Focaccia Caprese #BreadBakers

I enjoyed baking this Focaccia Caprese bread, when I finish baking felt as though it was a 'pizza'  minus the sauce.
Focaccia Caprese….Caprese is a salad made by using Tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella cheese. Hence, a Focaccia Caprese is nothing but a basic Focaccia dough topped Caprese salad

Ingredients
For the Dough
1.1/2 Teaspoon Instant yeast
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2.1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1-1/4 Cups Warm water - more or less
A little more olive oil for brushing dough

For the Caprese Topping
6 Tomatoes - sliced
6 Round Slices Fresh Mozzarella
Few Fresh Basil leaves

For the Herbed Oil 
1/4 Cup Olive oil
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
1/4 Teaspoon  Chilli flakes
4 Cloves Garlic-  finely minced
A pinch of Salt 

Method
To make the herbed Oil

Make the herbed oil in advance so that the oil absorbs all the flavors. Tip in all the ingredients into a small bottle and shake it well. Keep aside till required.

To Make the dough
Place  in the yeast, sugar, flour, salt and oil into the bowl of the food processor and give a pulse it so that all ingredients mix well. Gradually add about a cup of warm water  and knead until you have a soft elastic dough  The quantity of water varies from flour to flour, so add more water  if required to knead the dough.

Remove the dough from the processor bowl, take it on to the work surface and knead it again till you get a smooth and soft dough.   Then shape it into a ball  and place it in a well oiled bowl turning the dough around so that it is coated with oil. Cover it using a damp cloth or cling film and let it rise till it doubles in volume.

Take two to three  rectangular or square pans depending on the size of the pan and oil them well. Punch down the dough and then divide it into equal portions and lightly roll them (or press out) out on a lightly floured surface  according to the size of the pan.

Transfer the rolled dough gently to the baking pans. The dough will shrink a little. Using your fingers push  the dough  from the center towards the edges. Make sure it’s evenly thick throughout the pan.  Keep  it rise again for 20 to 25 minutes. Lightly oil your finger tips and press into the dough creating evenly spaced ‘dimples’ in it. Finally brush the surface with a generous amount of herbed oil or olive oil .

Bake at 200 degrees C for about 15 to 17 minutes till it is almost done and is beginning to turn golden brown.

Once the Focaccia is removed from the oven, lightly brush or drizzle some of the ‘Herbed Oil’ over the Focaccia and then evenly arrange the slices of mozzarella over the bread, leaving very little space between them (this ensures that the cheese spreads out leaving no spaces on melting). Arrange the tomato slices over the cheese slices and place the basil leaves over this.  Ensure that the topping should cover most of the surface of the bread so that every piece gets the cheese and tomato.

Drizzle some more ‘Herbed Oil’ over the topping and return the bread to the oven. Turn  the oven to 220 C. Bake the Focaccia for 5  minutes or until the cheese has just melted (note : the mozzarella once melted, browns fast). Remove from the oven.

Cut the Focaccia into slices or wedges and serve immediately while it is still hot.  We had it  with a bowl of soup. 

While enjoying this bread my daughter said Ma! this it ultimate goodness.

My Notes:

I make a cup of the Herbed  oil and store it in the refrigerator, use it to make herbed mayonaise or even brush this on crusty breads for soup.

I have used a food processor to knead the dough, you can knead the same by hand , take a look at my previous bread post that are kneaded by hand.

 Labels: Breads, Focaccia, Caprese, Bread Bakers, Italy, Cheese 

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Our host for this month is Anshie Dhar, who choose the theme "Breads from Italy". Thank you Anshie for hosting this month's event.
If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com

Check out the other bread from Italy our other bakers have baked :- 
Casatiello by A Shaggy Dough Story
Ciabatta Sandwich Rolls by Herbivore Cucina
Classic Italian Bread by Hostess At Heart
Cornetti by Gayathri’s Cook Spot
Einkorn Parmesan Piadina by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Fingermillet and Rosemary Focaccia by Sizzling Tastebuds
Focaccia Caprese by Sneha’s Recipe
Grissini by Sara’s Tasty Buds
Gubana – An Italian Sweet Bread by The Schizo Chef
Il Pane di Matera by Food Lust People Love
Italian BLT Focaccia by A Salad For All Seasons
Italian Easter Bread by Palatable Pastime
Italian Easter Cheese Bread by A Baker’s House
Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Italian Stuffed Pane Bianco by Cook’s Hideout
Mini Panettone by Mayuri’s Jikoni
Pane Bianco by Veenas Vegnation
Pane di Genzano by Spiceroots
Piadina by Passion Kneaded
Pizza alla Siciliana by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Rosemary and Cabernet Salt Focaccia by What Smells So Good?
Torta Salata Pasquale by A day in the Life on the Farm
Tuscan Coffeecake by Ambrosia

