Pan Fried Bread Bajji ~ Day 72

Enjoy this quick and delicious, guilt-free bajjis whenever you crave for a deep fried  snack. 

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 Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

Bread slices - 4

Green chutney and sweet chutney - 2 tbsp each 

Oil - 3 to 4 tbsp

Chat masala - for garnishing

For the batter:

Chickpea flour / Besan / Kadalai maavu - 1 cup

Rice flour - 1/2 cup

Red chili powder - 2 tsp or to taste

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Baking soda - a pinch (optional)

Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Sift all the ingredients for the batter in a mixing bowl.
2. Add water little at a time and make a batter which is in flowing consistency and can easily coat the bread.
3. Cut the bread into 4 triangles.  Spread green chutney on one side and sweet chutney on the other side of the bread slices.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in  skillet.  Dip the bread slices into the batter one at a time and place it on the hot skillet.  Drizzle some more oil around the bread slices.  
5. Cook over medium heat until bottom of the bread slices are golden brown.  Flip and cook on the other side.  When both sides are cooked thoroughly, remove from the heat.  
6. Repeat the process with rest of the bread slices.  Sprinkle with chat masala.
7. Serve hot with ketchup or any spicy dip.

Bhatura ~ Day 54

Bhatura is a light, fluffy, deep fried bread originated from Northern India.  It is traditionally served with chickpea curry called Chole or Chana.  

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Preparation time: 10 minutes + Resting time 3 to 4 hours

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yields: 8

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Ingredients:
All-purpose flour - 2 and 1/2 cups
Rava / Semolina / Cream of Wheat - 1/4 cup
Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Oil + Ghee / Clarified butter - 1 tbsp each
Sugar - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Water - as needed
Oil - for frying

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except oil for frying and make a tight but soft dough.
2. Cover with wet towel and let it rest for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Heat oil for frying.  Knead the dough well and take a lemon sized dough and roll out a thick round discs.
4. Drop the discs one at a time in hot oil and gently press the dough as it rises.  Flip the bhatura and fry on medium heat until light brown on both sides.
5. Drain on paper towel.  Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
6. Serve hot with Chole or Chana masala.

Homemade Croutons with Indian Spices ~ Day 27

Once you try these homemade croutons, you will never go back to the store-bought ones.  These croutons are ridiculously easy to make with your favorite Indian spices.  It is not only so delicious in salads, it can be served as a snack too.  

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 to 18 minutes

Yield: 3 cups

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The measurements are approximate.  I used these measurements for 1 pack, about 8 small buns.

Ingredients:

• Any kind of slightly stale bread - 1 loaf, cubed, (I used Brat Buns)
• Kasoori methi - 2 tbsp, crushed
• Chat masala - 1 tbsp
• Tandoori masala - 1 tbsp
• Ground black pepper - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients, except the bread.
3. Add the cubed bread pieces and toss to coat.
4. Place the the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking tray.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
5. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Bread Upma

I made this bread upma using the left over Pan Siciliano bread (refer to my previous post) that I baked for the baking group. You can use any bread that you have in hand.  Slightly stale bread works better.  It is simple, yet very comforting dish and super easy to make.  Try using different spices that suit your palate.
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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2-3

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Ingredients:
Any kind of Bread Slices - 10, cut into cubes with the crust
Onion - 1, medium, finely chopped
Tomato - 2, chopped
Green chilies - 2, chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tbsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp or to taste
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee / Clarified butter - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Fresh coriander / Cilantro - for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a skillet and toss the bread slices.  Roast until golden brown.  Alternatively you can also use the oven to toast the bread.  Toss the bread cubes with ghee and place it in a baking sheet and bake in a 350F. oven until golden brown.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.  Add urad dal and cumin seeds.  Fry until golden brown.
3. Add the chopped onion, green chilies and curry leaves.  Saute until translucent.  Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a minute.
4. Add Sambar powder, black pepper, red chili powder, turmeric powder and fennel powder(if using).
5. Saute for 30 seconds.
6. Add the roasted bread slices and salt.  Mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle about 2 tbsp water and cover.
7. Let it cook for a minutes on a low flame.  Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and cilantro. Mix gently and serve hot.

