Just Baking

For years, I have been anti-bread-machine. From my knowledge of them, I thought they were a cop-out way of making bread. However, thanks to one of my culinary heroes, Alton Brown, I have come to realize that bread machines are quite handy for kneading and proofing dough. So, in light of my […]

I’ll admit it… I’ve been unmotivated to bake. There are several reasons, but the main reason has been this stinking heat!
We have relief in sight. The high on Sunday was almost 90 degrees, and it was humid. Same on Monday. But yesterday, that all changed, and today, on Wednesday, the high is… […]

If you think you can’t bake bread (which is probably a false notion, by the way), grissini are a sure-fire way to fast success.
These thin bread sticks could not be simpler to make. If you love playing with dough, you’ll get plenty of opportunity here. And who doesn’t love their eminently nosh-able crunch, not to […]

Baking French breads can be complex at times, making poolishes and starters, proofing, watching humidity and temperatures, etc. I love all that stuff, though.

Every once in a while, however, I want something simpler. Some things call for simple. I don’t think I’d care for sausage gravy on a baguette. No, that needs […]

They had an awesome sale on bananas this past weekend at a Grand Opening Albertson’s sale, just 25 cents per pound, so it was time to stock up!  Bananas are a mainstay in my smoothies, which gives me an excuse to buy … oh … about eight pounds of them.  I sliced them up, flash […]

This was going to be a post about one thing: shaping a fendu loaf. Then I ended up having to improvise a little with the dough formula, so it will be about that, too.
First, the fendu: I’ve been getting a little bored with basic batards lately, so I thought I’d do something just a bit […]

We all have them…those recipes that we sneak ingredients into. I am always trying to sneak vegetables into my kids food in one way or another. Some people like to dice up vegetables and put them in their pasta sauce, hoping the picky eater in the family won’t notice. Others use jarred baby food and […]

A few years ago, a Supper Club member brought Pepperoni Biscotti to one of our monthly dinners … and I was hooked.  I took the recipe home and it sat in my file, beckoning me ever since.  Although I did love them, I kept putting off making them because the recipe seemed rather time consuming, […]

Today’s video lesson demonstrates the technique of braiding bread. This video shows how to braid 3, 4, 5, and 6 strands to form a beautiful loaf of bread. The video lasts nearly seven minutes. Enjoy!

You would think that a breakfast staple so common that it can be found in every bakery, grocery store, and even gas station that can boast a minimum of competency, would be as simple to make as rousing yourself from bed in order to chow down on it. In the case of the deceptively […]