Multigrain Challah

December 17, 2017December 15, 2017 ~ Max ~ Leave a comment

Now it’s my turn to have my hand at the Challah game. This one is adapted from Norene’s Prize Winning Challah. I started making this challah in my second year of university, and it has been a hit! It is super forgiving and doesn’t require any fancy machinery.

As for the flour, this can be done with regular best for bread flour however I prefer multi-grain to give it some extra nutrients. I originally found this multi-grain flour (Best for Bread Multigrain by Robin Hood) at Walmart. However, my local Walmart did not have it in stock. After getting a tooth implant the day prior, I spent 2.5 hours hunting around grocery stores and eventually (after calling) found it at Real Canadian Superstore.

I reset my phone after making this recipe and lost some of the progress pictures. I apologize for the trouble! Now, for the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 tsp sugar
1 tsp honey
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115°F)
1 package quick rise yeast (1 Tbsp)
1/2 cup canola/vegetable oil
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups of multigrain best for bread flour
2.5 cups of white best for bread flour

For the egg wash:

1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tsp water
1 tsp honey

For the Topping:

Option A: Sugar Crumb Coating:
4 tbsp. margarine, semi-melted
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar

Option B: Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats

Option C: Sesame Seeds

Directions:

Dissolve sugar and honey in warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and leave for 10 minutes before mixing.

Add oil, warm water, sugar, salt, eggs, and the multi-grain flour. Beat well. Gradually add the remaining flour. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch.

Knead the dough for 10 minutes (or mix all ingredients in the electric mixer with a dough hook) until smooth and elastic. I find I have to add quite a bit of flour to prevent the dough from sticking.

Grease a large bowl with canola oil and turn over the dough so all sides are lightly greased. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm dark place for 1.5-2 hours (I like to use an oven that has been off for at least a couple hours).

(Dough may also rise in the fridge; and will last 3 days before shaping and baking).

Punch down and let rise again until doubled (45 minutes)

The dough can be divided in half to make two challahs (3-piece braid), or one large challah (6-piece braid)

To shape (6 piece bread): Divide dough in half, then divide each half into thirds.

Roll out each dough ball into a long strand.

Join all strands together at the top and weave the far right strand over the next two strands, under the third and over the last two.

Once shaped it can be placed in the fridge overnight. If you chose to do this, take the dough out of the fridge and let rise for 3 hours before baking. Or if you are baking the same day:

Preheat oven to 400˚F

Transfer to parchment paper and cover with a towel. Allow to rise for 1 hour.

Prepare topping (for streusel mix all ingredients in a bowl). Brush challah with egg wash and then sprinkle with topping.

Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cover with foil for the last 5-10 minutes if it is browning too quickly. (If two smaller challahs, 25 minutes.) Dough will sound hollow when tapped with your fingers

This recipe is easily doubled and and is great for a shabbat dinner or regular Wednesday night (as I had made this challah for).

Science Fact of the Week:

Multigrain bread is made from more than one grain. This flour contains whole grains which is important to consider for their added health benefits. Whole grains are a source of dietary fibre. This extra fibre (compared to white bread) can help lower blood sugars and aid digestion. Whole grains also contain many added minerals and nutrients.

Sufganiyot (Hannukah Donuts)

December 10, 2017December 9, 2017 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

This was the first attempt at a Chanukah delicacy and it worked! Uniquely made with a bread machine, these homemade Israeli style donuts need very close supervision (don’t step away from the pot).

Ingredients:

2/3 cup slightly warmed unsweetened vanilla almond milk
¼ cup water at room temperature
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted pareve margarine at room temperature
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 cups bread flour
2 ½ tsp. bread machine yeast
Peanut/canola oil for deep frying
Jam/Nutella for filling
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions:

Add to bread machine pan all of the ingredients in the order listed above from milk through yeast. After 2 hours, remove dough from pan.

Roll out the dough to ½ -inch thickness and cut rounds using a standard drinking glass dipped in flour. This should make 32-36 rounds.

Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with a dish towel for one hour.

Using a thermometer, fill deep pot with approximately 2 inches of oil and bring to 375F over medium heat.

Carefully place 4 donuts in oil for 1 minute until golden brown

Then flip them and fry for another 30 seconds.

Remove from pot and place on cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Continue to deep fry the donuts while the temperature remains at approximately 375F. Feel free to dust with icing sugar or “inject” with jam/Nutella/filling of your choice.

