Fat Friday #43 Olive Oil Bread

I'm not sure if olive oil bread really counts as a Fat Friday, tastes amazing though. Its been very busy here in the world of Penny, so I stuck with something easy to make, if a little time consuming, but the proofing time, provided me extra time to do other bits and pieces. (I'm still gutted that my camera isn't working so sadly, no picture.) 

As I said this olive oil loaf isn't hard but is a little time consuming, with the proofing and all. It uses olive oil to knead the dough rather then lots of flour.

Bread dough (Recipe Adapted from The Great British Bake Off Showstoppers by Libby Collister):

·500g strong white flour
·2 teaspoons sea salt flakes, crushed
·1x7g fast action yeast
·350ml lukewarm water
·3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for kneading
·100g green olives, drained
·50g manchego cheese, diced

Equipment:

·Baking sheet lined with baking paper
·Doily
·Bowl
·Clingfilm
·Sieve
· Roasting tin

Method: 
1.Mix together the flour, salt, and dried yeast in a bowl.
2.Add the water and work with your hand to make a soft looking dough. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
3.Turn out the dough on an oiled surface, oil your hands and knead the dough for 4 minutes. Cover the dough with clingfilm and leave to rest for 20 minutes and knead for another 4 minutes.
4.Combine the olives and cheese, then work into the dough. The dough should be soft but not sticking to your hands.
5.Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and pat out until an oval shape (1.5 cm thick and about 20cm wide). Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
6.Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven 230c/450f/ Gas Mark 8. Place the baking sheet and roasting tin into the oven. Place the dough onto baking paper.
7.Uncover the dough, dust a little flour on top to decorate, or place a doily on top and dust a little flour on top with a sieve.
8.Carefully pull the baking sheet out of the oven, and slide the dough onto the baking sheet and put into the oven.
9. Pour some cold water into the roasting tin to create a burst of steam and close the oven door fast.
10.  Bake the loaf for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and eat the same day, warm.
Have a great weekend!

Fat Friday #41 Homemade Pizza Dough

Nothing is better then a takeaway pizza. However have you noticed that its got more and more expensive to grab a pizza? Its much more economical to make your own. Its surprisingly easy to do, better for you and saves money. Not to mention the fact that you can customise it to whatever you fancy! 

Dough recipe Makes enough for 2 pizzas(adapted from Student Cookbook by Sam Stern)

• 450g strong white flour, plus a little extra
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 x 7g fast action dried yeast
• 300ml water
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Toppings:

•    Tomato purée
•    Edamame cheese, grated
•    Blue cheese, crumbled
•    Green, red and orange peppers, chopped 
•    Button mushrooms, chopped
•    Jalapeños   (you can use whatever you like however!)

Equipment:

•        Large bowl x 2
•        Cling film
•        Baking sheet lined with a little olive oil
•        Optional: Desk top whisk with the dough hooks attached
•        Sieve
•        Grater
•        Knife
•        Chopping board
•        Rolling pin

 1.    Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the sugar, yeast, water and oil. Work together using your hands. (Add a little extra flour if the dough is sticky.)

2.    Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes or place in a tabletop whisk with the dough hooks attached for 8 minutes.

3.    Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave to prove for 1 hour in a warm place until doubled in size.

4.    Once proved knead for a further 2 minutes.

5.    Put the oven to 230c/400f/ gas mark 6.

6.    Cut the dough into 4 (freeze 2 of the doughs so you have some for another day) and roll out into a thin base on the lightly oiled baking sheet.

7.    Leave the dough in a warm place to rise for 10 minutes. Cover with cling film.

8.    Spread a little of the tomato puree onto the base of the pizza and spread your desired toppings.

9.    Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the base is crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve hot or eat cold.  

Enjoy your pizza and have a good weekend!

Fat Friday #32 Camembert Brioche

Last week we looked at basic brioche dough to make a basic loaf. This week its something a little more complex in the form of Camembert Brioche. This is a great lunch dish or as a snack and its simply delicious. Its creamy, cheesy, sweet and savoury. Lunch perfection. You can make this with a whole brioche dough or do what I did and use half of the dough. Its great hot or cold with a side salad. Or just stuffed into your mouth.

