baking partners

Garlic Bagels with Pickled Veggies

~ Huma ~ 4 Comments
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Summer reminds me of long days and afternoon spent talking on skype back home. It reminds me of our each afternoon talking with ammi and papa. it reminds me of laughing and gossiping about our life and making plans about what to do on our next get together.  This summer when everyone was planning and enjoying back home, I was finding excuses to only call ammi for few minutes and check how she’s doing. I was scared that I  will blurt out where is papa if I had long chats with her. And again our emotional breakdown will begin.  Each one of us is coping in his own way. Sometimes we cry, we laugh remembering him. Some days are too painful  when a memory flashes through. Each day passes but the pain is as fresh as ever feeling of loss. An emptiness that has settled.
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This time our BP challenge  was given by Swathi  our challenge was to make bagels.We  are not so  fond of breads (with an exception of all Indian breads). But when we bake one, we need  our favorite dips, spreads or pickled veggies along it

Opera Cake – BP Challenge

~ Huma ~ 2 Comments
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1I always wonder if I have patience to prepare elegant desserts.In person you will find me most calm who has the solution for everything.  But there are moments where  my anxiety level booms and the all the patience in me goes haywire. And new irritant me emerges.  But I was tiny bit proud of myself when I made this Opera Cake without loosing my patience. And a little bit of basic sugar craft to decorate this dessert also boosted my confidence. Looks pretty na. lol
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Today, it was most hot and humid day in Dubai and worse day to photograph this cake. Every few minutes while capturing this slice of deliciousness , I had to freeze for ten minutes and restart again. I had to get this done today itself as tomorrow is Mr.K’s birthday and I wanted to surprise him with this cake. That’s a different thing my surprised didn’t remain a surprise as he smelled the  sweet aroma of coffee around the house and asked why the house is smelling like coffee, did you baked something using coffee.was caught and well the celebration started a day before with a slice of cake of an opera.
The cake is a bit  heavy but  has melt in mouth texture. I luv this kind of desserts. So a moderate slice is just enough to soothe your sweet craving. I prepared this cake for our monthly  challenge of our Baking Partners group run by Swathi of ZestySouthIndianKitchen. This month Savitha of  SavithasKitchen had challenged us to making this french pastry Opera Cake. I have not followed the recipe provided by her as the measurements were too large for two people. 
Mostly adapted this recipe from masterchef australia series specially the base of this dessert ie jaconde.  Chef Gary  has explained opera cake too well. You can search in youtube for the entire recipe. The other parts of recipe ie. coffee buttercream , chocolate ganache are the mixture of few recipes I have googled through out the web. But can assure you the measurements are accurate, as the end result was perfect to the taste. Plus I was able to reduce the wastage. Only 1/2 cup of ganache was extra which I can use later for other icing & stuff. Maybe a  cake pop.
Makes 5 inches square cake ( 6 rectangular sizes)
Ingredients
I
For Jaconde — 3 sheets ( Recipe source: Masterchef Australia – halved the recipe)
75 gm icing sugar
75 gm almond meal
30 gm flour
23 gm melted butter
2 whole egg
2 egg white
20 gm sugar
II
For the Coffee Syrup
4  tbsp of instant coffee
1 cup water
6 tbsp sugar
III
For coffee Butter cream
 2 egg yolk
85 gm sugar
15 ml water ( or just enough to dampen the sugar)
150 gm butter cut into cubes
3 to 4  tbsp of coffee  syrup
IV
For Chocolate Ganache
175 gm of chocolate chips ( Hershey)
125 gm cream
20 gm butter
Method
 
For preparing the Jaconde: 
  1.  Mix together the dry ingredients icing sugar, almond flour & flour. Pass through a sieve.
  2. Beat two egg to aerate till light pale and almost double in volume.
  3. Add in the dry mix followed by butter.
  4. Mix and keep aside
  5. Now beat egg whites till soft peaks. Its important not to over beat the egg whites.
  6. Fold in the egg whites with egg mixture.
  7. Now take 3 baking sheets acc to your over tray size. Divide into 3 parts the prepare mixture and spread evenly.
  8. Bake  this prepared sheet @ 200 degrees preheated oven for about 5 to 7 minutes
  9. When the sides of this cake starts turning brown remove from the oven. Do the same process with all the sheets prepared
  10. Cut the edges with a sharp knife to form a equal sized Jaconde. (cut when removed from oven immediately  for clean lines)
  11. Cool completely and moving to the second process of the cake
 For  Preparing the coffee syrup ( Can be prepared in advance)
  1. Mix together all the ingredients for coffee syrup and cook for  6 to 7 minutes on a medium flame.
  2. Sugar will make this syrup glossy and a little thick.
  3. Cool & Keep aside.
For Preparing Coffee Butter Cream
  1. Beat egg yolks till pale yellow.
  2. In another bowl add sugar and water. Bring it to boil till 118  degrees. I didn’t have candy thermometer. So in short it was 3 string consistency or soft ball. Remove from flame and let the bubbles subside.
  3. Now in a thin stream add this sugar syrup to the yolks with the beater running on medium speed.
  4. Beat till is warm to touch so the yolks gets cooked
  5. When the sugar and yolk mix is warm to touch then only add butter time to till all is incorporated.
  6. Now add coffee syrup and mix evenly.
  7. Keep aside. and start prepping for chocolate ganache
For Chocolate ganache
  1. Heat the cream on medium flame till a little bubly. Add in butter.
  2. Pour this cream over chocolate chips.
  3. Mix till all chips are melted.
  4. Keep aside and now the assemble of the opera.
Assembly ( You need patience for assembly)
 
