How To Bake Pandesal and Other Breads

I just updated my website with an article about 2005 (under Baking Consultant), my second private session outside my place in Makati. Going on site is a blast, you get to see a different place other than your own but it could be a hassle as well. Here in the US, such arrangement is compounded by the fact that you have to travel by air (which i totally 100 % hate), not because you have to ride the plane itself, (taking off is exhilarating) but the whole business of taking one's shoes, checking bags, lining up, waiting and more waiting. I am used to just telling our driver, "Manong, i am going to this and that" and done. Here, you have to make travel arrangements, pack your bags and everything else possibly annoying. But, the allure of being able to teach, and see a different place of course, since it is my job makes it all worth it. I just wish that with all these computer geeks running amuck hacking computers of big time banks even the Pentagon, they can invent a TRAVE...

Just thought i would type in a few words 2 weeks before i depart for Manila. 18 months.Impressed, Turbulent, sad, not just cold but very cold, confused, bewildered, amazed,grateful, discovery etc., etc., I have so many whys to leave behind, hopefully and planning to ditch them in the trash. They won't make it to my luggage. I have a third invisible luggage with me though, my Cake Decorating knowledge and getting to know a brother i have not seen since 1992. Canada must have been good to him. He was and still is the best brother one can ever have. For that alone, this New York trip makes it all worth it. My intangibles. Yes, America is a great country, beautiful and almost perfect. But.... "It's this city that makes you go bad" suspect, Law and Order, SVU Episode Depends i guess. You cannot blame a city for turning into the worst in you. You cannot lose who you are, because if you do, then what you have become of will wreak havoc. Heaven forbid it happens to ...

I would love for you guys to view some clips of this Kitchen Aid mixing version, small batch but comes out the same way. I was in the mood for a Whole Wheat version (of course i didn't tell the boys) of Spanish Bread. Nephew coming from Canada and this is the only bread he likes to nibble on. Now because it is Kitchen Aid, you know you cannot overtax the motor. I mixed the dough for a good 10 minutes and covered it until the motor cooled down. Finish mixing for about 3 more 7 minute runs. After mixing, divide the dough into logs, cut into 30 gram portions. Flatten them out after rounding and relax them before filling. Put the filling, (cake crumbs, sugar and butter)and roll, sealing the edges tightly. If you are like me who end up with a lot of cake trimmings, you know Spanish Bread is the next best thing. No wastage! Roll in breadcrumbs,and place the rolls seal side down on greased or lined baking sheets. I used the oven, with the pilot light on as a proofer. Since...

Learn how to make the most basic of all doughs, lean, semi rich, sweet yeast doughs, and you will end up making breads you have never imagined yourself doing. Below is a sweet yeast dough turned into loaves, with brown sugar and butter filling, i sometimes use apples and cinnamon in this basic loaf bread for zpecial occasions. My former teacher at OB Montessori once held a party for some close friends in her office in UP and so i sent her 3 of these loaves. They couldn't wait to slice the coffeecakes as she told me later. The next one is an UBE BREAD, from another sweet yeast, semi rich dough that i did for our Christmas dinner. I make a lot because my brother in law loves these breads for desserts. Making cuts on the coffeecake to help in the rising and to create a decorative effect once baked Same dough, there is a fruit and nut filling inside, then sprinkled some brown sugar on top. I will later on brush this with butter once baked. I spread a few of the ube on top ha...

I apologize for making a few changes in the schedule below, i made way for some private one on one sessions so i nicked off the last dates of these lessons, first day did not change though. Breads Hands On September 18, 20 and 21*** Buttercream Class September 27 and 28 Royal Icing and Gumpaste/Fondant September 9,12 14 Thank you and sorry again, i hope this does not put a damper on your schedule. See my most recent post of CUPCAKES ON STAND, in my cakesandpetals site.

Cookie recipes if you are in the mood for making a batch this week. CAKESANDPETALS

I want to show you the difference between the Whole Wheat Flour i use and the Wheat Bran, both good for making your hearty and healthier versions of Pandesal and loaf breads. Below is the Wheat Bran, which you cannot use 100% of course, a cup of this to your regular recipe will go a long way. Now, grab your favorite Whole Wheat Bread from the grocery aisle and peek through the crumb and count the flecks of whole wheat visible to your minus double lens eye. Find any? Chances are you will not find A LOT, and this could mean two things. First, they did not use the wheat bran below, what we call back home as cracked wheat. Because if you do, you will be amazed at how very little of this can totally change the dough structure, from a smooth gliding dough to a brown speckled mass. So if you see your Whole Wheat Bread having very little tiny brown colored dots, chances are they use just a small percentage of wheat bran or cracked wheat (which can be very expensive) or that, they use whol...

BAKING BREADS AND PASTRIES: Baking and Cake Decorating Classes and Little Caylee

I am reposting the schedule here just in case you missed the previous post for the upcoming baking and cake decorating lessons in September. I will be arriving in Manila on August 22 so please call me after if you have any questions and to make reservations. The requirements and fees are in my website, www.breadmakinglessons.com and you can also email me at sherqv17@gmail.com for any baking questions under the sun. Again, the Royal Icing and Gumpaste class will be for 3 days, no need to buy your gumpaste tools if you have no time or if you cannot find them, i will allow the students to use my tools. ROYAL ICING SCROLLS AND ROYAL ICING FLOWER ON FONDANT CAKE Just recently there is an issue regarding All Purpose Flour. Yes, you can make breads with it, practically all kinds of breads but there will be a big difference in terms of volume, oven spring, proofing time, hydration level, etc., When i first arrived here in the US, i had a hard time adjusting to the 100% All Purpose Flou...