Baked Goods

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (sifted)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 (12 ounce) can beer
• 1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup will do just fine)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Mix dry ingredients and beer.
• Pour into a greased loaf pan.
• Pour melted butter over mixture.
• Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1 cup chopped dried figs*
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup Demerara sugar**
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8×4 inch baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, combine the dates, figs, butter and baking soda. Pour in the boiling water, stir well and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Beat the sugar, walnuts and eggs into the date mixture. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the date mixture just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

* Substitute 3/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger for figs.
**Substitute Honey for sugar

Ingredients

• For Pre-ferment
  • 177 g all purpose flour
  • 1/6 tsp Instant Yeast
  • 177 g Room Temp Water
• For Dough
  • 361 grams all purpose flour
  • 1 packet (7 grams) instant yeast
  • 2 tsp (12 grams) kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp (14 grams) instant non-fat milk
  • 152 grams water
  • 3 Tbsp (35 grams) olive oil

Instructions

• Start by making a pre-ferment with 177 grams of all-purpose flour, 1/16th tsp of instant yeast and 177 grams of room temperature water. Mix together until it resembles a too-thick pancake batter. Wrap tight in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours, then refrigerate overnight.
• For the main dough, add the following to the bowl of your stand mixer: 361 grams of all-purpose flour, 1 packet (7 grams) of instant yeast, 2 tsp (12 grams) of kosher salt, 2 Tbsp (14 grams) of instant non-fat milk, the entirety of the pre-ferment, 152 grams of lukewarm water, and 3 Tbsp (35 grams) of olive oil.
• Mix together using the paddle attachment. Once it all comes together, remove the paddle and replace with a dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for 7-8 minutes until smooth, shiny, and sticky.
• Use the dough stickiness to roll into a taught ball. Place it into a well-oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or more than doubled in size.
• Using an oiled rubber spatula, fold the dough in and on itself, turning the bowl as you go, 8 times. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes and then repeat the process one time.
• After another 30 minutes, spread the dough into a large rectangle on a well-floured work surface. Pop any huge bubbles that appear, and then trim the dough into your desired size ciabatta pieces – I recommend 4×6 inches or 4×8 inches.
• Set the pieces of dough on a heavily floured piece of parchment paper set in a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with an inverted rimmed baking sheet. Let proof and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Cut the parchment in half (so you have half the dough on one side), spritz dough pieces generously with water, and sprinkle with a little more flour. Use a pizza peel to place the dough on a preheated pizza stone in a 450°F oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until browned and puffed.
• Brush off the excess flour and let cool for at least one hour.
• Use a shallow rimmed baking sheet as a cutting template to cut the bread in half with a bread knife.