Roasted Pumpkin seeds

Happy Halloween!

The next time you find yourself carving a pumpkin, make sure to save the seeds for roasting.

Simply throw the seeds on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, and dust with salt or other seasonings. Bake at 300ºF/150ºC for 30 to 45 minutes (until seeds are golden brown) and enjoy

Gluten Free (but with dairy) Scone Trial (3)

Introduction:
Continuing the gluten free scone trials (these scones were made with dairy at the request of my friend whose birthday we were celebrating)

Other than using the dairy products, the recipe and procedure are the same as trial 2. The scones of trial 2 were not very sweet and not very raspberry-y. For this trial the sugar was increased to 1/2 C and the frozen raspberries to 1 & 1/4 C.

(red ingredients were modified in this trial)

Ingredients:

2 C gluten-free flour

1/2 C wht sugar

1 & 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C butter cubed (chilled)

1 & 1/4 C frozen raspberries (error on the side of too much)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 C buttermilk

Results and Observations:

The scones of this trial had the desired sweetness and raspberry flavor. No glaze was needed.

Scone texture was good, and using gluten-free flour did not to affect this. The slight chewiness of the scones is consistent with previous fruit scone trials (regardless of the presence of gluten).

I would say we have a successful gluten-free scone recipe. Next goal will be to make it both gluten and dairy free.

Gluten/Dairy Free Trial 2: Raspberry scones

Introduction:

Today I continued the experiment with gluten and dairy free baking. Three frieds who have a combination of gluten and dairy alleries are the inspiration for this experiment. The normal challenge when baking gluten-free is finding replacement for the gluten molecules, but this is not an issue given the characteristic texture of scones. One of the purposes for adding buttermilk (non-dairy in this case) is to breakdown some of the gluten strands which form in the dough. The difficulty with this recipe is finding adequate replacement for the buttermilk and its role as a chemical leavening (the adic in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to form gas bubbles within the dough). For these scones I adapted my chocolate chip scone recipe

Procedure:

(red ingredients need modifying, see Results and Observations)

Ingredients:

2 C gluten-free flour

1/4 C wht sugar

1 & 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C margarine cubed (chilled)

3/4 C frozen raspberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 C non-dairy buttermilk

Glaze:

approx 1/4 C frozen raspberries

1/2 to 1 C powdered sugar, enough to form a thin paste when mixed with the raspberries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400^oF (200^oC), set oven rack to middle, line baking sheet with parchment paper
• Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (see fig 1.)
• Set raspberries in a bowl to defrost (fig 2.)
• Cut in margarine(using pastry knife)
• Mix 2 tablespoons lemon juice with enough coconut milk to create 2/3 C non-dairy buttermilk. Allow to sit at least 5 minutes (see fig 3.)
• Drain excess liquid from raspberries and stir in
• In separate bowl whisk buttermilk and vanilla, add to dry ingredients
• Stir just until dough comes together (don't overmix)
• On floured surface knead dough 4-5x
• Pat dough 1.5" thick and cut into 8 wedges.  Place on baking sheet (see fig 4.)
• Brush tops with coconut milk
• Bake 15-20 mins (until golden brown)
• Cool and enjoy!
• For glaze, allow scones to cool and then pipe glaze onto scones (see fig 5.)

Figure 1. Dry ingredients. Note the unique texture because of gluten-free flour

Figure 2. Allow frozen raspberries to defrost to remove excess liquid

Figure 3. Non-dairy buttermilk sitting for five minutes

Figure 4. Scones ready to bake

Results and Observations:

The scones were not bad, but not perfected. The texture was chewy, and perhaps this is from the use of margarine or a lack of adequate leavening. The non-dairy buttermilk may not have been strong enough to react properly or the bubbles may have been lost due to overmixing (human error).

The scones also lacked sufficent sweetness and raspberry flavor. Looking back on my notes from previous fruit scone trials I see a lack of sweetness has been a problem before. The 1/4 C sugar works in tandem with the sweetness of the chocolate chips in the original recipe, but needs supplementing for fruit scones. Also, the quantity of fruit used was too little. 3/4 C chocolate chips may suffice, but I should have increased the amount of raspberries to at least 1 cup.

I employed the raspberry glaze to make up for the lack of sweetness and raspberry flavor. The good news is my friends were more pleased with the results than I.

Changes to try next time:
use 1/2 C sugar
use 1+ C fruit (still allow to defrost and drain)

Figure 5. Glazed scones

Baked Camembert Trial 1.

Baked Camembert Trial 1.

Today's experiment was inspired by the availability of excellent French cheeses and the concept of baked brie. My french friends may shake their heads at the idea of baked camembert; it is hard to know what is considered acceptable creativity and what is food blasphemy.

