Hot cross buns with Alfie

My 6-year-old grandson, Alfie, was keen to make some buns with me.

Earlier in the day I'd soaked some dried fruit in anticipation, and, about 4.30 in the afternoon Alfie and I began:

Start with a spatula...

...get your hands in

Then, get...

...really stuck in!

We made the dough before dinner, then covered it with an upturned bowl and left it on the worktop.

After we'd eaten, we started again:

The dough had risen to fill the bowl, and was ready to shape

Cutting crosses in the top of the buns

Baked - and two went missing before I could take a pic! It was a very wet dough which makes it a little difficult to shape properly

I told Alfie to divide the dough into twelve pieces - so, under my direction, he cut it in half then divided each half into 3 pieces. Then each piece was divided in two. Alfie did all this, using my dough cutter. Then we shaped the rolls together, and placed them on the baking tray. I gave Alfie a demo of applying the crosses on top and he did the rest.

400g (or 2 mugs) strong white flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tsps each mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg

150g (1 mug) chopped dried apricots (unsulphured), 100g (half mug) sultanas (soaked overnight), plus 50g (handful) chopped dates 
25g mixed peel

1 dessertspoon fresh yeast 

250ml (or 2/3rds mug) soaking water

2 tablespoons olive oil 


For the method and shaping advice and variations, click here.

HOMEMADE VEGAN CHEESE

Sunday 8th April.
Gave a taste to my son this morning, who reported that it was similar to brickdust! It's true it's a little gritty - next time I'll use bought ground almonds.

Wednesday 4th April.

Just had another go at making some vegan cheese - this time from scratch.

I took a look at some of the recipes on line, made a list of ingredients common to several of them, and 'winged' it a bit. I ground some flaked almonds and just began adding things:

25g ground almonds

25g gram flour

1 tsp smoked paprika

10g nutritional yeast ('nooch')

1 tsp 'Free and easy' cheese sauce powder


25g tahini


1 teaspoon lemon juice


9g EVOO

I mixed the dried ingredients, then added the wet ones and kept stirring with a table knife. It came together very easily, then I pressed it into the bottom of a small dish. After a couple of hours in the fridge I brought it out and took a couple of slices off it.

Doesn't look a whole lot different to the first lot I did - but it has a much deeper level of flavour

I'm quite impressed - both with the ease of assembly and the flavour and 'feel' of it. I put some on a pizza I was making, and it absolutely added to the overall flavour.


 My daughter thought it was “Fine”, which is all I was after, really.

The central components here, I feel, are the almonds, gram flour and tahini - and perhaps the EVOO. The rest is just flavouring and can be altered at whim.

I'm happier with these ingredients as a base for experimentation - I try not to use much soya, and I generally steer clear of marg - but this I can play around with for a bit.

21st March.

Following a recipe posted by Tezza on Wildfood, I made my first vegan cheese this morning:

50g marg (Pure in this case)

50g soya flour

8g yeast extract (Morrison's own - it's cheaper and just as good. Looks a little darker if anything)

Melt the marg and yeast extract together, then add the flour. Mix with a dessertspoon at first, but then get your hands in and bring it together like a stiff bread dough. This makes a small block which will keep in the fridge for quite along time, I feel. There's the basis here for lots of playing about - with olive oil, nooch - and all sorts of other flavourings. Chilli cheese - now there's a thought! 

Cheap and cheerful

And slices nicely!

I'd never thought of making my own cheese until I saw Tezza's thread, but there's quite a few recipes on the net when you look around. 

I shall be experimenting with this over the coming months, I'm sure!

BREADMAKING in Hornblotton, Somerset

Friday 8th March 2013
I've just been informed that the course has been (almost) fully subscribed, with 11 students enrolling. Only 9 weeks away, now! I've asked my line manager to give those students the web address of this blog. I feel it would be good for the students to get a sense of what I'm about before the course starts.

28/3/2012
This course will take place on the 5th and 12th of May, 2013.

I will post all my planning on here, as it develops.

(It's a long way ahead, but that's how forward thinking the WEA is!)

