How I select what cook book to purchase.

Erna: When it comes to purchasing books for the kitchen shelf. How do you select what to buy? 

I'd buy a book that tells me more than just a list of ingredients, it's history or the scientific... ok maybe not scientific, but the mechanics of the cooking methods. The how's and why's.

I find this very important, for me at least. I'm a persistent cook in my own kitchen. If I didn't get it right the first time. I'd try to trouble shoot. I know sounds like I'm fixing a computer, but, really getting the right book to answer or the least lead me to my answers makes me a better cook the next time.

An example of how I select my books for the kitchen. A few months ago I was looking for a book that teaches you on how to actually mix the and prepare the dough. Then eventually baking it. A step by step guide. I've look into forums, YouTube, read articles by renown bakers. Still my results were  the same. Dense ugly wrong made bread! Till I found the book by Ken Forkish "Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast" .

When I read the introduction. I knew I just had to buy the book. It was the one. I was comfortable with the way it was done because the author himself, was a novice in bread making with the passion to bake good tasting bread. A corporate man who left his job to go learn to make bread and now a successful owner of his own bakery. A dream I wish to live in someday.

It was also the way he wrote the content of his book. Although the guide of methods in baking seems daunting as it is quite technical. However, clear information such as  written in the book is what I needed.  With it's step-by-step pictures to show you how it's done. Not forgetting his notes on time management. As I am a stickler for organisation and structure his book was perfect. 

Since then I've baked loaves and loaves of breads with his recipe and it all came out exactly how the book had intended. 

As you can see. I do take my books up to a personal level. This may sound bohemian and almost ridiculous, but I do find an emotional attachment to the cook books I read. Stories of real people, doing things they love and strive to achieve the best are the kinda of people I'd like to learn from. And that's what this book did for me.

So there. That's my formula on finding the right book for me. 

Easy No Knead Bread

Working from home doesn't necessarily mean you have more time. But I do get to manage my time better around the kitchen. Key ingredient to making good bread is patience. I for one have not enough most of the time. So, I often look for easier recipes to make. 

Since I first started baking, I think I've gone through at least 50 different recipes and ways of making bread. Some worked for me and some didn't. This recipe I've put together seems to work for me. I find that baking bread is the most difficult as I can never get it to come out perfect everytime. I have come to appoint that when I bake, I just want it to be soft on the inside and crisp on the out. Also, as long as the whole bread doesn't harden up after a day old, I would be very happy. 

So, here is a recipe I've come up with that I think will stand the test of time. I've combined a few ideas into this batch and lets see if it stays as fluffed and soft tomorrow. If you'd like to try and experiment, please do. Then let me know your outcome!

No Knead Bread

Time: 12 hours - approximately. I started at 9PM and continued to prep before baking when I woke up at 6AM.

STEP 1

Take 3 cups of bread flour

2 tbsp of bread softener

pinch of salt

3/4 cup of warm milk

2 tsp of sugar

11g of dry yeast

2 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil

Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and make a well in the middle. 
In a separate bowl put in 1/2 of the warm milk. To this you add the dry yeast and sugar. Let it froth for about 5 minutes. 

Now, to your dry ingredients, you add the frothy yeast mixture and oil. You can use a wooden spoon or your hands to bring the dough together. If too dry, gradually add more warm milk to the mixture and bring the dough together till everything is incorporated. If it is still to sticky, just dust flour as you go till it doesn't stick to your hand or spoon. 

Next, oil the bowl and put a clear wrap over it, let the bundle of joy rise over night.

STEP 2

In the morning the dough would have flatten out with little air bubbles on the surface. Just dust your hands and some over the dough and massage the dough for about a minute. Then let it rise for about an hour. You can leave it for 2 hours if you'd like. But I gauge by looking at the volume, as long as it has double in size you are goo to go.

Preheat the oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Half way through, line your baking pot or pan with grease paper or butter and powder with flour for easy lifting. Place the pan into the preheated oven just to heat up the pot or pan you are using. 

Place the risen dough into the vessel, cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Then take the top off, bump up your heat to  200C/400F/Gas Mark 6, let it bake till brown for about 8 - 10 minutes.

Done! let cool on wire rack. :-)

REMINDER

Always make sure you grease your paper or your pan, or else the bread will stick to the bottom and the sides of your baking utensil. Such a waste on good home baked bread. I should know, I did it once and cried over spilled milk. 

DONUT / DOUGHNUT

The sun was out and the wind blew strong today. All I can remember is that taste of sugar dusted doughnut from Kampung Baru that I had for breakfast on Monday. My first bite had transported me back to when I was 7 in my parents old Mercedes driving to school with my mom at 630am in the morning. What I love about these traditional styled doughnuts is that they taste just as good now as they did way back then.