Pistachio Rabri Delight

I have a confession to make. I do not like mushy food. There. I said it. You know when you want to eat something good and you take a bite but it turns all mushy in your mouth. Ugh! Oatmeal is the biggest culprit here. Unless it is filled with nuts or mix ins I just cannot eat plain oatmeal. Same goes for desserts like Umm Ali or soggy bread pudding. So, when I wanted to make Shahi Tukda I knew that the bread had to remain crisp for me to like it. This is what I came up with: a layered version which doesn't soak the bread in sugar syrup so they remain nice and crisp. I added some condensed milk to the rabri to give it that extra sweet punch and really loved  the outcome. I would say it is heavily inspired by Shahi Tukda but it is not quite the same thing and that is why I have renamed it. 

Recipe - Serves 18-20

Ingredients

For Rabri

1 Litre Milk (Full Fat)

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Pinch Saffron

For Bread Base

10 Slices White Bread or Milk Bread

1/2 Cup Ghee

For Garnish

Sliced Pistachio

1/2 Cup Powdered Pistachio

Method

Make the Rabri

1. Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to simmer and keep cooking the milk till it is reduced to half the quantity. Keep stirring the milk in intervals. A skin will keep forming on the top, keep moving the skin back into the milk. 

2. Once the milk is reduced, add the sugar and condensed milk. Mix well and adjust sweetness according to personal preference. Add the saffron. Turn off the heat and cool completely.

Prepare Bread Slices

1. Cut off the sides of the bread slices and cut each slice in half. 

2. Brush each slice with ghee (like spreading butter on bread). Apply ghee on both sides of the slice.

3. Heat a large frying pan and toast the bread slices on a low flame. Make sure they turn crisp but do not burn. Toast all the slices and keep aside.

Assemble the Pudding

1. Take a 9x13 baking dish or pyrex. Pour 1/3 of the prepared Rabri on the bottom. Place 10 pieces of the bread in a single layer on the rabri. Pour 1/3 of the rabri on the slices. Repeat the layers with bread and the remaining rabri. 

2. Garnish with the pistachio powder and slices.

3. Place in fridge for minimum of 4 hours. Serve chilled.

Happy Eating!

An Iftaar Treat - Chicken Bread Rolls

 

Ramadan Kareem to all of you. The month of fasting is here once again and I have a new recipe to share. This recipe is very easy and comes together in a pinch. A good thing about these is that they are not deep fried. A quick toasting on the pan gives them a crispy exterior.

Recipe
Ingredients
For The Stuffing
200 Grams Boneless Chicken - Boiled and shredded
150 Grams Potato - Boiled and mashed
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
4 Green Chilies (Finely Chopped)
2 Tsp Oil
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Coriander
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Mint Leaves
1/4 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
Salt To taste
1/2 Tsp Pepper

For The Roll
10 Bread Slices (Use white bread for best results)
10 Tsp Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Water
4 Tsp Ghee for frying

Make The Stuffing

1. Heat the oil in a pan and Saute the onions and green chillies till the onions are translucent.

2. Mix all the stuffing ingredients in a medium bowl. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.

Prep the Bread

1. Cut the sides off the bread slices (save them for breadcrumbs).

2. Place each slice on a flat surface and roll it flat with the help of a rolling pin. We want to get it as flat as possible as this helps in easy rolling.

Make the Rolls

1. Take one slice and place two tablespoons of filling in the center. Add 1 Tsp mayonnaise across the top. Wet the bottom edge of the bread with a little water and start rolling the bread from the top edge. Seal well and repeat with all slices.

2. Heat the ghee in a frying pan and place the rolls in the pan. Keep turning gently till all the sides are well toasted.

3. Serve hot with Ketchup.

Happy Eating!!

Daring Bakers December 2012 - Panettone

This month we had a new bread to make as part of our DB challenge and I loved the sweet, rich bread. Though I didn't make it the traditional way with the candied fruit, my version with chocolate and nuts got happy responses from all my colleagues.

Blog Checking Lines: The December 2012 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by the talented Marcellina of Marcellina in Cucina. Marcellina challenged us to create our own custom Panettone, a traditional Italian holiday bread!

Recipe 

Special Equipment - One panettone paper or pan. I used a 7 inch round cake pan and attached a collar using parchment paper on the inside. I used butter to stick the paper to the sides and stapled the edges together.

Ingredients - Makes one 7 inch Panettone

Sponge

1 Tsp Instant Yeast

40 ml Warm Water

1/4 Cup (35 gms) Unbleached All Purpose Flour

First Dough 
1 Tsp Instant Yeast

1 1/2 Tbsp Warm Water

1 Large Egg (At room temperature)

1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp (87.5 gms) Unbleached All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp Sugar

1/4 Cup (1/2 stick/57.5 gms) Unsalted Butter (At room temperature)

Second dough
1 Large Egg

2 Medium Egg Yolks

5 Tbsp (75 Gms) Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Cup (1 Stick/113 Gms) Unsalted Butter (At room temperature)

1 1/2 Cups (210 Gms) Unbleached All Purpose Flour plus up to (1/3 cup) for kneading

Grated zest of 1 orange

Filling and final dough 
100 Gms Lindt Orange Intense Chocolate Bar

1 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Chopped Walnuts/Pecans

Make the Sponge

1. Mix the yeast and water in a small bowl.
2. Mix in the flour.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in size for about 20 to 30 minutes .

