tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77319612790744294952024-03-13T21:38:33.925+02:00For the Love of BreadTales From a College KitchenChavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.comBlogger453125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-41595647201669038192015-01-13T14:33:00.001+02:002015-01-13T14:33:24.930+02:00PSA: New BlogFor all those that are interested, I started a new blog, chronicling my journey and cooking adventures on a whole foods, plant based diet.<br />
<br />
You can find me at www.plantstrongisraeli.blogspot.com<br />
<br />
Looking forward to seeing you there!<br />
<br />
ChaviChavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-88836568774026196762014-06-30T12:41:00.003+03:002014-06-30T12:41:54.888+03:00Gone VeganRaw Vegan, to be exact.<br />
If there's any reason that can explain or justify my prolonged absence from this blog, I guess that would be it. Let me elaborate.<br />
<br />
About six months ago, I stumbled on a blog at work written by a person who had done a thirty day Raw Vegan trial. My first impression was, wow, this is weird. As I kept reading, about the lifestyle, about the benefits, I started thinking it sounded amazing and, doable. At the time, I was not eating well or balanced at all and I thought it might be a good opportunity to make a change. And make a change I did.<br />
<br />
The transition to raw veganism has wrought many changes. It has taken time to get to know the ups and downs of this diet, what makes me feel good, what my body needs, what it doesnt. The changes are mostly positive ones. (You know those people who tease you for eating differently? Never fun.) Without counting a single calorie or weighing myself once, my weight dropped significantly, I wake up with plenty of energy and have noticed a positive change in my moods. I've eliminated all processed foods from my diet and revamped my pantry in the process. Naturally, that effects my baking. Eating Raw Vegan aside, when people asked me to bake or bring dessert somewhere, I had to decline. I found the idea of buying or baking with margarine and other processed ingredients physically painful. Although I wouldn't eat it anyway, it was hard to stomach the thought of deliberately making things and having people I care about eat them.<br />
<br />
So where does that leave me and this blog? I, for one, am very happy and feeling good. I didn't want to take this blog and turn it into something I never intended it should be. I didn't think it appropriate. Maybe one day I'll pop up somewhere else on the blogosphere but for now, I think this is where the blog comes to an end.<br />
<br />
So there you have it. To all the people who may have read my blog, made any of my recipes or left a comment, thank you! It meant, and still means, a lot.<br />
<br />
Be happy and healthy!<br />
ChaviChavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-89296225014786684552014-01-28T14:52:00.001+02:002014-01-28T14:52:46.728+02:00Spelt Challah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GZN7eYdQWZI/Ut60ZYYyYPI/AAAAAAAAJyw/icaJ6HjyswQ/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GZN7eYdQWZI/Ut60ZYYyYPI/AAAAAAAAJyw/icaJ6HjyswQ/s1600/image.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
My first experiment with spelt challah turned out to be quite a successful one. I was inspired to experiment with it by my good friend A who recently decided to remove wheat from her diet. I like to think that it's possible to make adjustments to your diet but not to the standards of eating that one is accustomed to. After eating by her for lunch, I decided I would take the bag of 70% whole spelt flour sitting at home in the fridge and try to coax it into light textured, fluffy challot. And so, after reading and researching the nature of spelt a good bit, I took the opportunity this Friday to test out the recipe on the back of the flour bag (because after all, who knows better?!) that sat in the refrigerator. I put together the dough the exact same way I usually do. I noticed that the dough did feel slightly different than its white wheat counterpart but so far so good. I gave it its usual long rest before proceeding to knead and after a few minutes of gentle kneading, I had a perfectly smooth, round ball of dough. I set it aside in a greased bowl to rise and do its thing. Fingers crossed, I checked on the dough periodically to see it rising just as it should. (I don't know why a different grain would effect yeast activity but I was nervous!) Rolling out and braiding the challot were quite interesting steps. The dough behaved totally differently than with white flour. Rolling was not frustrating at all! The strands rolled and stretched beautifully, no springing back whatsoever. I let them to rise again and baked them. The final product surprised me a bit as well. The coloring of the bread was a creamy beige, notably different than whole wheat. What's more, the braids didn't split open and spread at all. The way they went in was the way they came out, save for the rise. Definitely something I wasn't expecting but aesthetically pleasing, nonetheless. These challot were really fantastic. Texturally, they were spot on, light and fluffy. The flavor was lightly sweet from the honey and almost whole wheat like. While it was apparent that this was something other than wheat, it most certainly didn't feel like health food, of the brick variety or any other. It was wonderful with all of the traditional Israeli <em>salatim. </em>Put on the hot plate before dinner toasted the bottoms into perfection. A home run all around. <br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2014/01/spelt-challah.