World Bread Day 2009: American Sandwich Bread

It's World Bread Day! The previous year's blog event for this special day always passed me by. Bread making wasn't really in my arsenal of kitchen skills. But now that I've done bread making more often than I used to, I thought taking part in this once-a-year event would be the best thing. Zorra has been wonderfully hosting this event for the past three years.

One thing that helped me recently is my Panasonic bread maker. It's more than a year old actually but I've only used it several times. We're not too keen with the quality of the baked bread it churns out. The bread itself (or the middle) comes out too moist or wet. We've tried making many different kinds of bread in it (using the recipe book that it comes with) but they all come out the same. I tried reducing the liquid but the bread was worse. So nowadays I just use it as a bread kneader and first riser which it does beautifully. My bread making efforts are definitely reduced and there is less mess all around.


Okay this is not the first ever bread that I did but I was hoping to perfect this bread to use as a staple in our pantry. Perfect as in looking, smelling, and tasting like ones we buy from shops. My benchmark actually is Warburton Toastie which my family loves and in our opinion is the best commercial sandwich bread around. The Best Recipe Cookbook (my constant guide mowadays) provided the recipe that I adapted.


How did it go? It was good although my youngest and my husband was put off by the yeasty smell. So I guess next time I will reduce the yeast considerably. Mind you, I used active dry yeast successfully in the bread maker which in all its instructions always say to use instant dry yeast. But active dry yeast is just fine. All you have to do is 'wake it up' or activating it by dissolving in warm liquid and letting stand for a few minutes. I find its helpful as well in knowing if your yeast is still good when you see (or not see) it foaming. With the instant dry yeast you won't know until after the first rising and by then all that dough is wasted.



American Sandwich Bread

520 gm bread flour
1 tsp fine salt
1/3 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter - melted
1 package (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast or active yeast

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Mix the water, milk, butter, sugar, and yeast. Stir to dissolve yeast and sugar. If using active dry yeast, let stand for about 10 minutes until the mixture starts to foam.
3. Hand method: Mix yeast mixture with the flour until it comes together enough to handle. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and satiny. Shape into a ball. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, rubbing it around to coat it lightly with oil. Cover with a plastic wrap and place in a warm place until the dough doubles in size (about 2 hours).
4. Bread machine method: Pour the yeast mixture in the bread machine then pour the flour and salt mixture on top. Set machine to dough setting and turn on. This will take about 2 hours to complete the kneading and rising.
5. Once the first rising is done, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Shape into a log and place in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Press it gently so it touches all four sides of the pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise until double in size (about 1 hour).
6. Bake in a 350F/180C/fan 160C pre-heated oven for 40 to 50 minutes.
7. Remove from pan and tap bottom of bread. If it sounds hollow the bread is ready, if not return to pan and oven for another 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Note: If you want a crispy crust, put another baking pan below the loaf pan in the oven. Fill this with about 1-2 cups of boiling water. This will provide moisture throughout the baking of the bread making the crust crispy.

There Are Phases I Remember

My family knows that I operate in phases. Even in food and cooking, they certainly remember those weeks when all I try to bake and think about are egg tarts or any baked custard. Then came the phase of anything muffins or cupcakes. Another time of all pies. It is the same with my life in general. I have these passing phases of obsession. Besides the constant passion in reading, there was a period not long ago that I was interested in anything "New Age". Consequently I was into meditation, alternative medicine, and the likes. I even attended some Tibetan meditation class. Most of the things I learned during this time I retained though sadly I do not meditate as regularly as before.

As expected from me, I was very interested in the accessories that came with the Buddhist meditation. You know things like round kapok pillows, bells, incense, burners, etc. One thing that caught my attention that I haven't used one yet is what they call the singing bowls. The sound from the singing bowls works in much the same way that chanting a certain word or phrase can enhance a person's meditation or put him in an altered state of mind. These were traditionally used by Tibetan monks and ordinary people in their meditation. There are currently Tibetan Singing Bowls that are available in the internet. Among the newer types of singing bowls are the Crystal Singing Bowls which, being made of crystal, creates a purer and clearer tone and a sound of higher volume that traditional singing bowls. Whichever one you choose they certainly look good and are hopefully effective in healing and meditation. I hope I'd be able to sample one of these soon and see what its effects on me.

Meringues

It's not very pretty. In fact it looks like some ... oh never mind. I never thought meringue making is this easy. It only consisted of 3 ingredients, imagine that! It was so easy even our 14-year-old nephew was able to make it all by himself. Thus the poo-looking mounds in the picture. Hahaha!

Actually he was the one who made the second batch because the first one I made was gone in a minute. Really yummy! The recipe was adapted from Angela Nilsen's The Ultimate Recipe Book

Next time I will make some Eton Mess with it. Thinking of which, I have to hurry up because strawberries will be disappering soon.


