Print it out before it is gone!!!

Remember you can print 2 copies per computer.  Don’t forget to add your zip code on the top of the page so this coupon will show up for you.

I also like to choose 2 other coupons so I don’t waste my paper. Usually it will print 3 coupons per page. 😉

I got this cool donut maker machine for Christmas from a friend of mine. My son and I had some fun today trying it out. It is super easy to use and the recipe that came with the donut machine was really yummy. This treat would be great for a kids birthday party, or just a get together. You can be creative with the toppings, let the kids help out and just have fun!

Sour Cream Donuts (from the baby cake donut maker machine)

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour

⅓ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup sour cream

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

In separate bowl whisk together remaining ingredients, except glaze or topping.  Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Using a mixer on medium speed, blend until smooth.

Fill each cooking reservoir with about 2 tablespoons of batter.

Bake about 4 to 5 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into donut comes out clean.

Glaze or coat with powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar, as desired.

For the toppings I used a mixture of:

cinammon and powder sugar

sugar glaze made with water and powder sugar

and the last one a mascarpone cheese frosting

I can’t wait to try the chocolate donuts. This is a great machine I would recommend it!!!

If you like the donut baby cake maker you may also enjoy these ones!  Some of them are on sale at amazon!!! Sweet 😀

Just in time for Valentines…Amazon has the Candy Cookbook eDownload available for FREE! This recipe book from the Gooseberry Patch Collection contains over 20 candy recipes. I am excited to try the recipe for gum drops and lollipops! How Fun..

**Keep in mind, this is a Kindle download but you do not need to own a Kindle to take advantage of this free offer. This eDownload will be compatible with any PC, Mac or other eReader, as well as the Kindle.
Thanks Freebies2deals for the heads up!

Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a.k.a. biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

Scones in North American are nearly always triangular in shape have a slightly crisp crust usually covered in sugar and have a soft interior crumb and sometimes are laced with dried fruit (these baked goods in Australia and England are called “rock cakes” since they are usually made to look like “rocky” cakes not wedges), meanwhile biscuits in North American are a round shaped buttery slightly flaky baked good usually eaten with meals (these items in Australia and England are called “scones” and are eaten with butter and jam usually with cups of tea or coffee as a sweet snack). So this challenge (using the North American name) is to make biscuits. Or using the Australian or English name this challenge is to make scones.

Basic Scones (a.k.a. Basic Biscuits)

 Servings: about eight 2-inch scones or five 3-inch scones Recipe can be doubled

Ingredients:

1 cup  plain (all-purpose) flour

2 teaspoons  fresh baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons frozen grated butter (or a combination of lard and butter)

approximately ½ cup  cold milk

optional 1 tablespoon milk, for glazing the tops of the scones

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to very hot 475°F

2. Triple sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. (If your room temperature is very hot refrigerate the sifted ingredients until cold.)

3. Rub the frozen grated butter (or combination of fats) into the dry ingredients until it resembles very coarse bread crumbs with some pea-sized pieces if you want flaky scones or until it resembles coarse beach sand if you want tender scones.

4. Add nearly all of the liquid at once into the rubbed-in flour/fat mixture and mix until it just forms a sticky dough (add the remaining liquid if needed). The wetter the dough the lighter the scones (biscuits) will be!

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, lightly flour the top of the dough. To achieve an even homogeneous crumb to your scones knead very gently about 4 or 5 times (do not press too firmly) the dough until it is smooth. To achieve a layered effect in your scones knead very gently once (do not press too firmly) then fold and turn the kneaded dough about 3 or 4 times until the dough has formed a smooth texture. (Use a floured plastic scraper to help you knead and/or fold and turn the dough if you wish.)

6. Pat or roll out the dough into a 6 inch by 4 inch rectangle by about ¾ inch thick (15¼ cm by 10 cm by 2 cm thick). Using a well-floured 2-inch (5 cm) scone cutter (biscuit cutter), stamp out without twisting six 2-inch (5 cm) rounds, gently reform the scraps into another ¾ inch (2 cm) layer and cut two more scones (these two scones will not raise as well as the others since the extra handling will slightly toughen the dough).  Or use a well-floured sharp knife to form squares or wedges as you desire. Great for little hands to help out 😉

7. Place the rounds just touching on a baking dish if you wish to have soft-sided scones or place the rounds spaced widely apart on the baking dish if you wish to have crisp-sided scones. Glaze the tops with milk if you want a golden colour on your scones or lightly flour if you want a more traditional look to your scones.

