Focaccia (B&P42)

For the last three months, we've been living and working out of a temporary home in Michigan. My husband's on location contribution to a project here is nearing it's end. So, we've been trying to cram in all the Great Lakes tourist destinations that we can manage.

This past weekend, we headed off to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan.  We had a lot of fun climbing hills, falling into the snow, banging up our knees, and taking pictures.  Then we headed off to the lakeshore to look for rocks and fossils, plus seeing the lighthouses. Last, we cruised the coastline of the Grand Traverse Bay and looked at all the different birds frolicking in the frigid water.

I do have to admit that our little trips have been a bit challenging to coordinate. When you travel with  kids, our dog and our various food issues, it can feel like a major war campaign just to go on a weekend getaway not to mention the two week vacation. We've been spoiled by the abundance of pet friendly hotels that are abundant on the eastern seaboard and in the south. Little did we realize that heading out into the forest lands of Michigan, that our hotel search would be more troublesome than our gluten free food planning.

I did use a couple of resources for this trip that proved to be pretty helpful, the Bed Bug Registry and Trip Advisor. I even used Google images to check for pictures of hotels, motels, plus bed & breakfast locations. After a great deal of searching, I located a family and pet friendly hotel in Traverse City, the Baymont Inn & Suites. It was a perfect lodging point for our trip and there were plenty of restaurants to try and negotiate a gluten free meal. 

If you come out to Michigan to visit the Great Lakes, be aware that many lodging locations and tourist destinations are closed for the winter. The National and State Parks are mostly open, but have limited accessibility due to heavy snowfall. If you are interested in cross country skiing, snow shoeing or snow mobiling these are great destinations. Otherwise, you'll need to wait until there is enough of a thaw to allow for easier access to the trails.

To get us on the road, I made a loaf of focaccia drizzled with olive oil. fresh oregano and dotted with Kalamata olives. It was the perfect type of road food, easy to handle and not messy to eat. Delicious!

Enjoy!

Recipe

Protein Content
Original Amount: 43.94 g
GF Amount: 43.302 g

Biga

15 g brown rice flour (1.35 g)
14 g sweet rice flour (0.84 g)
14 g arrowroot starch (0.042 g)
22 g almond meal (4.4 g)
20 g white bean flour (4.3 g)
1 g instant dry yeast (120 - 130 degrees F/48 - 54 degrees C)

50 ml water
10 ml agave sweet

Final Dough

50 g brown rice flour (4.5 g)
40 g sweet rice flour (2.4 g)
40 g arrowroot starch (0.12 g)
73 g almond meal (14.6 g)
50 g white bean flour (10.75 g)
6 g chia seed meal
4 g agar agar powder
12 g instant dry yeast
7 g sea salt
126 g biga (from above)
15 g agave syrup
23 g olive oil
135 ml water (120 - 130 degrees F/48 - 54 degrees C)
Optional Toppings: fresh herbs, olives, roasted tomato slices, sauteed garlic or onion slices.


Biga Directions


In a medium sized bowl, combine the flours, water, agave syrup and yeast. Mix together, making sure the mixture is smooth. Cover the mixture or transfer to a container and allow to ferment at 75 degrees F/24 degrees C for 18 to 24 hours. When the biga is ready to use, it will have risen and receded, yet also look bubbly.

Final Dough Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients with the exception of the salt and yeast. Hold the salt out, so it can be added later in the mixing. Place the yeast into a small container, add the water and a little bit of the agave syrup. Stir to ensure the water mixes through the yeast. Allow the yeast to proof for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the yeast mixture, biga, the rest of the agave syrup and blend together. Just before the dough comes together, sprinkle in the salt and then continue blending until a soft ball forms. Note: This dough should be a little looser than other types of doughs.

3. Place the dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with arrowroot starch. Gently pat the dough out into an 8-inch/20 cm circle and brush with olive oil. Slide the parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and place in a warm location to rise for 2 hours. Brush the focaccia with olive oil again and cover with your choice of toppings.

4. Place an oven proof bowl filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Then place a baking stone on the top shelf. Preheat the oven to 460 degrees F/238 degrees C. Place the loaf in the oven and spray water over the oven box and the top of the loaf. Bake the loaf for 15 minutes. Prop the oven door open and continue to cook the bread for another 10 minutes. Remove the loaf and allow it to cool before serving.



What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their culinary dvd's from my family for my birthday and our anniversary. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Want more?

You can follow me on Twitter and on Flickr.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts
Index of the Baking & Pastry Project

Baking & Pastry Week 21 - A Biga & A Sourdough Starter
Baking & Pastry Project #41 - Ciabatta (Biga)
Baking & Pastry Project #40 - Rosemary Bread (Biga)
Baking & Pastry Project Week 20 - More Bigas
Baking & Pastry Project #39 - Cracked Rice & Potato Bread (Biga)
Baking & Pastry Project #38 - Almond & White Bean Batard (Biga)
Baking & Pastry Project Week 19 - Bigas

Ciabatta (B&P41)

Like many people who love to cook, I've got a thing for cookbooks, especially old ones. I go through old bookstores, thrift shops and even the collections of my family and friends looking for old treasures.

A while back I checked out the cookery section at Project Gutenberg, but didn't find anything all that interesting. Time makes all the difference in the world, especially when transferring old books into a digital format. Yesterday, I was back at Project "G" oogling their selection and they do have some nice ones available in the cookery section of the bookshelf.  They have a variety of ways to download the books and some versions even have the images as well. I tested the Adobe EPUB and the Read Online formats and both worked very well.

There are some old gems in this collection like The Women's Institute of Cookery (vols. I - V), The White House Cookbook and The Cook's Decameron: A Study In Taste, Containing Over Two Hundred Recipes For Italian Dishes. There are quite a few interesting recipes to be found in this collection, especially one for Starvation Soup.  It's found in The Belgian Cookbook (1915), a  book of recipes provided by Belgian refugees of World War I.

With many old cookbooks, you will have to guess at the quantities required for a recipe. They might tell you to use an equal amount of almonds and sugar or use phrases like "...reckon the quantities as follows." These types of recipes give you the chance to really get a feel for the look, texture and taste of a baked good. Although, it can be frustrating sometimes when you have to try and figure out equal weights of eggs, butter, flour and sugar.

If you're looking for something really yummy to go with this very good loaf of ciabatta, check out a recipe for Roman Sauce from The Cook's Decameron. It calls for nutmeg, raisins, lemon, herbs, pine nuts or almonds, burnt sugar in an espagnole or brown sauce. For our dinner, I ended up choosing the classic tomato sauce with basil and garlic served it over brown rice pasta and meatballs. To finish it off, I served Chocolate and Drambuie Tiramisu, the latest Daring Baker Challenge recipe, along with a cup of organic Espresso. Delicious.

Enjoy!



Recipe

Protein Content
Original: 29.12 g
Gluten Free: 28.63 g

Biga

20 g brown rice flour (1.8 g)
15 g sweet rice flour (0.09 g)
15 g arrowroot starch (0.045 g)
20 g almond meal (4 g)
22 g white bean flour (4.73 g)
1 g instant dry yeast
50 ml water (120 - 130 degrees F/48 - 54 degrees C)

10 ml agave syrup

Final Dough

25 g brown rice flour (2.25 g)
22 g sweet rice flour (1.32 g)
20 g arrowroot starch (0.06 g)
30 g almond meal (6 g)
35 g white bean flour (7.525 g)
12 g instant dry yeast
6 g chia seed meal
4 g agar agar powder
7 g sea salt
126 g biga (from above)
130 ml water (120 - 130 degrees F/48 - 54 degrees C)
15 ml agave syrup

Biga Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flours, water, agave syrup and yeast. Mix together, making sure the mixture is smooth. Cover the mixture or transfer to a container and allow to ferment at 75 degrees F/24 degrees C for 18 to 24 hours. When the biga is ready to use, it will have risen and receded, yet also look bubbly.

