Preparation time: 30 minutes
Rest time: 2 hours
Serves 6-10
Ingredients (Dough)
4 Tsp. active dry yeast
1 Tsp. sugar
3 Cups bread flour
½ Cup lukewarm water
¾ Cup lukewarm water
½ Tbsp. coarse sea salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
(Brine)
1/ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Cup Water
1 Tsp. Salt
Preparation
by Kate McDermott for Emile Henry
Instagram: @katemcdermott
https://katemcdermott.substack.com/
artofthepie@gmail.com
For one 9-inch Emile Henry Pie Dish
Ingredients:
Art of the Pie Dough (or dough of your choice)
1 and 1/4 cups (170 g) flour Bob’s Red Mill AP Flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted Danish Creamery European Style Butter, chilled and cut in tablespoon size pieces
5 tablespoons (75 ml) ice water
Filling:
1 7 ounce (198 g) package Sun Maid California Dried Mission Figs
1/3 cup bourbon whiskey
2½ teaspoons Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract, divided
1 ounce 85% dark baking chocolate, melted
1½ cups (300 grams) C & H Brown Sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 55 grams) Bob’s Red Mill AP Flour
12 tablespoons (168 grams) salted Danish Creamery European Style Butter, cut into
tablespoons size pieces and softened to room temperature
5 large eggs
1½ cups (375 grams) whole milk or half and half
1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup (40 g) C & H Powdered Sugar
I. Make Fig Spread
1. With sharp knife, remove stems from figs. Roughly chop each fig into 4 to 6 pieces.
2. Place chopped figs in a small saucepan and cover with boiling water. Let stand for
one hour. Drain and discard soaking water.
3. Place figs in small mixing bowl and pour over a generous 1/3 cup bourbon whiskey. Cover with wrap and place in fridge for at least 8 hours stirring occasionally. (You can also use a lidded canning jar and shake the jar occasionally.)
4. Place figs and bourbon in a food processor with a metal blade and process to a thick paste. Place in small bowl, cover, and set aside.
II. Make Dough
1. Place 1 and 1/4 cups (170 g) flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 8 tablespoons (113 g)
chilled unsalted butter in medium bowl.
2. With clean hands, smoosh butter into flour until it looks like coarse meal with a few
larger pieces of butter.
3. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and fluff and toss lightly with a
fork. Sprinkle an additional 2 tablespoons ice water and continue to toss lightly until
you can bring the dough together into a ball.
4. Wrap tightly and press dough into one 5 inch (12 cm) round disc.
5. Chill in fridge for 30-60 minutes.
III. Make and Bake Pie
1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Melt chocolate and set aside.
3. Roll out pie dough and place in Emile Henry Pie Dish. Cover and place in fridge
while you make filling.
4. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, place brown sugar, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (55 g) flour, ¾ cup (168 grams) softened salted butter, and
melted chocolate. Pulse 10 times and then process until smooth.
5. Add eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and milk or half and half. Continue processing until throughly combined.
6. Remove pie plate from fridge and evenly spread fig mixture in unbaked pie shell.
7. Pour filling on top of fig mixture.
8. Carefully place pie on middle rack in preheated oven and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking 40 to 45 minutes.
Filling will puff up a bit but shouldn't quiver too much when gently shaking the pie
pan.
9. Cool completely.
IV. Make Chantilly Cream and Serve
1. Pour heavy whipping cream in medium size deep bowl.
2. Mix with a hand-mixer on low for 1 minute. Increase to medium and mix for another minute. Increase to high. Sprinkle in powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and while whipping for 1 to 2 minutes until soft peaks have formed.
3. Add the remaining 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract and whip a few seconds more to
combine.
4. Serve slices with dollops of Chantilly Cream or pipe around edges.
Store any leftovers in fridge.
]]>Recipe by The Sabala’s Kitchen
Ingredients:
Method:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 7 tablespoons oil and the agave nectar and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir for 20 seconds, or until the dry and wet ingredients are completely combined. Slowly add the cold water to the mixture and continue mixing for an additional 20 seconds, or until a slightly moist dough is formed.
Spread a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and sprinkle it with spelt flour. Dump the dough onto the plastic wrap and shape it into a 3-inch-thick disk. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 20 minutes before using.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil a 9-inch pie pan.
