Grandmas Recipes

In our earlier blog post on Desired Dough Temperature, we introduced a formula that professional bread bakers use to achieve consistently great results.

We learned that aiming for a desired dough temperature (DDT) in the 75-78°F range will lead to the best flavor and rise in wheat-based yeast breads.

The DDT formula takes into account the principal factors that affect dough temperature — room, flour, preferment (if any), and the friction factor — in order to calculate the one factor the baker can easily adjust: water temperature.

Don’t be afraid of a little math

The DDT formula is easy — all it takes is plugging in a few temperature readings, and doing a little multiplication and subtraction.

Even if you avoid math like the plague, I encourage you to give it a try. You’ll be amazed at how much more predictable and consistent your bread baking becomes!

However, there remains one piece of the DDT formula that we didn’t tackle in our previous blog post. What about that pesky friction factor?

While it’s easy enough to check your thermostat or stick a thermometer into your ingredients, determining the friction factor isn’t quite so straightforward.

What is the friction factor?

The friction factor (FF) in baking represents the amount of heat transferred to bread dough during mixing and kneading.

Friction can raise the temperature of your dough significantly, so it needs to be taken into account when making dough-temperature calculations.

The tricky part is that the friction factor can change considerably from one mix to the next. This is because so many variables go into mixing and kneading bread dough. Factors like the type of mixer, duration and speed of mixing, and the quantity of dough in the bowl all impact the amount of heat generated.

This can throw unwanted uncertainty into the whole DDT formula. After all, we need a fairly accurate predetermined friction factor in order to calculate the correct water temperature.

Unfortunately, I can’t give you a magical friction factor that will be accurate each and every time you make bread. I can, however, offer some tips on using estimated figures, and also show you how to determine the friction factor for yourself.

Choose your own adventure: Is it worth calculating the friction factor?

This is where I recommend you stop and consider how much of a bread geek you are.

Many bakers will be perfectly happy to stick with the friction factor figures I offered in my earlier blog post, and delve no further.

Here are those figures:

•Mixing and kneading in a stand mixer (7-quart KitchenAid mixer using the dough hook on “stir” for 3 minutes, then speed 2 for 4 minutes): FF = 22-24°F.

•Hand kneading (8 minutes total mixing and kneading): FF = 6-8°F.

And here are a few comparison figures:

In his book Bread, Jeffrey Hamelman suggests a friction factor of 24-28°F for most mixers (mixing for 3 minutes on speed 1, and 4 minutes on speed 2).

For hand kneading many bakers go with a friction factor in the 0-4°F range. I do have warm hands and tend to knead quite vigorously, which may explain my higher hand kneading figures.

Given the inherent variability of the friction factor, it makes perfect sense to work with an educated guess. In most cases this will get you close enough to your desired dough temperature, with no further ciphering required.

What if you use another type of mixer or a bread machine?

While these figures will work just fine when using a similar kneading process, they won’t be reliable if you change the duration or speed of the mix, or use a different type of machine — like a bread machine or food processor.

This is all the more reason to continue reading so that you can learn to determine the friction factor for yourself.

That being said, bread machines aren’t really set up for use with the DDT formula. This is because they not only create friction, but also intentionally add warmth to the dough production process. Unless you’re willing to eliminate the preheat cycle and use your bread machine only for mixing and kneading your dough, it doesn’t make much sense to worry about the friction factor when using a bread machine.

Options for determining the friction factor in baking: for bread geeks only

If you’re a bread geek like me, you’re probably curious about how to go about determining the friction factor for yourself. Maybe you just want to know how it all works, or want to be as precise as possible when it comes to your bread-baking routine.

If this sounds interesting to you, read on, fellow bread geeks!

You basically have two options for determining the friction factor.

Option 1: Tweaking

The first option is to adopt an estimated friction factor, and then “tweak” it for your particular mixing and kneading method.

