No-Knead Bread for Breakfast

Last night I used the no-knead bread recipe to make a batch of dough for this morning's breakfast. I let the dough rise on top of the refrigerator overnight. Then I divided the dough into 8 equal portions and rolled them into balls. To bake the dough I used a small rectangular Pyrex dish. I brushed melted butter on the bottom of the dish and on top of the dough before baking.


After baking in a preheated toaster oven for 30 minutes, here is the final product.

A little bit of jam with the freshly baked bread and I'm in heaven....

All praise be to Allah SWT!

Beware of Bromated Flour

Many people in the US bake bread at home to avoid purchasing expensive commercially baked bread. When I started to bake bread for my family, I was not aware of the difference between bromated and unbromated flour. Then I started to buy King Arthur Flour after reading about health issues concerning consumption of bromated flour.

According to NowPublic.com,

'Potassium Bromate is typically added to bread and other flours as maturing agent which promotes gluten development in doughs, making the bread stronger and more elastic. Commercial bakers use bromated flour because it yields dependable results and can stand up to bread hooks and other commercial baking tools. It is also used to render inferior flour with low protein levels more useable since these flours do not develop enough gluten on their own.

Bromate is also considered a category 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning that it may be harmful when consumed. In theory, the substance is supposed to bake out of bread dough as it cooks, but if too much is added, or if the bread is not cooked long enough or not at a high enough temperature, then a residual amount will remain.'

Video: No-Knead Bread Recipe

Yield: one 1 lb loaf

3 cups bread flour
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
1 1/2 cups warm water

Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel…something that can go into a 450F oven.)

Recipe: Easy Chocolate Party Cake

I have been looking for an easy chocolate cake recipe that can be put together in simple easy steps. All praise be to Allah SWT here it is.

Image source: http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/easy-chocolate-party-cake-3901


Easy Chocolate Party Cake From Country Living
Some people call this a "dump" cake -- all the ingredients are dumped into one bowl, mixed into a smooth batter, and baked into moist, fudgy layers.

Serves: 16
Yields: One 8-inch 2-layer cake
Oven Temp: 350

Ingredients:
* 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 cup(s) whole milk
* 2/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
* 2/3 cup(s) dark brown sugar
* 1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
* 3/4 cup(s) butter
* 3 large eggs
* 2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
* 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
* Fudgy Cream-Cheese Frosting, (see below)

Directions

1. Make the batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a small brush, lightly coat two 8-inch cake pans with softened butter. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside. In a large bowl, using a mixer set at low speed, combine the flour and remaining 10 ingredients. Increase mixer speed to medium and continue to beat for 3 more minutes.

2. Bake the cake: Divide the batter equally between the pans and spread evenly. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in the cake pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake layers from the pan sides. Invert cake layers onto the wire rack to cool completely.

3. Frost the cake: Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the cake layers, if necessary. Line the edges of a cake plate with 3-inch-wide strips of waxed or parchment paper and place a cake layer, trimmed side down, on top. Place 1/2 cup of our Fudgy Cream-Cheese Frosting on top of the layer and spread evenly. Place the second layer on the first and cover the top and sides with the remaining icing. Remove paper strips and serve. Store refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Recipe: Coconut Macaroons

According to 'The People's Pharmacy: guide to home and herbal remedies' book, many people reported that eating Coconut Macaroons helped them deal with Crohn's disease successfully.

Definition from MayoClinic.com: Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It causes inflammation of the lining of your digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea and even malnutrition.

The inflammation caused by Crohn's disease often spreads deep into the layers of affected bowel tissue. Like ulcerative colitis, another common IBD, Crohn's disease can be both painful and debilitating and sometimes may lead to life-threatening complications.

Alton Brown's Toasty Coconut Macaroons Recipe
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: about 40 cookies

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (8-ounce) package sweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment. whip egg whites and salt until they become white and begin to stiffen. Add sugar in 3 parts. Continue to whip until the egg whites are very stiff. Using a rubber spatula fold in toasted coconut.

On parchment lined cookie sheets, drop a teaspoon of the mixture leaving 1 to 2 inches around each cookie. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The outside should be golden brown but the insides should still be moist.

Coconut Macaroons (Recipe from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut 1/3 cup sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt 2 egg whites 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.	In a small bowl, combine the coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg whites and vanilla; mix well.
2.	Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Australia's Lamingtons

I've just baked and prepared Australia's national cake - Lamingtons.

All praise be to Allah SWT I found the recipe here.

Even husband gave two thumbs up for this delicious cake.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
¾ cup of castor sugar
2/3 cup of plain flour
1/3 cup of cornflour
1 teaspoon of baking powder

Chocolate Icing
500 grams / 1 lb of icing sugar
1/3 cup of cocoa
15 grams / ½ oz of butter
½ cup of milk
Dessicated Cooconut

Method:

Preheat oven to 170°C, 340°F or gas mark 3½.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric beater until thick and creamy (around 5 to 8 minutes).