Step 4
Cover your work surface with parchment paper and sprinkle it heavily with spelt flour. Dredge the dough through the flour until it is completely covered. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Brush off the excess flour. Lift the crust and fit it into the prepared pie pan, allowing the excess dough to hang over the rim.
Step 5
Fill the pie shell with the roasted apples and spread evenly. Fold the excess dough back over the apples, folding and pleating to create a rustic-looking pie. Brush the dough lightly with oil. Place the pie on the prepared baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and brush the crust with agave nectar. Return to the oven and bake for 11 minutes longer, until browned.
Step 6
Let the pie stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Store the pie, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
*Roasted Apples
1 pound Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1-inch cubes
1 pound Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Preheat the over to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, toss together the apples, cinnamon, agave nectar, and lemon juice until the apples are completely coated. Spread the mixture over the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the apples on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating the sheet 180 degrees after 20 minutes. The apples will be soft. Let the apples stand for 30 minutes, or until completely cool. (The roasted apples can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
Makes 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
Press the tofu between two paper towel-lined plates with a plate on top that’s weighted down with something heavy like a cookbook or saucepan to drain for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Pour boiling water over the figs. Stir in agave, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
Drizzle olive oil into the tagine. Set over low heat for 3 minutes. Add in onion, bell pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt, increasing the heat to medium low. Cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the tofu into 1-inch rectangles. Set aside.
Into the tagine, add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, and coriander, stirring continuously and tempering the spices until aromatic, 1 minute. Toss the cauliflower and tofu into the spiced oil to coat. Add in preserved lemon, olives, figs (and soaking liquid), broth, and parsley. Bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven to cook for 45 minutes. Serve with rice or couscous.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Recipe by Annelies Zijderveld for Valley Fig Growers
]]>Expand / Download Recipe HERE
]]>Ingredients
1 15oz. container (about 2 ¼ cups) of Whole Milk or Par Skim Ricotta Cheese
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup pepperoni
1/3 cup pizza sauce
Gustus Vitae Everything But The Pizza Seasoning
Pizza crust bread sticks, toast points, or crackers
Procedure
Preheat your oven to 425F.
Slice, dice, or roughly chop the pepperoni, set aside.
In the bottom of the Emile Henry Cheese Baker, spread a thin layer of pizza sauce and season with a sprinkle of Everything But The Pizza Seasoning.
On top of the sauce, add half of the ricotta and spread into an even layer with a spoon or offset spatula. Top with half of the pepperoni, half of the remaining pizza sauce, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Season again with Everything But The Pizza Seasoning.
Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
Place the lid on and bake for 25 minutes. If you like a crispy top, remove the lid and broil for 3-5 minutes.
For the pizza crust sticks, take premade thing crust pizza dough and roll out. Use a knife to cut strips and then cut them in half. Twist the dough or leave them flat and place them on a baking sheet and bake at 425F until nice and lightly browned (about 10-15 minutes).
]]>
1 wheel of brie
3 jalapenos, seeded and thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. balsamic glaze
3 tbsp. pecans, finely chopped
Crackers or toast points
Procedure
Preheat oven to 400F.
Add the sliced jalapenos to a small bowl. Cover with the honey and balsamic, mix together and set aside.
Unwrap the brie use a paring knife to cross hatch the top (a crosshatch looks like a tic tac toe board) making the incisions about 1/3rd of an inch deep. Place in the Emile Henry Cheese Baker.
Spoon the jalapeno mixture over the brie. Sprinkle the finely chopped pecans on top.
Place the lid on the baker and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. (If you want the jalapenos to get a little toasted, remove the lid after 15 minutes and bake for an additional 5 minutes.)
Remove from the oven and take the lid off, serve warm with crackers or toast points.
]]>Anyone can make naturally fermented or sourdough bread. The process of making crunchy, tangy sourdough loaves is rewarding, but it requires time, patience, and practice. Many home bakers who love making sourdough bread have a routine; they make sourdough bread every week to keep their starter active and to improve their skills.
To create delicious and beautiful sourdough bread you need to pay attention to a few things.
An Active Starter
You need an active, bubbling sourdough starter. (See recipe and tips from KingArthurBaking.com on page 10-11) This process takes time. It may take anywhere from 7-14 days to build a strong enough starter to raise a loaf of bread.
