Day Old or Stale Bread? Use it to make a new bread called Stones

If you are one of those people who decided that as a new year resolution will live a frugal life, then this recipe is for you and your sweet tooth. I always marvel at the many ways our previous generations avoided wasting food, and this is just one example of it. Bakers will use the unsold bread of the day to make bread pudding, and these tasty, can’t get enough of them breads called “Piedras” (Stones). They are a mix between a cookie and a bread. If you like scones or biscuits then you will enjoy this versatile recipe. After several times baking them in the past 2 months and experimenting with the recipe, it allows for many variations: you can add raisins, dried cranberries, frozen blueberries and even chocolate chips.  However, in México they are sold plain.
Although I had this recipe for many years, it was until recently that after a fellow blogger girlichef mentioned it in her blog that this is one of her husband’s favorite Mexican pastries at their local bakery, and since this is also one of my favorites breads, I decided to make them at home. Try it yourself next time you have some day old bread or stale bread, you will be surprised of how easy they are to prepare. You can even freeze the dough after mixing it for later use.

Please check notes bellow if you are using sweet breads or a mix of breads.
Ingredients for 12 Piedras/Stones
4 1/2 cup (500 grams) plain bread crumbs, made out after processing your bread in the food processor or blender
1 3/4 cup (250 grams) All purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
100 grams margarine
1 ½  tsp.  baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ cup   whole milk  (add slowly)
Flour as needed to work the dough
Sugar to decorate the topping
NOTES:
If using sweet breads reduce the amount of sugar to 4 Tablespoons. The same applies to milk, reduce the amount to 1 cup. Since sweet breads tend to be on the moist side. Just add the milk little by little.
Instructions:
 
Making the bread crumbs
After a few days of buying the bread and when it starts to look sad, I usually cut it in cubes and freeze it in a plastic bag to be used for bread crumbs, croutons, bread pudding and the like. When it is just sweet breads like challah, croissants, or biscuits they are frozen in a separate bag from the plain or salty bread. In this case the one in the pictures is day old sweet breads. 
The bread crumbs are placed in the food processor and processed until they become fine crumbs.

1. Preheat your oven at 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then add the margarine and knead. Gradually  mix in the milk until you form a smooth dough.
2. Knead the dough until it is soft. If the dough seems hard add more milk. The dough should resemble  cookie dough.

3. Using a  2 1/3 inch ice cream scoop place the dough in your greased baking sheet. Arrange them one inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until the bread is golden at edges but firm, about 20 minutes.  Let cool completely.
Let me know if you try this recipe, I will love to hear about your own version.
Provecho!
 
Mely

Recipe for Tamales using corn flour/Receta de Tamales con harina de maíz

Happy New Year 2012, Best wishes to you all!


If you are wondering what has happened to the cook of this blog, I will tell you: I have been cooking, baking, eating, cooking, baking, eating, well you get the idea. And, of course, I do occasionally go to the gym. Just to erase the guilty memories of the cooked, baked and eaten meals of the past few weeks.
Oh, the Holidays! So much to do, and so little time to enjoy. And while cooking this month, a series of emails messages were exchanged to help a fellow blogger in her pursuit of preparing the traditional tamales during this time of the year. The subject of the emails was about the dough for making the tamales. People familiar with making tamales outside México will use the corn flour made specially for Tamales, the one sold by “Maseca” in a 5-pound paper package. This corn flour is a good substitute if fresh corn dough (masa) is not available. But, what happens if you can’t find that type of flour and the only one available is the one sold for regular tortillas? The regular maseca for tortillas is also a good alternative for making tamales, but you will need to take good care to mix the right amount of ingredients to achieve the consistency needed to cook tamales.
This recipe has a pork filling with a sauce made with dry red peppers, very similar to the ones made in the Mexican Northern States of Coahuila and Nuevo León. A lady from Monclova, Coahuila gave me her recipe years ago. Her name is Yolanda and she sells these tamales to her neighbors and friends. When I asked for the recipe, she invited me over to her house to learn how she made them. That day we made 100 tamales!! They are small and very tasty, almost addictive.
Ingredients for 16 Tamales
For the Dough:
3 cups of Masa Harina for Tortillas
1 1/3 cup of Lard
2 1/2 cups of the broth where you cooked the meat.
1 teaspoon of baking powder

For the Meat:
3/4 pound of pork shoulder cut in cubes.
2 garlic cloves
1/4 white onion
1 Bay leaf
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
For the Sauce:
2 Ancho Peppers cleaned, deveined and seeded.
3 Guajillo Peppers cleaned, deveined and seeded.
2 small garlic cloves,
1/3 teaspoon of fresh ground cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper to season
16 Large Corn Husks plus more for the steaming pot
Instructions for the filling:
1. In a medium size pot, combine the pork meat, garlic, onion, Bay Leaf and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer partly covered, occasionally skimming and discarding fat from surface, about 1 hour or until meat is tender enough to shred.  Remove onion, garlic, Bay leaf and discard. Skim the broth and when the meat is cool enough to handle shred into bite-size pieces and set aside.

2. While the meat is cooking. Soak the dry peppers in a medium size pot with warm water for about 20 minutes. Drain and place in the blender with the garlic cloves, cumin and 1/3 cup of soaking water. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat, add the dry peppers sauce, 1 cup of the meat broth and cook for 8 minutes. Add shredded pork and season with salt and ground black pepper. Add more broth if needed. Simmer until heated through, about 5 more minutes.
3. Place corn husks into a large bowl or pot. Pour enough boiling water over the husks to cover. Place a metal lid or heatproof dish on the husks to keep them submerged. Soak for about 45 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside.

4. In large bowl, beat the lard by hand or with an electric mixer until it is light. Add salt and the masa harina and gradually the stock  until dough is very light. If your dough looks dry add more broth or water.

Continue to beat until dough is well combined, light and smooth. To make sure your dough is light enough place a small amount in a glass with water. It will float when it’s ready.

5. Now comes the fun part. Assembling the Tamales. Place small amount of the dough in the center of a corn husk. Using the back of a spoon spread the dough and top it with 1 1/2 tablespoon of the meat filling. Fold the sides of the husks. Fold bottom toward the center.  And place tamales standing up in your already prepared tamal steamer cover with a layer of corn husks and a dish towel,  cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add more water to the steamer if needed during that time. For more pictures and instructions to assemble  and cooking the tamales check this post “Chicken in green sauce Tamales”

To check for doneness remove one of the tamales and if the husk can easily be removed from the dough they are ready.
But if the dough stick to the husk place back into the pot and cook for 15 more minutes.
Serve with a warm cup of Atole.
Provecho!

Mely

Pin It