This year's challenge and apple cinnamon sourdough scroll

So my cupboards are full. So full that when I took out the bread machine to make bread, the gap got filled with more stuff and now I can't put the bread machine back in the cupboard. It has become evident that I need to get rid of some of the food that is filling up my cupboards. Now I have two problems, I hate throwing away food (it is such a waste) and I hate running out of stuff (what if I really need that debittered soy flour urgently?) so it is really difficult for me to get rid of stuff AND not replace it but that is what I need to do (if I haven't used the debittered soy flour in the 3 months that I've had it do it really need to hold onto it?). So this is my challenge for this year- de-clutter my cupboards by using up all of the stuff in them. I am going to pick an ingredient at random, make something out of it and share the recipe with you. I foresee a lot of sourdough recipes and a bunch of gluten free stuff maybe even gluten free sourdough. 

This week my partner chose the ingredient and it happened to be drum roll please....Dried apples! Yay! I can totally work with that! So today I am making a apple and cinnamon sourdough scroll loaf. This loaf is so delicious, it is moist, the crumb is very tender and it is wonderful eaten on it's own or toasted and slathered with butter. The walnuts add a nice crispy texture in between the lovely soft bread. Mmmmm!

Oooooohhhhhh yum!

This bread requires you have an active sourdough starter. If you do not have one you can make your own or buy one here. I ended up buying one as after I killed my first starter, I just could never get one to grow again. 

My trusty starter...

Let's get into the recipe...

Apple cinnamon sourdough scroll 

Ingredients

For the dough:

200 g fed sourdough starter, 100% hydration (100% hydration means that it is fed the same amount of flour as water)

350 g baker's flour

200 g milk

20 g sugar

1 tsp salt

75 g butter, chopped

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the filling:

115 g dried apples

115 g walnuts

1 tsp ground cinnamon

100 g brown sugar

Method

1. Heat the butter and milk over medium heat just until butter has melted. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Heating the milk and butter

2. Place, starter, flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the milk and butter mixture and mix together with a wooden spoon.

Ready to go!

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for around 10 mins until you have a smooth dough. You can do this step in a stand mixer and mix on med-high for 5 mins.

4. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 3-5 hours. it will not rise much but you will notice that it has puffed up. 

Rise little dough ball, rise!

5. Pour boiling water over the dried apples and let soak for 5-10 minutes. Drain and dice. 

Soaking the apples

6. Mix apples, walnuts, cinnamon and brown sugar. 

The filling ready to go...

7. Take the dough and fold it over itself to gently deflate it. Roll it out into a rectangle on a floured surface. The short side of the rectangle should be long enough to easily fit into your loaf pan.

It doesn't have to be perfect... 

8. Spread the apple mixture over the dough and gently roll up into a log. Pull the top part of the dough over the spiral to seal it up.

Try to spread it evenly.

It's a log!

Mmmm... spirally... 

Not so spirally any more... 

9. Place into your lightly greased loaf pan, cover with glad wrap and allow to rise for 2-3 hours. A good place for this is in the microwave with the door ajar. 

Beginning of second rise.

End of second rise.

10. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius.

11. Remove plastic wrap from your loaf and score the top of your loaf with a sharp knife.

Scored and ready for the oven.

12. Cook in oven for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan until it reaches room temperature.

Delish!

13. Enjoy as is or with butter- yummo!

It's swirly inside!

Mmmm! Buttery goodness!

What's your favourite thing to make with dried apples?

Apple cinnamon sourdough scroll 

Ingredients

For the dough:

200 g fed sourdough starter, 100% hydration (100% hydration means that it is fed the same amount of flour as water)

350 g baker's flour

200 g milk

20 g sugar

1 tsp salt

75 g butter, chopped

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the filling:

115 g dried apples

115 g walnuts

1 tsp ground cinnamon

100 g brown sugar

Method

1. Heat the butter and milk over medium heat just until butter has melted. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

2. Place, starter, flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the milk and butter mixture and mix together with a wooden spoon.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for around 10 mins until you have a smooth dough. You can do this step in a stand mixer and mix on med-high for 5 mins.

4. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 3-5 hours. it will not rise much but you will notice that it has puffed up. 

5. Pour boiling water over the dried apples and let soak for 5-10 minutes. Drain and dice. 

6. Mix apples, walnuts, cinnamon and brown sugar. 

7. Take the dough and fold it over itself to gently deflate it. Roll it out into a rectangle on a floured surface. The short side of the rectangle should be long enough to easily fit into your loaf pan.

8. Spread the apple mixture over the dough and gently roll up into a log. Pull the top part of the dough over the spiral to seal it up.

9. Place into your lightly greased loaf pan, cover with glad wrap and allow to rise for 2-3 hours. A good place for this is in the microwave with the door ajar. 

10. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius.