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-49240035194126995232014-01-21T20:09:00.000+02:002014-01-22T08:59:43.802+02:00Dried Fruit and Nut Tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FFZmbcrwe30/Ut60ZdMhZfI/AAAAAAAAJyo/zEmd4H-TTpU/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FFZmbcrwe30/Ut60ZdMhZfI/AAAAAAAAJyo/zEmd4H-TTpU/s1600/image.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
Happy belated Tu Bishvat! I am kind of late to the party but only post wise! This past week we celebrated Tu Bishvat, the new year of the trees. Some of us celebrated with the traditional eating of dried fruit, some even had seders, and many went out to plant trees. I think I may have sufficed with some dried fruit but I can't remember. I definitely made it up on Shabbat, though. My friend A hosted me for lunch and asked me to bring a Tu Bishvat related dessert. Anything fruit related really would have been okay but seeing as the connection between this holiday and dried fruit is so strong, I knew I would have to go that route. The solution? The dreaded fruitcake. I was ready to go down that route and have a bunch of people hate me for choosing that (in my head, I don't see what the fuss is, it sounds perfectly delicious despite its repuation.. in any case, I made peanut butter cookies as a back up) when I remembered that there was a dried fruit related recipe in Flo Braker's wonderful book Baking for All Occasions. I flipped open the book to discover that my (freaky) memory for recipes hadn't let me down and there indeed was a recipe for Autumn Dried Fruit- Nut Tart. It may not be autumn around these parts, heck, it's practically summer (it's meant to be winter!), but that didn't stop me from making this tart, especially since I happened to have all the ingredients on hand. Well, most of them. I tweaked the rest. The tart calls for a sort of jam to be made by cooking some dried fruit together with water, alcohol and orange juice. That is spread onto the bottom of a blind baked tart shell and then topped with a frangipane-like topping and then baked to perfection. The result? Well, by the looks of it this tart won't win any contests on looks alone- the crust is beige as is the baked almond topping. Nonetheless, this tart is delicious. Subtly nutty and cookie like with a layer of yummy jam in the middle, I likened this to a hamentashen, but different. I was a big fan and it went pretty quickly. I used dried peaches and pears because I didn't have any apricots and omitted the whole nuts from that layer. I also swapped out a different recipe for the crust for one I thought was easier to make and work with. I thought the almond mixture was very subtle and by the time it hit me that I should have added a touch of almond extract to it to heighten the flavor, it was already in the oven. Whoops. I guess there's always next year.<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2014/01/dried-fruit-and-nut-tart.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-28821694579718997602014-01-12T16:10:00.000+02:002014-01-12T16:10:44.335+02:00Rum CakeIt's been quite a long time since I've posted anything on this blog. I know I say that every time that I find the time to start writing again and it's hard to explain the lack of motivation and inspiration to get back to blogging. Life, I guess. In the past months, though, people have casually mentioned it and recipes that they've successfully made from it. Gratifying though it may be to hear those things, I still didn't feel inspired enough to make a comeback. Have I been baking? I get that question all the time. The answer? Plenty of challot here, the occasional dessert there... But definitely not with the enthusiasm of a one-time commander who once had soldiers to spoil. I will say that I recently took out my KitchenAid for the first time in months and it's out to stay. That's a promising start as far as I'm concerned. It'll take some time, but I'm getting there.<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2014/01/rum-cake.