1. Choose a friction factor and then select your desired dough temperature.
2. Use the DDT formula as usual to calculate the water temperature.
3. Mix and knead the dough, and then check the dough temperature.
4. Calculate the difference between your desired dough temperature and your actual dough temperature.
5. Add or subtract this difference from the estimated FF you began with, in order to tweak the FF for the next time you make bread.

Option 2: Using the DDT formula to calculate the friction factor

A more precise option for determining the friction factor involves using the DDT formula with a chosen water temperature. In this case, the friction factor becomes the unknown variable.

1. Select the water temperature you’d like to use. Record this temperature, along with the temperature of the room, flour, and preferment (if your recipe calls for one).
2. Mix and knead the dough, noting the duration and speed of your mix method.
3. Take the temperature of the dough after mixing and kneading.
4. Multiply the final dough temperature by the number of pertinent factors (three if there’s no preferment, four if the recipe calls for a preferment), to yield the total temperature factor (TTF).
5. Subtract the actual temperatures of the room, water, flour, and preferment (if any) in order to yield the friction factor.

At this point, even the most diehard bread geeks among you may be wondering how on earth to incorporate such calculations into your baking routine.

Let me show you how I use the DDT formula and the friction factor when I make baguettes.

Tweaking the friction factor

It’s a pleasant 70°F in my kitchen and I’m on a mission to make our Classic Baguettes recipe. I mixed the poolish the night before, and it’s now ripe and ready to go.

I decide to adopt a friction factor of 24°F, and use the DDT formula as usual. Both my poolish temperature and my flour temperature are 72°F.

I’m aiming for 77°F as my desired dough temperature.

After mixing and kneading with 70°F water, my actual dough temperature turns out to be 75°F, instead of the 77°F I was aiming for.

This indicates that my chosen FF of 24°F was a bit high, since the increase in temperature is less than expected. To tweak the friction factor, I need to reduce it by the 2-degree difference.

Friction factor = 24° – 2° = 22°F

But what if the dough temperature was 78°F instead of my DDT of 77°F? That’s a sign that the mixer generated more heat than expected. In this case, I’d need to increase my friction factor.

Friction Factor = 24°+ 1° = 25°F

Calculating the friction factor using the DDT formula

A few weeks have passed and I’m ready to make baguettes again. This time, I want to calculate the friction factor from scratch.

Summer has arrived in earnest, and my kitchen is a warm 73°F.

First, I have to decide on my water temperature. I use a thermometer to determine my tap water is 67°F, which seems like a reasonable water temperature — especially on a warm summer day.

Next, a quick check reveals that my poolish temperature is 76°F, and the flour is 73°F.

After mixing and kneading, I check my dough temperature: it’s 78°F.

Ta-da! I now have my very own friction factor to use in future baking adventures. Remember, this number will apply best to recipes that are mixed and kneaded in a similar fashion.

Consider a bread journal

In preparation for this blog post, I consulted my old friend Jaydl McCaffrey. She’s one of the talented bread bakers in our King Arthur Flour bakery.

I asked her how she incorporates the DDT formula into her early-morning mixing routine at the bakery.

Jaydl says she does use the DDT formula and a predetermined friction factor (20-25°F) when she mixes a new dough for the first time. However, for her day-to-day mixing she relies on a mixing log.

“I much prefer to keep a log of all my data,” she says. “I find this is far more accurate. Some doughs have a large preferment; some a large soaker. Some mix for a short time; some for a longer time on high speed. Using the log and comparing my current day’s data to previous batches helps me narrow in on my choice of water temperature.”

What a great idea for home bakers and professionals alike! Logging all the pertinent data each time you make bread will go a long way toward building consistency in your baking.

Here I’ve logged my results when hand kneading my baguette dough.

Not only will your data provide insight into future baking choices; recording and referring back to previous baking experiences will help develop your knowledge and intuitive baking sense.

