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Gingerbread biscotti I fiddled around with an online gingerbread biscotti recipe until I came up with something entirely new. The only measurements that remain the same are the number of eggs, amount of flour, and amount of molasses... Hope you enjoy them! 2 c AP flour 3/4 c sugar 3 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 2-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 3/4 tsp baking powder 2 eggs 1/3 c molasses 1/2 c melted butter *Preheat oven to 350 1. Sift the flour, and combine it with all the dry ingredients, including the sugar. 2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly with the molasses and melted butter. 3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. 4. Shape in two logs, and bake for 20 minutes on an ungreased pan. 5. Remove from oven, lower temperature to 275. Cut the biscotti and lay them on their side. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until browned. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Snack ( RG1631 )

Does anyone know of a gluten-free bakery in Paris? I would imagine it would be impossible for a regular boulangerie to make gluten-free bread if they produce other breads in the same space, but thought I would ask. I know the natural-food stores carry several, but a friend of mine's looking for freshly-baked, if possible.

I have been making sweatbreads for many years and have always cooked them a fair length of time until they are nice and crispy. This is true now matter if I grill them or saute in clarified butter. Then I usually serve them on top of crispy proscutto napped with a Madera sauce(from my homemade demi). Typically I get them fresh from the "plant" within a day or two of slaughter. I typicall buy both type, as they come packaged that way. I soak a couple of hours then simmer in acidulated water. Then clean, break into smaller pieces and weight them overnight. Then I poach in a curt boullion for 15 min or so -- then saute them. Which usually is about 15 min until crispy. The other night I skipped the poaching and grilled them for about 20-25 min until crispy. They were fantastic, I think better than usual. I guess what I am asking is... am I cooking them too long with my usual method? I should note that I rarely get any complaints.... I know I have turned many a man, woman, and child on to the pleasures of these luscious morsels....

Anyone out there have comments and suggestions for local bakeries? I regularly patronize One Fifty Ate at Wiliard Square in South Portland, for they make a really solid baguette especially when they are coming out of the oven. Different than a classic French baquette that I found in Paris the three odds years that I lived there. Floury, nice overall crust and texture. Standard is hit or miss, depending on what you go for. Admittingly, I have not had all their offerings but have only really liked the Pain au Levain, plus the staff is always rude and snooty. It is a bakery, come on now! Felt the same current upstairs with regard to decorum. Really, more people would patronize if they had better treatment - this is what has been relayed to me from peers and the few friends that I have met so far (new in Portland). Big Sky is overall pretty good and consistent, but I would not say consistently great as far as products go. I am there at least once a week at the Firehouse (usually Mondays for double stamps on loyalty card and to have bread for the week). I think the German Rye, with sauerkraut mixed into it, is one of their best. Their ciabatta is pretty good and their baguette is a bit above par. Their seeded breads (one is called 3-seed) and honey wheat are decent for sandwiches as well. Not a big fan of there danishes, goods, and baked goods though. They need to figure something out with their coffee, not all that great and only one offering, save for a flavored and a decaf. Staff is pretty cheerful and friendly, which is a big plus. Only drawback for me is that it is usually filled with children - don't get me wrong I like kids, but they are usually out of control over at the mock worktable playing with dough while parents are chatting and blissfully unaware what type of scene is going on behind them. Foley is more for cakes and desserts, but really have not found them to be mediocre at best. Two Fat Cats has a horrid name and I think it is way to expensive for what you get. I still patronize them but find it hard swallowing the bitter pill of $17 for an apple pie. Homey and a intentionally retro with regards to desserts of prior generations, just don't think that their prices are in line with the results. I had tried Katy Made desserts and thought that they were average, surprised at how many restaurants sold their products instead of making desserts in house. Any that I have missed? I am on the look-out and hoping to find some hidden gem. Bagels? Cookies? Tarts? Donuts? Please save time and don't mention Dunkin Donuts and Mister Bagel.

A group of us had a great meal at Veritas the other night but one thing we noticed was that the bread was nothing special, something that I noticed as a common thread through several restaurant week destinations (including Lupa and Union Square Cafe). In fact, it seems to me that it has been a while since I have had decent restaurant bread (went to L'Impero and Gotham Bar & Grill end of last year and neither of them had good bread either). A lot of the restaurants seem to offer the same thing, a basket with three (sometimes four) options, usually olive, ciabatta, and something else. The breads do not taste particularly fresh and are not warm (which I wouldn't care about if the bread was fresh). They all have the appearance of having been gotten from the same source. Is there a common bakery that most restaurants are using now? When we used to dine at Bouley more regularly, fresh-baked breads were one of the hallmarks of the meal, something I always looked forward to. Now bread, even at top places, seems to have taken the role of filler starch. Am I the only one who feels this way? In addition to Bouley, how about some other top restaurants that are making their own bread?