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-39024030124130535352013-06-17T14:27:00.002+03:002013-06-17T14:27:56.263+03:00Caramel SauceCaramel Sauce. Those two words are enough to conjure up childhood memories of Friday visits with my sister to the local candy store and then on to the nearest TCBY shop for some Cotton Candy flavored ice cream dripping with liquid amber deliciousness. Caramel. Sugar never tasted so good. But making it in my own kitchen? I've only ever heard horror stories about burning the sugar time after time and having to scrub the pan clean afterwards with nothing to show for it but an empty bag of sugar and some cracked fingernails. So it came as a surprise when a couple of months ago I made my first attempt at caramel sauce and succeeded. And then tried again this past Friday and was once again met with success and the the most addictively delicious topping to ever grace ice cream. The first time it was made for an engagement party as an accompaniment to chocolate peanut butter ice cream and this time for a "showerette" for a dear friend, as a topping for peanut butter ice cream and cookies and cream ice cream. You're right to think that I couldnt resist. I caved and had some. Yum. This recipe comes from David Lebovitz (only logical to make his sauce to go with his ice creams) and was pretty easy. I did find that the sauce came out pretty thin but when allowed to boil takes on a thicker consistency, and obviously when it cools, it thickens as well. The first time, quite a bit of sugar hardened, the second time less, perhaps because my ingredients were at room temperature. Heat on low while stirring to melt the sugar and smooth out the sauce. Your patience will be rewarded. I served this in a glass soda fountain-ey coca-cola glass to add to the ice cream-parlor look. <br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/06/caramel-sauce.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-55182602558033109202013-04-25T15:53:00.001+03:002013-04-25T15:53:23.794+03:00Oatmeal Raisin Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4H4v6Kg2QGw/UTL7Tix1EdI/AAAAAAAAJsQ/75sHu4cNXL8/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4H4v6Kg2QGw/UTL7Tix1EdI/AAAAAAAAJsQ/75sHu4cNXL8/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I've been feeling pretty lousy lately, what with this really debilitating cold (and just when the weather has finally gone all summery!) and my voice is starting to go. (I suppose I should be grateful that it's been four days since I got sick and the laryngitis is only kicking in now.) Work is a bit slow so there really is no excuse not to take advantage of the time and post. <br>
I turned to a Taste of Home for inspiration for the engagement party and this is one of two recipes that I made. I'm pretty sure that the only reason I made these homey cookies was because I had everything on hand. Otherwise, I'm not sure that I would have made these for a party. I'll let you in on a little secret, though. These were delicious. First of all, how can anything with an oatmeal crumble be anything less? But, despite their sour cream filling (I kind of have an aversion to dairy and anything overtly dairy tasting. I know, I'm weird) they won me over. The filling is creamy and doesnt taste too strongly of sour cream and the raisins get perfectly softened during the baking and some cinnamon binds everything together. These arent what I would envision if you said oatmeal raisin bars, but try them, I'm sure they'll win you over, too. <br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/04/oatmeal-raisin-bars.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-13365474572575064352013-04-24T10:27:00.000+03:002013-04-24T15:29:04.236+03:00Cookie Dough Brownies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D2Rnvm11-v4/UTL7Q_fwA1I/AAAAAAAAJsA/v_KBe2UhUlI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D2Rnvm11-v4/UTL7Q_fwA1I/AAAAAAAAJsA/v_KBe2UhUlI/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
It's been a long time since I've updated this blog and truthfully, I've thought about neglecting it altogether. In the last couple of months, I've been released from the army, started a full time job and a part time job and overall just been too tired to keep it up. I can hardly remember the last time I baked something that was a dessert and not bread. Every time I think about getting back into the kitchen, my bed calls my name and almost always wins out. I will try to be better, or at least get all of the backed up posts written.<br>
The last time I went all out in the kitchen was for an engagement party that I hosted for a friend of mine in the army who get engaged. I baked and baked and baked. And then made some more. It was actually really fun and the get together was really nice, even though there was a boatload of leftovers... Enough to feed an army (haha, not so funny!) and that's exactly where I sent them the next day. One of the things I made was these Cookie Dough Brownies from the Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook and they were really, really well received. These don't require much effort but they are multi- layered so that may put some people off. If you really know how to manage your time, you can always get your other cakes made in between steps. The key is organization, people! I would say that this is a successful cross of two very comforting and homey foods, brownies and cookie dough. Who could say no?!<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/04/cookie-dough-brownies.