3 sheets of jaconde 
1 recipe of coffee syrup
1 recipe of chocolate ganache
1 recipe of coffee butter cream
  1. Take a square plate of around 6 inches/ cake board / parchment  paper  is also fine.
  2. Spread a thin layer of ganache to the size of your jaconde sheet on it.
  3. Place the jaconde sheet on it.
  4. Now brush this sheet with coffee syrup. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove and spread a layer of chocolate ganache. Freeze for 10 minutes
  6. Remove from freezer and spread the layer of Coffee butter cream. Freeze again for 5 minutes
  7. Top it up with 2nd  sheet of jaconde.
  8. Brush it with coffee syrup and repeat the procedure 5 & 6 till the last sheet of jaconde.
  9. Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours before serving.
  10. Slice into equal rectangular parts and serve.

Turkish Simit – BP Challenge

~ Huma ~ 12 Comments
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Simit , the word comes from the arabic word  samīd (سميد), meaning flour. Traditionally sold around the streets , it is one of national food of of Turkey aside baklawa. Simit origins goes back to Ottomam empire, during which this bread was widespreadly eaten for breakfast, lunch.
 
 
Coated with grape molasses followed by seasame seeds, this bread is usually eaten at  breakfast with cheese , fruit preserves & finished off with tea.
 

Well we loved it with stuffed olives too.

So this month our challenge for Baking Partner was this traditional bread Simit from Turkey. Thanks Swathi for giving us this challenge.

Recipe adapted from here
Makes 3
Ingredients

I
162 gm Flour
pinch of sugar
1 tsp instant yeast
3 gm salt
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Water

II
1 tbsp jaggery
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Method

Make the Dough

  1. Mix flour, sugar, yeast & salt
  2. Add water & knead
  3. Knead for around 10 minutes till the dough becomes non sticky
  4. Cover with cling film & keep for rise about 2 hours or double in size
 
Roll the Simit
  1. Mix jaggery & water in separate bowl. Keep aside.
  2. After the first rise (i.e after 2 hours) measure the dough.
  3. Mine was 265gm. Divide into equal  6 parts.  approx 44gm
  4. Now take two pcs and shape them into 2  long rolls.
  5. Join the 2 rolls from the edge and twist them to form a rope.
  6. Join the twisted rope to the other end to form a Simit ring.
  7. Dip the prepared ring into jaggery water & coat with sesame seeds.

Bake the Simit.

  1. Cover & keep for second rise around 20 minutes
  2. Preheat the oven. & Bake the simit at 190 degrees for 25 minutes.
 
Serve with olives, akawi cheese & arabic tea.
 
 
 

Saltine Cracker – BP Challenge

~ Huma ~ 9 Comments
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Its time for Baking Partners challenge. This time Arthy Shama of  Cooking with ArthyShama had given us two types of Crackers. Saltine & Graham Crackers.I have opted for Saltine cracker 
 

This a yeast based cracker. Yes I am trying to befriend with yeast again. Don’t know the reason but my migrane triggers with active dry yeast. But with Instant yeast , I am OK.

 

Followed the recipe completely only substituting dry yeast to instant.

To the recipe.
 
Ingredients
 
I
3/4 cup flour
Pinch salt
Pinch Baking soda
1/2 tsp sugar
1 & 1/4 tsp instant yeast
 
II
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp butter
 
1 tbsp oil
 
III
2 drops of vinegar
1/4  cup lukewarm water
 
Extra flour for dusting
 
For the topping
 
·         1 tsp sea salt
 


METHOD:
 
  1. Bring together & boil no II ingredient in a vessel till butter is melted. Cool till lukewarm
  2. In a separate bowl mix together all dry ingredients (I)
  3. Add water & the lukewarm wet ingredient to the dry mixture to form a sticky dough
  4. Cover keep in the fridge overnight. *Note: Dough wont rise too much.
  5. Next day remove the dough from the fridge & bring to room temperature
  6. On a working table, dust the flour
  7. Roll the dough & then fold to form an envelope
  8. Turn it to 90 degree, fold and then roll into very thin sheet.
  9. Cut into squares & prick with fork or tooth pick. sprinkle with sea salt
  10. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 10 -12 minutes or till light brown.
  11. When done transfer to wire rack & cool.
  12. Can be stored in an airtight container.
Baking Partners