I have had this at the HSG when in Vancouver and loved it. There has been much discussion on this board surrounding this (now) famous pudding. The recipe has been posted here http://www.diningoutguide.com/ShowRecipe.aspx?ID=1 I want to make it this weekend and have a couple of questions: - the recipe calls for 1 cup molasses. I know there are a variety of types of molasses and strengths and I have no idea what to buy. Help? - Can the cake be made ahead, cooled completely and then made into the pudding? The receipe says to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes and then make into pudding. The only prolem is.............I won't have some of the fabulous ice cream available at the HSG to top it off!

Part 1: The words (pictures in the next post) Following Wendy’s request I will try and elucidate some of the mysteries of proofing. Bread dough is a complex, and not entirely understood system. My knowledge is also limited and I hope the greater experts on this list will correct my more glaring errors. This is inevitably something of a simplification of the complicated things that are going on as the dough matures. For a fuller explanation refer to a science based baking textbook such “Principles of Breadmaking: Functionality of Raw Materials and Process Steps” by Piet Sluimer, published by the American Association of Cereal Chemists 2005 ISBN 1-891127-45-4 Proofing is the last stage before baking, when the formed and shaped dough is left to rise before being baked. For some bread it is the only fermentation stage; a lot of industrially made and some craft bread is produced with a “no time dough”, where there is no or little bulk fermentation, but instead the gluten is developed using intensive mixing. Softer doughs need support during proof. This is often in the form of a linen lined basket or banneton. For long breads, like baguettes and batons (in the demo) a folded floured linen canvas couche is used. To understand what is happening we need to go back right to when the dough was mixed. When the dough is mixed air is mixed into the dough to form micro-bubbles. These micro-bubbles are key to what happens later. Dough mixed in a vacuum or in a closed mixer with no headspace (such as the Amway system) produces a fine, close and uniform crumb texture. The density of gas-free dough is around 0.8 L/kg; after mixing about 0.9 L/kg, showing a gas fraction of about 10% of volume. Fermentation increases this to about 1.0-1.5 L/Kg, at the end of the bulk stage, depending on the type of product, and then to around 3.5 L/kg at the end of proof for a typical white loaf, more than tripling in volume. After baking this will increase again to around 5 L/Kg, oven spring increasing the loaf volume by about 50%, and an increase of 5 times over the volume of the just mixed original dough. These volumes are for white bread; bread with bits in them, such as seed breads or whole meal breads will rise less since the bran or other inclusions tend to puncture the gas cells, and in some breads, such as those with a large preferment, there is less fermentable material. A good clue for the end of the bulk fermentation stage is when, if you slash the dough, you can see small bubbles in the cut surface. “Knocking back” or degassing decreases volume, but also makes new food available to the yeast, and generally results in a finer crumb structure. In the 1950s or so, a fine even crumb, such as in Pullman bread was thought most desirable, and techniques were optimised to produce such bread. Now a more artisan bread with an irregular and coarser crumb structure is preferred, so different techniques (less degassing, wetter doughs) are used to make what our predecessors would have thought of as badly made bread. The enzymes in the yeast, or from added enzymes such as diastic malt, or the acid in sourdough start to break the starch down into simple sugars that can be fermented. Over time this degrades the starch, reducing the dough viscosity making the dough seem wetter. The gluten gells slowly in the presence of water, and this gell forms the scaffolding of the loaf crumb. Kneading, stretch and fold, or intensive mixing, depending on the type of bread, all help the gluten stretch into thin sheets and distribute the gas cells evenly, although the primary force for the gluten development is hydration, and the primary stretch is the expansion of the gas cell walls in the dough. During fermentation the yeast generates carbon dioxide. This expands the micro-gas bubbles present in the dough from air entrainment during mixing. No new gas bubbles are created, although some may coalesce, and the very small ones disappear. These bubbles are not entirely gas tight – think of them as a leaky bucket. If the production of CO2 from the yeast drops below the rate the gas leaks or dissolves in the surrounding fluid, then the bubble deflates, rather then inflates. If the bread is over-proved the rate of gas production rate drops because the yeast runs out of food. For cells near the outside of the loaf this diffusion of CO2 to the atmosphere is greater than for cells deeper in the loaf. This means that the fragile foam in the centre is surrounded by a layer of tougher, less expanded cells, a bit like a balloon skin. This skin needs to be tough enough to support the fragile inside, but not so tough as to corset the expansion. Exposure to the air (or contact with the dry canvas banneton/couche) slightly dries this skin, contributing to its toughness. Too dry, and it will be sufficiently tough not to let the inside rise. Too wet, and it won’t be tough enough and collapse before maximum volume is obtained. Ideal conditions are between 70% and 85% relative humidity. A draught will also dry the skin (and cool the dough), and the bread should be proved in draft free conditions, which can be a problem where a fan or forced convection is used to maintain conditions. Professional bakers have special proofing cabinets where the temperature and humidity can be controlled. Craft bakers cover the dough with a cloth or plastic sheet which reduces draughts and slows evaporation. Putting the dough in its banneton or couche in a loose fitting plastic bag, such as a bin liner is a good home solution. The relative temperature of the dough and its surroundings is important. If the dough temperature is higher than the air, evaporation will be quicker. Lower than the air, and the air near the dough is cooled, and so the relative humidity is higher. However over time the dough temperature will become that of the surroundings, which is why in proofers where the air temperature is much higher than the dough the first dough pieces stick, and the last ones skin. Disrupt this skin on ripe dough, and the gas from the inside will rush out, the dough deflating. As the bubble expands the cell walls are stretched. Gluten hardens and gets stiffer under strain, so the thinner parts of the wall stiffen, pulling harder on the thicker bits, so the bubble expands evenly, until the walls get too thin and rupture, releasing the gas. However cell rupture is rare in most correctly proved bread. Typically dough will stiffen slightly as it matures as the gluten hardens by being stretched, and the bubble jostle each other, although some dough, such as sourdough will slacken with time considerably as the acid degrades the viscosity of the starch. The dough will also feel wetter as the dough begins to overprove. At the beginning of the proofing period the dough is comparatively robust, and so long as the gas is not completely knocked out of it, it can be handled and shaped. At the end of the proof period the gas cells have expanded to nearly at their breaking point, but held together by the slightly tougher less expanded cell layers around the outside of the bread. The dough is now a delicate foam balloon, with the gas cells near their bursting point. Rough handling at this stage will deflate it. In the oven the gas in the cells further expand aided by the trapped water turning to steam. The wetter the dough, the bigger the holes. The bread rises like a soufflé. Like a soufflé, bottom heat and direct contact with a hot surface to give maximum heat transfer helps volume. The heat cooks and hardens the cell walls. If conditions are right, the expansion will occur before the walls cook and solidify, giving the desired oven spring. Correctly proved dough will give the largest volume loaf, even though an overproved loaf will be bigger going into the oven. If the dough is underproved it will not reach its maximum volume, as the gas cells start smaller, and will cook before they reach their maximum expansion. If overproved, then the gas cells at already at their maximum stretch, or even have started to deflate, and