Science Fact of the Week:

For this recipe we used peanut oil! It has a high smoke point and as such can be heated to a high temperature. These are fried for a short period of time, keeping the oil absorbed to a minimum.

The Best Banana Bread

November 26, 2017November 21, 2017 ~ Marvin ~ 1 Comment

Simple and delicious; after many tweaks and adjustments in the lab, one of my most favourite recipes to prepare. I have attached a photo of my late mother Pearl’s original recipe.

I like to think that Max and I are lucky enough to have inherited some of my Mom’s and Bubi’s baking genes.

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
2 large eggs
¼ cup canola/grapeseed/olive/coconut oil
¼ cup orange juice/soy milk/almond milk/coconut milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. kosher salt
OPTIONAL-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips tossed in 1/8 cup any flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper, sprayed with cooking spray.

Place bananas, eggs, oil, milk, vanilla and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Add to food processor and pulse until just combined.

Fold in chocolate chips if using.

Transfer batter to loaf pan.

Bake for 60 minutes.

This banana bread freezes well and is a great use for overripe bananas. If you have bananas sitting on your counter use them to make this banana bread.

Science Fact of the Week:

Bananas are inexpensive and great to keep on hand. As they ripen they release ethylene gas, which is a natural part of the ripening procedure of most fruits and vegetables. If you have a couple unripe bananas and one ripe one, throw them together into a brown paper bag to speed up the ripening process. This also works to soften an avocado. Put a ripe banana with an avocado in a brown bag overnight and it speeds up the ripening process.

Mandelbroit

November 12, 2017August 18, 2019 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

This delicious recipe has been tried and tested for many years in our household. Give it a try for a delicious addition everyday snack. Great on their own or to dip in coffee.

Ingredients

¾ cup olive/grapeseed/coconut oil
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ tsp. pure almond extract
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups each whole wheat flour and unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 cups Vector/Special K Protein/Fibre 1 cereal, coarsely crushed
1 cup toasted blanched slivered almonds
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. cinnamon + 4 tsp. granulated sugar, combined for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat oil, sugar and eggs in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Add almond extract and vanilla and beat again.

Combine flours and baking powder in a separate bowl and slowly add to mixture. Mix until just combined.

Combine cereal, almonds and chocolate chips in a separate bowl.

Add to mixture and mix until just combined.

Chill batter in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 2-24 hours.

Divide mixture into 4 equal parts and shape into logs approximately 7- x 2-inch in size (approximately 1-inch thickness). Place onto cookie sheets.

Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Slice into ½ inch slices and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Bake for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Can be stored sealed at room temperature for several weeks.

Makes 4 dozen mandelbroit.

This is the “Jewish” version of biscotti. These cookies are also twice baked but because of their oil content, they are more crumbly and do not have to be dipped in coffee in order to be enjoyed. I have worked on this recipe in the “lab” for several years and they are hopefully perfected. Definitely one of my most favourite cookies both to bake and to enjoy!

Science Fact of the Week:

Our fact relates to the choice to use cereal in this recipe. In addition to adding some extra crunch, cereal adds many health benefits. In our house, we use Vector, which is low in fat, high in protein and fortified with vitamins and minerals. However, as with many cereals, beware of added sugars.

Apple Pie

November 5, 2017October 30, 2017 ~ Max ~ 4 Comments

Now that the weather is finally starting to get cooler, it’s the perfect time to pick apples (or go to the grocery store and buy them). We picked up some Spy and Cortland apples, both of which are great for baking as they retain their shape and crunch.

This apple pie is a bit of a concoction, and we tested out some cool tricks to make the pie crust flakey. After a couple attempts, it worked perfectly. The secret is the use of apple cider and apple cider vinegar.

This pie is dairy free, and can be vegan if you swap out the egg wash for melted margarine.

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

4 cups cake and pastry flour
12 tbsp. apple cider (cold) – Can be purchased at the grocery store. If unavailable you can substitute for ice water.
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup coconut oil

For the Filling:

8 cups of thinly sliced apples (about 8 medium or 6 large)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt

For the Egg Wash:

1 large egg white, lightly beaten – swap for melted margarine to make this recipe vegan.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450˚F.

Combine 1 cup flour, cider and vinegar in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, combine remaining flour, powdered sugar and salt.

Add coconut oil and margarine (cut into small pea sized balls). Cut into flour mixture with a pastry cutter.

Add wet ingredients to this mixture.