 

Serves 8 (or 4 greedy people Recipe adapted from Great British Bake Off Showstoppers by Linda Collister):

·1 quantity of brioche dough
·1 x 350g camembert cheese (13cm across approx)
·5 tablespoons of chutney (I used spiced apple and raisin)

To Finish:

·A little beaten egg to glaze

Equipment:

·Pastry brush
·Baking sheet lined with baking paper
·Knife
·Cling film
·Wire rack

Method:
1. Cut off ¼ of chilled brioche dough and cover and set aside for later use.
2. Roll out a larger portion of dough to a round 23cm circle. Make sure it isn’t sticking to the surface, dust with flour if needed.
3. Spread the top of the cheese with the chutney and put it upset down on top of the flat dough.
4. Using a knife, trim 1cm off the from the edge of the circle.
5. Add the trimming to the reserved dough. Then roll this dough out to about 14cm across.

6. Brush the exposed surfaces of the cheese and the outer 1cm exposed boarder with beaten egg.
7. Lift the dough boarder in small sections, and wrap over the cheese. The top should be exposed.
8. Use a little more beaten egg to stick the smaller dough circle on top. Pat gently to seal together.
9. Carefully, move the cheesy bread over to the baking sheet. Smooth out any lumps.
10. Cover with cling film and leave to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes until doubled in size.  Towards the end of rising preheat the oven to 190c/375f/Gas Mark 5.
11. Brush the dough lightly with more beaten egg. Score the top of the bread with a knife. Bake for 30 minutes, glaze with more beaten egg and bake again for a further 10 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 45 minutes on a wire rack before serving.

Have an excellent weekend!

Fat Friday #10 Pumpkin and Cheese Muffins

October=Pumpkin Season. That's one of the facts of life. It happens every year. Its just all over the place. Pumpkin all over the place... Its not one to argue with a fun tradition. For this weeks Fat Friday, we're going savoury. These muffins are an acquired taste and are best served from the oven while there still warm :)  Don't forget I'm at the Cake and Bake show tomorrow, I'll tweet as I go!

(Penny Note:You'll have some pumpkin puree leftover, so why not make some Spiced Pumpkin Syrup for your coffee?)

Recipe: Makes 12 Pumpkin and Goats Cheese Muffins (Recipe Adapted from Muffins Galore by Catherine Atkinson)

• 300g plain flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch of salt
• 100g goats cheese, diced
• 4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 225g pumpkin puree (I used about half a can of Libby's)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 150ml natural yoghurt

Equipment:

• Bowl
• Jug
• Cupcake Tin filled with 12 muffin cases
• Chopping board
• Knife
• Wooden spoon

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/400f/Gas Mark 6. Line the cupcake tin with muffin cases. 
 2. Mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl.

3. Stir in the goats cheese. 

4.Chop 2 tablespoons of the pumpkins seeds, and add to the flour mixture. Put the other 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds aside.

5. In a jug, whisk together the pumpkin puree, yoghurt, eggs and oil.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

7. Spoon the batter into the muffins cases, dividing it easily. Sprinkle the tops with the pumpkin seeds.

8. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and risen.
9. Cool in the tine for 10 minutes and then put on a wire rack. Serve warm with a side salad if you moonching this for lunch.

Happy New Year and Pizza Chunk Biscuits

Happy 2014 baking lovers! I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas, a happy new year and a hazy hangover recovery on the 1st of January. 

This is a very delayed post, it has been a crazy busy Christmas and New year. I just got back from Dorset after spending the New Year with my boyfriend and his family. 

Which was a earthing experience, spending the new year with a guy that you've been with for almost 3 years. Yeah we've been able to stand each other for that long! The fact is our endless love of food and stuffing our faces has kept our love strong. 

I'm joking darling. But we are obsessed with food. 

Then I caught a horrid cold just after New Year, so I've been snuggled up with a hot chocolate set that I got for Christmas trying to recover before going back to uni, and so all the posts are all delayed. 

My Bad...