Make The First Dough

1. In the mixer bowl, mix together the yeast and water.
2. With the paddle attached mix in the sponge, eggs, flour, and sugar.
3. Add in the butter and mix for 3 minutes until the dough is smooth and even.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and allow double in size, about 1 – 1 ¼ hours.

Make The Second dough

1. With the paddle mix in thoroughly the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, honey, vanilla, orange zest and salt.
2. Mix in the butter until smooth.
3. Add the flour and slowly incorporate.
4. At this stage the dough will seem a little too soft, like cookie dough.
5. Replace the paddle with the dough hook and knead for about 2 minutes.
6. Turn out the dough and knead it on a well-floured surface until it sort of holds its shape.
7. Don’t knead in too much flour but you may need as much as 2/3 cup (100 gm). Be careful the excess flour will affect the finished product.

First Rise

1. Oil a large bowl lightly, plop in your dough and cover with plastic wrap.
2. Now we need to let it rise until it has tripled in size. There are two ways to go about this.
Rise in a warm place for 2 – 4 hours.
Or find a cool spot (64°F -68°F) (18°C – 20°C) and rise overnight.
Or rise for 2 hours on your kitchen bench then slow the rise down and place in the refrigerator overnight. I placed my bowl on the kitchen counter as we have central A/C and it rose perfectly.

Filling and Final Rise

1. Place a large piece of parchment on the counter and press out the dough onto an oval shape.

2. Sprinkle over half of the filling and roll up the dough into a log
3. Press out again into an oval shape and sprinkle over the remaining of the filling
4. Roll into a log shape again.
5. Shape into a ball and slip into your prepared pans, panettone papers or homemade panettone papers. (I rolled the parchment paper into a cylinder and used it to slip the dough in my prepared pan.)
6. Cut an X into the top of the panettone and allow to double in size.
7. Rising time will vary according to method of first rise. If it has been in the refrigerator it could take 4 hours or more. If it has been rising on the kitchen bench in a warm place it should be doubled in about 2
hours.

Bake The Panettone 

1. When you think your dough has only about 30 minutes left to rise preheat your oven to moderately hot 400°F/200°C/gas mark 6 and adjust your oven racks
2. Just before baking carefully (don’t deflate it!) cut the X into the dough again and place in a knob (a nut) of butter.
3. Place your panettoni in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 and bake for another 10 minutes
5. Reduce the heat again to moderate 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3 and bake for 30 minutes until the tops are well browned and a skewer inserted into the panettone comes out clean.
6. Cooling your panettone is also important. If you have use papers (commercial or homemade) lie your panettoni on their side cushioned with rolled up towels. Turn gently as they cool. If you have used pans
cool in the pans for 30 minutes then remove and cushion with towels as above.

Happy Eating!!

Daring Bakers March 2012 - Dutch Crunch Bread

This month we visited the zoo to see all the wild animals like tigers, giraffes and zebras! Not really, but if you see all the wonderful results of the challenge you will surely think so too.

Blog Checking Lines : Sara and Erica of Baking JDs were our March 2012 Daring Baker hostesses! Sara & Erica challenged us to make Dutch Crunch bread, a delicious sandwich bread with a unique, crunchy topping. Sara and Erica also challenged us to create a one of a kind sandwich with our bread!

Though I did make the bread I couldn't make a sandwich as I was really pressed for time and we had them as dinner rolls. The recipe is very easy and within two hours you can have fresh baked bread out of the oven.

Recipe Source -  The recipe for the Dutch Crunch topping came from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Bread Bible. The recipes for the breads we’ve suggested came from The Bread Bible and an adaptation of a recipe found on Bakingbites.com

Check out the Daring Bakers website for the recipe!

Happy Eating!!

Daring Bakers January 2012 - Scones

This months Daring Bakers challenge was a simple yet tricky challenge. While the scones looked easy to make and had staple ingredients the technique was anything but easy. To get perfect flaky scones one has to knead the dough for the right time and with the right pressure. 

Due to time constraints I could make only one batch and they were quite good for a first timer. They were delicious hot out of the oven with some jam.   

Recipe Source: The challenge scone (biscuit) recipe has been especially formulated by Audax Artifex after a large amount of research and experimentation. It is designed to help you master the techniques involved in making scones (biscuits) exactly the way you like them.  

Blog-checking lines: Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Audax worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!   

Ingredients

1 Cup (240 ml) (140 gm/5 oz) Plain (all-purpose) Flour 

2 Tsp (10 ml) (10 gm) (1/3 oz) Fresh Baking Powder 

1/4 Tsp (1¼ ml) (1½ gm) Salt 

2 Tbsp (30 gm/1 oz) Frozen Grated Butter (or a combination of lard and butter) 

Approximately 1/2 Cup (120 ml) Cold Milk

Optional 1 tablespoon milk, for glazing the tops of the scones
      

1. Preheat oven to very hot 475°F/240°C/gas mark 9. 

2. Triple sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. (If your room temperature is very hot refrigerate the sifted ingredients until cold.) 

3. Rub the frozen grated butter (or combination of fats) into the dry ingredients until it resembles very coarse bread crumbs with some pea-sized pieces if you want flaky scones or until it resembles coarse beach sand if you want tender scones. 

4. Add nearly all of the liquid at once into the rubbed-in flour/fat mixture and mix until it just forms a sticky dough (add the remaining liquid if needed). The wetter the dough the lighter the scones (biscuits) will be! 