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-64814543409919832322013-03-04T18:54:00.001+02:002013-03-04T18:54:07.251+02:00Coconut Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Ganache<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N8F7zUG6RX4/UTL7PdwiIgI/AAAAAAAAJr0/nRRc5LV5ggI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N8F7zUG6RX4/UTL7PdwiIgI/AAAAAAAAJr0/nRRc5LV5ggI/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Purim is not my favorite holiday and thankfully it passed as quickly as it came. (Anyone else feel like this year is just flying by?!) Part of the Purim festivities is the obligation to give mishloach manot to at least one person. This is where people invest most of their energies, after their costumes are all settled, of course. People spend hours choosing a theme and then buying the goods and assembling these packages. I can remember my parents buying cases of junk food just for this purpose and forming an assembly line around our dining room table to assemble the mishloach manot for our many family members and friends. Me? I always choose to go the homemade route. Include one or two baked goods, and you're good to go. This year, it took a long time for anything to evolve in my head, and even at the last second, I changed the theme again. These cookies were the product of a possible "black and white" theme. (It fell through.. I ended up making homemade smores and just adding two of these cookies in so as not to waste them.) The recipe comes from the Israeli book simply called Chocolate. I purchased it in one of my very first years here in Israel and haven't used it that much but I gather that will be changing. These cookies are delicious by themselves, flavored with desiccated coconut and ethereally light in texture due to the addition of cornstarch. Add a simple ganache filling and you've elevated these cookies to gift-giving heights. I'm almost certain the only change I made to the recipe itself was to add a dash of salt to the cookie dough. Easy, delicious and holiday friendly. </div>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/03/coconut-sandwich-cookies-with-chocolate.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-6887190511778136302013-02-27T20:48:00.002+02:002013-02-27T20:48:19.936+02:00Reinhart's Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCqLtWXVjWw/USDCRXc4MjI/AAAAAAAAJqY/hBpj5gjtazY/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCqLtWXVjWw/USDCRXc4MjI/AAAAAAAAJqY/hBpj5gjtazY/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When the whole grain grain bug started acting up again, I knew immediately that a cinnamon raisin bread was in my future. I made a white flour version of this bread eons ago and I figured it was time to give this classic a healthier twist. It took me a while to get my act together and plan ahead but once I did, this recipe, also from Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads, was fairly simple to make. My bread wasn't a really high riser but I think I gave it less kneading time than I should have. This bread is yummy. I LOVE cinnamon with a passion so this was a no-brainer. Paired with homemade pumpkin butter, it is simply divine. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/02/reinharts-whole-wheat-cinnamon-raisin.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-2064937082815411412013-02-24T15:21:00.001+02:002013-02-24T15:21:16.160+02:00Chocolate Velvet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DQga8l0tW6g/USDCWN5NUuI/AAAAAAAAJq4/Lx78hjFT9MI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DQga8l0tW6g/USDCWN5NUuI/AAAAAAAAJq4/Lx78hjFT9MI/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Two weekends ago, I was hosted by my friend Nili in Jerusalem. She insisted that I bring nothing but as my father taught me, don't go anywhere empty handed. So I decided to make a cake. I settled on chocolate because it always pleases. I started leafing through my books and settled on this cake. It's an Israeli recipe and literally translated it means Chocolate Velvet. Turns out that's exactly what you get here. Nothing short of rich, chocolate fudge in every bite. The cake went over really well but because it is so rich, I went home with half. The solution? Bring it to my Ulpan students. I made them earn it though by making them first translate the recipe. It was quite amusing to listen to. They made short work of finishing the cake for me. I made this cake parve for Shabbat but you can make it dairy. I also used coffee liqueur instead of the chocolate called for. Feel free to use any flavor that you have on hand. To keep this cake fudgy and moist, the recipe instructs you to place a pan of boiling water in the oven along with the cake. This is a technique I'll adopt because you get the steam effect without risking seepage into the cake. Happy Purim!</div>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/02/chocolate-velvet.