the dough will rise little in the oven. The dough may be bigger going into the oven, but does not gain the extra volume. The length of time the dough takes to prove depends on many things, such as the activity of the yeast, the amount of food available to the yeast, the stiffness of the dough – stiffer doughs prove more slowly as the sugars diffuse less, and most of all the temperature. Yeast is most active at about 30C/90F. Above that temperature activity decreases sharply as the yeast begins to die or go dormant. Below that temperature the yeast roughly declines by 10% of each degree C. Thus at 20C/68F the yeast activity is halved. (Sourdough yeast and lacto-bacillus activity derived from work by Ganzle) Proof time is also affected by the amount of yeast in the dough. Although the total volume of gas produced is nearly independent of the amount of yeast, being governed by other factors such as the amount of available food and oxygen, the rate of production is can be varied. Craft bakers compensate for lower temperatures, for example when the bakery is cooler in the winter, by increasing the amount of yeast. In general, straight yeast dough is proofed after about an hour, sourdough after about 4-5 hours at 30C/85F. All sorts of other complex reactions are going on in the dough, each of which has differing degrees of temperature sensitivity. For example the breakdown of starch into sugars is less temperature sensitive than yeast, as is the activity of the lacto-bacilli in sourdough. Slowly fermented breads tend to be more flavoursome than quick fermentation. By adjusting proof temperatures, yeast amounts and corresponding proof times the skilled baker can to some extent alter the flavour profile of their bread. The extreme example is where the bread is retarded, cooled to fridge temperatures (4C/40F), so that practically all yeast activity ceases. The dough can be stored this way for up to 72 hours, for example over a period when the restaurant or bakery is closed. During this time other processes continue, most notably the skinning of the outside of the dough and the breakdown of starch into sugars. Retarded doughs have a characteristic reddish crust, from the extra sugars, with fine blistering, but tend to be more flavoursome. The cold also stiffens the dough, and this can make handling of wet doughs easier. The dough doesn’t cool in an instant. A typical loaf takes about 2-3 hours to cool down, during which time there is still some activity. Thus an overnight proof in the refrigerator is about equivalent to 2 hours at room temperature. It also takes about 2-3 hours to warm back to room temperature, during which time activity will restart. Whether to bake from cold, or allow the loaf to regain room temperature before baking is still a matter of debate. If allowed to warm there is the danger of over-proving. Personally I prefer to bake from cold. I find the cold dough stiffer, and so much easier to handle, especially for wet slack doughs. The extra temperature change in the oven gives, I think, a greater gas expansion and hence a bigger oven spring. However this larger spring means that unless evenly made and correctly slashed, the bread may bulge unevenly, with the centre expanding more. “A l’ancienne” is a technique where the dough is mixed cold, and then retarded. The long cold period allows a long period for enzymatic breakdown of the starch into fermentable sugars but because of the cold there is little yeast activity, so that when the dough is later warmed up the yeast has more food available than would otherwise be the case. With slack dough it can give a highly aerated open structure. Just before the bread goes into the oven, the baker slashes it. The slashes (“gringe”, French for grin) act as weak points in the crust, allowing the dough to rise evenly in a controlled fashion. Without the slash the bread is likely to tear or bulge, and the rise will be impeded. It needs to be done just before the bread is put in the oven so that not too much gas leaks out – the heat of the oven will replace the gas that is lost. For this reason the slash should be quite shallow, and cut at an angle of about 45 degrees, almost cutting a flap. For plain breads use a very sharp thin knife, traditionally a razor blade on a stick (“lamé –French for blade). Special disposable ones can be obtained from http://www.scaritech.com/ . For seeded breads a serrated knife can sometimes be easier. Slash quickly and positively – don’t go back and mess with the bread. By tradition a baguette has seven slashes, nearly parallel to the length of the baguette, that open into a pleasing lattice. Originally the slash pattern allowed a housewife to identify her bread in the communal oven, but now is used decoratively. For example Poilane http://www.poilane.com/index_module.php?mo...1595520020&type carves a stylised P into their bread.. Bold simple shapes work best. It is hard to tell whether raw dough is under, ripe or over-proved, except in extreme cases. If you make lots of the same loaves you can begin to get a feel for when it's ready – from the volume, the look of the crust, and the slight resilience. It should feel taut, a little like a balloon, with a slight resilience and bounce back if lightly pressed. However the changes are very subtle. One technique is to put some dough into a glass measuring cylinder or jug. When the volume has about tripled from the initial mix, the dough is ready. It is slightly easier to tell from the cooked loaf. Underproofed bread will have a lighter crust (no so many sugars from the enzymatic action), a less expanded gringe, and a tight crumb. Overproofed dough, by contrast will have a darker, reddish crust, little oven spring, narrow grigne, and an open, but somewhat coarse crumb. Back to Wendy’s original questions: An overproofed sough will be very fragile, and may collapse. Baked, it will have little oven spring, so the grigne (slashes) will not open much. The crust will be redder, and possibly burnt in places from the high sugar levels. An underproofed dough will not have its full volume, and the crust will be pale. The crumb will be closed and tight. No, they are the same signals. It is easier to over-proof using a proofer. If the humidity is too high it can interfere with the formation of a taut skin, leading to earlier collapse. They are basically the same signals. However wholemeal breads, and breads with inclusions in them will not rise as far. Relying on the bread to double in size, although a reasonable rule of thumb is not always accurate, and can often lead to overproving. If you bake frequently you will soon get used to what your particular bread should look and feel like. Too many or too deep slashes will deflate the loaf, as will waiting to long between slashing and baking. Slashes also break the taut skin, so allow the loaf to spread. The effects are much more serious in overproofed bread. See the picture post... A quick summary of things that matter in bread making: Hydration: the ratio of the total amount of water to flour. Dough behaviour changes rapidly over a small change in water content: few percentage change – a tablespoonful of water in a pound of dough can make a dramatic difference. Of course, different flours can adsorb different amounts of water. Wholemeal will adsorb maybe 10%-20% more. Higher gluten flours can tolerate higher hydration levels. However what this means is that for repeatable results you need to be accurate in measurement – use weight not volume, and make sure not too much extra flour is not picked up from your worktop, or water lost in mixing. Dough temperature: Yeast activity and hence proof times vary greatly with dough temperature. The dough temperature can be affected by how much work the mixer does on the dough, the temperature of the ingredients and the ambient temperature. Degree of proof: Sourdough is reasonably tolerant to the degree of proof since it’s a slow process. Yeast dough, since it is moving faster, much less so, and overproving is the biggest cause of failure. Things that don’t matter so much: Strength of flour: You can make good bread from almost any flour. Strong flours can adsorb more water and are somewhat more tolerant, but most European bread, such as French Baguettes are best with the local soft flour. Additives: Additives can help, give a wider tolerance, but are not critical, and in larger doses will both affect taste and disguise the signals you need to look for. Handling: Providing it is correctly proved, dough is pretty tough stuff. Overproved dough will deflate soon as you look at it. So long as the dough is mixed evenly, you don’t need to knead – stretch and fold works fine. Nor do you need bulk fermentation for many breads.

