European-Style Crusty Rolls...

European-Style Crusty Rolls...  I've been looking for a crusty bread roll recipe for the longest time. I simply love crusty rolls that have a tender crumb inside. And I'm not talking about your typical soft dinner rolls... nor am I talking about the rolls that have a chewy crust where you need to tug at them.  These rolls are special.

The rolls have a crust that is crispy and crunchy rather than chewy... and they have a wonderful soft tender crumb. They remind me of a cross between a good french bread and a baguette. Oh, and the flavor is unbelievable! I've been on the lookout for this type of bread roll for years...  and I mean years! And you can see I'm quite excited:). I just had to share it with you...

Interestingly, I had given up on ever baking this type of bread roll at home... simply because I never really found a recipe that looked good enough to try. I wanted a crispy roll... wasn't looking for a chewy crust or super hard crust. I wanted rolls that were like those you tend to find in bread bakeries all over  Paris or other European bakeries. I realize I'm not good at describing this roll... but it's the best I can do.

And so, this past week,  while looking at a favorite blog, I noticed a recipe for the type of roll I had been searching all these years. The title sure sounded promising... Hard European-style Crusty Rolls. Why, that's exactly what I wanted to make. The pictures looked just as promising... it had to be good. And I was willing to set aside a day to make them. On top of it all... it came from a reputable bread source... none other than King Arthur Flour.  

And the result? The rolls were amazing... exactly what I had been looking for all these years! Oh, and they are simply delicious. They have such a great flavor from the starter... slightly mimics the tang in a sourdough bread. Not tangy, mind you, as a sourdough... but different enough, that lets you know it's not your typical quick risen bread.

I have gladly stopped my search for crusty rolls. So grateful to KAF... for sharing such a beauty of a recipe. Here's another recipe that needs to be shared with you all. Definitely a favorite! And it needs it's place in my recipe index. Hope you enjoy...   

Note: This recipe needs quite a few hours of "idle" time. It's best to bake this bread on a day when you have things to do around the house. While you don't need to do a  lot of hands on per se... the bread dough does need plenty of time to rest, rise, cool and bake.... something like 6 hours(that's not including the overnight starter).  I ended up shortening the cool rise in the fridge by an hour and still got outstanding results.

Tip: Rolls can be frozen after baking... and the rolls re-crisp to amazing crunch in the toaster oven.

You will need: adapted from King Arthur Flour and their  helpful step-by-step pictorial

Makes 12 small rolls

Overnight Starter (room temperature):

1/2 cup cool water

1 cup(4 1/4 oz) all purpose flour (I used King Arthur Flour)*

1/8 tsp instant yeast

Main Dough:

3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 oz) all purpose flour (I used King Arthur Flour)*

1 cup lukewarm water

1 1/2 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp instant yeast

all of the starter from above

* make sure you fluff up the flour and then scoop if not using scale, as that is what I ended up doing. I put the scale amounts for those who need it.

Egg Wash:

1/3 cup water 

1 egg white

Directions:

The Night Before Make Starter: 

1. In a bowl, mix the starter ingredients together until smooth. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight.

Second Day Morning:

1. In bowl of a standing mixer bowl, combine the dough ingredients and starter from the night before.

2. With dough hook, knead  for 7-8 minutes... until dough is somewhat smooth and soft.... and just tacky to the touch. You may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water at the beginning of kneading if you find the dough is too stiff... or a couple of tablespoons of flour at the end of kneading if the dough is too soft. 

3. Shape dough in a ball and place dough in oiled bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour in a warm place. After 1 hour... gently deflate dough (it won't have risen much), cover again and allow to rise for another 1 hour. Gently deflate and gather dough from ends and bring it to the center, cover and allow to rise one more hour another. Total rising time is 3 hours.

4. Place dough on an oiled counter and divide dough into 12 pieces. Shape dough pieces into balls. I just like to grab a lime size piece of dough from the bowl and shape into a ball eliminating the oiled counter.  

5. Place the rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover them with an oiled piece of plastic wrap.

6. Let  rolls rise for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place ( left mine for 1.5 hours) until they're puffy... almost but not quite doubled. 

