Over the weekend I made my first batch of Easter bread (Paska) which I make using my breadmaker. Traditionally Paska was made in round pans and looked like this. I make mine looking more like oversized hotdog buns. The reason for this is to have more icing. The old way once sliced just had icing on the top crust. I ice the flat side of each slice and make them relatively small.
Above is the traditional Paska.
Below are the ones I made. I'll be making more before the month is over.
The strange looking apple crisp on the right was definitely not a success. I had found a recipe for crisp topping that sounded interesting. It had mashed banana and cornstarch in the ingredients. I should have known better. The topping was so firm ( hard) and it was weird with the banana in it. Why don't I stick with my tried and true recipes???
Continuing on with recipes....as I've mentioned before Middle Son likes to bake on the weekend and this last weekend was no exception. Besides the usual bread that he makes for his family he tried a recipe for Japanese Melon Bread. Neither of us had heard of it but he wanted to make it. Apparently Melon Bread is a classic Japanese sweet bread with a crunchy and sweet outer crust and a soft and fluffy inside. There is no melon in it but it is meant to resemble one. It involves taking a ball of bread dough and covering it with a crust of sugar cookie dough before baking.
It was quite tasty and although it might not have looked too much like a melon it was a far more successful result than my strange apple crisp.
Do you stick to your usual recipes, the ones you know will always turn out?
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The question is, how did it taste?
ReplyDeleteI like to try new recipes...but still stick by my old favorites especially if I am having company!
ReplyDeleteGranny, I am always trying new recipes. I have been cooking and baking since 1970, and I am often curious about recipes and just have to make things more in interesting for myself!
ReplyDeleteSome are great and some - not so good, but it’s fun to try the new things. From Fran
I usually make my own tried and true recipes but do enjoy trying new ones too. Though some aren't so good, others have become some of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI've never made Paska.
I hardly ever try new recipes. I don't do much baking any more because we don't need to be eating baked goods, and mostly it's just the two of us. When I bake for holidays or special occasions I use favorite recipes.
ReplyDeleteI am always trying new recipes. It's my favorite thing to do. The melon bread sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI love trying new recipes, but also use the tried and true ones that I've made for years. I make paska buns rather than loaves. Easter is coming soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm not too experimental with recipes...if I find one I like I usually stick with it. I like your idea of making the smaller Easter breads so you can ice them more. I would like that!!! diane in northern wis
ReplyDeleteMaybe you have experiences enough to find all best and beloved recipes in your "old book" - - But why should it be not allowed to make some risk- experiments? :)
ReplyDeleteI like to try new recipes. Sometimes the result isn't so great, but it's interesting to try them.
ReplyDeleteTrying new recipes is another "hobby" of mine. But, I stick to my tried and true ones for the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI use recipes I know and also new ones, but not successfully when I take them from the net!
ReplyDeleteBetween you and your son you have really been busy in the kitchen with the baking. I'd not heard of the Japanese Melon Bread before, but it sounds interesting. I'm sorry that the topping for the apple crisp didn't turn out as you had hoped. I generally have a mix of new recipes and the tried and true ones.
ReplyDeleteI've not come across Japanese Melon Bread ...there are so many good and interesting recipes available and of course some work out better than others.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I also make Paska, my husband always says how does it taste, not how it looks. I've made Paska for years, after not ever knowing anything about it prior to getting married. I think the icing would add a level of interest. I like to stick to tried and true once I've found one we like and turns out. Sometimes recipes don't, sometimes I do it my own way. I like to try new recipes. Not ever heard of melon bread.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post
ReplyDeleteI'm more into how a food tastes than how it looks :) I'm not an adventurous baker; I don't hunt out new recipes to try. I don't have great baking skills, so adventurous recipes would certainly turn out badly for me!!
ReplyDeleteI think the taste is more important than the look. Nice post photos.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried Paska but I sure would love to! Making recipes outside of the box can be a fun adventure, you just never know how it's gonna turn out. You inspired me to try out making Paska in my bread maker! Thanks for sharing. Have a great day:)
ReplyDelete