Applejack Stack Cake 10/10/17

10/10/17 Applejack Stack Cake

My daughter, Mary Margaret and I made a Applejack Stack Cake from the Garden and Gun Magazine Cookbook for Doris M. to serve for Bridge Club. We made a few changes due to ingredient availability. In particular, we replaced sorghum with molasses.

The history of this cake comes from the Appalachia area. When people of meager means married, most could not afford a whole wedding cake.  The attendees would bring a single layer and the layers would be stacked together to form a complete cake. This particular recipe uses the availability of NC apples in the area. The layers contain apple pie spices, the filling is apple butter, and the cake is topped with a bourbon glaze.

Stacking and Filling the Layers

 Drizzling the Glaze

Delicious!!

Artisan Breads Class Soft Rolls 10/9/17

10/9/17
I am taking Artisan Breads this Fall for my Baking and Pastry Degree and my class made Soft Rolls today. This dough recipe incorporated butter in the dough toward the end of the mixing step. The addition at this point helps the gluten to develop before the butter can shorten the strands. The rolls were shaped, risen, and egg washed for a beautiful result. Each student prepared a full recipe of about 16 or 17 4 oz rolls.

Next time: Too serve these as buns for a sandwich or burger, 4 oz would be a good size. I felt a 2.5 oz size would be preferable for a dinner roll.

It was fun to share these rolls with friends and family. The crew at Ginny Gordon's was my first stop leaving school with hot rolls. They were so excited, I received hugs all around.  My friends, the Puckett's, the Brakes, and the Phillips' were happy recipients of these lovely soft rolls.

Shaping and Panning Rolls

Chassitity and I Share A Pan

Helping Each Other

Jameson's Rolls

Into the Deck Oven

All In

 

Just About Done

Lovely Rolls

Packing Up to Go

Morning Buns 10/6/17

10/6/17
Making Morning Buns for Prayer Breakfast.  This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen BREAD ILLUSTRATED. Although similar to Cinnamon Buns, the dough for this morning treat is butter laden like a croissant. Rather than use a butter block to incorporated layers of butter into the dough, this recipe employs the "blitz" technique. Chunks of butter are left whole throughout the dough. This creates many layers of flaky bread. The buns are shaped like cinnamon buns and baked in a muffin tin. The troubleshooting information provided by the cookbook states the ingredients must be kept chilled. If not, the butter will melt and coat the flour holding the layers together. Don't you love food science!!

Here is the result. These were well received by my Prayer Breakfast group and my friend Anita. Anita receives the leftovers each week!!

My own troubleshooting:  The butter heavy dough did not rise easily and I will allow more rising time on the next attempt for a lighter dough.

Seafood Opening Luncheon 10/5/17

10/5/17
CCC Culinary School prepared and served the Seafood Festival Opening Luncheon. Several classes from the school contributed.

Jameson and Chassitity compose desserts

Chantel and Chris set up table

 Patrick and Bobby spread the bread

Up close plated desserts

Table with centerpiece

Chef Summers oversees the results

A variety of breads

Onion Cheese Bread

9/26/17
Onion Cheese Bread

In Artisan Bread Class today we prepared Onion Cheese Bread. We prepared dough and after bulk fermentation, we rolled the dough into a rectangle shape. Cheese and saute onions were spread out over the top and the dough was rolled into a loaf enclosing the cheese and onions. To saute the onions serves two purposes: soften the onions and sweat moisture out of the onions to prevent a wet final product.

Baking

Bake and on the speed cart











  Goodness spilling out!!

Oh my goodness. Beautiful filling oozing out!! 

Holler for Challah!

9/25/17
Our Artisan Bread Class Prepared Challah!
This is one of my favorite breads. It is soft with a lovely yellow color. The bread we prepared was braided with three strands.

The breads are proofing

 First breads out of the oven

Egg wash gives a lovely shine to Challah

More breads are ready

Interior check for quality

This won't last long

Patrick and Challah