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, lightly flour the top of the dough. To achieve an even homogeneous crumb to your scones knead very gently about 4 or 5 times (do not press too firmly) the dough until it is smooth. To achieve a layered effect in your scones knead very gently once (do not press too firmly) then fold and turn the kneaded dough about 3 or 4 times until the dough has formed a smooth texture. (Use a floured plastic scraper to help you knead and/or fold and turn the dough if you wish.) 

6. Pat or roll out the dough into a 6 inch by 4 inch rectangle by about ¾ inch thick (15¼ cm by 10 cm by 2 cm thick). Using a well-floured 2-inch (5 cm) scone cutter (biscuit cutter), stamp out without twisting six 2-inch (5 cm) rounds, gently reform the scraps into another ¾ inch (2 cm) layer and cut two more scones (these two scones will not raise as well as the others since the extra handling will slightly toughen the dough). Or use a well-floured sharp knife to form squares or wedges as you desire. 

7. Place the rounds just touching on a baking dish if you wish to have soft-sided scones or place the rounds spaced widely apart on the baking dish if you wish to have crisp-sided scones. Glaze the tops with milk if you want a golden colour on your scones or lightly flour if you want a more traditional look to your scones. 

8. Bake in the preheated very hot oven for about 10 minutes (check at 8 minutes since home ovens at these high temperatures are very unreliable) until the scones are well risen and are lightly coloured on the tops. The scones are ready when the sides are set. 

9. Immediately place onto cooling rack to stop the cooking process, serve while still warm.   

Happy Eating!!

Daring Bakers - October 2011 - Povitica!!!

I have been so lost lately. Its been a long time since I actually did something productive (except at work mind you) and after skipping so many daring bakers challenges I really wanted to get up and do something. So that is exactly what I did the moment I saw the challenge go up on the first of the month. Yup, that's right, I was one of the first ones to complete the challenge (after Audax of course) and I had a great time making this.

Povitica (pronounced po-va-teet-sa) is traditional Eastern European dessert bread that is traditionally served during the holiday season. This was really a big challenge for me as it was a completely new type of bread and the dough was sooo tough to work with. The problem was that  the gluten was not rested enough and so the dough was not stretching out. Wish I had known that before I started making it! Anyways, I did get good results and had an amazing loaf of sweet bread, The filling is fantastic. I actually ate toasted slices of the bread for breakfast each day! Yum! I would definitely make this again and even try savoury fillings as some of the other daring bakers.

The recipe is a long one with at least 30 steps but it is not difficult. The only challenging part is rolling out the dough which should not be a problem if your dough is rested. I made only a quarter of the recipe and this is enough for one loaf.

Blog-checking lines: The Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!

Recipe here...

Chicken Pizza

We had this fabulous pizza for dinner last night and everyone loved it. Hubby's friends were at home for dinner and even they gave it full marks. The recipe is from Eat Laugh Love, my partner for Taste and Create for the month of March. I know its a bit too late to be posting this but I didn't want to miss it.

I had made a similar pizza for the previous taste and create but the BBQ sauce was different from this recipe. I couldn't find liquid smoke and made a few changes in the sauce. Some great bad luck befell me and I added two teaspoons salt in the sauce thinking it was sugar (a mistake many people have done in my house as my salt and sugar containers are very similar and kept next to each other, LOL!). To rectify, I added some more tomato sauce and a whole lot of sugar. The end result was a very yummy sauce and I am glad I have frozen the rest of it for the future.

The Pizza dough is good and rises well. I mixed the whole thing by hand and kept it in the oven (switched off) to rise for one hour as I had time to spare.

Recipe Source - Eat Laugh Love

Ingredients

For The Pizza Toppings

BBQ Sauce (Recipe Below)

Sliced Mushrooms

Green Peppers

Onions

Mozzarella Cheese

Chicken (Cooked and tossed in the BBQ sauce, Chopped to 1/2 Inch pieces)

Oregano

Coriander Leaves

For the Pizza Dough  - I got two crusts from this dough as I doubled the recipe.

2 Cups Whole-wheat Flour

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

4 1/2 Tsp Quick Rising Yeast (I used instant yeast)

2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Sugar

1 1/2 Cup Hot Water (120-130°F)

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Sauce

1 Cup Tomato Sauce - I used 2 Cups

3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 Cup Finely Minced Onions

3 Garlic Cloves (Minced)

1 Tsp Chili Powder - I used two tsp.

1 Tsp Paprika - Omitted 

1 Tbsp Vinegar

1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke - Omitted

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

1/2 Tsp Cumin - I used cumin powder

4 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Oregano

1 Tsp Basil

Make The Dough

1. Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Pour in the hot water and olive oil and knead till the dough comes together and forms a soft ball. The dough should be slightly sticky. Add more water if required.

2. Slightly oil the bottom and sides of the bowl. Roll the dough into a ball and swirl in the bowl to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and keep aside to rise if using regular yeast.

3. If using rapid rise, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.

Make The Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and saute till translucent. Add all the other ingredients and bring to boil. Cool sauce.

Top the Pizza and Bake

Preheat oven to 500°F or highest setting. Roll and top the pizza as desired (about a 13-inch circle) and bake the pizza until the bottom is crisp and golden, 10 to 14 minutes, or as directed by your recipe.

Happy Eating!!