Here's the blurb, from the brochure:

"Breadmaking made easy - from basic breads to artisan loaves" (C3523832)

Students will make a range of breads from fancy dinner rolls, through artisan loaves to Chelsea bun, Danish pastries and a variety of savoury breads - and have some fun along the way! Students will be given the opportunity to create a sourdough starter to bring to the second session. The content of the second session will mainly be decided upon after discussion with the student, but it will include 'Overnight, no-knead' bread.

16/4/2013
Oops! I'd forgotten I posted this last year - I've put my letter to students, etc, in a new post!

SCHIACCIATA CON L'UVA (TUSCAN GRAPE BREAD)

This was made with the help of one of my Adults with Learning Difficulties students - and there's a batch of Chelsea buns on the same tray. 

Two harvest bread*

Ingredients:

200g (or 1 mug) strong white flour

1 tablespoons sugar

100g (or 1/2 mug) sultanas

1 dessertspoon fresh yeast or 1 teaspoon dried yeast

125ml (or 1/3rd mug) lukewarm water

2 tablespoons olive oil 

Plus:

Seedless grapes and a dessertspoon of sugar 

Method:

1. Measure the water and stir in the yeast to dissolve. Place the flour, sugar and dried fruit into a mixing bowl, pour in the yeast liquid, then add the olive oil.

2. Have a little water to hand to add if necessary. Remember, it is better for your dough to be wetter (slack) rather than drier (tight). Begin to mix by stirring the ingredients together with a knife, cutting through the dough as it forms. When it gets too stiff for the knife, use your hand to squeeze the mixture together. As it forms into a solid mass, keep turning it over and pressing it down to pick up the flour at the bottom of the bowl – but make sure it stays soft. Don’t be afraid to add more water to keep it soft! When all the flour has been mixed in, wipe the bowl around with the dough, turn it out onto the worktop and begin to knead.

3. Knead by flattening the dough out, folding it over and flattening it again. Knead until the dough becomes smooth – and then stop before you get fed up!

4. Either leave it on your worktop under an upturned bowl for an hour or so, or go straight to step 5.

5. Roll the dough out to a circle about 1.5cm thick, place it on a prepared baking sheet and cover with the grapes. Sprinkle with sugar.

6. Leave to prove until the dough is risen and puffy and bake at 200C (Gas mark 6) for around 15 to 20 minutes - but check after 10.

*The term ‘Two harvest bread', comes from the fact that, in Tuscany, the sultanas are from last year and the grapes from this. (If you soak the sultanas in wine it becomes ‘Three harvest bread'!) 

VEGAN SCHIACCIATA CON L'UVA (Gluten free)

Ingredients:

200g cornmeal

100g sultanas 

2 dsps sugar

2 tsps gluten-free baking powder

150ml (plus) water

Good splash of olive oil 

Plus a handful of seedless grapes, halved.

Method:

1. Put the oven on at 200C and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2. Place dry ingredients in mixing bowl and stir a couple of times, using a spatula or table knife.

3. Working quickly (the baking powder starts to react when it meets the water.), add sufficient water to bring it together as a dough - I found I'd used 162.5g (my scales are divided into 25g segments - the pointer was just halfway between two markers!)

4. Place on baking parchment and roll or push the dough out into a circle about 2cm thick. Cover with the grapes and place in the oven for about 20 minutes

5. It's ready when a skewer comes out clean.

The term ‘Two harvest bread', comes from the fact that the sultanas are from last year and the grapes from this. (If you soak the sultanas overnight in wine it becomes ‘Three harvest bread' and the wine now becomes a dessert wine!)

The bread has an unusual texture - it seems a little grainy when you first pop it into your mouth, and there is a slight 'metaliccy' taste.

But I had some last night and found myself going back several times for another nibble, which is a good sign!

I had a chunk for breakfast, split and spread with apple puree. It was very acceptable.

(I'm certain you could make this into a pizza dough by leaving out the sugar and fruit. I'd be tempted to brush the surface with oil before putting on a tomato topping.)

BREADMAKING IN STOGUMBER

Sunday, 11th March
Reflections on the day - once again these are at the foot of the post (plus pics!).