Petit Pains au Lait (French Milk Bread / Rolls ~ We Knead to Bake #17

This simple and very easy to make French milk bread, is Aparna's choice for this month's We Knead bake challenge.   These lightly sweet and soft rolls were absolutely delicious.

Adapted from: Gourmet by Kat

Ingredients:
Warm milk - 2/3 cup ( you might need a little more)
Instant yeast - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1/4 cup
All-purpose flour - 1 2/3 cup
Bread flour - 3/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Butter - 4 tbsp or 60gms, at room temperature
Extra milk for brushing
Pearl sugar or granulated sugar for topping ( optional)

Method:

1. You an knead by hand or food processor.
2. Put warm milk, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse couple of times to mix.  Then add all the flour and the salt and run the processor until it looks crumbly.  Add the butter and knead until you have a soft, smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky.  Add little more milk ( in teaspoonful at a time), if you dough is dry, until you have the required consistency of dough. 
3. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl, turning it over to coat with oil.  Cover loosely and set aside to rise until double in volume.  This should take about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Turn the dough out onto your working surface. You shouldn't need any flour, but if you feel the need, just lightly dust your palms with it.  Deflate the dough gently, and divide it into 10 equal pieces.  Let them rest for 15 minutes.
5. Roll out each piece of dough, one at a time, into a circle about 4" in diameter.  Slowly roll up the circle from one end, Swiss roll / jelly roll style into a cylinder.  Pinch the seam close neatly, and place them on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet with the seam side facing down.  Cover loosely and let them rise for an hour or so till almost double in size.
6. Brush them lightly with milk and using a pair of sharp scissors, make diagonal cuts (not too deep) on the top of the rolls.  Sprinkle pearl sugar / granulated sugar.
7. Bake them at 400 degree F (220C) for bout 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let them cook on a rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.
8. This recipe makes 10 Petit Pains au Lait.  They are best eaten the same day, though you could warm them up and serve the next day.

Flaounes (Cypriot Savory Easter Cheese Pies) ~ We Knead to Bake #16

Aparna chose Flaounes, a cheesy, savory Easter pies from Cyprus for this month's  We Knead to bake project.  I opted for a egg less version, substituting eggs for yogurt and milk.

Flaounes (pronounced "fla-OO-nez") are savory cheese pies baked for Greek Orthodox Easter, and traditionally made on Good Friday and are part of the fast-breaking meal after Lent when meat and cheese are not eaten. They are eaten at breakfast and also exchanged as gifts of friendship and goodwill. Flaounes are also made in semi-sweet and sweet variations.

There are a couple of ingredients that go into the filling that are typically Cypriot/ Greek and they are “mehelepi” and “mastiki. Mehelepi (mahleb/ mahlab) is the ground dried pits of a wild Mediterranean cherry. Mastiki (mastic) is the dried resin from a kind of shrub. Both of these spices are quite common in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine and they really have no good substitutes so if you can't find either, just leave them out.

Flaounes can be shaped into triangles or squares, and just make sure that you press down the flaps well while folding the dough over the filling, or these pies will open up when they bake. Do take a look at this video where Paul Hollywood and Toni Buxtonmake Flaounes to get a good idea on how they’re shaped.

Ingredients:
For the dough:
All purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups
Instant yeast - 3/4 tsp
Sugar - 1 1/2 tsp
Powdered mastic - 1/2 tsp (leave it out if you don't have it)
Ground mahleb - 1/4 tsp (leave it out if you don't have it)
Milk - 1/4 cup
Yogurt - 1/4 cup (replace 1 egg if you like)
Melted butter - 3 to 4 tbsp, 60gm
Luke warm water - 1/4 cup (more or less as needed)
Oil - for greasing the bowl and rolling the dough

For the filling:
Grated cheddar cheese - 1 cup (a somewhat sharp cheddar adds flavor)
Grated pepper jack cheese - 1/4 cup
Crumbled paneer - 1/3 cup (fresh Indian milk cheese)
Semolina / Rava - 1/4 cup (not semolina flour)
Dried Greek oregano - 1 Tbsp
Dried jalapeno pepper - 1/2 tsp (soak in 1 tsp milk for 10 minutes)
Turkish apricots - 1/8 cup, chopped
Baking powder - 3/4 tsp