Daring Bakers March 2011 - Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake

So, my last post was on March 1st and today is the 27th. And I don't even have a freakin picture to go with my post!! What happened to me??? I have been so busy at work and home lately that my baking has taken a backseat and I am almost ashamed to admit it but I am really lazy to take pics of the stuff I do manage to make. Case in point was the yeasted coffee cake I made for this months daring baker's challenge.

Blog-checking lines: The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.

This was a new type of cake for me to try and even though my results where not that great (I baked mine for a little too long) I could totally see that it was a yummy recipe. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture and the whole thing was finished in a day! I made only one wreath as I had halved the recipe and it was more than enough for the two of us. I whipped up a fabulous meringue (my egg whites where so stiff and shiny!!) and added lots of cinnamon and chocolate and loved everything about it. (I made Jamie's version). I wanted to make one more to photograph it but didn't get the time. One thing I would change the next time though would be the shape as I struggled to get a nice wreath shape and mine looked all flat and weird. Probably a loaf or something. I will leave you with the recipe as given to us and prepare for my next challenge. Which I will surely photograph!

Ingredients

For The Yeast Coffee Cake Dough
4 Cups (600 g / 1.5 lbs.) Flour
1/4 Cup (55 g / 2 oz.) Sugar
3/4 Tsp (5 g / ¼ oz.) Salt
1 Packet (2 ¼ teaspoons / 7 g / less than an ounce) Active Dried Yeast
3/4 Cup (180 ml / 6 fl. oz.) Whole Milk
1/4 Cup (60 ml / 2 fl. oz. Water (doesn’t matter what temperature)
1/2 Cup (135 g / 4.75 oz.) Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature)
2 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
For The Meringue
3 Large Egg Whites (Room Temperature)
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup (110 g / 4 oz.) Sugar

For The Filling
1 Cup (110 g / 4 oz.) Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar (30 g / 1 oz.)
1/4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon - I used 1 Tsp
1 Cup (170 g / 6 oz.) Semisweet Chocolate Chips or Coarsely Chopped Chocolate

For The Egg Wash

1 Beaten Egg

Prepare The Dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups (230 g) of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.

2. In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted.

3. With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 1 cup (150 g) flour and beat for 2 more minutes.

4. Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the 1 ½ cups of flour remaining) and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.

5. Place the dough in a lightly greased (I use vegetable oil) bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.

Prepare Your Filling

1. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, nuts, chocolate and sugar for the filling.

 

Make The Meringue (Once the dough has doubled)

1. In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side (they slip on glass) and you don’t end up with liquid remaining in the bottom – beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque. Add the vanilla then start adding the ½ cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

Assemble The Coffee Cakes

1. Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Punch down the dough and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time (keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic), roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch (about 51 x 25 ½ cm) rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch (3/4 cm) from the edges. Sprinkle half of your filling of choice evenly over the meringue (ex: half of the cinnamon-sugar followed by half the chopped nuts and half of the chocolate chips/chopped chocolate).

3. Now, roll up the dough jellyroll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheets, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal.

4. Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife (although scissors are easier), make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch (2 ½ cm) intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.

5. Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings. Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped.

7. Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheets onto the table. Very gently loosen the coffee cakes from the paper with a large spatula and carefully slide the cakes off onto cooling racks. Allow to cool.

8. Just before serving, dust the tops of the coffee cakes with confectioner’s sugar as well as cocoa powder if using chocolate in the filling. These are best eaten fresh, the same day or the next day.

A Happy New Year And A Happy Breakfast

Wishing all my readers (yes, all three of you) a very happy new year!! I can't believe it's already been a year since I started blogging. And what a year it was. This last year was full of ups and downs for us and for the most part of it, it was a great year. I learnt a lot of new things in the kitchen and came out of my comfort zone. I joined the daring bakers, learnt how to make bread at home, made my own sugar cookies (and decorated with royal icing!!!), decorated a cake and even made cupcake pops! There is still so much more to learn and do and I really wish that I can pursue this passion of mine. So what are the things that I want to do this year? Let me list them down (in no particular order) Mind you, these are not any resolutions but just stuff I would like to do-

1. Learn swimming - seriously, its high time I know how to swim.

2. Get pregnant - Why do the virgins on T.V always get pregnant on their first time? No one tells us what hard work this is!!

3. Take up a cake decorating course - Any sponsors??

4. Lose weight - O.K. I know I said this last year as well, but I did manage to join the gym and lose a good 7 kgs. BUT. I stopped going and nothing has been the same since :(

5. Visit a new country - hubby and I have been planning this since forever but we never make it out of here.

6. Pray more - I have complete faith but when it comes to practice I am LAZY. If I don't want to reach hell I need to act fast!

7. Clean my house more often - Or better yet, get a maid! ha ha. (Hubby, are you listening?)

8. Make Marshmallow Fondant - Hello Crisco and mini marshmallows lying in my cupboards!

9. Learn to make better lists - I know this one is damn boring.

10 . Stop boring readers - No more lists, I promise!

Well that was my pretty boring list. What is not boring is this Stuffed French Toast. A great way to jazz up that plain morning breakfast. Instead of using french bread I used half of the Stollen that I had made for daring bakers. It was yummy! But I will make a few changes to it the next time I make it. Here is the recipe

Recipe Source - Given as is from Tasty Kitchen by Manda2177 with my notes in red.