7. After the 1-2 hour rise time, place rolls in the refrigerator for another 2 to 3 hours. I ran out of time and left mine in the fridge for only 1.5 hours.

1/2 hour before baking: Preheat the oven to 425°F.

1. Whisk together the egg white and water until frothy. 

2. Remove  rolls from the refrigerator, and brush them with the egg wash... Don't worry, you will not use all of egg wash. 

3. With a VERY sharp knife, slash a 1/4-1/2 inch deep cut across the top of each roll. 

4. Immediately place the rolls in the preheated oven.... middle rack.

5. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're a deep golden brown. 

6. Remove rolls from the oven, and cool on a rack.  I left mine only for 20 minutes, and turned off oven and allowed the rolls to cool off in the oven with the door wide open.

Tip: For best crunch, open the oven door, and allow the rolls to cool in the turned-off, open-door oven.

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New York Style Bagels... Peter Reinhart.

Chewy New York Style Bagels... Peter Reinhart. I think it's time for another bread recipe:)... haven't posted one in such a long time. While I will always be partial to my best ever bagel recipe, I have for some time wanted to make a NY-style bagel. You know, the kind that's quite chewy and dense.... and that always benefits from a good schmear of cream cheese. While my best ever bagel recipe is probably considered a West Coast type of bagel(more bread-like and light)... this version I'm posting today is more of an East Coast version(dense and chewy).

When I visited New York last year, I made it a point to stop by a popular bagel shop and try their bagels. I had looked forward to my trip,  especially looked forward to the bagels. So when I walked in the shop, I remember eyeing the basketfuls of bagels and large bins of various cream cheese schmears.... so eager was I to try a bagel! I mean New York bagels are supposed to be the best. But after tasting the bagel, I'll be honest, I was sort of  disappointed. I mean, the bagel was ok,  it just wasn't great. For some reason, I felt they almost needed that moundful of schmear they're known to top the bagels with.... to me the bagels were kind of dry and dense. Maybe that's how they're supposed to be...

This past year I decide to try my hand at making a chewy NY-style bagel....a homemade version. I figured freshly made is always best.  I've enjoyed making Peter Reinhart's bread recipes in the past, so I knew his bagel recipe would probably not disappoint. I decided to go with his less complicated method(he has a few recipes)... as it makes just 6 bakery style bagels.  I did end up making a double batch... to test the difference between the food processor method and the mixer method. Both results were similar in texture and taste.... but I prefer using the food processor, it's much quicker.

Boy, if you ever want a bagel with a chewy crust, this is it! You almost need to tug at the bagel when biting into it, it's that chewy. These bagels are meant for a cream cheese spread... less so for making sandwiches(just because of the pull and tug), though it goes extremely well with a slice of cheese and deli meat. I still love my best ever bagel recipe for making sandwiches with... especially sunny side up egg sandwiches, as it's softer and not as chewy.  But if you are looking for a small batch chewy bagel recipe, this is worth making. The bagels come out looking fantastic, with a golden blistery crust... makes you look like a professional bread baker:). Hope you enjoy...              

You will need: adapted from LA Times

Bagel Dough: makes 6 bagels, but you can easily make a second batch, as I did.

3 1/2 cups (1 pound) unbleached bread flour 

2 teaspoons table salt

3/4 teaspoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon honey(or barley malt syrup)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

Water Bath:

3+ Quarts of water

1 tsp salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Egg Wash:

1 beaten egg

Toppings:

Poppy, sesame seeds

Directions:

1. USING A FOOD PROCESSOR: In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, the yeast, honey and the water. Process for 1 minute until the ingredients form a stiff, coarse ball of dough... you may add a tiny bit of water, if needed. Let the dough rest 5 minutes. Process dough for an additional 50 seconds- 1 minute.

USING A MIXER: In a mixer bowl, add the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, the yeast, honey and the water. Knead on medium speed until the ingredients form a stiff, coarse ball of dough, about 3 minutes....you may add a tiny bit of water, if needed. Let the dough rest 5 minutes. Knead on medium speed for an additional 3 minutes...

