what have you baked today?

[KC2]

i think i could count the bags of caster sugar i've bought, over the years, on one hand. i almost always use granulated - and if i've thought that it really would be better with caster, i've put the granulated in a blender/food processor.

Cheers, scully! Good to know that would have been your answer had I asked peeps on here

It can be a bit messy with sugar dust though, can't it? I think I might have tried it ages ago with my Bamix upright blender and the grinding attachment. Maybe I should try again next time!

[PatsyMFagan]

It can be a bit messy with sugar dust though, can't it? I think I might have tried it ages ago with my Bamix upright blender and the grinding attachment. Maybe I should try again next time!

I do this all the time with my Bamix … I just leave it for a while to let the dust settle before opening

[KC2]

It can be a bit messy with sugar dust though, can't it? I think I might have tried it ages ago with my Bamix upright blender and the grinding attachment. Maybe I should try again next time!

I do this all the time with my Bamix … I just leave it for a while to let the dust settle before opening

Ah, good idea, Patsy

[earthmaiden]

When I have tried to create caster sugar from granulated I have always found it quite hard to get the consistency right. I find it too easy to end up with a more powdery sugar which I think affects the sweetness of what I'm making. It's useful in an emergency but I prefer to keep caster sugar in the cupboard - it lasts years .

[dennispc]

scullion, thank you so much for giving the details of old dough sour dough.

Here’s my first attempt, but did measure flour and water. Used DL’s minimum knead method.

Overnight rise - 12 hours - three hour prove, think that should’ve been longer - next time …

Bread is fine but was nearly a disaster. Used casserole with lid plus muslin; dough stuck to muslin when tipping out and deflated, so didn’t slash.

Lump of old dough is kept in the freezer - easier as don’t make that much bread.

[aero280]

Must try that soon.

but I haven't baked anything for weeks. The cooker is barely accessible! The problem with the flat roof meant that we had to decant the contents of the utility room into the kitchen at a moments notice. It can't go back until the utility has been plastered and painted. That won't be for a couple of weeks at least. We've been living of shop bread for a fortnight...

[Herbidacious]

A pear and mincemeat crumble cake. Not sure why, but I did.

I had difficulty with the cooking times. But tastes nice with custard, and the texture may not be what it should be. I added Lebkuchen spice to it.

[KC2]

Looks fab!!! Yum!!

[Herbidacious]

My husband got all excited when I sent him the photo, as he thought it was a big savoury pie!

[KC2]

My husband got all excited when I sent him the photo, as he thought it was a big savoury pie!

[Zosherooney]

Today the sun was out so my oven went on...... Braised beef with root veg, a casserole with ckx. bones and water for stock, balanced 4 dumplings on top and steamed them to go with the braised beef later on. Baked bottom of BNS with 2 red onions in the cup. Baked jam roll (he had a piece with custard after lunch). Casseroled cubed aubergine, needed using up with stock, herbs, onion and garlic. Meatballs with half a walnut inside, I will make a S&S sauce and serve it with pasta - there are enough for 4 ptns. 4 baked potatoes, 2 baked onions. And finally at 1.15pm two small portions of chips and some haddock goujons warmed in the oven for lunch. We have enough to be going on with for the next few days.

Pie looks scrum Herb.

Aero, most of the contents of my cupboards of my utility are in the front porch, the radiator is turned off and it doubles up as a very cool larder. We have been doing this since 29th October, before too long I have to move everything out of the porch but to god knows where !!! It will then have the window removed and changed to a door - life at the moment is a bit like a rubic cube !!!!

[Herbidacious]

It's a cake Zosh It is rather moreish.

[Zosherooney]

Sun is out, oven is on. It is full with braised beef, onions, garlic, tomato and thyme. 2 trays of biscuits - tangerine and mixed spice. The rind from some pork for crackling, warming up some baked tatos and a gigantic 'pastie' with chicken and m'room for lunch. A casserole of shredded savoy cabbage and bacon to accompany.

[suffolk]

A white milk loaf ... very pleased with that

[KC2]

It looks lovely, Suffs!

