There are few virtues a man can possess more erotic than culinary skill.
Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses by Isabel Allende


Starting in November of 2009 Michelle at the Big Black Dog formed a group to bake its way through Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Zoë François and Jeff Hertzberg. I loved Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, so I signed up with the group. Michelle first had us do a couple of warm-up assignments, which were my first attempt at blogging. The first "Official" post was on January 15, 2010, and it was followed by 41 more, on the 1st and 15th of each month. When I signed on I said I would bake the whole book, and like Horton (the elephant) I meant what I said and I said what I meant. I finished baking the book on October 1, 2011. Having completed that challenge, now I am just going to do some stuff, and post about it. As part of that stuff Michelle is posing a new, and different, challenge for us each month.

But I am still baking bread, mostly the Five Minutes a Day kind, and if you would like to try the Five Minutes a Day bread method there are some links, with recipes, in the right hand column to get you started. Please give it a try.

But first, a word from my sponsor . . .
Depending on to whom you listen, however, our standard of living, may, or may not, be threatened by climate change--global warming. Though scary, it is hard to sift through all the shouting and conflicting information to figure out who is right on this issue.
One person, Greg Craven, has suggested changing the question from "which side is right" to "what is the wisest thing to do given the uncertainties and the risks involved?" To me, this seems like a very productive way to refocus the conversation. So, if you are confused about, concerned by, or interested in the issue of global warming please take a few minutes to watch his VIDEO. If you find it interesting or helpful, please pass it on to others.


This day be bread and peace my lot.
Alexander Pope

How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?
Julia Child

Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven.
Yiddish proverb
(And some are only half baked.)

There is no love sincerer than the love of food.
George Bernard Shaw, via Sharon

Of all smells, bread; of all tastes, salt.
George Herbert

Friday, December 25, 2009

Stollen

Posted by Guff
I decided to try baking Stollen ( a rich German sweet bread containing nuts, raisins, etc--from Stollen, wooden post, prop; so called from its shape) from HB in 5, though I could have purchased one from Zingerman's for $36.


I followed the recipe, using mixture of 7 dried fruits I found at the store.  I also used almond paste--it was on sale.  I rolled out the dough, spread some almond paste toward one end, and folded it in an "S" shape as directed.





And when I baked it, this is what I got.

The only problem was that, as you can see, the tunnel of almond paste was off center.  Next time I may put the paste down the center and "letter fold" it from either side.  That should still yield a similar look to the "S" fold, but help keep the filing centered.


But it ate real well even off-centered (though I have never had Stollen before, so I don't have anything to compare it too).

Anyway, this is my Stollen, and that is all I have to say about that!  Happy Christmas to all.

2 comments:

  1. CristieDecember 29, 2009 at 11:52 PM

    Your stollen looks beautiful. I love the addition of almond paste, off center or not! I'm sure every crumb was eaten!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MichelleDecember 7, 2010 at 5:59 PM

    Guff, you are getting to be an expert at Stollen! Both look great to me!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)