Hefezopf/ Challah

Hefezopf/ Challah

250 ml. Milk (1 cup)

2 ts dry yeast ( 20 gr. fresh yeast)

500 g. Flour (3 cup)

1 ts sugar

1 ts salt

1 egg

2 Tblsp butter room temperature (or oil)

1 ts lemon juice, lemon rind

1 ts. rum(aroma)

1 hand full raisins (optional)

Egg wash 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp milk

Knead the dough in mixer, Kitchen aid, Thermomix or bread machine.

Let it rest for 1 hour.

Punch down.

Divide in 2 rolls.

Lay rolls cross wise.

Lay each end of the lower roll around the upper roll left and right.

Now take the ends of the other roll and repeat steps. Tuck the ends under the bread.

For a tutorial watch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPveL-9eHxs&feature=related

Let rest for 20 min.

Brush Egg mixtures on top.

Bake 40 minutes 350- 375 F.

Chocolate dough.

Mix 3 Tblsp Droste Cocoa powder in 1/2 of dough.

Suriname: VLEESBROODJES*/ Pastries

VLEESBROODJES/PASTRIES

In Suriname, this snack is enjoyed by young and old, especially when spiced up with Madame Jeannette, an aromatic pepper AKA Scotch Bonnet (see picture below). 

1. Filling Mix
1 lbs ground sirloin
1 onion chopped
1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, mixed with
1 Madame Jeanette, finely minced to evenly distribute the aroma
1 tsp mustard
Worchestershire sauce
Celery leaves chopped

In a pan, heat a little oil and sauté the onions until glazed. Add the meat, mixing the onion and add all other ingredients except the egg. Make a rouge with 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water and add to the meat mixture. When it comes to a boil, let the filling cool off (preferably in the fridge).

2. Pastry
1 stick very cold Butter (1/4 lbs)
1 1/2 cups flour (1/2 lbs)
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold water mixed with ice and
1 Tbsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)

Line a baking pan with plastic foil.
In a container mix flour with salt. Add the stick of butter, cut the butter lengthwise in four blocks , then evenly slice into pieces.  Mix the flour evenly with the butter pieces. Drop in the liquid slowly while stirring (swirling) the flour mixture with a fork until flour is incorporated with liquid and butter chunks are still visible.

Press the mixture with the fork to hold together and transfer to the lined baking pan. Cover the dough with plastic foil. Press with the palm of your hand to a rectangle 8x 11. Dust the dough with flour to prevent sticking if necessary. Fold the dough 1/3 from the right on to the middle, and again from the left. Press the dough again to a rectangle or roll out evenly, and fold again.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out the dough to a rectangle. Divide in 4 pieces. Roll each piece into 16x4. On a sheet of plastic foil put about 1/4 of the filling, cover and stretch to a sausage. Place the filling on the dough and make a roll. Shock freeze until all rolls are made (30 min).

3. Eggwash
1 egg yolk
1 tbls milk
a dash of salt

Mix everything together and brush on the rolls. Make indents diagonally and cut each roll into 6 pieces of about 2 1/2 inches. Line vleesbroodjes on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until brown.

Tip: If you want to make circles, take a big glass or cut out circles with pastry knife.

For a vegatarian variation use apple cut in chunks and mix with 1 tsp of cinnamon. Put the filling in the middle of one sheet bring the ends on top of the apples overlapping.

* Suriname is a melting pot of different cultures with Amerindians as original habitants. Through the centuries other cultures such as African, Indian, Creole, Indonesian, Chinese, Lebanese and Jewish all blended in and Surinamese food was created.

What's for Lunch? Stir Fry!

What 's for Lunch? Stir Fry!

Running out of time and ideas for Lunch/

Dinner?

Asparagus

Brocoli florets

Olive oil

Clove of garlic

Coconut powder

Sea salt.

Preparing lunch in an instant starts with the right mind set. It is an easy job composing any stir fry vegetables and left overs.

Keep a variety of colorful vegetables, and compose a fast and tasty meal.

For today's lunch I sliced some asparagus and brocoli florets, stir fried in olive oil and a clove of garlic, added some coconut powder and sea salt. You can use any vegetables or combine with any root, radishes, carrots, chayote, jicama, German turnip (Kohlrabi). Add mushrooms and offer a variety of tastes such as chicken broth, beef broth, and thicken with 1 teaspoon patato starch, 1 teaspoon of ginger juice (just slam a piece of ginger) with rice wine, sherry or any low refined alcohol. Add a splash of superior light soy sauce (Celiacs omit or use a wheat free soy sauce from Whole Foods). Garnish with any (yellow) pepper -hot if you like- thinly sliced, scallions, cilantro.

Working fast anticipates working tools as a sharp knife, a sautee pan 12.5 inches diameter, the bigger the merrier. Prepare the vegetables, the ones that need sauteing go in first.

If you did not have a fruit snack for the day, add your vitamins to balance the palate.

Granola Power Start of the Day!

Finally I set up my blog to share my recipes and to catch up with all requests.

This Site will give balanced recipes, tasty and healthy and easily adjusting your lifestyle.

Granola

Basic granola recipe

6 cups rolled (Old Fashioned Quaker) Oats

pinch of salt

Stir: 1/4 cup Canola oil with

3/4 cup Maple Syrup (or substitute)

Preheat oven

In a large bowl combine oats with liquid.

Spread mixture evenly in a roasting pan.

Bake for 25 minutes on 350 degrees.

Check the color, turn off oven and let it sit for 5 minutes if necessary.

To the oats you can add:

Bran (rice), Sesame seeds (toasted), cinnamon, dried cranberries, raisins, nuts.