Final Dough Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients with the exception of the salt and yeast. Hold the salt out, so it can be added later in the mixing. Place the yeast into a small container, add the water and a little bit of the agave syrup. Stir to ensure the water mixes through the yeast. Allow the yeast to proof for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the yeast mixture, biga, the rest of the agave syrup and blend together. Just before the dough comes together, sprinkle in the salt and then continue blending until a soft ball forms. Note: This dough should be a little wetter or looser than other types of doughs.

3. Since this dough is looser, I made a foil frame so the bread would turn out the right shape. Take a long strip of aluminum foil and fold it lengthwise until it is 2 inches/5 cm wide. Fold up 1/2 inch/1.3cm from one long edge, but don't make a hard crease in the foil. Ease the foil around until the ends over lap and can rest one inside the other. Work the corners until the fold lays flat and you have a rounded edge rectangle. Let the sides ease out rather than be straight up and down. (See the picture above.) Gently line this frame with parchment paper, so you can reuse the frame for the ciabatta (the next B&P recipe).

4. Place the dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with arrowroot starch. Gently pat the dough out into the frame, but don't press it into the sides or corners. The loaf should still have rounded sides. Slide the frame onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and place in a warm location to rise for 2 hours.

5. Place an oven proof bowl filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Then place a baking stone on the top shelf. Preheat the oven to 460 degrees F/238 degrees C. Place the loaf in the oven and spray water over the oven box and the top of the loaf. Bake the loaf for 25 minutes. Prop the oven door open and continue to cook the bread for another 10 minutes. Remove the loaf and allow it to cool before serving.

 
What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their DVD's from my family for my birthday. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Want more?

You can follow me on Twitter and on Flickr.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry #40 - Rosemary Bread (Biga)
Baking & Pastry Week 20 - More Bigas
Baking & Pastry #39 - Cracked Rice & Potato Bread (Biga)
Baking & Pastry #38 - Almond & White Bean Batard (Biga)
Baking & Pastry Week 19 - Bigas

Rosemary Bread (B&P40)

The beauty of a biga is the rich slightly fermented flavor they give a loaf of bread. The depth of flavor is intensely satisfying when you eat these loaves. The first time I made this loaf, I didn't allow the biga to mature to the full 18 hours. Instead I stopped it about 8 hours, because I really needed a loaf of bread for my dinner party.

The resulting bread looked and tasted good, but that extra something was missing. So, I made it again and allowed the biga to ferment for 24 hours. Wow! The biga had a heady wine-like aroma and gave the bread that little extra boost it needed.

I made an Italian style dinner for my guests and everyone loved the bread. It doesn't need anything extra to go with it, maybe some butter. However, it's simply wonderful to eat all on it's own.

Enjoy!

Recipe

Protein Content
Original: 40.3 g
Gluten Free: 39.72 g

Biga

10 g brown rice flour (0.9 g)
10 g sweet rice flour (0.6 g)
10 g arrowroot starch (0.03 g)
15 g white bean flour (3.225 g)
12 g almond meal (2.4 g)
1 g instant dry yeast
32 ml water (120 - 130 degrees F/48 - 54 degrees C)
10 ml agave syrup

Final Dough

50 g brown rice flour (4.5 g)
40 g sweet rice flour (2.4 g)
40 g arrowroot starch (0.12 g)
60 g almond meal (12 g)
63 g white bean flour (13.545 g)
12 g instant dry yeast
6 g chia seed meal
4 g agar agar powder
5 g sea salt
2 g rosemary, coarsely chopped
9 g olive oil
24 ml milk or alternative milk
132 ml water (120 - 130 degrees F/48 - 54 degrees C)
15 ml agave syrup

Biga Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flours, water, agave syrup and yeast. Mix together, making sure the mixture is smooth. Cover the mixture or transfer to a container and allow to ferment at 75 degrees F/24 degrees C for 18 to 24 hours.  When the biga is ready to use, it will have risen and receded, yet also look bubbly.

Final Dough Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients with the exception of the salt and yeast.  Hold the salt out, so it can be added later in the mixing.  Place the yeast into a small container, add the water and a little bit of the agave syrup. Stir to ensure the water mixes through the yeast.  Allow the yeast to proof for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the yeast mixture, biga, the rest of the agave syrup and blend together. Just before the dough comes together, sprinkle in the salt and then continue blending until a soft ball forms. Note: This dough should be a little wetter or looser than other types of doughs.

3. Since this dough is looser, I made a foil frame so the bread would turn out the right shape. Take a long strip of aluminum foil and fold it lengthwise until it is 2 inches/5 cm wide. Fold up 1/2 inch/1.3cm from one long edge, but don't make a hard crease in the foil.  Ease the foil around until the ends over lap and can rest one inside the other. Work the corners until the fold lays flat and you have a rounded edge rectangle. Let the sides ease out rather than be straight up and down. (See the picture above.)  Gently line this frame with parchment paper, so you can reuse the frame for the ciabatta (the next B&P recipe).

4. Place the dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with arrowroot starch. Gently pat the dough out into the frame, but don't press it into the sides or corners. The loaf should still have rounded sides. Take a sharp knife to one corner of the dough and score from that corner to each of the other 3 corners (see the photograph at the top of the post). Slide the frame onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and place in a warm location to rise for 2 hours.

4. Place an oven proof bowl filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Then place a baking stone on the top shelf. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F/232 degrees C. Place the loaf in the oven and spray water over the oven box and the top of the loaf. Bake the loaf for 20 minutes. Prop the oven door open and continue to cook the bread for another 10 minutes. Remove the loaf and allow it to cool before serving.


What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their DVD's from my family for my birthday. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Want more?

You can follow me on Twitter and on Flickr.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry Week 20 - More Bigas
Baking & Pastry #39 - Cracked Rice & Potato Bread (Biga)
Baking & Pastry #38 - Almond & White Bean Batard (Biga)
Baking & Pastry Week 19 -  Bigas
Baking & Pastry #37 - Roasted Potato Basil Loaf (Poolish)
Baking & Pastry #36 - Almond & White Bead Epi Wreath (Poolish)
Baking & Pastry Week 18 - Poolishes

Exploring More Bigas - Baking & Pastry Week 20

The Penance Post or How to iPod Your Mom In Six Easy Steps

I got caught out the other day and found guilty of not just tuning out my Mom, but iPoding her. I razz my kids all the time about zoning out with their iPods. Honestly, I'm not offended, because if I wasn't driving the car or navigating us through another activity (i.e. grocery shopping), I'd be listening to my iPod too.

This past Christmas, we were home visiting with my family. I was busy in the kitchen, doing the white work icing on my gingerbread house. Happily zoning out listening to a book I downloaded from our library. Everyone else in the house was off doing their own thing or watching a movie in the family room. Turns out my Mom (i.e. the kid's grandmother) was telling everyone in the family room some important stuff about the next big family get together. I was off in book and icing land and didn't hear a word of it.

Last week, the kid's asked me if I had told Mimi (i.e. their grandmother) if we were going to be attending the big Spring family get together. I (of course) was puzzled by their question..."What big get together?"  Informative pair that they are, they started to let me know all about the party. Once again, I'm trying to figure out how they got to be in the know, as I'm so totally clueless about this event.

"Oh, Mimi told us about it," they replied. "When was that?" I ask. "Oh, that night around Christmas when everyone was over watching that movie we rented," they said. "Well, what was I doing, 'cause I don't remember this," I reply. They said, "You were decorating the gingerbread house, Mom." "Well, that explains it," I reply. "How so?" asks my son. "I was listening to a book while I iced the gingerbread," I said. "Oooooohhhhhh, you iPoded Mimi!" they popped out in unison. "You're in trouble now! We're telling Dad!" 