Friday, 9th March.

My planning is now pretty much complete and I've added it further down this post.

Stogumber is a lovely little village tucked away on the side of the Quantocks in Somerset. Some little while ago a friend of mine who lives in the village (my old university teacher) suggested we get together with a group of friends and spend the day breadmaking. 

Here's the story:

First the letter I sent out to all the students, informing them of what to expect on the day - and what to bring. This went out to them on Monday the 5th March:

Dear Student,

Breadmaking Made Easy Workshop, 10.00am - 4.00pm 10th March 2012

Stogumber Village Hall

This letter sets out what I intend will happen on the day and includes a list of ingredients and utensils which you will need to bring. If you are new to breadmaking, let me reassure you that it is much easier than you have been led to believe.

The session will begin in a relaxed fashion – the first thing you need to do is to find somewhere to park all the stuff that I ask you to bring, get yourself a drink and somewhere to sit down.

Before we start breadmaking I’d like to spend some time finding out what you expect to get out of the day’s session so that I can hopefully meet all your requirements.

The breads we will be making will include a basic loaf of bread – which can be anything from a tinned loaf or a cottage loaf to a focaccia – and a batch of fancy dinner rolls. But we’ll also be making a range of savoury or sweet breads.

Here are my suggestions, with the breads grouped together:

Fruited bread:

Chelsea buns (This recipe includes the undercover method - but you can just bake them normally)

Hot cross buns

Apfel kuchen (German apple cake)

Swedish tea ring

Schiacciatta con l’uva (2 harvest bread – or 3 if you soak the fruit in wine!) 

Sweet buns:

Jam doughnuts and petit pain au chocolat

Iced buns

Layered breads:

Croissants and Danish pastries

Yum yums

Savoury bread:

Cheese and tomato pizza (plus any toppings you wish to add)

Cheese and tomato sizzlers (or mushroom or onion)

Soda breads – both plain and sweet

Pikelets and pancakes

We’ll be making as many of these as we can – maybe not all, but most of them.

Also:

If you wish, you can prepare a batch of ‘no-knead, overnight’ bread to take away and bake at home. If you want to do this, bring along an extra 500g of flour and a plastic food-storer, with a snap-top lid. The one I use has a capacity of 2.8ltrs.

My aim is to turn you into a competent home baker (if you’re not already!) able to bake any bread you fancy.

For lunch we’ll have a couple of the sizzlers – you just need to bring something to fill them with. The kettle is always on for a mug of tea or coffee.

Bring a large basket or cardboard box to carry all your equipment and ingredients - and the finished products to take home with you!

I want to reassure all those students new to breadmaking that my first aim for this workshop is for everyone to enjoy their learning – I always delight in these sessions, and it’s my job to see that everyone else does. Breadmaking is an easy, everyday craft – as you’ll come to realise!

If you have a particular variety of bread you'd like to make instead of one of the breads on offer, I'd be very happy for you to do that. Get in touch if this idea appeals to you and we will see how we could fit it in to the programme. Or if you have any questions, doubts, suggestions at all, please don’t hesitate to ring or email me.

Finally, I’d like to draw your attention to the word ‘Companion’. The ‘com’ part means together – as in community – and the ‘pan’ part of the word means bread. So the word ‘Companion’ can be taken to mean, ‘Someone who makes bread with his or her friends’. Which is what we shall be doing!

I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you on the course.

Paul 

Ingredients:

Flour. Don't forget to specify strong flour, as this is sold especially for breadmaking. Own-brand flours are fine.

Yeast. The most convenient for our purposes is fresh baker’s yeast – I’ll bring enough yeast for everyone.

Olive oil. This is much cheaper these days, and it does improve the bread. Once again, buy the cheapest you can - £2.29 for 750ml at Lidl!