Tips for determining the friction factor:

1. If you’re math averse, it’s fine to use the friction factors I’ve determined for you: 22-24°F for mixing in your stand mixer, and 6-8°F for hand kneading. If your hand kneading method consists mostly of gentle folds or you have cool hands, go with 0-4°F.
2. You can “tweak” an estimated friction factor for accuracy by subtracting or adding the difference between your desired dough temperature and the actual dough temperature you achieve after mixing.
3. If you want to be more precise, use the DDT formula to determine the friction factor. In this case, the water temperature is known, and the friction factor becomes the missing variable. Take the temperature of the dough after kneading and use this to generate your total temperature factor (TTF). Subtract the temperature of the room, flour, water, and preferment (if any) to find your friction factor.
4. Consider adding a bread journal to your baking toolbox to record your temperature data, DDT calculations, and results.

Hey, bread geeks! I’d love to hear the friction factors you come up with. Consider the comments section one big baking journal; the more data we gather, the more we’ll learn about the mercurial friction factor and how it affects our bread baking.

For some great background on why the friction factor can help make or break your bread, read our blog post on desired dough temperature. 

Ice pops give us life in the summer when the sun dries us up like starfish out of water. But this year, consumers will notice a change in one of the nation’s most popular brands of the icy treat. Otter Pops — known for vibrant pops of blue, red, orange and green — are now “colorless.”

America’s 13 Wildest and Weirdest Ice Cream Trucks

No, they’re not invisible; they're now a shade of tan that reflects their main ingredient, apple juice. The brand is ridding its formula of artificial colors and dyes and going with natural ingredients instead. The new-and-improved Otter Pops are made with 100 percent fruit juice, and even though they won't be as pretty, it’s OK because they’re better for you.

Even though these pops have been stripped of those vibrant artificial colors, all of the original flavors remain the same, including Louie-Bloo Raspberry, Sir Isaac Lime, Alexander the Grape, Poncho Punch, Strawberry Short Kook and Little Orphan Orange. 

Here’s the short ingredients list in full: water, apple juice from concentrate, sugar and two percent or less of the following: natural flavors, citric acid, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. 

If you love Otter Pops the way they used to be, don't worry — they're not being discontinued. You can still find them on Amazon and at Walmart, Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, WinCo Foods, Safeway and Costco. According to Foodbeast, the ones without artificial colors are currently only available at Costcos in California, Oregon and Washington. Maybe someday they'll make way to the best grocery store in every state.

In case you missed it, we kicked off a Food Combining challenge this month in our Detoxinista Community on Facebook. Several members wanted to give food combining a shot, and I think a challenge makes it more fun! You can learn more about food combining here, if you’re interested in joining us, too. (Jump in anytime!)

Now that we’re almost a week into the challenge, I thought I’d share a peek at what I’ve been eating so far, and some tips that have helped me along the way. (By the way, the vegan sweet potato nachos pictured above are properly combined, too.)

Keep it Easy & Simple

If you’ve been a reader here for a while, you know that I don’t have a lot of patience for meal prep. I rely on smoothies for a quick and easy breakfast, and my lunches are usually leftovers from the night before or another smoothie when I’m in a hurry.

Since I’m trying to keep my meals properly combined, I’ve found it easiest to stick to the same category for the first part of the day, so I don’t have to worry about the timing of my meals so much. That way I can simply focus on eating when I’m hungry, instead of trying to wait for a certain number of hours to pass before I can eat again.

Why Practice Food Combining?

I’ve found that I have SO MUCH ENERGY eating this way, with no 3pm slump like I was experiencing before. (Working from home with a toddler is exhausting as it is, so I need all the extra energy I can get!)

I’m so happy with how I feel, that I plan to continue eating this way long after the challenge is over, with a few splurges here and there. (Full disclosure: I didn’t food combine for the Super Bowl or the other night when I went out for pizza with my kids, but it was easy to get right back on track for the next meal. No need to a be a perfectionist all week long!)

