So, Bluebell suggested a thread like this might be of interest, so I figured I'd kick it off. I've mentioned in a couple of places that I'm a professionally trained baker and patissier, and I LOVE to talk about baked goods. I have SO MANY recipe books, and haven't made enough things from them all yet. The problem is, I have no-one to feed them to, and I'm trying to lose weight! So not really a good plan to bake like I want to and then eat it all..... lol
So if you need a recipe, have a problem with a recipe, just want to talk about an amazing cake you had, go for it!
Just continuing on the chat from elsewhere....
Bluebell, I lived and worked for three weeks in Iceland and 3 weeks in France as part of my training. BEST experiences I've ever had I think! I discovered so many new products and techniques, tasted so many new foods - it was amazing! I ever got to teach them some new products and gave them some new ideas too. I introduced scones, bakewell tart, and treacle tart to Iceland. And truffles to the little bakery in France I was in as a way to use up their crumb wastage.
But the different flavours of the breads and the cakes was what stood out. I don't know about the rest of the country, but Leeds is definitely missing a good and proper cake shop. I've found a good bread shop, but that's one in the whole of Leeds. And there are no cheese shops either! There's too much convenience and too many supermarkets with the cheap bread and cakes that are full of the cheapest ingredients and substitutes, as well as additives and preservatives.
The difference even between the fast and 'cheat' bread I made at college and the supermarket stuff was night and day. The proper stuff I made, wasn't even comparable.
I did a competition while at college, and I came up with a rhubarb and spelt loaf that was totally unlike anything else you get..... anywhere. Then I made some amazing lemon and coriander rolls, and some cheese and mustard rolls. OMG, those cheese and mustard rolls....... I need to make them again. They were outstanding!
Huwwo,
I'm home and I've looked out the recipes, so I'm good to go.
Though first, Pepys, did you use vegan wine for the chilli? As only the wines with a big green V on them are vegan, same with beer. Not a lot of people realise that wine and beer are actually made with animal products.
So, recipes! 
Cheese and Mustard Rolls:
Ingredients for 12 rolls
Put the butter and milk in a pan and heat until the butter has melted and the milk is about to reach boiling point. Cool to room temp.
If you are using instant or fresh yeast, put the milk mix, flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl andmix. Tip out onto the counter and knead well for 10 mins. If you are using dry yeast, put the flour in a bowl and make a well. Sprinkle the dry yeast in and add 100g of the milk mixture. Cover and rest for 15 mins. Then add the remaining milk and salt and mix. Then knead as above.
Pop the kneaded dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp teatowel, shower cap, or clingfilm. Allow to rest for 10 mins. Meanwhile, mix up the cheese and mustard into a lumpy blend
Pull the dough out onto an unfloured surface and gently fold the cheese into the dough. You don't want to smear them into the dough, as you want the possibility of a big mouthful of cheese when you bite into them. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover, and allow to rest for 1 - 2 hours.
To shape, pull the dough out onto an unfloured surface and divide into 12 equal portions - remember to be gentle, as you don't want to knock the air out. Shape each portion into a ball, and place 5cm/2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. Cover and allow to rest for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7
Bake for 15 - 20 mins until golden. They should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, and that's when you know they are done.
EAT! lol
Lardy Cakes:
Ingredients for 12 cakes, at 480g each.
Mix together everything other than the fruit and spice to form a nice soft dough, then allow to rise for an hour. Split into however many you are making - as I presume in a home kitchen you will have scaled back this recipe - and roll out into a rectangle. Make up a mixture of fat and brown sugar, with the spice in it - Mix the spices in with the fat until well combined. This is to stop the spice from coming into contact with the yeast as best as possible, as spice has a retarding effect on the yeast - equal parts sugar to fat. Spread your fat and spice mix over the dough at a ratio of 1:5 - fat/sugar to dough - then sprinkle evenly with the fruit. The ratio can be changed depending on personal preference.
There are then two ways of rolling it up. Either you can roll it up like a swiss roll, then coil that like a snake before putting on your tray. Or you can give it a book turn fold - which is where you bring both sides into the centre, then fold in half, then turn it 90 degrees, roll it out again, then fold it up again. Much as you would with a puff pastry. It's different ways of getting the layers into it.
Cover and leave to prove, you'll know it's ready for the oven if when you poke it there's a little resistence there. Gently egg wash it, and then bake in the oven at 205C for approx 30 mins.
Lebanese Bread:
Ingredients for 12 - 15 'loaves'.
If using the fresh yeast, mix with the sugar and 250ml of tepid water until it dissolves, then leave in a warm place until it is bubbly. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast, butter, oil, and enough water/milk to make a soft dough. Work the flour into the centre, adding more liquid if needed. The dough needs to be soft, but firm. Knead until it is soft, pliable, but no longer sticky, and the form into a ball.
Pour some oil into the bottom of your bowl and cover the ball with it. This will stop the dough from becoming dry and crusty while it is proving. Put the dough into a bowl and cover with a lid/cling film/etc and leave in a warm place for an hour, an hour and a half until it has doubled in size.
Press the dough down in the centre, and then draw the sides in before kneading once more for a minute or two. Break off lumps - the rough size of a tennis ball - and then flatten each lump on a floured surface. The best way to do it is with your fingers, but you can use a rolling pin if you like. You're looking for a pizza base look.
If you're looking for the filled version of these, put your filling in the centre, and then bring all of the edges into the centre and pinch together. Then turn over and roll out again being careful not to tear the dough.
Place the rounds on a lightly floured surface and cover lightly with a cloth. Leave for 30 mins for them to once more double in size.
Preheat your oven to a max of 240C/Gas 9 and heat your baking trays for a few mins. Sprinkle the sheets with flour and then position your rounds with 3cm (1 1/4 inch) in between them, and bake for 5 - 10 mins. They will swell in the centre, but that's ok. Traditionally, these aren't supposed to be browned, but it's really down to personal taste.
There are other versions of this which aren't filled, but instead topped. Follow all of the above, except for the filling, but before putting them in the oven you can make small indentations in the top and then cover them with oil, za'atar, and sesame seeds - or a little spiced mince mix. Bit like a pizza, but Lebanese style.
Hope you have fun making them all!!
Lass
xx
I have no medical training, everything I post is an opinion or educated guess. It is not medical advice.
Heya,
You can use different cheeses, but they'd need to be ones that behaved in a similar manner. So your mozzarella and cheddar possibly wouldn't work because of the fat content and melting point of them. When you're baking bread, it's at quite a high temp, and I have a feeling those cheeses would melt before the dough had formed a structure, and so the fat and changing form of the cheese would flatten the rolls.
However, where would we be without experimentation?! So I'd say go for it and see what happens, because they will still taste amazing as it's just at the baking stage they may go awry. Just call them cheesy pitas if they do collapse. It's all about the marketing 
Lass
xx
I have no medical training, everything I post is an opinion or educated guess. It is not medical advice.
