Alton Brownies

About the post title: sorry, it was just too easy.

I have always heard that brownies from a box are actually much better than the from-scratch kind so I have never attempted to make them any other way.  Plus, I am not a total snob or anything- if something is better pre-made or from a box, I am cool with that.

However, yesterday, my husband Travis was lamenting that we didn't bring any of the brownies his mom had made the day before home with us after a visit.

I was kind of sad about this too because, uh...yum, brownies, but was feeling awfully lazy about getting in the car, driving the 2 miles to Kroger and buying some brownie mix.

So I got to googling my usual baking recipe sources and found I had nearly all the ingredients for a recipe from my old stand-by, Alton Brown. (Don't ask me how making brownies from scratch is easier than picking up a box at the store.)

Making them was a pretty straighforward, except you do have to sift A LOT. The recipe called for brown sugar, but all mine was rock hard beyond softening, so I subbed regular sugar with some molasses. I am not generally a fan of this solution, because the molasses taste is SO STRONG, but this turned out fine, with just a hint of molasses flavor. I also mixed regular Hershey's cocoa with Hershey's special dark cocoa- yum!

So are they better than the box? Well...it really depends on what you want! Generally the box kind are a bit more fudgy than these. But these are definitely delicious!

I won't reprint the recipe, but here's the link: Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies.

-Jenny

Sourdough starter

I have kept a sourdough starter alive and kicking for more than a year.  I am proud of myself!

I was sort of intimidated at the prospect of a starter in the beginning, but it's really not that hard to keep up if you remember to feed and care for it.

So what is a sourdough starter, exactly?

Basically, it's a mixture of yeast, flour and water used to rise bread. Sometimes it's used in the place of regular yeast, and sometimes in addition to it.

Why would someone use this instead of regular yeast, which is readily available?

Well,  the starter develops a special "sour" flavor over time that can't be replicated with regular old yeast! Plus, it's just kinda cool.

When you use a portion for bread, you add more flour and water to it ("feeding it"), so it will take on the old flavor. Apparently some bakers have starters that are hundreds of years old! Pretty cool.

I started mine in early December 2010, and the flavor and smell definitely have developed nicely.

Here's what it looks like now. (Sorry about the awful instagram picture- my husband took the camera to his woodshop!)

There are a few ways to "start" a stater.

One is to use bacteria and yeast that is just floating around in the air and mix up some flour and water. It totally seems like it wouldn't work, but apparently it does. I haven't tried this method. You can read all about that here.

The second way is to just use a packet of yeast from the store, which is what I did. I got the recipe from this book, Back to Basics:

When Travis and I started dating, we had so much fun looking through this book! I highly recommend if you're interested in handmaking stuff and other "traditional American skills."  

So here's the recipe:

3.5 cups flour

1 tbsp sugar

1 package active dry yeast

2 cups warm water (105-110F)

Combine dry ingredients and gradually add water, beating until smooth. Cover and let stand in a warm place for three days. It will be bubbly.

Store loosely covered in refrigerator and replenish at least once every two weeks (I have gone longer though and it's been fine).

When you remove an amount for a recipe, replenish with 1.5 cups flour and 1 cup warm water. Let stand in a warm place until mixture bubbles well, at least 8 hours.

Tons of sourdough bread  recipes are available on the web. My favorite is King Arthur Flour's Extra Tangy Sourdough bread.  It is a BIG commitment to make, but totally worth it. I'll be making it this weekend!

-Jenny

My favorite rosemary bread

I have tried to grow rosemary twice in pots.

They both died.

I am actually not a big plant killer- I've had some plants for 4 or 5 years (don't ask about my cactus...is it possible to kill something from too much love?). My rosemary hasn't ever taken off. Then it turns brown.

Anyway. I tried to grow rosemary because of this bread. It is super easy (honest!) and delicious. It doesn't have a long rise time, so the flavor comes from the rosemary.

I made it earlier this week for the first time in my kitchenaid mixer. I freakin' LOVE that thing. If you put on the dough hook, it kneads it for you! ahh...another perk of getting married- being gifted a new machine that will knead for you.

Rosemary Bread
modified only a tiny bit from vegweb

1 tablespoon yeast (try to use fresh yeast, not just some you've had for a year or two...I have learned this the hard way!)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour, divided
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl and allow mixture to become bubbly. Then add butter, salt, 2 cups flour, and 1 tablespoon rosemary.

Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth (around 6 minutes in a mixer). Add more flour if needed, but not a whole lot.

Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.  Punch down dough and divide in half. Let dough rest about 5 minutes.

Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves (boules). Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.  Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.


-Jenny