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-71770962152244020212013-02-18T11:17:00.000+02:002013-02-18T11:17:05.910+02:00Reinhart's Thin Wheat Crackers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sds9oNLS5iE/USDCO0BZWxI/AAAAAAAAJqI/xMGmXuovWzY/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sds9oNLS5iE/USDCO0BZWxI/AAAAAAAAJqI/xMGmXuovWzY/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I can never resist a cracker recipe when I stumble on one both for their ease of preparation and for the high marks they get in the munch-ability category. They are just so darned good, with everything and at anytime! That is why immediately after the graham cracker episode I continued on to make these Thin Wheat Crackers from Whole Grain Breads. These were not only delicious and ridiculously foolproof but of all the crackers I've made (and there have been a bunch) these most successfully brought me back to my childhood Shabbatot where we would have my father's famous eggs and onions, almost always with a side of crackers. Indeed, when I wasn't stealing a few from the little baggie I stored them in, I ate them along with some egg salad that I quickly made for the occasion. Yum.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/02/reinharts-thin-wheat-crackers.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-63165391195665963602013-02-15T12:19:00.002+02:002013-02-15T12:19:44.330+02:00Strawberry Rhubarb Icebox Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-37hHaucQt7I/URa4CN6X4QI/AAAAAAAAJps/XKipveIJlfI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-37hHaucQt7I/URa4CN6X4QI/AAAAAAAAJps/XKipveIJlfI/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here it is! The delicious pie that I made last weekend that made use of the crackers I made and the fresh haul of rhubarb. I was told to avoid using fruit in my dessert but I pretended I didn't hear and decided to make this pie because who can resist this winning combination?! Well, everyone was won over by it and pretty much only crumbs remained. This recipe comes from Lauren Chattman's Icebox Pies and it is super easy, no need to turn on your oven at all. I served this with homemade vanilla ice cream (to appease the fruit haters) but you could do without it. If you can get your hands on rhubarb, take advantage and make this!</div>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/02/strawberry-rhubarb-icebox-pie.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-62122208895300907812013-02-11T14:38:00.001+02:002013-02-11T14:38:55.294+02:00Crumpets!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RcN0mFqPW4c/URa39958hpI/AAAAAAAAJpI/5BZJVI_XTKA/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RcN0mFqPW4c/URa39958hpI/AAAAAAAAJpI/5BZJVI_XTKA/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Last week, I made my way over to the shuk for some fruits and vegetables. I haven't been there in ages but somehow, despite all the time that has passed, being there felt like coming home. The sights, sounds and smells, everything I love about Israel captured in once place. Home. While I was there, my eye caught sight of some rhubarb! It turns out to be rhubarb season here. It has a pretty short season here so Im glad I got out of the army just in time for it. Obviously, I picked up a bunch of it. (Luckily, strawberries are in season also so I picked up some of those.. More on what I did with them later..) When I got home, my thoughts immediately went in a million different directions but I knew for sure I wanted to make rhubarb jam. So I did, using a very simple recipe. Once I had the jam, I thought, well what am I going to smear it on?! Having no bread to make toast from I thought of whipping something up from scratch. Crumpets was my first thought (and an appropriate nod to my good friend A who just got engaged to a Brit) so I went about finding a recipe. Crumpets are that classic British tea time staple that are similar to what we know as English muffins. I chose Rose Levy Beranbaum's recipe and set to work. Overall, these were simple to make and delicious to eat but my technique with the rings and the measuring was a bit amateurish. Oh well, there's always the next batch of jam.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/02/crumpets.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-53479638666011566922013-02-09T19:39:00.001+02:002013-02-09T19:39:42.237+02:00Reinhart's Graham Crackers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-65031bJSt1s/URIfDplyIvI/AAAAAAAAJok/uj-75lHdnUI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-65031bJSt1s/URIfDplyIvI/AAAAAAAAJok/uj-75lHdnUI/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Every now and then, I find myself in a whole grain baking kick. I have no idea where this inspiration hits from, but when it strikes, it strikes hard. This week, the book of choice was Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads. Flipping through the pages in the cracker chapter, I contemplated the Graham crackers. Years ago, almost at the start of this blog, I made Graham crackers and about a year and a half ago I made chocolate Graham crackers. Both of those were more cookie like crackers than cracker-crackers (know what I mean?!) so I thought that license enough to repeat myself. These Graham's are made entirely of whole wheat flour and without fat. The original calls for honey but I ran out in the middle and made up the difference in date syrup. A bit of cinnamon adds that comforting, homey, redolent of childhood flavor. So how'd they pan out? These crackers were definitely crackers. Because of the lack of fat here, they are very, very crunchy. I think I would add a tablespoon of oil or margarine next time to ensure that I don't break any teeth. That said, the flavor was definitely there and I enjoyed them spread with peanut butter. Add some fresh apple slices and you have the perfect afternoon snack. They didn't last that long though because between my munching and using them as a pie crust for a wonderful pie I made, they disappeared super fast. Try them, you'll see why.