I'm a novice bread maker and have baked, including this one, three different kinds of bread. My first was a simple, white sandwich loaf and the second was a french bread. Both turned out "okay." The french bread wasn't kneaded enough and spread quite a bit. The slashing, oven moisture and flavor were good. However, this oatmeal bread was awful. In the interest of full disclosure I didn't sprinkle the yeast over the top of the oatmeal mixture, I stirred it in. It foamed after about 6 minutes, I added one teaspoon of salt and five cups of flour. Kneaded it for about twenty minutes, slowly adding a bit less than one cup on flour (all-purpose). Elastic, smelled great, let it rest under a bowl for about fifteen minutes. Cut in half with a chefs knife, formed into two loaves, dropped into two lightly oiled loaf pans, brushed with egg, sprinkled with oats. During the doughs resting stage I turned my electric, pizza stone-bedecked oven to 225 for a few minutes then turned it off- just to warm it a bit. Inserted said loaves and promptly left for the hardware store. Should not have gone to the hardware store. What appeared to have happened is that the loaves over-rose. They were lumpy on top. -sigh- Removed them, preheated my oven to 370 and baked for about fifty minutes. I let the misshapen, sad things cool and sliced off an end to taste. If the flavor and texture were there then I wasn't too concerned with the appearance. Yech. Too dense. Not enough salt. Blech. Is there something I should know? Bad recipe? Outstandingly incompetent baker? What?