Our kid's have gotten a lot of mileage out of this transgression on my part...their Mom was caught iPoding her Mom. Priceless dirt as far as my kid's are concerned. They've told all their cousins, their friends and maybe even their grandfather. I've had emails from all my nephews and nieces asking the same question, "Is it true that you iPoded Mimi?" "Yep!" I emailed back.  "Wow! I don't suppose you lost the use of your iPod?" my 16 year old nephew asked. "I just lost my iPod Touch for two weeks, because I didn't turn in some of my homework assignments." "Well," I said, "Not turning in your homework, is kinda different than iPoding Mimi." "Yeah, I know...," he mumbled.

So this post is my penance for iPoding my Mom. My family decided I should have to confess.

If you're wondering how you too can iPod someone, here are six easy steps to getting it done:

1. Remove the volume control on your iPod.

2. Buy better ear buds.  Look at the Creative line for some nice ones.

3. Find a task to do with your hands while you listen.

4. Listen to something that will engross you, i.e. favorite music or book.

5. Make sure that the person you are iPoding is saying or doing something worth iPoding them over.

6. Be willing to pay the price for iPoding.

Now that I've confessed, I'm off to bake some more in solace. I'm remaking the first loaf of ciabatta I made. It ended up turning out into something looking more like focaccia rather than ciabatta. It tasted great, but I wanted a rounded loaf not a flat one, so back to the kitchen I go.


What Am I Baking?

Rosemary Bread made with a biga (egg free & dairy free option)

Ciabatta made with a biga (egg free & dairy free)


Shopping List

Brown Rice Flour (Fine or Superfine Grind)
Sweet Rice Flour (also called glutinous rice flour)
Arrowroot Starch
Almond Meal
High Protein Flours, such as: Soybean, White Bean, Black Bean
Whole Grain Flour, such as: Buckwheat, Millet, Sorghum, Quinoa, Teff
Instant Dry Yeast
Binding Agents, such as: Xanthan or Guar Gum, Chia Seed Meal, Agar Agar Powder
Olive Oil
Rosemary
Milk or Alternative Milk

Resources

Flours & Binding Agents: Authentic Foods, Barry Farm, Bob's Red Mill
Instant Dry Yeast: Barry Farm
Agave Syrup: Wild Organics, Native Seeds


Equipment

Cookie Sheet
Parchment Paper
Baking Stone


What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their culinary dvd's from my family for my birthday and our anniversary. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Want more?

You can follow me on Twitter and on Flickr.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Index of the Baking & Pastry Project

Baking & Pastry Project #34 - Almond Buckwheat Batard with Poolish
Baking & Pastry Project #33 - Stollen
Baking & Pastry Project Week 17 - Sponge & A Poolish
Baking & Pastry Project #32 - Gugelhopf Crown
Baking & Pastry Project #31 - Panettone
Baking & Pastry Project Week 16 - Holiday Breads

Cracked Rice & Potato Bread Made With A Biga (B&P39)

Baby Steps

When you first start baking gluten free, there is a steep learning curve while you learn the differences between baking with and without gluten. You take baby steps towards your goal of making edible gluten free food. Then you get the hang of it and you're making breads, cakes and cookies.

Later you want to spread your wings and try different recipes or convert a wheat recipe to gluten free. Once again, you're taking baby steps and discovering the joys and sorrows of gluten free baking. I felt so bad about the food I was wasting, I took a detour into learning how to compost. However, truthfully nothing takes all the sting out of having to throw out a baked good with a lot of expensive nut meal in it, not even knowing you're feeding the earth and it's critters.

Those baby steps are taking me towards my goal of baking artisan gluten free bread. They took me into the romance of my quest to a glorious crusty loaf of bread filled with cracked wild and brown rice and yukon gold potatoes. Utterly delicious...satisfying.

What do you need to enjoy this loaf? Maybe warm the loaf a little and add some butter. Better yet, grab a loved one and a bottle of red wine, then share the romance.

Enjoy!

Recipe

Protein Content
Original: 15.81 g
Gluten Free: 15.40 g


Biga

5 g brown rice flour (0.45 g)
2 g sweet rice flour (0.12 g)
2 g arrowroot starch (0.006 g)
2 g almond meal (0.4 g)
5 g white bean flour (1.075 g)
1 g instant dry yeast
10 ml agave syrup

Soaker

6 g cracked mixed brown rice varieties
6 - 8 ml water

Roasted Potatoes

65 g potatoes
olive oil, as needed
sea salt, as needed
cracked black pepper, as needed

Final Dough

16 g brown rice flour (1.44 g)
10 g sweet rice flour (0.6 g)
10 g arrowroot starch (0.03 g)
15 g almond meal (3 g)
15 g white bean flour (3.225 g)
________________________replaces the bread flour
10 g buckwheat flour (1.45 g)
10 g arrowroot starch (0.03 g)
15 g almond meal (3 g)
________________________replaces the whole wheat flour
3 g cocoa powder (0.57 g)
3 g arrowroot starch (0.009 g)
________________________replaces the medium rye flour
22 g instant dry yeast

55 g biga (from above)
65 g potatoes
74 g soaker (from above)
6 g chia seed meal
4 g agar agar powder
45 ml water (120 - 130 degrees F/48 - 54 degrees C)
15 ml agave syrup
3 g sea salt

Biga Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flours, water, agave syrup and yeast. Mix together, making sure the mixture is smooth. Cover the mixture or transfer to a container and allow to ferment at 75 degrees F/24 degrees C for 18 to 24 hours.  When the biga is ready to use, it will have risen and receded, yet also look bubbly.


Soaker Directions

Place the assorted brown rice and wild rice mixture (Lundberg Family Farms) into a clean coffee grinder. Pulse until the the majority of the grains are cracked. Pour the cracked rice into a container and pour the water over it. Cover and set in the refrigerator to soak for 8 to 12 hours.


Roasted Potato Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 F/220 C. Place the cut potatoes in a cookie pan or a rectangular baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and using a spoon or your hands coat the potatoes with the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake  for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and stir the potatoes. Place back in the oven and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Allow to cool. Cut the potato wedges into bite size pieces.


Final Dough Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients with the exception of the salt and yeast.  Hold the salt out, so it can be added later in the mixing.  Place the yeast into a small container, add the water and a little bit of the agave syrup. Stir to ensure the water mixes through the yeast.  Allow the yeast to proof for 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the yeast mixture, biga, potatoes, soaker and the rest of the agave syrup and blend together. Just before the dough comes together, sprinkle in the salt and then continue blending until a soft ball forms. If the dough is still too soft, add arrowroot starch by the tablespoon (1 Tb/15 ml) until the dough firms up.

3. Place the dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with arrowroot starch. Gently roll the dough into a cylinder about 12 in/30 cm long. Gently curve the dough into a horseshoe shape. Take a sharp knife and slice down the center of the cylinder. Place two small slices of potato at the top of the horseshoe. Slide the parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and place in a warm location to rise for 2 hours.

4. Place an oven proof bowl filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Then place a baking stone on the top shelf. Preheat the oven to 435 degrees F/224 degrees C. Place the loaf in the oven and spray water over the oven box and the top of the loaf. Bake the loaf for 45 minutes. Prop the oven door open and continue to cook the bread for another 10 minutes. Remove the loaf and allow it to cool before serving.

What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their DVD's from my family for my birthday. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Want more?

