I am no good with words so I can’t come up with amazing analogies as said by MFK above, instead, I only have one word to describe my feeling whilst baking bread, that it’s Awesome!

I love baking cakes, but baking bread just gives you a different feeling, the hard work of kneading, stretching and pulling (not to mention, waiting!)All for that moment when it comes to life as it rises in the oven and the whole house smells of freshly baked bread, ah…  This Bread I first posted here when I baked it by hand check the link here

This post has been in my draft from August, This recipe is requested by ones of my readers. This reader wanted to know if I could bake this bread in my Bread machine. Koolash, first of all I would like to apologise for posting this very late, I tried making this bread before I left to India, using whole meal flour but, forgot to measure the Ingredients.  After I came back from India, I noticed that I have lost one of my Bread machine blades, so I had to wait for two weeks till it arrived, so after overcoming all the setbacks I was ready to bake; not once, not twice but three times! I’ve had to bake this bread thrice believe it or not!

The first time I made it I added the ingredients, exact measurements and all, but I forgot all about it and left to do some shopping… when I came back bread was ready and good, but I wasn’t happy as I did not see the progress which I always like to watch through the little window. So I baked it again, this time on standby to watch it bake, which wasn’t the best idea since I got scared as I watched it rise in the bread machine, so thinking it might go over the top and worrying it might ruin my machine, I simply switched off the machine and took the bread out, it still had 10 minutes left in the timer so baked it in my Gas oven for the remaining 10 minutes. Surprisingly, it turned out very well; I even gave it to my friends. The bread was huge.

For the third and last time, I made my bread machine work extra hard. This time I altered the recipe a bit. The bread reached the top of the tin this time too but instead of taking it out I waited on it and all was well, the bread came out beautifully, so here I am finally posting this recipe for you! I took a quick photo of this and offered it to my friend, who a few days back had a little baby boy so, I took this bread too, along with some other goodies I had made, and they just loved it!

So, let’s get to the recipe and see how I made this bread using my bread machine.  I don’t have a hi-fi bread machine, and I usually just use it till the dough cycle, since usually I don’t have to worry about my bread rising.

Please note that I have made slight changes to the original recipe.

 INGREDIENTS:

• 575grm White Bread Flour
• 150grms Sugar*
• 75ml Oil
• 2 ½ tsp Yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 50grm Milk powder
• 125ml Milk
• 125ml + 3 tbsp Warm water

METHOD:

Follow the Instructions according to the Manual of your Bread machine; basically all bread machines have the same method.

• First add all the liquids as it is important for the yeast not to touch the liquids.
• Then mix all the dry Ingredients thoroughly except the yeast, add the mixed dry ingredients to the tin on top of the liquids.
• Add the yeast and set your Bread machine to “normal bread mode” or similar and switch it on.

My machine says it takes around 3 ½ hours for the whole process.

Once it is done, take the tin out of the machine. After about 5 minutes remove the bread and place onto a cooling rack (if it’s a bit stuck give it a little nudge it comes out clean)

NOTES:

Baking in a Bread machine is very easy, no kneading ( Kneading is what I love, methodically stretching & pulling just like an Aerobic dance with music), which of course you miss! However, an important thing you should definitely note is; Please do read your bread machine instruction manual.

The first time I used my bread machine I was a bit scared, now I know how it works. If you know how your bread machine works, after its dough process, that is, after its second kneading you can take the dough out by pressing the “switching off/on” button, for just a brief second as it allows such things. So that if you want, you can remove the blades and put the dough back into the tin, spread it out and allow it to continue its process.

Before the machine starts its baking process, it doesn’t mind if you open the lid every now & then, however, once it starts baking please do not open the lid as the bread might collapse (of course I haven’t tried, but that’s what the manual says!)

About this Bread:

• This is a sweet bread so it comes out really dark in colour, but if you do not want it too dark you can reduce sugar content.
• Please note that if you are baking by hand in your gas/electric oven cover it with a kitchen foil or it will look like it is burnt.
• Even though it has so much sugar in it, it doesn’t taste very sweet, I have added some Tutti-frutti and sometimes dried fruits in them as well
• Because of the sugar and milk powder the dough will be bit sticky than the usual bread doughs

Hope all the information I have given is sufficient to make this beautiful bread, if you need any more clarification please contact me I will try to solve it ASAP.  Bake and Enjoy with a hot Cuppa / Chai  / Milk Or just munch on it and also tell me how much you liked it.

One more Image of this lovely Bread

The post Sweet Bread/Special Bread/Milk Bread from Bangalore Iyengar's Bakery Using Bread Machine appeared first on My Veg Fare.

