homemade pretzels

next time you are sitting at home with nothing to do, make pretzels instead!

homemade pretzels are the definition of not much effort for lots of gain! the recipe is easy, the folding is fun and they taste really really good!

the magic, chewy outsides of a pretzel is created by dipping them briefly into boiling water with bicarb soda (you can do the same thing to make bagels too!) - if you are keen to read up on food science behind it all, check out this page. come on, geek out with me!


homemade pretzels
barely adapted from alton brown

the pretzels:
375ml (1 ½ cups) warm water
1 tbs sugar
2 tsp salt
7g (one pack) instant dry yeast
625g (4 ¼ cups) plain flour
2 tbs olive oil

the water boiling bit:
2 ½ litres water
⅔ cup bicarb soda

the post-boil glazing:
1 free range egg yolk beaten with 1 tbs water
extra salt

combine the water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and allow to stand for 5 minutes or until it starts to foam (to check if it is alive and re-activate the dry yeast)
add the flour, salt and olive oil
mix on a low speed until a dough forms
mix on a medium speed for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic
cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put the bowl in a warm place for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size

preheat the oven to 220°C and line two baking trays with baking paper
in a large pot, bring the water and bicarb soda to a rolling boil
turn the dough out onto a clean bench and knock back (aka punch all the air out)
divide the dough into 16 even pieces - do this by making a long sausage, cut it in half then cut each half into half and half and half again! voila! 16 pieces!
roll each piece into a long sausage. make a u-shape with the rope and cross over the ends, pressing them down to the bottom part to form the classic pretzel shape! see - easy!
once they are all rolled up, place each pretzel in the boiling water (I did them in pairs) for 30 seconds, scoop them out and place them onto the baking trays
brush the top with the egg yolk glaze, sprinkle with lots of extra salt and bake for 10 - 12 minutes until dark and golden. enjoy!

peanut butter honey banana bread

 

as you may be able to realise from my other posts, I am really big on peanut butter. like huge. like major love of my life!

here is a recipe that combines not only peanut butter (yum yum!) but also honey (oh! honey!) and banana bread (don't even get me started) into one magnificent beast. I now know what heaven tastes like!


peanut butter honey banana bread
adapted from pies and plots

1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
pinch of salt
4 really really ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

 

preheat your oven to 180°C and prepare a loaf tin

in a bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate soda and salt.

in a big separate bowl mix together the mashed bananas, brown sugar, honey, peanut butter, eggs and vanilla.

add the flour mixture and fold until just combined, don't over mix!

bake for 1 hour until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out pretty much clean. cool in tin for about 15 minutes and turn out.

dark chocolate hazelnut spread (aka nutella!!)

 

this recipe has been around the internet for a thousand years (at least!) but being able to make a dark chocolate version of super milky-sweet nutella is very delicious!

it's oh so easy, your food processor will do all the hard work for you and all you have to do is try your very hardest to get some in a jar before you eat it all! this is gift size, it makes about a cup full (by the time you have had a few 'samples') and you could easily make it with almonds or peanuts or a blend of whatever takes your fancy/whatever your pantry provides


dark chocolate hazelnut spread
adapted from the la times

1 cup (150g) raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder
1/2 cup (90g) icing sugar
2-4 squares dark chocolate
pinch sea salt flakes
1-2 tbs neutral tasting oil

preheat the oven to 180°C
put the hazelnuts out on a tray and roast them for about 10 minutes until the skins look flaky and ready to come off
take the tray out of the oven and pour the hazelnuts onto a clean tea towel and give them a good rub to remove all the skins
put these naked hazelnuts in a food processor and process - it will go through a few distinct stages 1. chunky chunks 2. small bitz 3. smoothish blobby paste 4. silky silky smooth satiny liquid, this is the one you want and it will take about 5 minutes to get there
add your dark chocolate, the paste will be hot enough to melt it then the cocoa powder, icing sugar and salt
adjust the consistency using the oil, remebering it will get a bit firmer as it sits out

little passionfruit poppyseed cakes

sometimes all you need is a great basic cake recipe to which you can make so many fun baked things with!! the next two posts will use the same basic cake (which by the ways super easy, two bowls - one for wet ingredients, one for the dry then a big whisk up!) to make two delicious cakes! I adapted it from a joy the baker recipe (find it here) which my sister louise made with a nutella ganache frosting oh my!

today's sweet treat is a passionfruit poppyseed cake with a shiny glaze. I baked them in little friand tins but it is the perfect size for a bundt tin cake

little passionfruit poppyseed cakes

2 1/2 cups (375g) plain flour
1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (250ml) buttermilk
2 free range eggs
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pulp of 2 passionfruits
2 tbs poppyseeds

preheat the oven to 160 C fan forced and grease two 12 hole friand trays.

in a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together. in a medium jug, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and passionfruit pulp.

pour the wet mix into the dry mix and whisk until just combined and there are no major lumps. stir in the poppyseeds.

divide the batter between the friand tray holes and bake for 20 mins

to make the glaze, scoop out the pulp of two extra passionfruits and then add enough icing sugar (about 2 cups) to make a thick-ish icing. spoon over the cooled cakes and allow to drip down naturally. enjoy!