What are we baking today?

[Zyni]

Does anybody having any baking projects lined up for today? I think I may make the lemon cake posted by Connie tomorrow for my daughter (thanks again, Connie!). I might bake something today as well though. I want to give my family a treat. I tend to do more cooking and baking on the weekends, but usually Friday isn't the day. I just feel like making something today though, but I don't know what. Maybe something with cinnamon.

Do you have any goodies baking today?

 

[connie]

I am having another attempt a some bread today. I did a sweet dark rye a few days ago, but it kind of failed on me because the gas oven is being a touch temperamental on me and keeps going out, though we have yet to work out why. It's not a safety issue because the safety valve cuts the gas supply but when you have just put a loaf of bread in the oven to cook, it is a pain in the backside to say the least. Today I am trying a wholemeal loaf. Lets see what happens tonight!

 

[Shimus]

I baked some casserole today, turned out good for the hodgepodge of ingredients I had to use. Everything is better with crushed fried onions and cheese on top too. Yum.

 

[tangela]

I just made a lemon poppy seed bread recently so I don't have anything on my agenda per se, but I do have 2 frozen bananas in my freezer that I should probably use up before it goes bad. May some sort of banana chocolate chip bread? Or maybe some muffins?

 

[Trellum]

I plan to cook some enchiladas on Tuesday, I'm going to bake them I always use the microwave during the last part after adding the cheese so it melts, but this time I'll have guests, so I'll place them all in a pyro container and bake til the cheesy deliciousness melts!

 

[Shimus]

I just baked a philly cheesesteak calzone-type deal. It turned out really well, actually. Mozarella cheese in the top, diced steak in the bottom, onions, mushrooms, green peppers. Trimmed off excess dough and even cut it to look the right shape.

I should have taken a photo. But I ate it instead. And man, it was worth each second making it.

 

[tangela]

I just baked a philly cheesesteak calzone-type deal. It turned out really well, actually. Mozarella cheese in the top, diced steak in the bottom, onions, mushrooms, green peppers. Trimmed off excess dough and even cut it to look the right shape.

I should have taken a photo. But I ate it instead. And man, it was worth each second making it.

Yum, that sounds so good! You wouldn't happen to have a recipe, would you? My husband LOVES Philly cheesesteak but I have yet to even try to attempt it myself :/

 

[Winterybella]

I just baked a philly cheesesteak calzone-type deal. It turned out really well, actually. Mozarella cheese in the top, diced steak in the bottom, onions, mushrooms, green peppers. Trimmed off excess dough and even cut it to look the right shape.

I should have taken a photo. But I ate it instead. And man, it was worth each second making it.

You read my mind. You should have taken a photo. Yesterday I intended doing some simple rock cakes but was lazy and did nothing but stay in bed watched tele and fooled around on the computer. I hope I can make them today. They are so quick and easy to make, I just hope I am in the mood after a long day at the office.

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

Today I plan to bake a custard flan my family favorite all the time. A very simple recipe with easy to find and few ingredients too. The custard and its caramelized syrup is really a sure winner kind of a dessert.

 

[connie]

Another sourdough loaf. I think I have the hang of it.

This one is a wholemeal loaf made with chapatti flour. The times for proving all changed because the weather changed, but that is part of the fun. However, the loaf has come out really well so I am exceptionally pleased with it and even my husband is eating it so that says all I need to know!

 

[PattyCakes]

I'm planning to bake a pistachio and cardamom pound cake today; I've only made it once before, but it turned out fantastic, and we really enjoyed it! I also like that it keeps very well for about 5 days, which is great in our household where there's only the two of us. Usually I'm making things that I can cut into two and freeze, but this cake seemed to get better as the days went on.

I'll post a pic and the recipe when I've made it.

 

[connie]

3 loaves.
a spelt sourdough
a wholemeal chapatti flour sourdough
and a wholemeal chapatti flour 3:1 strong bread flour sourdough.

All very successful and 2 of them now frozen waiting for me to eat them. I also need to stockpile some bread because I am going into hospital for a big operation and won't be able to cook for a while.

 

[PattyCakes]

My pistachio came out really well - the pictures don't it justice at all. The cardamom in this cake is absolutely wonderful, and it goes very well with the pistachios. Here's the recipe if anyone is interested:

Pistachio Cardamom Pound Cake
oven to 350 (my oven runs hot and my cake baked at closer to 375F, either one is ok)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground pistachios (see note)
1/2 cup chopped pistachios (plus extra for garnish)
1 rounded tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup buttermilk
1 drop (no more!) green food coloring
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
for the glaze, mix together:
2/3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
enough heavy cream for thinning

• Mix the first 7 dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add in the eggs, one at a time, and blend until smooth.
• Mix the buttermilk, food coloring (if using) and vanilla paste together in a bowl or measuring cup.
• Add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet to the butter and sugar. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, beating just until blended with each addition.
• Turn the batter into a buttered and floured 9×5 loaf pan. I like to line it with parchment paper with overhanging edges to make it easier to remove for glazing and slicing.
• Bake for about 55 minutes to an hour, until a toothpick comes out without raw batter clinging to it. The top will be risen and lightly golden.
• Cool for a few minutes in the pan, and then remove to a rack.
• Glaze the cake when it is almost completely cool. Dust with crushed pistachio nuts.