Here’s What I Ate Yesterday:

Morning: I make a double-batch of my Dragon Fruit Smoothie in the morning so that Austin can take one on his way to work. I put mine in the fridge until I’m ready to drink it, then I made my Instant Vegan Latte to kick off my morning. I’m drinking half-caf coffee right now, weaning myself down to no caffeine so that I don’t “need” it in the mornings. I love the taste of coffee, but I don’t want to be hooked on caffeine or get a headache if I miss a cup of coffee one morning.

Snack: I tend to drink my smoothie from the morning around 10am, when I’m feeling hungry after my latte. My coffee does have a small amount of almond butter in it, but since I’m drinking it in liquid form, I’ve found that it doesn’t impact my digestion much. This means I’ve been mostly in the Fresh Fruit category for the morning, thanks to the dates in my coffee and the smoothie.

Lunch: I’m testing a chocolate avocado smoothie recipe right now, so I enjoyed that for lunch. (I split it into two glasses for a photo, but I drank both of them by myself.) I also wanted something warm, so I roasted an entire head of cauliflower with olive oil and sea salt. (Using the same method I use for roasted broccoli, but without garlic.) Since the cauliflower is a “neutral” veggie, I’d consider this lunch to still be in the Fresh Fruit category.

Dinner: Austin and I have been happy having big salads with a side of roasted veggies for dinner lately. I use the same lettuce and dressing for both of our salads, but he usually likes different toppings than I do. I topped mine Trader Joe’s steamed beets, green onions, and soft goat cheese, and Austin’s was topped with chicken, pears, and dried cranberries. We both used my Everyday Basil Vinaigrette (from Everyday Detox) which is a neutral dressing that goes well with almost any toppings. Austin’s salad wasn’t properly combined, but my meal falls into the Animal Protein category, thanks to the cheese. We also split a pan of roasted brussels sprouts (neutral), but we were so full that we couldn’t finish them.

For dessert lately, I’ve been having a few squares of dark chocolate (which are neutral) with a mug of hot decaf tea. If I have a nut-based meal, like my Vegan Kale Caesar Salad (skip the chickpeas), I’ll have a couple raw brownie bites for dessert instead. They are so good!

Overall, I’ve been feeling great during this first week of the food combining challenge, and that’s what this is all about– feeling better! I have more energy in the afternoons, and I love not feeling bloated or tired after a meal. I hope you’re feeling great so far, too!

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Reader Feedback: Have you tried Food Combining yet? Let me know how it goes for you in the comments below.

Today’s secret recipe will show you how to make a classic dish served at Chili’s.  The original chicken crispers fried in a batter that’s smooth, light and super crispy.  These are served with a honey mustard dipping sauce and corn on the cob on the side.

You can also serve these with a side of oven baked fries by following this recipe from our forum: Go Here

Enjoy!

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Chili’s(™) Original Chicken Crispers
Like this recipe? Get our secret recipe cookbooks on sale – Go Here

Chicken Crispers:
1 pound chicken tenders
1 1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg
1 cup club soda plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup flour for dredging

Honey Mustard:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup dijion mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup honey

vegetable oil for frying

Make the batter by first combining the club soda and the egg together. Whisk together until they form a uniform mixture. Then add in the dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, pepper. Stir together. Allow the batter to sit for a few minutes. 

Remove chicken from package and pat dry with a paper towel. Dredge the chicken with the 1/2 cup flour. Preheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Dip chicken into the batter an fry a few pieces at a time. If there is any additional batter left over, could make some onion rings, but the excess batter should be discarded.

Prepare honey mustard by combining the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, cayenne, and honey. Stir well. You can store the honey mustard for about a week in your refrigerator.

Share This Recipe: 

Have a comment or question about this recipe? Post it here
Source: Recipe Secrets Forum

Until Next Time… Be Well!

