Bakegab: The Bellgab Bakeshop

[SredniVashtar]

I found out what happened to my chocolate chunks: they sank to the bottom of the pan. My cake now looks like the floor of a rabbit hutch.

[SredniVashtar]

On second thoughts, the texture is better once I left it to cool. So I shan't use self-raising flour again, ordinary flour is the way to go. The chocolate was a disaster, and most of the muffins barely have any in them, damn it!

[Walks_At_Night]

I just checked the weather for tomorrow, 90 degrees.  I guess I’ll be baking outdoors.

Same here and that will be the coolest for the next week.  My love-hate relationship with the
climate here has turned back to hate.   

[Walks_At_Night]

I found out what happened to my chocolate chunks: they sank to the bottom of the pan. My cake now looks like the floor of a rabbit hutch.

So what's the fix for that?  Seems to be a viscosity versus density issue.   

[SredniVashtar]

So what's the fix for that?  Seems to be a viscosity versus density issue.

I don't think I folded them in, I just sort of bunged them in. Oh well, live and learn, at least part of it turned out better than expected and it tastes OK, even if it's more like vanilla flavour than anything else.

[K_Dubb]

I found out what happened to my chocolate chunks: they sank to the bottom of the pan. My cake now looks like the floor of a rabbit hutch.

Oh ha ha ha just tell everyone it is a Black Bottom Cake

[whoozit]

Rise 1 proceeding nicely.  Gluten looks good lots of bubbles.  About 2.5 times original size.  Another hour or so left.

[K_Dubb]

K Dubb, if I may, what are your top 3 favourite baked goods of all time?

I am promiscuous so the real answer is whatever is in front of me at the time but gevulde speculaas, Dresden stollen (the one I make, not anybody else's -- they are usually horrid), and a fresh Hong-Kong-style cocktail bun are what come to mind right now.

[K_Dubb]

So what's the fix for that?  Seems to be a viscosity versus density issue.

Yeah I don't like chocolate chip things for this reason -- they sink to the bottom and burn, which tastes awful.  Chocolate is best alongside a baked thing as a topping, not integrated within it.  Next time, melt the bag of chips in the nuker carefully with a little cream and pour over for an infinitely superior flavor.

[SredniVashtar]

Yeah I don't like chocolate chip things for this reason -- they sink to the bottom and burn, which tastes awful.  Chocolate is best alongside a baked thing as a topping, not integrated within it.  Next time, melt the bag of chips in the nuker carefully with a little cream and pour over for an infinitely superior flavor.

Now he tells me!

[K_Dubb]

Now he tells me!

I thought you were making blueberry muffins!

[whoozit]

I found out what happened to my chocolate chunks: they sank to the bottom of the pan. My cake now looks like the floor of a rabbit hutch.

Sprinkle the chocolate chunks on top just before you put them in the oven.

[K_Dubb]

This is how you bake with chocolate; the French know what they are about here:



You get the best chocolate flavor if the chocolate is in a coherent mass evenly distributed so that you get a piece of pure chocolate which hasn't undergone the rigors of the oven with every bite.  Not a glaze or a dip which spreads it too thin to really taste properly, but a piece with some integrity.  Call it the petit écolier principle.

[pyewacket]

Just finished making my muffins. I haven't done any baking for so long that my tins were covered in cobwebs. As I was making them I realised why I don't do it very often: unless things go exactly my way I get into a temper and mess it up. I was swearing at my muffin cases because they wouldn't stand up straight when I put in the mixture. I still didn't manage to get the right texture, so no idea what I'm doing wrong. I had so much left over I had to throw the rest in a brownie pan. I dumped a whole bag of chocolate chunks in but god knows where the bloody things went. I don't think there was anything wrong with the recipe but the execution left something to be desired, as you can see.

This is a good start, do not get discouraged. That was the most basic of muffin recipes and by the looks of them, you did well. They have the standard, 'cracked' tops' and they do not look burned.

The recipe was for both muffins and loaves so no harm there.

It sounds like you need to develop more patience, relax, and enjoy the experiments.

You DO NOT just dump add ins into your batter; you gently fold them in. If the chunks were too large- then a smaller variety or chips would work better.   

Since the texture is too soft (we call it fine crumb) and you prefer a denser crumb in your muffins and I can offer you a recipe that replaces some of the flour with oatmeal if you like that flavor.

I have used ground oatmeal in chocolate chip cookies with good results but have not tried it with muffins. It does change the texture and adds flavor. Let me know if you would like to try again.

Good try and edible; could have been worse.

Don't give up- this is a good start, although you seem to have a unique approach, I  think we can make a baker out of you, yet.

[SredniVashtar]

Sprinkle the chocolate chunks on top just before you put them in the oven.

Yes, I just wasted them throwing them in like that. Oh well, live and learn.

[SredniVashtar]

I thought you were making blueberry muffins!

I don't know what they're like there but the blueberries you get here don't taste of anything.

[whoozit]

This is a good start, do not get discouraged. That was the most basic of muffin recipes and by the looks of them, you did well. They have the standard, 'cracked' tops' and they do not look burned.

The recipe was for both muffins and loaves so no harm there.

It sounds like you need to develop more patience, relax, and enjoy the experiments.

You DO NOT just dump add ins into your batter; you gently fold them in. If the chunks were too large- then a smaller variety or chips would work better.   

Since the texture is too soft (we call it fine crumb) and you prefer a denser crumb in your muffins and I can offer you a recipe that replaces some of the flour with oatmeal if you like that flavor.

I have used ground oatmeal in chocolate chip cookies with good results but have not tried it with muffins. It does change the texture and adds flavor. Let me know if you would like to try again.