Ingredients - Makes 6 Servings

1 Loaf French Bread - I used the stollen.
3 Tbsp Any Flavor Fruit Spread (You Can Also Use Jelly, Jam, Or Fresh Fruit)
1/2 Package Cream Cheese (100 Gms), At Room Temperature - Next time I will reduce this amount as it was too tangy for me
2 whole Eggs
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon - Omitted this since the stollen already had cinnamon.
1/2 Cups Skim Milk
2 Tbsp Butter
Golden Syrup for serving

1. Heat skillet or electric griddle to 325 to 350 degrees.

2. Cut french bread into 2 inch wide slices. Then, with a paring knife, go back and cut halfway into each slice, in the center, creating a ‘pocket’ that your fruit mixture can be stuffed into.

3. In a bowl, place the room temperature cream cheese and three tablespoons of fruit spread of your choice. (I used mixed fruit jam.) Combine well.

4. In a separate bowl, break 2 eggs; add cinnamon and milk and combine well.

5. Now, take fruit mixture and stuff into the ‘pockets’ of your french bread slices. Place on a baking sheet.

6. When done stuffing each piece of bread, completely coat each piece in egg mixture. Make sure all sides are covered. Do all pieces before starting to fry.

7. Put 2 tbsp (you can use less!) of butter into a hot skillet and melt completely. Add all of the bread to the skillet and cook roughly about 3-6 minutes on each side, until it reaches a nice golden brown. You want to make sure the cream cheese mixture heats through.

Serve hot with golden syrup or maple syrup.

Happy Eating!!

Daring Bakers - A Stollen For December

This months challenge was something completely new to me, both in terms of eating and making. Prior to this I had never heard of a stollen before and when I read its description, I was a bit put off because of the raisins. I absolutely hate fruit cake or anything with dried fruit in it and thought that I would have to skip this challenge. But then I saw a lot of variations on the recipe and decided to just remove the raisins and continue with the recipe.

The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book.........and Martha Stewart’s demonstration.

Stollen is a bread-like fruitcake made with yeast, water and flour, and usually with zest added to the dough. Candied orange peel and candied citrus is often also added. It is a very traditional German Christmas bread and the traditional shape is that of a loaf that was originally meant to represent the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes. For this challenge we were asked to make the stollen in a wreath shape.
The recipe and instructions were pretty straightforward and I had absolutely no trouble with it. Well, except the part where the stollen baked into a huge wreath and I couldn't even carry it! It is a nice bread which tastes great toasted with butter. I will make a stuffed french toast with half the bread this weekend.

Stollen Wreath Recipe - Given as I made it, for the original recipe, pictures and more helpful hints check here.

Ingredients - Makes one large wreath or two traditional shaped Stollen loaves. Serves 10-12 people

1/4 Cup (60ml) Lukewarm Water (110º F / 43º C)

2 Packages (4 1/2 teaspoons) (22 ml) (14 grams) (1/2 oz) Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup (240 ml) Milk

10 Tbsp (150 ml) (140 grams) Unsalted Butter (Can use salted butter)

5 1/2 Cups (1320 ml) (27 ozs) (770 grams) All-purpose (plain) Flour (Measure flour first - then sift- plus extra for dusting)

1/2 Cup (120 ml) (115 gms) Sugar

3/4 Tsp (3 ¾ ml) (4 ½ grams) Salt (if using salted butter there is no need to alter this salt measurement)

1 Tsp (5 ml) (6 grams) Cinnamon

3 Large Eggs (lightly beaten)

Grated Zest of 1 Lemon and 1 Orange

2 Tsp (10 ml) (very good) Vanilla Extract

1 cup (240 ml) (3 ½ ozs) (100 grams) flaked almonds

1 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Melted Unsalted Butter for coating the wreath

Confectioners’ (icing) (powdered) Sugar for dusting wreath

Make The Dough

1. Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle with yeast and let stand 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast completely.

2. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup (240 ml) milk and 10 tablespoons (150 ml) butter over medium - low heat until butter is melted. Let stand until lukewarm, about 5 minutes.

3. Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl and the vanilla extract.

4. In a large mixing bowl (4 qt) (4 liters) (or in the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment), stir together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, orange and lemon zests.

5. Then stir in (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) the yeast/water mixture, eggs and the lukewarm milk/butter mixture. This should take about 2 minutes. It should be a soft, but not sticky ball. When the dough comes together, cover the bowl with either plastic or a tea cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.

6. Add in the almonds and coconut and mix with your hands or on low speed to incorporate.

7. Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mixing with the dough hook) to distribute the add-ins evenly, adding additional flour if needed. The dough should be soft and satiny, tacky but not sticky. Knead for approximately 8 minutes (6 minutes by machine). The full six minutes of kneading is needed to make the dough have a reasonable bread-dough consistency.

8. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling around to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

9. Put it in the fridge overnight. The dough becomes very firm in the fridge (since the butter goes firm) but it does rise slowly… the raw dough can be kept in the refrigerator up to a week and then baked on the day you want.

Shaping the Dough and Baking the Wreath

1. Remove dough from the fridge and let it rest for 2 hours in order to warm slightly.

2. Punch dough down, roll into a rectangle about 16 x 24 inches (40 x 61 cms) and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.

3. Starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long, thin cylinder.

4. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

5. Transfer the cylinder roll to the sheet pan. Join the ends together, trying to overlap the layers to make the seam stronger and pinch with your fingers to make it stick, forming a large circle. You can form it around a bowl to keep the shape.