8. Bake in the preheated very hot oven for about 10 minutes  (check at 8 minutes since home ovens at these high temperatures are very unreliable) until the scones are well risen and are lightly coloured on the tops. The scones are ready when the sides are set.

9. Immediately place onto cooling rack to stop the cooking process, serve while still warm.

Variations on the Basic recipe

Buttermilk – follow the Basic recipe above but replace the milk with buttermilk, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, increase the fat to 4 tablespoons, in Step 3 aim of pea-sized pieces of fat coated in flour, in Step 5 fold and turn the dough, rounds are just touching in the baking dish, glaze with buttermilk.

Australian Scone Ring (Damper Ring) – follow the Basic recipe above but decrease the fat to 1 tablespoon, in Step 3 aim of fine beach sand sized pieces of fat coated in flour, in Step 5 knead the dough, in Step 7 form seven rounds into a ring shape with the eighth round as the centre, glaze with milk.

Cream – follow the Basic recipe above but replace the milk with cream, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, in Step 3 aim of beach sand sized pieces of fat coated in flour, in Step 5 knead the dough, rounds are just touching in the baking dish, glaze with cream.

Cheese and Chive – follow the Basic recipe above but add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, after Step 2 add ½ teaspoon sifted mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon sifted cayenne pepper (optional), ½ cup (60 gm/2 oz) grated cheese and 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives into the sifted ingredients, in Step 3 aim of beach sand sized pieces of fat coated in flour, in Step 5 knead the dough, rounds are widely spaced in the baking dish, sprinkle the rounds with cracked pepper.

Fresh Herb – follow the Basic recipe above but after Step 3 add 3 tablespoons finely chopped herbs (such as parsley, dill, chives etc).

Sweet Fruit – follow the Basic recipe above but after Step 3 add ¼ cup (45 gm) dried fruit (e.g. sultanas, raisins, currents, cranberries, cherries etc) and 1 tablespoon (15 gm) sugar. Wholemeal –  follow the Basic recipe above but replace half of the plain flour with wholemeal flour. Wholemeal and date – follow the Basic recipe above but replace half of the plain flour with wholemeal flour and after Step 3 add ¼ cup (45 gm) chopped dates and 1 tablespoon (15 gm) sugar.

1/2 c oil

3 eggs

1 t vanilla

5-6 rippen bananas (mashed)

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 c sugar

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t baking powder

1/4 c milk

In  a bowl add flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and baking powder- set aside

In your mixer add oil, eggs, vanilla and mashed banana. Mix well.  Add 1/3 cup of flour mixture and half of milk. Mix. Keep adding flour and milk until it is all done.

Pour into flouered pan. Bake at 350 for about 40-50 minutes.

This rice takes me back to my childhood.  To this day, it is one of the dishes my mom makes for me when we go visit.  I love the aroma of the needles when they are toasting and the combinations with the rice is really good.  Hope you like it.

1/2 cup of angel hair pasta (you want to break it into pieces)

1 c long grain white rice (you can substitute with other types of rice)

2 T minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T vegetable oil (I also like to use olive oil)

1 1/2 t salt 4 cups water (about)

Crunch the angel hair pasta. This it something the kids love to help with!

In a sauce pan, sautee the onions and garlic with the oil. Add the pasta and let it cook a bit. You can tell when it’s done when it is a toasty, dark brown color.

Add the rice and salt.  Then pour water over rice mixture so the water level is 2 fingers higher than the rice (*do not stir the rice after adding the water)

Cook until rice is soft. About 20-25 minutes.  I like to serve it with chopped green onions on top. YUM

This fruit pie is very common in brasil.  I remember making this with passion fruit, strawberries, chocolate and  lemon cream.  The dough is basic and can be used for anything your imagination can create.   It is a thick, almost like a short bread cookie dough.  The fillings are creamy and delicious. For this strawberry pie I used 2 fillings. The first one is a lemony creamy filling and the second one (most common in brasil) is a sweetened condensed milk cream.  You can do both like I did, or just add one or the other.  It is delicious.  Enjoy!

For the dough:

2 1/4 c flour

1/4 c water

2 T butter

1 t baking powder

pinch of salt

1 egg

Mix everything together. I usually like to add the water last, that way i can control how much it needs.  Sometimes it won’t take all of the water.  This recipe will make enough for two 9 inch pie or one pie if you choose to cover it.  I like to make the dough, then let it rest in the refrigerator for a little while.  When ready cover the pie pan with half of the dough.  Prickle with a fork and bake it at 350 for about 15 minutes.  Let it cool, then add fillings.