When you run a spoon through the mixture, the mark shouldn't disappear.

Gradually beat in the sugar until fully dissolved.

Sift the dry ingredients repeatedly into a separate bowl to ensure that they are thoroughly mixed.

Lightly and quickly fold the dry ingredients in with the eggs and sugar using a metal spoon ensuring that the airy sponge mixture is not broken down, but also that the flour is properly mixed in.

Pour into a well-greased and lined square cake tin.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The cake is cooked when it shrinks slightly away from the side of the tin.

Turn out of tin onto a cake rack immediately.

Chocolate Lamingtons

Melt the butter in a saucepan and remove from the heat.

Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into the saucepan, add the milk and mix through.

Cut the sponge cake into 1 inch/4 cm squares.

Spear each square with a 2-pronged meat fork (or toothpicks) and dip into the icing mix.

Roll in coconut.

Recipe: Happiness Cake

This excellent recipe was seen here.

Ingredients:

1 cup good thoughts

1 cup kind deeds

1 cup well-beaten faults

1 cup consideration for others

2 cups sacrifice

3 plus cups forgiveness

Method:

Preheat oven to 98.6 degrees F.

Mix thoroughly

Add:Tears of joy, sorrow and sympathy

Flavor with love and kindly service

Fold in 4 cups prayer and faith

Blend well

Fold into daily life

Bake well with the warmth of human kindness and serve with a smile any time

It will satisfy the hunger of starved souls.

Recipe: Pineapple Tart

I just asked a Malaysian auntie to make Pineapple Tart for me as I am craving for them.

I also found the recipe from a Singaporean, Cheryl Tan, on the Wall Street Journal web site. Along with the recipe is how she grew up eating this dessert made by her grandmother.

Pineapple Tart (Yields about 100 tarts)

For the jam:

4 pineapples
at least ½ kilogram sugar (at least 2 ½ cups, depending on desired sweetness)
2 to 3 pandan leaves* knotted together
1 long cinnamon stick, broken in two

• Peel the pineapples, dig out the eyes and chop into chunks. Run the chunks through a juicer. Place the pulp in a large wok or pot with a large surface area and heat on the stove. Add the juice until the mixture has the consistency of porridge or grits; add the knotted pandan leaves and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and keep it there for a total of three hours, stirring often. Halfway through, taste the jam, and add sugar by the half cup until it is as sweet as you desire. (Note: The amount of sugar needed will vary greatly depending on how ripe the pineapples are.)
• The jam is done when the pineapple mixture has changed color from bright yellow to brownish ochre and most of the liquid has evaporated, leaving a dense but moist jam.

*Pandan leaves, also called screwpine, can be found frozen in some Asian grocery stores. They are available fresh at http://grocerythai.com/pandan-leaf-p-769.html and http://www.templeofthai.com/food/fresh/pandanusleaf-1000000274.php

For the pastry:

375 grams salted butter (3 sticks plus 2 ½ Tablespoons) at room temperature
600 grams flour (about 4 ¾ cups)
4 egg yolks, plus 1 yolk for brushing onto pastry

• With a mixer on low speed, combine the butter, flour and four egg yolks, mixing for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place dough in a cookie press fitted with a disc featuring a circle of diamonds. Press cookies out onto greased baking sheets. Form small balls of dough and press each one into the hollow of a cookie, forming the base of the tart.
• Beat the remaining egg yolk with ½ teaspoon of water. Brush the rim of each tart generously. Take a scant teaspoon of pineapple jam (more or less, as desired) and form a ball, then press into the hollow of each tart. Pat the sides of the jam to create a small dome.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden brown. Remove cookies from sheets and cool on a rack.

Recipe: Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts

I am really craving for some delicious egg tarts on a cold winter morning. All praise be to Allah (SWT) I found this recipe that seems to be easy to make. Allah (SWT) willing I hope to make a batch today.

Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts
From http://allrecipes.com/recipe/hong-kong-style-egg-tarts/detail.aspx

Original recipe yields 12 tarts.

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup salted butter, cold and cut into small cubes (if unsalted butter is used, add 1/4 tsp salt)
  
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 dash vanilla extract
• 
  
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 9 eggs, beaten
• 1 dash vanilla extract
• 1 cup evaporated milk/whole milk
  

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar and flour. Mix in butter with a fork until it is in small crumbs. Stir in the egg and vanilla until the mixture forms a dough. The texture should be slightly moist. Add more butter if it is too dry, or more flour, if the dough seems greasy. Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and press the balls into tart molds so that it covers the bottom, and goes up higher than the sides. Use 2 fingers to shape the edge into an A shape.



2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Combine the white sugar and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Strain the eggs through a sieve, and whisk into the sugar mixture. Stir in the evaporated milk and vanilla. Strain the filling through a sieve, and fill the tart shells.