1 tsp flour + less than 1/8 cup milk (for sealing paste)
Un-toasted sesame seeds - 1/3 to 1/2 cup
Milk for brushing

Method:

1. First make the dough. I used my food processor but you can knead by hand. Put the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and the flavoring ingredients (if you have them) into the bowl and pulse a couple of times to mix.
2. Whisk together the yogurt, milk and melted butter in a small bowl and add it to the flour. Knead, adding just enough water, till you have a soft, smooth and elastic dough which is just short of sticky. Add water/ flour as necessary to get this consistency of dough. Too much flour will spoil the texture of the pies.
3. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, turning to coat it well. Cover loosely and let the dough rise for about 1 to 2 hours, until it is double in volume. 
4. Once it has risen, deflate the dough by pressing it out and folding it a few times. Then place it in a container (the dough will rise so use a large enough container), cover loosely and refrigerate for about 2 hours. You can leave this in the fridge overnight too, if you want to make these pies in two stages. 
5. While the dough is sitting for the first rise, make the filling. Mix all the ingredients for the filling, except the milk (or egg if you’re using it) with a fork. If you’re not using the filling immediately, keep it aside and add the milk only when you’re ready to use the filling.  The filling should be somewhat like a stiff paste, joust moist rather than wet.
6. Now shape the Flaounes. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (10 if you want slightly smaller pies). Lightly oil your work surface and rolling pin. Then roll each piece into a 5 to 6” round. The round of dough should be thinner rather than thick. If it is too thick you will have a very “bready” pie, but make sure that your round of dough is not too thin to support/ carry the weight of the filling.
7. Divide the filling also into 8 (or 10) portions. Spread the sesame seeds on a large plate and place the round of dough on it, in the center, and press down lightly. This makes for an easy way to coat the Flaounes with sesame seeds. Now place the round on your working surface and put one portion of filling (about a generous tablespoon full of it) in the middle of the round of dough and spread it lightly, leaving about 1” free at the edge.
8. You can make triangular or square Flaounes, and I personally feel that the square ones (more traditional) were less bready and nicer to eat. For the square ones, fold the two opposite edges over the filling leaving the center exposed. Now fold over the other two edges as well so you have a square pocket with the filling showing at the center. Press down the sealed points with the tines of a fork.
9. For the triangular Flaounes, pull up the edges of the dough at three points and partially fold over the filling, one after the other, leaving the uncovered. Use the paste of flour and milk (or beaten egg) to seal the flaps of dough well. Press down the sealed points with the tines of a fork. It is important to seal the pies well or they will open up during the second rise/ baking. 
10. Place the shaped pies on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet, leaving 2 to 3” between them, and let them rise for about 40 minutes. Just before baking them, brush the sides (dough part) with milk (or beaten egg) and bake the Flaounes at 190C (375F) for 25 to 30 minutes till they’re done, golden and the cheese filling is puffed up.
11. Let them cool on a rack. Serve them warm or at room temperature. This recipe makes 8 or 10 Flaounes, about the size of one’s palm. These pies keep for two days at room temperature in an airtight container. You can freeze the extras to eat later.

Japanese Melon Pan ~ We Knead to Bake #15

Due to sickness and travel, I was not able to post last month's We Knead to Bake project on time. But better late than never.  Finally found time to bake these yummy and crunchy cookie dough covered bread.  Thanks Aparna for choosing this bread.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.abreadaday.com/?p=1503
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z0e-GKJA10


Ingredients:
For the bread dough:
All Purpose Flour - 1 3/4 cup (plus extra as required)
Milk Powder - 2 TBSP
Instant Yeast - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Warm water - 1/3 cup
Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 TBSP
Butter - 2 TBSP (25gm), at room temperature

For the cookie dough:
All Purpose flour - 1 1/3 cup
baking powder - 3/4 tsp
A large pinch of salt
Butter - 4 TBSP (60gm), at room temperature
Castor sugar - 1/4 cup (increase to 1/3 cup for sweeter dough)
Large egg - 1
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
Lemon zest - 1 tsp (I used lime zest)
Granulated sugar for dusting