11. Remove plastic wrap from your loaf and score the top of your loaf with a sharp knife.

12. Cook in oven for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

13. Enjoy as is or with butter- yummo!

  

Gingerbread cookie dough and bourbon caramel icecream

Yes, you did read correctly, this icecream has chunks of gingerbread cookie dough and a nice swirl of bourbon caramel through it. It is not great for the kids (obviously) as it has some alcohol in it but feel free to make the caramel without the bourbon which will make it more kid-friendly. You could even leave the caramel out.

I am currently having a bowl of this icecream and it is so good! It is creamy and gingerbready, all the things you want in a gingerbread icecream. You don't need any toppings at all because it is full of delicious things. I don't think there is anything more to say apart from give it a try.

Mmmmm! Yum!

Gingerbread cookie dough and bourbon caramel icecream

Ingredients

Caramel

170 g thickened cream

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tbsp vanilla extract

20 g unsalted butter

100 g sugar

pinch salt

1 tbsp -1/4 cup bourbon (optional)

Gingerbread (or use your favourite eggless gingerbread)

2.25 cups self raising flour

1.5 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground clove

1.2 tsp ground nutmeg

90 g butter, chopped

110 g dark brown sugar (or 1 cup firmly packed)

90 g (1/2 cup) treacle

1/3 cup milk

Icecream base

1 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups thickened cream

2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Method

First you need to make your caramel as it will require time to cool before mixing it into your icecream. This caramel is also delicious on top of sourdough pancakes- yum! Taking the caramel to the foxy brown colour gives it a more bitter flavour, so if you are making this icecream for kids, don't take it as far when caramelising the sugar.

Caramel

1. Bring cream and vanilla bean (not the scrapings) to the boil. Turn off the heat and let steep for an hour or more. If you are short on time (this is what I did) you can add either vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract to your cream and bring to the boil.

2. Place sugar in a medium saucepan (it needs to be medium sized or your caramel may boil over the sides) and shake to make sure it is an even layer. Place over medium heat until the sugar melts and becomes a foxy brown colour. 

Even coating of sugar on the bottom of the pan.

Sugar beginning to melt.

More melted.

Nearly all melted.

Foxy brown sugar.

3. Add 1/4 of the cream (be careful as it will boil and produce a large amount of steam) and swirl the pan until the boiling subsides. Add the rest of the cream and swirl until it is mixed through.

Adding the cream.

4. Stir the butter, vanilla bean scrapings (if using) and the salt through. Place in a bowl to cool. 

Adding the butter and salt.

5. Once the caramel has cooled to room temperature, add your bourbon and stir to mix through. Start with one tablespoon and then continue to add more until it suits your taste. I used 1/4 cup but think this may have been a little too much.

Next make your gingerbread cookie dough. This recipe is just my favourite cookie dough from Women's weekly Bake but with the egg substituted for milk.

Gingerbread (I only ended up using half of the dough in my icecream as I thought it would be enough- you can use the rest for your Christmas baking)

1. Blend flour, butter and spices in your food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs. 

All of the ingredients ready to be processed.

Looking like breadcrumbs.

2. Add brown sugar, treacle and milk and mix in the food processor until the dough comes into a ball. 

Addition of sugar and treacle.

3. Remove from processor and squash flat on some clingwrap and place in the freezer for 15 mins. 

Final dough.

Ready to go into the freezer.

Once all of your components are ready, get your icecream maker set up. 

Icecream

1. Dissolve sugar in the cold milk with a whisk. I find it easiest to prepare this mixture in a jug as it is easier to pour into your icecream maker but if you don't have a jug, you can use a bowl that you have cooled prior to using.

Mixing in the sugar.

2. Add the thickened cream and vanilla and mix to combine. 

Mixing in the cream and vanilla bean scrapings.

3. Gradually pour your mixture into the icecream maker and allow to mix for 20 minutes.

Pouring the mixture into the icecream maker.

4. Remove your gingerbread dough from the freezer, remove the plastic wrap and chop into small pieces (I only used half of the gingerbread dough in my icecream and it was plenty for me).

5. Add the gingerbread pieces to your icecream maker and allow to mix for a further 5-10 minutes.

6. Place half of your icecream into a container and spoon some of your caramel on top (be generous); swirl through with a fork. Place the other half of your icecream on top followed by another caramel swirl.

With a layer of caramel on top before swirling.

7. Place into the freezer to firm up. If you like soft serve style icecream, you can eat it right away, otherwise, I recommend waiting for 3-4 hours before serving.

8. Enjoy!

Gingerbread cookie dough and bourbon caramel icecream

Ingredients

Caramel

170 g thickened cream

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tbsp vanilla extract

20 g unsalted butter

100 g sugar

pinch salt

1 tbsp -1/4 cup bourbon (optional)

Gingerbread (or use your favourite eggless gingerbread)

2.25 cups self raising flour

1.5 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground clove

1.2 tsp ground nutmeg

90 g butter, chopped

110 g dark brown sugar (or 1 cup firmly packed)

90 g (1/2 cup) treacle

1/3 cup milk

Icecream base

1 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups thickened cream

2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Method

First you need to make your caramel as it will require time to cool before mixing it into your icecream. This caramel is also delicious on top of sourdough pancakes- yum! Taking the caramel to the foxy brown colour gives it a more bitter flavour, so if you are making this icecream for kids, don't take it as far when caramelising the sugar.