3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown, and the filling is puffed up a little bit.


Note: I used small egg tart shells that I bought at an Asian grocery store, so I modified the portions in this recipe to make 12 small egg tarts.

Portion measurement modification:

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  
• 1/2 egg, beaten

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cups water
• 4.5 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup whole milk

P/S: As I used a small convention oven to bake egg tarts, I set 15 minutes to bake and 5 minutes to broil in order to get the golden brown surface.

Chocolate Stuffed Eclairs

I love to eat chocolate stuffed eclairs more than any other kind of pastry. My mother used to baked these when we were young.

Paula Deen has a video on YouTube on how to make Chocolate Stuffed Eclairs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ABh5eZ2hWQ.

I watched it last night and decided to make it this morning. My craving for chocolate can really motivate me!

Cook.com also has the printable version of this recipe http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1613,149190-228193,00.html

Eclair

1 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1 c. flour
4 eggs

1. Bring to rolling boil water and butter.
2. Take off heat.
3. Add flour and stir with spoon until ball can be formed.
4. Add eggs. Beat like crazy. [I really beat like crazy with a wooden spoon because I didn't want to use the electric beater.]
5. Mix until dough is very stiff; otherwise it will run all over pan.

Homemade Chocolate Stuffed Eclairs

Left: Elcair Dough / Right: Chocolate Stuffing

6. Drop by full teaspoons onto a cookie sheet for individual serving; put in a circular ring or in a strip. [I put the dough in a bag, cut a hole at one corner and press the dough out to make long strips.]


7. Bake 45-50 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool out of draft.

Left: Baked Eclairs

Chocolate Filling for Eclair
1/4 cup cocoa (semi-sweet or dark)
6 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups milk
3 eggs

1. Stir cocoa, flour, salt and sugar together in a pot.
2. Add one cup of milk to dry mixture until lumps dissolved. Add the rest of the milk. Turn on heat.
3. When mixture is just warm, add beaten eggs to prevent cuddles from forming.
4. Use a whisk to stir the mixture until thickens. Cool before use.

Fruit Cobbler

This morning after reading about a quick and easy way to bake fruit cobbler on Superbean's blog, I decided to give it a try.

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons)
1 can of sliced peach, drained OR stone fruits and berries
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup sugar OR 3/4 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt one stick of butter in a 9 x 13 glass casserole.
3. Evenly distribute whatever fruit you are using in the casserole.
4. Mix together all-purpose flour, milk, sugar and baking powder.
5. Pour the batter over the fruit and put it in the oven for 45 minutes.
6. It should be nice and golden brown when it is done.

To cut down on energy consumption, I have switched to using the toaster oven to bake cakes and bread.


Can't wait to eat it with vanilla ice cream!

Finally! Easy Homemade Pizza!

I have tried a pizza dough recipe twice before and they didn't always turn out to be the way I want it to be - chewy, soft and flavorful.

All praise be to Allah SWT, I finally mastered the technique this morning and it tasted so good!

The recipe is simple - 2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon yeast, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 cup warm water.

Technique is also simple:
- mix all ingredients in a bowl, let rest overnight,
- turn it out on a lightly floured surface,
- fold the 4 sides, turn it over,
- cover with a damp cloth for 30 minutes
- flatten the dough to 1 inch thickness
- add toppings 1. tomato sauce 2. cheese 3. sliced tomato
- bake in preheated oven at 500 degree F for 20 minutes.

I packed half of it for husband to eat for lunch while daughter and I ate the other half for breakfast.

Delicious, chewy and soft homemade pizza for less than $3 to feed a family of three.

Carrot Cake - So Easy and Yummy!

Although I am not a big fan of having veggie in my cake, I have been wondering how to bake a fabulous carrot cake after I had a slice at the Whole Foods Market's organic bakery section. I never thought that a 'veggie cake' would taste so 'unveggie' and I couldn't stop at the first bite.

All praise be to Allah SWT I found an easy but tasty recipe in the book 'Great Food Fast: 250 easy, delicious meals all year round' from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living. It only took me 15-20 minutes to assemble the ingredients and after baking the batter for 30 minutes, the carrot cake comes out so moist and delicious!

Instead of using a muffin tin, I used an 8 inch square pan and it turned out great. I also substituted some of the ingredients to use what I had available at the time.

Husband came back this afternoon just in time to enjoy this cake and he loves it! Even daughter keeps asking for more :)

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

Part A:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan, if needed

2 tablespoons plain yogurt (or fresh orange juice)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I omitted this ingredient)

2 large eggs

Part B:

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or allspice)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Part C:

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

Part D:

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 chopped walnuts (or raisins)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Mix part A together.

