It’s March Break and the fresh snow fall has killed our ambition to play outside; instead, we played in the kitchen this morning. The kids loved rolling out the dough for naan bread and dyeing their hands pink with beets. This bread is perfectly chewy and so satisfying to rip and dip.

Ingredients

1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
3 ½ cups Partially Sifted Flour
¼ cup butter
3 cloves of garlic, squished

Directions

Mix the water, sugar and yeast together and let it sit for about 10 minutes to become foamy (I realized at this part this morning that my yeast was dead and had to restart with fresh yeast.)

Add the yogurt, salt, baking powder and egg and mix well. Slowly add in the flour and knead the dough until it is stretchy and sticks together.

Place the balled up dough into a greased bowl and let it rise in a warm spot for an hour or so. Cover the dough with a damp towel to keep it moist and keep away little finger prints.

Before you roll out the dough, melt the butter together with the garlic and let it cool off a bit. Heat a cast iron pan on medium.

Split the dough into eight pieces. Roll out each one thin enough to cover the bottom of your pan. Spread garlic infused butter on each side of the dough.

One at a time, fry each side of each piece for about a minute. Cover the cooked bread with a cloth so they stay warm and moist.

We ate our with some homemade beet hummus since our friends at Belluz Farms shared some beautiful beets with us last weekend. 

The recipe is based off the Homemade Naan at http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-naan-recipe/