Hi guys, I've always wanted to bake my own breads... ok so maybe this isn't my first time baking bread, but since I've only done it twice, and both times I failed, I guess I can still consider myself a first timer in this area of the kitchen. Can you guys suggest ideas on what to start with, something like a no-brainer type recipe for a simple bread. Tips, do's and don'ts, and the like. I just want to boost my morale a little bit in baking. I've been trying to look for threads that focuses on just bread making but I havnt found any that covers the whole shebang on the subject. I would also like to ask, what makes a bread dull looking, hard, and pale no matter how long you bake it? I swear I was trying to make bread not stone .....well at least thats what the recipe suggested I was making

One-Quarter English Muffin Bread This is my version of a recipe from the Book that came with my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. I call it One-Quarter English Muffin Bread because I'm one-quarter English! This bread is made to be toasted, or made into grilled sandwiches. 2 c milk 1/2 c water 5 c all-purpose flour (4 oz per cup) * 2 T active dry yeast 1 T sugar 2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking soda cornmeal * or substitute 1-2 cups whole wheat flour Combine milk, water, salt and sugar in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are very warm (120-130). Combine 4 cups flour, yeast, and baking soda in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and dough hook. (That's what KitchenAid says. I use the paddle attachment.) Turn to speed 2 and mix for 15 seconds. Gradually add warm liquids to flour mixture. Mix 1 minute longer. Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour. Knead on Speed 2 for 2 minutes longer. Dough will be very sticky. Spread dough into two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pans that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft, for about 45 minutes. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes, remove loaves from pans immediately and cool on wire racks. Be sure to save a couple slices for fresh bread crumbs to make my forthcoming Meatloaf #400 Recipe, plus some bread to toast for meatloaf sandwiches afterwards! Keywords: Bread, Intermediate, Stand Mixer ( RG1549 )

