Yeast, Bread, And Chemistry

Now today has been rather rough; i cut my finger at The Tech Center. I blame physics and my accident prone self. However, i didn't freak-out about it, even after i found out i had to go get stitches. Actually i was straight up annoyed because i didn't get to cook my Veggie Burger! LAME. The Only real painful part was when the doctor injected the numbing medicine into my finger. It was like a bee was stinging me, but the stinger was made of fire and death. I'm just glad it was the Center's knife and not mine. I have a Shun brand french [aka chef's] knife so basically if i were using that i would have probably cut much deeper, practically to the bone. So Glad that wasn't the case.

I'm feeling rather scientific at the moment; I decided to answer a very common question in the culinary world. Why the heck does yeast make bread rise?!
The answer is quite simple and scientific, and yes, something can be scientific and still be simple.

First off, many people are confused about what yeast really is. Yeast is a fungus. MMM now ain't that just so appetizing? The type of yeast most commonly used is a budding yeast named Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. I'll refer to it as SC for short.

Now SC lives a very simple life, its one and only objective is to intake sugars and starches for nutrients. As a result, SC releases Carbon Dioxide [aka CO2] as a byproduct.

So when a yeast bread dough left to rise SC is producing more and more CO2 which in return get trapped inside of the dough. The build up of the Carbon Dioxide is what makes the bread rise.

An important thing to remember is to always let yeast breads rise in a warm place because heat allows SC to pass gas faster. This is also why bread continues to rise throughout the baking process process because the heat of the oven sets SC into turbo mode.

Well that's my little science lesson for today! Hope you enjoyed my random knowledge!

Biscuits; An Art Form

I'm not sure if I've actually eaten dinner tonight, but i did wolf down three delicious honest to goodness southern buttermilk biscuits. I count it as my dinner, all i need to survive are biscuits with gravy, honey, or jam, that and Betsey Johnson clothes.

Now I believe that people have lost the concept of a good biscuit. The majority has had their taste buds zapped and brain washed by dough in a can.I'm pretty sure lots of people have never had a homemade biscuit, they have no idea what they are missing out on. Seriously man, getting the right biscuit out of your oven is like angels singing from the heavens, they're that good. Not to mention if it comes out of my grandma's oven, I cant even convey the feeling my body experiences when i devour one of her delicious pillows of biscuits. Yum. However my recipe is almost just as good as hers, i still haven't perfect my technique. Either way the out come is a flaky buttery biscuit that's just sweet and salty enough, soft and not to dense with the right sort of chewiness in the center. They're good for breakfast, second breakfast, tea, snack, lunch, dinner, supper, desert; anytime just pair them with the right add-ons.

For example, have them with sausage gravy for breakfast, jam for tea or a snack, whipped cream with fresh sliced strawberries for a desert. etc. etc.

Buttermilk Biscuits:
-3 c. AP flour
-1 tbs. baking powder
-1/2 tsp cream of tartar
-1 tsp salt
-1/4 c. granulated sugar
-3/4 c. butter, softened and cut into pats
-1/2 tbs. tupelo honey
-1 1/4 c. buttermilk [or 1 cup regular milk]

Preheat the hotbox to 450 F

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt, and sugar. Throw the butter into the flour mixture and using two knives, cut criss-cross through the mixture until the consistency of coarse meal forms [you can use your hands instead of the knife technique.] Stir in the honey then form a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour all of the milk in and use a fork to for the dough. Dump onto a flour surface and knead the dough 6 to 10 times. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until a 1/2" thick. Next take a floured 2" round cookie cutter and cut out your biscuits. Roll up the scraps and repeat until all the dough is used. Place the rounds on a greased baking sheet 1" apart from each other. sprinkle with some extra sugar and salt on top of each. Cook for 10-15 mins.

Dip in honey or spread on jam, take a deep breath to build the effect;bite; swallow;enjoy.

What's The Secret?

I just don't understand...I followed the recipe to the dot, but it just doesn't taste right. I am talking about my great grandma Lucy's recipe for "Perfect Bread Pudding." I have no idea what i did, but its just wrong. Maybe The recipe I've tasted is a changed version of the original. Is Lucy like me and doesn't really use measurements usually and just wrote that recipe down as a guessitimation. Maybe i have to use a certain brand of bread, maybe i need more brown sugar or less vanilla? UGH. I'm ripping at my newly dyed hair, dying to figure this out [no pun intended]! The texture is spot on, so the milk to bread ration was fine, but why does my attempt at this taste so different from my Grandma's!? The flavor is good but its just not how its supposed to taste... Maybe I'm just not ready to learn this great family recipe, I'll probably attempt it in the next few days with a better plan of attack.
Well, here's the recipe to my Great Grandma Lucy's "Perfect Bread Pudding":

Perfect Bread Pudding:
-1 1/4 c. milk
-2 slightly beaten eggs
-2 c. day old bread, 1" cubes
-1/2 c. brown sugar
-1 tsp. vanilla
-1 tsp. cinnamon
-1/2 c. dark or golden raisins

preheat hotbox to 350

Combine milk, eggs and bread. Add sugar vanilla and cinnamon. Stir. Fold in raisins. Spread into a greased 8x8x2 pan. Place that pan in a shallow pan with an inch of water. Slide into the oven and cook for 30 to 40 mins; until a fork comes out clean when stuck in the middle.

