Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts

Sunday, October 30, 2011

RECIPE: PUMPKIN CORN BREAD

I really love cornbread so these were a must-try. We all liked them, even Scott, who doesn't like corn bread. They were good with "butter" (aka Smart Balance), but just as good plain too. I served them with the Pumpkin Chile Vichysoisse.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Makes 12 muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, well beaten (or 1/2 cup Egg Beaters)
1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil (next time I make these, I'm going to try applesauce instead)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl, stir flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and make a well in the center. In a small bowl, stir together the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, and oil.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Stir just until blended; do not over mix. Divide batter among prepared muffin tin cups.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

One muffin has 119 calories, 4.7 grams of fat (only 0.3 of that saturated) and provides 2 grams of protein, 21% of your daily vitamin A, and 3.6% of your daily iron.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

RECIPE: PUMPKIN CINNAMON BREAD WITH RUM GLAZE

This is my first attempt at a yeast dough and I have Sunny Side Up in San Diego to thank for the great recipe and instructions. It was easy to follow and allowed me to succeed in baking (that doesn't happen much)! We all loved this, and Owen pronounced it "epic." Not much more I can say. Make this.

For the bread
2 tbsp unsalted butter (in the parlance of the American Heart Association, “acceptable stick margarine.” I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. I can, though)
1/2 cup skim milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 tbsp unsalted butter (or more margarine)

For the glaze
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (again, I used margarine)
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp skim milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp rum or 1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn. (If you are using margarine, as I did, it will not brown. Just melt it.) Remove from the heat and slowly add the milk. Return to stove and heat through.

Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool slightly (about 100-110 degrees F). Add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy).

Then add the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time. (I had to add a lot, but I think that’s a result of using margarine instead of butter.)

Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter (or melt if margarine). Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well. Set aside. Next, grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20x12 inch rectangle.

Evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares. Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. (I wish I had taken photos of this because it took a while to figure this out – a visual would have helped!)

Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat the oven 350 degrees. After rising in the pan, bake for 30-40 minutes or until top is a very deep golden brown.

To prepare the glaze, heat the butter/margarine, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and powdered sugar.

I figured out the fat content of this but did not want to know the calories. It is low-fat, but definitely not diet food! If you make it with margarine, it is only 0.5 grams of saturated fat per piece!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

RECIPE: PUMPKIN BREAD

Adapted from 100 Days of Real Food


Ooo this one is so good! It has a great, silky texture and is spicy and pumpkin-y and delicious. It is not sweet, so I served it with maple butter (to my brunch guests), though I loved it plain or, gulp, with my Smart Balance margarine (I really can't believe I'm saying that). Total fat per slice: 3.75 grams, 0.25 saturated.

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour)
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs or 1/2 cup Egg Beaters (I used Egg Beaters)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesause
1/2 cup honey
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add the eggs/Egg Beaters, oil, applesauce, honey, and vanilla. Stir together thoroughly with a fork, but do not overmix. Fold in the pumpkin puree. Generously coat a loaf pan with cooking spray and pour in the batter. Bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cut into 16 slices.