Lassy Raisin Bread #BreadBakers

This Lassy Raisin Bread is made with molasses, whence comes the name. It is a classic recipe from Newfoundland, often enjoyed during the holidays. It's a lovely soft loaf that is delicious plain and even better toasted and buttered!

The end of the year has snuck up on me and I can’t imagine I’m the only one who feels that way. I was determined to find time to bake bread for this final Bread Bakers event though because I have finally figured out where to buy fresh yeast here in Houston (YAY!) and I just love how it smells and tastes in freshly baked bread. 

I chose to make this particular loaf because 1. My husband loves raisin bread, especially when it’s toasted and buttered and 2. this month my Bread Baker friends and I are sharing holiday breads from around the world. 

There are probably as many recipes for Newfoundland lassy or molasses bread as we have neighbors to my very north, but one thing they all have in common is the requisite molasses, generally the milder unsulphured kind, and raisins. The traditional loaves are shaped by making three balls of the dough and placing them in a row in a bread pan. 

Lassy Raisin Bread

My recipe is adapted from one on Rock Recipes which makes a very impressive FOUR loaves. They really, really love their lassy raisin bread! And once you've tried a slice, you'll see why.

Ingredients

1/4 cup or 60ml lukewarm water

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon active dry yeast or 20g fresh yeast

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 - 3 cups or 312-375g flour, plus extra for kneading

1/3 cup or 80ml lukewarm milk

1/4 cup or 60ml molasses

5 teaspoons cooled melted butter, plus extra for brushing the baked loaf, optional

1 egg, beaten lightly

3/4 cup or 100g raisins

Method

In the bowl of an electric mixer that has a dough hook, stir the yeast and brown sugar into the lukewarm water and then let stand without stirring for 10 minutes. It should get nice and fluffy if your yeast is alive.

Add in 1 cup or 125g of the flour along with the salt, butter, warm milk and the beaten egg.

Using the regular paddle of your electric mixer, mix slowly for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is smooth with no lumps. Whoops, almost forgot our namesake molasses! Add that in and beat again. 

Switch to the dough hook at this point and begin to slowly incorporate the remaining flour. 

You may not need to use all of the flour. This is a soft dough that’s supposed to be a little sticky.  

Add the raisins at this point and continue to mix with the bread hook until the raisins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Place the dough in a large bowl and cover the bowl with cling film or a damp tea towel. 

Leave it to rest and rise for two hours. 

Punch the dough down and knead it for a few minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface.

Divide the dough into three even pieces. I use my scale here to weigh the whole dough then divide by three. My dough weighed 760g so each ball weighed about 253g. Form each piece into a nice round ball. 

Line a medium loaf pan with baking parchment. (Mine was 9 x 5 in or 23 x 13cm.) 

Place the 3 balls of dough in your prepared loaf pan. 

Cover with greased cling film and allow the dough to rise until it is about 2 inches or 5cm above the rim of the pan, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours, depending on room temperature. 

[As you can see from the photo, pretty sure I overproved mine, making a strategical error when I decided I had time to nip out to the grocery store for salmon. Reader, as it turned out, I did not. While I was disappointed in the outside looks of this wonderful bread, the flavor and soft, tender crumb consoled me.]

Bake at 350°F or 180°C for about 40 minutes. The top and bottom crust should have good color. I tented mine halfway through with foil because it was browning so quickly. Check on yours in case you might want to do the same. 

Once baked, turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool. 

Brush the top with melted butter, if desired, to soften the top crust. Also, more butter is always better was one of my mom's rules. She was a very clever woman.

Leave to cool completely before slicing to serve. I'm trying to think of it as "rustic," not misshapen.

Enjoy! 

It’s the second Tuesday of the month which, as I mentioned above, means it’s time for my Bread Bakers to share their recipes. Many thanks to Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting and for choosing this lovely theme. Check out all the international holiday breads below. 

• Passion Kneaded: Christopsomo (Greek Christmas Bread) 
• A Messy Kitchen: Joululimppu 
• The Wimpy Vegetarian: Julekake : A Norwegian Christmas Bread 
• Food Lust People Love: Lassy Raisin Bread 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Laufabraud 
• Zesty South Indian Kitchen: Sourdough bobalki (Slovak Christmas eve bread) 
• Sneha's Recipe: Vánočka/Vanocka - Czech Christmas Bread 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Venezuelan Christmas Ham Bread - Pan de Jamón

#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.