Have with ice cream [I like having it with Ben and Jerry's Americone Dream designed by Stephen Colbert], whipped cream, or a brown sugar glaze.

Sweet Jesus, I Love My Great Grandma Lucy.

Today, i was at my Grandmas taking care of my Great Grandma Lucy, playing wii bowling, eating ravioli making her, her Jack Daniel's and Pepsi. I went to the fridge, and to my delight i found BREAD PUDDING. This is no ordinary bread pudding, this is my great grandmas bread pudding and I've tried so hard to replicate it but I've always failed. Well that all changed today, after I got home I started to snoop through collections of recipes Lucy gave to my Mama.

An hour later, I found the recipe card, in Lucy's crazy chicken scratch hand writing, for her "Perfect Bread Pudding." My heart smiled, my face brimmed with excitement, and i scream out in joy, "FUCKIN' A! I GOT THE RECIPE! VICTORY SAUCE!" A little inappropriate but hey, this has been one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten, and I now have the opportunity to master it like Lucy, and my Grandma, Sweetiepie. Unfortunately i don't have some of the things i need for the recipe today so i just decided to make some fresh bread to allow to become "day old" to use for the recipe.

Crusty Honey White Bread:
-2 eggs
-1 egg yolk
-enough lukewarm water
-5 3/4 c. white bread flour
-2 tsp. sugar
-2 tsp. salt
-2 tsp. active dry yeast
-4 tbs. butter, diced
-2 tbs. honey, i prefer either amber, or wildflower honey for this recipe

In a liquid measuring cup, lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolk together, then add enough lukewarm water to have 2 1/4 c. Now in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add in the butter and combine with fingertips until it reaches the consistency of breadcrumbs. Next form a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture, stir until a dough forms. Toss onto a well floured surface, and knead for 10 mins. Place in a large, oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for an hour.

Having a warm place for the dough to rise is essential for good bread. It allows the yeast to produce CO2 faster and make the bread rise better; but that's another story for another post.
To create a good space, place a bowl of piping hot water at the bottom rack of your oven, then place your bowl of dough on the top rack. The heat of the water creates an ideal environment for proper rising action.

Now that the dough has risen, knead for a minute. Form the dough so it's just as long as the pan, but three times as wide. Fold the dough in three length wise, place in a greased bread pan, and let rise covered in a warm place for an extra 30 mins, or until the dough rises above the pan. like so:

Meanwhile preheat the hot box to 425

After the dough has risen for the second time, brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with a tsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt. Slip into the oven and bake for 30 mins, or until the bread sounds hollow when it is tapped.



Ta da!, in a day or two, this bread will be transformed into the "Perfect Bread Pudding." Goodnight !

"Everything Revolves Around Bread and Death"

Last night, I was rummaging through old magazines i had, and i stumbled upon the first Bon Appetit I bought when i was 10. I was tickled and there was much rejoicing because this is the magazine that has the soda bread recipe that i love. Sadly , I didn't have any chocolate or candied orange peels when i wanted to make it today. However,me being my stubborn self, I made the recipe my own and the result was most pleasing. I tore a chunk off the round with a smile and dipped it in my tupelo honey,which by the way happens to taste great with everything.

Soda Bread with Cranberries:
-3 c. all purpose flour
-1/2 c. brown sugar [you can use granulated but i prefer brown]
-2 tsp. baking powder
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. salt
-6 tbs. chilled butter cut into pats
-1/2 c. dried cranberries
-1 tsp. vanilla
-1 1/4 c. buttermilk
-1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl combine the first 5 ingredients. Using your fingers, mix in the butter until its at the texture of meal. Fold in the cranberries and vanilla. In a medium bowl whisk together the buttermilk and egg, then add to the dry ingredients, stirring until it just comes together. Toss onto a floured surface and knead the dough until it forms,about five folds. Form into a round approximately 6 inches around and 2 inches high. Slit 1inch deep cuts on the top of the round in a sun beam pattern with a sharp knife.
This is how it should look once formed:




Place on a rimed baking sheet that has either been greased, or has a piece of parchment greased with butter, and bake in the oven for an hour. Once done move off the hot pan onto a cooling rack or a plate, just wait a few minutes for it to cool, then dig in!



The original recipe used 6 0z. of semi sweet baking chocolate and 6 0z. candied orange peels instead of cranberries and vanilla. Also the Bon Appetit recipe used white granulated sugar apposed to brown sugar. Goodnight nobody,it was nice chatting with you.

[Jewish proverb for title]