Method:

• Whisk together the flour, powdered milk, yeast, and salt in the bowl (or the bowl of your machine if using one). In a smaller bowl, beat the egg and cold water together with a fork till well blended. Add this to the flour mixture in the bowl.
• Knead (on low speed in the machine) till it all come together as a dough and then (on medium speed) until you have a somewhat stiff dough. Add the sugar and knead well.
• Now add the butter and knead (first at slow speed and then on medium) until the butter is completely incorporated into the dough and the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should well-kneaded to develop the gluten.
• Shape the dough into a round, and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise till double in volume (about an hour or so).

• During this time make the cookie dough. In a bowl, cream the soft butter and sugar till fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat till combined. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and add this to the bowl. Also add the lemon zest. Beat together until just combined.
• Shape the dough into a cylinder (this will make the dough easy to divide and flatten out later), and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate the dough until required.

• Now go back to the bread dough. Once it has doubled in volume, place it on a lightly floured work surface. Lightly grease your baking sheet or line it with parchment. Deflate the dough gently and divide it into 8 equal portions.
• Shape each portion into a smooth ball like for bread rolls. Work with one portion and keep the others covered so they don’t dry out.
• Unwrap the cookie dough. It should be reasonably firm now and easy to work with. Slice the cylinder of cookie dough into 8 equal portions. Use two pieces of plastic sheets or cling film to flatten the cookie dough. Place one slice/ round of cookie dough on a piece of plastic sheet/ cling film. Cover with another piece, and using a flat bottomed pan, press down on the dough to flatten it, until it is reasonably thin but not very much so.

• Carefully take on ball of bread dough (it will have puffed up a little so don’t deflate it), and place the circle of cookie dough on top of it. Gently press the cookie dough edge to the bread dough ball so that it covers the top and sides of the ball, but leaves the bottom open. Gently, holding the covered bread dough by the underside, press it into some castor sugar. 
• Then using a scraper, or the blunt side of a knife, mark the top of the cookie dough side of the bread roll with a cross hatch/ diamond pattern. The pattern should be deep enough (otherwise it will disappear when the bread rises and bakes) without cutting through the cookie dough layer into the bread.
• Place this on the greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat this with the remaining cookie dough and bread dough balls. Let them rise for an hour.
• Bake them at 180C (350F) for about 25 minutes, until the tops of the Melon Pan just start turning brown. If you let them brown too much, the underside of the bread will burn. Transfer to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
• This recipe makes 8 medium to largish Melon Pan. Melon Pan are best eaten the day they are made. However warming them slightly before serving the next day is also fine.

Focaccia Caprese - We Knead to Bake #13

(Adapted from The Kitchen Whisperer)   

This flavorful and addictive focaccia bread, is this months pick by Aparna, for the group We Knead to bake.  Have fun baking and be creative.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

Instant yeast - 2 tsp

Sugar - 1 1/2 TBSP

Bread flour* - 3 1/2 cups

Salt - 1 tsp

Olive oil - 1/4 cup

Warm water - 1 to 1/2 cups

A little more olive oil for brushing the dough

For the Topping:

Cherry tomatoes

Fresh mozzarella slices

Fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

For the Herbed Oil:

Olive oil - 1/4 cup
Freshly chopped Sage leaves - 2 TBSP

Dried oregano - 1 tsp

Dried basil - 1 tsp

Red chili flakes - 1/2 tsp

Finely minced garlic/ paste - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste 

Fresh basil leaves for garnishing 

Sea salt to sprinkle on the baked bread (optional)

Note:

* If you cannot find bread flour, you can add 1 tbsp of Vital Wheat Gluten to 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and mix together well. Otherwise just use 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour.