Note: If the dough seems too soft or too tacky, sprinkle over just a bit of flour as needed. I didn't need to add any additional flour.

2. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and  cover with plastic wrap. Place bowl in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to several hours. I left mine for 2 hours in the fridge.

Note: The bagels must be shaped before proofing overnight.

3. Line a baking sheet with lightly greased parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Divide it into 6 equal pieces. 

5. Form each piece into a loose, round ball. 

With a cupped hand, roll each piece of dough on a clean, dry work surface... do not use any flour on the surface.  You can wipe the surface with a drop or two of water if the dough slides around and won't ball up... the slight amount of moisture will give you the necessary "bite" for the dough to form a ball. 

6. Roll each dough ball into a "rope" 8 to 10 inches long. From bagels.

Moisten the work surface ever so slightly if needed. Slightly taper the rope at the ends so that they are thinner than the middle. Place one end of the dough between your thumb and forefinger. Wrap the rope around your hand until the ends overlap in your palm by about 2 inches. Squeeze the overlapping ends together. Press the joined ends into the work surface and roll them back and forth a few times until sealed.

7. Remove the dough from your hand and squeeze as necessary to even out the thickness of the dough. You should have a 2 inch hole in the center. 

8. Place the bagel on parchment paper lined pan. Repeat process until all bagels are done. Placed oiled plastic wrap over bagels and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove the bagels from the refrigerator 90-100 minutes before you plan to bake them. 

• Pre-heat oven to 500 degs F for 30 minutes

1. Ten or 15 minutes before baking(oven has pre-heated for at least 15 minutes), fill a large stockpot with 3 quarts of water, making sure the water is at least 4 inches deep. Cover pot with a lid, and slowly bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Simmer with the lid on.

Note: Test the bagels to see if they are ready for boiling by placing one in a bowl of cold water. If it sinks and doesn't float to the surface, then return it to the sheet and wait about 15 minutes and then test it again. When one bagel passes the float test, they are ready for the pot. I didn't bother with this, since I bake bagels all the time, and knew my bagels were puffed enough to float... you can tell they are lighter in the hand. But if you are new to bagels, it's best to do the float test. 

2. Gently lift each bagel and place it in the simmering water. Add 2 more bagels, or as many as will comfortably fit in the pot, but don't overcrowd. I do 3 at a time. 

3. Poach bagel for 1 minute, then flip each bagel over and poach for an extra 30 seconds. 

4. Remove each bagel using the slotted spoon, and place it on the lined baking sheet. Brush bagel with egg wash and sprinkle any toppings of choice. Repeat until all the bagels have been poached, egg washed and topped. 

5. Reduce the heat to 450 degrees F. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Rotate sheet and bake for an additional 8 minutes or until golden brown. 

Note: You may want to check the underside of the bagels half way through baking... if they are getting too dark, then place another sheet under the baking sheet and continue baking for the last 8 minutes. I didn't bother with this. 

6. Remove bagels from oven and transfer them to a rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

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Cinnamon Rolls and Orange-Macadamia Nut Sweet Rolls...using the tangzhong method.

Light and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls and Orange/Macadamia Nut Sweet Rolls... using the tangzhong method.  While I've made cinnamon rolls before, I have to say this set of sweet rolls has got to be one of my favorites. They're soft and fluffy, light and airy.... and oh-so-delicious! And the dough is a perfect canvas for a ton of filling variations. 

Ever since I made my first Japanese tangzhong bread, I knew then that I wanted to apply the tangzhong method to other breads. Cinnamon rolls have always been on my list of recipes to add  here on my site.... just because cinnamon rolls are always fun to make, and well, they're the perfect breakfast dessert for when you have guests... or even for those lazy Saturday mornings when you want something sweet to go with your cup of coffee.  