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/02/reinharts-graham-crackers.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-87459287709958010942013-02-05T18:18:00.003+02:002013-02-05T18:18:32.007+02:00Sundried Tomato Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5IxDdvVdnJA/UPGN6JNQNXI/AAAAAAAAJnc/ppKXp36QMYA/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5IxDdvVdnJA/UPGN6JNQNXI/AAAAAAAAJnc/ppKXp36QMYA/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Finishing up the army has left a gaping hole in both my heart and my schedule, making it possible to just be for a little while before I find a job. It also means that I get to tie up some loose ends here and there and one of those things is this blog. This website has seen nothing but neglect and sporadic posting this past year and a half and I hope that that will change somewhat now that I'm no longer a soldier. (How it hurts to write those words!!!!) In any case, let's talk about bread. One of my favorite things to eat these days is sundried tomatoes. I used to hate them but now consume them with a passion and have taken to putting them in everything. I've long wanted to bake them into a bread and a while ago, I did just that. I chose a white bread recipe from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads and took it from there. This recipe started as the Feather Bread but I swapped out the 1/3 cup of butter or shortening with the sundried tomato oil and kneaded in some chopped sundried tomatoes. Yum. At first, the dough resisted the tomatoes, but some stubborn kneading solved that problem. I formed these into two long loaves and slashed them before baking. I might have also<br>
baked them on the pizza stone cause why not? but it's not necessary. The breads came out fragrant and delicious and exactly how I'd imagined them to be. Now, if I could just get my hands on some more sundried tomatoes...<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/02/sundried-tomato-bread.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-21017336330461392032013-01-12T20:33:00.002+02:002014-01-22T16:44:59.123+02:00Banana Cream Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ychTvPWikPc/UPGN3L-TexI/AAAAAAAAJm8/DVvEUzrOiXI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ychTvPWikPc/UPGN3L-TexI/AAAAAAAAJm8/DVvEUzrOiXI/s320/image.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
It's been quite a while since I've been asked to make dessert for a meal but that's what I was given to make for today's Shabbat lunch. Usually, my dessert brainstorming takes a ridiculous amount of my time but this time it was quick and painless! Banana cream pie! I had a couple of bananas laying around on my counter and I had serendipitously picked up a couple of pie crusts earlier Thursday after my frolic in the snow (yes, we got snow!) so I was all set for pie. Loyal readers of this blog will know I have a weakness for pie making and that I jump at the chance to make a cream pie (something about witnessing pastry cream thicken just does it for me!) so it was time for this classic to have its due. Finding a recipe proved to be a bigger challenge. Every book I own has a recipe for this pie but none were usable until I opened up the KAF Baker's Companion and settled on their version. It pretty much doesn't get simpler than this and using store bought crust makes this even faster work. I made the filling the night before so it would have time to set properly and then topped with whipped cream at my leisure Friday morning. I chose to layer the bottom with banana instead of folding them into the pastry cream as some other recipes advise. It's up to you, either way you'll have a winning pie on your hands, just as this was.<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2013/01/banana-cream-pie.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-56098749836017906072012-12-17T09:35:00.001+02:002012-12-17T09:35:06.090+02:00Chocolate Cookie FudgeTry explaining to a bunch of Israelis what fudge is. Instead, I just let them belive that the chocolate-oreo confection that I presented them with was really fudgy brownies. Got no complaints from them :) This simple, three ingredient recipe comes from the A Taste of Home, Church Supper Desserts cookbook, which, I think I've already mentioned, is my go to book for easy but reliably delicious desserts. Consisting simply of chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and chopped oreos, you can not go wrong here at all and you can customize with add-ins, especially as the holiday season is approaching. Try crushed peppermint candies, more chocolate, graham crackers, white chocolate chips.. Go wild!<br>