I made these blueberry muffins this morning as OH picked up a huge bag of blueberries at the market yesterday: https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/blueberrymuffins_67846

Left the mix in the fridge overnight as he suggests. They were delicious straight out of the oven for breakfast!

Edited to say that the recipe only said put blueberries on the top but I mixed them in and left them overnight. Not sure if that was a mistake on Paul Hollywood's part or that was his recipe ... I once sent an email to Nigel Slater after he published a recipe in the Observer for something with tomatoes and didn't mention them once, not even in the list of ingredients

[suffolk]

I Fahrenheit start Makkah blueberry muffins gif breakfast ... OB roulette want ghee every day.

The bread is sooo good ... and made fantastic toast to have with my dippy egg this morning

[earthmaiden]

The blueberry muffins sound delicious. I notice he says 'stud' the muffins with the berries which I would assume meant pressing them well in rather than just plonking on top.

Obviously if you have a nice bag of fresh blueberries this doesn't apply, but when I did quite a decent cookery course a few years ago it was suggested that we used frozen berries and added them by 'studding' just as the cakes were going into the oven. The idea was that they wouldn't release too much juice and make the cakes soggy and would stay whole. I have to say it worked well and is something I do when I add berries to cake now. I suspect his method is for similar reasons. You have done the complete opposite by adding fresh berries and leaving overnight and it sounds as though they made a lovely breakfast. It just shows that we worry too much I suspect!

[KC2]

I Fahrenheit start Makkah blueberry muffins gif breakfast ... OB roulette want ghee every day.

Have I missed something?

EM, very interesting re using frozen berries, good tip!

[Zosherooney]

Sun out - Oven on ! Romanian Meatballs and a small meat loaf with the rest of the mince mix. Large Ckx. crown with Baharat spices under the skin, two large ckx legs done in a tandoori yoghurt marinade, roast 'snips, some previous veg re-heated in the oven. Finally two nice pork chops done the Greek way. Enough meat to see us through the rest of next week.

[WWordsworth]

I made a wholemeal loaf, for J's sandwiches for the next few days.

[suffolk]

I Fahrenheit start Makkah blueberry muffins gif breakfast ... OB roulette want ghee every day.

Have I missed something?

EM, very interesting re using frozen berries, good tip!

Sorreeeeeeee! Flaming phone was predictive texting in Fijian or something ... I was trying to say, ‘If I start making blueberry muffins for breakfast OH will want them every day. ‘ Duh!

[Rainbow]

Thanks for the translation

[KC2]

[karadekoolaid]

Happened to me the other day. I was recommending a chef buddy who makes the most amazing ceviches; so he´s called a " Cevichero" ( ceviche - maker) in Spanish. I wrote " he´s the best Cevichero in the world!", and my bloody smartphone ( can´t be that smart) wrote " He´s the best Cenicero ( "Ashtray") in the world"

Anyhow; I baked some wholemeal bread today; two small loaves. Points for presentation: 1/10. They looked as if a white rhinoceros had sat on them. Points for flavour; 10/10. I cut off a chunk straight out of the oven and slathered it with butter and Guava jam. Yum!

[PatsyMFagan]

Sorreeeeeeee! Flaming phone was predictive texting in Fijian or something ... I was trying to say, ‘If I start making blueberry muffins for breakfast OH will want them every day. ‘ Duh!

I didn't like to ask

[suffolk]

I remember a quiz question years ago ... on tv or radio I think ... you had to make sense of a sentence that appeared to be total gobbledygook ...
..it turned out that the sentence had been typed with the typist’s fingers moved over one key to the right ... some most competitors were trying to work out a clever code ... but one very clever person made the right connection

[Zosherooney]

Sounds like a question on Only Connect ! That programme does make my brain hurt sometimes..... And what is it with Victoria Corren Mitchell..... she sometimes says some very strange things........

[suffolk]

Oh it was years ago ... when VCM was probably still a twinkle in Alan Coren’s eye
I love her off the wall random utterances ... real Absurdism

The question may have been on Round Britain Quiz ... I’ve been a fan
of that programme seemingly all my life

[wargarden]

my fav popovers

[KC2]

Nigella's lemon drizzle - delicious!