6. Using kitchen scissors, make cuts along outside of circle, in 2-inch (5 cm) intervals, cutting 2/3 of the way through the dough.

7. Twist each segment outward, forming a wreath shape. Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

8. Proof for approximately 2 hours at room temperature, or until about 1½ times its original size.

9. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

10. Bake the stollen for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue to bake for 20 to 30 minutes. The bread will bake to a dark mahogany color, should register 190°F/88°C in the center of the loaf, and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

11. Transfer to a cooling rack and brush the top with melted butter while still hot. Immediately tap a layer of powdered sugar over the top through a sieve or sifter. Wait for 1 minute, then tap another layer over the first.

The bread should be coated generously with the powdered sugar.

Let cool at least an hour before serving. Coat the stollen in butter and icing sugar three times, since this many coatings helps keeps the stollen fresh.

When completely cool, store in a plastic bag. Or leave it out uncovered overnight to dry out slightly, German style.

 

Happy Eating!!

The Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever

Sorry for the bad picture, but my camera broke :( Have to rely on my cellphone!!

There are many times in life when someone claims that they make the best of something or that they have eaten the best possible version of it somewhere in the world. And think I half of the times those claims don't hold true to a taste test and you and end up disappointed. However, this time I have to hand it over to the Pioneer Woman. Having already made Cinnamon rolls before, I was expecting a similar result from this recipe. But was I wrong! These rolls are melt in your mouth delicious and I am not at all surprised that she makes 7 pans at a time because my sister and I managed to finish 2 pans all by ourselves in just two days. If all you have eaten is the store bought stuff its time you whip out the yeast and create these babies. The best part about this recipe is there is no kneading of the dough. Just mix with a spoon or spatula and you are ready to roll (no pun intended!). I didn't want to make the entire recipe so I searched for a scaled down version and got it on another blog (even though I could have calculated it myself - talk about lazy!). I got three pans of seven - eight rolls each,  next time I will not roll out the dough as much. I added all the flour at once in the beginning without reading the recipe properly and had to add the baking powder and soda on their own later on. However, this didn't affect my rolls at all and I got a great rise. Because I was pressed for time I made the dough one night and the rolls the next day and the dough was a lot easier to work with. You do have to knead it with a little flour so that it is no longer sticky. In her recipe Pioneer Woman makes a lot of frosting and drowns the rolls in them. But I preferred the rolls with just a drizzle as the frosting was way too sweet for our tastes. I suggest adding a little at a time according to your sweet tooth.

P. S - For Step-by-step photos and instructions check the Pioneer Woman's Site.

Recipe Source - Originally from The Pioneer Woman, Scaled down recipe from here.

Ingredients - Aprox. 20 rolls.

For The Rolls

1 1/3 Cup Whole Milk

1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/3 Cup Caster Sugar

1 1/2 Tsp Dry Yeast - I used instant yeast

2 2/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour (Maida) (+ 1/3 Cup for sprinkling)

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/3 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Salt

100 Gms (1/2 Cup/1 Stick) Unsalted Butter (Melted)

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

Cinnamon Powder - As Much As You Like

 

For The Vanilla Frosting

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence

3/4 Cups Milk

2 Tbsp Brewed Coffee

1/2 Cup Roughly Chopped Pecans (Optional)

A Pinch of Salt

1. Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a saucepan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in the yeast (Whichever yeast you are using). Let this sit for a minute. Transfer the mixture to a big mixing bowl and add 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir together and cover. Let rise for at least an hour.

2. After rising for at least an hour, add remaining 2/3 cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

3. When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take the dough and form a rough rectangle (I added some extra flour and kneaded my dough till no longer sticky). Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle the 100 gms melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. (Put the cinnamon powder in a sieve and lightly tap against your hand to get an even sprinkling all over). 

4. Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

5. Generously grease three 7, 8 or 9 inch round foil, cake or pie pans. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans (A bread knife or large serrated knife works best). Turn on oven and pre-heat to 190 Degrees C (375 Degrees F).

6. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Make The Frosting - Mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. 

Happy Eating!!

Tangy BBQ Chicken Pizza

Pizza!!! Aah, the universal food that is so popular among all age groups. I mean who doesn't love pizza right? What? There are some people who don't like it?Hmm, maybe they need to eat a good home made pizza with all the deliciousness piled high. It had been so long since I had made pizza at home, that when I saw this recipe at the Low Fat Chick website I decided to try it out for this months Taste and Create.

The sauce is a lovely combination of sweet and tangy and comes together so easily. Usually while making pizza sauce there is so much stirring that I often resort to the bottled stuff to save time. But this time I just had to mix the stuff and let it simmer. Yum Yum! For the toppings I added a few more things than the original recipe like tomatoes and capsicum (green bell peppers) for a little tandoori feel. For the base I used the ready pizza base that is available in the freezer section of the grocery. You can use your own home made dough, I have given the Pioneer Woman's recipe below which I have made before and is great.

Recipe Source - Slightly Adapted from The Low Fat Chick

Ingredients

2 (6 Inch) Pizza Base

For The Sauce

1/2 Cup Grape Vinegar

1/4 Cup And 2 Tbsp Ketchup

2 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1 Garlic Clove (Pressed or Finely Minced)

1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

For The Toppings - Quantities As Per Personal Preference

Cooked Shredded Chicken

Red Onion (Thinly Sliced)

Mozzarella Cheese (Shredded)
Diced Tomatoes

Diced Capsicum

Olives

Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves

1. Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan. Stir till all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to slightly cool.