Buenos Aires is populated by millions of descendents of Italian immigrants. Nonetheless, most bakeries sell a pasty, tasteless bread and in some cases an absolutely insipid bread baked in electric ovens. The great exception is La Pompeya at Ave. Independencia 1912 (w/ Combate de los Pozos). This is a great find that I learned about years ago on Canal Gourmet. Founded in the early 1930, Italian immigrants are said to have gotten off the boat in Buenos Aires with little more than slips of paper with the address of the bakery. Now, as then, the place is well worth the trip to find it. This bakery has nothing to do with the Italian pastry shops that dot the lower east side of Manhattan. La Pompeya is as working class as the neighborhood it is situated in. The bread I go for is the round kilo loaf of country bread. It is crusty and made for bruschetta. Don't be put off by the dark salesroom. There are all sorts of surprises to be discovered and tasted: canoli shells, pan dulce for the holidays, flaky sfogattielle, and fresas, large round donuts of dried bread, which I have never tried, but are for moistening with olive oil to make a poor man's bread salad. It's a two hour round trip for me to La Pompeya but I am always a happy camper those Saturdays that I make the trip. The country bread freezes perfectly.

shortbread Here's a simple, basic shortbread recipe that I use. 1 c unsalted butter, softened 1/2 tsp salt 1 T vanilla extract 3/4 c confectioner's sugar 1 c AP flour 1/4 c cornstarch Beat the the first four ingredients together on low speed until combined. Add in 1 3/4 cup AP flour, and 1/4 cup cornstarch. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. (I use cornstarch instead of bench flour, and coat my rolling pin with cornstarch too.) Cut out cookies with a cutter, place on parchment lined baking sheets (or a Silpat). Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven until the edges are just barely browned (or you can take them out when they're still pale, whichever you prefer). They're ready in about 12 minutes. I coat half the cookie with ganache. Just melt a few ounces of bittersweet chocolate with some cream and a bit of butter. Give it a stir, and then drizzle your cookie with the ganache. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Cookie ( RG1547 )

How many degassing cycles a plain bread dough can normally tolerate in room temperature? (instant or active dry yeasts) My understanding is that yeast grows stops when it consumes all the available sugars. After how much time may it be expected, considering the dough is being degassed and folded/turned from time to time?

I am trying to compose a special food gift for my folks, and I wanted to buy a loaf of Poilane bread - yes, it's extravagant - from their site. I placed an order, but was never asked for a cc#. I have serious doubts about this. Anyone ever placed an order with them?

Thinking of Hostess Gifts..... I've just made the dough for chocolate shortbread using a recipe from CAPRIAL'S CAFE cookbook, & it tastes wonderful. Very intense flavour....( I used Dutch process cocoa , although it didn't specify it.) My question is: seeing as how I would like to give these cookies as gifts, should I bake, & let them "ripen" the way I do with Scotch shortbread, or freeze the dough, & bake as needed?

Does anybody have a good recipe for gluten free shortbread. My aunt has asked me to make some for christmas, she and her son both have gluten allergies. She has made a few attempts with a mix of flours she uses, but it never produces that melt in your mouth quality that she is craving. One problem was with rice flour being in the mix, it was very grainy. So that option is definately out. Trials with an alternative grain mix was very heavy, and the texture of the grains just wasn't right I am planning to experiment with different perportions of corn starch, arrowroot, tapioca, and I've even thought about chickpea flour. If anybody has a recipe that they know works, please pass it on, it would save alot of trial and error on my part.

More than a decade ago, we had a restaurant named after, and specializing in, a type of bread which also lent its name to sandwiches made with it. I believe they were called tieso (or perhaps hyphenated ties-o). I loved them and ate lunch there a lot. The memory of them still haunts me but I am apparently misremembering the name or spelling, as I cannot find any information on them anywhere. I know that some foods are particular to a tiny village and may not find their way into the more mainstream culture, but thought I would reach out to the Society members in that part of the world for assistance. Thanks in advance for any hints, clues, recipes or suggestions of resources or alternate spellings.

