Baking Questions with Mama Cocoa!

Today in Baking Questions with Mama Cocoa we are going to tackle two very different recipes.  With each recipe I will explain the recipe a little better and offer some helpful tips.  My tips will be (Blue).  Each recipe will also have a few variations that you can play with.  Have a sweet day!

Mama Cocoa

Karen A. asks: Do you have an easy recipe for blackberry or blueberry cobbler?

I love, love, love blackberry cobbler.  Actually I love all things blackberry but that’s a different story.  I will say this I prefer my blackberry cobbler to have a biscuit topping. There are 3 different types of toppings available; the biscuit topping, pie topping and a dough topping that is placed in first.  This recipe calls for a biscuit topping since that is what I prefer.

BLACKBERRY COBBLER

-Filling

4 cups Blackberries (fresh or frozen and drained)

3/4 cups Sugar (this is too taste, you can use as little as 1/2 a cup and as much as 1 1/2 cup)

2 Tbs Cornstarch or Instant Tapioca 

1 Tbs Lemon Juice

1 Tbs Vanilla

--optional additional flavors 

1/4 tsp cinnamon or

1/4 tsp thyme or

1/8 tsp ground rosemary

-Topping

1 cup Flour

2 Tbs Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

4 Tbs Cold Butter

1/4 cup Milk

DIRECTIONS

-Filling

1. Mix sugar, cornstarch and any additional flavors together (this step helps distribute the cornstarch and dry spices evenly)
2. Toss in blackberries, then lemon juice and vanilla
3. Let sit for 20 minutes, then pour into 9x9 baking pan (in cobbler recipes pan size isn’t as crucial. Just make sure you have room for the berries and the sauce that will form.)

-Topping

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl
2. Cut in cold butter, till the mix resembles course crumbs (If you don’t have a pastry knife you can use a fork or even fingers.  You are combining the cold chunks of butter with the flour.  If you are using your fingers just keep pinching the flour and butter together.)
3. Stir in milk till mix forms a dough (Once the dough forms a ball you are done)
4. Drop dough onto blackberry mix (Pinch off medium pieces and drop informally onto filling)
5. Bake at 350 till filling is bubbly and topping is lightly browned. About 30 minutes.

BM asks: The Rolling Pin Bakery in Bladensburg makes delicious pepperoni rolls.  Can you tell me how to make them or where to buy them locally? 

Pepperoni rolls were created by an Italian miner in West Virginia.  The key to them is the dough.  Many people are tempted to use a pizza dough but the traditional dough used is actually a slightly sweet bread dough.  

Now the easiest way to make these would be to fill pre-made frozen dough with the fillings, but where is the fun in that?  So lets give this simple bread dough recipe a try!    

PEPPERONI ROLLS

-Dough

1 cup Milk

1/3 cup Oil

2 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Sugar

1 package Instant Yeast

1/2 cup warm Water

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 Egg

4-5 cups Flour

-Filling

1 package Pepperoni Slices (pepperoni sticks are more traditional but slightly harder to find)

--optional fillings

1 cup shredded cheese (motzerella or pepperjack)

24 pepper rings

Garlic (too taste)

DIRECTIONS 

-Dough

1. Warm (do NOT boil) milk, oil, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in pan. Let cool to lukewarm temp.
2. In mixer bowl or large bowl combine warm water, 1/2 tsp sugar and yeast.  Let set for 5 minutes to activate the yeast. (Yeast should start to bubbly slightly)
3. Add milk mix to yeast mix, beat in egg. (You can use a fork for this step)
4. Slowly using dough hook or spoon add flour about 3/4 cups at a time.  Keep adding flour till dough is formed. (You may have extra flour.  Once the dough forms a ball you are done)
5. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead till dough is smooth. You may need to add flour to prevent sticking. (Try not to over flour the dough, add just enough to keep the dough moving freely)
6. Place dough in large oiled bowl, cover with plastic.  Let dough rest at room temp for about an hour.  The dough should double in size.
7. Punch down dough and divide into 12 even pieces.  Flatten each piece by hand and shape into rectangles. (Don’t beat up the dough!!  The rougher you are the tougher the dough will get)  
8. In the center of the dough add 4 to 8 pepperoni slices or 1 or 2 sticks.  Also add cheese or other optional fillings.
9. Roll up dough like a jelly roll pinching the ends to seal.
10. Let rolls rest for 15 to 20 minutes.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes till dough is golden brown.

Every Tuesday Mama Cocoa will answer a few baking questions.  If you would like to submit a question message Mama Cocoa on FaceBook or email her at mamac@mamacocoasdelights.com.  

Have a sweet day!