You can follow me on Twitter and on Flickr.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts


Baking & Pastry #38 - Almond & White Bean Batard (Biga)
Baking & Pastry Week 19 -  Bigas
Baking & Pastry #37 - Roasted Potato Basil Loaf (Poolish)
Baking & Pastry #36 - Almond & White Bead Epi Wreath (Poolish)
Baking & Pastry Week 18 - Poolishes

Almond White Bean Lean Loaf Made With A Biga (B&P38)

Quest, circa 1303, "a search for something" (esp. of judicial inquiries or hounds seeking game), from O.Fr. queste (Fr. quête), prop. "the act of seeking," from M.L. questa "search, inquiry," alteration of L. quæsitus, pp. of quærere "seek, gain, ask" (see query). Romance sense of "adventure undertaken by a knight" is attested from c.1384. The verb is first recorded c.1350.

Modern Language Association (MLA): "quest." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 16 Feb. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/quest>.

Each morning, most of us rise, get dressed, guzzle down a cup of coffee or tea and begin our search. We seek income, food, housing, safety, love and more. Each of our quests might not be along the lines a romantic grand tradition, however each one is necessary.

Every day, my husband goes out and seeks to do his best for employer and his clients. Each day, I seek to do my best for my family, whether it is through loving my family, caring for our home, cooking nutritious gluten free food, meeting our Sheltie's canine needs and working on my own endeavors.

Currently at Gluten A Go Go, I seek to bake artisan gluten free bread, and blog my adventure. Each conversion of a bread recipe from the CIA's Baking and Pastry tome, is a new challenge. A new opportunity to find the best artisan gluten free bread, a loaf that is airy, nutritious and doesn't fall apart when you eat it.

My quest can be broken down into smaller pursuits. Each one providing me an opportunity for the thrill of victory, such as getting the yeast to rise or the bread not to crumble. Yet, each of pursuits has the opportunity to fail and each one has at various times. Sometimes these failures have been pretty spectacular and others not so much. Each time I fail, I try again. Although quite honestly I think these basic lean bread recipes have it in for me. I have to remake these recipes more than any of the others in my baking project. This version turned out beautifully and has a fabulous slightly fermented taste. It's reminiscent of ciabatta, a recipe that is coming soon.

I'm slowly working my way through Baking and Pastry. My life doesn't quite accomodate the speed that  Julie Powell was able to generate while cooking through, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It took Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck, years to create Mastering the Art of French Cooking. They didn't give up. They kept seeking the best recipes. They kept cooking until they got it right.

I keep at my quest.  Some days, I find the romance (see my next bread, Cracked Rice and Roasted Potato Baguette). Other days...well...dadgum...if it could go wrong...it did.

At that point, I take a break and think on things. I work on my other pursuits, such as photography. I'm working on adding to my camera equipment, learning how to use it better and acting like bird paparazzi. I'm after a really nice image of a male cardinal and red hawk that are gracing the land around us.

Do you have a quest?

Protein Content

Biga:
Original: 11.05 g
Gluten Free: 12.23 g

Dough:
Original: 16.7 g
Gluten Free: 16.65 g

Biga

16 g brown rice flour (1.44 g)
16 g sweet rice flour (0.96 g)
16 g arrowroot starch (0.03 g)
19 g almond meal (4.32 g)
18 g white bean flour (4.08 g)
12 g instant dry yeast
50 ml water
15 ml agave syrup

Final Dough

22 g brown rice flour (1.98 g)
22 g sweet rice flour (1.32 g )
24 g arrowroot starch (0.07 g)
30 g almond meal (6 g)
28 g white bean flour (6.02 g)
6 g chia seed meal (1.26 g)
6 g sea salt
4 g agar agar powder
15 g instant dry yeast
126 g biga (from above)
20 ml agave syrup
128 ml water (120 - 130 degrees F/48 - 54 degrees C)

Biga Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flours, water, agave syrup and yeast. Mix together, making sure the mixture is smooth. Cover the mixture or transfer to a container and allow to ferment at 75 degrees F/24 degrees C for 18 to 24 hours.  When the biga is ready to use, it will have risen and receded, yet also look bubbly.

Final Dough Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients with the exception of the salt.  Hold the salt out, so it can be added later in the mixing.  Add the biga, water and agave syrup and blend together, just before the dough comes together, sprinkle in the salt and then continue blending until a soft ball forms. If the dough is still too soft, add arrowroot starch by the tablespoon (1 Tb/15 ml) until the dough firms up.
2. Place the dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with arrowroot starch. Gently roll the dough into a cylinder about 10 in/25 cm long and taper the ends. Take a sharp knife and slice a cut across the center of the cylinder at a slight angle. Place matching cuts on either side of the center cut, so there are three cuts altogether. Slide the parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and place in a warm location to rise for 2 hours.
3. Place an oven proof bowl filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Then place a baking stone on the top shelf. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F/232 degrees C. Place the loaf in the oven and spray water over the oven box and the top of the loaf. Bake the loaf for 30 minutes. Prop the oven door open and continue to cook the bread for another 10 minutes. Remove the loaf and allow it to cool before serving.
What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their DVD's from my family for my birthday. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Want more?

You can follow me on Twitter and on Flickr.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry Week 18 - Poolishes
Baking & Pastry #34 - Almond Buckwheat BatardBaking & Pastry #33 - Stollen
Baking & Pastry Week 17 - A Sponge and a Poolish
Baking & Pastry #32 - Gugelhopf
Baking & Pastry #31 - Panettone

Almond White Bean Lean Loaf Made With A Poolish (B&P37)

I'm back on the baking trail now that my flours have all arrived. Last week, I was on the hunt for flours when my order went the opposite direction from me. It put a real crimp in my making the January Daring Bakers Challenge. So, I decided to maximize my chances of getting an order by picking 3 different vendors to order from. I was able to get enough flour in to finish the DB Challenge fortunately. However it wasn't enough to go back to baking bread. All the flours finally came in and I've got bread on the menu for today.

It's a truly lovely loaf of Almond White Bean Bread - a lean dough that is egg and dairy free. It has a wonderful flavor that is great as toast with scrambled eggs, a dollop of strawberry jelly or simply for eating plain.

This picture is from the first set I made in early morning light. I was waiting for later in the day, for a second set, when the light would be brighter and warmer through the patio doors. The dining area contains my photo studio in our temporary home, so I got things ready and then went off to take a shower. When I was finished getting ready, I discovered my son in his search for something to eat with his scrambled eggs had absconded with the loaf. A good portion was already gone and my daughter was digging into it to add to her breakfast plate. By the time the afternoon light came around, there wasn't enough of the loaf left to take another picture.

What's coming up next in my bread baking adventure? Bigas...another method of pre-ferment, which was used by Italian bakers. The biga will add a more complex flavor and larger air pockets. Well...I'm hopeful about the larger air holes, because you've got to keep on your positive thinking cap when you bake gluten free bread.  First up will be the basic lean bread, Almond White Bean.Then I'm making a Cracked Rice and Potato Loaf that has the addition of whole grains of rice in it.

If you haven't tried many of the alternative flours, but you'd like to give some of them a try. Check out my latest article for the Daring Kitchen called "Playing With Alternative Flours."  It might help you over the hurdle and into trying out an alternative flour that will add a different flavor, texture or nutrition to your food.


Recipe

Protein Content
Original: 33.8 g
Gluten Free: 33.44 g


Poolish

22 g brown rice flour (1.98 g)
22 g sweet rice flour (1.32 g)
22 g arrowroot starch (.06 g)
34 g almond meal (6.8 g)
28 g white bean flour (6.45 g)
12 g instant dry yeast
131 ml water
15 ml agave syrup

Final Dough

10 g brown rice flour (.09 g)
22 g sweet rice flour (1.32 g)
22 g arrowroot starch (.06 g)
35 g almond meal (7 g)
16 g buckwheat flour (2.32 g)
25 g white bean flour (5.37 g)
________________________replaces durum flour
22 g  brown rice flour (1.98 g)
22 g sweet rice flour (1.32 g)
22 g arrowroot starch (.06 g)
30 g almond meal (6 g)
28 g white bean flour (6.02 g)
6 g chia seed meal (1.26 g)
________________________replaces bread flour
15 g instant dry yeast
10 g sea salt
4 g agar agar powder
135 ml water (120 - 130 degrees F)
10 ml agave syrup

Directions for Poolish

Pour all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and blend together. Then add the water and agave syrup and stir until incorporated. Set the bowl in a warm location to rise for 30 minutes.
 
