Baking fun

    Kaya had a blast today baking. I try to bake whenever I can and prefer homemade anything over store bought. So when things go well Sunday is usually a day of baking etc. Kaya loves to bake...the measuring, the mixing. I love to bake...it destresses me and honestly is there anything better than seeing your child grow while sharing a special moment and laughs? I hope that it's a tradition we keep forever.
   We started off by making a recipe for Artisan bread. I've never had it but it looked good, was simple and would make 4 loaves...or 3 loaves and a starter. I've been wanting to try a good dough recipe that would stay in the fridge. Usually you have to use it up as soon as you mix it up or it won't hold it's shape( the leavening agents won't hold up) and then once you make a batch up...you have to remake it another time to have more bread. Came across this recipe (will put at end of post) that baked up beautifully and easily. Everyone in the house gave it a thumbs up :) Only con was it's a non-kneading bread..and I love to knead bread as it releases more tension than one would think lol
   The recipe also works out nicely because I save our ice cream buckets and it is a good way to use them. One batch fits nicely in a gallon plastic ice cream bucket. You just have to make sure you put the lid on it and slice four small house in the top to let the yeast gas escape. I'm all for up-using things so it works out nicely :)
   We also decided to make freezer biscuits (plain, Italian and cheese). VERY easy recipe makes about 20 biscuits and then you flash freeze them for an hour. After the hour is up you simply bag them up in freezer bags, write the date and type on them and into the freezer they go. They last for six months. Thought it would be something to try out. No purchasing store biscuits unless I just wanted to (saving money) and quick to have on hand for supper or breakfast. Kaya LOVED cutting them out with her Nanny's biscuit cutter. I can admit I teared up a little bit...I remember always standing beside Granny when she used that cutter and how big I felt when I got to do it. Sure miss her a lot  But..hopefully I'm furthering that line of baking/cooking and bonding :)
              Artisan Bread:
 Makes 4 "loaves"
  3 cups lukewarm water
  1 1/2 Tbsp granulated fast acting yeast (or 2 packets of quick rise yeast)
 1 1/2 tsp coarse or Kosher salt 
 6 1/2 cups unsifted all purpose white flour (you can do half bread flour, half  all purpose flour and 3/4 cups wheat bran but I haven't tried that yet.)
     Mix water and yeast together and allow to sit. Mix flour, salt and yeast together. Add in yeast water and mix together. Do not knead and it's mixed when everything is moist without dry patches. Doesn't take very long.
    Put in a container with a lid. You will need vents in the lid to help gasses escape so use a container that you don't need again. I chose an ice cream bucket because then I could easily store it in the fridge (the starter or left over dough) and have a handle etc. Plus..it used up ice cream buckets I have lol and I can have more than one bucket in the extra fridge etc. Allow to sit in the container with lid on at room temp for 2 hrs. Sitting longer will not hurt the dough. Will look flatter on top when it's ready.
   The dough is now ready to use. Some find the dough easier to deal with if put in the fridge over night. I just used it straight and had no issues. It's up the baker to decide.
  Flour your hands and pull off a 1 lb section of dough (will be a decent size ball) Keeping your hands floured and the ball floured work into the general shape as in the picture. Artisan bread isn't perfect shaped and is not "loaf" shaped as it's a bit different in appearance than regular loaf bread. Work the ball to the shape you desire then let sit uncovered for about 40 minutes. DO NOT worry if it doesn't raise alot..or at all. It will raise when baking..it's called "oven spring".
   After 40 minutes set your oven to 450 degrees. I will admit I have an oven that can be regular or convection..I set mine to convection,the temp on 400 and it only took about 20 minutes for the bread to bake. Dust the top of the ball then use a SHARP knife (it must slice the top of the bread not snag it) to cut the top. Either slashed like I did or you can do any design..fancy etc. This allows gas to escape while baking and saves your loaf from being deformed. Bake at 450 (reg oven) for 30 to 35 minutes. I then brushed my warm loaves with melted butter and allowed to cool (bread can be eaten warm but is awesome cool too!)
   To store the dough you didn't use..leave it in the container with the lid on and keep in the fridge for up to 14 days. Dough will improve in taste with time. Cut off dough and use as needed. When your dough is gone DO NOT clean the container...just mix another batch and put into the same container. The remaining bits of dough will add to the flavor of the next batch much like a sour dough starter! Sounds odd I know but if you've ever done Amish Friendship bread..same principle
                
                       Freezer Biscuits
  2 cups all purpose flour
  1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (reg table salt)
1/2  cup shortening ( I used butter but you can use either)
up to 1 cup of milk ( I used nearly a cup)
     Mix flour, salt and baking powder together. Add in shortening..mix together until mix is crumbly. Slowly stir in milk until dough works into a ball. You may not need the whole cup of milk. 
   Flour a surface and work dough out to desired thickness. I pulled off sections of dough instead of doing the whole ball at once..was easier for Kaya to work with . If you want to do cheese biscuits add shredded cheese to the dough, if you want to do Italian add Italian seasonings..if garlic biscuits add garlic powder etc. We did plain first then split the next batch into half and half.
  Using a biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter or the bottom of a floured glass cut out biscuits. Arrange onto a wax paper covered baking sheet and once full..put in freezer for one hour to flash freeze. When the hour is up simply bag up in desired amount or bag up in two bags of ten (you can always unzip bag, take out amount,close and put bag in fridge..so no biggie on how many is in a bag). Label with the date and type of biscuit and put back in the fridge. Will stay good for 6 mo.
    Enjoy the recipes :)