A Most Amazing Naan Bread Recipe

Some of you may already know this, but curry is the official national dish of  Great Britain.  Most Brits don't have pizza night, they have take-out night, a.k.a. curry or Chinese food, usually on  a Friday or Saturday night.  I was recently asked to try out one of the curries in a range we may carry at my work, and I jumped at the chance.  You see, I made some home-made naan bread about a week ago, and have been dreaming about it ever since.  This was  just the opportunity to make some more.  And it was just as good this time.

Naan Bread

• 1.5 Cups (12 oz) warm water
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 3.5 Cups (476 g) strong white bread flour 
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp Nigella seeds 
• 1 Tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 4 Tbsp room temp butter

Sprinkle your yeast and sugar into the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes to activate.

It should look something like this after 5 minutes.  Nice and foamy on top.

Next, add half your flour and salt and mix.  Add your Nigella seeds and cumin seeds (both available at most supermarkets in the UK, definitely online in the US).  Add the rest of your flour and begin kneading the dough for about 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is really smooth and elastic.   Transfer your dough to an oiled medium sized bowl and cover with cling film.  Set in a warmish place, I suggest the counter top nearest your oven. 

Let the dough sit for a good 2 hours.  In the meantime, turn your oven on to 200, and drizzle a little olive oil over your garlic bulb in a pie dish.  Roast the garlic for around 30 minutes, or until a fork easily sinks into the garlic.

After your garlic has roasted, and your house WILL smell amazing, let it cool.  Once cooled squeeze the garlic from it's skins into a small bowl and mix and mash it with the room temp butter.  Set aside.

Once the dough has risen the full two hours, it should look something like this.

Preheat your oven to 230.  Now divide your dough into 4 equal parts.  Flatten and shape the dough into 4 naan shapes. Gently poke your fingers into the dough to create dimples on the surface.  Place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes.  

Brush your garlic butter on the tops of baked bread and grill for 3-5 minutes.   Eat warm and smile.

Naan bread is super versatile, too.  I  like to make pizza with left overs the next day.  It's also good with scrambled eggs for breakfast, and torn up to dip into hummus.  As with most things, home made naan bread knocks the socks off store bought.  

Recipe adapted from Eat, Run, Live.                          

More Muffins

I'll start this post by explaining, no I'm not muffin obsessed or anything.  There is a little background to why I felt compelled to make two kinds of muffins in one day.  My 8 year old is having a friend spend the night tonight and I have to work very early tomorrow morning.  While my husband is completely capable of handing out bowls of cereal, or toast, I always like to give the kids something a little special for sleepovers.  So, I came up with the idea of making some muffins, because, when you can't have pancakes or waffles,  who doesn't like a fresh blueberry muffin for breakfast?  I have made these before for a brunch we had a while back in Mississippi, and they were really popular.  These muffins are very light and cakey.  I think they would be great with some fruit and hot coffee.

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins

• 12 Tbsp (6oz) butter at room temp
• 1 1/2 Cups (338 g) sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1/4 Cup (2oz) milk
• 2 1/4 Cups (567 g) self rising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Cups (454 g) fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 180.  With a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Mix in  the vanilla, sour cream and milk.  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt.   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet until fully incorporated.  Stir in your blueberries gently.  

Put muffin papers in your muffin tin.  Using and ice cream scoop or measuring cup, fill each muffin paper just to the top with batter.  Bake for 30  minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack.  

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style.

I just throw these into a tupperware container and they will keep for about 3-4 days.  

Muffins!

I though I'd start this blog up again with a bang.  Two old favorite recipes and a yummy new one.   I'll start with the  new recipe.  In the last year I have dived into bread making and discovered I really like baking with yeast, and the whole step by step process.  It kind of suits my type A personality.  Plus the smell of fresh baking bread doesn't hurt either.  So today, between school runs, dropping off a deposit on a new house, grocery shopping, picking up a school uniform, and keeping my toddler entertained, I decided to make some homemade english muffins (as you do when you haven't sat down all day.....what am I like?)  I changed up the recipe a bit to healthy it up by making it whole wheat.  They were a hit with the kids, and pretty quick and easy to make as bread goes.  I'm looking forward to breakfast sandwiches in the morning.

Whole Wheat English Muffins

• 1 Cup (125 g) whole wheat bread flour
• 1.5  Cups (204 g) strong white bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 1 Tbsp room temp butter
• 1 Cup (8 oz) milk (I used almond milk, but you can use any unsweetend milk)
• Cornmeal (Polenta)

In a large bowl mix both flours, sugar, salt and yeast.  Add in butter and milk and start kneading dough for about 5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Leave to rise for 1 hour.  

Lay parchment paper on baking sheet.  Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal lightly.  Divide dough in to 6 even balls and place on baking sheet.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave to rise for another hour.

Preheat the oven to 180.  Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.  Place dough balls in skillet and brown each side, about 5 minutes each side.  Once they have finished browning, place dough balls , which should have flattened  while in the skillet, on a baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the muffins sound hollow when tapped.  Cool muffins on a cooling rack about 30 minutes.  Store in an airtight container

Source:  Adapted from Annie's Eats  

The other recipes coming soon....