**If you can't find fresh mozzarella where you live, use any “melty/ stringy” kind of cheese you can find.

Method:

• First make the herbed oil. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together. Keep aside till required.
• Then make the dough. The dough can be mixed and kneaded by hand or machine. Put the yeast, sugar flour, salt and oil in the bowl of the processor and pulse a couple of times to mix well. Then add 1 cup of warm water (and as much more as you need) and knead until you have a soft elastic dough that is just short of sticky.
• Remove the dough from the processor bowl, shape into a round and place in a well oiled bowl turning the dough around so it is coated. Cover and let it rise till almost double in volume. This should take about an hour.
• You can make this as 2 medium sized Focaccia or 4 smaller ones. For the rectangular Focaccia, take two rectangular pans/ jelly or Swiss roll pans (I used an 11" by 7" tins) and oil them well. Then divide the dough into two equal portions and lightly roll them (or press out) out into approximately 11” by 7”. If making 4 Focaccia, then divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion out (or press out) evenly into approximately 5” by 7”. It's alright if it’s an odd shape because Focaccia is really a “rustic” bread.

• Transfer the dough to the baking tins. The dough will shrink a little. Use your fingers and push it out a bit making sure it’s evenly thick throughout. Let it rise for 20 minutes. Lightly oil your finger tips and press into the dough creating evenly spaced “dimples” in it. Generously brush the surface with oil.
• Bake at 210C (410F) for about 18 to 20 minutes till it is almost done and is beginning to turn golden brown. Take the Focaccia out and turn up the heat of your oven to 230C (450F).
• Lightly drizzle some of the Herbed Oil over the Focaccia and then evenly arrange some slices of mozzarella over the bread, leaving very little space between them. Arrange the tomato slices over this and a little sprinkle the chopped basil over this. The topping should cover most of the surface of the bread.
• Drizzle some more Herbed Oil over the topping and return the bread to the oven. Bake the Focaccia for 5 to 8 minutes or until the cheese has just melted. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
• Cut the Focaccia into slices and serve while it is still hot. This recipe should serve 4 if served alone or 6 if served with a side.

This post has been yeast spotted.

Khaliat Nahal / Honeycomb Buns - We Knead to Bake # 9

Recipe Source: Aparna

Video Source:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcORjNHiBAo

This month we’re baking bread that can be made sweet or savory. It is easy enough to make and what is unusual is that it is filled and then covered with a sugar syrup/ glaze which is typical of Middle Eastern confectionery. 

Khaliat al Nahal (also known as Khaliat Nahal) translates as Bee’s Hive in Arabic. This is because the buns are baked close to each other in a round pan where they form a honeycomb like pattern. They’re traditionally made sweet and glazed with honey flavored syrup, though savory versions are also made. 

This recipe makes 18 small buns, and if you want fewer you can halve the recipe to make about 9 or 10 buns. For half the recipe, use a 6” or 7” round cake tin to bake the Honeycomb Bread.  You can also bake them individually in muffin tins if you prefer, except they would not have their characteristic “honeycomb” pattern.

Traditionally, the filling used in this bread is a small piece of plain cream cheese but here choice of filling is entirely up to you. You can make it sweet or savory.  

Khaliat Nahal (Honeycomb Buns or Bee’s Hive Buns)

For the dough:

Ingredients:

1 cup lukewarm milk

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tbsp sugar (for sweet bread)

3/4 to 1 tsp salt (for savoury bread) OR 1/4 tsp salt (for sweet bread)

3 1/2 tbsp(40gm) butter, melted

2 tbsp milk for brushing the dough

2 tbsp white sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (optional; only for savory bread)

For the filling:

1 cup of filling (approximately) of your choice, either sweet or savory

Savory - cream cheese OR crumbled feta cheese OR crumbled paneer/ cottage cheese, flavoured according to your choice. You can also use any other savory filling that you want. 

Sweet - cream cheese (traditional filling), or any other filing of your choice like chocolate,   dried fruit like dates, raisins, chopped nuts, chopped fruit , sweetened coconut filling, etc.

I used Philadelphia milk chocolate cream cheese.

Sugar Syrup/ Glaze:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

A pinch of saffron

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp lime/ lemon juice

Method:

Make sure your melted butter has cooled down a bit before using it. Put 2 cups of the flour, salt, sugar (if making the sweet bread only) and melted butter in the bowl of your processor. Run a couple of times to mix well.