When you make your dough, your starter must be visibly active with large bubbles. A healthy strong (or ripe) starter will double or triple 6-8 hours after feeding.
Elastic, Springy Dough
The elastic network of proteins in yeast dough traps gases to make dough rise. Because there are fewer yeast organisms in natural starter than in commercial yeast, you must capture all the gas that escapes. To do this, your dough needs to be properly kneaded or folded until it is springy and elastic.
Warm Temperatures
Yeast loves the same temperatures as people do, 70°F - 80°F and yeast will be in heaven. In cooler temperatures, the yeast becomes sluggish.
Bread dough will rise very slowly at cool temperatures. At warm temperatures, the yeast becomes very active. And bread dough will rise quickly. Because there are fewer yeast organisms in natural starter, being aware of your room temperature is very important. Unless directed otherwise, keep your dough covered in a warm draft-free place. This will help it rise.
Dough made with natural starter may take twice as long to rise as dough made with prepared yeast. Maintaining steady, warm room temperatures is important when working with sourdough bread dough.
A Gentle Touch
When handling sourdough bread, use a gentle touch. Resist the urge to aggressively punch down your dough or flatten it out before shaping. You need to preserve the gas bubbles in the dough to help it rise during baking.
Steam in the Oven
A burst of steam in the oven helps sourdough bread rise when baked. Your covered Emile Henry bread baker traps moisture from the dough and turns it to steam. Properly prepared sourdough will bake into a well risen loaf with a crisp crust in your covered baker.
Sourdough Bread Recipes
Use your favorite sourdough bread recipe in your Emile Henry bread baker. Select a recipe
with the amount of flour recommended for your bread baker. Just remember to account for the flour in your starter, which is usually half the amount of starter. In other words, 1/2 cup of starter contains approximately 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water. Account for the 1/4 cup of flour in your calculation of how much flour your recipe uses.
Homemade Sourdough Starter
Recipe and tips provided by:
Ingredients:
To begin your starter:
To feed your starter:
Directions:
Day 1: Combine the pumpernickel or whole wheat flour with the cool water in a non- reactive container. (If you have only all-purpose flour, you can use it. But it may take an additional day or two to get going.) Glass, crockery, stainless steel, or food-grade plastic all work fine for this. Make sure the container is large enough to hold your starter as it grows; we recommend at least 1-quart capacity. Stir everything together thoroughly; make sure there’s no dry flour anywhere. Cover the container loosely and let the mixture sit at warm room temperature (about 70°F) for 24 hours. See TIPS* for advice about growing starters in a cold house.
Day 2: You may see no activity at all in the first 24 hours, or you may see a bit of growth or bubbling. Either way, discard half the starter (about 1/2 cup), and add to the remainder a scant 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, and 1/2 cup cool water (if your house is warm); or lukewarm water (if it’s cold). Mix well, cover, and let the mixture rest at room temperature for 24 hours.
Day 3: By the third day, you’ll likely see some activity — bubbling, a fresh, fruity aroma, and some evidence of expansion. It’s now time to begin two feedings daily, as evenly spaced as your schedule allows. For each feeding, stir down the starter and measure out a generous 1/2 cup. Discard any remaining starter. Add a scant 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, and 1/2 cup water to the reserved starter. Mix the starter, flour, and water, cover, and let the mixture rest at room temperature for approximately 12 hours before repeating.
Day 4: Measure out a generous 1/2 cup of starter and discard any remaining starter. Repeat steps from Day 3.
Day 5: Measure out a generous 1/2 cup of starter and discard any remaining starter. Repeat step from Day 3. By the end of Day 5, the starter should have at least doubled in volume. You’ll see lots of bubbles; there may be some little “rivulets” on the surface, full of finer bubbles. Also, the starter should have a tangy aroma — pleasingly acidic, but not overpowering. If your starter hasn’t risen much and isn’t showing lots of bubbles, repeat discarding and feeding every 12 hours on day 6, and day 7, if necessary — as long as it takes to create a vigorous (risen, bubbly) starter. See TIPS*.
