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"Baking With Julia" by Julia Child (2004)

SethG

By SethG
in Pastry & Baking

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arbuclo

arbuclo

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JanKK, you made me feel so much better, thanks! As for the danishes, I think the instructions said to give them a "top knot", so I twisted the edges together to do just that and they all stayed together. (Whew!)

A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness. – Elsa Schiaparelli, 1890-1973, Italian Designer

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SethG

SethG

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How about the Fruit Focaccia this weekend? Anybody game?

I'm in. I would never try it on my own, so it's a perfect choice.

The recipe says the dried fruits can be varied, and my wife is no fan of cranberries. Any ideas for a substitute dried fruit?

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

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JanKK

JanKK

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I'm in. I would never try it on my own, so it's a perfect choice.

Ditto. I'm in too ....but may not get to it until middle of the week.

How about cherries instead of the cranberries, Seth?

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Dahomechef

Dahomechef

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Well this is a three-day recipe. Guess I should have read the recipe more closely, but I've got the fruit macerating since yesterday, plan to mix the dough tonight, and bake tomorrow. Anybody else into this fruit focaccia?

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JanKK

JanKK

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Well this is a three-day recipe. Guess I should have read the recipe more closely, but I've got the fruit macerating since yesterday, plan to mix the dough tonight, and bake tomorrow. Anybody else into this fruit focaccia?

Yep........mine is in the pan on the counter doing it's final rise.

It is definitely NOT something you just throw together ;) And there's a helluva lotta fruit in there. I bought a couple bags of fruit at the store .....then actually READ the amounts --it's a total of 20 ounces of dried fruits. Soooo.....I've got the "assorted" fruit focaccia ---cranberriers, cherries, dates, peaches, and apricots :biggrin:

And by the way .......anybody who tells me to BUTTER my PLASTIC WRAP needs serious help at the school of reality!! I have enough damn trouble getting the plastic wrap off the roll and onto the pan without trying to BUTTER it. Can you say "cooking spray"???

Here's hoping it's worth all the work and tastes fabulous! And even if not --it was a new experience --and that's what we're all about, right?? ;)

--Jan

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SethG

SethG

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You guys are ahead of me. My fruit is macerating tonight. Focaccia will be served Wednesday.

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

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Dahomechef

Dahomechef

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It is definitely NOT something you just throw together ;)  And there's a helluva lotta fruit in there.  I bought a couple bags of fruit at the store .....then actually READ the amounts --it's a total of 20 ounces of dried fruits.  Soooo.....I've got the "assorted" fruit focaccia ---cranberriers, cherries, dates, peaches, and apricots  :biggrin:

...

Here's hoping it's worth all the work and tastes fabulous!  And even if not --it was a new experience --and that's what we're all about, right?? ;)

--Jan

Jan, this whole recipe is like a leap of faith--I've never made a "bread" like this one. Mine is on its first rise:

i7076.jpg

Did yours look like this?

Incorporating all that fruit into the dough that had been beaten in my KA for what was it, 18 minutes? I had to resort to "kneading" it in the mixer bowl or there was no chance.

Can't wait to hear how yours turns out. . . maybe there's hope for me yet!

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yorkshirepud

yorkshirepud

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Yorkshire, yes it is the RLB Bread Bible. I believe there was some discussion of this book upthread. Although I have some issues (don't you hate that word?) with the author, every bread I've made from this book has come out marvelously well. This is no small thing. It is a big thing. And a good thing. Get the book, if you're interested in bread baking.

Hey, I just got this book yesterday! :smile: What yeast are you using? I use Active Dry and I'm having issues converting. The solid numbers are okay, but it when it gets into fractions it gets all complicated (at least for me). Any advice?

Btw, sorry to take this thread into the direction of another book.

Adele
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jgarner53

jgarner53

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OK, so I'm behind, but I'm just getting started. I made the Glazed Mini Rounds yesterday with pretty good success (sorry, no pics). My only problem was that the cake was slightly higher in the center, and when I cut the edge pieces, the tops weren't level. I called it "artsy" and didn't worry about it, since the genoise came out beautifully - at least 2 good inches high. At least I guess that's a good genoise; I've never made one before! I packed them up and sent them off with my husband to his job. Still waiting for feedback.

I also only had a 1.75" cutter, so they're a bit bigger.

I might try the fruit foccacia this week if I have time. Since I need something for a pot luck on Thursday, I might do the apple tart instead, since it's only a one-day process, not three!

