Edible Bread Basket- #BreadBakers

I just woke up from a dream about Stacy from Food Lust People Love/ . I can't remember the details of the dream but I think we were travelling. The details really don't matter though; it was just my subconscious’s way of trying to wake me up to write this post. I've been really excited about baking and sharing this basket for a while but I was completely blank about what to write here. Had I remembered the details of the dream, I'd certainly have some material.

Let's ramble about the basket then. It took a while! Clear some time in your schedule if you're a slowpoke like me. Part of that is because I was figuring out things as I went along. I switched from weaving the dough on the form to weaving it on a baking mat. I found that I preferred to work with chilled strips and I kept worrying about my dough proofing before I was finished so there were several trips to the refrigerator. Then I got really hungry. It actually took me half hour to properly roll ropes that would be twisted and form the top edges of the basket. The ropes just would not corporate! And when I got it done and was ready to bake it, I realised that I didn't mind the edges of the basket. Had I initially planned to leave them bare, I would have trimmed it better. But I was happy enough. That twisted rope then became one of the pieces you see in the basket with the rolls. I ate it first.

You can see that my strips were not all the same width and my basket weaving needs some work. But I am still really happy about how it turned out. I can't wait to do this again and serve it to friends. I actually have some ideas for fun variations. Thanks, Pavani for choosing the theme this month. This basket had been on my mind all year and I am glad that I finally got to do it. Be sure to scroll down to see all the other breads this month.

Edible Bread Basket

Ingredients
500 grams all purpose flour
260 grams water
 25 grams oil
 22 grams sugar
6 grams salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast

 Egg, for egg wash

Directions

Combine all the dough ingredients and knead until gluten is fully developed. If dough seems dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time. It's a firm dough and should not be sticky.Place in an oiled container, cover and let rise until doubled. Dough can be bulk fermented in the refrigerator.

 Cover an inverted 9” x 5” loaf tin with foil. Thoroughly grease the foil.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Gently deflate the risen dough. Working with small pieces at a time, roll out a ¼ inch thick rectangle that is long enough to drape over the inverted loaf tin. Cut out ¼ inch strips. Start weaving these strips on a flat surface. Keep dough that you're not currently using in the refrigerator.Keep weaving until you have a mat that is large enough to drape over your inverted loaf tin.  Depending on the height of your loaf tin, this mat may be about 15 inches by 11 inches.

Drape over the tin and trim the edges.Place on a baking sheet and brush with an egg beaten with a tablespoon of water.

Bake for 30 minutes then check to see how well it's browning. If it's not yet golden, return to oven until golden. Remove from oven and carefully invert and remove the loaf tin and the foil. Return the basket now right side up to the oven for a few minutes so that the inside can be properly cooked. It won't get much colour but you're looking for a temperature around 190 F. I kept mine in for about 10 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack then fill with your favourite rolls and breadsticks.

Notes

• It took me more than an hour to do all the cutting of the strips and weaving. But I'm really slow on the kitchen so it may go faster for you. 
• You can wait until you have about thirty minutes of work left to preheat the oven.
• You could weave the strips on the mold. I started out that way but working on the sides was really difficult (strips kept slipping) for me so I switched to doing it all on a flat surface. It's occurring to me now that longer strips that went all the way around the sides may have made it less difficult. 
• Next time I'd use wider strips so that the weaving went more quickly.I chose to leave the edges unfinished but you can make a twisted or plaited rope for the top of the basket. 

 Let's take a look at what my fellow bakers have baked for this month’s Family Feast Breads event:

• Butterflake Rolls from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Cardamom Fig Braid from A Shaggy Dough Story
• Challah Bread from la cocina de Aisha
• Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Buns from Food Lust People Love
• Chicken in a Blanket from Sneha's Recipe
• Classic Dinner Rolls from A Baker's House
• Cloverleaf Rolls from En La Cocina de Caro
• Cranberry & Orange Spice Bread from Baking in Pyjamas
• Eggless Coconut Pineapple Quick Bread from Seduce Your Tastebuds
• Edible Bread Basket from Passion Kneaded
• Mallorcan Ensaimadas from Ruchik Randhap
• Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Einkorn Bread from The Schizo Chef
• Pear Pie Cinnamon Rolls from From Gate to Plate
• Poppy Seed Coiled Challah from Bakingyummies
• Poppyseed Roll from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Povitica from Spiceroots
• Pumpkin Dinner Rolls from Cook's Hideout
• Pumpkin Yeast Bread from Hostess At Heart
• Rose-shaped Buns from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Savory Cheddar Honey Butter Rolls from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Simple High Fibre Baguettes from What Smells So Good?
• Smoked Cheddar Caramelized Onion Dinner Rolls from Noshing With The Nolands
• Sweet Dumpling Squash Drop Biscuits from Magnolia Days
• Thanksgiving Wreath Braided Bread Centerpiece from Pastry Chef Online

