Destructive desire

August 20, 2009 at 1:17 am (Baking, Bread, Recipes, Sourdough)

I was going to bake bread this week. I even made a point of going to a special store to pay lots of money for a really nice bag of exotic flour. I had the Breads from the La Brea Bakery cookbook out on my counter! I did not. I repeat, did not want to bake something sweet and ruin my diet even further. What the hell happened?!

Someone derailed me. She probably doesn’t even know it was her fault. All she did was innocently mention that she got a recipe off of the Fleischmann’s Bread World Site. I clicked on the sweet treats link, I clicked on the rolls and buns link and that was my undoing. What I saw there that day would have me obsessing over so many sordid opportunities for gluttony.

At least I added fruit and a little whole wheat flour to make myself feel better.

Here is this week’s sourdough porn:

The fresh fruit has been sprinkled over the filling

The rolled dough with a little fruit peeking out

The raw dough was so pretty with the fruit poking out

The naked baked rolls

Drizzled in chocolate a la Jackson Pollack

I should never have taken that bite… all was lost. So delicious!

 

For more ideas on how to wreck your diet please click on this link to view YeastSpotting which will be hosted on friday by Macheesmo

White Nectarine and Cocoa rolls

Adapted from Cinnamon Cocoa Breakfast Rolls on the Fleischmann’s Bread World site

Dough:

3 cups unbleached white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ cup evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

¼ cup water

¼ cup buttermilk

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

½ cup cooked, mashed potato

1 cup sourdough starter

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

¼ cup evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 white nectarines, peeled and diced

Glaze:

1 oz bitter dark chocolate

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 – 2 tsp evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp brandy

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, and salt. In another large bowl, combine water, buttermilk, melted butter and mashed potato. It is ok if the ingredients are still warm from the butter melting and the potatoes cooking. Add 1 ½ cups of the flour mixture and the sourdough starter to the wet ingredients. Using a mixer, beat the ingredients together for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and an additional cup of the flour mixture and beat for 2 more minutes. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix by hand until a soft dough forms. Not all of the flour may get incorporated at this point. Turn the dough and any remaining flour out onto a board. Knead the rest of the flour into the dough until it is fully incorporated into it. Continue to knead the dough for ten minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to a clean bowl and cover it. Let the dough rest for ten to fifteen minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the filling ingredients: combine sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon.

Turn the dough back out onto your board. Roll the dough out into an 18” x 12” rectangle. Spread the dough with the tablespoon of melted butter. Using a spoon, sprinkle the cocoa mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the diced nectarines over the filling. Starting at the long end, roll the dough tightly in a jelly roll. Pinch the seam to seal. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Transfer the pieces to a buttered 9” x 13” pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow the dough rise until doubled. (It was a chilly day here today so mine took around two hours to proof).

Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 20 – 25 minutes until golden. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.

Make Glaze: Over low heat, melt butter and dark chocolate with sugar salt and brandy. Stir until well melted and smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle hot chocolate in artful splotches over the top of the chocolate buns.