<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2012/12/chocolate-cookie-fudge.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-5098215473796304262012-11-22T21:45:00.001+02:002012-11-24T20:04:42.542+02:00Blond Butterscotch Toffee Brownies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Back in the summer, I hit up Walmart and brought back some mini chocolates for a friend. Well, that friend never claimed them so I figured I'd bring them to my soldiers. They'd never say no to American chocolates. But then I had a better idea... Bake with them! I brought back Butterfingers, Crunch Bars and Heath bars and decided that the Heath candies would be the best candidate for a bar cookie. I found a simple recipe in A Taste of Home's Church Supper Desserts book and quickly threw them together. Humble and unassuming as they are, these were the first to run off the plate when I brought them to my soldiers. These come together really quickly with just a bowl and a whisk. Next time you have chocolate bars just hanging around, you'll know just what to do!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2012/11/blond-butterscotch-toffee-brownies.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-28317718261025094032012-11-21T09:31:00.001+02:002012-11-21T09:31:22.740+02:00Dutch Apple Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--zbFuoifSzw/UIEUa9A9z0I/AAAAAAAAJlg/IPozDsqLX6I/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--zbFuoifSzw/UIEUa9A9z0I/AAAAAAAAJlg/IPozDsqLX6I/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Things have been nuts here. I've been opening course after course which has left me no time, and now that the situation is precarious and less than ideal, posting hasn't happened, although I've really wanted to. Two courses ago, I baked a ton for my soldiers and this pie was the favorite. It was devoured in minutes. I've since made it again, a rare phenomenon, and it was a hit. This recipe comes from A Taste of Home Church Supper Desserts and I must say, that book doesnt disappoint. It's my go to for soldier-friendly recipes that are sure to please. Sure, there are plenty of recipes that call for convenience products but nothing that some homemade replacements cant fix. The recipe is pretty simple. You make one streusel like crust recipe, press most of it into a pie plate. In goes the filling and then the rest of the crust serves as its topping. The filling also is made interestingly. You boil water, sugar and cornstarch and when it's thickened add some chopped apples, some cinnamon and some vanilla. Bake and voila! A perfect fall dessert. It doesnt hurt to serve a la mode, either. Just saying.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2012/11/dutch-apple-pie.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-64847548029400853552012-10-05T15:21:00.002+02:002012-10-12T12:26:37.012+02:00Chocolate Honey Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nokVO8Whhi4/UGgx1aTF8BI/AAAAAAAAJkg/_rTRriCgLsI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nokVO8Whhi4/UGgx1aTF8BI/AAAAAAAAJkg/_rTRriCgLsI/s320/image.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
What would the holidays be without honey cake? Well, I didn't exactly make honey cake but when I was asked to make dessert for lunch last weekend, I made something like it. Honey cakes are usually hit or miss. Either you love them or you hate them. I decided to play it safe but still tip my hat to the season by making a chocolate honey cake. This cake comes from the masterful Marcy Goldman's A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking. Moist with a depth of flavor added from the honey, my guests really loved it. The topping couldn't be simpler, just toss some chocolate chips on top of the hot cake and allow the heat to melt the chips the spread! Love that trick!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2012/10/chocolate-honey-cake.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-38000965358483459492012-09-30T13:25:00.000+02:002012-10-01T22:32:33.217+02:00Lemon Cream Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVRam72gXgtt1sYMIhSlADuFiHtznfpWNftBEFFYLVbzIORvpQ9wmwwpY-O6zkx_Ovb55yoROUKHes6A9G25u4Wbfhkhjq34TlHrNcWTBKzMPw2Ol2h6gPfw-onOZBIUkMf3ToZ9eKJo/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVRam72gXgtt1sYMIhSlADuFiHtznfpWNftBEFFYLVbzIORvpQ9wmwwpY-O6zkx_Ovb55yoROUKHes6A9G25u4Wbfhkhjq34TlHrNcWTBKzMPw2Ol2h6gPfw-onOZBIUkMf3ToZ9eKJo/s320/image.