Once the starter is ready, give it one last feeding. Measure out a generous 1/2 cup of starter and discard any remaining starter. Feed as usual. Let the starter rest at room temperature for 6-8 hours; it should be active, with bubbles breaking the surface.
Remove however much starter you need for your recipe — typically no more than about 1 cup. If your recipe calls for more than 1 cup of starter, give it a couple of feedings without discarding, until you’ve made enough for your recipe plus 1/2 cup to keep and feed again.
Transfer the remaining 1/2 cup of starter to its permanent home: a crock, jar, or whatever you’d like to store it in long-term. Feed this reserved starter with 1 scant cup of flour and 1/2 cup water, and let it rest at room temperature for several hours, to get going, before covering it. If you’re storing starter in a screw-top jar, screw the top on loosely rather than airtight.
Store this starter in the refrigerator. Feed it regularly; we recommend feeding it with a scant 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water once a week.
TIPS*
Why do you need to discard half the starter? It seems so wasteful... But unless you discard starter at some point, eventually you’ll end up with a very large container of starter. Also, keeping the volume down offers the yeast more food to eat each time you feed it; it’s not fighting with quite so many other little yeast cells to get enough to eat. You don’t have to actually discard it if you don’t want to, either; you can give it to a friend, or use it to bake. There are quite a few recipes on KingArthurBaking.com using “discard” starter, including pizza crust, pretzels, and waffles, and even chocolate cake. If you’re still uncomfortable dealing with discard, though, try maintaining a smaller starter: the smaller the starter, the smaller the amount of discard.
Why does this starter begin with whole-grain flour? Because the wild yeast that gives sourdough starter its life is more likely to be found in the flora- and fauna-rich environment of a whole-grain flour than in all-purpose flour. What if all you have is all-purpose flour, no whole wheat? Go ahead and use all-purpose; you may find the starter simply takes a little longer to get going. Also, if you feed your starter on a long-term basis with anything other than the all-purpose flour called for here, it will probably look different (thicker or thinner, a different color) and act differently as well. Not to say you can’t feed your starter with alternate flours; just that the results may not be what you expect.
Should you use bottled water? Unless your tap water is so heavily treated that you can smell the chemicals, there’s no need to use bottled water; tap water is fine.
A note about room temperature: the colder the environment, the more slowly your starter will grow. If the normal temperature in your home is below 68°F, we suggest finding a smaller, warmer spot to develop your starter. For instance, try setting the starter atop your water heater, refrigerator, or another appliance that might generate ambient heat. Your turned-off oven — with the light turned on — is also a good choice.
Regarding the duration of everyday feeding, here is some great advice: “Conditions vary so widely that 7 days can be far too little. I’ve learned the key is to watch for a dramatic and consistent rise in the jar — at least doubling between 1 and 4 hours after feeding. This could be 7 days or less after you begin, or it could be three weeks (for me it was 12 to 14 days). Bakers may want to watch for this phenomenon, rather than watch the calendar.”
]]>
the homemade bread specialist
The secret to making crispy bread is how it is baked: at high humidity levels, carefully adjusted according to the volume of dough being baked. Emile Henry bread bakers recreate the conditions found in a traditional bread oven, at just the right level of humidity. They ensure your homemade bread comes out baked to perfection, light and airy inside, with a golden, crispy crust.
You don't have to be an expert:
They come with recipe
ideas and tips!
1- Prepare your dough either by hand, in a mixer, food processor or bread maker, following the recipes in this booklet or using your own recipes or a bread mix.
2- Let your dough rise at room temperature, away from drafts, for the times indicated. Before the last rise, place the dough in the baker, shaped the way you want it.
3- To bake, place the baker in the oven with its lid on, at the temperature indicated in the recipe. Bake for the time indicated in the recipe. You can remove the lid a few minutes before the end of the baking process to finish browning your bread.
When it comes to baking bread, nothing beats ceramic. The unique material used in our bread bakers has the same refractory properties as that used in traditional bread ovens. The ceramic allows humidity levels to be adjusted during baking, which is a requirement if the bread is to come out crispy, yet light and airy on the inside. The glazed exterior makes our bakers easy to keep clean.
For more products and use and care instructions, please visit www.emilehenryusa.com
To make flavorful bread and crusty loaves start by selecting your ingredients.
