My Secret to Amazing 100% Whole Wheat Bread

I love bread baking!  It is such a sense of accomplishment when the bread rises to a perfect loaf. I have been trying to get a good 100% whole wheat for a while.  I kept going back to the one in the King Aurthur All-purpose baking book.  One day I decided to try the molasses version instead of honey or sugar. The result was an amazing loaf that was rich and wonderful for sandwiches.

The Molasses must be the answer!  This is now my favorite 100% loaf and I make it almost every week.

100% Whole Wheat
(adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion)

1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons molasses
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (optional, but helpful)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

  In the bowl of your mixer combine all the ingredients, mixing to form a shaggy dough. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. This lets all the liquid absorb into the flour.

then knead it for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and supple. It may seem wet at first but it will come together nicely. (it is a bit of a sticky dough)
It is best to use a bread machine or your stand mixer to kneed this dough.  Otherwise you will have a dense loaf.

Let the dough rise in a greased covered bowl for at least one hour.  Shape it into a log and place it in a lightly 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for about another hour until it has crowned about 2 inches over the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 and bake the bread for 45 minutes.  Tent it lightly with aluminum foil for the final 20 minutes of baking so the top does not get too brown. Remove it from the oven and turn it out on a cooling rack to cool. (do not attempt to cut the bread until it is completely cool!)

Now it's time to get your Yum on!!!

This is the perfect loaf for sandwiches especially PB&J
Enjoy!

Rosemary-Lemon Cake Roll! Sometimes ya just gotta have something sweet!

I want something sweet!  I say this often.  Too often!!!  I really try and eat healthy.  My goal has been to create a healthy eating blog. However, I must admit that my true passion in cooking is baking.  I can bake all day long and be as a beatnik at a poetry reading.

from "Funny Face"  one of my favorite Hepburn movies!

Sugar!  Ah, it is an addiction that I am not sure I will ever be able to over come.  My justification for baking has been "well, I will take it to work and give it away".  I do this but then I feel guilty because I am not projecting my healthy lifestyle choice in my actions.  (Okay, I am way, way over thinking this whole thing)  Let's face it I am not the only one who loves sugar!  The key is moderation.  That is the hardest key for me to find. A sleeve of Thin Mints is a serving right? :)  For the most part it is better for me to stay away from temptation is just not to make sweet treats at all.  But sometimes you just gotta give in to the urge to bake and make tummies happy with decadent sweet treats!

Before I share the recipe to this cake I must admit something.  I had a very hard time getting the cake out of the pan even thou I thought I did a good job following directions.  I also had a hard time with the unrolling of the cake to add the filling.  It stuck to the towel badly!  If any of you foodies have suggestions for a successful jelly roll unrolling process pleas do share in the comments.  I need HELP!
So this is the reason for the lack of photos of the process of this cake!

Okay now on to the cake!  Wow!  The taste reminded me of a Twinky!  Soooo good.  Even tho it was not so pretty to look at.

Rosemary-Lemon Cake Roll

Adapted from Betty Crocker Baking for Today

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

3/4 cup all purpose flour (I always use unbleached)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 recipe lemon cream filling (following this recipe)

  Heat the oven to 375. Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan with foil and generously grease foil with shortening or cooking spray.

In a large bowl beat eggs with electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.  Gradually beat in granulated sugar. Beat in water on low.  Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt.  Fold in rosemary and lemon peel.  (I ground up the dried rosemary in my mortar and pestle)

Pour into pan and spread evenly to corners.  Okay so here was one of my mistakes,  I did not spread it evenly even tho I thought I did.  One of the corners did not have enough cake batter so it was thin and burnt.  Take the time to be sure it is even!!! Bake for 12 to 15 min. until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Immediatly loosen cake from edges of the pan and turn upside down onto a towel generously sprinkled with two tablespoons of the powdered sugar.  Carefully remove foil.  Trim off stiff edges of the cake if you need too.  While the cake is hot carefully roll cake and towel from narrow end.  Cool on wire rack for at least 40 min.

Now for the filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Ina chilled bowl beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff and stir in lemon peel.

Unroll cake and remove towel. (this did not work so well for me.  it stuck big time!)  Spread filling over cake roll up cake and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon powdered sugar.  Chill.  Store in refrigerator.

Get your yum on!!!

Hey readers!  Please take time to like me on facebook and follow me on twitter.  I will be having a contest to win one of my favorite things kitchen gadget as soon as I reach 100 followers on fb.  Watch my page status and my tweets for directions for the contest!  

Thanks for reading!  Oh and please feel free to post help for a successful jelly roll!  

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others;
for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness;
and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you
are never alone.”
~Audrey Hepburn

Linked on Sweet as Sugar Cookies; Sweets for a Saturday #6
Linked on Real Sustenance Seasonal Sunday 02/27/11 

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins on a Monday Afternoon

Ah Monday afternoon lends itself to baking when you have the day off and happen to find a great deal on raspberries.  I am also blessed with a lemon tree on my property and these two go together splendidly.  I found this recipe and so a muffin is born!

