Pretzel Croissants Challenge Answered - Bread Baking Babes and Buddies

In the middle of April, I announced that I was the Bread Baking Babes kitchen-of-the-month, and with that my bread choice - Pretzel Croissants. Many of the BBBabes rose to the challenge, you can see the results in this photo collage above.

Then I set forth the challenge for any and all bakers to join us in our folding, rolling, and most of all, patience endeavors! I issued a call for all would-be Bread Baking Buddies to try their hands at combining two of my personal all-time favorite bready-things and making them one.

Four brave (and ridiculously talented) souls rose to the challenge, and earned their BBBuddies badges this month. Let's just say, that not only did they attempt it, they knocked it out of the park! Here are this month's Pretzel Croissants by the Bread Baking Buddies.

Pretzel Croissants

Guess whose turn it is to be the Bread Baking Babes Kitchen of the Month? Yes, mine! As the host, it's my responsibility to choose what we will be baking. Now, I like to choose a bread that is one (or more) of these things:

a) a challenge - something that takes a while to make or introduces a new technique
b) a favorite - something that I already love and think that everybody should know how to make
c) new to me - ummmmm, self-explanatory

The bread that I chose this month is sort of a combination of all three of my self-imposed requirements.

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #23 Nancy Silverton - Prosciutto Parmesan Braids

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

the "Gourmet" prompt...

23. Nancy Silverton- With the 1989 founding of La Brea Bakery, Silverton kicked off the Cali artisanal baking craze, and her same sourdough starter still seeds the more than 300 breads and rolls available through the bakery.


Honestly, I didn't know much about Nancy Silverton last week.  What I knew was that she'd written some cookbooks and that she was known for baking.  But after digging a little deeper, I found out that she's done so much more than just write a few cookbooks and bake well.  I am super impressed by this lady.  What basically began as an afterthought and a side business (creating the perfect loaf of bread), ultimately put Silverton on the map.  In what makes an amazing back story, she delved into food because she was enamored with a handsome "goateed, chanting-obsessed Buddhist in Birkenstocks. "    Fortunately, by the time she realized that relationship wasn't going to work out, she'd found a new love- food.  She decided to enroll in London’s prestigious Le Cordon Bleu.  Her grades were just okay.  And get this- her pastry grades were the worst of all of her grades.  Yet, she worked as a pastry chef at Michael's in Santa Monica shortly after graduation...and she worked it well.  That led to a Head Pastry Chef job offer from a young chef who was opening a new restaurant on the Sunset Strip.  You may have heard of him and the restaurant...Wolfgang Puck and Spago? Oh yeah.  Here she met the man she would marry (Mark Peel) and open Campanile on La Brea in 1989.

This is where the business of bread began.  Nancy wanted to bake bread to offer their dinner guests, and also sell the loaves as a side business.  But she didn't want just any bread, she wanted perfect, complex, artisan bread.  Six months and many loaves later, that "side business" La Brea Bakery took off.  And it soared!  She may still be the queen of sourdough. Here's where it gets crazy.  Eleven years later, Silverton and Peel sold the business for $55 million...and cleared a little more than $5 million when all was said and done.  Now that's good bread.  She decided to invest her money.

When her marriage fell apart she left Campanile and started Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza (w/ Mario Batali & Joe Bastianich).  It was also around this time that she learned that she had lost everything that she invested...because she'd invested it with Bernie Madoff.  She could have been bitter (I'm pretty sure I would have been), but instead she focused on all of the good things she had (like a job) and looked to the future to start building another five million...at least.  She's a rock star in Los Angeles...and I'd say around the world, still consulting on La Brea Bakery and authoring eight cookbooks.  And she's doing what she loves.  game-changer, indeed.

Well.  I knew I was baking something this week.  And once I came across the recipe for Parma Braids from Silverton's Pastries from La Brea Bakery cookbook, I stopped in my tracks.  I needed these...and I needed them pronto!  Making them entailed making croissant dough (and subsequently croissants....yay!), so it was a win-win-WIN choice for me.  They.  Are.  Heavenly.

Prosciutto Parmesan Braids

slightly adapted from Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery

yield: 12

½ recipe (~2 lbs.) Croissant dough, chilled for at least 3 hours

8 oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced into 24 pcs.

