ROYAL TREATMENT FOR LEFTOVER PANCAKES - KAISERSCHMARREN

My husband and I love pancakes! At least once a week we have them for lunch, made with all kinds of different grains, nuts and fruits. And, of course, our traditional family recipe, my Omi's German Pancakes.

Emperor Franz Josef loved Kaiserschmarren

I always cook a whole batch of them, even though we are only two, and I could just halve the recipe.

There's a good  reason:: leftover pancakes can be easily recycled into an (almost even more delicious) dish: Kaiserschmarren!

A famous Austrian dessert, Kaiserschmarren ("Emperor's Mess") is made from twice-fried pancakes.

First you bake regular fluffy pancakes, then you mess them up by ripping them apart, creating a "Schmarren" -  a mess in Austrian dialect. After that, you refry the torn pancakes in butter, together with raisins and other add-ins.

Emperor Franz Josef I, to whom the royal "mess" was dedicated, supposedly loved this rich dessert.

His Empress Elisabeth, anxiously watching her famed hourglass waistline, most likely not so much.

But since those painfully strait-laced days of yore are past, we can follow His Majesty's example, happily indulging in refried pancakes - and with a good conscience to boot, since we are thrifty recyclers!

Typical add-ins for Kaiserschmarren

LEFTOVER PANCAKE KAISERSCHMARREN  (2 servings)

2 servings of leftover pancakes, any kind (4 to 8, depending on size)
1-2 tbsp butter, for frying
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup golden raisins (or to taste)
powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

Tear leftover pancakes in small pieces

Using two forks (or your fingers), tear pancakes in bite-sized pieces.

In large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add pancake pieces, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are warmed through.

Cook pancake pieces with almond slices and raisins, stirring often

Stir in raisins and almonds, and fry until pancakes are crisped, and almond slices are starting to brown.

To serve, dust the pancakes with powdered sugar. Or sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar, like I do.

We like the faux Kaiserschmarren with maple syrup and lingonberry preserve. (The classic accompaniment for this dessert is plum compote.)

Finally we have spring after this long, cold winter!

BETTER THAN BAKED APPLES - BAKED APPLE MUFFINS!

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Karola B. Lütjen (Herzensköchin blog), a nurse and nutritionist, doesn't only cook from the heart, but, also, for the heart - a healthy one!

Her Bratapfelmuffins had been on my to-bake list since last December. The late fall with its drizzling rain, intermingled with wet snow flakes, made me crave the comfort of something cinnamon-y, with apples and almonds - Baked Apple Muffins seemed an excellent choice.

To make the muffins taste even more like baked apples, I sautéd the apple cubes in butter and toasted the almond slices. I also reduced the sugar amount a bit and used vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean.

I like Honey Crisp or Cripp's Pink for baking

Those wonderfully moist muffins with crispy almonds surpassed all my expectations! My husband found them: "Much better than baked apples", and I couldn't agree more!

Better than baked apples!

BAKED APPLE MUFFINS  (12)  (adapted from Karola B. Lütjens' Bratapfelmuffins)

3.4 oz/100 ml apple cider, hot (I used hard cider)
0.9 oz/25 g raisins
0.9 oz/25 g dried cranberries
2.6 oz/75 g almonds slices, toasted
1 1/2 - 2 apples, cored, and cubed (9 oz/265 g net)
3.5 oz/100 g butter, softened + 1 tbsp. (1 stick)
2.6 oz/75 g sugar in the raw
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

5.6 oz/160 g all-purpose flour
1.4 oz/40 g whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
5 oz/150 ml milk (whole or 2%)


In a small bowl, pour hot cider over raisins and dried cranberries and let them soak for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 355ºF/180ºC. Line cups of a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a skillet without fat, toast almond slices until light brown and fragrant. Transfer them to a small bowl.

Cook apple in butter for a few minutes

Wash apples, quarter, core and cut into 1/4-inch/1/2-cm cubes. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the (now empty) skillet and sauté apples until al dente - they shouldn't turn into mush!

In a large bowl whisk together flour and baking powder.

In mixer bowl cream remaining 3.5 oz/100 g butter until fluffy, then mix in vanilla, cinnamon and sugar until well blended. Add flour mixture in portions, alternating with the milk, until everything is just combined.

Mix raisins, cranberries and apples with almond slices

Drain soaked raisins and cranberries in a strainer (use soaking liquid for another purpose). Add with apple cubes to the bowl with toasted almond slices, and mix to combine.

Fold 2/3 of the fruit mixture into the batter

Fold 2/3 of the apple mixture into the muffin batter. Distribute evenly among the paper liners (3/4 full). Sprinkle muffins tops with the remaining fruit-almond mixture, then press gently down a bit to attach.

Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes, until tops are light brown, and a needle comes out clean. (Don't wait for them to turn really brown, then they will bake too long!). Let muffins cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack.

