Baking!

Ok, incoming macaron pics. I've been practicing ... and I'm finally happy with these.
Holy CRAP, those look amazing! You should be more than happy with them, definitely proud at the very least! :love:

While looking for the bread photos, I found two of the hazelnut brown butter cake that I made a month ago. A friend recommended making one of these and after some searching, I settled on this recipe:

Kuchen - 1.jpeg

The darkness and little "pimples" are a result of the brown unrefined sugar that I used. They eventually disappeared... after a day and a half, I believe. :unsure:

Kuchen - 2.jpeg

Since my wife really doesn't like filled cakes (and also because two slices of this fill you up easily), I left it at this. And I have to say that it didn't need any more, be it flavours, calories or layers.
 
Oh my - that looks amazing!! Especially for caramel lovers. This is the first time I've seen a recipe that makes caramel out of demerara sugar - makes so much sense for flavor. Yum!!
 
Oh my - that looks amazing!! Especially for caramel lovers. This is the first time I've seen a recipe that makes caramel out of demerara sugar - makes so much sense for flavor. Yum!!
I used rapadura instead of demerara, which accounts for the dark brown colour. That stuff may not mean quite as much to me as eggs and tomatoes mean to you, but it does remind me of Brazil and that’s always a good thing. :)
 
I wasn't expecting to see rapadura mentioned here, hahahahaha.
 
I used rapadura instead of demerara, which accounts for the dark brown colour. That stuff may not mean quite as much to me as eggs and tomatoes mean to you, but it does remind me of Brazil and that’s always a good thing. :)

Oooh TIL! I've been meaning to try out some piloncillo!! I've seen them in stores, but I didn't know how to use it until this video:

 
Last edited:
Long time listener viewer, first time caller poster....

After finally starting to watch Binging with Babish, and with the idea that for Christmas Festivus with dad we would make Seinfeld inspired dishes, I decided to tackle Babka.


20201220_093314.jpg


Dough was made the night before and allowed it to rise overnight in the fridge. Note that the cinnamon filling (middle, in the Pyrex measuring cup), is not what you are looking for. I managed to over melt the butter, but corrected it by making a second batch and only melting the butter enough to incorporate the brown sugar and cinnamon.


20201220_100128.jpg


The chocolate after a rest in the freezer and before twisting it for the loaf pan. I had a heck of a time getting the chocolate filling to spread out, so it's not the most consistent.


20201220_101146.jpg


The cinnamon filling was much easier to spread out and looks much more even in the pre-twist cross-section.



20201220_114543.jpg


After the final proof in the oven before baking.


20201220_124111.jpg


Out of the oven and brushed with simple syrup.


20201220_133235.jpg


Cinnamon post-bake cross-section. I think it needed a few minutes more, as the middle was just ever so slightly doughy.


20201220_133515.jpg


The chocolate cross-section. I wonder if the fact this was more done had to do with the fact the only two loaf pans we had on hand were of differing materials (steel and pyrex).


I had fun making this and the family enjoyed it. Most prefered the cinnamon, my son liked the chocolate.
 
I tried my hand at making my own bread rolls, plan is to make more and see how it is received on Christmas.

photo_2020-12-20_11-52-52.jpg
 
I tried my hand at pumpernickel for the first time. 16 hours in the oven at 90 degrees Celsius and I still think it should have stayed in there longer! ? But three days of proofing, baking and the occasional bit of work for me seemed enough.
 
90 degrees? 16 hours seems excessive, I guess I've not done pumpernickel before...
I tried my hand at pumpernickel for the first time. 16 hours in the oven at 90 degrees Celsius and I still think it should have stayed in there longer! ? But three days of proofing, baking and the occasional bit of work for me seemed enough.
 
Top