Sour Cream Waffles

Things I always make for breakfast without planning beforehand are either pancake or waffle because both are simple and I don't need too much time or many ingredients to get it done ( except a Belgian waffle that calls for yeast and time for rising !)..


I actually don't have a favorite recipe for waffle..what I normally do is to look for one on the internet whenever I decide to make it ! This time I just simply added the words 'sour cream' to my search and got more than one hundred thousand results..Anyway I chose this recipe from recipezaar for some reasons which I already forgot what it is ..lol..and I left out the apple part and made only plain waffle..


What I got from a maker is a crispy (outside) and soft (inside)texture in one waffle..a good thing about this waffle is that, unlike some other recipes, it's still soft inside even you eat it a few hours later !

Buttermilk Oatmeal Bread

Bread is one of my favorite baked goods and it would remain on top of my lists as far as I've still done baking continuously ! An interesting bread recipe always gets my adrenalin going and I just can't wait to give it a try..not even when I am ill !!





I've found the original recipe from here and I like an idea of using oat as a part of bread which I never made it before and that's why I decided to give it a try ! Anyway, I modified the recipe a bit just to make sure it fits my purpose..


Here is my version


1 1/4 tsp dry yeast
2 TBsp warm water
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp warm buttermilk
2 tbsp honey
2/3 cup rolled oats (not instant) plus extra for topping
1+1/2 cup bread flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBsp melted butter

Method :

1. Dissolve the yeast with the water in a small bowl and leave for 10 minutes until foamy. Mix the honey with the melted butter in another bowl. Stir together the flours, the oat and salt in a mixing bowl ,then add the yeast and the honey+butter mixtures along with the buttermilk into the flours mixture, mix with a dough hook to form a ball and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl , cover and let it rise for about 1-1.5 hours or until double in volume.

2. Turn the dough out onto a working surface and knead for a minute to deflate the dough. Shape the dough into a loaf and place in a 8 1/2 inch greased loaf pan, cover and let rise for ± 45 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Cut the bread lengthwise, brush with an eggwash and sprinkle some oats over the top before baking.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, turn out on a wire rack to cool before slicing and serve.

Raisin Sour Cream Rolls

I've started a new year with a nasty flu that I got from The UK as a souvenir (lucky me!) and it's been killing me badly especailly at night time when lying down in bed with my nose blocked..

Anyway, I at least managed to get something good ( out of the oven) to begin year 2009 that encourages my new year resolution which is to do more experiment in a baking/cooking !

Now speaking of these raisin sour cream rolls, there is nothing new in term of ingredients used in the recipe..what I've done is to try on a new combination between my favorite ingredients which I'm quite pleased with the outcome ..and hope I would do better for the next dough !!

Ingredients :

1/2 cup raisins ( soaked in a few tbsp of darm rum)
2 cups strong white flour
1/2 + 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 scant tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1+1/2 tsp active dried yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup orange juice
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
30 g butter, melted and cooled slightly
eggwash

Filling:
2 TBsp butter
1 TBsp honey
cinnamon to sprinkle

Topping:
milk + icing sugar + drops of vanill extract


1. Soak the raisins in the rum while you prepare the dough.

2. Stir the flours, cardamom and salt together in a big bowl and set aside. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a tsp sugar and leave for 10 minutes until creamy. Mix the melted butter, sour cream, egg, honey and orange juice in another bowl. Add the yeast mixture and the egg mixture into the flours bowl to form a dough using a dough hook and knead until smooth and elastic. Adjust with some extra water or flour to get it right. It shouldn't be too sticky. Now knead in the raisins with care until evenly distributed. Place the dough in a greased and covered bowl to rise for 1.5 hours or until doubled.

3. Make the filling by melting butter and honey in a small sauce pan.
Roll out the dough into a 12"x14" rectangle, brush with the melted butter/honey mixture and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon and roll the dough up tightly like a jellyroll.

4. Cut into 12 equally thick slices and place each on a greased muffin tin. Cover with greased plastic and let it rise for another hour rise. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Brush the rolls with the eggwash and bake the rolls for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Make the topping and spread over cooled rolls..Enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Cranberry Cookie Bars

I've got a 'Delicious' magazine as one of stocking-fillers on Christmas Day and I've found this recipe in it..For some reasons (which I couldn't figure out now what they are !) , I decided to make these cookies but I simply transformed into bars, my favorite way to eat this kind of things, using 7*11 baking tin..


I had to do some trick to make my husband eat these cookies bars without a complaint because he's not a big fan of peanut butter,plus he thinks it's rather savory thing than sweet. When he asked me what it is, I then said..'kind of energy and healthy bar..got oat and cranberry in it..just try..it's good for you ' and of course, left 'peanut butter' word unsaid..lol..and he ate it three days in a row without a question !!


Ingredients

100g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing (optional)
250g crunchy peanut butter
250g light soft brown sugar ( I used only 190 g)
1 large free-range egg
Few drops of vanilla extract
125g oats
90g dried cranberries
125g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
a pinch of salt ( the recipe doesn't call for it though)


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/ gas 3. Cut baking paper to fit 3 baking trays or rub a little butter over the trays. If you don’t have 3 trays, just cook 1 tray at a time. ( or lightly grease 7*11 baking tin and line with parchment paper )

2. Beat the softened butter and peanut butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon ( I used my kitchen machin with paddle attachment on medium-high speed did the job) . Add the sugar and beat again until well mixed.

3. Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk with a fork. Add the vanilla and egg to the peanut butter mixture and beat again on low speed. Add the oats and cranberries to the mixture, sift over the flour and bicarbonate of soda and mix well.

4. Put large spoonfuls of the mixture onto the trays, spacing slightly apart, and bake for 18-20 minutes until light golden. ( I pour the mixture into the prepared tin and lightly press them evenly over, bake for 30 minutes). Remove from the oven. Leave to firm up on their trays for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 3 days.

Grapefruit Cake

The first time I acknowledged and tasted a grapefruit is just few years ago when I saw my mother-in-law have it as a part of her breakfast everyday during our visit in The UK.!! I guess it must be good somehow otherwise my healthy and still good-looking in-law wouldn't be bothered to do so..lol


To me, it's a cross between an orange and a pomelo ( both taste and texture)..and it took almost half of my life to realize how nice this fruit is and once tried, I undoubtedly like it !! When I saw the recipe in 'Taste' magazine, I then decided to give it a try without a second thought..


And my verdict ?? ...with a few ingredients to prepare plus a simple method to follow, the outcome is soo darn good and really worth a try !!


Ingredients:

250g butter, softened
11/3 cups caster sugar
4 organic eggs ( I used normal xl size eggs)
Finely grated zest 2 grapefruit
½ cup grapefruit juice
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder

Grapefruit icing

2 cups icing sugar
Grapefruit juice (about 1 grapefruit)
Candied peel, to decorate

Note : I added a pinch of salt into the batter and also used some vanilla extract to make the icing


Method:

1. Grease a 20cm fluted ring tin with butter and dust with flour or line your usual 20cm round tin with baking paper.

2. Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating between each egg. Fold in grapefruit zest and juice, then fold in sifted flour and baking powder.

3. Pour batter into prepared tin and bake at 180°C for about 1 hour, or until a skewer or knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from tin and cool on a rack.

4. For the icing, mix enough grapefruit juice into the icing sugar to form a spreading consistency. Spread icing onto cooled cake and decorate with candied peel.