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

~½ C. (~2 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

---

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with a few drops of water

~¼ c. sesame seeds

Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a rectangle, 16½ x 7" and ~¼" thick, flouring the surface of the dough as necessary and lifting the dough to square off the edges and corners to help maintain a rectangular shape and even thickness.  Trim the edges straight and brush off any excess flour.

Working with the longer side parallel to the edge of the counter, cut the rectangle horizontally into two strips, each 16½ x 3½".  Cut each strip into three pieces, each 5½ x 3½".

Working with one piece at a time, place the longer side parallel to the edge of the work surface and gently score two horizontal lines across the center, 1" apart.  Make 8-10 cuts through the dough spaced ½" apart along the long edge, stopping ¼" away from the scored line.  Repeat the cuts along the opposite side.  Separate the strips slightly, so that they no longer touch.

Place 2 pieces of prosciutto the same length as the rectangle on top of each and roll them up fairly tightly.  Place the rolled prosciutto inside of the two horizontal lines in the center of the dough.  Grind as much black pepper as you'd like over the prosciutto and then sprinkle ~2 tsp. of the parmesan over that.

Place the shorter side parallel to the edge of the work surface.  make a crisscross pattern by taking the top right strip and crossing it over the middle to the edge of the prosciutto, stretching slightly if needed and using your fingertip to press gently into other side.  Cross the top left strip over the middle to the other edge and so on all the way down the line...basically, like you're lacing a shoe.  When you get to the two last pieces, tuck them underneath the bottom of the braided and gently press together.  Your braid will be ~5" long and 1¾" wide.  Place on a lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough and fillings.  Set aside in a warm place and allow to rise until spongy to the touch, ~1 hour.  Repeat with the remaining dough (from fridge) and toppings.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 425° F during the last 15 minutes of rise time.  Brush the surface with the egg yolk and sprinkle a teaspoon of sesame seeds over each brain.

Open the oven and spray well with a water bottle and shut the door.  Open door again after a few seconds and slide sheet in; spray again quickly with the water bottle and close the door.  Bake for ~25-30 minutes, until golden and crisp.

*source: LA Times online magazine

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Nancy- Picadillo, Mireya- My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica- My Catholic Kitchen, Annie- Lovely Things

I am also sharing this post with:
Yeastspotting (guest host Tartine Bread Experiment)

flaky, buttery, magical... CROISSANTS

Sun streams through the trees

Highlighting golden croissants

Pure morning magic.

Really.  A haiku is about all I can produce in this state of bliss.  

Happy chewing sounds

Tender buttery layers

Crisp flaky crumbs fall.

Okay, two haikus.  It's true.  To me, the only thing better than a freshly baked croissant is a freshly baked almond croissant.  But that's for another day.  Until then, I'm off to bask in the glory of one of the most perfect breads on earth.

Croissants

adapted from Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery

yield: 24 croissants (or 3 lbs. 5 oz. of dough)

1¼ c. whole milk, lukewarm

1 Tbs. + ¼ tsp. active dry yeast

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1/4 c. light brown sugar, lightly packed

~4 - 4½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

12 oz.  butter, chilled

Pour milk in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Sprinkle in the yeast and let it sit until it begins to get a bit foamy, ~5 minutes.  Add salt, sugar, and 4 cups of the flour and mix on low, using the dough hook, until dough is smooth, ~7 minutes.  Add in a bit more of the flour at a time if the dough is too sticky to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  Dough should be soft, but not too sticky.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few minutes.  Shape dough into a rectangle, ~1½" thick.  Wrap in plastic and chill for one hour.

Meanwhile, place the cold butter between 2 linen towels and beat it with a rolling pin into a rectangle that is approximately 5 x 8 inches.  If you can, buy your butter in a one pound block and cut off a quarter of the block (lengthwise) in order to get the twelve ounces that you need.  Now take your twelve ounce block of butter and cut it into thirds lengthwise.  Set each "slice" next to the next on top of a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap.  Now set another sheet on top of the butter and roll out a couple of inches each way.  This is a SUPER easy way to get your sheet of butter ready.

On a work surface, using as little flour as possible, roll the dough into a 10 x 16 inch rectangle, ~½" thick, lifting and stretching the corners to help maintain a rectangular shape and even thickness.  Working with the long side of the dough parallel to the edge of the work surface, place the sheet of butter in the middle of the dough.  Fold the dough on the left over the dough and then fold the dough on the right over that, just as you would fold a letter.