Ingredients:

• 1 camembert round
• Pre-made puff pastry dough (attempting to make my own puff pastry dough is too advanced/labor intensive for me. Bakers in France begin studying and apprenticing to learn to make delicacies likes croissants and pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants) in high school. I leave such baking artistry to the professionals.
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup jam

Procedure: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg F or 220 deg C
2. Unroll pastry dough and place camembert in the middle.
3. Place jam on top of the camembert
4. Fold dough over the camembert. (see Figure 1.)
5. Bake in oven for approximately 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown (see Figure 2.)
6. Cool and enjoy

Figure 1.

Figure 2. Glory

Observations:

I allowed the camembert to age a bit too long in the refrigerator so the taste was more pungent than a younger camembert would be. Brie is mostly sold in wedges instead of small rounds like camembert, which is why I chose to begin with camembert, but I think my next trial will be with a fresh wedge of brie.

Gluten/Dairy free baking. Trial 1

Introduction:

Today begins another series of baking experiments: Gluten free baking

Three of my coworkers have gluten allergies and have sparked this new endeavor. The challenge with baking gluten-free is finding other methods to replace the elastic nature and texture which gluten brings to a recipe.

For my first recipe to explore this gluten-free variable I chose a quick and easy bread sticks recipe (because who doesn't love bread sticks?) Trial 1. was the control group: gluten-free flour, but no additional attempts to supplement the missing gluten molecules.

Proceedure:

Ingredients:

1.25 cups gluten-free flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

0.5 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup margarine (softened)

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons margarine, melted

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 
• Add softened margarine and water and stir to form a soft dough
• Roll out until approximately 0.5 inch thick see Fig 1.
• Cut into breadsticks. 
• Add melted margarine to 9" x 13" pan. Place breadsticks in the margarine. see Fig 2.
• Bake at 450 degrees F for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. see Fig 3.

Figure 1. rolling out glutenless dough

Figure 2. bread sticks ready for baking

Figure 3. Finished product

Results and Observations:

The dough was very stiff, brittle, and crumbly like shortbread, but otherwise was buttery and delicious as normal. My three non-gluten coworkers enjoyed the bread sticks, so the end product was a success and trial 1 should serve well as a control group for future trials. I will keep you posted on my progress.

From fresh pumpkin to purée Trial 2: Baked

Introduction:

It is once again Autumn and this means pumpkin flavored foods of all kinds (especially baked). The challenge living in France is that canned pumpkin does not exist, but fresh pumpkins like the one in Figure 1. are sold everywhere. 

My current experiment is determining how to turn fresh pumpkin into a viable pumpkin puree for soups and baked goods. There are a variety of methods proposed: boiling, baking, and microwaving. Trial 2. is baking.

see Trial 1. here

Figure 1.1 The pumpkin test subject

Figure 1.2 Pumpkin with baguette for scale

Procedure:

• Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out guts. See Fig 2. (Save seeds for roasting. See Fig 4.)
• Place on baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil (see Figure 3.)
• Bake at 375^oF (approx 190^oC) for about 1.5 hours or until soft)
• Allow to cool
• Scoop out flesh and mash/blend until smooth

Figure 2. cut and gutted

Figure 3.

Figure 4. seeds for roasting (future post to come)

Results and Observations:
The end result from the baking produced a purée better suited for baked goods than the waterier purée  from boiling the pumpkin. Baking took longer than expected, around two hours, and I cut the pumpkin halves into quarters to facilitate faster baking (see Fig 5.) Once scooped out and blended, the pumpkin purée turned out well (see Fig 6. for how much purée was produced from one pumpkin).

I have already used the purée for pumpkin snickerdoodles (recipe to come). Any excess pumpkin will be frozen for later baking adventures.

Figure 5. Halved halves

Figure 6. The finished product ready to be used or frozen for later

Baking Fresh Sweet Potatoes

Introduction:

Because such Fall favorites as sweet potatoes and pumpkin are essential for much of my upcoming baking, and because they are not available in canned form here in France, I have decided to learn how to bake my own in order to have them as an ingredient in my near baking endeavors.

This post is how to turn raw sweet potatoes into sweet potato purée fit for use in casseroles and other Fall recipes

Figure 1. Raw sweet potatoes

Procedure:

• Wash sweet potatoes and place in clean oven sheet
• Do not poke or pierce with a fork. When I described the idea of poking a potato before baking it to some French friends they said they had never heard of such an idea. It's not terrible if you have already poked the potatoes, it's just not French
• Place in an oven preheated to 400^oF (approx 204^oC or 200^oC if your oven is as non-precise as mine) for 45 minutes
• Verify the tenderness of the sweet potatoes by now piercing with a fork. (see Fig 2.)
• Skin sweet potatoes and mash with a potato masher (see Fig 3.)

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Results and Observations:
The sweet potatoes turned out great. Baking was easy, and the skins peeled off effortlessly once the sweet potatoes were done. The potato masher left the purée more fibrous than one may want for baked goods, but a blender would resolve this issue.

I say this experiment was a success!