Mini Gingerbread Houses

Merry Christmas to all my friends
I made these lovely mini gingerbread house for my grandchildren......

I selected from Rose's Heavenly Cakes , the English Gingerbread cake. The cake is supposed to be baked in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan, but when I saw this adorable Village Cake Pan by NordicWare, I knew immediately that I wanted to make two X 6 mini houses. They're so Adorable!!!

One recipe filled the pan twice, using 1/3 cup of batter for each house (recipe makes 12 houses) - baked in the lower third of a 325F oven for 15 minutes. Cooled in pan for 10 minutes, then turned out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. I sprayed with cooking oil , (flour/oil baking spray). The little houses popped right out of the pan without any trouble at 

Have a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2016......

Baguettes with Olives

The Tartaine Bread Experience
These Baguettes are made with very light levain and a final dough with the  olives mixed in with the final dough. They are absolutely delicious indeed and great when family and friends come bye for the Christmas season and the new year.

crust: is super tender and moist. very open. fragrant with herbs and olives. the lemon was imperceptible. I might zest two next time. difficulty in handling the dough: very easy. difficulty with proofing/fermenting: lately it's been hot, so I've found that doing a partial refrigerator ferment and/or proof has helped slow fermentation so that the loaves develop good flavor.

                       Absolutely Delicious!

                       Look at those clumbs!

 Cooling of on a oven rack for 1 hour. ...

 Toke the dough out and cut abdominal shaped 4 baguettes and let raise for 1 hour/ then baked in oven until golden brown....

 Put in the microwave with a hot cup of water and let raise until doubled. ...after placed in the fridge for 2 hours. .....

 Added the olives and did 4 stretch and folds..

 Mixed up all together and let rest for 30 minutes...

 Added the levain and the final dough and water..

 Weighed 200 grams of levain....

 In the microwave with a hot cup of water and let raise for 4 hours with the door closed...

 Mixed up the light levain.....

Cranberry Pecan Boule

As you can see christmas is approaching , what a great idea to make cranberry and pecans boule with this lovely breads , I decided to make double the amount and added some whole wheat to this lovely breads, the poolish starter that goes with the final dough which is mixed together , absolutely delicious, great around Christmas time , you can spread or cut some delicious old strong cheese and also makes great toast..

                       Absolutely Delicious!

Out of the oven and cooling off. ....

Ready to bake at 450F, and bake for 30 minutes..

Absolutely beautiful after 1 hour they have doubled.

Cut the dough in half and did the blanket thing and shaped them both and placed in baskets and to raise for 1 to 1 / 2 hours. ..

Ready to cut in half and shape...

Now I did 3 stretch and folds In 1 ½ hours.(Ken Forkish method ) .

After 30 minutes added the cranberries chopped and the roasted chopped pecan and again did the pinch method and fold and let rest for 30 minutes.

Resting for 30 minutes. ..

Have the final dough ready and mixed the poolish with the lukewarm water and added to the final dough and mixed by hads (pinch method..

After 4 hours the poolish is ready....

After mixing it up , but the container with the lid close and added 1 cup of hot water in the microwave, microwave off,  door closed...

Mixing the poolish starter.....

Absolutely amazing delicious!

Would I made this bread again yes!

Pecan Pie

What a great idea to make this wonderful pecan pie , round Christmas time and when family or friends coming by to visit. This pecan pie is absolutely amazing delicious, a keeper/P.S.This is my own recipe...

                            Absolutely Delicious!!

 Look at this wonderful pecan pie!!

 Just out of the oven......

 Added the pecan filling and into the oven to bake...

Added the Broubon, vanilla, and the pecan halves,  let cool and then added the eggs..

Simmered for 2 minutes,  removed from the heat..

Making the caramel sauce....

Roasted the pecan for 8 minutes...

 Placed the 12 inch circle on the pie plate and with the leftover dough make press cut outs of leafs and into the refrigerate until the filling was ready.....

 Rolled out to a 13 inch circle......

 Wraped it tight and into the refrigerator for 1 hour..

Mixed up all the crust ingredients.

Beautiful! 

Would I made this pecan pie again "yes " 

(Not from The Baking Bible)