I’ve received some feedback on one recipe I linked to on my last food post. I never did try the recipe for overnight soaked cinnamon rolls, but someone else did. She reports that the recipe is not worth making. Sorry about that. I’ve removed the link to save the rest of you from the crushing disappointment of cinnamon rolls that don’t turn out. However, here is a recipe for cinnamon rolls that I’ve been making every Sunday for the past several weeks. They are 100% whole wheat and sourdough, and we love them. The recipe stands a fair amount of tinkering too. This week for example I had only one egg, so I used that. I replaced the buttermilk with yoghurt. I never put in the mashed potatoes. For the filling, I omitted the raisins and used yoghurt in place of the cream too. Also, I didn’t have vanilla, so I left it out, and I used mascarpone with a little honey in it for frosting. Finally, I don’t have measuring cups or spoons, so I just eyeballed on the amounts. Other than that, I made them exactly as the recipe states.
Oh, and I made them in the broiler pan. It’s the only thing I have that resembles even remotely a jelly-roll pan, cookie sheet, or 9 x 13 pan. That’s about how I cook lately, though.
I wish I could delete my previous question, because now I've got a batch of sourdough starter (attempting to catch that allusive air yeast) sitting on the counter. This sounds much more impressive than, "how do I??"
Also, I found the lievito fresco as backup in case my starter net catches no yeast fishes.
Thank you!
Thanks!
Now…um…could you tell me how to "start" this starter (lievito fresco, water, flour — quantities? where to keep? etc.)? I haven't made bread from nothing since I was seven, and to be honest I wasn't paying attention to the details. Mostly making animal shaped dinner rolls.
To introduce myself, this is JennR from Expats. My husband, daughter and I moved to Trento ten months ago. And now I'm learning all sorts of things from "scratch!"
Hi JGR,
This is a little embarrassing, so bear with me. In the refrigerated section at your local grocery store (O.K. Market, Maxisconto, Il Centro, etc.) you will find a small, cube-shaped package marked lievito fresco (or something like that). I thought it WAS sourdough starter, until my Italian neighbor told me it was actually yeast. Sigh. But I was using it like sourdough starter (putting it in flour and water, "feeding" it every day, and baking with it), so it did actually go kind of sour. And I still use it. Anyway. That's the best I can do . . . You can supposedly "catch" your own starter out of the air, but I've never successfully done this. But the bread shops here all have pane a lievitazione naturale (it's even listed as an ingredient in panettone), so SOMEONE in Italy must have a starter. If you find it, let me know!
These look delicious. Unfortunately, I have all the ingredients except…sourdough starter? Any thoughts on where to find this (or a substitute) in Italy?
Now that's a master cook at work with a recipe! and your food always tastes delicious! Fun.
Sounds delish! Thanks.