Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:33:51 GMT -------------- BEGIN bread-bakers.v108.n026 -------------- 001 - "Ulrike Westphal" Subject: Re: Stip and Poofa Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 09:04:53 +0200 >Our friends had us over to their house yesterday and served one of >their old family recipes called...Stip and Poofa! It was >delicious. It was what I would describe as a thick slice of soft >white bread (the Poofa) with a sweet, white pudding ladled over it. This sounds to me like "Grosser Hans" http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fer_Hans or Mehlbeutel http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dithmarscher_Mehlbeutel a kind of Dampfnudel, but larger. Ulrike --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.2 --------------- From: dmrogers218@comcast.net Subject: Fired Hamburger Buns Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:29:40 +0000 Would anyone have a recipe for fried hamburger buns? We have a new restaurant in town that serves their hamburgers on fried buns. They are dropped into the oil for about 10 seconds on each side similar to a donut but they are not sweet/sugary like a donut. Thanks in advance. deb in Georgia Kiss slowly. Forgive quickly. God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it. --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.3 --------------- From: "Andreas Wagner" Subject: Interesting steamed Bread process Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:03:10 +0200 Hello Jeanette, Your friend's receipe sounds very much like what we call Böhmische Knödel in Southern Germany and Austria (český knedlík in tchek). They are made the same way as you describe, but are usually rolled into a sausage shape, which is lightly tied with string before being boiled or sometimes steamed. You usually slice them with a piece of cotton yarn to get even slices. Wikipedia has a link to them but the page is in German: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%B6hmische_Kn%C3%B6del This recipe is usually eaten with savoury food, goulash or something which has lots of gravy - it's perfect for that. Eating it with vanilla sauce is not something I've come across with that receipe, but why not, it's delicious. There is a Bavarian recipe for "Dampfnudeln", whereby you cook the raised bread dough in a wide pan containing about 1/2 inch of milk (or milk and cream) and about 2 tbsp butter. The dough is shaped into individual dumplings, the size of bread rolls, and you need a pan with a very tight fitting lid, which you're not allowed to lift during the cooking process. It's a tricky one as you'll need to keep the heat low to avoid burning and you'll have to gauge when it's done (the milk should be completely evaporated/absorbed). When it works the result is very delicious: light dumplings with a slightly caramelised crust underneath. Usually these dumplings are served with vanilla sauce, either made with cornflour or eggs or both. I'll have to make them again soon! Happy baking, Andreas in Languedoc --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.4 --------------- From: debunix Subject: Re: Scales and thermometers Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:14:46 -0700 I used to use a cuisinart thermometer that had a simple dial scale-- pretty easy to use, sturdy, but a bit slow to get the last few degrees. I recently switched to an electronic model by Polder that is quick and accurate. It looks a bit like this one: http://www.comforthouse.com/cooktherinre.html Seems to have an excellent battery life so far. And my current scale is a small one by salter, electronic with one button for on/off/tare, and one button switching from lbs/oz to grams. It is probably not very accurate for 5g of salt, although it does register differences of as little as one gram, so I still prefer to measure those very small quantities by measuring spoon. --diane in los angeles http://www.well.com/user/debunix/recipes/FoodPages.html --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.5 --------------- From: Joe Tilman Subject: Re: steamed bread Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:29:52 -0700 (PDT) Jeanette, What you describe made me think of monkey bread...except monkey bread usually is baked, and can be made with either biscuit or yeast doughs. The Chinese have a steamed breads called mantou and baozi. I don't know that this will help you in your search, but they are steamed bread techniques, for whatever that may be worth. Joe --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.6 --------------- From: Joe Tilman Subject: scale recommendations Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:49:08 -0700 (PDT) Dwayne, I use a "Pyrex" brand digital thermometer that I got at Sears. Cheap, reliable, and the probe is cabled, so it can be left in the bread while baking (if you want to do so). For weighing ingredients, I use a "My Weigh" 3001P and it suits my needs. carries "My Weigh" scales, as well as many other brands, I was happy with their service. Whatever scale you get, my thoughts: 1 or 2 gram precision is best, and a absolute bare minimum of 1 pound capacity. Joe --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.7 --------------- From: lobo Subject: re: hard rolls recipe Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:14:24 -0600 Chet wrote: >I am looking for a recipe for hard rolls that I had in Rome this >spring. These were a hollow hard roll with a very thick crust and >mild flavor. Wondering if anyone knows of an authentic recipe? They >were at most of the hotels. I've had this recipe a long time and it is wonderful. Not sure if it's what you want, but is comparable to the hard rolls we got everywhere in Mexico in 1974 and fits your description above. HARD ROLLS Fleischmann's New Treasury of Yeast Baking 4 1/2 - 5 1/2c. flour 2 T. Sugar 2 t. salt 1 pkg. dry yeast 3 T. margarine l 1/2 c. hot water 1 egg white (at room temp) corn meal 1/2 c. water 1 t. cornstarch Mix 1 1/3 c. flour, sugar, salt and dry yeast. Add softened margarine. Gradually add very hot tap water and beat 2 min. at medium. Add egg white and 1 c. flour, or enough flour to make thick batter. Beat at high 2 min. Stir in flour to make soft dough. Knead. Let rise til double. Punch down and turn onto board. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide in half and form each half into 9-inch roll. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Form into smooth balls and flatten and place 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets sprinkled with corn meal. Cover and let rise til double. Blend remaining 1/2 c. water into cornstarch. Bring to boil and cool slightly. When ready to bake, brush each roll with cornstarch glaze. Slit tops with sharp knife crisscross. If desired, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake at 450 F about 15 min. Lobo --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.8 --------------- From: lobo Subject: re: burnt bread Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:21:15 -0600 wrote: >For a few weeks I have been reading about how everyone should >overcook their bread. The only time I use a thermometer is when I >cook pumpernickel as its so dark its hard to tell when its done. But >I cook mine to 185 F, others said bread should be cooked to 195-200 F. > >Then someone posted a message that said that all Americans under >cook their bread. They said we should cook it for 10 minutes longer >then we think it needs. Ha! I heard the same thing from a German woman. I also have a renowned bread book that says to bake everything at a terribly high heat ... the bread in its photos all look burned. Ick. So don't believe it ... do what you like! I've taken some of those high heat recipes, baked them at my usual 350 F and quite liked them. I've baked bread for 50 years, won tons of blue and purple ribbons on it at fairs and my dad said I baked it better than anyone else ever. So there. I bake mine until it's the right color. I did buy a thermometer and have tried it a couple of times. I've never been able to leave the bread in the oven until it's 200 F. I finally quit using it. Lobo --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.9 --------------- From: "Allen Cohn" Subject: Re: burnt bread Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 09:33:17 -0700 Hi there! The bottom line is, bake your bread to whatever doneness *you* want to eat. However...the *theoretical* reason to bake till brown is that with bread, as with most cooked food, the culinary school rule-of-thumb applies: "browning = flavor." Heat above approximately 350F causes both proteins and sugars to undergo various chemical reactions that create lots of new and flavorful molecules...and the brown color indicates that these changes have taken place. (In fact, that's yet another reason I love making bread so much--with just flour, water, salt and yeast, it is still a microcosm of the most important aspects of all cooking!) This is also the reason that "deglazing" the pan after searing meat creates such a flavorful gravy. So, this means that a) the crust is typically the most flavorful part of bread, and b) if you don't bake your bread till it's brown, it won't have as much flavor as it might. Allen SHB San Francisco --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.10 --------------- From: "Allen Cohn" Subject: RE: thermometers and scales Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 09:43:41 -0700 You'll be very happy you change to using a scale! http://www.cookscountry.com/ did a review of inexpensive instant read thermometers and found a real winner...but I'm not a member. Go there and get a free 14-day trial and you can read the review. If you want to spend $90 get the Thermopen thermometer...the one above costs under $15. I'm no scale expert (I think Mike Avery is, if he wants to chime in here). I've gotten fine results using a Salter scale (about $40 after discounts). I've also heard some enthusiasm for the smaller MyWeigh scales (see them online). Whatever you get, just make sure the one you get has about a 10-11 pound capacity, not 4 pounds. That way you can put your mixing bowl right on the scale and add flour to it. 1/8th ounce accuracy is fine. Allen Cohn SHB San Francisco --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.11 --------------- From: aqn@panix.com Subject: Re: burnt bread Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:34:47 -0400 (EDT) Pfftht! Everyone is an expert! There is only one person who is right: you! I might tell you (though I won't!) the correct internal temperatures is 215 F but that does you no good 'cause you don't live in my house, use my flour and water and yeast, nor bake in my oven. Use others' recommendations as starting points and experiment until you yourself are satisfied. Then someone posted a message that said that all Americans under cook their bread. They said we should cook it for 10 minutes longer then we think it needs. Yeah, I saw that "ten minutes more than we think it needs" as well, and my thought was "what a grand, sweeping statement!" Andy Nguyen --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.12 --------------- From: aqn@panix.com Subject: Re: tossing pizza dough Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:40:02 -0400 (EDT) "Steve Gomes" wrote: >... they said they throw it by hand and my friend saw him do it. For >the life of me I can't understand how they do it. I can imagine how they can do that. I've made a total of less than five pizzas in my life and I can see that if I make five *HUNDRED* pizzas I'd be that good too. :) I lived in NYC for 15 years and had been to countless pizzerias and watched pizzas made a zillion times. It's not impossible. >I have tried it and can't get it real thin without it tearing. and >the pie is very light. I know Carol from the list was told that it >takes about 8 weeks to learn how to do it but how do they do it so perfectly? Yes, they do it the same way they would get to Canergie Hall: practice, practice, practice! Andy Nguyen --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.13 --------------- From: "Brett Baker" Subject: RE: thermometers and scales Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:10:23 -0500 Dwayne, I've tried all different models of probe thermometers and I've found the best to be the Thermapen. It is digital, accurate, super fast, and the probe is very thin to avoid tearing up the product being measured. The only disadvantage is that it's very pricey. You can purchase them from amazon.com or eBay. Here's a link to the manufacturer's website for the specs. http://www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/tpen_home.html?gclid=CP78z9GUvpQCFQpjnAodOwdIUg Like you, I also started weighing ingredients as a result of reading Peter's fine book and subsequently upgraded to a My Weigh KD7000. It will handle up to 15 pounds, it's very accurate and can weigh in pounds, ounces, grams or kilograms. It has a tare feature and a hold feature. Here's a link to the product specs and the place where I bought it. http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=264 Happy Baking, Brett --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.14 --------------- From: Gary Eisenhammer Subject: Recommendations Please Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:59:56 -0400 Dwayne; I got a copy of The Bread Bakers Apprentice as a Christmas gift a few years ago and like you found it to be a great inspiration and although I now try a lot of different recipes, and my own variations, I still use the book on a regular basis. As for a thermometer, I use the Thermapen (~$90) for all my cooking. It is a bit pricey but easy to use, fast and very reliable. I think Cook's Illustrated did a recent test of thermometers and although the Thermapen is still their preferred make, they did recommend another, less expensive make. I have been using a digital scale, the Salter Aquatronic (~$70?) for 4-5 years now and find it more convenient and accurate than my old, albeit inexpensive, analog scale. Gary Eisenhammer --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.15 --------------- From: May F Rolle Subject: Dak Turbo Bread Machine #2 Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:44:40 -0500 Some time ago there was a request for the manual for a Dak Turbo # 2. I knew at the time that I had one and it has just turned up. If the person who wanted is still out there: Please send me your mailing address and I will be happy to send it to you. mrolle@juno.com --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n026.16 --------------- From: Margaret Cope Subject: Re: Stif and Poofal Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:23:06 -0400 By the way the "Stif and Poofal" sounds like something we had at home in Sheboygan, WI (60 years ago) made by my German grandmother on Thursdays when the cleaning woman came...called "dampfnudeln". (We also had a wonderful vegetable soup before.) They were steamed raised dough (not unlike Chinese Buns I discovered, only bigger) and then served with vanilla sauce or/and stewed dried fruit. The leftovers were fried in a cast iron pot which I still have and occasionally use. I just found the correct spelling and recipe in an old cookbook (1935) that my grandmother must have brought over to the States to join us when she came in 1937. --------------- END bread-bakers.v108.n026 --------------- Copyright (c) 1996-2008 Regina Dwork and Jeffrey Dwork All Rights Reserved