Bretzel
The Bretzel is a traditional Alsatian biscuits. Its origin seems to come from a ancient cult of the sun. Then, they were shaped like a cross surrounded by a circle. As this design was to fragile the shape of the bretzel gradually changed to its actual shape: a wide knot.
They are made of a dough that is precooked in boiling water (poached) then sprinkled with sea salt and cumin (caraway) seed and dried in the oven.
In Alsace, the bretzel is the traditional accompaniment of beers.
In Alsace, the bretzel is the traditional accompaniment of beers.
Recipe for 10 bretzels:
- 500g Stronghold flour
- 10g Salt
- 50g Yeast
- 50g Butter
- 20cl Milk
- 1 Egg yolk
- Some Sea salt and cumin seeds (caraway seeds)
Mix well the flour and the salt and separately mix the milk and the yeast. Form a dough with the flour, melted butter and the yeast flour mixture.
Knead on a floured board for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let proof for 1 hour.
Knead the risen dough for another 5 minutes. Take some of the dough and form a cylinder about 12 inches long. Tie a knot to give the bretzel its traditional shape (see picture). Repeat until all the dough has been used.
The next step is to poach them in simmering salted water for 2 minutes. Place them to dry on a clean kitchen cloth. It is not the easiest part of the job!
Place your bretzel on tray, brush with some egg wash. Set aside to rest for an another hour.
Sprinkle with the sea salt and cumin seeds and bake at 200 degrees Centigrade for 15 minutes. Let cool down on a pastry rack.
Finally I would like to put a stop to the whole Bretzel VS Pretzel war that is going on. The only difference between these two is: a letter. They are the same thing. But, as I am a firm believer of the respect of the original definition of a traditional recipes I have to say that I am a little bit irritated with the Pretzel. But hey! Everybody is entitled to his/ her own opinion!
"How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?"
Charles De Gaulle
Nut free
Soda Cackers
Recipe for 100 crackers:- 3 cups Stronghold flour
- 1/2 ts Salt
- 2 ts Baking powder
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup Melted butter
Into a medium bowl measure the flour, salt and baking powder. In a small bowl, emulsify with a fork, the water and melted butter. Combine the liquid and dry ingredients well with a fork, then let the dough rest to absorb moisture.
Lightly flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a 22- by 14-inch rectangle, about 1/16-inch thick. Using a fork, prick the dough all over to release trapped air and keep the dough flat. With a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut the dough into 2-inch squares or other shapes, or cut shapes with a 2-inch cookie cutter.
Using a spatula, transfer the crackers to the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the crackers are light brown and firm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes, switching the positions of the sheets halfway through the baking time. When the first two sheets are finished, remove them, and bake the third one as directed. Cool completely.
"I don't think America will have really made it until we have our own salad dressing. Until then we're stuck behind the French, Italians, Russians and Caesarians."
Pat McNelis
Make it gluten free with quinoa flour, Vegetarian, Nut freeEnglish Muffin
The English muffin were originally eaten by the "downstairs" servants in England's Victorian society, the English muffin surfaced and rose to prominence in Great Britain when members of all classes of society became aware of its goodness. The family baker made English muffins from leftover bread and biscuit dough scraps and mashed potatoes. He fried the batter on a hot griddle, creating light, crusty muffins for the servants. Once members of the "upstairs" family tasted these rich muffins, they began to request them for themselves - especially during teatime.
As a result of the English muffin becoming the "most fancied" bread on the isle, English muffin factories sprang up all over England. Muffin men could be heard in the streets selling their muffins from wooden trays slung around their necks. For teatime in private homes and clubs, the English muffins would be split and toasted over an open fire and served in a covered sterling dish alongside tea. The prominence of the muffin men in English society was evident when "Oh, do you know the muffin man" became a popular children's nursery rhyme. The popularity of the English muffin reached its zenith in Great Britain during the years preceding World War I.