2. Preheat oven to 180 Degree C (350 Degree F).

3. Place the pizza base on a baking sheet covered with foil.

4. Spread the sauce on the dough. Layer with cheese, chicken, tomatoes, capsicum, onion and little more cheese. Sprinkle some coriander and place in the oven.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted on top.

6. Cut into slices and serve immediately.

Recipe for Homemade Pizza Base (Source - The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

1 Tsp Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 Cup Warm Water
4 Cups All-purpose Flour
1 Tsp Salt
1/3 Cups Olive Oil

1. Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.

2. In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.

3. Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it.

4. To use, lighlty flour a baking sheet or pizza stone and place dough in the middle. Strecth the dough to the corners and top as desired (Dough will be slightly sticky).

***It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

***Makes 2 big crusts.

Happy Eating!!

Oatmeal Buttermilk Wheat Bread

We eat a lot of bread at home and by we I mean Latif (hehe). Actually that's what sustains him from morning till evening when I am at work if there are no leftovers for lunch. So it was only natural that I try my hand at baking a loaf of bread. We mostly eat wholemeal bread (I even managed to convert a white bread lover to this - yes it is Latif only) and so I wanted to try a wholemeal bread itself. There are many many recipes out there but most of them call for bread flour and I didn't want to buy a bag before experimenting with something at home.

This recipe is from Annie's Eats and is very simple and easy. It calls for rolled oats which I had never seen before (Thank you instant oats for keeping me ignorant) and so I had to search for it and found it in the organic section of the store. I halved the recipe because I only had a 8 inch loaf pan (brand new, mind you) and the original recipe yielded one very large loaf. Even with half of the recipe I got a good sized loaf perfect for the two of us. Because of central air condtioning at home it was tough to find a humid spot for the yeast to rise. I heated my oven a little and placed the bowl there. It took me 3 hours for the first rise and one hour for the second.The bread is great with a very soft center. I slightly over baked mine not knowing when to remove it exactly. Now that I have baked my first loaf I will surely try different types of bread like rolls (garlic knots anyone?) Also, how great are those bread machines which give you ready bread at the touch of a button. Would love to get one as a gift (hint hint)!

Recipe Source - Given as is from Annie's Eats, with my notes in red.

Ingredients

11/2 Cups Rolled Oats, Divided

1 Cup Boiling Water

1/4 Cup Room Temperature Water

2 Tbsp + 1 Tsp Agave Nectar (Or Honey), Divided - I Used Honey

2 Tsp Instant Yeast

11/2 Cups Buttermilk, At Room Temperature - I used the Milk And Vinegar Substitute

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 Tsp Salt

1. Set aside ¼ cup of the rolled oats. Place the remaining oats in a medium bowl. Cover with the boiling water, mix well, and let sit uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the soaked oats, room temperature water, 2 tablespoons of agave, yeast, buttermilk, olive oil, 2 cups of each flour, and salt. Mix briefly on low speed until ingredients are combined. Mix in the remaining ½ cup of each flour. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for about 10 minutes. The dough will be wet, cling to the hook, and have a satiny finish.

3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, flattening it with your hands to release the excess air bubbles. Form the dough into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle and position it so the long side is facing you. Fold the two shorter ends onto the top so that they meet in the middle. Starting with the closest end, roll the dough away from you tightly into a log. Pinch the seam closed. (Do this well, I closed mine and it still opened up leaving a gaping slit on the top). Transfer the loaf to an oiled loaf pan, pressing it so that it reaches all the corners.

5. Mix the remaining agave nectar with ½ a teaspoon of very hot water. Brush over the top of the loaf, and

sprinkle with the reserved oats. Let rise for about 30 minutes, just until the loaf rises over the top of the pan.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees F  F. Bake the loaf for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

P.S - My sister, niece and parents are planning to come to Dubai pretty soon and I can't wait to try out so many new recipes as they are complete foodies like me! Lot's more baking for me!

Happy Eating!!

Chilli Cheese Toast

Eating Chili Cheese Toast is like killing two birds with one stone. You get something filling that is healthy and tasty as well. I ate this for the first time at my best friends house way back when I was in school. The same day I went home and made it for my mom. We all loved it and I have been making this ever since for everyone I know! It is very easy to make and can be had for breakfast, brunch or an evening snack. It requires a little bit of prep work but the cooking time is very quick. This is a great way of using any bread that is being ignored in the bread basket or the fridge. If you have kids at home who don't eat veggies you can sneak in a few more veggies like grated carrots or pureed beans and peas (pre-cooked of course!). They wont know the difference and you will be much happier!

Recipe

Ingredients - Serves 2

4 Slices Wholewheat Bread (White or Brown will also do)

4 Tsp Salted Butter

4 Tbsp Chili, Mint and Coriander Chutney*

1 Cup Finely Chopped Onions

1 Cup Finely Chopped Tomatoes

2 Cups Grated Cheese (Mozzarella or cheddar)

Ketchup For Serving

1. Preheat oven to 180 Degrees C.

2. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet covered with foil.

3. Apply 1 tsp butter on each slice followed by 1 Tbsp chutney. (You can apply more or less depending on  your tolerance to heat).