INDIAN BREAD STICKS/ OMAM STICKS

INGREDIENTS:
2 and 1/2 Cups of APS/Maida
1 tbsp of Fast Action yeast
100 gms Oil ( I used 1/4 cup oil)
25 gms of Cheese (I used Cheddar cheese) (optional)
2 tbsp of Sugar
1 tbsp of Salt
50 gms Milk powder
1 tsp Omam / Carom/Ajwain/Thymol seeds
1 and 1/2 tsp of Coriander powder (optional)
1 and 1/2 tsp Cumin powder (optional)
1 tsp of Pepper Powder (optional)
Water as required

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5/190 degrees
It's a very simple procedure, as you can see, In a bowl take 2 to 3 tbsp of luke warm water, Add the fast acting yeast and a tsp of sugar, mix it well and leave it in a warm place for few minutes, with 15 to 20 minutes you will notice it frothing up, that means your yeast is still active, bring it to the table top and start adding the other Ingredients, add the remaining sugar, salt, powdered thyme seeds/Omam seeds, and all the masala Ingredients if you are using and the oil mix well then add the flour and grated cheddar cheese and water as required to make it into a soft dough.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes so the yeast starts acting well, then keep it aside for just 10 to 15 minutes, no need for it raise.

Knead them into long sticks cut them as desired as I have shown and bake them in a preheated oven of Gas Mark 5, Bake these sticks for around 20 to 25 minutes, when it turns gold in colour, take it out and check it to see if they are done by Inserting a tooth pick, or you can see that when moved it easily comes out, put it back in the oven reduce the Gas Mark to 3 and allow it to bake for further 10 to 15 minutes they turn golden Brown in colour, Now when you check this out they would have become more crispier, and kind of break when you hold it, like a stick.
They are just nice to munch like that, kids would certainly love it.

and it is yeast spotted.
C u Soon with another recipe, take care....

The post Iyengar Bakery Indian Bread sticks/ Omam Sticks /Thymol seeds appeared first on My Veg Fare.

MASALA SPIRAL BREAD

Made two loaves

PREFERMENT DOUGH:
I have been making a sour dough starter and the dough which needs to be discarded and we have to use fresh flours to incorporate in it, I did not want to throw it so I took the dough (200 gms ), This dough has both APS and Rye Flour in it, to this I added 1/2 tsp of yeast  and an other 50gms  and a little extra of APS flour mixed  to make it into a dough and left it in the fridge to rise, This dough also I have used to bake this bread.
This Bread can be baked without the Preferment dough too.. Just using the Ingredients for the dough.

INGREDIENTS:
Ingredients for the dough Flour:
4 cups of Strong Bread Flour (or APS/Maida flour if bread flour not available)
250 gms of Preferment dough (optional)
1 and 1/2 tsp Yeast
3/4 th to 1 cup warm water
10gms  Sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp of Coriander powder
1 tsp of Cumin powder
1 tsp of Pepper powder
1/4 Oil ( I used sunflower oil)

Ingredients for the Masala:
1 Medium sized Onion
6 to 7 Sprigs of Dill leaves
6 to 7 Sprigs of Coriander leaves
4 Green chillies
1'' Ginger
3 Garlic Pods(optional)
1/2 tsp of salt

METHOD:

Take Instant yeast in a large bowl, add 2 to 3 tbsp of warm water (not hot), just warm water, and sugar as said above, mix well and leave it in a warm place to raise, once you see bubbles raising up, that means your Yeast is still active.

Now take this bowl, add all the dry masala Ingredients under Ingredients for the flour, combine them well together now add the flour, mix well again.
Now start adding water until it forms a soft nice dough.
As each flour differs, be careful when adding water, no need to panic if the water is excess add flour and make it into a dough, so it is better to add water carefully and make a lovely nice soft dough.
Once you have made the dough, start kneading, at least for 10 minutes, keep the dough near you, push the dough to stretch upwards by your end of the palm, keep pulling and stretching all the flour, I have got a photo of that I will search for it and post it next time. The more pull and stretch the flour, the gluten in the flour starts to expand, no need to do it too much, and spoil the texture, good exercise too :)).
you can check if you have kneaded well by a window pane method hold a bit of the dough using both your hands between your thumbs, forefingers and middle fingers and stretch if it stretch well and looks very transparent not breaking anywhere, that's it you have done well, there are loads of videos on Google explaining this method to you. check it out.
Oil the dough and put it in a bowl and cover it with a cling film or with a wet tea towel, and allow it to raise, here it is important that the raising period depends totally  to the place where you live. My raise usually takes quite a long time some 2 to 3 hours, I always leave it to raise with its own time, Allow it double in volume, Once it is doubled (that is when you press your finger into it, it should stay put like that for some time), take it out.
Meanwhile when it is raising, chop all the Ingredients under Masala heading and keep them ready until required.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7
Take the raised dough and punch it in the middle to let the air loose out, now knead it again, but this time not as you did for the first time, handle the dough carefully like a flower, fold from all the sides and do it two to three times, that's enough now spread the dough to a rectangle.
To the spread Rectangle  add the chopped and thoroughly mixed Masala and spread it on the rectangle, and start rolling from the longer side.
I cut them into two and made two loves as my tin is quite small.
when rolling tuck everything nice and proper so they don't come out, once it is completely rolled see to it that they are sealed properly.
oil the tin a little bit and put some flour on to the shake it and then slide this roll into the loaf tin with the tucked in side going below, oil the surface and cover it with a cling film again or with a tea towel in a warm place for the second rise.
After 1 to 1 and 1/2 hour, the dough is ready to go into the oven.
Little Tips I do before baking a bread :
I put a bowl of water under the rack of the oven and spray water all over the oven, carefully not on my Gas kind of incorporating steam technique inside the oven ( it kind of cools the oven) and when I slide the dough to bake, it slowly rises and the bread bakes very well.