Kind Regards,

Ron

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The Recipe Secrets Newsletter (RSN)  

A Big Little Recipe has the smallest-possible ingredient list and big everything else: flavor, creativity, wow factor. Psst—we don't count water, salt, black pepper, and certain fats (specifically, 1/2 cup or less of olive oil, vegetable oil, and butter), since we're guessing you have those covered. Today, we’re cooking chicken in the time it takes to listen to a song.

How long does chicken take to cook? Depends on the cut. A whole roast chicken takes 10 minutes or more per pound. Braised chicken takes between an hour and an hour and a half. Skillet chicken thighs take close to an hour. Even Instant Pot chicken takes at least 10 minutes, and that’s after the pressure builds.

This chicken takes 3 minutes—or less.

Which, for what it’s worth, I didn’t believe at first either. I stumbled upon the method at The Splendid Table, where Marco Canora writes about cooking chicken in 90 seconds: “The payoff is an insanely tender, delicious chicken breast that has all the succulence of dark meat.”

Canora’s secret is to butterfly the chicken breast, then pound it. Butterfly is a pretty way of saying: Halve the chicken breast horizontally but stop before you reach the end, so you can fold open the meat like a magazine. Pound is just what it sounds like: Hit the chicken with something heavy—think meat mallet, skillet, rolling pin— like you mean it, until the meat is thin and even.

By combining these methods, chicken becomes the sort of ingredient you can cook during even the worst of heatwaves. In my version, inspired by The Splendid Table, it cooks in 2 to 3 minutes.

In Canora’s recipe, he loves to heavily season his chicken. One version has cumin, turmeric, onion powder, and coriander. Another suggestion has cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and maple syrup.

I prefer to let salt and pepper take the lead, then concentrate on the toppings instead. In this recipe, there are three: Cherry tomatoes, which become slouchy and juicy under the broiler, like a hands-off tomato jam. Fresh mint, which I adore for its sturdy texture and zesty flavor. Burrata, a cream-filled mozzarella that’s as lush as cheese comes.

And yes, this means the tomatoes take longer to cook than the chicken. But this is a ripe time to get your other ingredients prepped (mint chopped, burrata portioned) and ready (chicken butterflied and pounded).

If you don’t want to turn on your broiler, don’t. Leave the tomatoes raw. Or use sun-dried tomatoes instead. Or opt for different toppings altogether. Here are some other three-ingredient combos that the three-minute chicken would get along great with. Add a big pour of olive oil to each.

• Chickpeas + green olives + fresh dill
• Shaved zucchini + sliced peaches + crumbled cheddar
• Baby arugula + mashed anchovies + lemon juice
• Shaved zucchini + toasted walnuts + grated pecorino
• Smacked cucumbers + tomato wedges + crumbled feta

One thing I always have in my refrigerator is a tin of refrigerated Croissant Roll Dough. Over here the leading brand is Easy Roll and I know in North America it is Pillsbury.  A bit of a cheat, but when you have a tin of those in the fridge a fresh and delicious bread to serve on the side with your meals is never far away! 

They are very convenient and easy to use, taste great, and you can do so much with them!   I just love trying out new ways to use them.  This is my latest experiment. 

Caesar Croissant Rolls.  Delicious and quick and easy!

The tin makes six rolls here in the UK, and I know it is more in North America.  Is it 8?  I can't remember.  It's been about 19 years since I have lived there!

I think the ones we have over here are a little bit more like real croissants, but no worries, they will be delicious no matter which ones you use! 

You only need a few ingredients, the main one being Caesar Salad Dressing.  I used Pizza Kitchen Caesar Salad Dressing because that is what I had to hand.  I do not recommend using a low fat dressing . . .

The regular dressing will give you a much better result and flavour.  I find that when they take the fat out of things, they put sugar in, so go for the full fat version.  I think sugar is much more worse for you than fat. 

It also used Garlic Italian Herb Seasoning . . . . 

This is the one I always buy and no . . .  I haven't been given any or paid to tell you so.  Its just what I like and what I use, and I use it a lot.  Sometimes I like to brush crackers with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle some of this on and bake.  Very moreish!