Now to top off this lovely baking story I can share with all of you my new toy!  My Black & Decker food processor.  How fun it is!  I purchased it at this awesome new kitchen consignment store called Kitchen Switchin'. What a wonderful place and I look forward to checking them out for more kitchen goodies!

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins

Eating Well Website

1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup nonfat buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white whole-wheat flour, or whole-wheat pastry flour 

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) raspberries

 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 large (1/2-cup) muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the lemon in long strips. Combine the zest and sugar in a food processor; pulse until the zest is very finely chopped into the sugar. Add buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla and pulse until blended.

 Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture and fold until almost blended. Gently fold in raspberries. Divide the batter among the muffin cups

 Bake the muffins until the edges and tops are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve warm.

 Get your yum on!

Let it Rise... Sprouted Grain Bread

Eating healthy is a passion of mine.  I would say that at least 80% of my eating is healthy. (we will not talk about this past holiday season tho) ;)  I also have a passion for bread making and love to try a challenge so when I found this recipe for sprouted grain bread in The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook: A New, Healthier Way to Cook Everything from America's Most Trusted Test Kitchen I just had to try it.  Keep in mind that this recipe takes up to 4 days to start.  It involves sprouting grains so if you want to make it today you are out of luck.  However it would be super fun to do with children because of the sprouting process and the rising process as well.  Good hands on kitchen science here folks!

All of the grains can be purchased at Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market or other health food store.  I chose Sprouts because you can buy them in bulk.

Sprouted Grains

3/4 cup wheat berries

1/4 cup quinoa

1/4 cup lentils

2 cups water

Kinda looks like bird food. No?

Combine all the grains in a large container and add water. Cover and soak from 12 to 24 hours.

Drain the grain through a fine-mesh strainer and return them to the container. Cover and let sit at room temp, rinsing and draining the grains daily until small sprouts appear on each type of grain. This takes 1-3 days.  The wheat berries took the longest.  The lentils were the fastest.

This is the fun part for the kids.  They can help you check on the grains and see how they have sprouted.  Kitchen science doesn't get better than this! (well unless you count the green fuzzy stuff in that container in the back of the fridge, come on you know you have had one of those)

Now this was the tricky part, at least for me because I do not have a full size food processor.

Process the sprouted grains in a food processor for 2 to 3 minutes to form a smooth, sticky paste.  As you can see my paste was not that smooth.  I  really need a big food processor! It still worked but my bread was crunchy.  

Dough

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted

2 tablespoons pepitas, (shelled pumpkin seeds) toasted

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1 3/4-2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 envelope instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

vegetable oil spray

1 large egg whisked together with 1 teaspoon water

Whisk the water and honey together in a liquid measuring cup.  Combine the sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Combine the processed sprouted grains 1 3/4 cups of the bread flour, yeast and salt together in a standing mixer fitted  with the dough hook.

With the mixer on low speed add the water mixture until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer, cover the bowl with plastic wrap (you don't need to take it out of the mixer) and let sit at room temp. for 20 minutes.

 Remove the plastic wrap and knead the dough on medium-low speed until it is smooth and elastic. This will take some time, about 8 minutes.  If the dough is still sticky after 4 minutes add the remaining 1/2 cup flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom.  Add 6 tablespoons of the seeds and continue to knead until incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form a smooth round ball. Place the ball in a greased bowl and turn to coat.  Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and cover the bread.  Let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Hint: don't rush this, go shopping, go for a walk, something, anything just leave it alone for 2 whole hours.  Whole grain bread like this takes time.  So does 100% whole wheat bread.  You will be happy with the end loaf if you just let it rise!

Sorry folks, I did not take photos of this next step.  I really should have! :(

Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray. Turn dough out onto a lightly flowered surface and gently press the dough into a 9-inch square, gently roll into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed.

Place the loaf seam side down in the prepared pan.  Spray the loaf lightly with vegetable spray and let rise for 45 to 75 minutes.  Remember, just let it rise.  Heat your oven to 350 degrees with the rack on the lower middle position.

Brush on the egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of seeds.  Slash 1/4 inch deep diagonally across the loafs (sorry you cannot really see it in the pic) Use a razor blade, sharp knife or a Scaritech Bread Scoring Lame Green.  This is a cool little bread tool that is not expensive at all.

Then spray your loaf lightly with water and bake until the crust is golden and the center of the bread registers 210 degrees on an instant read thermometer. About 40 to 50 Minutes. Rotate the loaf halfway thru the baking process.

Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool to room temp for 2 hours before serving. (the bread is still finishing up the cooking process, I know you want to cut into the hot loaf but the crumb will be better if you let it cool completely before cutting. Just heat it up later.)