So back to the recipe below, this a competition entry for Slow Food on Campus Portsmouth. The object of the competition was to use grana padano cheese in a recipe. Of course it had to be something to do with baking. Bring in the Pizza Chunk Biscuits! A whole pizza flavour in a single biscuit. Anyone in the UK can enter, if you would like to enter please email:

Your name, your age, your email address and phone number (and twitter username if you'd like to be featured on twitter) to sfoc@upsu.net  

This recipe is also featured on the Slow Food on Campus Portsmouth blog 

Recipe: Makes around 24-30 (Adapted from Cookies Galore by Jacqueline Bellefontaine)

·       150g unsalted butter, at room temperature

·       180g Plain flour, sifted

·       25g grated grana padano cheese

·       20g grated mature cheddar cheese

·       1 tablespoon tomato paste

·       25g sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

·       1-2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs

·       1 egg yolk

·       1 tablespoon water

Equipment:

·       Food processor

·       Bowl

·       Sieve

·       Teaspoon

·       Tablespoon

·       Baking paper

·       Baking sheet

·       Rolling pin

·       Fork/pastry

·       Wire rack

1.    Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4.

Step 2. Put all the ingredients together in a food processor and blitz!

2.    Put all the ingredients into a food processor and process, using the pulse button until the mixture just come together.

Step 3. Roll out dough in between bits of baking paper

3.    Roll out the dough between sheets of baking paper to a large rectangle shape.

Step 4. Place on a baking sheet

4.    Remove the top piece of baking paper and lift the dough, using the bottom paper, on to a baking sheet. Leave the bottom paper in place. Using fork to pastry wheel, mark lightly into squares or bars.

5.    Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.

6.    Cool on a wire rack on the baking paper and then break into pieces along the perforations.

Have a great weekend!

Cheese and Tomato Quiche

With Christmas coming just around the corner, many people are getting their baking sheets ready for Yuletide baking and forgetting the savoury treats for those that don't have a sweet tooth. 

Recently I was 'told off' for not making savoury dishes. So, luckily in my pastry class we ended up making short pastry which can be used in both sweet and savoury tarts.

This recipe is super easy and is so tasty. The custard filling can be made with onions, peppers, or whatever vegetable you like! Also if you like a little heat, try some cajun seasoning or chopping up a little chilli and mixing it into the custard (but don't go nuts with the chilli!). 

Cheese and Tomato Quiche

Recipe: Short Pastry

•        200g Soft Flour (plus extra for greasing tray)
•        50g Marg/Butter (plus extra for greasing tray)
•        50g Lard
•        50 ml water
•        Pinch of salt

Equipment:

•        Sieve
•        Wooden Spoon
•        Bowl
•        Measuring Jug
•        7 inch ring
•        Baking sheet
•        Rolling pin
•        Pastry brush
•        Ruler
•        Knife
• Baking beans
• Silicone paper

1.    Rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

2.    Make a well and pour in water.

3.    Mix ingredients to a smooth paste.

4.    Rest in fridge for 10-15 minutes.

5.    Warm the dough a little by rolling out the dough to 3-4 mm thick.

6.    Butter and flour the ring and tray. Don't use the silicone paper at this stage. Got that? NO PAPER!

7.    With finger push around the edges of the ring. Use a piece of dough to push it in even further.

8.    Trim the dough so that there is a little edge around the tart and let it rest in fridge for 10 minutes. You dont want to trim the tart so you have a neat edge yet. This type of pastry has a reputation of shrinking whilst cooking.  

9.    After resting put in oven at 160c/ 325f/ Gas Mark 3 for 15 mins with silicone paper and baking beans in. If the pastry is still soft it's underdone, so take the paper and beans out and let it cook for a further 5 mins in oven. It shouls be pale but dry. The dryer the better.
10. Trim the tart of any excess pastry, so that it has a nice neat edge. Do this as soon as the tart comes out of the oven because its easier to cut and cut with a serrated knife as it makes the job tons easier. 
11. Make the custard filling (see below) and fill the tart until it's almost full. Cook for 15 mins or until the top is slightly golden. When the tart comes out of the oven it should wobble a little but not liquidy or super stiff. It will set as it comes to room temperature. Thats it! Enjoy hot or cold. :D

Recipe: Savoury Custard

•        225g Milk
•        11/2 Eggs
•        100g Cheese
•        Half of a tomato
•        Pinch of salt
•        Pinch of pepper
•        Pinch of paprika

Equipment:

•        Measuring Jug
•        Fork
•        Grater
• Knife
• Chopping board

1.    Whisk the egg and milk together.
2.    Add the seasonings and mix again.
3.Chop the vegetables and grate the cheese
4.    Put the cheese and tomato into the short paste case
5.    Pour on the milk mix when near the oven to avoid spillage.

Bake On!
Penny