Flour
Whether unbleached, stone ground or gluten-free, flour is the most important ingredient for making bread. Wheat flour contains protein. When moistened, the protein turns into gluten, the elastic substance that gives bread its distinctive chewiness and fluffy texture. Different types of flour will change the taste and appearance of your bread. Whole grain flours such as whole wheat and rye do not rise as much as white flour. Bread dough made with more than half whole grains may rise less.
Yeast
Yeast is a living organism that feeds on flour in bread dough. As the mixture sits, it ferments, and the yeast expels carbon dioxide gas. The gas gets trapped in the dough’s elastic network and it magically rises. You can use active dry and instant yeast to make bread dough. Both are easy to use and can be added directly to the flour. Or you can dilute the yeast in warm water before using. Fresh baker’s yeast, which is available in some markets or from a local baker, must be moistened in water before using.
Many bakers replace prepared yeast with sourdough starter or a natural leaven, but it’s a much more delicate process that you can learn about on pages 8-9.
Water
Water moistens the ingredients and helps warm the yeast. Yeast is more active in wetter dough, which is sticky and hard to handle. Different types of flour absorb more (or less) water than others. Dough made using all- purpose flour will use less water than dough made using bread flour. Be aware that you may need more (or less) water than a recipe calls for depending on the type of flour you are using.
Eggs, Fats and Sweeteners
Eggs, butter, olive oil, sugar, honey and other sweeteners tenderize and flavor bread dough. Sweeteners help the yeast to ferment. Bread dough made with lots of eggs, fats and sweeteners will rise more than dough
MAKING THE DOUGH
To make the best dough, follow these steps.
THE RIGHT PROPORTIONS
Follow the recipe and measure your ingredients with care. Measure flour by gently spooning it into a measuring cup then sweeping off the excess with a table knife or weigh the ingredients using a scale.
If you add too much yeast, your bread will have an unpleasant taste. If you don’t add enough water, the bread will be dry and crumbly. But if you add too much water, your dough may be sticky, heavy, and hard to handle. It might then cause the platter to stick to the lid making it difficult to open the bread baker. Add the water a little at a time until you have a dough that is elastic and keeps its shape without sticking to your fingers. And follow the tips in each recipe to achieve the best results.
KNEADING
Kneading activates the protein in the flour. This gives your bread dough a light crumb and chewy texture. You can mix bread dough by hand, in a stand mixer, a food processor or a bread machine. Each method achieves similar results. What is important is to end up with dough that is silky and smooth. You can also use a no-knead mixing method to make a shaggy dough that becomes smooth after a long rise.
RISING
Place the dough in a bowl or container and cover it with a clean linen towel, plastic wrap or its lid. Let the dough rise at room temperature, protected from any drafts, for the time indicated in the recipe. Pay attention to the temperature. If your kitchen is too cold, the yeast will go to sleep and not ferment, and if too warm, the yeast will react too quickly, and the dough will rise too much. Adjust the rising time accordingly. When you are learning to bake yeast bread, the times indicated in the recipes are good gauges for you to follow. Follow the cues provided in the recipe too.
BAKING
Before the last rise, shape the dough and place it in your bread baker. Spice seasoning blends and flavored salts such as those from Gustus Vitae are great to place on top of your dough as it rises. Just before baking, make rapid, smooth incisions on the dough’s surface using a sharp knife or baker’s lame. These incisions create weaknesses in the crust that allow it to rise. If you don’t score the surface, the crust may be misshapen.
When ready to bake, place the bread baker into the oven, then bake according to the time and temperature indicated in the recipe.
Your bread baker works just like a baker’s oven. The lids trap moisture that evaporates from the bread dough. The moisture turns to steam, which keeps the dough moist during baking. The unglazed interior of the lid allows moisture to evaporate entirely by the end of the baking process, drying out the bread just enough to get a light, airy bread with a crispy, golden crust.
When using your Emile Henry bread baker, pay attention to a few things.
Amount of Dough
Each bread baker holds a certain amount of dough. Use recipes with the amount of flour recommended for your bread baker. (See the Emile Henry Bread Baker Capacity Chart on page 34.)
The recipes in our booklet were tested for use in our bread bakers. Once you have used your bread baker a few times, you’ll get a feel for how much dough it holds. With experience, you may find that your bread baker holds a little more (or less) of a particular dough recipe than another.