Divide dough in half and cover each with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

To prepare filling, cut apple into a large bowl and add remaining filling ingredients.

Roll out (on a floured surface) 1 of the divided pie crusts to approx. 1/8 inch thick (large enough so there is overhang off the edge of the pie plate.

Cut off the excess dough and design the edges however you would like. Here I pinched the edges.

Put the filling in the pie crust.

Roll out remaining dough and cut into 1/2 inch strips. Weave together to create a lattice. Alternatively you can roll out the dough and place on top. If you choose this method, ensure that you cut holes in the top to let steam escape.

Brush pie with egg wash (or melted margarine)

Bake at 450˚F for 15 minutes before changing the temperature to 350˚F. Bake for an additional 35-50 minutes (until golden brown)

Feel free to use extra pie dough for design or to make mini pies in ramekins. For mini pies, change additional baking time to 25-30 mins.

Enjoy this delicious fall dessert with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Science Fact of the Week:

Our science fact this week relates to the use of different kinds of apples. Three apples that are great for pies are Spy, Cortland or Granny Smith apples. The texture of the apple is the most important. Macintosh are great for eating, but won’t suit the right texture for pie. You want to avoid apples that will get soft.

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

October 29, 2017October 25, 2017 ~ Marvin ~ 1 Comment

A non-dairy pumpkin spice loaf to wow any house guest. Great for a crowd, this fall dessert is a perfect go to with a quick clean up and very little effort.

If you wanna prep in advance to make this even simpler, you can create a pre-packaged Pumpkin Spice mixture (in a ziplock) to quickly throw into the bowl next time.

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup olive/grapeseed/coconut/canola oil
4 eggs
2 cups pure pumpkin puree
3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground allspice
½ cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 loaf pans with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.

Process sugar, oil and eggs until well combined.

Add pumpkin and process again. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

Add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water. Pulse until just combined.

Pour batter into the 2 loaf pans and bake for 65-70 minutes.

Aside from being healthy and colourful, pumpkin is very easy to use in many baked recipes. Be sure to use “pure pumpkin” and not pumpkin pie filling which has added sugar and other additives. A great loaf to serve for Sukkot/Thanksgiving or any time in the fall/winter.

Science Fact of the Week:

Since we’ve already spoken about the health benefits of pumpkin, we thought it was important to talk about the choice of oil in this recipe. By using an oil base we can replace butter, making this non-dairy and a lighter alternative. Grapeseed oil contains Vitamin E, which as an anti-oxidant has been tied to lower risks of cancer, heart disease and other chronic illness. Olive oil, coconut oil and regular canola all work well for the recipe, feel free to use whichever you have on hand.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Espresso “Buttercream”

October 8, 2017October 8, 2017 ~ Max ~ 2 Comments

This recipe is an adaptation from Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake.

A good chocolate cake is hard to come by. This one is great as a cake, cupcake, loaf, or cake pop. I’ve been making this chocolate cake recipe for about 10 years.

Feel free to get creative with this cake. Try topping it with fondant, sprinkles or toasted walnuts. This recipe is very adaptable. Swap out the icing for vanilla, chocolate, or any other flavour you can think of. One of my favourites is to make this as a two layer cake with whipped cream and strawberries inside, topped with chocolate frosting.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup almond milk (can swap for skim or soy)
1/2 cup extra light tasting olive oil (can also use canola)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
2 tbsp espresso powder

For the Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) non-dairy margarine, at room temperature
2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp espresso powder

Directions:

For the Cupcakes:

Makes 24 cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare two cupcake trays with liners.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.

Add eggs, almond milk, olive oil and vanilla extract and mix well for 1-2 minutes.

In a small bowl mix boiling water with espresso powder. Allow to sit for a minute before adding to batter.

Mix slowly. Batter should be thin.

Bake for 22-25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While cooling, prepare the whipped espresso frosting

For the Frosting:

In a small bowl, mix the vanilla and espresso powder. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whip the margarine for 5 minutes. Scrape the sides. With the mixer off, add the powdered sugar a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing in between to incorporate.

Add the vanilla espresso mixture and continue to mix on medium-high.

Science Fact of the Week:

Using almond milk allows this recipe to be dairy free, and adds some hidden nutritional value. Almonds are low in fat, and may help maintain a healthy heart and reduce blood pressure.