Roll the dough out into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle, ~½" thick.  If any of the butter oozes out, just sprinkle it with a bit of flour to keep it from sticking.  Again working with the long side of the dough parallel to the edge of the work surface, fold the left side over two-thirds and then fold the right side over to meet the left edge, stretching the corners and squaring off the sides so the edges line up evenly.  This is your first fold.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate one hour.

On a lightly floured surface place the seam up and to the bottom.  Roll the dough out into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle, ½" thick.  Fold in the same letter-fold manner, left over two-thirds and then right to meet left edge, stretching and squaring.  This is your second fold.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate one hour.

Repeat rolling, folding, stretching, and squaring process as above.  This is your third fold.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate one hour.  Repeat process one more time for your fourth fold.  After this fourth fold, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to overnight.

**At this point, you can either move on to shaping and baking croissants or you can wrap the dough and slide it into a large freezer bag and freeze it or you can use it for another recipe.**

To shape croissants:  Divide dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a 12 x 16 inch rectangle, ¼" thick, flouring surface as necessary, lifting dough and stretching corners to help maintain a rectangular shape and even thickness.  Trim edges straight and brush off any excess flour.

Working with the long side parallel to the edge of the surface, cut the dough down the center vertically and set one half aside.  Place the longer side parallel to the edge of the surface and cut the dough vertically into thirds.  Cut each third diagonally in half to make 2 triangles.  You should have a total of 6 triangles, each with about a 4-5" base.  Holding the base of one triangle in one hand and the top of the triangle in the other, stretch the dough to almost half again its length.  Return the enlarged triangle to the work surface, keeping the widest end toward you.  With your fingertips, tuck in the wide end of the dough to begin the roll.  Continue rolling loosely toward the tip, using the heel of your hand to roll and creating tension by using your other hand to stretch the top of the triangle away from you.

The dough should overlap three times with the tip sticking out from underneath.

Place the croissants 2" apart on a lined baking sheet and curve the ends of the croissant inward to form a crescent shape.  Repeat with other half of dough, using a second sheet, if needed.  Set aside in a warm place to rise until slightly puffy and spongy to the touch, 2-2½ hours.

Adjust oven racks to the lower and upper positions and preheat oven to 425° F during last 15 minutes of rise time.

Open the oven door and spritz heavily with water from a spray bottle, and quickly close the door.  Open the oven door again and slide the baking sheets onto the racks.  Spritz the oven heavily with water again and quickly close the door.  Reduce oven temperature to 400° F.  After 10 minutes (don't be tempted to open the oven door before that), rotate the baking sheets, for even baking.  Reduce the oven to 375° F and continue baking until croissants are golden brown, ~8 minutes longer.

 Oh, and by the way...

I am sharing this post with:
Yeastspotting (guest host Tartine Bread Experiment)

Book Tour & Review: The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher (+ win a copy!)

Two years after the death of her husband, Heidi is still as lost and heartbroken as the day the tragic accident took him from her.  Coaxed by her family, she takes her son, Abbot (a worrier since his father's death) and her niece, Charlotte (a troubled, misunderstood teenager) to a home in Provence that has been in her family for generations.  But this is no ordinary home.  It is filled with magic!  Its very walls were laid through the sheer power of love.  Heidi's mother knows this home will heal her...give her what she needs...because it has always done that.

Though the journey began out of a sense of obligation, Heidi gradually realizes that through interacting and letting her heart gradually open again actually brings her closer to not only her son, her parents, her sister, her niece and friends from the past...but also to her lost husband, Henry.  She needed to learn to let go in order to hold on.  But it's not simply about Heidi.  Each character grows and develops and pulls at your heartstrings as the story unfolds.  I grew to adore Henry as much as Heidi did with her descriptions of him and how he grew up... "...Henry had been raised so differently.  His family was loud, rowdy, bawdy, quick to anger, quick to forgive--with food everywhere--Southern food mixed with Italian set to the mantra of Mangia! Mangia!--always frying, bubbling, spattering, the kitchen pumping like a steamy heart." p.37