Meringues

4 egg whites
115 gm icing sugar (confectioner's)
115 gm caster sugar (superfine)

1. Preheat oven to 120C/fan 100C/250F. Line baking sheets with parchment or baking non-stick paper.
2. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks stage (stands up in stiff peaks when the blades are lifted).
3. Continue beating though this time on high speed. Start adding the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time. Continue beating 3-4 seconds after each addition. It should be thick and glossy after all the sugar has been added.
4. Sift one-third of the icing sugar on the beaten egg whites. With a metal spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold in it. Continue sifting and folding the icing sugar a third at a time. Do not over mix.
5. Using a dessert spoon, heap the mixture into small mounds (or you can pipe them) onto the lined baking sheets.
6. Bake for 1 1/2 hour or until the meringues sound crisp when tapped at the bottom.
7. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Suggested serving: sandwich two meringues with softly whipped cream

Pinakurat

What's the best dip companion for crisp fried danggit? Why spicy vinegar of course, smothered in copious amount of hot steaming fluffy rice. I have to admit spicy hot food have not always been my cup of tea. When it comes to these fire-breathing, tongue-scorching food I'm a bonafide coward. My tongue tends to be on the sensitive side and needs some TLC. I prefer distinguishing distinct spice flavours instead of being swamped and overwhelmed by heat. It's no wonder I use spicy hot dips sparingly.


Pinakurat, the spicy vinegar dip from Iligan City, was introduced to me by my BIL Derek. Unlike most spicy vinegars from the Philippines, Pinakurat managed to get the sourness, spices and hotness balanced just right. It actually tastes of some other spices other than the ubiquitous chillies. Mind you the hotness comes to you gradually not like an in-your-face typical hot spiciness common among other brands. Pinakurat is now my choice dip for crispy fried anything including the excellent danggit, tocino, and tapa. Yum!


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5th Anniversary

Happy birthday my blog, happy birthday my blog ...
It's been more than five years now since I started pounding the keyboard to breathe virtual electronic life to the recipes that were just filed in my folders. From the prolific output of about twice a week posts to a dearth of once a month, I still hang onto this beloved blog.

I felt that five years is a milestone enough to warrant changing of the blog template as you can see. I wish the main window is wider so I can post bigger pictures but this is a free template and I don't have Photoshopping powers to alter it. That's alright. I think it's cute and a nice change from the bright one I had before.

Please bear with me I haven't included all the links that I had in the old template. Plus I'm still in the process of tweaking it here and there. I have to say Blogger's new modular template style is much better than before. It makes it much easier to add things or what it calls 'widgets'.

Happy anniversary again to my blog ... here's to five more years of food blogging.

Grease Is The Word

My bundt cake pan saw first action today after languishing in my cupboard for the last 4 years. I've never done a recipe that requires one maybe because as they say out of sight out of mind? The apple monster requested another apple cake - as expected. Since I have a tub of sour cream about to expire I quickly trawled through the net to find recipes that would marry these two ingredients. The apple-sour cream concoctions I found were running on similar threads. Ingredients list are similar which only vary slightly in quantities. I printed off the two most promising and averaged the quantities. Lo and behold ! It was the best apple cake I've done ever and my family eagerly concurred.


However, the presentation was all ruined by a dearth of grease. If only I wasn't too lazy to patiently put more butter in it. Besides, I was too stubborn to follow instructions to grease AND flour the darn bundt pan. So there you are - apple cake volcano - after the eruption !




Not wanting to be classified as an 'old dog', I resolved to make it again this time making sure I learn my new 'tricks'. Generous amount of grease went to the smallest crevasses of the bundt pan then floured it generously as well. Some cinnamon was added but even without the cinnamon it was still delicious. The second attempt was a success. Just look at those nice unblemished contours made by the bundt pan. And like the first time it had the loveliest flavours as well.



Apple Sour Cream Cake

1 cup butter - softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups coarsely chopped apples

*Filling: (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar - firmly packed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts

*Glaze: (optional)
3 Tbsp icing sugar (confectioner's)
1-2 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C/fan 160C.
2. Generously grease and flour a Bundt pan or cake pan. Set aside.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
4. Mix all the filling mixture in another container. Set aside.
5. Beat the butter with 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in a big bowl until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs one at a time making sure to beat well after each addition.
7. Add vanilla, mix well.
8. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture alternating with the sour cream. Blend well.
9. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the chopped apples. Then stir the apples into the batter. Mix well making sure that the apples are well distributed.
10. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan.
11. Sprinkle the filling mixture on top (if using).
12. Then pour the rest of the batter in the pan.
13. Bake for about 60-70 minutes or until a skewer poked all the way in the middle comes out clean.
14. Right after coming out of the oven, immediately turn the cake out on a rack or plate. Cool completely.
15. If using the glaze, mix just enough milk to the icing sugar to make a thin drizzling consistency.
16. Drizzle the glaze all over the top of the cake.

Nutty Puffs

I forgot to include in my previous post of favourite things this ampaw that I can't resist. In my younger years, whenever we go back home to Amaya I never fail to ask for this peanut covered ampaw when we pass by a bakery in Zapote. I know this has a Chinese name but just can't remember it now.


As you can see the outside has been rolled in crushed peanuts while the inside is all crispy puffy ... things. The ingredients list says that it contains glutinous rice, sugar, glucose, water, and peanuts. Very few ingredients but the technique and procedure for making it looks complicated. But it doesn't matter I have no intention of making this at home because I'm afraid I'll scarf them all down if I learn to make them. Yum yum!