When I  took out my ingredients to bake,  I knew I wanted to make the classic cinnamon flavored rolls. Because I simply LOVE cinnamon, a cinnamon filling would definitely be made:). But at the same time, I also wanted to be a bit more adventurous, so I decided to try my hand at a not-so-classic filling, a combination I came up with on  the spur of the moment.  Because I had some orange peel in my freezer and some toasted macadamia nuts (that I had bought to make cookies:)), I decided to combine the two and make an orange-macadamia nut filling. That combination was a winner! It was hands down my husband's favorite of the two fillings. Though, in all fairness, the cinnamon rolls were just as delicious, except they turned out a tad bit too cinnamon-y:). For some reason, when I made the cinnamon filling, I thought the mixture could easily hold 1 and 1/2 tablespoons worth of cinnamon. I mean cinnamon rolls should have plenty of cinnamon, right? Umm, it was a bit much:)... well, I personally liked it, even though it almost tasted like the Red Hot candy. Almost. However, I've adjusted the amount in the recipe, so feel free to add cinnamon to taste. Needless to say, we still enjoyed the cinnamon variation. 

While I made 2 fillings to share here in this post, you can be quite creative with so many other fillings. You have the option of omitting the nuts and adding coconut instead, or substitute other nuts,  or add dried fruits. You can also use various spreads, preserves, and even play around with different icings or frostings.... it's nice to go seasonal at times by making a meyer lemon, cherry, maple, pumpkin, apple cider frosting/icing etc. I'd even make a crushed mint icing for Christmas maybe with a chocolate filling of sorts or a cranberry filling. These are just some ideas,  but the basic sweet bread dough is wonderful to work with and is light and fluffy without being to heavy.

I also tested an overnight batch, to see how they would do..... and even baked the overnight batch in the toaster oven, making individual servings. They came out wonderful. A great recipe all around.

These sweet rolls will now be my go-to recipe.... well, I may still try other recipes, just because I'm always looking for something new:). But the recipe is perfect if you want to make only 12( or so) sweet rolls... and if you like, you can double recipe to feed a crowd. Actually, I like to double the recipe so that I can make 2 flavors. I'll wrap them individually and freeze them. Then I can just pull one out... or two... and warm them up again. They'll be just as fresh, if not better. Better, because the flavors intensify... at least that's what I noticed with all my baked goods. Hope you enjoy...     

Note: You can see the original sweet bread dough that uses the tangzhong method for more information and pictures on how to make the basic milk bread dough.

Tip: If you like more of the pull-apart sweet rolls, then place the cut and filled rolls closer to each other in pan. If you like the sweet rolls to be as separate single servings, then place rolls with a bit of a distance between each other.     

You will need:

Tangzhong roux:    for two(2) sets of sweet rolls

1/3 cup bread flour

1 cup water (could be replaced by milk, or 50/50 water and milk)

Dough:   for one(1) set of sweet rolls... so double if making 2 sets of sweet rolls. I like to make the dough separately for each set of sweet rolls.

2½ cups bread flour

4 TBS sugar  

1/2 tsp table salt (original uses 1 tsp)

1 egg, at room temp. 

1/2 cup milk, warm 

1/2(scant) cup tangzhong (use half of the tangzhong you make from above)

2 tsp instant yeast

4 TBS butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)

flavorings/ extracts of choice can be added

Directions:

Make Tangzhong:

1. Mix flour in water well so you don't have any lumps. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring consistently with a wooden spoon, whisk or spatula to prevent burning and sticking while you cook it.

2. The mixture becomes thicker and thicker.... similar to a creme patisserie (thin pudding-like ). You will notice some “lines” appear in the mixture every time you stir and the roux should fall slowly off a whisk ... the temperature should be at 150 deg F.   Remove from heat.

3. Transfer the tangzhong into a clean bowl. Cover with a cling wrap. Let cool. The tangzhong can be used straight away once it cools down to room temperature.  If making only one loaf, the leftover tangzhong can be stored in fridge up to 3 days... as long as it doesn't turn grey. If so, you need to discard and cook another batch. Bring the chilled tangzhong to room temperature before adding to other ingredients.

Knead Sweet Dough:

1. Combine all dry ingredients, flour, salt, sugar and instant yeast in a your mixer bowl. Mix to combine... a few seconds. 