Shopping list:

1.5kg strong white flour

250ml olive oil

100g butter or margarine (for the layered bread)

100g sugar

Salt

50g fresh yeast if you can get some – or I'll have some for 20p

Sesame/poppy seeds

A bar of good eating chocolate (milk or plain)

100g sultanas or any dried fruit (soak them overnight – in wine if you like - and bring them in an old jam jar)

Mixed spice/cinnamon/nutmeg

Large Bramley-type apple – or a couple of eaters; Or: Slivered almonds for the Swedish tea ring

100g seedless grapes (either green or black)

Some lemon curd or a few tinned apricots for the Danish

100g grated Cheddar

Tomato sauce of your choice for the pizza

Dried oregano if you have it

Black pepper

Some tomatoes/mushrooms/onions/peppers for the sizzlers and pizza

You will also need to bring:

An apron

A couple of tea towels, both to cover your dough whilst it's proving and to wrap any warm bread in to take home.

A couple of food-quality plastic bags for proving the dough (I use clean bin bags – which I afterwards use for rubbish!)

Plus you’ll need one to place the croissant dough in whilst it is in the fridge

Baking parchment or paper (this is unlike greaseproof paper as it contains silicon)

Something to carry away the finished products (a large basket or cardboard box lined with tea towels would be ideal)

Sharp knife

You can also bring the following items – but they’re not essential:

Set of measuring spoons

Any favourite cooking utensil

Your favourite baking tray

We’ll be measuring with mugs, but, if you’d rather use scales, bring them along

Running order:

(Put butter/marg, etc, in fridge)

Welcome and intro’s (name labels) – fire exits - safety generally - icebreaker (what experience do people have? No experience? Do you like to cook, and if so, what? No experience cooking? What do you like to eat?) – expectations – what’s going to happen today – my failings as a tutor. I burn the bread, don’t read my notes, sound as if I’m telling you off (I’m not!), if I talk too fast, tell me to slow down and relax, this is a fun session!

Any Qs at any time - I never mind repeating myself. Emphasise fun aspect. Kettle is on at all times for coffee/teas, etc. (Courtesy of Ken – you might want to make a contribution.)

Discuss how we’ll use the ovens – two domestic, plus my 3 small ovens - need to maximise their use. Check with me if your bread is risen enough to be baked. It will be your responsibility to watch your bread in the oven.

First dough – loaf of bread Or: fancy dinner rolls – 2 mugs or 400g flour, salt, yeast, 2/3rds water and olive oil. Plus extra water. I’ll  demonstrate how I mix a dough – students follow suit. Put to one side   [400g]

Pizza dough – 1 1/2 mugs or 300g flour, salt, some water, 1 teaspoon yeast – add enough water to make a handleable dough        [300g]

Shaping - divide in two and make 1 pizza and 3 sizzlers. Roll out one large circle and four small circles, etc. Add toppings, etc, and put to prove (This is going to be our lunch) Place an initial, made from dough, on top of your bread to identify it

Knead the first dough for about 20 seconds

Demo and explanation of no-knead, overnight bread. I'll shape my rolls and put them to prove.

Dough for croissants, etc – 1 mug flour, etc. Layer with hard fat, fold, and place in fridge [200g]

Knead first dough again

Fruit dough – 1 1/2 mugs flour or 300g flour, fruit, spice, sugar, yeast water and olive oil.  [300g]

Divide in two and make Chelsea and hot cross buns with one half, and either the apfel kuchen, the Swedish tea ring or the schiaccatta con l’uva with the other.

Take out the croissant dough and fold once more – put back in the fridge

Knead the first dough again – should be drying out by now

Make the sweet dough and shape the doughnuts/pain au chocolat/iced buns etc. [200g]

Lunch              (could be earlier). Hand out the knowledge and attitude checklists 

Knead dough and fold croissant dough – place back in fridge

After demo from me, shape loaves with first dough - suggested breads, focaccia, plait, cottage, bloomer (just demonstrate a tinned loaf) and put to prove

Another demo – decide what layered breads are to be made by each student. Squares for Danish and yum yums – long strip for croissants        

Shape and put to prove.

Any time left, make a soda bread and or pancakes or pikelets.

[All through the day we'll be putting bread to prove - checking it, baking it and watching it in the oven.]

Summary:

What have we learned today?

Feedback checklists to students

Homework

Any results from that homework - would be nice if you could email me any pics or stories of how you've passed on your newly acquired skills. I can then post them on here.