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For my sister's Shabbat sheva brachot, (way back in August, when I was in New York!) I put myself in charge of making dessert. I went a bit crazy, makings two different types of truffles, two different types of biscotti and two different types of frozen pies. (Having just received a copy of Icebox Pies, it was clear they would be of the cold variety. Also helped break the heat!!) The first pie to catch my eye was none other than the Lemon Cream Pie, also the first pie recipe in the book. The idea is a familiar one, whipped cream folded into homemade lemon curd and poured into a graham cracker crust. Yum. I don't know anyone who can resist the delightful tang of lemon curd especially when mellowed by cream. Even my father, who is one picky dessert eater, stealthily went back for seconds. I used store bought graham cracker crust because that's what I had on hand, but I encourage you to make your own, it is so much better that way. As far as the lemon curd goes, it is quite easy but since it is made with whole eggs, you'll have a lot of straining to do to get all the cooked egg white out. Don't be lazy, strain as many times as you can. It makes all the difference.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2012/09/lemon-cream-pie.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-48691776534068287892012-09-30T11:32:00.001+02:002012-09-30T11:32:22.146+02:00Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9lBuuar-deM/UGf_ElxyvGI/AAAAAAAAJjY/3e9-Nsp7Qmk/s1600/12+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9lBuuar-deM/UGf_ElxyvGI/AAAAAAAAJjY/3e9-Nsp7Qmk/s320/12+-+1" width="320"></a></div>
Not too long ago, my vegetarian roommate hosted a dairy meal and she asked me to make dessert. I happily obliged and took the opportunity to make a dairy dessert. Thumbing through one of my latest additions, A Taste of Home Church Supper Desserts, I came across a recipe that seemed yummy and would feed a crowd. The recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight had a layer of cookie, a cheesecake layer, a chocolate pudding layer and was topped with whipped cream. Real decadence. Many of the recipes in the book use convenience products but as a compromise, I made my own cookie dough and used real whipping cream, so feel free to do the same. As you can see in the above photo, the guests of the lunch only managed to eat one row of the cake. What to do? I brought it into my soldiers the next day and they quickly demolished it. That's what soldiers are for. ;) I really like this cookbook because it is filled with down-home, crowd pleasing desserts that are tried and true winners. This is the second recipe I made and they were both winners. I am posting the recipe as written in the book, but as mentioned, feel free to substitute for the packaged products.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2012/09/chocolate-chip-cookie-delight.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-14032603798047889202012-09-16T11:22:00.001+03:002012-09-16T11:22:20.792+03:00Tomato Onion Pepper Foccacias<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxaFZX5GVE5ynDersg7H-poaGl4V0STkUu7MSwM8KUCN_2Or2Zd3Nv2DbWL_JdBpDvayyYNi8fYnig8sax4C9qUs5CnYU7p5W8xzYAOrymi9osfJMChfTyao0brEIz3DDbwVSqYHSc88/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxaFZX5GVE5ynDersg7H-poaGl4V0STkUu7MSwM8KUCN_2Or2Zd3Nv2DbWL_JdBpDvayyYNi8fYnig8sax4C9qUs5CnYU7p5W8xzYAOrymi9osfJMChfTyao0brEIz3DDbwVSqYHSc88/s320/007.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
I made these breads to break my fast on Tisha B'av quite a while ago and am only getting around to posting now. This recipe is slighty adapted from a recipe from A Passion for Baking. The original calls for tomatoes, olives and onions but I swapped out the olives for peppers, a favorite of mine, especially when roasted. These foccacias are quite easy and fast to throw together and last quite a while. What I couldn't eat at the break fast I took for my flight home. Delicious.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2012/09/tomato-onion-pepper-foccacias.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731961279074429495.post-4037058414167956762012-09-03T17:35:00.000+03:002012-09-03T17:35:07.402+03:00Yogurt Tahini Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiGBRGpfJXTIghuDnMfNnRhBo6-EiQSo7E66B7LVj1hFD_IrYYHMaue7UN3byfYUjjr6-AdTyOTjKtow2nFsEhWkolKg7Li6yZG0-gfAXDFmMwhXnnR04zWRAJDy2lGLjtI72mVCE-dI/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiGBRGpfJXTIghuDnMfNnRhBo6-EiQSo7E66B7LVj1hFD_IrYYHMaue7UN3byfYUjjr6-AdTyOTjKtow2nFsEhWkolKg7Li6yZG0-gfAXDFmMwhXnnR04zWRAJDy2lGLjtI72mVCE-dI/s320/007.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
This cake was a runaway hit. Who would have thought that the humble blend of yogurt, tahini and silan (date honey) would turn into something so magical? I myself was a bit skeptical about this cake, but one bite of it changed my mind. My Israeli taste testers also really liked this. Truth be told, there's nothing not to like about this moist, whole grain cake. Baked in my favorite type of pan to form a tea cake, this cake would be perfect as a breakfast or served with tea or coffee. If you want to bring a bit more glory to this cake, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you've elevated it to a first rate, exotic, dessert. I used half whole wheat flour and half regular, but you can just as easily substitute self-rising flour and eliminate the baking powder.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://fortheloveofbread.blogspot.com/2012/09/yogurt-tahini-cake.html#more">Click for recipe...</a>Chavihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07825819965285345065noreply@blogger.com0