Food Pr0n!

[Jacca5660]

I broke my arm once, I stuttered! ;+>

[NaCler]

Jacca - Count me in on that calzone recipe plus secrets if you don't mind. I love a good calzone... and a bad one!

[Wizzard419]

Jacca, do you ever use/make a couche when you're doing the final proof of your long breads?

[Jacca5660]

No, when I'm proofing after mixing I just use a tea towel. During my final proof before baking I used plastic wrap sprayed with oil. I do proof most of my dough at room temp. although, I normal do the third proof of my pizza dough in the fridge and that's usually started the day before.

I will write down a few recipes on Thurs for everybody. To tell the truth, I do most of my mixing in a Kitchen Aid Professional 5 Plus, it's the second to largest for the home kitchen. I don't do a lot of hand mixing. I do work my dough by hand before baking.

[Wizzard419]

I think mine might be larger than yours.

I swear my kitchenaid sounds like it's on it's last days but it still works fine. I am going to probably take it in for service rather than buy a new one since those have horrible reliablity.

You should try using a couche (you still use a towel to cover) I find that chiabatas and stuff come out better with it when they are leaning on each other during the final proof.

[Jacca5660]

Baloo got this cookie cutter in Walgreens.

It was $1.99.The Mickey snowman cookie cutter is made of red plastic.It has the cookie cutter ,2 tubes of icing red and green and a little pack of "shimmering dust" which I think is green sugar.

Walgreens has all sorts of neat Disney Christmas decorations....very reasonable priced.

[Amy]

Funny you should post this! I bought this at Walgreens a few weeks ago, 50% off after Halloween
Stand by, uploading the photo now...ok, here it is...

[Wizzard419]

I'd say you could have some of my black sugar but you're not exactly close enough to get it.

[Amy]

I'd say you could have some of my black sugar but you're not exactly close enough to get it.

I probably won't use the frosting or the sugar. I bought it for the Mickey Mouse cookie cutter!

[Wizzard419]

Lets do lines of the sugar!

[Jacca5660]

PIZZA DOUGH

Here is my recipe for pizza dough. I will try and give some hints also. I use a stand mixer, I've never have done this by hand, if that's how you're doing it, good luck! I try to make this the day before I use it. It can be made about four hours before, but I give it as much time to raise as I can.

Basic recipe:

Wet ingredients:

1 1/3 water: This varies by weather conditions, I start with 1 cup of water and adjust as needed.
1/4 cup oil: I use plain olive oil. Save the extra virgin for your salad.

Dry ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour: I use the cheap stuff, I've found this works just as good as the name brands. You will find there are times when this will go up to five cups, I usually ends up using four cups. It's amazing how much weather condition play with your dough.

4 table spoons sugar It sounds like a lot, but after four years this is what I've found works best.
1 table spoon yeast I buy "Fast Acting Bread Machine" by the jar. I make so much dough it doesn't last me a month.
3/4 table spoon salt

Add all the wet ingredients first and then add you dry stuff. Add the flour last. Start your mixer on 1 and after a minute or so go to two. Once you dough is mixed and holding on to the dough hook, You can start making adjustments. What you want is a slightly sticky dough that is just holding to the bottom of the bowl. If you have a dough that isn't standing and is mostly at the bottom of the bowl add flour at a 1/4 cup at a time. Let each addition mix into the dough. Once it is thoroughly mixed you can add more as needed. If you find you have a hard dough add water a table spoon at a time. When you have your dough adjusted set a timer and let it mix for five minutes. When the timer goes off stop the mixer and let the dough rest for five minutes. Once this rest period is over mix you dough on two for eight minutes. What you should have is a dough that is slightly sticky to the touch.

Now cover you dough with a tea towel (any light weight towel will work. Use what you have) and let the dough proof (raise) at room temp (68 to 78 degrees) until it has doubles, punch it down and let it raise again until it triples, mine almost fills the bowl. Once it raises flour a working surface and form the dough into a half round (like you see at the pizza places). Places this on a tray or small pizza pan, put this into the fridge over night covered with oiled plastic wrap. About four hours before use, take out of the fridge and let the dough get to room temp (hint, roll out on corn meal, it gives it that pizzeria taste). With my oven I bake at about 350 for 16 to 20 minutes. It depends on how much cheese and how add on I put on it.

This will make either one 16 inch pizza and some bread sticks, three 10 inch pizzas, three large calzones, or four thin eight inch pizzas. Remember this is your dough, use your imagination, some time I add basil, garlic, crushed red pepper, or Italian seasoning to the dough, it all depend on my mood. I'm pressed for time right now. Give me your questions!! I will answer any and all!!

enjoy!!!!!!

Jacca

[Amy]

Wow ~ thanks for taking the time to put all that down! I will have to sweet talk my friend and see if she will let me use her mixer, no way would I want to work that by hand...sorry, not Italian! Definitely on my list of "to-make" when I get home from vacation

[Wizzard419]

1 table spoon yeast I buy "Fast Acting Bread Machine" by the jar. I make so much dough it doesn't last me a month.

Have you ever bought it in the larger bags online? I'm not sure about where you are but a jar here is crazy expensive. Since you go through so much this might be worth looking into for you. The yeast is more or less in stasis so you can keep the bulk of it in the freezer with a jar in the fridge ready to use.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LR ... hs_product

For anyone who wants to use it, about 2 tsp is the same as a packet of active dry yeast (I have the weight written down but I don't recall off the top of my head).

[Wizzard419]

I was sent this today, my first thought was "This is America!" and second was "This is next year's holiday special for World of Color.

http://www.instructables.com/id/recircu ... -fountain/

[Mousekedude]

I was sent this today, my first thought was "This is America!" and second was "This is next year's holiday special for World of Color.

http://www.instructables.com/id/recircu ... -fountain/

(Cue Jeff Foxworthy...) "If you have a homemade gravy fountain with plywood sides, and powered by an electric drill..... Youuuuu might be a redneck."