Baked Apple Muffins fresh from the oven

TIP:
Baked Apple Muffins taste best a bit warm.Thanks to the whole wheat and the juicy fruits they keep fresh for several days (in a cool place).To warm them up, zap them briefly in the microwave.

Even Ruffi, the Roamer, likes it better indoors now!

PUMPKIN ROLLS WITH RUM FRUITS

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When I came back from my Hamburg trip it started snowing here in Bar Harbor. The thick, wet flakes soon melted from the streets but left the garden a wintery mess - no way to get rid of those pesky maple leaves covering lawn and flower beds now.

The first snow in our street

Hanaâ's ABC-bakers had posted their Cranberry Pumpkin Rolls for November already, but all their appetizing photos convinced me to tackle those little golden rolls, albeit belatedly, too.

Combining pumpkin, cranberries, raisins and crystallized ginger with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves was very tempting (the smell!) and just the right thing for this cold, unfriendly transition from fall to winter.

As ususual, I adapted King Arthur Flour's recipe to my preferences, exchanging a quarter of the white flour with whole wheat, reducing the salt, and, since the crystallized ginger was sugary, also the amount of sugar. Most important, I gave the dried fruits a bath in rum!

Dried fruits for the rum soaker

A slow overnight rise (with less yeast!) allowed the rich ingredients to meld and develop their flavors. And with pumpkin inside - why shouldn't there be pumpkin seed on top, too?

The little, soft rolls were so delicious that we devoured them within two days (I made half the recipe). Thanks to the long, cold fermentation they had a mellow spiciness, and the rum soaked fruits were soft and plump without any harsh alcoholic note.

With jam or just with butter: delicious!

PUMPKIN ROLLS WITH RUM FRUITS (nach King Arthur Flour)
(16 small rolls)

Fruit Soaker:
64 g dried cranberries
64 g golden raisins
53 g crystallized ginger, diced
1/8 cup/60 ml rum

FINAL DOUGH
18 oz/510 g all-purpose flour
2 oz/57 g whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1.4 oz/40 g brown sugar, light or dark
1 tsp./6 g salt
2 1/4 tsp./0.3 oz/7 g instant yeast
6 oz/170 g/3/4 cup canned pumpkin (or homemade*)
rum fruits (with soaking liquid)
2 large eggs
3 oz/90 ml water (or more, depending on the water in the pumpkin)
2 oz/57 g/4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
egg, slightly beaten with a little water, for egg wash
pumpkin seeds, chopped, for topping

*homemade pumpkin puree see Dan Lepard's recipe) 


DAY 1
In the morning:
Mix dried fruits and rum in a small bowl, cover and leave to soak, stirring now and then.

In the evening:
Mix all dough ingredients at low speed (or with wooden spoon) until they come together (1-2 minutes). Let rest for 5 minutes. Knead at mediump-low speed (or by hand) for 6 minutes, adjusting with a little more water or flour as needed (dough should be soft and a bit sticky).

Then work the dough with stretching & folding as described here (S&F 3-4 times).  Place dough in a lightly greased bowl or container, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

After the last S & F the dough is ready for the fridge

DAY 2
Remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours before using. It should have almost doubled in volume, if not, let it rise longer.

Divide dough in equal pieces and shape into rolls

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide it into 16 equal pieces, roughly 2.75 oz/78 g each. Shape pieces into rolls. Place rolls, smooth side up, on parchment-lined or perforated baking sheets. 

Shaped rolls before rising...

Brush rolls with egg wash and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, pressing seeds lightly to adhere. Cover, and let rise for about 1 hour, or until they have grown at least 1 1/2 times their original size (finger test: a dimple should remain visible).

Preheat oven to 350ºF/175ºC. No steaming.

....and ready to be baked

Bake rolls for 20 - 25 minutes (rotating pan 180 degrees after half the baking time for even browning), until golden brown (internal temperature at least 190⁰F/90ºC). Turn rolls out onto a wire rack to cool.

Freshly baked - you can eat them warm

Serve warm or at room temperature.

STORAGE: Wrapped in plastic foil, the rolls can be kept at room temperature for three days. Or you can place them in a ziploc bag and freeze them.

For BreadStorm users (also the free version) here the interactive formula to download:
Submitted to YeastSpotting

MUESLI ROLLS

Muesli Rolls

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A while ago I admitted neglecting some of my baking books, never giving them a second look, while shamelessly favoring others.

To atone for my neglect, I pledged to give every book a fair chance with my "Equal Opportunity Baking" list, with one recipe from ALL of my baking books.

Published in 1997, I use "Brot und Kleingebäck" mainly as resource, adapting the old, labor intensive methods to more modern techniques that require less brawn and hands-on work, thanks to longer fermentation and refrigerator sleepovers.

Interesting recipes but old techniques

These little (or no)-knead methods, described by Peter Reinhart, Jim Lahey, and others, are much easier to work with. And not only that, they also improve the taste.