Caramel

1. Bring cream and vanilla bean (not the scrapings) to the boil. Turn off the heat and let steep for an hour or more. If you are short on time (this is what I did) you can add either vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract to your cream and bring to the boil.

2. Place sugar in a medium saucepan (it needs to be medium sized or your caramel may boil over the sides) and shake to make sure it is an even layer. Place over medium heat until the sugar melts and becomes a foxy brown colour. 

3. Add 1/4 of the cream (be careful as it will boil and produce a large amount of steam) and swirl the pan until the boiling subsides. Add the rest of the cream and swirl until it is mixed through.

4. Stir the butter, vanilla bean scrapings (if using) and the salt through. Place in a bowl to cool. 

5. Once the caramel has cooled to room temperature, add your bourbon and stir to mix through. Start with one tablespoon and then continue to add more until it suits your taste. I used 1/4 cup but think this may have been a little too much.

Next make your gingerbread cookie dough. This recipe is just my favourite cookie dough from Women's weekly Bake but with the egg substituted for milk.

Gingerbread

1. Blend flour, butter and spices in your food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs. 

2. Add brown sugar, treacle and milk and mix in the food processor until the dough comes into a ball. 

3. Remove from processor and squash flat on some clingwrap and place in the freezer to firm up. 

Once all of your components are ready, get your icecream maker set up. 

Icecream

1. Dissolve sugar in the cold milk with a whisk. I find it easiest to prepare this mixture in a jug as it is easier to pour into your icecream maker but if you don't have a jug you can use, you can use a bowl that you have cooled prior to using.

2. Add the thickened cream and vanilla and mix to combine. 

3. Gradually pour your mixture into the icecream maker and allow to mix for 20 minutes.

4. Remove your gingerbread dough from the freezer, remove the plastic wrap and chop into small pieces (I only used half of the gingerbread dough in my icecream and it was plenty for me).

5. Add the gingerbread pieces to your icecream maker and allow to mix for a further 5-10 minutes.

6. Place half of your icecream into a container and spoon some of your caramel on top (be generous); swirl through with a fork. Place the other half of your icecream on top followed by another caramel swirl.

7. Place into the freezer to firm up. If you like soft serve style icecream, you can eat it right away, otherwise, I recommend waiting for 3-4 hours before serving. 

 What is your favourite thing about Christmas time?

Apricot and white chocolate muffins

So this week, the magic left over ingredients from cooking dinners are........ Apricot nectar and sour cream!! Being me, I can't let anything go to waste so I decided to use up all of these ingredients to make a lunchbox snack for my partner. 

The use of the sour cream and baking soda makes for a delightfully light and fluffy muffin. I think if I made them again I would add some dried apricot as these muffins didn't really turn out very apricotty. Having said that, dried apricots aren't really my partner's "thing" so I omitted them this time. To be honest, you could use this recipe as a base for different flavours of muffin (maybe add in some dried strawberries and white chocolate and you have strawberries and cream flavour, add some dark chocolate chunks for chocolatey ones, white chocolate and macadamia, dates, almonds, there are so many possibilities!!) Get creative! :)

Apricot and White Chocolate Muffins (makes 15)

Ingredients

60 g Butter, softened

200 g (1 cup) Sugar

1 cup Apricot nectar

3/4 cup Sour cream

2 1/4 cup Plain flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Pinch of salt

120 g (2/3 cup) White chocolate, roughly chopped (could use white chocolate chips)*

30 g (1/3 cup) Walnuts, chopped*

*= You could just add any dried fruit, nuts or chocolate chips that you desire. (make it up to one cup). You could also omit if you want a plain muffin.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

2. Line a muffin tray with muffin pans.

3. Beat butter and sugar together with electric beaters.

Beaten butter and sugar.

4. Add sour cream, eggs, and apricot nectar and mix well (I whisked it as it was making a mess with the electric beater).

Ready to mix!

All whisked together.

5. Add flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix until combined (you can use a hand beater for this part).

Adding the dry ingredients.

6. Stir through the white chocolate, cinnamon and walnuts or any other things you would like to mix through.

Adding the mix-ins

7. Spoon the batter into the muffin pans to 2/3 of the way full and bake at 180 degrees Celcius for 25-30 minutes or until browned on top and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. 

Ready to bake!!

8. Remove from oven and allow to sit in pans for 5 mins before removing.

Waiting to be ready.

9. Enjoy!

Delicious as an afternoon treat!

What would you add to your muffins?