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Cheater Chawanmushi - Savory Egg Custard

A quick and easy version of the more complicated Japanese dish, this delicious cheater chawanmushi or savory egg custard is cooked in a microwave.

Many years ago when we were living in Kuala Lumpur, there was a Japanese restaurant I loved to go to for lunch because they had a selection of set menus/lunch specials to choose from and all of the combos were delicious. 

I especially like the one that came with a little bowl of savory custard called chawanmushi, something I had never eaten before that. It was silky soft yet stayed upright on your spoon. And the flavor! Somehow delicate and yet robust. 

I searched online for chawanmushi recipes once we moved away from KL and my favorite restaurant but I never got around to making it, until I found a “cheater” version on New York Times Cooking.  

According to NYT Cooking, “the key to that perfect, soft-set wibble-wobble texture (think silken tofu) is using your microwave at around 500 watts — or half its power on a 1,000-watt machine. This lower heat lets the eggs and broth steam together gently until they cohere into something ethereal, existing somewhere between liquid and solid.”

I can confirm that I have had great success with my microwave on 50 percent power but depending on the temperature of the eggs and the vessel I cook them in, I’ve had to play with time. I take my eggs out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking so they aren’t ice cold.

Cheater Chawanmushi - Savory Egg Custard

This version is cooked in two ramekins so they only need about 4 1/2 minutes, then another minute resting. The original recipe calls for the two eggs to be cooked together in one bowl, so the suggested time for that was 5-7 minutes.

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1/2 cup or 120ml instant or kombu dashi, vegetable or chicken broth

Pinch of salt

To serve:

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Optional: chili crisp, chopped chives

Note: You can make your own kombu dashi by steeping a few pieces of kombu in boiling water until it cools.

Method

Whisk the eggs vigorously with the pinch of salt. 

Gradually add the dashi, whisking all the while, until very well combined, at least 30 seconds. 

Pour the mixture through a small sieve into a measuring pitcher, to make sure the eggs are smooth. This also removes the large bubbles which we definitely do not want as they mess up the texture of the eggs.

Divide the mixture between the ramekins. 

Cover them each loosely with cling film, making sure that they can “breathe.”

Microwave at 500 watts (on 50 percent power on a 1,000-watt microwave) until the eggs have just set and are no longer liquid in the middle, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Every machine differs, so check for doneness at 4 minutes, then in 30-second intervals after that if need be.)

Make sure the cling film is still loose and let them sit in the microwave to cool for 1 minute. 

Carefully remove, uncover and drizzle with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Garnish with the chopped chives and chili crisp, if using. 

Serve immediately. This is undoubtedly not the method my favorite Japanese restaurant used, but, I tell you what, the chawansushi is perfection. Silky, tender and delicious! 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are getting creative with eggs. Many thanks to our host, Sneha of Sneha’s Recipe. Check out all the links below.

• Food Lust People Love: Cheater Chawanmushi - Savory Egg Custard
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Egg Drop Soup 
• Mayuri's Jikoni: Easy Migas Recipe
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Garden Vegetable Deviled Eggs 
• Sneha's Recipe: Hash Brown Omelette With Egg
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Stir-Fried Eggs and Velvet Shrimp

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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- Savory Egg Custard!

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Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas

Traditionally made with dried chickpeas soaked overnight and a spice paste called derssa, Yemma Aouïcha is a tasty classic dish from Algeria. It's so good!

I must confess that not only have I not been to Algeria, I had never heard of this dish before I started my search for recipes that begin with the letter Y. But as soon as I saw the dish name on one list, I began to look for more information about it and the mysterious spice paste derssa (or dersa or even dersah) that seemed integral and yet a little different in each recipe. 

These are the sorts of rabbit holes I adore when I am researching a recipe. I learn so much about other countries and cultures. For one, it seems that many Algerian recipes have chickpeas in them. Families almost always have a small bowl soaking overnight so that they can be used the next day. 

Derssa, however you spell it, is essential in many of the dishes and while some ingredients change, adding caraway and paprika, for instance, they all contain garlic, cumin, some form of red pepper and olive oil. 