Affogato - Vanilla Ice Cream With Espresso, Caramel Sauce And Salted Almonds

This classic Italian dessert is a coffee-based made with espresso and vanilla ice cream, gelato or sorbet. The word affogato means "drowned" in Italian.

This is an elegant, quick and easy, to make dessert. It taste divine and leaves a deliciously lingering taste of the salted caramel and almonds.
Ingredients
Eggless Vanilla Ice Cream - Homemade 
Espresso or strong coffee - chilled
Salted Caramel Sauce - Homemade Recipe below
Salted Almonds - sliced

Method

Scoop ice cream into dish
Pour espresso / strong coffee over ice cream
Drizzle caramel sauce over it and top with,  salted almonds and enjoy

Homemade Salted Caramel

Follow these easy steps to make  salted caramel sauce at home. Perfect for cakes, cupcakes, puddings, cookies, ice cream sundaes, cheesecake, glass desserts,  sweet breads ... endless... as you like it with !

This sauce should cool down completely before using it in any recipe. The caramel will thicken as it cools. Then you can heat it if required and use it.  This should be prepared a day before you want to use it.  This can be stored for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Ingredients
200 Grams Granulated Sugar
25 Grams Salted Butter
200 Ml Heavy cream
100 Ml Milk
3/4 Teaspoon Salt

Method

Mix the milk and cream together keep aside.

Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.

Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. 
Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes. A whisk helps if you find the butter is separating from the sugar.

Very slowly, drizzle in heavy cream mixture while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble or splutter when added.

Allow the mixture to boil for a minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
Remove from heat and stir in the  salt. Allow to cool down before using. The salted caramel will thicken once it cools down.

My Notes

 Make this caramel in advance. Make sure it is covered tightly and store it for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Warm the caramel up for a few seconds in the microwave before using in a recipe.

Labels : Affogato, Italy, Sweets & Desserts, Ice Cream, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Homemade, Salted Caramel, Jams & Sauces

Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party where bloggers come together to create recipes using the same ingredient. The host, this month it's Kathleen from Fearlessly Creative Mammas, picks an ingredient from the website The Nibble. If you're a blogger and would like to join in the fun, you can request to join on this Facebook page. Posting day is alway the first Wednesday of the month. If you'd like to see past recipes, you can follow our Pinterest board too.

Gooey Caramel Cake – - Fearlessly Creative Mammas
Easter Coconut Bird’s Egg Nests - Palatable Pastimes
Ooey Gooey Salted Caramel Cake - A Day in the Life on the Farm
Caramel Apple Granola - Hardly a Goddess
Caramel Apple Dip - Sew You Think You Can Cook
Banana Chia Pudding with Date Caramel - Caroline's Cooking
Affogato – Vanilla Ice Cream With Espresso, Caramel Sauce And Salted Almonds - Sneha's Recipes
Fa’ausi (Samoan Coconut Caramel Bread) - Tara's Multicultural Table

Eggless Vanilla Ice Cream

This delicious, creamy and smooth Eggless Vanilla Ice Cream is so quick and easy to make. This ice cream  is a no churn and you do not need of an ice cream machine or ice to make it. In summer ice creams are in great demand. Make this smooth ice cream ...  enjoy... a treat for kids and adults too.

Ingredients

500 Ml Full Cream Milk
4 Tablespoons Level Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Corn flour
2 Tablespoons Heaped Milk powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla essence
300 ML Whipping Cream

Method

Reserve 1/4 cup of milk and keep  the rest in a heavy bottomed pan on low flame to boil.

Dissolve the cornflour in the reserved cup of milk to smooth slurry and keep aside.

Stir the  milk continuously to prevent it from burning.
Once it reaches near boiling point,  take  4 tablespoons hot milk and mix it with the milk powder and make a smooth paste. 

