Valentine Bread

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

My Valentine better like orange color cos this bread is the same recipe as the pumpkin bread but a tub of cherry flavored yogurt was added, therefore giving the color an orangy pink. The dough was baked in a heart tube pan. Have you ever ate an ice-cream or sorbet sandwich before? Try serving this wonderful combination either for breakfast or as a dessert on Valentine's Day and i can assure that you will be loved forever. Raspberry Sorbet is your lifeline.




Ingredients:

1 cup cooked pumpkin puree

1 small tub of cherry flavored yogurt
1 egg
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp powdered milk
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
Enough water to make a nice dough
Glaze
1 egg yolk plus 1 tbsp water

Method:

Put the ingredients acording to the order in the Bread Machine bowl.

Select the dough function and press 'start'.

Let the machine churn and using a spatula, aid the loose flour to be churned up by the machine.

Add a tbsp of water at a time so that all the loose flour is no more visible.

As soon as a dough is formed (My breadman will rest for 20 mins, for other machines, press pause and let dough rest for 20 mins). The machine will beep when dough is ready.

Lightly spray inside of bread tube and lids with nonstick cooking spray.

Place lid (without vent hole) on bottom of bread tube.

Cut enough dough to fill up half the bread tube neatly. There will be enough dough to make 2 tubes.

Roll the dough into a thin circle and roll the circle up tightly as you would a carpet. Seal the seams and form into a cylinder shape down.

Place dough in bread tube. Cover the bread tube with a damp cloth and let dough to rise.

When the bread has risen to about 3/4 way, preheat oven to 375°F.

Place top lid (lid with vent hole and marked "TOP") on top of bread tube when the dough has risen to about 1/2 inch from the top.

Place bread tube upright on lower rack of oven. Bake 25 - 30 minutes, until ends are golden brown.

Remove bread from bread tube and place on cooling rack; cool completely, then slice.

NOTE:

If the covers for the top and bottom feel loose, it may be necessary to line bottom and top lid with Parchment Paper to prevent leakage.

Fold a 15-inch square sheet of Parchment Paper into fourths. Place between lid and bottom of bread tube

Serves

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Alton Brown's Dry-Aged Standing Rib Roast

How not to cook this rib roast for our last Christmas Dinner after 167 reviews of which nearly all gave 5 stars. Read the reviews at Foodnetwork.

The result was really good and worth the wait. I did not use the terra cota pot as suggested and instead used - The Pampered Chef's Clay Casserole, which covered the roast perfectly cos i read the recipe wrongly and came home with a 4 lb rib roast instead of 4 boned-in rib roast. I am glad i made the mistake, cos 4 lbs was just nice for the family.




Ingredients:

1 (4-bone-in) standing rib roast, preferably from the loin end
Canola oil, to coat roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to cover entire roast
1 cup water
1 cup red wine
4 fresh sage leaves

Method:

Remove any plastic wrapping or butcher's paper from the roast.

Place the standing rib roast upright onto a half sheet pan fitted with a rack. The rack is essential for drainage.

Place dry towels loosely on top of the roast. This will help to draw moisture away from the meat.

Place into a refrigerator at approximately 50 to 60 percent humidity and between 34 and 38 degrees F. You can measure both with a refrigerator thermometer.

Change the towels daily for 3 days.

Place a 16-inch round azalea terra cotta planter into a cold oven. Invert the planter to become a lid over a pizza stone or the bottom of the planter.

The oven should be cold to start, to avoid any cracking in the terra cotta pieces. Turn the oven to 250 degrees F.

Remove the roast from the refrigerator and rub with canola oil. Remember to rub the bones with oil, as well.

Once the roast is completely coated with oil cover the roast with kosher salt, about half a teaspoon per bone.

Next, rub with freshly ground pepper to coat the surface.

Place the roast over a glass bake-ware dish slightly smaller than the length of the roast. This will catch the drippings needed for the sauce.

Finally, place a probe thermometer into the center of the roast and set for 118 degrees.

Put the roast and the bake-ware dish onto the pizza stone, cover with the terra cotta pot, and return to the oven.

Turn the oven down to 200 degrees F and roast until internal temperature is achieved.

Remove the roast and turn oven up to 500 degrees F.

Remove the terra cotta lid and recover with heavy-duty foil. Allow the roast to rest until an internal temperature of 130 degrees F. is reached.

Place the roast back into the preheated 500 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until you've achieved your desired crust.

Remove and transfer roast to a cutting board.

Keep covered with foil until ready to serve.

Degrease the juices in the glass pan.

Place the pan over low heat and deglaze with 1 cup of water.

Add the wine and reduce by half.

Roll the sage leaves in between your fingers to release the flavors and aroma.

Add to the sauce and cook for 1 minute.

Strain and serve on the side.

Serves

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Smiling Steamed Cake Revisited

I get very disturbed when a posted recipe does not turn out right. I have been tossing and turning for 2 nights trying to figure out what when wrong when we made this recipe and it did not smile. Have to make it again, just to see if there is a typo or whatever. All of them smiled, this time i used the electric steamer and this orange colored sugar that came all the way from Singapore. If you wish the cake to smile into 4 sections, then you would have to bless it with an oiled spatula and make the sign of the cross on the batter before steaming. Believe it or not, the blessing works.

With all the tossing and turning, the only presumption is that the ratio of liquid was not right, the flour was weighed in a kitchen scale which the marking for grams was too difficult to be correct and the carbonated drink too might not have reached the required amount with all the frizzies. The advise for no more sleepless nights, use the digital scale.

Smiling Steamed Cake recipe is here

Noticed the smiles in 4 sections?

They are the Blessed Ones

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