An Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread

An Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread is this month challenge at We Knead To Bake #27.  The original recipe is from book 500 breads by Carol Beckerman.

It’s a simple American sweet bread. The uniqueness is its aroma. Yes, the orange and cinnamon combination is superb! Apart from its aroma, the bread dough is rolled with apricot preserve and baked to get the swirl effect. As usual, I go with all purpose & wheat flour combination. 

Ingredients:   1 cup of all purpose flour     ;     ¾ cup of whole wheat flour       ;       ½ tsp of sugar     ;   ¼ cup of brown sugar     ;     1/3 cup of warm water       ;      ¾ tsp of instant yeast      ;      1 tsp salt      ;       1 egg     ;       ½ orange juice & finely grated zest          ;         2 ½ tbsp. of apricot preserves        ;       1/2 tbsp of cinnamon    ;     oil for greasing

Procedure :  Dissolve ½  tsp sugar in the warm water and sprinkle the yeast and Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes till frothy.

In a bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt. Add the (liquid) yeast mixture, eggs, Orange juice and the orange zest and combine well to form firm dough.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it become smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and coat the dough with oil and cover the bowl with damp cloth and leave it for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down def°late and Knead again for a few minutes until the dough feels firm. Roll into to 3” x 12” rectangles.

Spread each rectangle with apricot preserves and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up each triangle like a jelly roll and place in the loaf tins and cover the loaf tin with damp cloth and leave it for about 30 minutes or until double in size.

Transfer the loaf tin into a 200°C pre-heated the oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaves make a hollow sound when tapped. Transfer the bread on the wire rack and allow it to cool.

I am sure Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread won’t disappoint you!

Cracked Wheat & Bran Bread

I was attracted by the Title of bread, while browsing karenskitchenstories.com (it’s one of my favorite too) and bookmarked it immediately.

Baking healthy, serving oven fresh bread to my family gives me a pleasure and satisfying feel.

The outcome of cracked wheat and bran bread is just amazing. I am happy to share here.

Cracked wheat produced from whole raw wheat kernels, which are crushed into smaller pieces. Initially, I was confused cracked wheat with Bulgur. Though, the bulgur also made from cracking wheat kernels. But, the wheat kernels are steamed and toasted before cracking. 

When the wheat processed for flour, the outer layer removed. (it is packed with nutrition) This outer layer is known as wheat bran.

Ingredients :  1 ¼ cups of boiling water       ;      ¼ cup +2 tbsp of cracked wheat   ;    1/4 cup of wheat bran       ;        1/4 cup of brown sugar       ;       1 tbsp of oil       ;   3/4 tsp of salt      ;        2 tsp of instant yeast       ;      1/2 cup of whole wheat flour    ;   2  1/3 cup of bread flour.

Procedure :     In the kitchen aid bowl, Add boiling water, cracked wheat, bran, oil, salt, and mix well and cover the bowl for about 15 minutes.

Add the whole wheat flour to the mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Add the yeast and 1 cup of the bread flour. Mix well.

Place the bowl into the kitchen aid and attach the dough hook. Run the mixer in med-speed and slowly add the rest of the flour till it combine well and forms slightly sticky dough.

Remove the bowl from mixer and knead further for about 15 minutes.

Apply oil on the dough and cover the bowl with damp cloth to rise for about 90 minutes or until double in size. Gently deflate the dough and roll into a loaf and place loaf pan and cover with damp cloth for about 60 minutes. 

Transfer the loaf pan into a pre-heated oven and bake at 180°C for about 40 min ot till it done well. (Tent the loaf with aluminum foil if it begins to brown too much)

Transfer the Bread loaf to the wire rack and allow it to cool.

BUTTERSCOTCH CAKE

Butterscotch is a very special cake. Because of its richness, Sponginess and Super Delicious taste. I would say it’s the Queen of Cakes. Fresh Cream delivers the richness; Oil is used for the cake base for extra softness and moist. Praline is responsible for the taste.

I am a fan of Butterscotch cake. But, I don’t make it very often because, I couldn’t resist. Since, this cake is very rich and has high caloric and sugar content so, I reserve this only on special occasions. Yes, I want to treat myself with BUTTERSCOTCH CAKE on my B’day.

Every Indian celebrates Aug 15 as an Independence Day. But, for me Aug 15 is a double delight, because, its my B’day and my nation’s Independence day!! So, definitely, BUTTERSCOTCH CAKE was my choice. 