2. Add all the wet ingredients, milk, egg and tangzhong (remember to use only 1/2 of the tangzhong if making only 1 set of rolls)... and any flavorings of choice, if you desire. I added 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract for the orange rolls. For the cinnamon rolls, I added 1 tsp vanilla. 

3. Knead until you get a dough shape and gluten has developed(about 5 minutes), then add in the butter while mixer is still kneading.... continue kneading for an additional 10-12 minutes. 

4. Remove dough from bowl, and form the dough into a ball shape. Place in a greased bowl and cover.

5. Let proof till doubled in size, about 40 minutes or so... though the time will vary depending on the weather and warmth in the house. I like to place mine in a cozy oven.

6. Repeat steps for the second set of sweet rolls as the first set is rising.

7. While rolls are rising make fillings...

Make Fillings: 

Orange- Macadamia Nut

Tip: You can easily add some shredded coconut to the filling as well... to make a tropical version.

1/2 cup roasted macadamia nut pieces

4 TBS sugar

4 TBS softened butter

2 TBS grated orange rind

Cinnamon- Nut 

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

4 TBS softened butter

4 TBS sugar

2-3 tsps ground cinnamon, or to taste*

* I ended up using 1.5 TBS cinnamon  for mine... I decreased the amount here, since it was a tad too much, even for me, a cinnamon lover:). But if you like cinnamon, by all means increase the amount.

1. In the bowl of a food processor, place all of the ingredients for the orange-macadamia nut filling and process till a paste forms. Remove and set aside.

2. Do the same for the cinnamon-nut filling. Set aside. Alternately,if you only want to do one flavor then just double amounts for filling of choice.    

3. Butter/oil a  baking  pan and line with parchment paper.Lightly butter the parchment paper as well. Set aside. I used a 9 inch pie plate...though it was way too small, and I had to use a another smaller pan for the extra pieces that didn't fit. I would probably use a 13 x 9 pan or  even an 11 x 17 pan next time... if the rolls are too tight in the pan, the rolls can spill out as they rise in the oven. 

4.When dough has risen to double in size, plop it out unto a lightly oiled counter top. Shape dough in a rough rectangle then using a rolling pin or your hands, roll/stretch it to a 17x13 rectangle. Spread filling all over the surface, then roll jelly style. I rolled beginning with the 13 inch side.

5. Using a very sharp serrated knife, cut 1 1/2 inch circles and place in a  buttered/oiled parchment lined pan. You should get about 12 pieces or so.

6. Allow the rolls to proof for an additional  20-30 minutes or until puffed and almost doubled.

7. Preheat oven to 350 deg F

8. Bake rolls in a pre-heated (350 deg F) oven for 25-30 minutes... you may need to cover the rolls lightly with foil, if you feel the rolls are browning too fast. I found myself covering it the last 10 minutes for the orange macadamia-nut, though for the cinnamon roll didn't...

In the meantime make icing: Icing is good for 2 sets of sweet rolls. I used the icing for both the orange and cinnamon rolls. But if you like a cream cheese frosting on your cinnamon rolls, you can halve the icing and use this cream cheese frosting, though you may not need all of it... or simply use your own favorite icing.

4 TBS orange juice

1 tsp grated orange rind

a couple of drops almond extract

2 1/4-2 1/2 cups icing sugar

Whisk ingredients, adjusting icing sugar to make icing thickness to preference. Set aside.

9. Remove rolls from the oven when golden brown and allow to cool somewhat. Drizzle with icing.... I like to add half of the icing when rolls are warm and then drizzle the rest when rolls have cooled. This way the icing doesn't melt completely and you can see some drizzles.

Note: you can freeze rolls and reheat later to get it to be just as light and fluffy.

NOTE: I ended up having a few extra pieces of the cut and filled rolls that didn't fit in my pans, so I covered them in individual small pans and refrigerated them overnight. The following day, I brought the rolls to room temperature and allowed them to rise until about double in size... Baked them in the toaster oven for about 15-20 minutes?... or until nicely golden. In case you want to bake the rolls fresh, you can definitely make the rolls to step 5 above and bake the following morning.