Extra rich bread pudding for mock French toast Make this bread pudding up to a day in advance, chill, then slice and cook on a griddle for French Toast, but without the mess. This is flavored with cinnamon, but one can vary the flavorings to suit your tastes. Dried fruits can be added to the mixture if desired, mixed in just before pouring into the loaf pan. Extra Rich Bread Pudding 8 extra large eggs 3 cups milk 1 cup cream (or half & half) 2/3 cup sugar (or Splenda to cut calories, it works just fine) 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 4 to 5 cups rough bread cubes (Tear day old bread into pieces about 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes.) Spray a large loaf pan with canola oil (or Pam) (can also use a Bundt pan) Combine eggs, milk and cream, sugar, vanilla, salt and spices in a large bowl. Beat until eggs are completely blended. Add the bread cubes and press down into the egg mixture with a spatula. Cover and set aside for about 20 to 30 minutes until the bread has soaked up most of the egg mixture. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan to within 1/2 inch of the top. Set the loaf pan into a larger baking pan and place in the oven. Pour boiling water into the pan to about 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep. Bake for one hour. Test by inserting a thin knife blade into the pudding near the center. If it comes out wet continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Test again until knife blade comes out clean. (It will take longer to bake in humid weather.) Remove from oven and immediately brush top with melted butter. This can be chilled overnight then sliced and the slices fried or grilled, using butter, and served with maple or other syrup, honey or jams and jellies. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you must. This tastes exactly like French toast but is much easier for those who are not skilled in the kitchen. This makes a great Mother's Day or birthday breakfast for husbands who seldom cook and even for older kids who want to do something nice for Mom without a lot of mess in the kitchen. For an even more interesting taste, after the slice is on the griddle or in the pan, sprinkle the uncooked top side with granulated maple sugar. Brush the griddle with melted butter, turn the sugared side onto the griddle. The sugar will carmelize, forming a sweet crust which, when turned again is the presentation side. ( RG1518 )

Since the demise of my bread machine I have been making bread quite successfully using the K/A. However, I have just made a loaf of white sandwich bread and while the bread itself is quite good, the loaf shape is less than ideal as the top "mushroomed". I make at least two multi-grain loaves each week and don't have this problem. Any ideas? Too much gluten development? Wrong oven temp? The recipe is "American Sandwich Bread" from Cook's Illustrated. Thanks for any tips you might have.

Our gingerbread village is being installed today! After 4 months of planning, I am VERY excited! And ready to get it over with, and move on with the holidays. I will take photos today when it's all done, post them if I can figure out how, and will anxiously await others, doing the same. Tell us your stories of gingerbread happiness and heartache. We all have them, like the time the ring tailed cat came down from the mountain, pushed open the floor-to-ceiling glass doors and ate my very first one. Or just last year, when all of ours collapsed in the weird southeastern humidity I wasn't prepared for. Or my beautiful, faithful reproduction of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesen West that no one in Detroit recognised. This year's theme is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It was (I think) Leslie's idea, and we watched her sister's copy of the Jim Carrey movie to get inspiration. Now, as I look around my office at the houses ready to go, I am reminded of what an incredibly talented team of women I work with everyday. The houses have curves and weird shapes, painted with pastel hues of royal icing and slathered with Nerds and silver dragees. Leslie's made the mountain behind Whoville, as well as the most incredible Grinch, and Max, ever recreated in marzipan. If she ever tires of being in pastry, she has a career in claymation waiting for her! For as much as she's complained the last half of this year about the gingerbread, she's done an incredible job. Robyn's made a three-sided apartment building, Who Heights. Krissy made a circular house, that started out with, "What if I draped gingerbread over a bowl?" Erica tried to follow suit, but ended up with a completely different and beautiful house. Well, I'm excited! I'm on my way to work and will post the photos this afternoon. Your turn! Share your stories and photos! Happy Holidays!

Does anyone know where I can purchase good stuffed breads in the Bloomfield/Montclair/Livingston/ East Hanover area? I would like to cut the breads into slices and serve for Christmas as one of my appetizers. Thanks!