Preparing Your Bread Baker
We recommend that you brush the bottom section of your bread baker with oil or nonstick cooking spray then dust it with flour before using. Use wheat flour, rice flour or fine semolina to coat your bread baker. Know that moister dough will need more flour when dusting your bread baker. Some wet doughs like most no-knead recipes need a heavy sprinkling of flour. You may also place your formed dough onto a sheet of parchment paper before it rises the second time. Use the paper like a sling to transfer your formed dough into the bread baker. The paper will help keep the bread from sticking. This works well for larger loaves baked in the Artisan Bread Baker, bread pot, Italian Loaf Baker or the Bread Cloche.
Baking Temperature
Use the oven temperatures listed with the recipes in this booklet. Because all ovens behave differently, you may want to test the temperature the first few times you use your bread baker. Set your timer for 10 minutes less than the time indicated in the recipe. Check the bread by carefully removing the lid and adjust the remaining baking time as needed.
Working Safely
Your bread baker and lid are hot. Use heavy oven mitts or potholders.
Remember to remove the lid carefully. Stand back so that steam can escape away from your face. Make sure to have a trivet or safe place for the lid and base when they come out of the oven.
Adapting Your Recipe to Use in Your Bread Baker
Follow the tips in this booklet. Select recipes with the recommended amount of flour. Or make your favorite dough. Then remove some of the dough and bake it separately into a small loaf or roll.
When using one of your own recipes, preheat your oven 25-35 degrees F higher than the temperature you normally use. The clay is thick and absorbs heat.
TROUBLESHOOTING
-How do I adapt recipes for one Emile Henry bread baker to fit a different one?
Select recipes with the recommended amount of flour for the bread baker you would like to use. See the Bread Baker Capacity Chart on page 34. Many of the bread bakers can be used interchangeably.
-Must I preheat my oven before using an Emile Henry bread baker?
Follow the instructions in your recipe. You can let your dough rise in your bread baker then place it into a preheated oven. You can preheat your bread baker and – carefully– transfer your proofed dough into the hot vessel. Or you can even place your dough-filled bread baker into a cold oven. All methods work.
-What rack works best?
You will get good results if you place your bread baker on a rack where it fits close to the middle of your oven. Shallower bakers – the Baguette Baker, Ciabatta Baker, Crown Bread Baker, Mini Baguette Baker and EPI Wheat Baguette Bakers – may be placed on a rack in the upper third of your oven.
-Why does the dough stick to the lid?
Be sure to use recipes with the recommended amount of flour. Do not over proof the dough during the second rising. Over proofed dough can rise too much and stick to the lid and sides of the baker.
-How do I clean my bread baker?
You can place your bread baker in the dishwasher. Or soak it in warm water with some detergent or white wine vinegar to remove baked-on stains. Just wipe it with a sponge after soaking. Let it air dry and, like all Emile Henry products, it will last you for many years to come!
Natural starter or sourdough?
There is yeast everywhere in our world. For centuries before prepared yeast was available, bakers made bread with natural yeast. They called it starter or sourdough because it adds a subtle or strong tang to bread. You make starter or sourdough from a mixture of flour and water to create the perfect environment where good bacteria and natural yeast thrive. You make or build your starter by adding more flour (feeding the starter). With successive feedings and time, your starter becomes home to millions of living yeast cells, strong and vigorous enough to make bread dough rise.
The Secrets to Sourdough Bread
Anyone can make naturally fermented or sourdough bread. The process of making crunchy, tangy sourdough loaves is rewarding, but it requires time, patience, and practice. Many home bakers who love making sourdough bread have a routine; they make sourdough bread every week to keep their starter active and to improve their skills.
To create delicious and beautiful sourdough bread you need to pay attention to a few things.
An Active Starter
You need an active, bubbling sourdough starter. (See recipe and tips from KingArthurBaking.com on page 10-11) This process takes time. It may take anywhere from 7-14 days to build a strong enough starter to raise a loaf of bread.
When you make your dough, your starter must be visibly active with large bubbles. A healthy strong (or ripe) starter will double or triple 6-8 hours after feeding.