"I just hate health food"--Julia Child

Jennifer Garner

buttercream pastries

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Dahomechef

Dahomechef

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Hey, I just got this book yesterday! :smile: What yeast are you using? I use Active Dry and I'm having issues converting. The solid numbers are okay, but it when it gets into fractions it gets all complicated (at least for me). Any advice?

Btw, sorry to take this thread into the direction of another book.

Puddin, did you see my link to the Yeast Conversion Chart? I've found this pretty accurate (at least I haven't ruined anything using these conversions). I use the SAF active dry and instant.

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yorkshirepud

yorkshirepud

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Yep, I saw it. Thanks. I actually had it bookmarked already and had already checked it. I just brain farted today - nothing new in my world! :rolleyes: I made a Basic Hearth Bread - not bad though not spectacular. Any recommendations. Perhaps PM me so that I'm not interrupting this thread.

So, where's those pictures of your focaccia? Inquiring minds wanna know.

Adele
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SethG

SethG

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Did yours look like this?

Mine looks pretty much just like that (but with cherries instead of cranberries, thanks for the suggestions, folks!). It's sitting in my fridge awaiting baking tomorrow. I halved the recipe, which seems to be working out fine so far. It may have made the mixing easier. I didn't really need to do much scraping down, and my mixer wasn't strained at all.

I'm really looking forward to tasting this. "Leap of faith" is the perfect description.

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

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JanKK

JanKK

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So, where's those pictures of your focaccia? Inquiring minds wanna know.

Hey ...I'm gettin' there! It took 3 days to make the bread ...you think the pictures should be any quicker???? ;)

(And yes ....my dough did look like that ;)

So .....here's the Fruit Focaccia picture ....

i7128.jpg

I brought it to work this morning ---didn't seem to go over horribly well. I thought it was pretty tasty --but I don't know that I'd do it again.

Happy Baking!

--Jan

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Dahomechef

Dahomechef

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So, where's those pictures of your focaccia?  Inquiring minds wanna know.

Oh, yeah. This is probably one of the strangest "breads" I've ever baked. Wait till you try to get it into shape and in the pan--what a mess. I remained skeptical until 20 minutes into the bake, when I scratched my head, and said, "Uhh, it looks like it might be edible!"

Here it is hot out of the oven:

i7138.jpg

Here's the end product:

i7137.jpg

Well, after three days, a lot of glopping around, 6 hours rising and a ton of fruit, I have to say, it's delicious! Obviously, I baked mine a bit more than JanKK 'cause I like the crunchy stuff, and the interior is moist and sweet. Yum.

Don't know if I'd make it again soon, but now that I'm more familiar with the recipe, yeah, I'd make it again. Gonna take some to the office and freeze the rest.

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Dahomechef

Dahomechef

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Just realized that the pattern of dark and light in the crust is a pretty good diagram of where my oven is hotter (edges and back) and cooler (center and front). Had I waited another 50 or so minutes for the HearthKit to heat up (I baked it on a shelf underneath) probably would have minimized the differences. Oh well...

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yorkshirepud

yorkshirepud

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They look great guys! Nice job. I haven't paid much attention to that recipe so I didn't realise it was so labour intensive.

I'm not sure what I plan to make by BWJ next, though I do hope to make the danish very soon. Do you know if it freezes? I imagine it lose it luciousness though.

I do plan on making the WW bread again though on Friday for our trip up North.

Adele
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Dahomechef

Dahomechef

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I made a Basic Hearth Bread - not bad though not spectacular.  Any recommendations.

Hey yorshirepud, try the Heart of Wheat, 10 grain Torpedo, the Levy's rye (you do have a La Cloche, don't you?) all favorites of mine. I'll look at the book later and see if there are any more.

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SethG

SethG

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My focaccia is rising on my baking sheet right now. Unless I burn it, I expect it to look like the other two pictured.

I also have my sponge going for the pebble bread. I'll fry/bake those tomorrow.

I go back to work June 1, sadly.

Any ideas for this weekend?

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

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SethG

SethG

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You read my mind, Susan. I really might try to spend a week's vacation later doing a stage (is that what real restaurant people call it?) in some bakery, if they'll have me.

But I don't think I'll ever become a professional. The hours are brutal! And I already chucked everything once (when I was single and debtless) to go for my dream job. Chucking one impractical dream job for another just seems flighty, doesn't it?

Anyway, enough about me. Let's talk about my focaccia!

I'm not posting a pic because it really looks almost exactly like the others already posted. I thought this was very good, but I don't think I'll be all that interested in making it again. I'm not that into dried fruit.

I didn't think it was a time-consuming or difficult recipe, by the way. It just took some planning ahead.

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

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