Cake
2 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup milk
1 cup water
Buttercream Filling
1 stick butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
A few drops of red food coloring
Chocolate coatings
16 ounces dark chocolate (or chocolate chips)
16 ounces white chocolate
8 tbls vegetable oil
Donuts Recipe Easy
For the dough
Whole-wheat bread made from 100% whole-wheat flour is higher in fiber, vitamins, and minerals than breads made from refined wheat.Most commercially made breads labeled as whole wheat in the US, actually have very little whole grain wheat. They’re mostly made from white flour with caramel color added to give the illusion that they have more whole wheat than they actually do.
Humans have been baking bread for thousands of years. Wheat was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, an area in the Middle East, known as one of the cradles of civilization ,an area where farming first emerged.
You could say bread gave rise to society as we know it today. It played a key role in the formation of human society. As cultivation spread from the Middle East towards Europe, North Africa,and then Asia it led to a more structured society, towns were created, and a less nomadic lifestyle was possible. This is turn led to more shophisticated and organized forms of society. In the Amercas this also happened with maize and in China with rice.
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Remnants of a flatbread made from wild wheat and wild barley,dating back to between 14,600 and 11,600 years ago have been found in the Black Desert of Jordan. Bread dating back over 9,000 years has also been found at neolithic sites in Turkey and Europe. There has been much evidence of bread baking in ancient Egypt with sourdough being their preferred and primary source of leavening.
In medieval times in Europe bread was part of the table service, with food served on a piece of stale bread called a trencher, as a sort of absorbent dish. When you were done with your meal, you could eat your dish!
Up until the nineteenth century bread in Europe was made with extremely harmful ingredients like chalk,sawdust, alum, plaster and even clay.
That came to an end in the late 1800’s with the passing of the Food Adulteration Act in Britain. It was however more difficult in the United States as different states have different regulations for bread making.
Bread baking was industrialized in the early twentieth century. Whole grain breads were discovered to have higher nutrional content in that time period as well.
Chemical additives are used in commercially prepared breads to speed up mixing, rising time and enhance texure.Some very good reasons to make your own. Aside from that your bread will be far tastier, there is nothing better than a nice hot loaf of bread fresh out of the oven! Check out the video posted below for an amazingly easy 100% whole wheat bread recipe with easy to follow instructions.
Ingredients
3 1/2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of honey
1teaspoon of salt
1 package of dry active yeast.
2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil
Directions
In a large bowl add the water, honey, oil, salt, and yeast mixing well until everything is thoroughly dissolved. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes or until you can see the yeast bubbling on the top.
Gradually add in flour until firm enough to knead. Knead for about five minutes by bring the outer edges of the dough to the center and pressing down firmly.
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
Knead a bit until dough is smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cover and let rise for 40 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
Warm oven slightly, then turn off. (only needed in cold weather)
Place dough in lightly greased pan, brush with water, make several cuts on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) then let rise a bit more in an oven that is warm but not turned on.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit
Once dough has doubled in size bake at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Set on a wire rack to cool.
Slice and enjoy!
For thousands of years corn called maize,has been ground and used to make all kinds of breads. The corn we use today started out over 10,000 years ago as a plant called teosinte which grew in southern Mexico.
Teosinte was very different from the corn we grow today. The undomesticated plants were much smaller, bore only one cob and it’s kernels were much smaller and harder. It took thousands of years of human cultivation to get it as it is today. Evidence has been found to indicate that it was cultivated as far back as 6,000 years ago in the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico.
The Aztec and Mayan civilizations used stoneground cornmeal to make tortillas and tamales. For many Aztecs cornmeal was a primary source of sustainance, consumed with beans it created a perfect protein. It has been used as a staple food around the world for many centuries.
In the United States the use of corn was introduced to settlers by Native Americans. While wheat crops thrived in the north and wheat breads were the popular choice, it was too hot and humid for wheat crops to thrive in the south. Corn crops were planted instead and did very well. Cornbreads became very popular as they were easy yo make. The original cornbreads were very basic being a simple mixture of cornmeal and water which was then baked over an open fire. Eventually other ingredients started being added, eggs,butter, and milk and that is how corn bread as we know it today was created.
Very easy to make corn bread, or corn muffins take only a few minutes to make and are a perfect as a treat on their own or as a side to a meal. Check out the video below for my favorite super easy recipe.
Did you know that chocolate cake as we know it now simply did not exist until the early 1900’s? It wasn’t until 1764 when Dr.James Baker discovered how to make chocolate by grinding cocoa beans between two massive circular millstones that chocolate started to become more widely used. At first it was a luxury item that few could afford. In 1828 a new processing technique was discovered making it available on a wider basis which transformed it into a more common snack item. It wasn’t until the early 1900’s late 1800’s however that it was available in a form that would allow it to be added to cake batters, up until then it was only used in glazes and fillings as it wasn’t refined enough. In 1886 bakers in America started adding chocolate to their cake batters and that is how chocolate cakes had their start in the United States. Thank goodness! I love a good chocolate cake and I can’t imagine life without it!
In the video below you’ll find my favorite recipe for a really good, moist chocolate cake. It’s a great basic recipe that yields an amazing chocolate cake and is super easy to make. You can whip this up in just a few minutes in your kitchen. I’ve frosted it with a chocolate ganache and filled it with fresh ,lightly sweetened chocolate whipped cream and it’s truly incredible. This cake is so moist and delicious though it’s also great with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar or nothing at all!
The vasilopita cake is baked with a coin hidden within it. When the cake is cut and served on new years day whoever gets the slice with the coin in it is said to have good luck for the year! It’s a wonderful and fun tradition.
There are many legends regarding the history of this tradition. One is that St.Basil wanted to allow people their dignity when he was giving charity to the poor so he baked bread with coins hidden within the loaves and then gifted the bread.
New years is not the only time this delicious sweetbread is made in Greece. It’s also baked on easter ,minus the lucky coin, and throughout the year as a simple braided sweetbread which is called tsoureki.
Fairly easy to make at home yourself this wonderful sweetbread is a wonderful addition to your table any time of the year. For the full recipe and an easy to follow walk through on it check out the video posted below.
