Sorghum Chocolate Chip Cookies 12.24.14

Sorghum Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.

4.54 oz sorghum flour (ATK uses white rice flour here)
1.42 oz brown rice
1.33 potato starch
0.568 oz tapioca starch
0.142 (.95 T) milk powder
1 t baking soda
¾ t xantham gum
½ t salt
4 oz butter, melted
5.25 oz light brow sugar
2 1/3 oz sugar
1 large egg
2 T milk (I used 2 t milk powder and 2 T water)
1 T vanilla
7.5 oz semisweet chocolate chips ( I used 7 oz bittersweet chips)

I made the batter combining butter and sugars, then the liquids, then the dry ingredients.  I let the dough rest overnight, then formed cookie balls and baked at 350 for 11 to 13 minutes.  They were still great baked the second.  Any longer than that I think I'll try freezing the dough.

Free form apple tart 12.27.14

Free form apple tart

This tart came out very well.  The pastry had great texture with the added cornmeal, and was not soggy on the bottom, even after leftovers were in the fridge for a few days.  I drained the apple slices in sugar for 30 minutes before filling the tart.  This recipe is from Baking Illustrated.

2T sour cream
2T ice water
5 oz AP flour
1 1/3 oz cornmeal
2 t sugar
½ t salt
3.5 oz butter

I tried to roll out the dough using wax paper and plastic, but it only rolled out when I used flour on the table.
I adapted the fruit filling so I had over 2 lb of apples.  The original recipe calls for 1 lb of each granny smith and mcintosh.  I did not like difference in texture between the two apples.  The granny smith were very tart and took longer to cook.  When the apples were done, the mcintosh apples were very mushy.  Also, I used additional sugar and lemon to macerate the apples before mixing with the sugar.

3 granny smith apples
2 mcintosh apples
1 T lemon juice
3 T sugar
1/8 t cinnamon

Instead of sprinkling sugar on the crust, I used an egg wash.  About 10 minutes before the tart was done, the apples looked very dry on top, so I brushed an apple cider jelly as a glaze so they would be more shiny and baked with the tart for the last 10 minutes.  The tart took 55-60 minutes to bake.

Here's the tart unbaked.

Here's the final baked tart.

Maple Pecans 12.23.14

Maple Pecans

Whole pecans caramelized in maple syrup, just like they do at EH Chocolatier.   Wrapped for holiday stocking stuffers.

Rice Flour Pizza Dough 12.13.14

Rice Flour Pizza Dough

This recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen.  It was obvious that it tasted like rice and not wheat.  It was crispy instead of moist and chewy, like gluten.  Definitely the best GF pizza I've had.

4.54 white rice
1.42 oz brown rice
1.33 potato starch
.57 tapioca starch
0.142 oz milk powder   (1/8 oz = 0.125 oz)
1.25 oz almond flour
2 ¼ t psyllium husk
1 ¼ t baking powder
1 t salt
½ t instant yeast
1 ¼ c warm water
1/8 c vegetable oil

Five minute pizza dough 12.31.14

This pizza dough doesn’t actually take five minutes, but the recipe is from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  This is the olive oil dough recipe.

1 3/8 lukewarm water
¾ T instant yeast
¾ T salt
½ T sugar
2 T olive oil
15 oz King Arthur AP flour

The dough mixed up a little lumpy, so maybe next time I can alter the mixing method.  This pizza was amazing right out of the oven.   I didn’t stretch it as thin as I’d like and the dough didn’t brown a lot, but it was a celebration of fresh bread flavour.

Chocolate Cinnamon Tea Cake Balls 12.11.14

Chocolate Cinnamon Tea Cake Balls
Makes 38 1-in balls

5 ¾ oz brown sugar
6 oz softened butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour (9 ¾ oz, maybe up to 1 oz less)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Powdered sugar

Melt chocolate and let cool. Cream brown sugar and butter. Add cooled melted chocolate and vanilla.  Stir in remaining ingredients, except powdered sugar.  I used a wooden spoon and mixed until all ingredients were incorporated, but very crumbly to keep the mixture airy.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls – I used my #60 scoop. Then formed balls by hand and pressed until the dough stuck together.
Place balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. I baked at 350 for 10 mins.

I forgot to take a picture of them, so here's a resemblance.

Frenchies 12.6.14

I don’t have a good name for these yet.  A cannele filling put in a gingerboy mold.
I still can’t figure out how to make the bottoms flat. They are bubbling up too much.