I started the evening before, kneading the dough, then let it slowly rise overnight in the fridge. The next morning I baked my rolls. When they came out of the oven, they looked - and smelled - very appetizing.

I couldn't wait to have my first bite, but what a disappointment - I found that "the proof was in the Muesli Rolls". They tasted good, yes, but were much too dry!

How could that happen? My dough had been well hydrated the night before, even a little bit sticky, as it should be with stretch-and-fold doughs.

I really liked the taste of the rolls, otherwise I would have written off the recipe with a scribbled comment: "not that great!" Therefore, I took on the recipe again to find out what had caused this lack of moisture.

Was it the different fat content of German "saure Sahne" and American sour cream (10% vs 12-16%?) Not likely: more fat will make the crumb softer, but not drier.

Saure Sahne or sour cream - here it didn't matter

American molasses instead of German sugar beet syrup? Nope! And my baking friend Paul only recommend adding more water, when I asked for his advice.

But there was one ingredient that had puzzled me from the beginning - the unspecified "hearty muesli mix". There are many muesli mixes on the market, and they differ in their composition from one brand to the other.

I looked at the list of ingredients on the package. Bob's Red Mill's "Old Country Style Muesli" had 5 different flakes, dates, raisins, flax seed, sunflower seeds, almonds, and walnuts.

The stretch-and-fold method doesn't require pre-doughs (except for sourdough breads, of course). Usually the whole grains and seeds have enough time to soak when they spend the night in the fridge.

But I find that pre-soaking coarser ingredients doesn't hurt. And whole flax seed I always soak for 24 hours, anyway - to make them better digestible.

This is the culprit!

Even though my dough seemed well hydrated after the stretch-and-fold procedure, those flakes, seeds and dried fruits had swallowed a lot of water overnight.

The original recipe mentions overnight refrigeration as a do-ahead option, too, but without the muesli mixture. That should be kneaded into the dough before baking.

With just 10 minutes (!) rising time for the shaped rolls, the flakes and dried fruits have no time to absorb much liquid, and the original recipe requires - except for the sour cream - only 5-6 tablespoons water!

But what to do? I like chewing on nuts, yes, but on hard pieces of dried fruit? No, thanks!

In a comment, the recipe suggests using a mixture of oatmeal, raisins and hazelnuts, instead of store bought muesli. And that's exactly what I did when I made the rolls again - to have better control over the hydration.

Since a ready muesli mixture also contains sugar, I added a bit of honey. These whole wheat rolls should be slightly sweet.

I hoped these tweaks would work, and I wasn't disappointed - the second batch of muesli rolls turned out just as nice as they looked!


MUESLI ROLLS  (10 - 12))

Soaker
65 g old fashioned rolled oats
20 g golden raisins
100 g water

Dough:
400 g whole wheat flour
185 g soaker (all)
250 g sour cream or Greek yogurt, lukewarm
12 g instant yeast
45 g/2 tbsp molasses
10 g honey (or more, to taste)
1 large egg
6 g salt
5 crushed coriander seeds
½ tsp ground cinnamon
20 g toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
egg white, mixed with a bit water (for glazing)
20 g hazelnuts, finely chopped (for topping)

The homemade muesli mix worked!

DAY 1:
In the morning, stir together all soaker ingredients. Cover, and leave at room temperature.

In the evening, mix together with all dough ingredients at low speed (or with wooden spoon), until all flour is hydrated, and rough ball forms. Let dough rest for 5 minutes.

Knead at medium-low speed (or with hand) for 2 minutes, adjusting with a little more water, if needed. (Dough should be somewhat sticky.) Resume kneading for another 4 minutes. (Dough should still be a bit sticky.)

Transfer dough to a lightly wet or oiled work surface. With wet or oiled hands, stretch or pat dough into a rough square. Fold like business letter in 3 parts, then repeat the same folds from the left and right side.

Pick up dough ball, gathering edges underneath, and place, seam side down in lightly oiled bowl. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat this stretching and folding 3 times more, at 10 minute intervals. After the last fold, place dough in oiled bowl or container, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Ready for baking

DAY 2:
Divide cold dough*) into 10 - 12 equal pieces. Shape rolls, or torpedoes, and place them, smooth side up, on parchment lined baking sheet (I like using a perforated baking sheet). Place hazelnut pieces for topping on a plate.

Brush rolls with egg wash, and dip in hazelnuts. Gently press nuts down, so that they stick. Let proof 45 - 60 minutes, or until rolls have grown 1 1/2 times their original size, and a dimple, poked with your finger, doesn't fill up again.

Preheat oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Bake rolls for 12 minutes, rotate 180 degrees, and continue baking for about 13 minutes more, until they are deep golden brown.

Let rolls cool on wire rack.

*)  With rolls it is not necessary to let them come to room temperature before shaping. They warm up fast.

 Submitted to Yeast Spotting

Updated 12/28/13