This Week's Bread Adventures

This week, Sonny asked me if we could have homemade rolls. I did a little research on the artisan bread in five minutes a day website http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=443 and found a recipe for "thanksgiving buns". I used the master starter for this, but they said that you could use any of their doughs. So I shaped 6 little mini loafs by their directions. When they came out, I put a little butter on the top to soften them up. They were delicious, and I should have made more than six. The kids loved them too. Maybe I need to start adding pictures, because they even looked good.

With the rest of the dough I made a couple loaves of artisan bread for a girls' night and left Sonny some too. I need to remember to post that recipe and video on Facebook. It really is too easy and cheap not to share.

This morning I made the brioche dough. I had been determined to do it all week and couldn't keep the kitchen clean long enough to get it done. Today was no different, but I pushed things out of the way. I had a plan - a New Orleans brunch. The Artisan Bread in Five cookbook gave a recipe for beignets that could be made with brioche. Dana's friend Zoe posted some FB pictures of some she made a few weeks ago and they looked heavenly. Plus, while I was buying Sonny's coffee this week I spotted Community Brand New Orleans Style coffee with chicory. That settled it. I spent nearly all morning, but in the end I had my beignets and cafe au lait. Some of the beignets were perfect, but several of them were hollow. Now I need to figure out what causes that to happen. Sonny thinks I need to do it purposefully and stuff them with something. I informed him that those would then be eclairs or profiteroles, not beignets. Still, they were good and he certainly enjoyed his share too. Need to keep a better eye on oil temperature in the future. Maybe that was an issue. I also noticed later that my dough had not fully risen. That could have been a factor as well.

Still thinking about making a loaf of brioche tonight for whatever we're having for dinner. Plus, I think it would make for wonderful french toast for a breakfast night. We'll see what gets done though. Now on to clean up the kitchen. Its even more of a wreck after the beignets.