Elastic, Springy Dough
The elastic network of proteins in yeast dough traps gases to make dough rise. Because there are fewer yeast organisms in natural starter than in commercial yeast, you must capture all the gas that escapes. To do this, your dough needs to be properly kneaded or folded until it is springy and elastic.
Warm Temperatures
Yeast loves the same temperatures as people do, 70°F - 80°F and yeast will be in heaven. In cooler temperatures, the yeast becomes sluggish.
Bread dough will rise very slowly at cool temperatures. At warm temperatures, the yeast becomes very active. And bread dough will rise quickly. Because there are fewer yeast organisms in natural starter, being aware of your room temperature is very important. Unless directed otherwise, keep your dough covered in a warm draft-free place. This will help it rise.
Dough made with natural starter may take twice as long to rise as dough made with prepared yeast. Maintaining steady, warm room temperatures is important when working with sourdough bread dough.
A Gentle Touch
When handling sourdough bread, use a gentle touch. Resist the urge to aggressively punch down your dough or flatten it out before shaping. You need to preserve the gas bubbles in the dough to help it rise during baking.
Steam in the Oven
A burst of steam in the oven helps sourdough bread rise when baked. Your covered Emile Henry bread baker traps moisture from the dough and turns it to steam. Properly prepared sourdough will bake into a well risen loaf with a crisp crust in your covered baker.
Sourdough Bread Recipes
Use your favorite sourdough bread recipe in your Emile Henry bread baker. Select a recipe
with the amount of flour recommended for your bread baker. Just remember to account for the flour in your starter, which is usually half the amount of starter. In other words, 1/2 cup of starter contains approximately 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water. Account for the 1/4 cup of flour in your calculation of how much flour your recipe uses.
Homemade Sourdough Starter
Recipe and tips provided by:
Ingredients:
To begin your starter:
To feed your starter:
Directions:
Day 1: Combine the pumpernickel or whole wheat flour with the cool water in a non- reactive container. (If you have only all-purpose flour, you can use it. But it may take an additional day or two to get going.) Glass, crockery, stainless steel, or food-grade plastic all work fine for this. Make sure the container is large enough to hold your starter as it grows; we recommend at least 1-quart capacity. Stir everything together thoroughly; make sure there’s no dry flour anywhere. Cover the container loosely and let the mixture sit at warm room temperature (about 70°F) for 24 hours. See TIPS* for advice about growing starters in a cold house.
Day 2: You may see no activity at all in the first 24 hours, or you may see a bit of growth or bubbling. Either way, discard half the starter (about 1/2 cup), and add to the remainder a scant 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, and 1/2 cup cool water (if your house is warm); or lukewarm water (if it’s cold). Mix well, cover, and let the mixture rest at room temperature for 24 hours.
Day 3: By the third day, you’ll likely see some activity — bubbling, a fresh, fruity aroma, and some evidence of expansion. It’s now time to begin two feedings daily, as evenly spaced as your schedule allows. For each feeding, stir down the starter and measure out a generous 1/2 cup. Discard any remaining starter. Add a scant 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, and 1/2 cup water to the reserved starter. Mix the starter, flour, and water, cover, and let the mixture rest at room temperature for approximately 12 hours before repeating.
Day 4: Measure out a generous 1/2 cup of starter and discard any remaining starter. Repeat steps from Day 3.
Day 5: Measure out a generous 1/2 cup of starter and discard any remaining starter. Repeat step from Day 3. By the end of Day 5, the starter should have at least doubled in volume. You’ll see lots of bubbles; there may be some little “rivulets” on the surface, full of finer bubbles. Also, the starter should have a tangy aroma — pleasingly acidic, but not overpowering. If your starter hasn’t risen much and isn’t showing lots of bubbles, repeat discarding and feeding every 12 hours on day 6, and day 7, if necessary — as long as it takes to create a vigorous (risen, bubbly) starter. See TIPS*.
Once the starter is ready, give it one last feeding. Measure out a generous 1/2 cup of starter and discard any remaining starter. Feed as usual. Let the starter rest at room temperature for 6-8 hours; it should be active, with bubbles breaking the surface.
Remove however much starter you need for your recipe — typically no more than about 1 cup. If your recipe calls for more than 1 cup of starter, give it a couple of feedings without discarding, until you’ve made enough for your recipe plus 1/2 cup to keep and feed again.
