Yeast bread ~ Pão de fermento

One of the easiest recipes to make and always turns out right

·         2 ½ teaspoons dehydrated granular yeast 

·         300g warm water (40ºC)

·         450g flour 

·         1 ½ teaspoon salt

Sprinkle the yeast (dry) in warm water and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve. Mix the flour with the salt and make a pit in the center and pour the dissolved yeast. Use a wooden spoon to mix enough flour to form a soft paste. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Mix the flour thoroughly and add water if necessary, a little at a time (a spoon) to form a sticky dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until soft, smooth and slightly shiny, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a covered container (with a lid or plastic wrap). Let stand for 20 minutes and fold the dough onto itself (as if wrapping a gift – see video). Repeat 4 times every 20 minutes. Place the dough onto a clean surface and shape into a ball, being careful not to deflate it completely. Place the top part facing down into your round container covered with a tea towel and dusted with flour (see photo). Cover and let rest for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size. Once dough is doubled, cover a baking tray with parchment paper. Invert the dough into the baking sheet and make a couple deep slashes on the dough using a sharp or serrated knife. Bake in preheated oven at 230ºC (450ºF). Spray the oven with water in the first 5 minutes of baking to create steam. Bake until golden and the inner temperature reaches 90ºC

Uma das receitas mais fáceis para fazer pão e que bate sempre certo

·         2 ½ colheres de cha de fermento desidratado granulado

·         300g agua morna (40ºC)

·         450g farinha

·         1 ½ colher de chá de sal

Colocar o fermento granulado (seco) em água morna e deixar repousar por 5 minutos. Mexer para dissolver. Misturar a farinha com o sal e fazer uma cova no centro e deitar o fermento dissolvido. Usar uma colher de pau para misturar farinha suficiente ate formar uma pasta macia. Cubrir e deixar repousar por 20 minutos. Misturar a farinha completamente e adicionar água, se necessário, um pouco de cada vez (uma colher) para formar uma massa macia, mas pegajosa. Amassar em uma superfície limpa até ficar macia, lisa e ligeiramente brilhante, cerca de 10 minutos. Colocar a massa numa vasilha coberta (com tampa ou plástico). Deixar repousar por 20 minutos e dobrar a massa sobre si mesmo (como se embrulhando um presente - ver vídeo). Repetir 4 vezes a cada 20 minutos. Colocar a massa sobre uma superfície limpa e formar em bola, tendo o cuidado de não deflagá-la completamente. Colocar a parte de cima virada para baixo num vasilha redonda preparada com uma toalha de chá e polvilhada com farinha (ver foto). Cubrir e deixar repousar por cerca de 45 minutos ou até dobrar em tamanho. Uma vez que a massa dobrar, cubrir um tabuleiro de ir ao forno com papel de pergaminho. Inverter a massa no tabuleiro e fazer uns cortes profundos na massa usando uma faca afiada ou serrilhada. Asse em forno pré-aquecido a 230ºC (450ºF). Burrifar o forno com água nos primeiros 5 minutos de cozimento para criar vapor. Cozer até ficar dourado ou ate a temperatura interna chegar a 90ºC

Tangerine & Kefir Cake

 

4 tangerines

60g butter

60g brown sugar

50g sliced almonds

Cream the butter and sugar together and spread evenly over the bottom of a parchment paper lined cake pan.  Sprinkle with almonds and place the tangerine slices of the butter sugar mixture and set aside.

120g butter

250ml milk kefir (or buttermilk)

3 eggs

250g flour

120g sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

Beat the sugar with butter and add eggs one by one. Add kefir and vanilla and mix in the flour and baking powder, alternating with the remaining kefir.  Pour batter over the tangerines and back at 180C for about 30 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean.

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Bolo de Tangerinas e Kefir

4 Tangerinas

60g manteiga

60g açúcar amarelo

50g amêndoas rapadas

Bater a manteiga com o açúcar ate ficar cremoso e colocar na base de uma forma de bolo, coberta com papel vegetal. Polvilhar com as amêndoas rapadas e colocar as tangerinas em rodelas por cima da manteiga com açúcar.

