Sweets for the Sweet – October 2009 & February 2010

Sweets for the Sweet: Candy-Making for the Holidays!

We hope you all enjoyed the October 3rd candy making class!  I’ve heard that some of you have been successful making yummy caramels and chocolate covered peanuts lately!  The candies made during the class will make great holiday gifts.   Who will be on your list to enjoy a festive package of  California white fudge, $500 fudge, truffles, bon-bons, chocolate covered cherries, chocolate covered peanuts, praline pecans, caramels, and crème filled candies…hmmm!  It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the kitchen already!

Some news for you!  Yes, we’ll be offering another candy class close to Valentine’s Day in 2010 — there’s a very sweet surprise coming that you’ll really like!

Holiday Breads & More – November 14th, 2009

Oct 7th Update - The Nov. 14th class is full.  However, we are possibly offering an additional class on November 21st.   Please call 573-986-6879 for details.

Beyond the Basics: Holiday Breads and More!

So you’ve learned the basics of bread making, are you ready to refine your skills and take your bread-making to the next level? In this workshop we will build on the fundamentals of bread baking by making ciabbata, brioche, sourdough, french croissants, King’s Hawaiian bread, Blue Willow Pantry’s signature cinnamon rolls and more! We’ll make artisan breads that are rich in culture, tradition and flavor like the Kelso pannetone and learn how to enhance the look of breads by using brotforms and other bread molds. The possibilities are endless! Join us as we make an assortment of breads sure to impress your guests this holiday season! 

While this course will build on the skills learned from Cheryl’s Bread-Making Basics class, beginners are still welcome.

Dates/Time:  Saturday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Fee:  $65 (includes lunch)

Registration opens August 24th!  Register early, seats are limited!

To register for this course being offered through Southeast Missouri State University, please sign up on-line at:  http://www.semo.edu/continuinged/registration.htm

To register by phone, please call  573-986-6879 

 

A Symphony of Sweet Breads

Special thanks to everyone attending today’s session ~ I look forward to seeing you again in April! 

 Nothing says lovin’ like something from the oven…but homemade says it best! 

Join us as we discover the world of sweet breads! This class focuses on making a variety of homemade treasured sweet breads. You’ll learn to make yeast dough by hand and shaping techniques that are sure to become a regular part of your baking repertoire.

Sylvia Reinagel’s Coconut Creme Pie

My mother-in-law, Sylvia, always made her husband’s (Jim) favorite pie…coconut creme. In honor of the 20 years I was so blessed to have her be a part of my life, sharing this recipe is a tribute to a wonderful cook and mother-in-law who will always have a special place in my heart!

German Coffee Cake

Old fashioned German Coffee Cake is something we make that people really seem to enjoy because it brings back fond memories of something their grandmother made long ago.   If you’d like to start a new tradition in your kitchen, this would be a great recipe to try! 

Tips for Bread Baking

You really do have time to bake bread…I promise!  Here’s a few tips that I think will help you to be encouraged to make your own bread without using a bread machine!

Most doughs are “more forgiving” than you realize.  A lot of people just don’t have time to wait an hour or two for the dough to rise and then another 45 minutes to bake!

Try this just once, and you’ll do it again and again. 

Kelso Panettone Bread

I love to experiment with new bread recipes and decided to create my own version of Panettone Bread during the past Christmas season.  I used dates, white raisins, and lemon zest soaked in Cointreau, with a splash of orange juice.  Typically a tall, cylindrical, fruit-filled sweet bread, this version is shaped into rounds and baked on parchment paper.  It came out of the oven right before midnite, but I just had to try it!  It was amazing with butter and even better toasted. 

Ciabatta

 

 

Here’s my first attempt at Ciabatta.  It’s really a very different dough to work with, compared to our Kelso Sourdough, or other sweet breads.  This is a very hydrated dough, and a heavy duty mixer is a must!  The photo (top right) shows the dough after it’s risen.  The appearance, as you can see, is soft and rather wet.  The dough was then shaped into loaves and carefully placed on on pleated, floured cloths.  Be very careful when using a bread peel to place loaves into the oven, as they will easily deflate!  You’ll be surpised, as I was, that this soft dough rises so nicely in the oven.  Having freshly baked Ciabatta with the Heisserer’s homemade wine and our homemade mozzarella cheese is a wonderful culinary experience!

Cheryln’s Grandma’s Buns

My childhood friend, Cheryln Hoffmeister Landgraf, lived next door and I was often invited to her Grandma’s house for Sunday dinner.  I’d always ask if her Grandma was making buns!  When I grew up, Mrs. Ethel Penrod showed me how to make her special buns.  Cheryln’s Grandma’s Buns are a favorite to family, friends, and our catering customers.  We typically make 1,000 of these buns each year!

Shabby Chic Cakes

Bake a layer cake, add buttercream icing, and some fresh flowers and you have a special gift ready to serve!  It’s rare for us to make specially designed “shabby chic” cakes for catering events, as time just doesn’t allow us to prepare foods and also a cake.  However, we do enjoy baking cakes, from scratch (of course) and decorating with a special signature flair not typically seen in our area. Favorites are red velvet, German chocolate, and white velvet with apricot or raspberry fillings. We catered for my daughter’s wedding on a hot July day a few years ago, and nervously transported and assembled a red velvet cake that included 17 bottles of red food coloring! The photo (top left) is a cake for a young lady’s first communion last spring.  The photo (top right) was made especially for Dru Logan Eller’s baby shower last summer.  This photo (right) is a miniature wedding cake served at Erin’s bridal shower at River Ridge Winery in Commerce, Missouri in summer 2004.