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Whole Wheat Apple Rum and Raisin Muffins - #MuffinMonday

You should already know that I am not sold on having muffins for breakfast. It’s a cultural thing; we emphasize savory breakfasts. In fact, our favourites are very salty. Serving muffins and pastries would garner several frowns. I know my mother does when she’s offered Danishes for breakfast. Now with the addition of rum to these muffins, I think I am basically screaming, “These are not for breakfast!” But if you eat them at 10 am like I did, I am certainly in no position to judge. If you’re worried about being judged, keep the presence of rum a secret and simply smile widely while you enjoy these muffins in that really boring morning meeting.  I have an acquaintance who would tip a bit of white rum into her morning coffee.

I think these may be my favourite muffins to date. It might be the booze talking since I am obsessed with alcohol in baked goods. Though these are whole wheat, they are extremely moist and flavorful (that’s definitely the rum and oh yeah, the cinnamon).  If rum is not your thing, soak the raisins in some water. Hot water will hydrate them pretty quickly and you’ll be ready to bake without an overnight wait added in.

Be sure to scroll down to see all the other delicious muffins this month!


Whole Wheat Apple Rum and Raisin Muffins
Yield: A baker’s dozen

Ingredients

75 grams raisins
Rum to just cover raisins
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons oats
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon melted butter
226g (2 cups) whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
148g (~¾ cup) sugar
¾ cup milk
100g (~½ cup) oil
1 egg
200 grams (1) apple, roughly chopped

Directions

Soak the raisins overnight in enough rum to just cover to them.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a muffin pan with liners or grease the wells.
Mix together the ¼ cup sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon. Drizzle over the melted butter and toss together until all the dry ingredients are moist. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate container mix together sugar, milk, oil, and the egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir it no more than ten times. Fold in the chopped apple and drained raisins.
Distribute the batter among the muffin wells filling all the way to the top. Sprinkle each muffin with the oat mixture that you side aside earlier.
Bake for 5 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 375F. Bake for another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
Cool for a few minutes in the muffin pan then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Notes
Why waste that lovely rum? Reduce the milk and add the rum that you soaked the raisins in to the batter. Or use in your next microwave mug cake.

• Asian Pear & Cardamom Cream Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Raspberry Jam Crumb Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Roasted Onion Brie Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Triple Dark Chocolate Muffins from The Spiced Life
• Whole Wheat Apple Rum and Raisin Muffins from Passion Kneaded

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.
Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

Apple, Cheese and Chive Turnovers

Welcome to another Crazy Ingredient Challenge! This month the winning ingredients were apples and chives. My first idea was to make some apple, cheese, and chives scones but at some point that turned into turnovers. No regrets here! I got to practise making a blitz pastry dough - it’s really easy and really flaky.  It’s faster than traditional puff pastry and quite delicious. I still have scones on the mind though so maybe later this week I’ll make those and post them.

Sorry about the super quick post. It’s only 7 am but it’s already shaping up to be one of those days. Be sure to scroll down to see how my fellow Crazy Ingredient Challengers used apples and chives this month. Sure to be mouthwatering!

Apple, Cheese and Chive Turnovers

Pastry Shell (adapted from King Arthur)
1 ½ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter
6 tablespoons sour cream

Filling
1 apple
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Egg for egg wash

Directions

Whisk together the dry ingredients then cut the butter into the flour mixture. You can use a food processor. Leave mixture unevenly crumbly. The largest pieces of butter should be about the size of a pea. Stir in the sour cream.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and pat it into a rough square. It’s OK if it’s a bit shaggy. Roll out into an 8” x 10” rectangle. Dust the dough with flour, if necessary. Starting with a shorter end, fold the dough into thirds as one would a business letter. Turn it over so that the open end is on the bottom.

Once again, roll the dough out into an 8” x 10” rectangle and do another letter fold.  Turn it over so the open end is on the bottom, roll out again to 8” x 10” and do a third letter fold. If the dough is sticking, chill it before doing the third letter fold. After the third letter fold, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes before using.

While the dough is chilling, dice the apple into small pieces, shred the cheese and chop the chives.

When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 400F.

Roll out the chilled dough to a 16” square and cut into 16 4” squares.

Place a bit of apple, cheese, and chives on each square. Be careful not to add too much - should be no more than a tablespoon or so of filling.  Fold over each square and use a fork to the crimp and seal the edges.

Place the turnovers on a lined baking sheet and brush with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water). Sprinkle on any remaining cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

 

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