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π A chill, but totally delicious, holiday weekend
Published about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
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A chill, but totally delicious, holiday weekend
What's your plan for this weekend?
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Are you like me, who usually goes overboard with food prep at any excuse? Yes, I like to rest, but who wants to rest when there's tasty bakes to be had?
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Here's my plan: an easy one-two. Sourdough pizza for Saturday, and burger buns and/or hot dog buns for holiday Monday.
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For the pizza, prep the dough on Friday and pull it anytime on Sunday, a few hours before you want to fire up the outdoor oven.
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For the buns, I usually make them the day before and let them cool and rest overnight. That way, come Monday, you are actually just resting and enjoying the day off.
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Read on!
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In this week's newsletter:
Recipes: Milk bread hamburger buns, hot dog buns, jalapeno-cheddar bread, high temperature oven sourdough pizza, apricot + lavender bread
Baking Tip: Should I use my starter when it's overripe?!
Links: 25 best pizza places in America; A day making NYC's most hyped pizza
π Fluffy milk bread hamburger buns
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The fluffy milk bread hamburger buns are the real deal. If you're grilling this weekend and want a stellar bun, trust meβyou'll want these.
Whether you're grilling brats, hot dogs, or making a lobster roll, these buns are where it's at. Totally over the top and actually really not that much more involved to make than their round cousins.
Right now in New Mexico, you'll find fresh fire-roasted green chile just about everywhere. When I start seeing the large fire barrels roasting, I know it's time to make this again with chile instead of jalapenoβit transforms this bread into something very special.
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But! Chances are very few of you have access to locally grown and roasted chiles, which is just fine. This bread is wonderful with any diced jalapeno and perfect for that end-of-summer cookout.
If you're making pizza outdoors this weekend, this is the only dough you need. It's perfect for any Gozney, Ooni, or wood-fired oven, making for an incredibly flavorful base from easy-to-handle dough.
I love the sweet apricots in this loaf, but the added culinary lavender really is the secret weapon in making it so unique. If you don't have lavender, you can use fresh thyme as a substitute for a delicious combination.
π In case you missed it... Plum (or any fruit, really) cake!
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After making this cake several times over the past few weeks, comments on my recent Instagram post prompted me to search for variations using any and all fruits. Like:
Very ripe figs
Nectarines + blueberries
Peaches (of course)
Basically, any soft fruit!
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What a versatile and delicious cake. If you're searching for something sweet for this weekend, this is it.
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I'm ready to bake my first loaf of bread, and my starter (your starter recipe) appears strong. However, I fed it at 8 pm last evening, and it has since peaked and deflated overnight.
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Is it best to discard and feed again, then wait for peak, or is it totally okay to use it now? I want my best loaf.
We all want our best loaf, I hear you! Yes, it should be just fine to use. If it deflates, try leaving less starter in the jar next time you feed it, so it doesn't ferment as far. It should be fine to use because, generally, I prefer to use my starter when it's more ripe than underripe, anyway.
βThe 25 Best Pizza Places In America (Infatuation). I've been captivated by pizza lately (well, my whole life, really), and some really great spots on this list. While I'm not a huge fan of these types of "top lists," it's still fun to see who they think makes the cut. β
Want to make bakery-quality sourdough bread from home? Subscribe for the best sourdough guides and recipes to take your bread from ordinary to incredible.
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