Honey Crumb Apple Cake

October 1, 2017September 29, 2017 ~ Marvin ~ 1 Comment

This honey crumb cake is another fall staple. Delicious for a crowd this makes a great addition to any event. The alcohol in this recipe gives it a unique flavour and depth.

Ingredients:

For the Honey Caramel:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. water
6 tbsp. cold vegan margarine, sliced
¼ cup Nutriwhip
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. bourbon/whiskey/honey liqueur

For the Apples:

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. vegan margarine
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice/apple pie spice or combination of cinnamon/ginger/nutmeg (equal parts)
1 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Cake Batter:

½ cup vegan margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¾ cup vanilla almond/soy milk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. baking powder

For the Crumb Topping:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup demerara brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup vegan margarine, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9-by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

To make the honey caramel, in a medium-sized saucepan, bring sugar, water and honey to a boil without stirring. Let mixture boil until it becomes amber in colour. Immediately turn off heat, and whisk in margarine (mixture will bubble up).

Add Nutriwhip and salt. Whisk well until smooth. Add bourbon last, whisking well. Pour into a clean bowl and allow to cool and thicken slightly.

To prepare the apples, saute apples, margarine and spices in a large saute pan over medium heat until slightly softened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add half of the caramel mixture and 1 tbsp. of flour to the apples. Toss together and set aside.

For the cake batter, cream margarine and sugar in an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 3-5 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until well incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl and add milk on low speed. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat on low speed until combined and smooth.

Pour mixture into prepared pan, spreading in a thin layer.

Top with caramel-apple mixture.

For the crumb topping, combine the ingredients in order of list (flour through melted margarine).

Sprinkle evenly over apple layer in pan.

Bake for 50 minutes then cool completely. Cut into squres and serve drizzled with remaining caramel sauce.

Though this recipe has a long list of ingredients and four major components to it, the results will be worth it. We enjoyed this cake for Rosh Hashanah but of course it can be made any time of year.

Science Fact of the Week:

Our science fact of the week is actually busting a myth! While it is commonly believed that baking removed all alcohol, some ethanol actually remains in the desserts. It can take up to 3 hours to remove all traces of alcohol (ethanol) in a dessert. In the case of this cake, such a small amount is added so it should not be a concern, but it is important to note when cooking and baking with alcohol.

Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins

September 3, 2017September 2, 2017 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

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With summer coming to an end we thought we would share another blueberry recipe to make use of the delicious local produce. This is a newer recipe, but is a delicious healthier muffin that can be made year round. Off season, feel free to swap out the blueberries for frozen.

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Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups large flake oats
1/4 cup demerara style brown sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup olive/grapeseed/coconut/canola oil
1/2 cup pure honey
1/2 cup blueberry pomegranate juice, reduced (see note below)
2 cups blueberries
large flake oats and raw/turbinado style sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F. Combine first eight ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

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In an electric mixer, combine next six ingredients and beat until well combined. Add juice and beat again.

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Slowly add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Then fold in blueberries and mix.

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Fill 15 paper liners in muffin tins. Optionally, sprinkle each muffin with approximately 1/4 tsp. each of large flake oats and raw/turbinado sugar. Bake 16 minutes or until golden brown.

Note:

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“Reduced” juice in this recipe refers to the process of bringing 1 cup of blueberry pomegranate juice (such as Pom brand) to a boil and reducing it down to half the amount. The juice becomes more dense and imparts a richer flavour with half the volume while sweetening the muffins. Along with using applesauce as a sweetener, this allows the muffin to have a lower sugar content but still allows a delicious taste. The taste is reminiscent of a Starbucks-style muffin but is of course, homemade. The muffins freeze well and can be enjoyed year round.

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Science Fact of the Week:

Flaxseeds are a great source of nutrients. Flaxseeds may assist with weight-loss, and as well may reduce blood pressure due to their alpha-linoleic acid, fibre and lignan content. They may also be a contributing factor in reducing breast cancer risk. Flaxseeds are great in muffins, but can also be added to oatmeal, cookies or delicious foods to increase their nutritional value.

Ingredients:

For the egg wash:

For the Topping:

Directions:

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Ingredients

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Ingredients:

For the Crust:

For the Filling:

For the Egg Wash:

Directions:

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Ingredients:

Directions:

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For the Cake:

For the Frosting:

Directions:

For the Cupcakes:

For the Frosting:

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Ingredients:

For the Honey Caramel:

For the Apples:

For the Cake Batter:

For the Crumb Topping:

Directions

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