Monday, November 26, 2007

Tender Potatoe Bread!

This month's challenge for the Daring Bakers was a beautiful Potato Bread for which you need:




Making the Dough (Directions will be for making by hand):

Put the potatoes and 4 cups water in a sauce pan and bring to boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and cook, half covered, until the potatoes are very tender.

Drain the potatoes, SAVE THE POTATO WATER, and mash the potatoes well. Tanna Note: I have a food mill I will run my potatoes through to mash them.

Measure out 3 cups(750ml) of the reserved potato water. Add extra water if needed to make 3 cups. Place the water and mashed potatoes in the bowl you plan to mix the bread dough in. Let cool to lukewarm (70-80°F/21 - 29°C) – stir well before testing the temperature – it should feel barely warm to your hand. You should be able to submerge you hand in the mix and not be uncomfortable.

Add yeast to 2 cups all-purpose flour and whisk. Add yeast and flour to the cooled mashed potatoes & water and mix well. Allow to rest/sit 5 minutes.

Note about Adding Yeast: If using Active Dry Yeast or Fresh yeast, mix & stir yeast into cooled water and mashed potatoes & water and let stand 5 minutes. Then add 2 cups of flour to the yeast mix and allow to rest several minutes. If using Instant Dry Yeast, add yeast to 2 cups all-purpose flour and whisk. Add yeast and flour to the cooled mashed potatoes & water and mix well. Allow to rest/sit 5 minutes.

Sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon salt and the softened butter; mix well. Add the 1 cup whole wheat flour, stir briefly.

Add 2 cups of the unbleached all-purpose flour and stir until all the flour has been incorporated.
Tanna Note: At this point you have used 4 cups of the possible 8 ½ cups suggested by the recipe.

Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, incorporating flour as needed to prevent sticking. The dough will be very sticky to begin with, but as it takes up more flour from the kneading surface, it will become easier to handle; use a dough scraper to keep your surface clean. The kneaded dough will still be very soft. Place the dough in a large clean bowl or your rising container of choice, cover with plastic wrap or lid, and let rise about 2 hours or until doubled in volume.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently several minutes. It will be moist and a little sticky.

Forming the Bread:
Since I made rolls, I divided the dough into 16 parts, and then I put cubes of cream cheese (or feta cheese) inside the rolls and wrap the cheese with the dough.
I let the rolls rest for another 35 minutes.
Finally I brushed the tops with butter and I sprinkled some sesame seeds on top of each roll.

Baking the bread:
I preheated the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and then I put the rolls in for 10 minutes after which I lowered the heat to 375 degrees for another 20 minutes.

AND VOILA! you have amazing rolls filled with cheese!!
I am so glad I joined the daring bakers and now that I've finished my first challenge I must go and enjoy my reward.. AWESOME BREAD yay!!!

Friday, November 23, 2007

New boots?!



That is RIGHT! a new winter calls for new boots. I am sooo happy with my new boots, they are sooo warm thanks to their merino wool lining, is like walking on a cloud.
he he... I had so much fun making the Polaroid look old, but now I must go back to knit myself some mittens ^_^

Thursday, November 22, 2007

It is that time of the year again... /sigh



I woke up yesterday morning to discover that it had snowed all night, oh yeah winter is here!!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Nigglethor - ghouls part III



Tag line: "I AM NIGGLETHOR fear me!!!!"

Nigglethor's favourite food is cheese
any kind, he also loves to play with
the oven for some reason, I actually
think that he is into baking.

Nigglethor was specifically designed
to haunt nightmares, so whenever you
have nightmares a good Nigglethor
squeeshand the nightmares will
vanish!!

Nightmares FEAR the power of
NIGGLETHOR!!


Thursday, November 8, 2007

Grunt - ghouls part II



Tag line: "Candy?... where??!!!"

His favourite food is cotton candy
but this is a secret, he wouldn't
like anyone to know he is such a
sucker for candy.

He has such a sweet appearance and
he looks so incredibly cuddly with
that arm made of flowery fabric, but
watch out for those sharp teeth!!