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Gluten-Free Bread... made with seeds, nuts, oats and psyllium husks.

Gluten-Free Bread... made with seeds, nuts, oats and psyllium husks. I love breads that are seeded and full of texture. So when I was making the chia and flax seed crackers, I came across a bread recipe that sounded really good... and looked absolutely amazing. It was also gluten-free. I've actually posted a flourless bread in the past, but this version was a bit different as it had more oats and it didn't use any eggs. I set out to bake this version as a comparison...

I had plenty of seeds and nuts, and even had some leftover oats from a previous granola batch. So the only thing I was missing was the psyllium husks. I had never used the psyllium husks before, but was somewhat familiar with it. At least I had heard of it... seen many raw recipes that used it as a binder. Normally the psyllium husks can be found at any natural/whole food store...  usually shelved with the vitamins. So I went and bought some psyllium husks... and a couple of days later I tried the recipe and loved it.

The bread "dough" can be made a few hours before baking, or you can allow the dough to "soak" and rest overnight. I ended up leaving it overnight and baked it in the morning.  I chose to adjust the original recipe, by using nuts and seeds I had in the house... and adding an extra tablespoon of coconut oil. You can play around with the recipe a bit by adjusting the seeds and nuts to preference.

After baking the bread, it is important you let the bread cool down completely... it really needs it. Otherwise, it can have that gummy interior. Personally, I like to toast the bread slices... it just gives the bread better structure and texture, as well as a ton more flavor. Best of all, if you are looking to make an egg-free, gluten-free bread, it's a great recipe. However, you will need to use GF oats for a true gluten-free bread. Hope you enjoy...    

You will need: adapted from My New Roots

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup raw whole almonds

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats( can use GF oats)

4 TBS chia seeds

1/4 cup psyllium husks

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 TBS maple syrup

1 1/2 cups water

Directions:

• Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, making sure the parchment paper comes to at least the top of the pan. 

1. In a bowl add all the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

2. In a measuring cup add the water, melted coconut oil and maple syrup; whisk to combine.

3. Add the water mixture to the dry ingredients and mix very well. Allow the "batter" to soak and become thick.

4. Pour the thick batter  into the parchment lined loaf pan and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or overnight.  I left mine overnight. It is important to make sure the dough is ready for baking, by checking to see that when you lift the parchment paper along with the dough, the dough retains its shape...  even when you pull the parchment paper away from the sides.

• Preheat oven to 325°F

1. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 30 minutes..Remove bread from loaf pan( being careful to not break it as it can be fragile), then place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 40-45 minutes or so... use a long spatula to help you place the loaf on the cooking rack.

2. Let cool completely before slicing. It is important to let it cool completely or the bread will be gummy.

3. Store bread in a tightly sealed for a couple of days or so... or freeze( which is what I do). If you freeze it, slice it before so you can take out slices as needed. 

4. I personally love to toast the bread... better flavor all around. 

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Chia Seed Crackers...Gluten-free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free

Onion Flavored Chia Seed Crackers...Gluten-free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free. I love crackers.  And even though I haven't posted a new cracker recipe in quite a while, I've actually made a few new recipes... just haven't posted them. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with the recipes that come out of my kitchen:). But this particular cracker recipe I just had to share. The recipe came about one day when I realized I had a large bag of chia seeds in my fridge. I've been using the chia seeds in lots of dishes, but that day I decided to turn the chia seeds into healthy crackers... with minimal work.

I noticed most whole food stores sell these raw gluten-free crackers. They're crackers made mainly from flax seeds... with minimal ingredients. And they're sold in small snack packs that are quite expensive. I'll admit it's convenient to buy them ready made, and they're actually a better option when you want a quick snack to munch on. Yes, you do pay for convenience, but I'm always looking to see if I can eliminate the high price tag and make the product myself. So that's when I decided to make my own crackers at home... 