Combine the milk, sugar and yeast in a small bowl and keep for 5 minutes. Add this to the processor bowl and knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough which is not sticky. Add as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour as you need to get this consistency of bread dough. I used all of 2 1/2 cups of flour for mine.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, turning it to coat completely with the oil. Cover and let it rise till double in volume, for about an hour.

Turn the dough out onto your work surface. You won’t really need to flour it as the dough is quite manageable as it is. Cut it into 2 halves. With your palms, roll out each half a “rope” about 9” long. Cut each rope into 1” pieces so you have a total of 18 pieces.

Take each piece and flatten it out a little and place half a teaspoon of filling in the centre. Pull up the sides and wrap the dough around the filling, pinching it closed at the top. Smoothen it into a round ball. Place this in a well-greased round 9” cake tin. Repeat with the remaining 17 pieces and the filling. 

Arrange the filled balls of dough in concentric circles, filling the base of the cake tin.
Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise for about 30 to 40 minutes. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle the sesame seeds over this. Don’t use the sesame seeds for sweet bread, only for the savoury one. Bake the buns at 180C (350F) for about 25 minutes, until they’re done and a nice golden brown on top. Let them cool in the tin for about 5 minutes and then on a wire rack.

If you’re making the sweet version, make the sugar syrup/ glaze during the first rise of the dough. For this put the sugar, water and saffron in a small pan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for a few minutes until it starts thickening a bit. Take it off the heat and add the honey and the lime/ lemon juice. Mix well and let it cool. Keep aside till needed.

When the sweet buns come out of the oven, pour the syrup all over the top of the “Honeycomb”.  The bread should be hot and the syrup/ glaze should be cool. If you want your Honeycomb Buns to be less sweet, just brush the syrup/ glaze over the top.

Let it sit for a while for the syrup/ glaze to set a bit. Serve them warm with tea/ coffee.

Savoury Kugelhopf ~ We Knead to Bake #7

Savorury Kugelhop,  is this months challenge for We Knead to Bake group, started by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen.  I made some changes to the filling from Aparna's version.  I made it with some indian spices sans the cheese.  

A Kugelhopf (also spelt as Kugelhupf, Gugelhupf or Kugelhoph) is a yeasted sweet cake well known in the Alsace region of France, as well as in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, and variations of this are also found in some countries of Eastern Europe. The most common story about the Kugelhopf is that Marie Antoinette (the same lady of the “let them eat cake” fame!) brought it from her home country Austria, to France upon her marriage to King Louis XVI.

The Kugelhopf is typically baked in a special pan that is round with a hole in the centre, somewhat like a bundt pan but heavier. Since it is a yeasted cake, the Kugelhopf has a dense bread-like texture and is made from a somewhat enriched dough like brioche but is not as rich. It is considered similar to a coffee cake that might be eaten for or with breakfast, or could be part of an afternoon snack with coffee.

This savoury version is also good for breakfast, as a snack or with a simple soup.

A lesser known version of the Kugelhopf is its savoury Alsatian version called the Kugelhopf aux Lardons. “Lardons” is the French word for bacon, and this version is typically made with onions, ham/ bacon, walnuts and herbs.

This bread/ cake contains eggs because they are a characteristic part of this bake, but feel free to substitute powdered flax seed for the eggs if you don’t eat them. You may also use sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts instead of the tomatoes/ bell pepper and walnuts. I used Cheddar because that’s what I had, but use a cheese of your choice if you prefer. A sharper cheese will taste better.

This Kugelhopf bakes in an 8” Kugelhopf pan, but you should also be able to bake it in an 8” Bundt pan, a regular loaf tin (or 2 small ones), smaller Brioche tins or even muffin tins. If you’re baking this in muffin tins you might want to use half the recipe, though I understand that this bread freezes well>

Recipe copied and modified from Aparna.

Ingredients:

3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 tsp instant yeast 

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

75gm or 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten lightly or mix 2 TBSP ground flax seed powder in 6 TBSP of cold water and set it aside for 10 minutes.