For cream #1:

4 T sugar

2 yolks

2 T lime juice

1 T corn starch (dissolved in 1/2 c water)

In a sauce pan over medium heat, mix all ingredients until thick.  This will be a yellow, lemony taste cream.  Pour into prepared pie pan and refrigerate.

For cream #2:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can (same measure of the sweetened condensed milk) of milk

2 T corn starch (dissolved in 1/4 c water)

Mix milks together in a sauce pan, when warm add the dissolved corn starch. Cook, mixing it constantly until it thickens it up.  Add on top of first cream. Refrigerate.

For the strawberries:

Wash and slice strawberries.  Add 3-5 T of sugar on top. (Depending on the sweetness of the strawberries). Let it sit for about 1 hour.  Drain the liquid it forms into a sauce pan.  Reserve the strawberries to top your pie.  When cream is cold, pour strawberries on top.  With the reserved liquid, boil it until it thickens a little bit, then brush the top of the pie with this sauce.

This is a lemony loaf cake that would be great to serve for breakfast or dessert paired with fresh fruits and whipped cream. Yum

1/3 c sour cream

¼ c cream

1 ½ c flour

1 t baking powder

½ t salt

4 eggs

Zest of 1 lemon (big or 2 small)

1 ½ c sugar

4 T butter

Mix sour cream, cream and lemon juice- set aside

Mix flour and baking powder- set aside

Beat, salt, eggs, zest, sugar then add ½ of sour cream mix, ½
of flour mix, ½ of sour cream mix, melted butter and end on the last ½ of flour
mix.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or
until tooth pick comes out clean.

Pour half of following liquid on top of warm cake when out
of oven. Turn cake and drizzle the rest.

2 T sugar

3 T water

4 T lemon juice

½ c powder sugar

Warm the water and sugar until sugar dissolves.  Take off heat and add the rest of
ingredients.

* If you want to taste like limão (lime), just swtich lemon juice for lime juice. It works very well!

Our Daring Bakers Host for December 2011 was Jessica of My Recipe Project and she showed us how fun it is to create Sour Dough bread in our own kitchens! She provided us with Sour Dough recipes from Bread Matters by AndrewWhitley as well as delicious recipes to use our Sour Dough bread in from Tonia George’s Things on Toast and Canteen’s Great British Food!

I thought it was a fun project, however I did not enjoy the taste of this sour dough as much as I have with other recipes.  Sourdough is always fun to make it.  Sourdough starts with a ‘starter’ or ‘leaven’, basically a flour and water dough that is fermented over  4 or more days. The older your starter, the more flavourful your bread will be. This is because the lactobacilli in the dough help digest the flour, adding the strong, sour flavour and making it more digestible; kind of like yoghurt.  I know of people that have their start for years and it is always delicious to taste what we can make with it.  I have yet to keep my starter for that long, but who knows, someday…

French Country Bread Servings: 1 large loaf plus extra wheat starter for further baking

Wheat Starter – Day 1:

4 1/2 tablespoons  stoneground breadmaking whole-wheat or graham flour

3 tablespoons  water

Total scant ½ cup

Directions: 1. In a Tupperware or plastic container, mix the flour and water into a paste. 2. Set the lid on top gently, cover with a plastic bag, to prevent messes in case it grows more than expected! 3. Set somewhere warm (around 86 F if possible). I sometimes put mine on a windowsill near a radiator, but even if it’s not that warm, you’ll still get a starter going – it might just take longer.

Wheat Starter – Day 2:

4 1/2 tablespoons stoneground breadmaking whole-wheat or graham flour

3 tablespoons  water

scant 1/2 cup  starter from Day 1

Directions: 1. Stir the flour and water into the mixture from Day 1, cover, and return to its warm place.

Wheat Starter – Day 3:

4 1/2 tablespoons  stoneground breadmaking whole-wheat or graham flour

4 teaspoons  water

scant 1 cup  starter from Day 2

Total 1⅓ cup

Directions: 1. Stir the flour and water into the mixture from Day 2, cover, and return to its warm place.