[slimpersoninside]

Millionaires shortbread.

Yet to be cut up and tasted.

[earthmaiden]

I think it's time to put the kettle on for a Wildie virtual tea party!

[KC2]

I think it's time to put the kettle on for a Wildie virtual tea party!

[slimpersoninside]

Nigella's lemon drizzle - delicious!

Just finished making 2 of these.....one for now and one for work (or the freezer maybe ).

[KC2]

Nigella's lemon drizzle - delicious!

Just finished making 2 of these.....one for now and one for work (or the freezer maybe ).

Excellent! I made another one the following day by popular demand

[suffolk]

Best I’ve done today have been a crumble and a macaroni cheese ... sort of baking

[aero280]

Busy today. Baked bread. Baked spelt biscuits. Made a cauliflower cheese for supper.

Simnel Cake to bake tonight. Hot cross buns tomorrow to prove for Friday morning...

[earthmaiden]

Makes me tired just reading about it aero!

[KC2]

Happy Easter everyone!
I made some Portuguese custard tarts yesterday for the first time for OH's birthday, using this recipe https://bit.ly/2VhsU3k which is very similar to one patpoyntz posted on the pastel de nata thread but with added cinnamon. I didn't have any orange rind.
I found them incredibly disappointing OH has said he likes them a lot, which is sweet of him. But for me the pastry was too thick and hard, and I definitely overcooked them as I thought the custard was also too solid I imagine I must have worked the pastry too much for it to be so hard. I also wondered if it would have been a good idea to pop the empty tarts in the fridge for a bit before filling them.

It took me ages as well. But then I'm hardly an experienced custard maker - I've always been wary of it, and specially bought a new non-stick saucepan recently as I wanted to acquire the skill.

Not sure if I'll try them again.

[Herbidacious]

Well not baked, because raw, but raw lemon date and nut bars. Very nice, but not much cheaper, I think to make, than buy, so if I make more the point must be to make interesting flavours.

[KC2]

Well not baked, becuse raw, but raw lemon date and nut bars. Very nice, but not much cheaper, I think to make, than buy, so if I make more the point must be to make interesting flavours.

They sound delicious!!

[Herbidacious]

They are surprisingly good for something so simple. OH says better than the bought ones I might make some for my mother whom I am visiting (91st!) this week.

[Herbidacious]

They are surprisingly good for something so simple. OH says better than the bought ones I might even dare make some for my mother whom I am visiting (91st!) this week.

[Zosherooney]

Sun was out, no prepped meals so the oven went on, baked sausages, roast parsnips, Romanian meatloaf, baked onion and a pizza for lunch Oh and also a couple of eggs in water in the oven (so HB eggs really) for sarnies later in the week.

[liketocook]

Sourdough mark 2 baked earlier. The crust is darker than I would have liked (and not as dark as the picture makes it look) but I think that might be as I upped the proportion of rye flour rather than it's overdone. I'll know better when I slice it tomorrow.

[earthmaiden]

When I eventually get to visit your neck of the woods, I'm going to call in and try some!

[liketocook]

When I eventually get to visit your neck of the woods, I'm going to call in and try some!

You'd be more than welcome .
I sliced it for breakfast and yes the crust is slightly over done but apart from that I'm really pleased with it.

[Zosherooney]

Yesterday as the sun was out and we were nearly out of bread and cake decided to use my bread maker. Made a cherry and almond (essence) cake which stuck a bit. It was a M'sons cake mix and I chucked in the cherries and AE. Then when that had cooked made a wholemeal loaf, a slice each for supper....

[KC2]

Yesterday as the sun was out and we were nearly out of bread and cake decided to use my bread maker. Made a cherry and almond (essence) cake which stuck a bit. It was a M'sons cake mix and I chucked in the cherries and AE. Then when that had cooked made a wholemeal loaf, a slice each for supper....

You made the cake in the breadmaker?? I'd never have thought to do that, although I know you are supposed to be able to use them to make jam. We used to love our breadmaker, it broke and we didn't replace it because we moved house and didn't have room for one any more. Still miss it