So anyways, you unroll the croissants and you brush them all over with some Caesar salad dressing and give them a sprinkle of the herb seasoning . . .  you don't need a lot.

The other thing you will need is Parmesan cheese.    

This is the one I buy.  I use it for cooking and things like this, but for everything else I like to grate my cheese fresh.   This works beautifully in things like these rolls however.

So you sprinkle that over the unrolled croissants also and then roll them up, from the wide end to the narrow tip.   I like to tuck in the ends a bit so nothing leaks out.  (Yes that is boxed macaroni and cheese  . . .  with tomatoes in it.)

Sometimes you just crave what you crave . . . and that is one of my favourite things.  Boxed mac and cheese with a tin of chopped tomatoes mixed into it.

Once you get them rolled up, just place them onto a baking paper lined baking sheet, brush with a bit more salad dressing, sprinkle on some of that garlic seasoning, and a bit of cheese and bake.  Bazinga!  Delicious hot rolls with hardly any work and served up pronto! Yum!

You can see how flaky the rolls over here are.  Really yummy.  So . . .  tell me, what naughty nasty thing do you crave when it comes to eating?  Do you secretly munch on Velveeta cheese?  Do you tuck into a tin of Beefaroni every now and then?  Do you binge on iced Pop Tarts (with or without sprinkles)? Do tell! I really want to know! 

A number of people have asked me if it’s okay to come to Paris due to the demonstrations that have been taking place. The news media around the world has been reporting on the situation and some of the photos have certainly been startling, even to us in the city.

[I posted similar thoughts on Instagram, although there is a word limit, so I’ve reposted some of it here and added a few links as well.]

The majority of the demonstrations have been taking place on Saturdays, generally in the more upscale areas of Paris, such as the Champs-Elysées and Place de la Concorde, although some have spread to other neighborhoods. The last couple of weekends, we’ve gone shopping in our neighborhood for food (and wine), and had meals with friends, and didn’t encounter any problems in parts of the city that include Barbès, Rue des Martyrs, Pigalle, Oberkampf, and Belleville.

Some of the neighborhoods have had isolated incidents, including mine, but I don’t know if anyone felt in danger. On Saturday, we went to the supermarket (which was packed, as usual) then took the métro to someone’s house for dinner, and the bus home later that evening, without incident. Every café we passed was full of people in the 9th, 11th, and 20th arrondissements.

France has a population that’s quite vocal about issues and most of us are fortunate to live in countries where we are free to express ourselves. The Gilets Jaunes (yellow vests) are working-class people who would like their concerns and voices to be heard. When I was in Burgundy last week, some who were wearing yellow vests were blocking roads temporarily, smiling and waving at motorists, some stopping to shake hands with them, apologizing for the inconvenience, before going on their way. (I was also having a café in a bar across from a train station and two ernest young people came in, with big smiles, trying to sell the owner an alarm system. They were wearing blue jackets and everyone got a good laugh, including the salespeople, when someone said, “Après les gilets jeunes…les vestes bleues!” – “After the yellow vests…the blue jackets!”)

Some of the destruction we’ve seen are caused by casseurs, people who aren’t associated with the movement, whose goal is to vandalize. Those images are being reported in the media, mixed with images of the demonstrations, so it’s easy to confound the two. Being France, there have been many passionate discussions and debates in cafés, over meals, and on television. Most of us in Paris have been going about our lives; shopkeepers are staying open, restaurants are serving meals, and people are sitting in cafés, having a glass of wine or a beer. I don’t know anyone hunkering down in their home or apartment. (Except for me, because I’m on a book deadline!)

The city of Paris has been proactively listing on their website, closures as well as areas of the city where potential demonstrations will be taking place. Check with the embassy of your country (the U.S. Embassy website is here) for their recommendations. So far, the demonstrations have been taking place on Saturdays and if you can, it’s best to avoid those areas on that day. If you’re witnessing something taking place on the streets, it’s not advisable to take photos of people or demonstrations unless you are certain it’s okay. Never go into, or stay in, a situation that you think may be unsafe.