Transfer the remaining 1/2 cup of starter to its permanent home: a crock, jar, or whatever you’d like to store it in long-term. Feed this reserved starter with 1 scant cup of flour and 1/2 cup water, and let it rest at room temperature for several hours, to get going, before covering it. If you’re storing starter in a screw-top jar, screw the top on loosely rather than airtight.
Store this starter in the refrigerator. Feed it regularly; we recommend feeding it with a scant 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water once a week.
TIPS*
Why do you need to discard half the starter? It seems so wasteful... But unless you discard starter at some point, eventually you’ll end up with a very large container of starter. Also, keeping the volume down offers the yeast more food to eat each time you feed it; it’s not fighting with quite so many other little yeast cells to get enough to eat. You don’t have to actually discard it if you don’t want to, either; you can give it to a friend, or use it to bake. There are quite a few recipes on KingArthurBaking.com using “discard” starter, including pizza crust, pretzels, and waffles, and even chocolate cake. If you’re still uncomfortable dealing with discard, though, try maintaining a smaller starter: the smaller the starter, the smaller the amount of discard.
Why does this starter begin with whole-grain flour? Because the wild yeast that gives sourdough starter its life is more likely to be found in the flora- and fauna-rich environment of a whole-grain flour than in all-purpose flour. What if all you have is all-purpose flour, no whole wheat? Go ahead and use all-purpose; you may find the starter simply takes a little longer to get going. Also, if you feed your starter on a long-term basis with anything other than the all-purpose flour called for here, it will probably look different (thicker or thinner, a different color) and act differently as well. Not to say you can’t feed your starter with alternate flours; just that the results may not be what you expect.
Should you use bottled water? Unless your tap water is so heavily treated that you can smell the chemicals, there’s no need to use bottled water; tap water is fine.
A note about room temperature: the colder the environment, the more slowly your starter will grow. If the normal temperature in your home is below 68°F, we suggest finding a smaller, warmer spot to develop your starter. For instance, try setting the starter atop your water heater, refrigerator, or another appliance that might generate ambient heat. Your turned-off oven — with the light turned on — is also a good choice.
Regarding the duration of everyday feeding, here is some great advice: “Conditions vary so widely that 7 days can be far too little. I’ve learned the key is to watch for a dramatic and consistent rise in the jar — at least doubling between 1 and 4 hours after feeding. This could be 7 days or less after you begin, or it could be three weeks (for me it was 12 to 14 days). Bakers may want to watch for this phenomenon, rather than watch the calendar.”
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6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Cream Sauce
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon corn starch
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
⅓ cup sundried tomatoes (chopped)
¼ - ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups baby spinach
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place chicken breasts in the Emile Henry 11x8" Modern Classics Rectangular Baking Dish.
Season with salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Drizzle olive oil over chicken. Rub the seasoning into the chicken and add spinach on top, set aside.
Whisk together cream, garlic, corn starch, and salt until combined. Stir in sundried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese and pour around the chicken.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 16-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Put the chicken back in the oven for 5 -10 minutes.
Uncover and serve.
Delicious over pasta, rice, or as is.
]]>1 wheel of brie
10 dates, sliced in half lengthwise (you can add more if you wish)
3 tbsp. walnuts, roughly chopped
2-3 tbsp. honey
Crackers or toast points
Procedure
Preheat oven to 400F.
Unwrap the brie use a paring knife to cross hatch the top (a crosshatch looks like a tic tac toe board) making the incisions about 1/3rd of an inch deep.
Add the dates and walnuts on top of the brie.
Drizzle about 2 to 3 tbsp. of honey over the cheese and other ingredients.
Place the lid on and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and take the lid off, serve warm with crackers or toast points.
]]>Crumble Topping:
2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup salted butter, cut into small pieces
Apple filling:
3-4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Crumble Topping:
In a medium size bowl combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until well combined. Refrigerate while you prepare the apple filling.
Apple Filling:
In a small bowl stir together melted butter and flour until smooth. Add lemon juice, milk and vanilla and stir. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Pour butter mixture over apples and toss to coat. Pour apple mixture into the Emile Henry Ruffled Square Baker and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over the apples.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown and top is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel sauce, if desired.
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