Laced with mouthwatering descriptions of food, meals, wine...and scenes in the kitchen and around the table...this is one of my favorite types of books (books with descriptions of lands I want to visit and things I want to see and food I want to taste). "I loved the order of the vineyards.  The thick trunk of the vine, the neat rows, the way leaves and fruit were supported by the guidelines.  But there was also chaos in those vineyards...The leaves and the gnarled vines and the lurid green grapes grew up wildly from their ordered rows.  It was green against dusty rouge, chartreuse against chocolate." p. 190 A story of love and relationships set amidst food memory and travel.  "The very thickness of the vines showed their age, their maturity, their ability to bear fruit that years later would be the wine on a table with a simple meal of pistou and crusty bread." p. 192  It's a story of sharing your heart, even when it's vulnerable.  The kitchen is the heart and soul of the home and the people who spend time in it.  The sense of calm and unity and grounding become obvious when you just drop your inhibitions and let your senses take over.  It's about realizing that there is more than one kind of love.

Okay, I should probably stop quoting...but everytime I look back to the pages of this book and the penciled in underlines and stars that I added as I was reading it for the first time, I get nostalgic and want to jump in and head back to Provence to spend time with Heidi and Abbot and Charlotte and Julien and Véronique all over again.  Let me end this by saying that I adored this book and to wrap up with my favorite section in the whole book...the one I flip back to time and time again...

    "Véronique then limped into the room, placed the Crock-Pot on the center trivet.  When she pulled away the lid, a breath escaped, and the room filled, and my mind emptied.
    I could see the pale gold chicken resting in its deep sauce of tomatoes, garlic, peppers.  I could smell the garlic, wine, and fennel.  Véronique served and the juices ran sparkling to the edges of my plate, carrying a hint of citrus.  And the smell bloomed  ...  I began to eat, and it was like eating for the first time since Henry's death.  Why now?  ....  The first bite was almost too much for me, so much flavor, and I was so hungry." p. 240-1

Um, in case I wasn't clear, The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher...I loved it.

She said, "I love the way the French shove chocolate into everything.  It's, like, the best nervous tic, ever." -Charlotte p.145

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher to review.  All opinions stated in this post are 100% mine.

 ***The publisher has kindly offered to send one of my readers a copy of The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted.  If you have a mailing address in the United States and would like to be entered to win a copy, please let me know by leaving a comment below...just for fun, tell me where you would like to go to "clear your mind and get some fresh perspective" if you could choose anywhere.  All entries must be received by April 19th at 11:59 pm (Eastern) and I will draw a random name to receive a copy.  Please make sure I have a way of contacting you via blog or email address if you win.  Good Luck!***

Update 4/20/11: This giveaway is now closed.  A winner has been chosen by random draw (Pierce....congratulations!!!) and contacted via email. Thanks to all who entered. 

This baker's delight includes puff pastry and chocolate....

One of my absolute favorite things are fresh baked croissants. Especially the almond filled croissants. And in a close second are the chocolate filled ones. There are two bakeries fairly close to me...yet still a bit too far for a quick run...that make killer almond croissants. BUT they go fast and I'm not always in time to get to one when I do make my way to one of them. A while ago, when I first got it, I bookmarked a recipe in Nigella Express...a chocolate croissant recipe. Since I am too lazy to make my own puff pastry at home my kitchen is way too small to roll out puff pastry at home, I figured that Nigella's recipe using packaged puff pastry would come in a very close second! And how fitting that our theme over at I Heart Cooking Clubs this weeks is Baker's Delight...because for this lazy baker...this recipe was a true delight :)Chocolate Croissants

from Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson 
Half a 17.2 oz packet ready-rolled puff pastry

2 1/2 oz chocolate (milk or dark, depending on taste)

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Unfurl the sheet of pastry and then cut it into 4 squares. Cut each square diagonally to give 2 triangles (they will appear quite small). Put the triangle with the wider part facing you and the point away from you.

Break off small pieces of chocolate...look at this rich, dark chocolate I used, yum...Place it about 3/4" up from the wide end nearest you. Carefully roll from that chocolate-loaded end toward the point of the triangle. You should now have something resembling a straight croissant. Seal it lightly with your fingertips and curl it around into a crescent. Mine are kind of wonky looking...but it didn't matter in the end.Place the chocolate croissants on a lined baking sheet and paint with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and puffy and exuberantly, if miniaturely, croissant-like (I love listening to Nigella describe food). Next time I'm quadrupling the recipe and filling half with chocolate and half with almond paste...simple baking genius. I think I have a girl-crush on Nigella.

Aren't you in the mood to bake up some goodness? Check out some Nigella recipes and head on over...