4. Sprinkle a little cheese on top, followed by the onion and and tomatoes.

5. Finish by adding cheese and covering the top completely.

6. Place in oven and bake for 10 - 15 minutes till the cheese has melted and the bread is toasted. Serve hot with ketchup.

*Note - To make the chutney, simply grind together mint leaves, coriander leaves and green chilies with a little water and salt. Quantities are to be adjusted according to personal taste.

Tip - If you do not have an oven, make this in a sandwich maker or frying pan. Butter the outside of the bread and place it on the heated pan (buttered side down). Apply all the toppings on the other side, cover and cook on a low flame till the bread is crispy and the cheese has melted.

Happy Eating!!

An Iftaar Treat - Dahi Bread

During ramadan there are some days when I just don't feel like going to the kitchen and preparing something elaborate. Well, this is what happened recently and I knew I had to make something for iftaar but didn't want to labour away for long. Then I saw some bread on the counter and immediately remembered this dish that I have always eaten in a relatives house during ramadan. It is easy to make and tastes good. Though I didn't know the exact way to make it  I started off with my own quantities and it turned out perfect. The amount of yogurt used was just right as the bread soaked it up nicely but did not become soggy which is something that can easily happen in this dish. I think whole wheat bread is really good for this as it is not very soft to begin with. But Latifs' aunt (from whom I learnt this) always uses white bread so I guess its just a matter of choice.

Recipe

Ingredients  - Serves 4 - 5

5 Whole Wheat Bread Slices (White or Brown will also do)

1 1/4 Cup Thick Yogurt (Divided)

3/4 Cup Water (Divided)*

3 Tbsp Sugar

Pinch of Salt

Red Chilli Powder - As needed

Cumin (Zeera) Powder - As needed

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)
Plain Sev for Topping

* Note - If your yogurt is not thick do not add water. Whisk well and use as is. You may need to increase the quantity of the yogurt.

Trim the sides of the bread slices with a sharp knife to get a square shape. Keep aside.

Combine 1 cup of the yogurt with 1/2 cup of water, sugar and salt. Whisk well till the sugar is dissolved.

Take an 8X6 rectangle glass dish (or a similar dish with high sides). Pour 1/4 cup worth of the whisked yogurt on the bottom and arrange two slices of bread on top.

Sprinkle a little red chilli powder and cumin powder according to taste.

Repeat with the remaining yogurt and two bread slices ensuring that all the bread is completely soaked in the yogurt. Trim the 5th slice of bread and fit it into the corners where the bread slices are missing.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup thick yogurt and 1/4 cup water and pour evenly all over the top. Sprinkle with red chilli powder and cumin powder.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Remove from the fridge just before serving and garnish with the onions, coriander leaves and sev. Cut into 9 equal portions using a sharp knife and serve immediately.

Happy Eating!!

Home Made Cinnamon Rolls or Bon Bons!!

The first time I ever read about the wonders of a Cinnabon was on a blog. The description of those amazing rolls had my interest piqued to the max. However I had not yet come across the temptations of this wondrous things and left things to that. After we moved into our new apartment, we went to the food court that resides in the mall near our house. Lo and behold, as I entered the food court, a faint smell of cinnamon greeted my nostrils. On walking further, this smell beckoned me towards it and then I saw it! Cinnabon! I knew I had to try one and after one bite I was hooked. I would always buy it for myself as an occasional treat but the heavy price tag didn’t really justify it. I did search for the recipe and came across many recipes including the Pioneer Woman’s gooey rolls (see it to believe it) but was intimidated by the whole process.

However, after I tackled the yeast beast, I knew I had to give these a try. I once again started searching and came across this recipe at Confections of a Foodie Bride. The recipe is Alton Browns recipe from the Food Network. These are soft, yummy rolls filled with cinnamon goodness (it makes sense to increase the filling). My only gripe with these is that they taste the best when eaten fresh out of the oven. I don’t think they are meant to be kept for any longer. Next time I will halve the recipe as 6 rolls is more than enough for the two of us and this makes 12. Or maybe I will try the Pioneer Woman's recipe!

When I showed Latif this pan before putting them in the oven, he jumped from the bed and said “Bon – Bon, you are making Bon – Bons!!! “ Wahahahah, I went to the kitchen and laughed my head off!

How To Make Pita Bread At Home

I have conquered the beast. One who was taunting me from many days, teasing me from far away… I thought to myself, surely I can do this? And I did! I made Pita bread and overcame my fear of YEAST!!!! He he he… seriously though, I had never used yeast before until yesterday and after making pita bread that was oh so good! I can now think of endless possibilities. (and also the fact that I have 400 gms of yeast lying in my pantry…yikes!)

So, Pita bread or khuboos as we call it in the middle east is a favorite in my house with hummus and grilled chicken. So when I opened my freezer yesterday and saw that I had grilled chicken and hummus in there I thought OK need to get some bread. But then I thought why not try to make it? I had bookmarked this recipe from Brown Eyed Baker a long time back but never got around to making it. This recipe led me to Not Without Salt which in turn led me to The Fresh Loaf which is the recipe which I eventually used (they are all the same basically). The dough was very simple to combine and rose so beautifully I had tears in my eyes. The best part was when the pitas puffed up in the oven. I screamed “Latif!!! Come fast, you have to see this!” seriously, you need to do this to actually see your labor of love in the oven. Please read the section About the Ingredients on the Fresh loaf for a lot of tips and information.
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