This was the best bread I have created so far!  It is wonderful and nutty!  Soooo good for toast or a PB&J!  Yum! Yum! Yum!

The Dog Days of Summer. or Has my baking gone to the dogs?

Let's face it, food can make you fat. So, what's a girl to do?  I, along with being a preschool teacher and novice baker, happen to own a very small pet sitting business called The Critter Nanny.  I care for anything with paws, feathers or scales, heck, I have even cared for a few hooves in my time.  My feeling is that pets are people too so why shouldn't I bake for them.

So yesterday I, along with my friend Carrie, her dog Mickey and Caesar the doberman, set out to make some canine confections.  Our first culinary wonder is Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers.

Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers

From: Bullwrinkle.com

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth) 

1 cup milk 

  Preheat oven to 375'F. In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Bake for 20 minutes on a greased baking sheet until lightly brown. Cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container. --- This is the original recipe, but I have found the cookies burn easily.

These treats were super easy to make and fun to cut out.  I think kids would love this!!

The cooking time did not change for the small cookies to the big cookies.  We chose to let them cool on the pan to help crisp them up a bit.

Mickey loved them!

Now for the PupCakes!

Also from: bullwrinkle.com

1 large apple
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1/4 cup oatmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey 2 eggs
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

For the Frosting
8 oz Neufchatel Cheese (lowfat cream cheese)
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2-3 tablespoons flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 ° F (200 ° C). Grease muffin tins.

Core, slice and mince the apple (use a food processor if you have one). Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, baking powder, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, blend together the yogurt, water, oil, honey, and eggs, then stir in the apple and cheese. Add to the flour mixture and stir until mixed. 

Spoon into the muffin tins, filling each cup about three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let rest in the muffin tins for a few minutes, then remove and set aside to cool. 

For the frosting, combine the Neufchatel cheese (at room temperature), honey, and yogurt until smooth. Add enough flour to thicken the frosting to a good spreading consistency. Frost the pupcakes and you're ready for a doggone good party!

Makes 16-18 pupcakes. If you prefer a single-layer cake, spoon the batter into a sheet pan and bake for an extra 15-20 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean). Let the cake cool, then frost and decorate.

We decided to make mini pupcakes because, well let's face it, a cupcake is big, mini just seemed better for the dogs! (makes 58 mini pupcakes)  This was super fun!  I know for sure the kids would love this!

And the dogs

 

After Mickey got a hang of the frosting, she about took off Carrie's finger trying to get to the thing.

and Caesar you ask

 

As you can tell he went for it!

 

Oh and house sitting, let's just say it has it's perks 

Ahhhhhhh, a girl can dream!!

Good boy Caesar! Wolf!

What's for Dinner: Mozzarella & Ham Stromboli

So have you ever stumbled upon a recipe so simple and yet so amazingly yum that you feel like you can make it for dinner every night and be happy for the rest of your life.  (okay maybe that is just a slight overstatement)  Oh and before I forget it not only tastes amazing, it also looks amazing.  It is as if you suddenly became a gourmet!  Yessiree bobbie, you can wow your friends with this one folks. (again, just a slight overstatement)

Okay enough babble, you say.  Share this culinary wonder already! Okay, Okay, hold ur horses. (btw I told one of the kids in my class to hold their horses and they walked over to the bucket of animals, grabbed the horse and said: okay Ms. Becky I'm holding the horse.)  

The Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (don't skimp folks get the King Arther Flour) (you can also substitute half with whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1 1/2 table spoon extra-virgin olive 0il

Combine 2 cups of the flour with the sugar, yest and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.
Combine EVOO and water in a measuring cup
Slowly stir the water/oil mixture into the flour mixture using the paddle attachment to combine
Mix in the last cup of flour.

Hint: I used all of the bread flour and a half cup of the ap flour first.

Change to your dough hook and kneed on low for 4 to 5 minutes until dough comes together as a ball and is smooth and elastic. (you can do this all by hand too, Just knead for 10 minutes)

Let rest for 10 minutes

Next punch down the dough. (not much to punch)  Using a bench knife or a sharp knife, divide the dough in two.  Shape each into a ball and roll out into two 14 inch x 12 inch rectangles.

Spread 2 Cups of shredded mozzarella over one rectangle and then the same for the second.  Top them both with 1/4 lb sliced ham (each) Starting from the long edge, roll up tightly to form a long cylinder.  Pinch seam to seal and fold ends under.

Brush with some EVOO and sprinkle your favorite Italian spices and some Parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle some corn meal on your cookie sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown.  Slice and eat right away.

Oh I almost forgot, I added some tomatoes and fresh spinach to the roll too be sure to seed your tomatoes or you will end up with soggy stromboli (I did)

I know this picture has nothing to do with this recipe, but, is this cool or what?  I just got my new vanity plate! :)  Had to stick it into my blog someplace right?