So the first few minutes the bread bakes because of steaming and takes around 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes once the bread is completely done.

This bread had a lovely crust, and easy to slice like a normal sandwich bread, and of course it was very delicious,

Only thing was I forgot about the bread in the oven so it was little brown in the top on one side :)), remembered later on I was baking a bread and ran to check it out, It was already baked.

Thank God I removed on time.

Oh! yes look at it one more time, isn't it lovely!, absolutely delicious...

Sending this to Champa's Bake of event and BBD # 37, and Pari's only Breads event. and of course it is yeast spotted.
I am also sending this to Sara' Ginger and Garlic - Healing foods started by Siri - Cooking with siri As it turned golden browned on the top I can also send this to Food palette series-Brown event by Torview

The post Iyengar Bakery Masala Bun turned into Masala Spiral Bread appeared first on My Veg Fare.

The 2010 November Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Simona of Briciole.  She chose to challenge Daring Bakers' to make Pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi's Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating well.

PASTA FROLLA - CROSTATA
Pasta Frolla with Cake filling (In India it is called Dil Pasand)




Pasta frolla with Mixed Fruit filling (In India it is called Dil Kush)

The filling in Dil Kush is perfectly the recipe given by my family and it just turned out absolutely the same I used to buy and love eating it.., Of course I couldn't find Tutti frutti here so substituted with all kind of dried fruits and enjoyed it.
Hope you all try it out and enjoy this lovely Indian Pasta frolla.....

How to make Pasta frolla...

VERSION I 

1/2 cup, minus 1 tbsp (105ml,100gms,31/2oz) Superfine sugar or a scant 3/4th cup (180ml,90g,3oz) of powdered sugar.

1 and 3/4 th cup (420ml, 235gms, 8 1/4 oz) unbleached All purpose flour

A pinch of salt

1 Stick (8 tbsp/4oz/115gms) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Grated zest of half a lemon

1 Large egg and 1 Large egg yolk , lightly beaten in a small bowl
VERSION II
1/2 cup of Superfine sugar
1/2 cup All Purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup Almond flour (I used Rye flour)
1/4 cup whole grain Barley flour
A pinch of salt
6 tbsp Unsalted butter cold
1 Large egg
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract

METHOD:

version I

Whisk together sugar, flour and salt in a bowl, Rub or cut the butter into the flour until the mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs, I made this in a bowl as my work surface is too small.
Make a well in the centre add beaten eggs into it ( If you want you can reserve a tsp of egg mixture for glazing purposes later on and place in the refrigerator covered well ready to use).
Add Lemon zest to the flour/butter/egg with using a fork or spatula or something comfortable you like to use to incorporate the liquid to the solid ingredients, and then use your fingertips.
Knead lightly so the dough comes together into a ball.
Shape into a flat disk and wrap it into a plastic and place the dough in the refrigerator and chill at least an hour
version II  
The method is same as the above but a slight change is you need to first sieve all the flours together so they are well combined and continue with the above method.

Now to make the filling and Baking the dough....
I made one blind bake and the other one just like that
Heat the oven to 375 degree F/Gas Mark 5/180 degree,
Take the pasta out of the fridge unwrap it and cut 1/4 of the dough to make lattice top of the crostata refrigerate the dough while we work on the tart base.To help roll the crostata dough keep the dough on top of the plastic wrap that we used to wrap it, this way we can transfer the dough to our tin directly after we roll.
But, I directly rolled on my work top lightly dusting the top of the dough and work surface, keep some flour handy to dust the dough as we go along.
If the dough is very firm press the dough with the rolling pin from the middle to each end, when it softens start rolling into a circle.
If you have used plastic wrap or parchment paper as rolling surface flip dough over the pan, centering it and delicately press it all around the corner well covered, peel away the plastic wrap.
I used my palm after I rolled it, then the excess dough hanging over the edges my tin was quite big and the whole dough filled then prick the dough with a fork in several places as I have done here.
Then trim the excess dough hanging out as my tin was quite big I did not have much hanging out.
Take out the reserved pasta frolla refrigerated and cut them into strips you can design them into shapes or strips  as you love to decorate it make a lattice over the surface or decorate with the cut shapes.
You can brush the surface with reserved eggs.
Put the tart in the oven and bake for 25 minutes ( depending upon your oven), Bake it until Golden hue.