Wheat Starter – Day 4:

3/4 cup plus 1½ tablespoons  unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup less 4 teaspoons water

1⅓ cup starter from Day 3

Total scant 2⅔ cup (625 ml) (440 gm/15½ oz)

Directions: 1. Stir the flour and water into the mixture from Day 3, cover, and return to its warm place. At this point it should be bubbling and smell yeasty. If not, repeat this process for a further day or so until it is!

Stage 1:  Refreshing the leaven

1 cup less 1 tablespoon  wheat Leaven Starter

6 tablespoons less 1 teaspoon  stoneground bread making whole-wheat or graham flour

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons  unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cup water

Production Leaven Total 2¾ cups plus 4 teaspoons

Directions: 1. Mix everything into a sloppy dough. It may be fairly stiff at this stage. Cover and set aside for 4 hours, until bubbling and expanded slightly.

Stage 2: Making the final dough

3/4 cup less 1 teaspoon stoneground breadmaking whole-wheat or graham flour, plus more for dustin0g

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons  unbleached all-purpose flour

1¼ teaspoons  sea salt or ⅔ teaspoon  table salt

1 ¼  cups  water 1

¾  cups production leaven – this should leave some (1 cup) for your next loaf.

Total 6 cups less 2 tablespoons

Directions: 1. Mix the dough with all the ingredients except the production leaven. It will be a soft dough. 2. Knead on an UNFLOURED surface for about 8-10 minutes, getting the tips of your fingers wet if you need to. You can use dough scrapers to stretch and fold the dough at this stage, or air knead if you prefer. Basically, you want to stretch the dough and fold it over itself repeatedly until you have a smoother, more elastic dough.  Smooth your dough into a circle, then scoop your production leaven into the centre. You want to fold the edges of the dough up to incorporate the leaven, but this might be a messy process. Knead for a couple minutes until the leaven is fully incorporated in the dough. Spread some water on a clean bit of your work surface and lay the dough on top. Cover with an upturned bowl, lining the rim of the bowl with a bit of water. Leave for an hour, so that the gluten can develop and the yeasts can begin to aerate the dough.  Once your dough has rested, you can begin to stretch and fold it. Using wet hands and a dough scraper, stretch the dough away from you as far as you can without breaking it and fold it back in on itself. Repeat this in each direction, to the right, towards you, and to the left. This will help create a more ‘vertical’ dough, ready for proofing.  Heavily flour a banneton/proofing basket with whole wheat flour and rest your dough, seam side up, in the basket. Put the basket in a large plastic bag, inflate it, and seal it. Set aside somewhere warm for 3-5 hours, or until it has expanded a fair bit. It is ready to bake when the dough responds to a gently poke by slowly pressing back to shape.

Preheat the oven to hot 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, then carefully invert the dough onto the sheet. I like to put the baking sheet on top of the basket, then gently flip it over so as to disturb the dough as little as possible. Make 2-3 cuts on top of the loaf and bake for 40-50 minutes, reducing the temperature to moderately hot 400°F 6 after 10 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack.

For the Croutons:

• 4 slices of French bread (recipe to come)
• 3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t dried basil
• 2 Garlic powder
• pinch red hot pepper flakes

For the Salad:

• 1 1/2  teaspoon mashed garlic (about 6 clothes)
• 3/4 c mayo
• 3 anchovies (if using from paste, about 1 1/2 t or so depending on how your family likes it)
•  1 t Worcestershire sauce
• 1 t Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• salt
• pepper
• 1/4 cup virgin olive oil (about)
• 2 medium heads of romaine lettuce — outer leaves removed
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese — shaved

Prepping the croutons – Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bread into 1/2 inch cubes, drizzle oil and seasonings on top.  Bake or toast until nice and crunchy.  I like to bake them at 350 for about 8 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave them in there for another 10 minutes or so until they are crispy.  This will allow them to crisp inside and not burn on the outside.  I do use my stoneware to bake them. The stone also keeps warm for a while longer after the oven is off.

Prepping the salad –  If you are using flat anchovies out of a can, mince one or two to make 1 1/2 teaspoons worth. Mix it well with rest of ingredients.  Do not mix in the oil.  After everything is smooth, then add oil slowly while whisking it.  Only add enough oil until mixture has the right consistency. This can be made ahead of time.

For best results, wash and dry lettuce very well.  Then right before serving it.  Toss lettuce with enough salad dressing.  Put it in the freezer for about 5 minutes. This will make the salad nice and cold.  Take out of freezer, add shaved Parmesan and croutons.  Serve on cold plates!