1 tsp oil

1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/4 cup deseeded, pulp-free and chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped Italian pepper

1 cup onions, finely chopped

1 jalepeno, finely chopped
1/2 cup black currants
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp red crushed pepper
1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek)
1 tsp garam masala
Salt, to taste

Method:

• Once again I used the processor. This can be done by hand but it will be a bit sticky to handle. Put 3 cups of flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of the processor. Pulse a couple of times to mix. The add the butter, a little at a time, and process till incorporated. 
• Add the warm milk and process till mixed. Now add the eggs or flax mixture and process till mixed. You will now have a soft and sticky dough. Knead some more, adding more flour, a little at a time and just enough till the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Do not be tempted to add more flour than absolutely necessary.
• Your dough will be very soft, elastic and just short of sticky. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise until double in volume. This can take from 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours!
• In the meanwhile, heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan. Add the chopped green bell pepper, the tomato and a pinch of salt, kasoori methi, chili powder and garam masala powder.  Stir-fry till the raw smell disappears but the vegetables are still crisp/ crunchy.  Add the currants.  Remove and keep aside. To the same pan, add the remaining 1/2 tsp oil and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt till they turn golden brown. Remove and add to the bell peppers and keep aside.
• Grease an 8” kugelhopf mould or bundt pan well especially around the centre (or whatever pan/ tin you plan to use). Place some pumpkin seeds in the bottom of the mould. If you’re using a loaf tin or brioche moulds, then don’t do this. Instead press in the pumpkin seeds on top of the dough after the second rise, just before baking. 
• Once the dough has risen, deflate it. Then work the  stir-fried onions, bell pepper and tomato mixture into the dough. The best way to do this is to flatten the dough out and spread all this over the surface, fold the dough over and then knead it. This will ensure a more uniform incorporation of the “filling”. The dough will be a bit sticky, so use a scraper to help you with the kneading. Do not add more flour!
• Roll the dough into a longish log, long enough to fit into the mould comfortably. Lift the “log” of dough and place it in the mould in a circular fashion and pinch the two ends together to close the “circle” of dough. Cover and let the dough rise for about an hour or so, until it reaches the edge/ rim of the mould. 
• Bake the Kugelhopf at 200C (400F) Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when it is tapped. 
• Unmould the Kugelhopf and let it cool on a rack. Slice and serve. This Kugelhopf should serve about 10.

Jalapeno - Cheddar Pull-Apart Bread / We Knead to Bake #1

This is my first bread for the baking project called We Knead To Bake, created by Aparna, of My Diverse Kitchen. This months theme is Herb & Cheese Pull-Apart bread.  I thoroughly enjoyed baking this bread and looking forward to bake my next bread recipe.  Thanks Aparna.

Ingredients:
Warm Milk - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
Active Dry Yeast - 2 tsp
All Purpose Flour - 2 3/4 to 3 cups
Butter - 2 TBSP / 25 g at room temperature
Milk - 3/4 cup
Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

For the filling:
Chopped Jalapenos - 2 or to taste
Shredded Cheddar Cheese - 1/2 cup
Dried Oregano - 2 tsp
Dried Basil - 2 tsp
Ground Black Pepper - 1tsp
Melted Butter - 2 TBSP

Method:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in 1/2 cup of warm milk.
2. Keep it aside for 5 minutes for the yeast to proof.
3. In a large bowl, add the flour, butter and salt. Mix well.
4. Add the yeast mixture and 3/4 cup of milk and knead until you get a smooth, elastic dough.
5. Place the dough ball into a well oiled bowl.  Cover the dough completely with oil.
6. Cover and let it rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
7. Mix the chopped jalapenos, cheddar cheese, black pepper and oregano.  
8. Once the dough has risen, roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12 inches x 20 inches.
9. Brush the melted butter over the dough.  
10. Sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly over the dough.  Press gently.
11. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, carefully cut the dough into 6 even strips.
12. Lift and stack the strips on top of one another.  Gently roll the strips with a rolling pin.
13. Now cut the dough into 6 square pieces.
14. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and place the cut pieces side ways.
15. Cover the pan and set aside to rise for 1 hour.
16. Once the dough has risen, brush it with some milk.
17. Bake at 350 degree F for 30-40 minutes or until browned.