(Extract from an article at the Kitchen project.com)
Recipe for 12 muffins:
- 450 grams (3 cups) Untreated Bread Flour
- 2 teaspoons Dry active Yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Natural bread Improver (not necessary)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 350 milliliters warm water
Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add any flavourings, then most of the warm water. Mix thoroughly taking great care not to make the dough too wet. To speed up the rising and ensure that the dough is not too moist you can scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a well floured board and knead for approximately 30 seconds, but it is not necessary. When fully mixed cover the dough with cling film and place the bowl somewhere warm to proof, until it double in size.
Tip the dough out onto a floured board and shape until smooth. Divide the dough evenly into 12 pieces and shape each into smooth round balls. Flatten the balls of dough to about 3/4" thick, set aside on a lightly floured surface to proof until it doubles in size (usually about 15-20 mins).
Heat a frying pan or a griddle to a medium heat and lightly oil. Cook each muffin for 5-6 minutes each side, longer if very fat.
Note: muffins taste less floury if you brush off the flour, and dust with semolina before cooking. Vary the ingredients to make sweet and flavoured muffins.
"I like my coffee like I like my women.In a plastic cup."
Eddie izzard
Nut free, Dairy free, Vegetarian, VeganNaan Bread
Naan is a staple accompaniment to hot meals in Central and South Asia, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, India, Tadjikistan and the surrounding region. In Turkic language (such as Uzbek and Uyghur) the bread is known as nan. In Burmese, naan is known as nan bya. The first recorded history of Naan can be found in the notes of Amir Kushrau (1300 AD) as naan-e-tunuk (light bread) and naan-e-tanuri (cooked in a tandoor oven) at the imperial court in Delhi. Naan was in Mughal times a popular breakfast food, accompanied by qeema or kabab, of the royals. Naan bread is usually cooked on a flat or slightly concave iron griddle called a tava. Naan bread comes into a lot of different flavours, Keema naan is stuffed with a minced meat mixture (usually lamb or mutton); peshwari naan and Kashmiri naan are filled with a mixture of nuts and raisins; aloo naan is stuffed with potatoes. Possible seasonings in the dough include cumin and nigella.
- 1 (0.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk (works well with soya milk too)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.
"Food is an important part of a balanced diet."
Fran Lebowitz
Vegetarian and vegan if use soya milk, Nut free, replace the flour with quinoa flour to make it gluten free.Injera
Ingredients: - 1/4 cup teff flour
- 3/4 cup stronghold flour
- 1 cup water
- a pinch of salt
- peanut or vegetable oil
Teff, ergragostis in Latin, is believed to have originated in Ethiopia between 4000 and 1000 BC. Teff seeds were discovered in a pyramid thought to date back to 3359 BC. This grain has been widely cultivated and used in Ethiopia, India and Australia. Teff is grown primarily as a cereal crop in Ethiopia where it is ground into flour, fermented for three days then made into enjera. It is also used in porridge and used as an ingredient in home-brewed alcoholic drinks. The grass is grown as forage for cattle and is also used as a component in adobe construction in Ethiopia.
The word teff is thought to have been derived from the Amharic word teffa which means "lost," due to its small size it is easily is lost if dropped. It is the smallest grain in the world, measuring only about 1/32 of an inch in diameter. It takes 150 grains of teff to make the weight of a grain of wheat. The common English names for teff are teff, lovegrass, and annual bunch grass. Teff is free of gluten.
Now the recipe:
Put the teff flour in bowl and sift in the stronghold flour and the salt.
Slowly add the water, stirring to avoid lumps.
Heat a nonstick pan or lightly oiled cast-iron skillet until a water drop dances on the surface. Make sure the surface of the pan is smooth: Otherwise, your injera might fall apart when you try to remove it.
Coat the pan with a thin layer of batter. Injera should be thicker than a crêpe, but not as thick as a pancake. It will rise slightly when it heats.Cook until holes appear on the surface of the bread. Once the surface is dry, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool.
"An empty belly is the best cook."
Estonian Proverb
Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy free
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