Notes: For the ground pistachios use a small food processor to grind the nuts into a flour-like texture. Then do another batch but leave them chunky. Save a bit to garnish the cake after glazing

I got the recipe from a blog called The View From Great Island, and even though I prefer not to bake using cups, I found this very easy to follow - I'm a convert!

A really, really delicious cake though

 

[Zyni]

That sounds really good. My husband loves pistachio. I'm not real familiar with cardamon though. I'm not entirely sure about vanilla paste/vanilla bean paste either. Is the paste something you buy or something you make?

I made a lovely pistachio almond cake a couple of times. I'll have to see if I can find the recipe again (the final version of it, after the changes I made). I'm so bad about making changes and not writing them down.

 

[connie]

@PattyCakes You should make that a recipe of its own, rather than it getting lost in this thread! It looks great.

Today I will be using up the sourdough starter that is in the 2nd jar to make some tangy drop scones. Every now and again I decide that the sourdough starter jar needs cleaning because it gets rather 'mucky' with the flour and water mixture when I stir in the new and even worse when I try to remove the old stuff and it drips higher up the jar etc. So periodically I start a new culture in a clean sterile jar and after a couple of days running the 2 alongside each other, so that I know the new one is OK and not contaminated, I will then dispose of the old culture and clean the jar. Today is the clean the jar day and because I hate waste, I will use the sourdough culture in the old jar to make some drop scones!

 

[PattyCakes]

Thank you, Connie! It really is a lovely cake with wonderful flavour.

I love the sound of your drop scones, and I hate to waste my starter too. I often make pancakes or waffles with mine, and I have a nice scone recipe, as well as a sweet bread recipe, that uses up sourdough starter that would otherwise go in the bin. I also change jars regularly too - I hate the mess that builds up on the sides!!

That sounds really good. My husband loves pistachio. I'm not real familiar with cardamon though. I'm not entirely sure about vanilla paste/vanilla bean paste either. Is the paste something you buy or something you make?

I made a lovely pistachio almond cake a couple of times. I'll have to see if I can find the recipe again (the final version of it, after the changes I made). I'm so bad about making changes and not writing them down.

I absolutely love pistachio too - I'm making pistachio everything at home at the moment! I'm also loving cardamom in my baking; it's a sweet spice that I only ever used in certain savoury dishes before, but since sampling some cardamom and white chocolate cookies my neighbour made last year, I can't get enough of it. It used to be a bit difficult to get hold of in ground form, and only came in a green pod that you had to crack and get the seeds out before crushing them. Now, you can get it in its ground form easily enough. Some people say that cardamom loses its flavour very quickly once ground, hence its being sold in pods, but I haven't found this to be the case or maybe I get through mine quite quickly!

There is also a brown/black cardamom, but I haven't tried that yet. I'm wondering it it's become more popular in general since chai tea became so popular? Cardamom is one of the amazing flavours you get in a chai or masala tea, so maybe everyone is going crazy for cardamom since they tasted it in chai? I don't know. Either way, I would urge you to try it because it's delicious!

The vanilla paste, and vanilla bean paste are the same thing - you can buy them (certainly here in the UK) easily enough in supermarkets, but make sure you get a good brand. Some people say it gives a deeper richness than vanilla extract - I think they're right. I use it more often than vanilla extract now.

I like the sound of your pistachio/almond cake - I hope you can find your recipe to post it!

 

[Redribbon]

I baked a Victoria sandwich and key liMe pie yesterday for dessert for my guests.

 

[connie]

Another 2 loaves of sourdough. I'm trying a slightly different approach to proving them this time. I have my fingers crossed but so far it looks cook.
I had to try something else to normal because the dehydrator that I usually use as a make shift airing cupboard with a thermostat (95F) is in use making a batch of cashew nut cheese so I've had to be 'creative' today.

 

[barkingsquirrel]

I love anything with pistachio in it, so I'll definitely be trying the Pistachio Cardamom Pound Cake, and would also love to have the recipe for the Pistachio Almond Pound Cake.

Hmmm....cashew nut cheese sounds really intriguing! Nothing too special going on over here today - I'm making banana muffins. No one else in the house likes them because I put stuff like chia seeds and flax in them. That's ok ...more for me! I wrap them up individually and put them in one big ziplock bag and pop them into the freezer. I take them out one day at a time for my midmorning healthy snack

 

[Zyni]

Thank you @PattyCakes for the information. Interesting and good to know. I'll have to see what I can find. I'm kind of limited out here in the country. I may have to shop online.

Oh, I still have banana muffins in the freezer too. Thanks for reminding me, @barkingsquirrel.