I had seen plenty of recipes for raw flax seed crackers online, and knew I could substitute chia seeds instead of the flax seeds. They both work to thicken liquids as they release this gel-like substance when soaked. So even though I couldn't  really make my crackers raw( no dehydrator)  I could still make them healthier than other crackers. The lowest heat I could go with my oven was exactly 170 degrees F, so that's the temperature I used. But if you have a dehydrator, it would probably be the way to go.

When making my cracker recipe, I chose to sort of use what I had on hand. Ingredient amounts were pretty much measured out to my liking. I had plenty of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, so I used more of those. But I am sure you can play around with amounts to suit your preference. And while I made the crackers nut-free, I am sure you could even add a variety of nuts. I also decided to flavor the crackers with onion, just because I love the onion flavor. But you can use whatever spices you like, and you can even make them spicy. It is important to note that the crackers do need a bit of salt, because if too little salt is used, then the crackers can be quite bland. I simply loved these crackers. Sturdy enough for any dip. Hope you enjoy...

Tip: Since you are using the oven for 2 hours of heating time, it's nice to double, or triple recipe. The crackers stay crisp for days.  

  

You will need:

1 cup chia seeds

1 cup water

2 TBS sesame seeds

2/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds

2/3 cup raw sunflower seeds

2 tsps onion powder

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 170 deg F...  for a raw version use a dehydrator.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper 

1. Mix chia seeds and water... it will thicken rather quickly.

2. Add rest of the ingredients and mix to combine thoroughly.

3. Using wet or oiled hands spread mixture unto parchment paper and spread thinly and evenly... as thin as you can get it... maybe 1/4 inch thickness. 

4. Place in preheated oven and bake for 60-70 minutes.... turn cracker "sheet" over and bake another hour or so... depending how thin you spread the cracker.  If you find it difficult to turn the cracker(in case it breaks), use another cookie sheet to help you turn it over... as you would use a plate to turn over a big pancake in a skillet:).  

5. Turn heat off and allow cracker to dry out in the oven.  I just left mine overnight in the oven.

6. Break cracker sheet in smaller pieces. Serve as a snack or with dip of choice...   

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NY-Style Pizza Crust( BEST EVER!)... and a quick pizza sauce.

New York Style Pizza Crust(BEST EVER!)... and a quick pizza sauce. Ever since my husband and I visited NYC earlier this year, my mind has been thinking about the possibilities of replicating our last meal there... a New York style pizza. Right on the last day of our vacation, my brother and sister-in-law chose Grimaldi's for the taste test. We had been wanting to try the New York Style pizza for such a long time... even before we went on our trip. So imagine our excitement when the pizza exceeded our expectation. Simply loved it. 

I had come across Cook's Illustrated New York Style thin crust pizza some time ago. At the time I remember thinking, "not another pizza crust to try". So I didn't attempt to make it then, mainly because I have several favorite recipes I use.  But when I came back from NYC, I thought I'd give the recipe a try. I figured, why not? 

Well it happened to be a wise decision, because this pizza crust proves that you can indeed make amazing pizza at home... using a regular oven! The crust is crisp, light and chewy. It's thin( that is, if  you stretch the dough thin enough), but most of all flavorful. The long refrigeration is key. And the darker "caramelized" crust, which comes from baking the pizza close to the heating element, gives the pizza that almost wood-fired taste.   

As a plus, I've included a super quick pizza sauce that also comes from Cook's Illustrated... but feel free to use any pizza sauce you like... you can even try a bbq sauce or white sauce version. Just try not to over-sauce the pizza... and use minimal toppings. Even though this pizza crust requires a long overnight rest, it's totally worth it. The nice part you can make the dough in advance and use it in 3 days....and  you actually don't need to bake them both on the same day. I baked one pizza on the frst day and another on the third day. So you have some flexibility. 

But this has got to be my absolute favorite pizza dough! And one my husband says outdoes any pizza chain:). Love how quickly the dough gets kneaded in the food processor. Makes it super simple. You'll just need a bit of patience for the dough to rest in the fridge. 

