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 . . .
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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

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest

Posted by Guff

  I made the Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries and Orange Zest using egg substitute and canola oil.  I first made the braided loaf, per the directions. 




Then I made two smaller loaves, to pass along, using the letter fold.   All turned out great.  I thought the amount of orange was just right, subtle but noticeable.  I would add more craisins, but I like lots of stuff in bread that is supposed to have stuff in it.




Ever since reading Zoe's post about English Muffins I have made them with all sorts of dough, and the challah was no exception.  Because I like the look of both top and bottom of the muffin being flat I cook them on my griddle, but I have also baked them as Zoe recommends.  You can flip them in the oven after a few minutes if you want.  I think the key to the English Muffin effect is plenty of corn meal.


To make getting them onto the griddle easier I put plenty of cornmeal on parchment paper, roll out the dough, cut it with a 3 inch biscuit cutter, put it on the paper and sprinkle the tops well with corn meal. 



Then, I cut the parchment paper around each muffin-not too hard, especially with one of these cutters.  Then after the muffins have risen 20-30 minutes I transfer them, parchment paper and all, to a 375 degree griddle.  I cook each side 7-8 minutes. 




After a few minutes on the first side, I slide the muffins off the parchment paper to let them brown better.  





And there we are.  I like making English Muffins to use up dough when I have too much and it is getting down to the wire.  I split them and freeze them to toast for breakfast.  

13 comments:

  1. EzzieDecember 15, 2009 at 10:07 PM

    Great idea with the muffins and I love our instructions and pics! Fabulouso!

    ReplyDelete
  2. CristieDecember 16, 2009 at 8:55 AM

    I haven't tried the english muffins, yours are beautiful! Thanks for the tips in making them. I love the letter fold and briad as well. This dough was wonderful to work with don't you think?

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  3. KimDecember 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM

    Oh my....did you make those english muffins just for me? English muffins are one of my favorite foods. They look incredible!

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  4. Bread Over HeelsDecember 16, 2009 at 1:21 PM

    Now I have to make English muffins. Your parchment method is so simple. Your small loves look great slashed and floured. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Judy's Bakery & Test KitchenDecember 16, 2009 at 2:41 PM

    Wow, thanks for the step by step. I will have to give English muffins a try!!! Judy L, TN

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  6. JennyDecember 16, 2009 at 3:32 PM

    Those English muffins look so yummy! Great way to use up dough, and I like that they can be frozen.
    ~Jenny~

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  7. MichelleDecember 16, 2009 at 4:53 PM

    I would never have thought, in a million years, to make English Muffins! What a fabulous idea and so easy too!

    How do you do a letter fold?

    Zoey is so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  8. JoanneDecember 16, 2009 at 11:16 PM

    Challah English muffins?!?!? Excellent! what a great idea.

    ReplyDelete
  9. SavoringTime in the KitchenDecember 17, 2009 at 12:52 PM

    What a great idea to use the rest of the dough for English muffins! I also love the look of your letter folded challah. Nice!

    ~Susan

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  10. UnknownDecember 17, 2009 at 2:20 PM

    your breads look great! I love the english muffins. What a wonderful idea

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  11. JenDecember 19, 2009 at 4:42 AM

    Love the english muffins!!! they look fantastic!!!

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  12. Heather S-GDecember 19, 2009 at 8:18 PM

    I am so impressed...those English muffins sound amazing! Oh boy, another one for the list! :D

    ReplyDelete
  13. GwenDecember 20, 2009 at 2:09 PM

    I love English muffins. Great idea to make them with the challah dough!

    ReplyDelete

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