 

what is Blind Baking ?
Cut a piece of the parchment paper or aluminium foil large enough to cover the bottom of the crust extending over a bit at the edges of the tin.
You can use pie weight or dry beans to blind bake I used rice, place the crostata shell in the over and bake for 20 minutes
Remove weight and bake it an extra 5 more minutes until the border is golden if the crust may rise in the middle gently push it back with the back of a fork or spoon.
Allow the pastry shell to cool then spread the filling and bake it for further few minutes until the top turns golden in colour.

 

MY FILLINGS:
Pasta Frolla with cake filling:
I did not really get the recipe for this, but I came to know they use Jaggery and cake, ( use any cake you have in hand), what I did was, I took a pan and heated  a tbsp of milk I dissolved 1/4 cup of Jaggery, once it dissolved I filtered it then back to the pan to this I added crumbled 1 cup of cake ( I had eggless chocolate cake in hand) then added one powdered Bread crumbs, few powdered biscuits and some fresh coconut and fried it a bit some they all came together well like a nice ball, then flattened it out and filled it in the tart case, then placed the strips and in the gaps I filled it with some Home made mixed fruit jam and baked it in the oven until it cooked ( well, with lot of going around I baked it for a long time so is the colour! I kind of forget until my H reminded me I have something in the oven Oops!!).
Any way it tasted great with so many things in it! :))Pasta Frolla with Mixed Fruit filling:
This I got the recipe properly My cousin said they use Tutti- Frutti, as I had no Tutti fruites (I have come to know that Tutti frutties are nothing but dried Papaya) I kind of used 20 gms of dried Pineapple, Mango, Apricots, Raisins, and lots of dried Papaya finely chopped.

Then I mixed it with grated fresh coconut, poppy seed, 1 slice of powdered Bread crumbs and 3 tbsps of granulated sugar.Mix all this together and fill this into the tart case, In this filling I halved the dough made a complete round topping to go over the case and blind baked this.
Here are two more pics of my Pasta frolla......

DIL KUSH

Here is the other one.....

DIL PASAND

Hi Daring bakers sorry for posting this so late, but I loved this challenge and really enjoyed thank you so much, brought me lot of nostalgic memories.

The post Dil Pasand / Dil Kush Indian twist to Pasta Frolla - Crostata appeared first on My Veg Fare.

KHARA BUN/SPICY BUN/SPICY BAPS

The post Khara Bun/Spicy Bun/ Baps from Iyengar's Bakery appeared first on My Veg Fare.

MY NOTES (WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT ) AND MY VERDICT TOO:

Which I feel is very important as the way my cousins described to me was little bit different one of them said to take the amount of water he told and asked me to put salt, sugar, yeast and oil in it and then add the flour & milk powder to it and make it into a dough, the other didn't say anything about mixing as he was busy with the customers!!, so I had to write down anything he told me over the phone and did not disturb him during his business hours, well it was fun, So what I did was I quartered the recipe , but the flour wasn't enough when I  made the dough. Dough becomes so sticky I had tried with 500 gms of flour too.., So I started mixing more flour but did not increase any other ingredients and maintained them as it was, when the dough became stick I kept increasing the flour and stopped until it became less sticky and I could handle the dough easily when I was kneading if it became sticky when kneading I dipped my hand just in dough take it out and start kneading again, that way I was not adding any more flour but I got the job done!! bravo.., then came the raising section and that was the best part, even the weather didn't help may be people leaving in India might be lucky as it is quite warm up there, mine took 24 hours and I had to wait with  lot of patience and didn't do anything until it doubled in size, I left in the fridge overnight then took it out in the morning and left it in a warm place Once it raised I punched it, kneaded it again softly the dough will be a bit sticky handle with care and put it back in the loaf tin and left it again for it to raise again and then, I had lot of patience as I had thrown the baked dough thrice, that's it no more wasting so patience was my key..., job done Lo!! here is my lovely soft sweet bread, you all must give it a try, they were just so soft as the shop bought ones and I couldn't believe it myself.
So I like to thank Harini, & my cousins who gave me this recipe and I achieved it at last..,
Last but not least because of this bread I web searched and got this web address kaythnahalli where in |I watched this year's Rathothsavam of Lord Lakshmi Jhanardhana, in a video coverage.

The post Sweet Bread/Special Bread/Milk Bread from Bangalore Iyengar's Bakery appeared first on My Veg Fare.