Directions for Final Dough

1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir together. Add the poolish, water and agave syrup and blend together until a soft ball forms.  If the dough is still too soft, add arrowroot starch by the tablespoon (1 Tb/15 ml) until the dough firms up.

2. Place the dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with arrowroot starch.  Gently roll the dough into a cylinder about 10 in/25 cm long and taper the ends. Take a sharp knife and slice a an arcing cut in the center of the cylinder at an angle.  Slide the parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and place in a warm location to rise for 2 hours.

3. Place an oven proof bowl filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven.  Then place a baking stone on the top shelf. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F/246 degrees C. Place the loaf in the oven and spray water over the oven box and the top of the loaf.  Bake the loaf for 20 minutes. Prop the oven door open and continue to cook the bread for another 10 minutes.  Remove the loaf and allow it to cool before serving.

What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their DVD's from my family for my birthday. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Want more?

You can follow me on Twitter and on Flickr.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry #36 - Roasted Potato & Basil Loaf
Baking & Pastry #35 - Almond White Bean Epi Wreath
Baking & Pastry Week 18 - Poolishes
Baking & Pastry #34 - Almond Buckwheat Batard
Baking & Pastry #33 - Stollen
Baking & Pastry Week 17 - A Sponge and a Poolish

Almond Buckwheat Batard with Poolish (B&P#34)

Fresh bread can be sheer torture. It's the aroma while baking, the crackle of the crust or the delicious flavor when you bite into your slice. I like the loaves that get a bit toasty in the oven. Those loaves are a joy to tear into once they've cooled.

This is one of those loaves. It never made it to toast for breakfast or sandwiches for lunch. We divided it amongst the four of us and slowly devoured it.

This is a wonderful flour combination. When baked the flavor is very reminescent of a stone ground wheat loaf or at least how I remembered it tasting. My husband, who can glutenize, thought the flavor was evocative of a wheat loaf that was baked in a brick oven. Oh, my heart was skipping with that comment...that's high praise. I hugged the sweetness of his compliment to me. He knew that my first attempt with buckwheat and tepary beans tasted like old musty beans.

Enjoy!

Recipe

Protein Content:
Original Content: 50.7 g
GF Content: 49.18 g

Poolish

45 g Almond Meal (9 g)
50 g Buckwheat flour (7.25 g)
35 g Arrowroot Starch (0.105 g)___________replacement for whole wheat flour
15 g Instant Dry Yeast
15 ml Agave Syrup
180 ml Water (120 - 130 deg F/49 - 54 deg C)

Final Dough

20 g Brown Rice Flour (1.8 g)
25 g Sweet Rice Flour (1.5 g)
25 g Arrowroot Starch (0.3 g)
54 g White Bean Flour (11.61 g)
6 g Chia Seed Meal (1.26 g)______________replacement for bread flour
45 g Almond Meal (9 g)
50 g Buckwheat Flour (7.25 g)
35 g Arrowroot Starch (0.105 g)___________replacement for whole wheat flour
4 g Agar Agar Powder
15 g Instant Dry Yeast
10 g Sea Salt
254 g Poolish (above)
90 ml Water (120 - 130 deg F/49 - 54 deg C)
15 ml Agave Syrup


Directions for Poolish

Pour all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and blend together. Then add the water and agave syrup and stir until incorporated. Set the bowl in a warm location to rise for 40 minutes.
 
Directions for Final Dough

1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir together. Add the poolish, water and agave syrup and blend together until a soft ball forms.  If the dough is still too soft, add arrowroot starch by the tablespoon (1 Tb/15 ml) until the dough firms up.

2. Place the dough in the center of a sheet of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with arrowroot starch.  Gently roll the dough into a cylinder about 10 in/25 cm long and taper the ends. Take a sharp knife and slice a cut in the center of the cylinder at an angle.  Then place a parallel slice on either side of the center cut. Slide the parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and place in a warm location to rise for 1 1/2 hours.

3. Place an oven proof bowl filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven.  Then place a baking stone on the top shelf. Preheat the oven to 470 degrees F/243 degrees C. Place the loaf in the oven and spray water over the oven box and the top of the loaf.  Bake the loaf for 25 minutes. Prop the oven door open and continue to cook the bread for another 10 minutes.  Remove the loaf and allow it to cool before serving.

Stollen (B&P#33)

For me, holiday baking has to include something decadent.  That means I need to make one of the different types of Christstollen or stollen.

It is a traditional German Christmas season fruit filled bread covered in powdered sugar. The fruits (golden raisins, raisins, currants, lemon peel, orange peel, citron peel and zests) can be soaked in dark rum or white wine. It can also have nuts, almond paste and other dried fruits in the dough. The bread itself has only a slight bit of sweetener with the vanilla and powdered sugar coating providing an incredible finishing touch.

Stollen isn't one of my husband's favorite breads, so  it always means more for me.  Unfortunately, I have to make sure there isn't more of me by the time New Year's rolls around.

While collecting all the ingredients to make my stollen, I found myself perusing the virtual aisles of Fantes (it's one of my favorite online baking and pastry supply stores). They carry a very nice non-stick stollen pan made in Portugal. I decided to buy one to give it a try with my gluten free version. (It's okay, you can say my will was weak...it was.)

This pan will make up to a 2 lb/.907 kg loaf. I was making a 1 lb/.454 kg loaf, so I turned the stollen pan upside down and evenly filled out the pan with the bread dough. After rising, the bread dough had filled out the shape nicely, creating the classic stollen shape.

This is a fabulous tasting bread and goes extremely well with a steaming cup of French Roast coffee. So, break down, make some stollen. Then afterwards, you can join me in working it off with Jillian Michaels. Well, maybe you don't want to...she's helping me rediscover my post radiation pecs. So, my language isn't always that nice. Or maybe I should do it the other way around...that way I can recover from trying to get my right pectoral muscle to remember how to move and stretch with stollen and a hefty dose of French Roast.


Recipe

Protein Content:

Original Content: 20.28 g
GF Content: 19.84 g


Sponge

100  - 130 ml milk, room temperature
30 ml agave syrup
30 g instant dry yeast
14 g brown rice flour (1.26 g)
12 g sweet rice flour (.072 g)
14 g arrowroot starch (0.042 g)
18 g almond meal (3.6 g)
20 g white bean flour (4.3 g)

Fruit & Nut Mix

1028 g golden raisins
37 g candied lemon peel
16 g candied orange peel
13 ml dark rum or white wine
47 g blanched almonds

Final Dough

14 g brown rice flour (1.26 g)
12 g sweet rice flour (0.72 g)
14 g arrowroot starch (0.042 g)
18 g almond meal (3.6 g)
20 g white bean flour (4.3 g)
6 g chia seed meal
4 g agar agar powder
7 g cane sugar
4 g sea salt
1 g lemon zest, grated
pinch ground allspice
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch ground cloves
pinch ground ginger
7 g almond paste
136 g fruit & nut mix
85 g butter, softened
125 g sponge (from above)
60 - 90 ml milk, room temperature

Finishing

clarified butter, as needed
vanilla sugar, as needed
powdered sugar, as needed


Directions

Fruit & Nut Mix

Place all the ingredients in a resealable container and shake together. Put the container in the refrigerator and allow the mixture to blend together for at least 24 hours before using in the recipe.

Sponge

Pour all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and blend together. Then add the milk and agave syrup and stir until incorporated.  Set the bowl in a warm location to rise for 40 minutes.

