Caramelised Onion Sourdough Bread Recipe

Caramelised Onion Sourdough Bread

Caramelised Onion Sourdough Bread Recipe

The few times that I had onion bread, I loved it. I wonder why it is not more popular considering that onion is not an expensive ingredient. 

Caramelised onions add nice flavor, aroma and moistness to bread.

I've read about two ways of preparing onion bread. One method involves sautéing the onions. The other method involved baking the onions in an oven until it turns dry and golden. 

I have only tried the first method but the second method sounds pretty appealing as well since the onions may retain a bit more texture. 

Caramelised Onion Bread

Adopted from Food.

Ingredients

2 cups proofed sourdough starter

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon oil

¼ cup water

3 cups flour (plain, whole wheat, oat or a combination)

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1.      Add oil to frying pan and heat over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté, stirring regularly, until onions start to turn soft. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until onions turn golden. Let it cool

2.      Mix all the ingredients together

3.      Knead the dough on a floured surface until well combined and dough is slightly elastic 

4.      Shape into a loaf or place in a loaf tin

5.      Let it rise until it has doubled in size. It may take a couple of hours, or longer

6.      Make diagonal slashes in top of loaf with a razor blade or very sharp knife.

7.      Bake at 190°C/375°F until done, about 40 to 50 minutes

Caramelised Onion Bread

Chocolate Orange Cake with Chocolate Orange Sauce Recipe

Chocolate Orange Cake with Chocolate Orange Sauce

This is a different and nice cake. I used orange juice instead of milk, resulting in a cake with a fudgy texture, nice flavor and a way to use up orange juice. 

The orange flavor is subtle. Add orange zest or orange liqueur if you prefer a stronger orange flavor. The sauce also has a subtle orange flavor, and its not overly sweet. 

Chocolate Orange Cake with Chocolate Orange Sauce   

Adopted from my earlier recipe for red wine chocolate cake

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1-1½ cups sugar 

¼ teaspoon salt

4 heaped tablespoons cocoa

1 cup oil

1½ cups orange juice

2 eggs 

1½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Orange Sauce

200ml orange juice

20ml cocoa

40ml golden syrup

8ml corn flour

Directions

1.      Heat oven to 175°C/350°F

2.      Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

3.      Stir together  flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in large bowl.

4.      In a separate bowl beat eggs, sugar, orange juice, oil and vanilla until sugar has dissolved

5.      Fold in the flour mixture. The batter will be thin.

6.      Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

7.   To make the sauce, add all the ingredients to a saucepan and heat through until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency

Chocolate Orange Cake with Chocolate Orange Sauce

Oreo Cookies Recipe

Oreo Cookies

The cookies in the picture don't look like real Oreo's, but the taste is pretty close, except for the cream. I didn’t make the cream as suggested in the recipe below. Instead I filled the cookies with a simple custard.

Did you know that Oreo is the best selling cookie in the US? In China, Oreo's were introduced in 1996, and by 2006 it became the best selling cookie. The Chinese Oreo has lower sugar content. There was a marketing campaign to educate Chinese consumers about the American tradition of pairing milk with cookies. I thought this was brave, considering that most Chinese people are lactose intolerant. One study even estimates that up to 90% of adults are lactose intolerant.

If you want to try something different, consider Coconut Oat Oreo Cookies. Personally I prefer this version, it has coconut and oats in it.   

OREO Cookies

Recipe source: Life of a Modern Housewife

Ingredients

2 ½ cups flour

½ cup cocoa

½ salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Filling

1¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoon cold water

½ cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2½ cups powdered sugar

 Directions

1.      To make the cookies

2.      Heat oven to 175°C/350°F

3.      Mix flour, cocoa, and salt

4.      In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until well combined

5.      Add flour mixture and mix well

6.      Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface

7.      Cut cookies and freeze for five minutes.

8.      Bake for 8 minutes.  Cool completely before filling with cream.

9.      To make the cream filling.

10.  Combine the gelatin and water in a small bowl.  Place the bowl into a larger bowl of hot water and leave it there until the gelatin is completely dissolved

11.  Let the gelatin mixture cool to room temperature

12.  In a medium bowl beat shortening until fluffy.  Add vanilla and mix well. Add sugar a little at a time, beating until the mixture comes together. 

13.  Add gelatin and mix well. Use immediately, or store, well-wrapped at room temperature.

OREO Cookies