[Note: I advice that if you’re a visitor and staying in an area that may be blocked off, such as the area around the Champs-Elysées, your hotel should be able to advise you as to alternate routes to take to and from the hotel if you’re visiting on a Saturday, the day when the area has been affected by the social movements.]

Note that this has been a challenge for small (and large) businesses, which last week, were advised by the city to close. They’ve taken a financial hit, especially the small businesses, with the holiday season approaching. When traveling you might want to consider travel insurance that covers you in case of delays or cancellations. Read the conditions carefully to see what’s covered and what isn’t.

Spray whipped topping is fun to squirt, and tasty to eat. But it’s just become a lot sweeter thanks to two new varieties from Kraft Heinz. The company now makes Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and Hershey’s milk chocolate dairy whipped toppings.

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“Consumers are seeking sweets not just as after-dinner desserts, but also as daytime snacks,” the company said in a statement. “These new whipped toppings add a delicious dimension to any sweet treat, from morning to night.”

The new flavors are made with 100 percent real cream from cows not treated with rBST growth hormone, and without high-fructose corn syrup, oil ingredients, and artificial sweeteners or flavors. The milk-chocolate topping is made with Hershey’s cocoa. Both flavors will be available in 7-ounce cans in the supermarket refrigerated dairy aisle, selling for $3-$4 per can.

What you spray them on is, of course, up to you. The company suggests using the new varieties to top hot chocolate, coffee, ice cream or cake, and says they also make fun additions to waffles, pancakes and fruit. That’s great and all, but we suspect about half of all cans sold will be dispensed directly into mouths.

Some U.S. stores may already have the new whipped toppings, but expect national distribution in October.

The new flavors aren’t the only recent newcomer in the spray topping category. In May, Reddi-wip began selling non-dairy almond and coconut varieties.

Looking for a dish deserving of the new tasty toppings? You might want to recreate one of America’s 12 biggest, over-the-top ice cream sundaes.

Alle Belle is a simple to make delicious Goan Treat that can be served with Tea or as a Dessert. This will be a hit with kids as the pancake tastes wonderful with the stuffing inside.

This easy pancake is stuffed with a mix made of coconut and palm jaggery. Since the recipe uses egg, I skipped it and used the regular All Purpose flour along with Baking Soda. Since on the day I made this, I was to make a Neivedyam for Ganapati Homan, I remembered yet another similar dish that’s special for Ganesh Chaturthi. So I went ahead and made this. My colleagues loved it so much that they were upset about seeing only a sample of this.

If you are wondering why I am talking about Dosas/Pancakes, well we are starting the second Mega BM of the year, themed on A to Z Flatbreads and More.

Since I did the Mega BM on this space as well for April, I knew I had to do this time as well. In fact, my list was almost ready during April itself, though I started cooking only last week.

This Pancake uses Palm Jaggery / Karuppatti or Pana Vellam which is very healthy and we can easily replace refined sugar with this. I have used nattu Sakkari.

When Archana had posted this on her space, I knew I had to make it sometime and I was happy I could use it for my A to Z Dosa Varieties. If you are interested to know what’s for A in Spice your Life, check out this post.

PIN This for Later!

Alle Belle | Goan Coconut Jaggery Pancake

Ingredients Needed

For The Pancake Batter:

• 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour / Maida
• A pinch Salt
• Milk as needed
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• Ghee as needed

For the Stuffing:

• 3/4 cup Coconut freshly grated
• 2 tbsp Palm Jaggery / Nattu Sakkarai.
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

How to make Alle Belle

Preparing the stuffing:

• In a saucepan, take the jaggery along with water and melt.
• When the jaggery is melted, add salt coconut, cook on low flame.
• Cook until the mixture comes together. Add the cardamom powder.
• Let the mixture cool.