Final Dough

1. Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir together.  Then add the milk and softened butter and stir until the dough forms a soft ball.  If the dough is too soft work in a small amount of arrowroot starch to help firm up the dough (i.e. 1 Tb/15 ml at a time). 

2. You can either use a stolen pan or shape the loaf by hand. For the stollen pan, place the pan upside down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Prop up the sides with sides with balls of parchment paper, then line the pan with parchment paper.  If you shape the loaf by hand, lay out a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle it with arrowroot starch.  Then pat out the dough until it is an oval shape and about 1/2 inch/1.27 cm thick. Then fold one side of the dough over the other until about 1/3 of the dough is uncovered. Use arrowroot starch as needed to shape the loaf.  Set the loaf in a warm location to rise for 2 hours.

3.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/177 degrees C. Place the stollen in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool before you remove it from the pan.

Finishing

Place the stollen on a serving tray and brush with clarified butter. The press on the vanilla sugar and sprinnkle with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts


Index of the Baking & Pastry Project

Baking & Pastry Project Week 17- A Sponge & A Poolish
Baking & Pastry Project #32 - Gugelhopf
Baking & Pastry Project #31 - Panettone
Baking & Pastry Project Week 16 - Holiday Breads
Baking & Pastry Project #30 - Multigrain Bread With Pate Fermentee
Baking & Pastry Project #29 - White Bean Lean Bread With Pate Fermentee
Baking & Pastry Project Week 15 - Lean & Multigrain


Want More?

You can also follow me on Twitter, where I'm glutenagogo.

Baking & Pastry Project Week 17 - Sponge & Poolish

Schedule

Tuesday - Stollen

Thursday - Whole Grain Bread with Poolish


Shopping List

Brown Rice Flour (Fine or Superfine Grind)
Sweet Rice Flour (also called glutinous rice flour)
Arrowroot Starch
Almond Meal
High Protein Flours, such as: Soybean, White Bean, Black Bean
Whole Grain Flour, such as: Buckwheat, Millet, Sorghum, Quinoa, Teff
Instant Dry Yeast
Binding Agents, such as: Xanthan or Guar Gum, Chia Seed Meal, Agar Agar Powder
Candied Orange & Lemon Peel
Raisins & Golden Raisins
Almond Paste
Lemon Zest
Almonds
Spices: Ground Cloves, Cinnamon, Allspice and Ginger


Resources

Flours & Binding Agents: Authentic Foods, Barry Farm, Bob's Red Mill
Instant Dry Yeast: Barry Farm
Agave Syrup: Wild Organics, Native Seeds
Nuts & Candied Peel: Barry Farm
Almond Paste: Kerekes

Equipment

Stollen Pan - Fantes


What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their culinary dvd's from my family for my birthday and our anniversary. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Index of the Baking & Pastry Project

Baking & Pastry Project #32 - Gugelhopf
Baking & Pastry Project #31 - Panettone
Baking & Pastry Project Week #16 - Holiday Breads
Baking & Pastry Project #30 - Multigrain Bread With Pate Fermentee
Baking & Pastry Project #29 - White Bean Lean Bread With Pate Fermentee
Baking & Pastry Project Week 15 - Lean & Multigrain


Want More?

You can also follow me on Twitter, where I'm glutenagogo.

Rustic Raisin Bread (B&P15)

Baking & Pastry Project #15 - Rustin Raisin Bread

We spent a busy weekend cleaning up after the carpenter and working on our yard. It was such a pleasure to see the changes in our kitchen. The carpenter takes care to vacuum while he works, but all the little bits of saw dust seems to float through the air and wedge into cracks around the kitchen. It's amazing how it travels, even though he's cutting all the wood outside.

It is taking him a while to trim all the entry ways, and each connection of the boards. You realize while he's working on the boards that there will be all these intersection points to work, but seeing him work all the angles and cuts is beauty and the mastery of wood with geometry. One area near our pantry looks almost like old English wood work.

I worked up some bread for our breakfasts for the weekend. Since we were trying to finish off some yard projects. I fixed us a breakfast of scrambled eggs with pancetta and a fresh fruit salad to go along with this bread. Afterwards, I headed out and finished off painting our patio furniture, a job that will hopefully last another 10 years.

Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf

Protein Content follows the flour in parenthesis

Original Protein Content: 22.88 g

GF Protein Content: 22.96 g

2 Tb/30 g brown rice flour (2.7 g)

1 3/4 Tb/25 g sweet rice flour (1.5 g)

1 3/8 Tb/20 g arrowroot starch (.06 g)

2 7/8 Tb/40 g almond meal (8 g)

1 7/8 Tb/26 g millet flour (2.99 g)

2 Tb/30 g white bean floour (6.45 g)

1 1/4 tsp/6 g chia seed meal (1.26 g)

3/8 tsp/2 g agar agar powder

2 3/8 tsp/12 g instant dry yeast

1 1/2 tsp/7 g sea salt

1 1/2 Tb/21 g cane sugar

6 1/2 Tb/92 g raisins

1/2 - 2/3 cup/125-135 ml whole milk, room temperature

1 tsp/5 g honey


1. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, along with the raisins. Pour in the honey and milk then stir together. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle the parchment paper with sweet rice flour and place the bread dough in the center of the paper. Shape into a round ball and score four slashes down the top of the dough. Cover and allow to rise for 1 ½ hours.


2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven at the same time on a shelf in the top third of the oven. Gather an oven proof bowl that can hold water and a squirt bottle filled with water for steaming your bread. Place the water bowl on a shelf in the bottom third of the oven.


3. Remove the stone or brick from the oven and slide the parchment paper with the loaf onto the baking stone. Squirt the sides of the oven with water and the top of the bread. Then bake for 30 minutes. Prop open the door of the oven and allow the bread to cook for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven, then let the bread cool about 1 ½ hours before cutting.




Notes:


1. White Bean Flour – You can purchase white bean flour from Barry Farm or you can grind your own using a coffee grinder. Make sure to sift your bean flour before using to make sure any bits that weren’t ground are removed


2. Chia Seed Meal – You can purchase chia seeds from Barry Farm and use a coffee grinder to turn them into meal.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry Project #14 - Cheddar & Onion Mock Rye Batard
Baking & Pastry Project #13 - Prosciutto & Provolone Bread
Baking & Pastry Project Week 7 - Ham & Cheese
Baking & Pastry Project #12 - Belgian Apple Cider Bread
Baking & Pastry Project #11 - Beer & Cheese Bread
Baking & Pastry Project Week 6 - Beer, Cheese & Cider



Want More?


You can find me on Twitter at glutenagogo.

Cheddar & Onion Mock Rye Batard (B&P14)

Baking & Pastry Project #14 - Cheddar & Onion Mock Rye Batard



This bread turned out to be the sleeper of the project so far. It had a fabulous flavor that was bursting with the creaminess from the cheese and the earthy hint of onion as the bread glided over my tongue.

I was surpised as I was pretty skeptical about a bread recipe that had raw onion in it. Was the onion going to cook all the way through or was it going to end up as power house chunks of raw onion surrounded by bread. I have to admit to pondering the recipe for a while and contemplated carmelizing the onions first. In the end, although I had my doubts, I finally went with the book and added those raw onion squares to the dough.

I got everything ready, so I could bake bread in the morning and realized my tea had gone cold. I placed the cup in the microwave, made my selection, pressed start and enjoyed a nice flame show. Two small flames popped up on one side of the interior. I rapidly hit "End" and watched my impromptu fire fizzle out.

What is it about microwaves? I don't use our microwave for very much, mostly for reheating beverages. However, the last 3 microwaves we've owed have lasted for 2 years and all go up in flames. Is there something about me that kills microwaves or is it a sign of the times with planned appliance obsolesence? Maybe it's a sign that I could start a new career as a fire-starter in an alternative universe, armed with my handy microwave? Oh, wait...they might not have electricity...okay scrap that plan.

