28 Comments

Wow, that pumpkin dish looks amazing! I must try!

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Dec 13, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

I love my sourdough starter whisk I just got from Andrew! So much easier to use. And more fun!

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Dec 13, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

Andrew, I was hoping to ask a burning (um, baking) question that I’ve been thinking about since Sunday night... and only if you have time, as I know you’re busy.

I saw a new Food52 video/recipe for panettone ( https://youtu.be/NhWEbFdIXXU?si=shA7o_xkrU251qtB ) that uses the tangzhong method and Baileys Irish Cream(!). I understand why the tangzhong was used (texture, shelf life) , but am so curious about why the Baileys was used.

I’ve never seen alcohol/liqueur added to panettone, and in the video, the Baileys almost seemed like a random choice added only for flavor, but I my guess is that it was not random. Would the alcohol play a role? Would the alcohol have to be creamy? The author mentions trouble dissolving the yeast, and wonder if a osmoyolerant yeast like SAF Gold would be better?

But my real curiosity lies with the Baileys and the role it’s playing in the panettone. Would one be locked into using only Baileys or could another liquid be substituted (any alcohol, only a creamy liqueur, a non-alcoholic dairy, such as whole milk or milk and heavy cream)?

I’ll confess this version looks like it falls somewhere between a quick, yeasted panettone and the intense pasta madre method, so it piqued my interest! Thank you in advance and happy holidays!

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author

Alexandra - I think some panettone recipes do use booze for flavoring, and I'm sure you could substitute another here if you wanted to, though the swap would be a little hard to prescribe. Baileys has oil, milk, cocoa, and other stuff in it that are definitely going to contribute to the result, and it would be hard for me to give you something that would behave similarly. Maybe heavy cream + a small amount of higher-proof liquor like rum would work best.

As for the yeast question, I don't think you need to sub osmo, though it wouldn't hurt. The reason Mandy had a hard time getting the yeast to dissolve when added dry is that there's not a lot of free water in the formula, so it resists hydrating. Mixing it with a little milk is a good way to get around this.

Hope it works out, and happy holidays to you too!

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Dec 13, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

Thank you so much, Andrew!

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I want Santa to bring me a sheeter

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author

send Santa the link, Jolene! Even he needs a discount

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Ha! 😂 yes, Santa deserves a discount! Happy Holidays, Andrew!

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Same to you, Jolene!

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Any chance the brod and taylor discount will be enabled on the Canadian site (https://ca.brodandtaylor.com/)

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author

I'll ask!

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Alas, the answer is no.

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Thanks for checking.

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Dec 13, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

I have one of the antique whisks, and gave the same to a friend in September. They’re practical and work really well for stirring starter (much better than the chopstick I was using), and they’re beautiful. And it’s always nice to own tools made by someone you know (if only from the blog and classes in this case). We love them. Highly recommend.

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Dec 13, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

I just got my antique starter whisk and have used it once. I had no idea how much easier and faster it would be to use this instead of my long handled spoon! Winner!

Also I have been debating about the sheeter.....when you use yours, I assume you can use it for all of the turns once the butter is in the dough. Rolling manually is a good workout but it's the recovery days for my shoulders that are rough!! LOL

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You can use it for any of the steps of the recipe that require rolling out, before and after the butter lock-in!

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Cool! That may make it an easier justification!

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Dec 13, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

I LOVE the sourdough stirrer! When I originally saw it I thought "that's cool, but do I need another kitchen utensil?" but the answer is a resounding YES. It's so much cleaner and more effective than an iced-tea spoon I was using. Highly recommend to anyone with a starter.

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Dec 13, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

Not only does the sourdough whisk stir the starter quickly, my stiff starter comes off of it easily and it washes up fast too.

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Dec 14, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

I bought the 12" Brod & Taylor shetter last summer at its higher $600 price. Darn, wish I had waited so 15% their current $495 price is a great deal for homebor small bakers. It really folds up and tucks away easily. My only "complaint" is the 23.5" length of the board when rolling out croissant dough. The dough ends up getting rolled right off the end of the board when the dough (wt as recommended) is fully rolled. And the current support brackets for the sheeter board could have supported a longer board. I had a nice chat with Evan in customer service about my concerns and as it turns out, the 12" sheeter is coming out with a longer board.

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Dec 14, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

I love my sourdough stirrer. It efficiently gets the ingredients combined and cleans up with a quick rinse. Best tool for the job! I’m giving two as gifts, and I know my friends will love them, too.

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Hi Andrew.. Here’s a heads up: the WORDLOAF discount code at Brodand Taylor seems to be dead..beyond Christmas. Not good til the end of the year after all... I prolonged my decision making and that’s the result...What a great discount that would have been! Thank you for providing it, if mistakenly. It advanced my interest in the home shelter🧡

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Home sheeter-- autocorrect!

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author

Try again, Inge, it's been reinstated, hopefully through the end of the year, but if you really wanted one, don't sleep on it!

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Dec 27, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

Thank you❗️

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Dec 31, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

Just wanted to thank you for your serious eats piece on cast iron bread ovens. I was looking at a $150 5-qt staub to replace the butter pat that I broke (sadly not the first), but the staub doesn't flip over! Thank you for saving me $$$ :)

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What did you get instead, Melisa?

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Oh sorry haha. I got the Lodge double dutch. I can't wait!!

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