 

120g manteiga

250ml kefir (ou buttermilk)

3 Ovos

250g farinha

120g açúcar

1 Colher de chá de extracto de baunilha

1 Colher de chá de fermento em pó

 

Bater o açúcar com a manteiga e adicionar os ovos um a um. Adicionar kefir e a baunilha e a farinha já misturada com o fermento em pó, e alternar com kefir. Colocar a mistura sobre as tangerinas na forma e levar ao forno a 180C por cerca de 30 minutos ou ate o teste do palito sair limpo.

Falafel, the Legume-less way

If you have sensitivity to legumes but can’t depart from this tasty fast food, this is the better way to enjoy falafel, without the chickpeas or fava beans which they are traditionally made of. Almonds give it a special crunch and with all the regular spices, you wouldn’t even know this is a faux falafel.  This recipe makes about 7 – 8 falafel.

1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup flax meal
1/8 cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup whole almonds
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
Small bunch of cilantro
Salt
     
Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until combined and almonds are in small chunks.  Roll into balls and deep fry.  Serve with toasted sesame seeds, hummus, or tahini.

Coconut & Prune Muffins

I was testing in the kitchen today and came up with this recipe. I find almond extract does a very good job masking the taste of stevia, for those who like a little sweetness but not a stevia after taste, and the prunes add flavour and sweetness as well. I didn’t weigh anything as I had my measuring cups out. So here goes…

1 cup greek yogourt
6 pitted dry prunes
¼ cup coconut oil
4 eggs
½ cup oat flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 dropper stevia
Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients except the coconut flour and shredded coconut in a blender until smooth. Remove mix from blender and pour in a bowl. Fold in half the shredded coconut and the coconut flour.

Divide into paper lined muffin tins and sprinkle with remaining shredded coconut. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350F for about 40 minutes. Makes 8 muffins and the house smells like a vacation from the toasted coconut on top!

Spicy Cheese & Speck Muffins

As a chef, I get inspired by some recipes I see but always start working in my head how I can change it to make it even better, for my taste buds at least :) It seems coconut flour breads allow me to maintain my weight, while wheat bloats me right up to a blimp form. Here is my take from a simple cheese and ham muffin recipe to a spicy muffin with speck and Swiss cheese. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.


3 eggs
30g speck, chopped
60g Swiss cheese, grated
30g coconut flour
2tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp dry thyme
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt and pepper

Beat eggs with oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Add the flour and baking powder and mix until there are no lumps. Fold in the cheese, jalapeno and speck. Bake for 20 minutes in pre-heated oven at 200C (400F). This recipe makes 6 muffins.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffin Tops

Sometimes I make mistakes in the kitchen, but when those mistakes turn out, I couldn’t be happier. I just attempted to make “diet” cookies, but it turns out I made something even better! The cookies came out a little too soft to be a "cookie" so it's more like a muffin top. Who doesn't like muffin tops? They are the best part of a muffin, don't you agree? These are chocolate peanut butter zucchini muffin tops, and boy are they ever good!

3 eggs
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
30-40 drops liquid stevia
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter
4 tbsp coconut flour
1 cup zucchini, grated
1 tbsp almond chocolate spread
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup milk
¼ cayenne pepper
pinch of salt

Beat the eggs along with the butter, greek yogurt, vanilla, stevia, peanut butter and milk. Add the cocoa followed by all of the dry ingredients except the coconut flour. Once it is all mixed well add the flour. Stir it in just until there are no lumps. Pour spoons full of dough on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12 minutes in preheated oven at 175C (350F). Remove from oven and allow to cool. Makes 20 muffin tops.

Guiltless Coconut Pancake

Sunday breakfast never tasted this healthy! Try this filling recipe for a gluten free breakfast treat you will want to repeat even on Monday!


2 eggs
50 ml milk
½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp coconut flour
a few drops liquid stevia
pinch of salt
¼ tsp vanilla extract

Beat all ingredients together except the flour. Once it is all well beaten, mix in the coconut flour. Cook on heated crepe pan greased with a little coconut oil. Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Serve topped with Greek yogurt and berries.