By the way, do any of you use your microwave for a lot of cooking or do you use it mostly for reheating things? Most of the time, when I reheat foods, I use our toaster oven. Which is what I did with this bread, when my husband and I had a simple dinner of bread, salad and a nice cold gluten free beer. Delicious!



Recipe
Yield: 1 batard

Protein Content follows the flour in parenthesis
Original Protein Content: 13.21 g
GF Protein Content: 12.89 g


1 tsp/5 g brown rice flour (.45 g)
4 1/4 tsp/20 g sweet rice flour (1.2 g)
4 1/4 tsp/20 g arrowroot starch (.06 g)
4 Tb/58 g sorghum flour (6.67 g)
1 1/4 tsp/ 6 g chia seed meal (1.26 g)
____
1 tsp/5 g black bean flour (1.2 g)
4 3/8 tsp/21 g sorghum flour (1.47 g)
5/8 tsp/ 3 g cocoa powder (.57 g)
1 tsp/5 g arrowroot starch (.01 g)
3/8 tsp/2 g agar agar powder
2 3/8 tsp/11 g instant dry yeast
7/8 tsp/4 g sea salt
5/8 tsp/3 g cane sugar
1/2 cup/137 ml water
5/8 tsp/3 g molasses
5/8 tsp/3 g vegetable oil
2 Tb/28 g cheddar cheese, diced
2 Tb/28 g yellow onion, diced

1. Combine the dry ingredients into a large bowl and blend well. Add the water, molasses and oil and mix. Then add the cheese and onion and blend.

2. On a sheet of parchment paper sprinkled with sweet rice flour, place the dough into the center and shape into a batard. Slice the batard across the width of the middle and then on either side. Set in a draft free location and allow to rise for 2 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F/218 degrees C. If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven at the same time on a shelf in the top third of the oven. Gather an oven proof bowl that can hold water and a squirt bottle filled with water for steaming your bread. Place the water bowl on a shelf in the bottom third of the oven.

4. Slide the parchment paper with the loaf onto the baking stone. Squirt the sides of the oven with water and the top of the bread. Then bake for 25 minutes. Prop open the door of the oven and allow the bread to cook for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven, then let the bread cool about 1 ½ hours before cutting.

Notes:

1. Bean Flour – You can purchase Black bean flour from Barry Farm or you can grind your own using a coffee grinder.

2. Chia Seed Meal/Salba Meal – You can purchase dark chia seeds from Barry Farm and light chia seeds (Salba) from Amazon. Then you can use a coffee grinder to turn them into meal.

3. Agar Agar Powder - Is available from Barry Farm as well.

Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry Project #13 - Prosciutto & Provolone Bread
Baking & Pastry Project Week 7 - Ham & Cheese
Baking & Pastry Project #12 - Belgian Apple Cider Bread
Baking & Pastry Project #11 - Beer & Cheese Bread
Baking & Pastry Project Week 6 - Beer, Cheese & Cider
Baking & Pastry Project #10 - Sunflower Honey Bran Bread
Baking & Pastry Project #9 - Black Bean Millet Pullman Loaf (mock rye)
Baking & Pastry Project Week 5 - Mock Rye & Sunflower Seeds


Want More?

You can follow me on Twitter, where I'm glutenagogo.

Prosciutto & Provolone Bread (B&P-13)

Baking & Pastry Project #13 - Prosciutto & Provolone Bread

Happy Memorial Day! This is a four day weekend of us and we're planning loads of home and yard improvement.

We're working on finishing off the carpentry work on our kitchen remodel. Yesterday, my husband and daughter finished off the countertop trim. He was teaching her how to measure and set up the angles for cutting the wood. She got to counter sink the nails and schmear wood putty into the holes.

I was painting the strips for the batten of our board and batten paneling for the walls of the kitchen. There are so many strips that have to be primed and painted before they can be hung on the ceiling and walls. By the end of yesterday, I was covered in little droplets of paint. Our Sheltie had her own streaks of paint since she needed to share some love while I was trying to swing a paint brush.

Our son had his own project, to clean out his small bookcase so we can put a new one in his room. It's time to part with his young reader books to make room for the Redwall and Hardy Boys series he's collecting.

To round out the day, we started tackling our yard. We did a lot of trimming and shifted a few plants around. Due to the long cold winter, we had quite a few things die and others that suffered quite a bit of ice damage. I'm really sad about the loss of our Henry Lauder Walking Stick tree (also called a Corkscrew Hazel). It was a beautiful and unique tree that was remarkably lovely in the fall.

We took a break for lunch, crashing tiredly in the rocking chairs around the patio table. While our Sheltie aimed for the deepest part of the shade cast by the umbrella over the patio. We dined on prosciutto and provolone bread served with rainbow chard salad and a mixed fruit salad. Then we sat and indulged in multiple glasses of iced tea and frosty fruit jucies.

Recipe

Yield: 1 small loaf

Protein content: 23.57 g

1 Tb + 2 1/4 tsp/25 g brown rice flour (2.25 g)

1 Tb + 2 1/4 tsp/25 g sweet rice flour (1.5 g)

4 1/4 tsp/20 g arrowroot starch (.06 g)

2 Tb + 2 1/2 tsp/40 g almond meal (8 g)

1 Tb + 2 1/2 tsp/26 g millet flour (2.99 g)

1 1/4 tsp/6 g chia seed meal (1.26 g)

2 1/2 Tb/35 g white bean flour (7.5 g)

2 1/4 tsp + pinch/11 g instant dry yeast

1/2 tsp/2 g agar agar powder

3/4 tsp + dash/4 g sea salt

7 Tb + 1 tsp/109 ml water

1 Tb + 3/4 tsp/18 g olive oil

1 Tb + dash/15 g butter, soft

4 Tb/56 g prosciutto, diced

4 Tb/56 g provolone, diced

1. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and blend well. Pour in the olive oil, butter and water, then stir together. Sprinkle the parchment paper with sweet rice flour and place the bread dough in the center of the paper. Shape into a round ball and score an "X" in the center of the top of the dough. Cover and allow to rise for 2 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 435 degrees F/225 degrees C. If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven at the same time on a shelf in the top third of the oven. Gather an oven proof bowl that can hold water and a squirt bottle filled with water for steaming your bread. Place the water bowl on a shelf in the bottom third of the oven.

3. Slide the parchment paper with the loaf onto the baking stone. Squirt the sides of the oven with water and the top of the bread. Then bake for 25 minutes. Prop open the door of the oven and allow the bread to cook for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven, then let the bread cool about 1 ½ hours before cutting.

Notes:

1. Bean Flour – You can purchase Black bean flour from Barry Farm or you can grind your own using a coffee grinder.

2. Chia Seed Meal – You can purchase chia seeds from Barry Farm and use a coffee grinder to turn them into meal.

3. Agar Agar Powder - Is available from Barry Farm as well.

Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry Project Week 7 - Ham & Cheese
Baking & Pastry Project #12 - Belgian Apple Cider Bread
Baking & Pastry Project #11 - Beer & Cheese Bread
Baking & Pastry Project Week 6 - Beer, Cheese & Cider
Baking & Pastry Project #10 - Sunflower Honey Bran Bread
Baking & Pastry Project #9 - Black Bean Millet Pullman Loaf (mock rye)
Baking & Pastry Project Week 5 - Mock Rye & Sunflower Seeds


Want More?

You can follow me on Twitter, where I'm glutenagogo.

Baking & Pastry Project Week 7 - Ham & Cheese

It's going to be another great week of bread baking at my house. As always, my furry buddy will be warming the tops of my feet while I measure flour, grind beans and accidently knock chunks of cheese on the floor.

