Beginner's Handbook for Cheese Makers
My first book is out! ✨
I have written the guide that I wish I had got it at the start. 112 pages of useful experience, tried-and-tested recipes and tricks to avoid common mistakes. First edition of the book arrived at from the printing press. As this is a limited, private edition, the first run will sell out quickly.
If you make the leopard version of this cake, it's a bit of a chore to get the spots to form, but I think it's worth it. The placement of the spots is key, I don't always get it right either.
Would you rather watch it on video? Follow me step by step! 👇
Ingredients
White pasta
- 2 dl meringue lukewarm
- 1 dl milk lukewarm
- 1 db egg yolk
- 1 db vanilla sugar
- 36 g sugar brown
- 120 g sourdough
- 400 g flour
Brown pasta
- 1 dl meringue lukewarm
- 1 dl milk lukewarm
- 1 db egg yolk
- 1 db vanilla sugar
- 30 g sugar
- 60 g sourdough
- 200 g flour
- 25 g cocoa powder
- black cocoa powder
Instructions
- This quantity is calibrated to my Emily Henry pot. I've been baking everything in this pot since I got it. The loaf will be between 1,5 - 2 kg when baked, I just always forget to weigh it. :)
- I usually make the white and the brown dough separately (but you can also make them as one), then you divide them and colour them with the cocoa powder. I find it easier to make them separately.
- White dough: Measure out the lukewarm milk and cream. Add the sourdough starter, eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt. Finally, sift the flour and knead the dough. Place in a greased rising bowl and leave to rest for 2 hours in a warm place.
- Brown pastry: do everything as before, but add 25 g cocoa powder. Start kneading the light brown dough, then when the colour is right, divide it in two, this will be the light brown part. Add more black cocoa powder to the other half and knead until the colour is completely homogeneous, so you get the darker brown dough. Put them also in a greased rising bowl and let them rest for 2 hours in a warm place.
- Shaping the spots: divide the dough into balls. Measure the weight of each of the 3 doughs and calculate the weight of the dumplings, including smaller and larger ones.(For my white dough: 6 pieces 75 g and 9 pieces 50 g. For the light brown: 4 40 g and 4 23 g. For the dark brown: 4 40 g, 4 23 g, 2 19 g. I liked the bigger spots better, so I recommend more bigger dumplings.)Always start with the light brown dough and roll it into a long snake shape. Then stretch the dark browns into long oval shapes, place the light brown snakes inside, pinch together and roll. Stretch the white dough into an oblong oval shape, and into this, wrap the brown snakes you just wrapped. I'll show you in the video and you'll understand.
- Once you have made the snakes from all your dough dumplings, assemble them. Try to pay attention to the spacing and size of the spots, it's not always perfect for me.
- Then cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 2-4 hours. I always make sure it rises to the top of my pan, then bake it. The rising time depends on how hot it is in your house, so it's best to watch it. Mine rose at 30 degrees for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, baking bottom-up.
- When the dough has risen, brush it with 1 whole egg and put it in the oven to bake. I also steam it. My loaf baked for a total of 65 minutes, but watch out because it will be different for everyone, it depends a lot on your oven and whether you bake it in a pan with a lid like I do. I baked with the lid on for 45 minutes, then took the lid off and baked for another 20 minutes until golden brown. Best if you keep an eye on it.
Have you tried this recipe?Write in the comments that you made it!