Reflections on the day:
On a beautiful spring-like morning I drove the 16 or so miles to Stogumber, through some of the loveliest countryside in England, to Stogumber Village Hall.

11 students turned up (Ken, Russell, Gill, Penny, Joe, Daphne, Mike, Sue, Alan, Mel, Dennis) - some with a lot of experience, a couple with none and a few in between, including several with bread machines. Unusually, in my experience, there were more men than women - 7 to 4.

We stuck with the programme pretty much, in the early stages - but one thing we hadn't bargained on was a problem with the ovens. There were two ovens, alright, but one was a good size, whilst the other was very narrow, so only a few of the oven trays we'd brought would fit it.

This meant that, at times, we built up a backlog of proving bread. I should, at this stage, have reduced the programme somewhat. In the event, students had to take home the last dough they shaped - the croissant dough - to bake.

Here are some pics - not as many as I would have liked, but I just never remember to get round to it!

Russell, Penny, Joe, Daphne, Mike and Sue. Hard at work; or relaxing! 

Alan's  poppy seed plait, rosemary focaccia and bloomer - all from one batch of dough

 Penny drizzling olive oil on her focaccia

Penny's Danish pastries

Those are probably Gill's croissants and Danish pastries

 Gill also took some photo's:

Alan, Mel and Dennis waiting for the fun to start. 

Me, pontificating - as I'm wont to do! 

Looks like Ken's feeling the pressure - and we haven't even started yet!

Several finished pizzas in the kitchen 

Some students working hard - others, not!

Penny adding rosemary to her focaccia

Rosemary focaccia and white rolls

Someone's bloomer - not sure who's.

Gill's granary loaf - which she made at home after the course.

Joe shaping his rolls

Me - just checking!

FAMILY BREADMAKING AT CASTLE CARY

A brilliant (not my word) Family Learning session at the far end of Somerset this morning! Up at the crack of dawn (7.15 - well it is for me!) and out of the house at 7.45 for the 35 mile trip to Castle Cary primary school, where I had up to 15 families waiting to make bread.

In the event, there turned out to be 12 children and 10 parents in the session. One or two of the mothers had made bread, with varying rates of success, and there were a couple of students with experience of bread machines, and that was it. Lots of cooking going on, most making cakes with their children, but very little bread.

One of the students was a French chef, who managed a local eaterie - even he had never made bread!

After a demo from me, they all made a batch of dough, with the youngsters showing quite a bit of competence (these were year 2 children, aged 6 and 7). Then they divided the dough into 2 pieces, one large and one small. The large piece was turned into 4 or so rolls of varying shapes while the other bit was to be a pizza.

I'd taken my four small ovens along, but it was still nice to see a domestic oven in the small kitchen adjoining the "Hive" as the activities room was called.

Here's the setup - with 2 shelves in each of the small ovens and 3 in the large one. 11 in all - but with 2 trays each holding 2 batches, there was room for all the batches of bread at one time.

One of my small ovens in action

The batch on the right was hopelessly burnt, so I gave the family the bread I'd made for the demo - on the right

Each batch was numbered - that's number 5 on the left, not sure about the other one!

Another batch

One of the youngsters breaking off a bit of bread from his roll

More shapes and another taster for someone!

Pizzas proving

More pizzas

Proving and baking

Ready to eat...

And pretty well all gone!

The hardest thing for the adults in these classes is - not doing it for their children! The breadmaking is easy - keeping your hands out and letting the children get on with it is difficult for the adults. But I delight in showing them just how competent their children can be, when given a chance.

Before I left I gave them all some homework - to find someone who doesn't know how to make bread and teach them what they've learned today. Not only will this spread some breadmaking ripples around, but the students themselves will enhance their own breadmaking skills.

The feedback was universally positive - they all loved it and would like some more of these sessions!

One comment I particularly liked, when asked what the parent had enjoyed about the session, was:
"Sitting back and watching my child do baking and not needing any help. You never know what your child can do."

I must add, in conclusion, that I had great support from the course organiser, Maureen, and the class teacher, Emma. Thanks, guys!