Instant Yeast - When to Hydrate Tutorial - Ingredient Function

Hello Bakers,

This tutorial started out as extra content for work - then I realized it was helpful for any of us working with Instant Yeast. I always hydrate my instant yeast and you know if you have been in any of my Craftsy classes that’s what we do.

In this 7 minute tutorial I show why that is a good idea. If you have seen little specks in your dough when working with instant yeast then please take a look at the video.

A little ingredient function is always a good idea - and I have not abandoned “Why Did I Buy This?” as I promised myself I would produce at least 5 episodes. Next episode, I will featuring the tart pan that I thought might save my marriage. I know.

Why Did I Buy This? Episode 2 - The English Muffin Rings

Hello Bakers,

Here is Episode Two of Why Did I Buy This? Or WDIBT? It’s all about English Muffins and English muffin rings. !Homemade English Muffins are worth the effort. If you have these English muffin rings then you are halfway there. And they can be made with out the rings as well. But the rings help hold their shape. For a very credible DIY version you can cut the bottom and tops off of tunafish cans but you want to use a can opener that leaves smooth edges. So the old fashioned kind the leaves a horrible jagged edge cannot be used.

Below you will find the step by step tutorial and the recipe is underneath. If you have these - please comment below. Do you ever sort through your baking equipment and ask yourself “Why did I buy this?”

English Muffin Recipe - Episode 2 - Why Did I Buy This?

Yield: 7 large muffins

Equipment: Stand mixer with the dough hook, half sheet pan lined with parchment paper,

pan for resting dough in refrigerator,plastic bowl scraper, plastic wrap, pan spray, spray bottle with water or bowl of water for shaping. English muffin rings (optional), skillet or griddle to cook muffins, spatula or small pancake turner.

454g Bread flour

6g Instant yeast

227g Milk

113g Water

18g Butter, melted

14g Sugar

9g Salt

**Cornmeal for dusting pans

Combine milk and water in the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer, add yeast, stir 10 secs,

and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved.

Add the flour, sugar, butter and salt.

Attach the dough hook and mix for 1 minute on low speed. Stop the mixer and scrape down.

Increase speed to medium/low and mix for 8 timed minutes. (The dough will be sticky and not clear the side of the bowl.)

Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 - 40 minutes at room temperature.

Lightly spray the pan used for resting the dough, spray the bowl scraper with water and scrape the dough onto the pan. Give the dough 1 fold - this strengthens gluten.

Cover with a spray piece of plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

Next day line half sheet tray with parchment paper, spray and sprinkle liberally with cornmeal. Spray rings if using and place rings on the prepared pan.

Next day divide the dough into 113g portions, stretch, round and smooth - wetting fingers helps with shaping.

Place shaped dough into rings, flatten with wet fingers.

Proof English muffins until they are just to the top of the rings. Cut the parchment paper around the rings.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the skillet over medium heat, add a little oil to film the bottom of the skillet.

Pick up the cut square and use it to invert into the skillet. Remove parchment paper square.

Cook until the bottom is golden brown and the flip. When both sides are golden brown,

move back to the sheet pan. Carefully remove the rings - they are hot use gloves or a dry towel.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes as the muffins are thick. When they are fully baked they will register 210 on an instant read thermometer be a light golden brown on the sides as well as tops and bottoms. Leftover English muffins freeze well.

Tiramisu Lost and .....found

Hello Bakers,

Early last summer, I forgot to renew my Vimeo subscription and lost all the videos that had been embedded on this blog. It’s been on my list for ages to replace the post and finally here it is.

This is quick and easy. As a bonus there is a recipe for chocolate ladyfingers. They are really delicious.

Of course, store bought ladyfingers work just as well.

Please try this - the method is below and in the video. Any questions, please let me know.

Enjoy your baking!

Colette

Chocolate ladyfingers

68 g egg yolks
34 g sugar
3g vanilla extract
101 g egg whites
56 g sugar
100 g all purpose flour
10g cocoa powder
Before baking topping

Powdered sugar to sprinkle on the ladyfingers before baking.

1. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder set aside

2. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. beat the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract at high speed until they are very light and thick and about three times their original volume.

3. In a separate clean bowl, whip the egg whites until they look like cappuccino foam and rain in sugar with the mixer on medium speed. Whip to a firm peak - the angle of the peak should be at 11:30.

4. Gently fold the meringue into the whipped yolks, alternating with the sifted flour and cocoa mixture. Fold in completely, but do not over mix.

5. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip, and pipe the ½ of the sponge mix onto a parchment lined sheet pan in strips about 3-4” long and 1” wide.

6. Dust the top of the ladyfingers with sifted powdered sugar before baking.

7. Bake at 375’F for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Store ladyfingers in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Freeze for longer storage.

Coffee Syrup

227g (8 ounces) water
227g (8 ounces) sugar
1 Tablespoon powdered espresso
2 Tablespoon rum (optional)

1. in a saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil, whisk to dissolve sugar, when the sugar is dissolved, pull from heat and add the powdered espresso.

   Mascarpone Filling

Mascarpone Mousse Mise en Place

6g (1 1/2 teaspoons) powdered gelatin
30g heavy cream
94g (about 5) egg yolks
112g sugar
4g vanilla extract
227g (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
227g (8 ounces) heavy cream

1. Sprinkle the 6g of powdered gelatin over the 30g heavy cream, stir to combine, and let sit 5 minutes.

2. Over a double boiler, in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until the mixture reaches 150 degrees.

3. Attach the bowl to the mixer and using the whisk attachment, add the vanilla, whip the egg yolks and sugar on medium high speed for 5 minutes until it is light and fluffy and pale yellow.

4. Heat gelatin and cream in the microwave for 15 seconds. The gelatin will dissolve. Stop the mixer and add the gelatin mixture to the egg yolks and sugar and mix on high speed for 1 minute.

5. Add the cheese and the heavy cream and mix on medium high speed until the mixture begins to thicken when it gets to soft peaks.

Tiramisu Assembly

8”x 8” pan - glass, ceramic or metal
1. Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee syrup, until well soaked, and create a layer in the bottom - make sure the ladyfingers layer is has no spaces, they can slightly overlap, top with half the mascarpone mousse, dip more ladyfingers in the coffee syrup and create another layer. Top with remaining mousse and smooth top. Cover and chill for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

Garnish top of Tiramisu with sifted cocoa or shaved chocolate before cutting and serving.

Challah for One or Two...aka Baby Challah...

Hello Bakers,

It’s challenging to find a recipe that makes a small sized challah. Challah is designed to be served with family and friends. It is an important part of Shabbat and it served at holidays and special occasions in the Jewish faith. Challah for one or two is almost an oxymoron…

However these days, I am single and I love making challah. I don’t need a challah that can feed six or eight. And this baby challah gives me a chance to braId dough - which I love to do. if you like braid dough and are baking for a small group then try this. The original recipe is the creation of my friend Gena - an amazing baker - she is adamant about the combination of whole egg and egg yolk - the extra bit of egg white protein helps with gluten structure. I heartily concur - this challah has a gorgeous crumb and a beautiful crust.

I have a braiding video (six strands) below - and it’s important to weigh the ingredients and the dough during the scaling process - they really need to be precise.

If not the braids may be less precise and the dough sticky or too dry and all of that is a problem.

Challah is designed to be served with a meal, makes great sandwiches and of course, french toast.

Baby Challah

70g Water - 80 degrees

5g Instant yeast

39g Vegetable oil

30g Egg yolks

38g Whole egg ** (a large egg weighs about 50 grams - beat up one egg and weigh half for the dough and keep the remaining half for the egg wash.)

250g Bread flour

25g Sugar

5g Salt - fine sea salt is best

Egg Wash (use half of remaining egg beaten with a good pinch of salt, strain and refrigerate.)

1. Combine yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit 5 minutes.

2. Add oil, egg yolks and whole eggs, flour, sugar and salt.

3. Mix on low speed for 4 minutes.

4. Mix on medium/low speed for an additional 4 minutes.

5. Knead the dough for 30 seconds - no flour is necessary - just to smooth the dough out.

6. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let bulk ferment (double in volume) for 90 minutes.

7. Gently degas the dough and divide it in 6 equal pieces. The best thing is to weigh the dough and then do the math.

8. Shape each piece into a rough cylinder - then follow the video.

9. Once the challah is shaped, cover lightly with plastic wrap or place in a proofing bag - this is one time not to use the hot water in the bag - extra humidity will cause the strands to become less defined.

10. Let proof at least an hour - it takes quite a while. The challah s proofed when it looks like it has risen about a third. Also squeeze the sides of the challah and the finger impression should stay and not spring back.

11. Halfway through baking preheat the oven to 375.

12. Brush with egg wash and bake for 25 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake and additional 10 minutes until the loaf is a beautiful deep golden brown and has an internal temperature of 208-210 degrees.