Recent Posts

We wanted to let you know as of today August 26, 2010 there is only 97 spots left in our Fancy Schmancy Holiday Cookie Classes.  This is amazing since it's only late August and the classes aren't until December!  Sign up today if you want to secure a spot for yourself or with friends..  Don't DELAY! 

sign up at: www.bakewithzing.com
or call us at: (734) 761-7255

Happy Baking,

Alejandro Ramon, BAKE! Instructor

[The Ramon]

Hello All,

I just wanted to take a moment to let everyone know that we've hung up the wood-fire oven plaque.  This is to remember all students and staff of BAKE! that were involved in the building of the oven last year.  

The plaque reads as follows:

The Ramon

Thank you to all of the BAKE! students
who participated in the building of the oven
10-31-09

Bill Rosemurgy
Barbara Mackenzie
Greg Baumann
Brian Tallmadge
Keith Meisel
Sam Rosewig
Doug Brandon
Patti Carollo
David Barilovich
Amy Berger
Kateri Blankenship
Jim McDonald

BAKE! Instructors: Shelby Kibler and Alejandro Ramon

Managing Partners: Frank Carollo and Amy Emberling

The oven has been a great addition to our classes.  We've been baking pitas, pizzas, French Country Levain, Farm Bread, Baguettes, and more in the oven.  Stay tuned to a Wood-Fired Oven Class where the students will learn about building an oven, fire management, learning to use the oven, and baking in the oven.

Hope to see you soon at BAKE!

Alejandro Ramon, BAKE! Instructor

Beth,

We want you to have the best tasting cake possible so don't forget to bring the cake to room temperature before serving.  It takes about 4 hours at room temp (65-75 degrees)  This way your insured to have the best tasting cake, buttercream, and filling.  The chiffon cake is perfect for lemon curd filling...yummy!  We'd love to see pictures of your baking adventures.

Happy Baking,

Alejandro Ramon, BAKE! Instructor

Hello Mary,

Here's the recipe I gave in class for the spinach pizza filling:

Chicago Deep Dish Spinach Filling:

1 lb.           Ricotta (whole milk)
2               Egg Yolks
1/8 tsp.      Nutmeg
3/4 tsp.      Salt
1/2 tsp.      Black Pepper (ground)
2 - 10 oz.    Frozen Chopped Spinach (thawed and squeezed dried)

1.  Combine the Ricotta, egg yolks, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and beat together.  Add the frozen chopped spinach and combine with the cheese mixture and stir to combine.  Use this mixture between the cheese layer and top with the tomato sauce.  Baking time using this filling will be between 30 to 35 minutes.  Enjoy!

Best Baking,

Alejandro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nqOgBFAXds

I measured my rising basket from inside edge to inside edge and found it was just over 9 inches.  So I went to Brotform.com and ordered their 9 inch baskets.

Well I was quite disappointed when they came.  The inside measurement was 8 inches and the outside measurement was 8.75 inches.   

I called the company and asked if I had received the wrong baskets.  They were clearly smaller than my 9 inch at home. 

I was told that they measure from the outside edge of the wicker and that their measurements are only approximates.   

I can work with what I received........make 2 smaller loaves.......but I really think that Brotform.com needs to make clear on their websites the circumstances of a basket measurement. 

Shelby's filling recipe???  Spinach deep dish???    I'm intrigued.   I took the pizza class when it was first offered.  I don't remember there being a "Shelby filling" recipe. 

Is this something that was added later down the road??   


Mary

I am into my third month of the sour dough cycle.  My farmers bread is coming out great.  Things were a bit sluggish in the beginning.....but then I thought my house had a bit of a chill.  Boy when the heat and humidity started to kick in my doughs just took off. 

I have not had any problem getting my farmers bread to rise by just using the levain.  I make sure that I feed my chef about every 5 days.....or sooner.  All my sourdough breads seems to be baking up great. 

I'm getting ready to leave for an 8 day vacation.  I'm a bit worried about my chef.  I plan on feeding it right before I leave........I hope it's ok when I get back home. 

Mary

Thanks Shelby !!

I have printed off the info and am anxious to give it a try.   


Mary

hey mary!
i posted a note on the "sourdough baguette" stream that talks about the liquid levain and how to get our chef to be liquid.  i feel like in general, it's always ok to swap out starters in any recipe.  if you have chef, and the recipe calls for a liquid starter, you have 2 options:  1)just use chef.  maybe you'll want to add a touch more liquid to the recipe, since the chef doesn't have as much water.  but either way i think you'll be good.  2)use that recipe i put in the "sourdough baguette" stream to make the chef become liquid, then make your recipe.  it takes more time, but is more true to what the recipe calls for.  but i always feel like they are all starters, and no matter what kind they are they should do the job in any recipe.  but maybe that's just because i'm the type of guy who is OK making do with what i have, and seeing it as an experiment; i guess that in the end there is no way to lose, since no matter what you're bound to learn something and probably you'll have a tasty product as a result of your experimentation. 
i think it's overkill to keep more than one type of starter in the fridge at any one time, since you can always just convert it to another form if you think about it before you want to bake.  anyway, let me know if you would like any more info!  love to help.  shelby