I've discovered there are quite a few ways I can make our Sheltie's day while I work my way through the bread section of the Baking & Pastry Project:

1. Me: Start up the coffee grinder.

The Sheltie: A prime whining and whizzing noise that means great barking fun will be had...REAL soon.

2. Me: Grind beans rather than coffee beans.

The Sheltie: A possible sign that aliens are attempting to break in and abduct Timmy, yet again...well, you never know...it pays to be on guard.

3. Me: Keep up good posture while I chop cheese, prosciutto and onion.

The Sheltie: If I squeeze in between the cabinet and my human's body, I can lay on top of their feet. It's an awesome trick to play, as it makes my human drop amazing quantities of food on the floor...chunks of cheese, meat and the incredible combo...pizza.

4. Me: I always need to bake or cook something for the bottomless preteen stomachs residing in our house.

The Sheltie: If the oven is running, something good will soon be had to eat. I am a begging master. I could go pro. With my masterful touch I can get cheese, ham, waffles, chicken, and BACON, BACON, BACON & MORE BACON.

5. Me: Run the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer.

The Sheltie: The absolutely best tasting food comes from that whirring thing on the counter. If I bump my human's leg with my shoulder, I have a better chance of her dropping the spoon or the spatula. It's all good to me.

6. Me: I need to do some chores in the kitchen.

The Sheltie: Ah...the kitchen, excitement at every turn...

Schedule

Wednesday - Prosciutto & Provolone Bread

Saturday - Cheddar & Onion Mock Rye Bread

Shopping List

Brown Rice Flour (Fine or Superfine Grind)

Sweet Rice Flour (also called glutinous rice flour)

Arrowroot Starch

Almond Meal

High Protein Flours, such as: Soybean, White Bean, Black Bean

Whole Grain Flour, such as: Buckwheat, Millet, Sorghum, Quinoa, Teff

Instant Dry Yeast

Sea Salt

Binding Agents, such as: Xanthan or Guar Gum, Chia Seed Meal, Agar Agar Powder

Prosciutto - diced

Provolone - diced

Cheddar Cheese - grated

Yellow Onion - diced

Molasses

Resources

Flours, Almond Meal & Binding Agents: Authentic Foods, Barry Farm, Bob's Red Mill

Instant Dry Yeast: Barry Farm

Molasses: Barry Farm

Agave Syrup: Wild Organics, Native Seeds

Prosciutto, Provolone, Cheddar & Onion: Local grocery store or natural foods market

Note: If you can't prosciutto in your area, look for a Smithfield ham, Black Forest ham, dried cured ham or lean bacon (blanched in boiling water, rinsed and drained). This information is from The Cook's Thesaurus, click on the link for even more options.

Equipment

No specific or unusual equipment is needed this week.

What's Going On?

I was a very lucky woman and received a copy of the Culinary Institute of America's Baking & Pastry book along with their culinary dvd's from my family for my birthday and our anniversary. After watching all the DVDs, I decided to work my way through the CIA's Baking and Pastry book - of course making it gluten free. There were so many skills that I wanted to develop and work on. I hope you will be interested in sharing my journey with me.

Want More?

You can also follow me on Twitter, where I'm glutenagogo.

Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry Project #11 - Beer & Cheese Bread

Baking & Pastry Project Week 6 - Beer, Cheese & Cider

Baking & Pastry Project #10 - Sunflower Honey Bran Bread

Baking & Pastry Project #9 - Black Bean Millet Pullman Loaf (mock rye)

Baking & Pastry Project Week 5 - Mock Rye & Sunflower Seeds

Belgian Apple Cider Bread (B&P-12)

Baking & Pastry Project #12 - Belgian Apple Cider Bread

I have to admit to being extremely psyched about making Belgian Apple Cider Bread. It sounded so fascinating to have bread recipe with a yeast paste spread on top. Then there was the challenge of making a triangular loaf of bread.

This recipe actually made a larger quantity of bread than I usually make. It was quite an arm workout to work the dough with my wooden spoon. So, if you need to you can mix this dough with your stand mixer. It was quite satisfying when it was all mixed and ready to shape.

I worked a little more sweet rice flour into the dough before shaping it to make it firm enough to hold the triangular shape when rising and baking. The loaves turned out triangular and had nicely rounded corners.

My husband and I loved how this bread turned out. The interior texture was quite nice with lots of small to medium sized air holes. It was great toasted and tasted fabulous with butter and even as a hot cheese and pepperoni sandwich.

Bread Recipe
Protein content is in parenthesis
Yield: 3 loaves or 2 loaves and 12 rolls


4 tsp + pinch/20 g brown rice flour (1.8 g)
4 tsp + pinch/20 g sweet rice flour (1.2 g)
4 tsp + pinch/20 g arrowroot starch (0.06 g)
1/4 cup + 3 pinches/59 g millet flour (6.78 g)
1 tsp + dash/6 g chia seed meal (1.26 g)
___________
5 1/2 Tb/80 g black bean flour (19.2 g)
1 2/3 cup/425 g sorghum flour (29.75 g)
4 Tb + 2 1/2 tsp /70 g cocoa powder (13.3 g)
1/2 tsp/2 g agar agar powder
2 1/4 tsp/11 g instant dry yeast
3/4 tsp/4 g sea salt
1 2/3 cup/396 ml apple cider
2 2/3 cup/624 g sour cream

1/4 cup/60 ml agave syrup
2/3 cup/156 g pate fermentee

Apple Cider Paste

3/4 tsp/4 g black bean flour (.96 g)
2 1/4 tsp/11 g sorghum (.77 g)
3/4 tsp/4 g cocoa powder (.76 g)
1/2 tsp/2 g chia seed meal
1/2 tsp/2 g agar agar powder
3/4 tsp/4 g instant dry yeast
1/4 tsp/1 g sea salt
3 Tb/44 ml apple cider
1 tsp/5 ml agave syrup


1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and stir together very well. In a medium bowl pour in the apple cider, sour cream, agave syrup and pate fermentee. Stir together making sure there aren't any lumps. Add to the dry ingredients and blend. The dough should be a little firmer, so if you need to add a little sweet rice, arrowroot starch or brown rice flour to the dough to make it firmer.


2. On a sheet of parchment paper sprinkled with sweet rice flour place 1/3 of the bread dough. Gently pat into a triangular shape.


3. In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients of the apple cider paste. Then add the apple cider and agave syrup. Stir together.


4. Spread the apple cider paste over the top of the bread. Allow to rise for 1 hour.


5. Place a baking stone into the oven and an oven proof bowl filled with water into a 450 degree F/232 degree C oven. Slip the parchment paper with the loaf of bread on it onto the baking stone. Spray water onto the walls of the oven and gently spray the top of the bread. Bake for 20 minutes. Then prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon and allow the bread to vent for 5 to 10 minutes. Cool before serving.


Notes:

1. Bean Flour – You can purchase Black bean flour from Barry Farm or you can grind your own using a coffee grinder.

2. Chia Seed Meal – You can purchase chia seeds from Barry Farm and use a coffee grinder to turn them into meal.

3. Agar Agar Powder - Is available from Barry Farm as well.


Other Baking & Pastry Project Posts

Baking & Pastry Project #11 - Beer & Cheese Bread
Baking & Pastry Project Week 6 - Beer, Cheese & Cider
Baking & Pastry Project #10 - Sunflower Honey Bran Bread
Baking & Pastry Project #9 - Black Bean Millet Pullman Loaf (mock rye)
Baking & Pastry Project Week 5 - Mock Rye & Sunflower Seeds
Baking & Pastry Project #8 - Cocoa Chia Whole Grain Pullman Loaf
Baking & Pastry Project #7 - Adzuki & Job's Tears Pain de Mie
Baking & Pastry Project Week 4 - Sandwich Breads


Want More?

You can follow me on Twitter, where I'm glutenagogo.