Yemma means mother in the Algerian language and Aouïcha is the variation of the name Aïcha, which means “she who lives” or “alive and well.” 

When I started making the derssa with the amount of ingredients listed below, I realized that my little food processor couldn’t process such a small amount smoothly so I ended up doubling the recipe and using only half – about 4 1/2 tablespoons or 60g - in the Yemma Aouïcha. If you have to do the same, use leftovers as you would harissa. Or make this dish again! That is my plan.

Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas

NOTE: Start 8-12 hours ahead by soaking the chickpeas! Or you can substitute canned chickpeas. I measured mine after cooking so I am confident telling you to use 1 cup or 150g and rinse well. I give the approximate weight of my eggplant below but a little more or a little less won’t make any difference. 

Ingredients

For the derssa:

4 cloves garlic

1 red chili pepper

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Yemma Aouïcha:

1/3 cup or 66g dried chickpeas (or see note above the ingredient list)

2 large eggplant, approx. weight 2 lbs or 796g

1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil

3/4 cup or 150g rice (I used extra-long grain Basmati)

3 cups or 720ml vegetable or chicken stock

small bunch cilantro, hard stems removed, chopped roughly, plus extra to garnish

1 lemon, cut in wedges to serve

Method

Soak your chickpeas in plenty of cool water for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Make the derssa by combining all of the ingredients in a small food processor. 

This is one recipe's worth. I actually doubled it, as mentioned above.

Blend till smooth. You can use a mortar and pestle as well. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

When you are ready to cook, wash and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Boil the chickpeas in fresh water for about 10 minutes then drain them in a colander. They should be half cooked and will finish cooking later. 

Cut the eggplant into small cubes.

In a large nonstick pan add a little of the oil and fry the eggplant in batches till they are golden brown, for about 10 minutes. 

Put the browned eggplant in a large bowl and fry the next batch until they are all golden.

Remove the hard stems from the cilantro and chop the tender stems and leaves. 

In a large pot, combine the chickpeas, eggplant and the derssa with 3 tablespoons canola oil.

Mix all the ingredients together. Pour in the rice and the chopped cilantro.

Cover with the stock, bring to a low boil and then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

 

Check it and if some of the rice is still hard, add a little water and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Remove from the heat and leave covered until ready to serve. 

Serve warm, drizzled with a little bit of lemon juice and garnish with a little chopped cilantro and a lemon wedge. And since I made double the derssa, I added a little more of that on top. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 25th edition of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, brought to you by the letter Y. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the Y recipes below:

• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls 
• Food Lust People Love: Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Japanese Milk Bread with Yudane (Shokupan) 
• Culinary Cam: Garlicky Yogurt Topped with Çılbır, Turkish Poached Eggs 
• Blogghetti: Fresh Fruit Yogurt Parfaits 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Kiwi Yogurt Whip 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Tzatziki 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Thandai Baked Yogurt 
• A Messy Kitchen: Yuzu Pie 
• Magical Ingredients: Yuca Paratha 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Jalapeño Yellow Cornmeal Brown Sugar Cookies

Here are my posts for the alphabet challenge, thus far:
A: Anchovy Deviled Eggs
B: Spicy Braised Ginger Pork Belly
C: Cecilie's Favorite Coleslaw
D: Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing
E: Everything Pizza Tartin
F: Baked Chicken and Feta Meatballs
G: Grape Juice Jigglers
H: Crispy Bacon-wrapped Chicken Hearts
I: Raspberry Rhubarb Ice Cream
J: Java Dry Spice Mix Chops 

K. Korean Barbecue-style Meatballs 

L. Easy Lamb and Fresh Tomato Curry 

M. Fresh Mint Sauce 

N. Miso Butter Noodles 

O. Spicy Orange Braised Short Ribs 

P. Homemade Piri Piri Sauce 

Q, Cointreau Glazed Orange Quick Bread 

R. Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto 

S. Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole 

T. Stuffed Turkey Cutlets 

U. Spicy Urad Dal -

V. Spicy Vinegar Braised Chicken 

W. Honey Walnut Brittle 

X. Xmas Eggnog Fudge 

Y. Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas - this post!

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