Making of Butterscotch, can be split into three parts, 1) Making a basic Sponge Cake, which is a base. 2) Preparing the Fresh Cream, to cover the base 3) Making Praline to cove the Cream, to enhance the cake. 

In my version of Butterscotch, I am not going to use neither a Butter nor Scotch. 

Ingredients for  Sponge cake :  4 no’s of  Eggs  ;     1 ¼ cup of Granulated  sugar     ;  1 ½ cups of All Purpose Flour    ;    2 tsp of Baking powder    ;    1tsp Vanilla Essence    ; ¾ cup of Oil   ;   a Pinch of Salt.

Ingredients for  Whipped cream:  2 cups of  Fresh Cream  ;   3 tbsp of  powdered   light Brown sugar   ;   1/4 tsp  Corn flour.

Ingredients for Praline:  1 cup of Granulated sugar  ;  1 cup of Peanut & Almond mix

Procedure of Sponge cake: Mix the all dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder) of cake and keep aside.

With a whisk attachment of your mixer beat egg with sugar well till double in volume.  Add vanilla essence and oil to the mixture and again beat for 10 min in medium speed. Now add the flour mixture little into wet mixture. With the help of wooden spoon combine the mixtures by cut and fold method.  Similarly, add the remaining flour mixture slowly and combine well.

Pour the Mixture, in a well greased pan (I used 22 cm pan) and bake at 180°c for 30 - 40 min ot till done, in a pre-heated oven. Allow it to cool.

Procedure of Whipped cream:  In bowl beat the cream with whisk attachment in high speed till it become soft peak stage and add the brown (powdered) sugar, beat in low speed until become stiff peak. Now, add corn flour to stabilize the cream and beat at low speed for 2 min. keep the cream in fridge for 30 min.

Procedure of Praline: In thick bottom pan add sugar and Almond and Peanut in low flame. Once, the sugar changes to amber in color mix the nuts in order to coat the caramel well. Once sugar changes into light brown color, remove the pan from heat and pour it on grease pan and set for 15 min and cool. Put the praline in a zip lock bag and seal it.  Hammer it till become coarse powder. (You may use mixer too)

Assemble as a Butterscotch cake: Cut the cake into two halves. In one halve spread the cream lavishly and sprinkle the praline powder on top. Place another halve on top of it and spend the cream thoroughly all over the side and top. Sprinkle the praline powder all over the cake. Keep it in the fridge for about 45 min.

Serve it chill. I am sure, Butterscotch cake won’t disappoint your taste buds.

Wishing  Happy Independence Day  to all my fellow country men.

Dates Cake

You know, my first home made cake was Dates Cake!  A decade ago when I started experimenting, my first successful cake was Dates Cake. Hence, I am emotionally and sentimentally attached to it.

Dates are very unique fruit. Dates trees (Palm trees) belong to the oldest cultivation. Hence, has got a very long history.  Dates are the staple food in Middle East. Since, I live in ME, I had got an opportunity to visit Farms where, Dates are cultivated, harvested and processed. 

Here, the fresh dates (while harvest) are available in two different colours, one in yellow another is red (here, I used the yellow one) once, it fully ripped / dried / aged all look same. 

Dates provide a wide range of essential nutrients, minerals. Also, very high sugar content. 

Dates are harvest every year during summer. This cake made with Farm Fresh Dates.

 
The Ingredients  :  300 gms of Fresh Dates (semi ripped)    ;     2 nos of Egg    ;    ½ cup Oil   ;   1 cup  of  All purpose flour      ;        ¼ cup  Granulate Sugar    ;    ¼ cup  Light Brown Sugar     ;      ½ cup Walnuts      ;      ½ tsp  Vanilla Essence    ;     ¼ tsp   Baking Powder   ;    ½ tsp  Baking Soda  ;   A pinch of Salt.

Procedure :  Remove the seeds from dates and  chop them finely. Add 6 tbsp of water to the chopped dates and keep on low flame for 5 min. Remove from heat add baking soda and keep it aside for 20 min then mash it well and the walnuts.

Mix the A.P flour, salt and baking powder and keep aside.

Beat egg with sugar till double in volume, add oil and beat for 10 min at low speed. Gradually add flour and dates mixture to the egg and mix well till the mixture blend well. 

Grease the baking pan and pour the mixture. And bake at 180°C in a preheated Oven for about about 40 min.

I prefer the Dates cake with Evening Tea and My Husband with Black Coffee. What about You…..?

Note : If you don't get fresh dates, use the normal (aged / processed) dates.