Was the pizza exactly like the one I had in NYC? Well, nothing tastes exactly... I think the NYC pizza used fresh mozzarella cheese and of course their own signature sauce. But in the end, this homemade version was pretty close! One of the best pizzas I've made thus far... and the reason for the big bold "BEST EVER":). Hope you enjoy...

Note: You can use semolina flour or bread flour when stretching the dough... I prefer the taste/texture of the semolina flour, but bread flour will also work.

When shaping the pizza, it is important NOT to use a rolling pin. Use your hand to stretch the dough.... this will give you the necessary "bubbles " and airiness in the dough.

Tip: Keep an eye on the pizza as it's baking... every oven is different, so you may need to turn the pizza several times to bake evenly.

You will  need: adapted from Cook's Illustrated via seriouseats

For the dough:

3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/3 cups ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for work surface

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1/2 tsp dried onion powder, optional(my addition)

Cheese: for 2 pizzas

1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)

8 ounces whole milk mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)

Additional: for work surface

semolina flour or bread flour as needed to spread out pizza dough 

Directions:

1. To a food processor fitted with metal blade, add the flour, sugar, and yeast. Process until combined... a few seconds. 

2. With machine running, add ice water slowly through feed tube. Process for about 10 seconds or so... or until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains.

3. Allow dough  to rest for 10 minutes.

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4. After the resting period, add the oil and salt to the dough.

5. Process dough for about 30-60 seconds... dough forms a satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of work bowl.

6. Lightly oil countertop. Remove dough from bowl and place on countertop...  knead briefly until smooth, about 1 minute. 

7. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a bowl that has been lightly oiled. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 18 hours( 24 hrs ideal)... and up to 3 days. 

One Hour Before Baking Pizza:

• adjust oven rack to top third... or second rack position. Cook's Illustrated says about 4-6 inches from broiler rack, but I find with my oven that distance can burn my crust, so I place it where the crust is more like 8-12 inches from the heating element.
• set pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees F. 

1. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. At this point, you can bake only one pizza and leave the second half in the fridge for the following day or two. I  baked one pizza after 18 hours fridge time and baked the second half  a couple of days later.

2. Shape each half into a smooth, tight ball. Place dough ball on lightly oiled baking sheet/plate...  if baking both the same day, space them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with oil coated plastic wrap.

3. Let stand for 1 hour... at this time the oven is preheating. In the meantime, get your toppings ready. Do the pizza sauce. 

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4. Flour the counter top well, and place dough on top. Sprinkle top of dough with more flour.

5. Using your fingertips, gently flatten the dough into 8-inch disk...  leave about 1 inch of outer edge to  be slightly thicker than center. 

6. Using hands, gently stretch the disk into 12-inch round... you will need to turn disk as you stretch, working evenly.

7. Transfer the dough to well-floured peel( you can use semolina or bread flour... I like semolina) and stretch the dough another inch to make a 13-inch round pizza crust. 

Note: The first time I made the dough I floured  the countertop and floured the peel. The second time I used  a floured parchment paper (14-16 inch)  to stretch dough... and baked the pizza on the parchment paper. Just allows for easier maneuvering of pizza unto the hot stone. The parchment paper does get rather dark, so try not to leave too much of an overhang... you don't want it to catch on fire.

8. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving  about 1/4-inch border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over sauce(I found you could skip this, if you don't have),  then add about 1 cup shredded mozzarella.

9. Slide the pizza carefully onto stone. Bake  for 5 minutes. rotate, then bake until until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown... this can be another 5-7 more minute... a total of 10-12 minutes baking time. 

You will need to watch the pizza carefully as all ovens heat differently.... mine took about 9 minutes total baking time... and you can see how dark it got. So keep a close eye...

10. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 

11. Repeat with second half of pizza, if baking both on the same day.

Quick Pizza Sauce:

You will need:

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and liquid discarded(keep for another use... or make some BBQ sauce with it)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

pinch of sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients(except the reserved tomato juice) in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. 

2. Transfer the sauce to a bowl/jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Use the reserved tomato sauce for another use... or freeze for later.

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