Today is a "Fiddler on the Roof" type of day. I have an awesome batch of Cinnamon Roll dough proofing in the kitchen. The recipe comes from THE BREAD BAKER'S APPRENTICE: MASTERING THE ART OF EXTRAORDINARY BREAD by Peter Reinhart. I imagine that the results will be wonderful! One item of note is that this dough has lemon extract, and it has perfumed my main floor. In the bowl of the mixer I have a double batch of poolish, a bread dough sponge that will be used to make something wonderful tomorrow. It begins with small bits of domesticated yeast and it attracts "wild" yeast as it ferments at room temperature.
As I read the head chapters, here are some things I have learned: 1) Salt is a key ingrediant in bread baking. It controlls the amount of gas exchange from the yeast. Too much and your yeast is dead. Too little and you end up with a gassy, runny mess. (I already knew this part) Some salts are more course than others. With kosher salts, the crystals are hollow and light. If you cook with kosher salt, you may need to adjust your recipe. It takes nearly double the amount to equal what you get with table salt. One teaspoon of table salt is .25 ounce. Kosher salt is 1 3/4 teaspoons to make a .25 ounce and sea salt requires 1 1/2 teaspoons. 2) Failed bread recipe? It may be the amount of flour. In cooksbooks what is considered 1 pound of flour can range from 3 1/2 cups to 4 1/2 cups, depending on the level of miosture in your air.
On a different note, I got some great fabrics. The colorful ones fit me to a "T." I love bright colors. I have been loving this fabric for a while and decided that I HAD to have some. The others will accent it. It may become an apron, or maybe a purse. I found a great purse tutorial over in the archives for creativelittledaisy.typepad.com (January or Febuary 2006). The other, cute fabric is out of my usual realm, but I thought I could do something great with it for Easter.
The snow continues to fall. I think we have another 14", so far. Ethan says he likes snow, he thinks it brings people together. The fact that he has made over $100 shoveling snow helps, too.
As I read the head chapters, here are some things I have learned: 1) Salt is a key ingrediant in bread baking. It controlls the amount of gas exchange from the yeast. Too much and your yeast is dead. Too little and you end up with a gassy, runny mess. (I already knew this part) Some salts are more course than others. With kosher salts, the crystals are hollow and light. If you cook with kosher salt, you may need to adjust your recipe. It takes nearly double the amount to equal what you get with table salt. One teaspoon of table salt is .25 ounce. Kosher salt is 1 3/4 teaspoons to make a .25 ounce and sea salt requires 1 1/2 teaspoons. 2) Failed bread recipe? It may be the amount of flour. In cooksbooks what is considered 1 pound of flour can range from 3 1/2 cups to 4 1/2 cups, depending on the level of miosture in your air.
On a different note, I got some great fabrics. The colorful ones fit me to a "T." I love bright colors. I have been loving this fabric for a while and decided that I HAD to have some. The others will accent it. It may become an apron, or maybe a purse. I found a great purse tutorial over in the archives for creativelittledaisy.typepad.com (January or Febuary 2006). The other, cute fabric is out of my usual realm, but I thought I could do something great with it for Easter.
The snow continues to fall. I think we have another 14", so far. Ethan says he likes snow, he thinks it brings people together. The fact that he has made over $100 shoveling snow helps, too.
2 comments:
What fun all the fabric is! I love that Ethan is earning money shoveling snow--it sounds so old-fashioned doesn't it? Can't wait to hear how the cinnamon rolls taste--I bet your house smells heavenly.
Delightful fabric!!!! Can't wait to see what you transform it into!!
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