Making the Pancakes:

• In a bowl, add flour, salt, and baking soda.
• The batter should be thin as you will have to spread it easily.
• Heat a nonstick pan and grease with ghee.
• Pour a ladleful of batter and swirl to coal fully.
• Cook on low flame and flip to cook on both sides.
• Each pancake takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Once done, transfer to a plate, place a spoon of stuffing and fold from sides horizontally.
• Then fold over it to completely cover the stuffing.
• Continue the same with the rest of the batter.
• We enjoyed it as a dessert.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 92

Source: https://www.cooking4allseasons.in/2018/09/alle-belle-goan-coconut-jaggery-pancake.html

Pumpkin cheesecake bars start with a sweet graham cracker crust and are topped off with two layers of cheesecake! These impressive bars look like they took a lot of work, but they’re so simple and bake up creamy and perfect every time!

Did you know that I was a grown woman the first time I ever tried a cheesecake?

Also, did you know that an awful lot of my blog posts start out with me confessing that my parents sheltered me from delicious food? Seriously, mom and dad, whyyyyyyy. Meatballs, sloppy joes, meatloaf, casseroles, cheesecake, BROCCOLI…never had any of those until I was an adult.

Anyway.

My husband is a big ol’ cheesecake fan, so I quickly learned to make cheesecake at home. It’s actually pretty easy and these pumpkin cheesecake bars are nice because you don’t need any special pans. We’re skipping the springform pan and using a 9×13 casserole dish instead. Easy peasy.

Why I love this recipe:

So, obviously, pumpkin is a big factor in me loving this one. We love pumpkin everything, but especially pumpkin cheesecake!

I also really like how impressive this looks with the pretty layers of crust, plain cheesecake, and pumpkin cheesecake. No one has any idea that this is actually super simple.

Which brings me to: this is actually super simple. I like easy. You guys do too, I bet.

How to make graham cracker crust:

To start, whip up your graham cracker crust. Did you know that you can buy a box of graham cracker crumbs rather than buying a box of actual graham crackers and grinding them up yourself? Love it!

Anyway, stir together your graham cracker crumbs, a little extra sugar, and melted butter and then press that mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.

I like to use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack the crumbs in there nice and tight and smooth.

Pop that in the oven for 5 minutes while you prepare the filling.

How to make pumpkin cheesecake bars:

For the cheesecake layers, we’ll start with three bricks of cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.

You want your cream cheese to be room temperature to ensure that it whips up nice and evenly. We don’t want chunky cheesecake, friends.

You can see little chunks in my mixture above – the cream cheese wasn’t quite warm enough. My cheesecake turned out fine, but it’s really best to let that cream cheese sit out longer.

After that mixture is well combined, pour half of the cheesecake over the prepared graham cracker crust.

To the bowl with the remaining half of the cheesecake mixture, add in some pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.

See how easy that is? The same base for each layer keeps it extra simple.

Pour the pumpkin cheesecake gently into the pan. Do your best to pour it evenly over the other layer of cheesecake so that you have nice even layers.

These pumpkin cheesecake bars bake in just 40 minutes.

How to keep cheesecake from cracking:

This little trick is the best and it works for me every time!

When your cheesecake bars have baked for 40 minutes in the oven, the center should be just slightly jiggly.

Turn the oven off and crack the door. Let the cheesecake set in the oven for another 45 minutes. This allows it cool nice and slight and helps prevent cracking.

This trick works with other recipes as well…bake until just slightly jiggly, turn the oven off and crack the door, and let it cool nice and slow.

More cheesecake recipes you’ll love: 

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake: Such a stunning cheesecake and it’s so smooth and creamy!

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars: We love pecan pie and it’s only better when you add cheesecake!

Cinnamon Cheesecake: The crust on this one is made of Biscoff cookies. Swoon.

Sopapilla Cheesecake: These bars are seriously so good and they start with a can of crescent dough!