Good try and edible; could have been worse.

Don't give up- this is a good start, although you seem to have a unique approach, I  think we can make a baker out of you, yet.

Use the creaming method of preparation.  You can look it up on the internet.  It is the best method for combining cake or muffin batter.

[K_Dubb]

I don't know what they're like there but the blueberries you get here don't taste of anything.

Yeah we have the same problem with the ones sold fresh here.  The problem is there are a lot of berries that go by that name, not to mention hybrids.  What you want are the ones with a deep red flesh, not the pale green you usually see.  I think in English they are technically bilberries but they are called blÃ¥bær in Scandinavia and they taste like they are supposed to.  Some frozen brands use them but you can never tell.

Your standard green-fleshed blueberry only begins to taste like blueberry when it is macerated with sugar or made into jam.  In a muffin, they stay too intact.  I have a theory that the flavor is locked in the skin of the berry with the color.  The skin by itself is very tart, so the tartness is all you taste when you eat a fresh one the same as, say, passionfruit, which must be sweetened to taste like anything except yuck.  But with the red-fleshed ones the color is already a part of the sweet pulp.

[whoozit]

Wild low bush blueberries are the only worthwhile ones.  They are mostly grown in Maine and are very small.  I used to spend a few hours picking them at relatives to make pies.  The frozen wild berries are far superior to any of the large fresh frankenberries found in supermarkets.

[K_Dubb]

Wild low bush blueberries are the only worthwhile ones.  They are mostly grown in Maine and are very small.  I used to spend a few hours picking them at relatives to make pies.  The frozen wild berries are far superior to any of the large fresh frankenberries found in supermarkets.

Interesting.  Do you remember what color they were inside?

[whoozit]

Interesting.  Do you remember what color they were inside?

They are bluish purple towards the outside and fade to white in the centers.  They are about 1/8 inch in diameter.  The large ones are pure white inside, just like stocked fish.  I think Wyman’s is the large blueberry conglomerate that sells most wild berries to stores.  The plants like acidic soil.  There are huge blueberry barrens in parts of Maine.

[K_Dubb]

They are bluish purple towards the outside and fade to white in the centers.  They are about 1/8 inch in diameter.  The large ones are pure white inside, just like stocked fish.  I think Wyman’s is the large blueberry conglomerate that sells most wild berries to stores.  The plants like acidic soil.  There are huge blueberry barrens in parts of Maine.

Ha!  Well that blows my cherished theory.  I've never had those, but will keep an eye out at the store.

[whoozit]

Ha!  Well that blows my cherished theory.  I've never had those, but will keep an eye out at the store.

They are sort of a reddish purple flesh.  I just can’t remember exactly.  You are correct that the green fleshed ones are tasteless.

[SredniVashtar]

I wonder if you could make muffins with damsons? You'd have to take the stone out but they might have more flavour than blueberries.

[pyewacket]

I don't know what they're like there but the blueberries you get here don't taste of anything.

Quit whining and buy some good quality jam for those muffins.

You can freeze them, too.

If your muffins go stale you can still use them. Split the muffin in half, spread it with melted butter and toast in the oven until golden brown. Eat as is or with vanilla ice cream.

You can also make bread pudding with them. You will need 2 cups worth of stale muffins cubed. Place them in a bowl. Whisk together 2 large eggs, 3 cups of of milk, ½ cup of sugar, and your choice of spices. Pour the mixture over the muffin cubes and let it set for 20 minutes. Transfer it all to a greased baking dish and bake for about 1 hour at 325°F.

[K_Dubb]

I wonder if you could make muffins with damsons? You'd have to take the stone out but they might have more flavour than blueberries.

I would worry that they might be too juicy and you'd have a sodden mess.  But a French-style plum tart is easy and delicious if you can manage somewhat-even slices or halves and arrange them pretty.  If you like pastry cream underneath it can be whipped up in the nuker in a way that's foolproof, or if you can find almond flour frangipane is a lot easier than it sounds.

[albrecht]

Wild low bush blueberries are the only worthwhile ones.  They are mostly grown in Maine and are very small.  I used to spend a few hours picking them at relatives to make pies.  The frozen wild berries are far superior to any of the large fresh frankenberries found in supermarkets.

Huckleberries are good. Found in the Great American Redoubt regions (E. Wash, Idaho, Montana) and folks go pick them wild. Tasty and seasonal. Put them into everything (ice cream, milkshake, pancakes, muffins, jam, etc.) Just watch out when picking because bears love them also! 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8OWNspU_yE 

[whoozit]

Second rise looks good.  Time to shape into rolls and let rise for the final time.

[SredniVashtar]

I would worry that they might be too juicy and you'd have a sodden mess.  But a French-style plum tart is easy and delicious if you can manage somewhat-even slices or halves and arrange them pretty.  If you like pastry cream underneath it can be whipped up in the nuker in a way that's foolproof, or if you can find almond flour frangipane is a lot easier than it sounds.

I have a plum tree so that sounds like a good idea for a plum tart.

[K_Dubb]

I have a plum tree so that sounds like a good idea for a plum tart.

Oh I wish I had a plum tree like Grandma used to!  One of my folks' neighbors has one of those little yellow French ones which must be the sweetest fruit on earth, and you know how they just dump in a very short time and you're scrambling to get rid of them.  We just gorge; none ever see the inside of an oven.

I see other people making damson muffins; there's even a Waitrose recipe for them, though it has yogurt which is typically a scroogish calorie-counting measure when it comes to baking and is to be avoided.  It would be worth a shot.