Now add the sugar and stir till the sugar melts and the milk comes to a boil, add the milk powder paste and stir with a whisk,  to mix well, keep stirring for a 3 minutes.

Again stir the cornflour slurry to mix it well and  then add this to boiling milk and whisk continuously till it thickens and coats the spoon. Take it off the flame, add the essence and cool it, then chill it well for a good 2 hours in the freezer.

Beat cream with a hand blender till it forms soft peaks - about 3 to 5 minutes.

Once  the milk is chilled, beat it well with a hand blender till it light and smooth.

Now fold in the whipped milk and cream gently until it's well blended - about 4 - 5 minutes.

It should double in volume (see above pic)

Keep the ice cream in the freezer in a airtight container for 3 - 4 hours. Take out and give it a good churn for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Return to the freezer and  and keep it for 8  hours and again remove and beat it till it's light and fluffy (this fills the ice cream with air which  makes it light,  fluffy, creamy and smooth.)

After the final churn, transfer it to a closed  air tight container and freeze it for 12 or more hours depending on the temperature of your freezer.  This time I set it in a flat air tight container, since it will freeze faster.

Serve it and enjoy ..
Have a look at tomorrow's post  - Affogato - Vanilla Ice Cream With  Espresso, Caramel Sauce And Salted Almonds

My Notes 

Freeze ice cream in air tight containers which are flat  and not tall in  height, as this will freeze it faster which will prevent ice crystal formation.

Labels : Milk, Milk powder, Whipping Cream, Vanilla essence, Homemade, Eggless, Ice Cream

Air Fryer Chicken Biryani - Healthy and Delicious

Air Fryer Biryani is an innovative way of preparing healthy and less oil rice / food.  This is excellent for diet and health conscious people.  They need not avoid have this delicious biryani now. 

Ingredients

200 Grams Chicken boneless - cubed
1 Teaspoon Chilly powder
1 Teaspoon Biryani Masala
1/4 Teaspoon Garam masala
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
2 Tablespoons Mint leaves - chopped
2 Tablespoons Coriander leaves - chopped 

2 Green chillies - slit
1 Teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
1 Large Tomato - sliced
1/4 Teaspoon Shahjeera
1 Teaspoon Ghee
1 Tablespoons Lime juice
Salt to taste
1 Cup Yogurt
1/2 Cup Fried onions
A Pinch of Saffron or Tandoori color

For the Rice
1.1/2 Cups Basmati Rice
2 Cloves
1 Stick Cinnamon
1 Cardamon
1 Brown Cardamon
3 Peppercorns
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds

Method

A Pinch of Saffron or Tandoori colour mixed in a tablespoon of water, keep aside.

Boil the rice with salt and spices and cook it till 70% done. Drain add a teaspoon of oil or ghee to it and keep aside to cool.

Preheat the air fryer at 180 degree C for 5 minutes.

Take a bowl and add boneless chicken, chilli powder,biryani garam masala and  turmeric  powder, chopped mint, chopped coriander, slit green chilly, ginger garlic paste, shahjeera, ghee, lime juice & salt then mix it, add half of the curd and mix it well again. Keep it aside for a hour. 

Then take the pieces of chicken with little of the marinade in a another bowl. 

Add rest of the curd to the remaining marinade and mix it well. 

In a tiffin box or a pyrex dish spread half of cooked rice, sprinkle little fried onions, half of curd mixture and arrange 2 to 3 slices of tomato repeat the process again add a layer of rice, sprinkle fired onions and arrange the slices of tomato to form layer 

add marinated chicken pieces again add fried onions also add saffron water on top of it. 

Dot it  a teaspoon butter , if you are not very diet conscious.

 Place the lid tiffin box/Pyrex dish,  keep it in the air fryer basket . 

Cook at 180 degree C for the first 10 to 12 minutes.  Then at 200 degree C for 15 to 20 minutes ( this time will vary according to the quantity  and size of the dish). After 15 minutes switch off the air fryer and let it rest in the air fryer for 5 minutes. 

Serve this hot. This biryani is slightly dry since it has less oil,ghee or butter and a healthy one with less fat and calories. Have this with raita and enjoy this healthy air fryer biryani.

Check this recipe that I made from this Biryani - 

Iraqi Parda Plau - Phyllo Pastry Wrapped Biryani

Labels : Air Fryer, Chicken, Rice, Healthy, Biryani