Alberta's Cornbread Dressing Serves 8 as Side. This recipe belongs to my nanny that raised me from the age of 6 months. She is an amazing cook. 1 lb box self-rising Cornbread Mix 6 Eggs 1/2 bunch of celery, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 1 stick butter 2 slices day-old white bread 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup 1 can Cream of Chicken soup 1 can evaporated milk 2 cans chicken Broth or homemade stock 1 T dried Sage Bake cornbread according to directions. Crumble bread and cornbread. Chop celery and onion and saute in butter until onion is clear. Add chicken broth and simmer. Pour over bread mixture. Add soups. Mix well. Add eggs, milk, sage and Accent. Bake at 350 until lightly browned-about 40 minutes. Should still be quite moist. Keywords: Side, Easy, Lunch, Dinner ( RG1497 )

So here I am a professional pastry chef.........and I thought I made a very good apple bread, until last year when a neighbors apple bread wowed the socks off my husband (and me too). We've both asked her for the recipe multiple times, but she's not parting with her recipe...even though she's never been rude about it, just avoids ever writing hers down. SOoooo I need to make tons of apple bread as an item in our Thanksgiving food package at work and now I'm embarassed to use my old recipe knowing theres better out there. I'm searching for 'the BEST Knock your socks off' apple bread recipe in the world! Anyone own that one incredible recipe? If so, would you please share it with me?

Mildred Tays' Salt Rising Bread Salt rising bread (SRB) is a delicious American (U.S.) food item the origin of which is unknown. Past misunderstandings have caused it to fall from grace -so to speak. There are many recipes published for SRB. Unfortunately, most of them are accompanied by misleading instructions. The accompanying recipe from "The Mississippi Cookbook" (1972) is all but foolproof in the original and, with my modification, one must work to make it fail. sweet milk corn meal sweet milk sugar all-purpose flour shortening sugar salt shortening to brush tops of loaves oleo to brush tops of loaves sweet milk corn meal sweet milk sugar all-purpose flour shortening sugar salt Scald 1 cup milk. Add corn meal and cook until thick. Place in a quart jar with top and place in warm place to sour overnight. When bubbles form, it is ready to use Mix 1 quart of milk and 1 tablespoon sugar and scald. Cool slightly and add to first mixture. Gradually add six cups of the flour. Set in warm place to rise double (approximately 2 hours). Next add shortening, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Mix well. Gradually add six cups flour and work in. Put remaning flour on board and turn dough mixture onto board. Work in more flour and knead for about 20 to 30 minutes. Divide into four equal parts, make up loaves, and put in greased and floured loaf pans. Brush tops with shortening and place in warm place to rise double (about 2 hours). Place in preheated 200 degree oven. Gradually turn heat to 300 degrees and bake for 45 minutes. Take loaves from oven and brush tops with oleo. Total cooking time is approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Yields 4 loaves. Loaves will be flat-topped if not concave. "This recipe is over 150 years old. It was handed down by the families of Mrs. Gordon Smith and Mrs. Andrew A. Tays. Miss Mildred Tays, Booneville, Miss." SRB is leavened by the bacterium Clostridium perfringens which functions best at temperatures near and slightly above 100F. A gas oven with pilot light can be the "warm place" if the temperature holds above 80F although 100F will be better. Rather than scalding the milk quantities, simply warm the initial cup to about 100F and add half of a wine-makers Campden tablet (potassium metabisulphite) which yields sulphur dioxide when hydrated. Sulphur dioxide is a more reliable yeast killer than scalding. No need to cook until thick nor for Campden in the quart of milk. Cover on the quart jar prevents entry of random yeasts, etc. Overnight, the starter will become gassy and may increase to double volume. Use stainless steel bowls for convenience in heating the flour before incorporating with liquid ingredients. My version of gradual addition is dumping the flour into a bowl and hand-stirring in for the sponge. Final flour is dumped into bowl of a KitchenAid, with dough hook, together with the sponge. Let the KitchenAid work the dough for 10 to 15 minutes. It climbs the hook and must be pushed back down, but that's less work than 20 minutes of hand kneading. Finished product has the characteristic SRB odor, fine pores in the crumb, and a a nice crust. Some have described the bread as cake-like because the crumb is tender and somewhat sweeter than that from other recipes. Keywords: Intermediate, Bread, American ( RG1479 )

Swedish Sourdough Cookies (aka, Lofthouse copycats) This is a recipe I found while looking for soft, cakey cut-outs. People seem to think they taste like a brand called Lofthouse. 1 c butter 1 c sugar 3 eggs 1-1/2 c sour cream 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 5 c flour, plus extra for rolling Beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and sour cream. Mix together dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out dough to a 1/4 to 3/8 inch thickness using a generous amount of flour. Cut out shapes and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Frost and decorate. ( RG1475 )