baking

Homemade New York Style Bagels

August 10, 2017 By thecuriouschickpea Leave a Comment

What makes bread a bagel? Is it the shape? The texture? Where they come from? Yes, yes, and no. Let’s start with the last question: I emphatically believe that you can make or get a damn good bagel anywhere in the world… provided you can source the correct ingredients that is. Now a disclaimer – I’m not from NYC, nor have I spent a crazy amount of time there (but I have eaten NY style bagels). But, I’m excellent at research, both book research and hands on experimenting. And a lack of good locally available bagels has led me to do a lot of bagel baking over the years. And these bagels have been tested on people from NY. Plus, the recipe is adapted from Peter Reinhart, and would he steer us wrong? No. As for the first two questions: the shape and texture of a bagel are related, you wouldn’t be able to get that quintessential bagel texture without the hole in the center. The hole allows for the entire bagel to have a chewy crust, without would lead to a soft and tender center….

Vegan Jalapeño Cheese Biscuits

July 27, 2017 By thecuriouschickpea 3 Comments

It’s a good thing that biscuits are supposed to be consumed on the day that you bake them, and ideally while they’re still warm out of the oven. It gives you an excuse to shovel the entire batch into your mouth within hours. I think the photographing these biscuits while they were still hot has been the hardest thing I’ve had to wait for to date. And I make and photograph a lot of pizzas. Like seriously, a lot. It was all I could do to keep myself from stealing bites between shots. And if I’m being 100% honest with you, my dog Selkie felt the same way, helping herself to the remaining few biscuits from our most recent batch when Omar and I stepped out of the house for a couple hours. Oops, guess we should have put them out of her reach….

Vegan Homemade Pretzel Buns

July 18, 2017 By thecuriouschickpea 2 Comments

There’s nothing quite like freshly baked bread. And when it comes from your own hands and your own oven it’s even better and more satisfying. I love bread and encourage everyone else who feels the same way to try their hand at it too! I’ve always enjoyed the process of making bread. It’s methodical and relaxing, and I always feel proud of the end result. Plus when your friends come over for veggie burger parties they’ll ask, “did you really make this all from scratch?” I know this because that’s what my friends do.

So anyway freshly baked homemade bread is great, yeah, we know (unless of course you don’t eat gluten, and then, I’m sorry, this post isn’t for you). Pretzel buns are certainly no exception! Chewy and doughy-soft, with that delicious pretzel flavor, they are the perfect accompaniment to your veggie burgers. Pretzels are traditionally made with a lye bath, and it’s this ultra caustic environment that allows the dough to brown to that rich color, and also gives it the characteristic pretzel flavor. Browning in cooking occurs via the Maillard Reaction, but how acidic or basic your food is affects how browned it gets (and by basic I don’t mean this kind of basic, haha). The higher the pH (more basic), the better/darker your food will brown….

Pesto Smashed Potato Pizzas

June 1, 2017 By thecuriouschickpea 4 Comments

Are you looking for a fun party appetizer? Something you can bring to a picnic? A recipe for your gluten free or vegan friends? Something to munch on for a tasty and simple meal? I’ve got you covered with these super cute pesto smashed potato pizzas! You can enjoy them hot or at room temperature, which makes them a no stress option.

Baby potatoes are boiled then smashed, skins splitting to expose the soft custardy interior. A simple zippy marinara is spooned overtop and then some homemade vegan cheese. The potatoes are then baked in a hot oven until the edges get a little crispy, while the inside remains creamy and soft. Melty cheese atop a crispy baked potato is drool worthy on it’s own, and you might be tempted to gobble them up immediately.. but, I promise you, the last step is so worth it. Dollop, smear, pour–whatever–some basil pesto on top and you’ve reached potato pizza heaven (a different kind than before)….

baking

Footer