2. Stir in part B.

3. Add part C; mix.

4. Stir in part D.

5. Oil the cake pan or muffin tin; distribute the batter evenly.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let the cake cool before frosting with cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (I omitted this ingredient)

Whisk the ingredients together until smooth. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Homebaked Pizza is the Best!

Last week I baked a pizza for the family. All praise be to Allah SWT, after this successful attempt (according to husband's high approval rating), we will not be spending $15 on pizzas from Papa John's anymore.

The cost of baking our own pizza is less than $10. The mozzarella cheese was made with microbial rennet and costed $4. The combined cost of flour, water, salt and yeast to make the pizza dough is less than $2. For toppings I used 1/4 cup of pasta sauce, a (sliced) tomato, four (sliced) button mushrooms and a (coarsely chopped) red bell pepper and they costed about $2.

I baked the bread on a 16 inch round pan with holes. This seemed to make the pizza crust crisper and baked more evenly. The yummy gooey melted cheese embedded the delicious flavors of the toppings.. mmmmm......

I have to thank my mother for the motivation to bake my own pizza at home. When I was in seconday school, my mother would bake all types of cakes and bread. Her constant attempts to bake good pizzas really left a deep impression on me. My three other siblings and I always fought for the last scrap of pizza and I was really proud that my mother baked such wonderful goodies for us.

Now I am waiting for my daughter to get older so she'll be the baker for the family...

Madeleines - Petite French Cakes

After reading my dear sister's successful attempt at baking madeleine, petite cakes originated from French, http://mamajojo.blog.co.uk/2008/02/05/madeleines_a_k_a_french_biscuits~3683171/ I have been thinking of baking some for husband and daughter.

I also found two demos of making madeleine in French on YouTube. Although I don't understand French, it is quite easy to figure out the steps since the ingredients are almost the same.

1. Recette de cuisine: madeleines tradition au citron
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijc33whYLeo

2. Recette des madeleines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlKJ2AGC4V4


I found another madeleine recipe on the internet http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/madeleines-recipe.html and used these measurements for my first attempt.

Madeleines (Petite French Cakes)

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1+1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
zest of 1 large lemon
1 pinch of salt

Verdict: All praise be to Allah SWT the madeleines taste really good! The fresh lemony flavor and butter made up for the lack of vanilla essence. Daughter keeps asking for 'cake, cake' and I have to stop at the 4th one or else we might gobbling down all 30 madeleines. Now I have to find a way to hide the rest or they will end up in husband's tummy when he sees them ;-)

Best No Knead Bread Recipe

b Yummy homebaked bread made with flour, water, yeast and salt.

Home baked bread taste so much better and cheaper than buying from the store. It is amazing that a simple combination of flour, water, yeast and salt can create the most wonderful and satisfying bread.

Yesterday afternoon I used the bread machine to make the bread dough and baked it this morning in the oven [tada!]. Just thinking of slabbing butter and kaya on slices of this bread is enough to send me to lala-land...

I have been looking high and low for a no knead bread recipe and all praise be to Allah SWT, I found one!

The only problem I have with homebaked bread is that husband will gobble down all at once when he saw them, and then felt guilty that he is gaining weight from eating all the delicious bread [doh!]. Although I stopped baking bread 3 years ago he still has not lost the bread-weight yet.

Anyway, I found this quick and easy way of baking a no knead bread on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU and will try it out soon, Allah SWT willing.

Step-by-step instructions on making this no knead bread is also available on this blog http://steamykitchen.com/blog/2007/09/10/no-knead-bread-revisited/

Yield: one 1 lb loaf

3 cups bread flour
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
1 1/2 cups warm water

Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel…something that can go into a 450F oven.)

Malaysian Honeycomb Cake

Mmmm... spongy and light...

After baking...

Cake batter... before baking...

Sr. Anita made this delicious cake for us on several occasions, and husband loves to eat this cake. All praise be to Allah SWT I found the recipe on YouTube.

Malaysian Honeycomb Cake or "Bolu Sarang Semut"
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY0t0qzrp1U

Note: I used half of all ingredients listed below and baked the batter in a 8x8 inch square pan for 35 minutes.

Ingredients:

Part A
210g Granulated Sugar
240g Water
80g Butter

Directions:
1. Melt sugar in small sauce pan.
2. When golden brown, add water. (Watch out for hot steam!)
3. Add cut butter into mixture and let cool completely.

Part B
6 eggs
160g Sweetened Condensed Milk

Directions:
1. Beat eggs.
2. Add condensed milk. Set aside.

Part C
180g All Purpose Flour
2.5 teaspoon Baking Soda

Assembly Directions:
1. Sift Part C into egg mixture. Mix well.
2. Add caramel sugar mixture. Mix well.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
4. Pour mixture into one greased 9 inch round pan and let it set for 15 minutes.
5. Bake batter for 1 hour or skewer comes out clean.
6. Cake may be served warm or cold.