Baking love

BAKING both relaxes and intrigues me. There is something to be said about adhering to the traditional principles of baking and watching the transformation of basic ingredients: flour, butter, sugar and eggs, into countless ethereal tastes simply by tweaking flavourings, changing ingredient ratios and methodology.

Baking is a culinary skill that requires practice, discipline with respect to adhering to methods and measurements and the ability to overcome failure. Let’s face it if you are a new baker, your initial products may not be in the top ten but being able to troubleshoot will certainly put you at an advantage the next time.

If you think online tutorials will make a great baker out of you, think again. Learning a practical skill such as baking, online, will put you at a disadvantage, if you are not already a seasoned baker, as you cannot touch, smell and taste in and online tutorial. Those are the three senses that you depend most on during a live baking class.

The alternative to which would translate to you rolling up your sleeves this weekend, following a great recipe and creating your own baking experience.

Happy Baking.

Chocolate swirl banana bread

2 large, over ripened bananas, or 3 medium sized

⅓ cup coconut oil

2 large eggs

¾ cup brown sugar

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp grated nutmeg

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp grated tonka bean

⅓ cup Trinidad cocoa powder

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Line an 8x4 loaf tin with parchment paper.

Mash bananas and beat in coconut oil, eggs and brown sugar with an electric hand mixer, beat until light.

Combine flour with salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and tonka.

Stir this into the banana mixture.

Remove about ½ cup batter and place into a small bowl, stir in cocoa powder.

Spoon batter into prepared pan, swirl the cocoa mixture into the banana mixture.

Bake for 50 minutes until cooked.

Makes 1 loaf

Most delicious cinnamon rolls

For the dough:

1 tbs instant yeast

½ cup warm water

½ cup milk

¼ cup sugar

⅓ cup butter or shortening, melted

1 tsp salt

1 egg

3½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

½ cup melted butter

¾ cup sugar

2 tbs ground cinnamon

Glaze:

4 tbs butter

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 to 6 tbs hot water

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9x12 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl mix yeast, milk, water, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg.

Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.

Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 1 to 1½ hours.

When doubled in size, punch down dough.

Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle and spread melted butter.

Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough.

Beginning at the 15-inch side, roll up dough and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices.

Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned.

Meanwhile, mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add hot water a little at a time until smooth, spread onto rolls.

Makes 15

Island style, long time coconut roll

Coconut flavours run through the fabric of our bakeries, here is one tried and true pastry, a beloved tradition.

Pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup shortening

1 tbs brown sugar

1 tbsp vinegar

⅓ cup cold water, approx.

Place flour in a large bowl.

Cut shortening into flour until it becomes like peas.

Combine vinegar with water. Sprinkle liquid evenly over flour mixture and gather together loosely. It will be very rough.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and pat into a rough rectangle.

Roll dough into a rectangle about 10x16 inches long

Fold long ends of dough into centre and then fold in half like a book.

With smooth end on your left, roll into another rectangle and fold again.

Turn dough as you did the first time, and roll and fold a third time.

Wrap and refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes or until ready for use.

Filling

2 cups freshly grated coconut

2 cups sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 sticks clove

¼ tsp grated nutmeg,

¼ cup water

1-2 drops pink food colouring

Assembly:

2 tbs melted butter

1 egg white

2 tbs granulated sugar

In a medium saucepan place all the ingredients for the filling, cook over a medium heat until bubbly and thick, about 5-8 minutes.

You don’t want the liquid to dry out.

Remove clove.

Add the colouring to make a light pink colour. Cool.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Roll pastry out to ¼-inch thickness or 12x20 inch rectangle.

Brush with 2 tbs melted butter, now evenly spread coconut mixture, distribute evenly, leaving a one- inch border.

Beginning at long end, roll up jelly roll style, seal ends and place on a baking tray seam side down.

Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden.

Remove, cool slightly, then slice the log diagonally into pieces about 1½ inches in width.

Place back on baking tray and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Remove and cool on racks.

Makes 10 to 12 pieces.

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