Vanilla Bean Yogurt Cheese Chocolate Chip dip

Really, you don't need the chocolate chips.

I recently jumped at the chance to buy vanilla beans, 7 for 7.95, shipping included. And they're soft, fresh beans, too. Just amble over to amazon.com. They have a seller called J and R Mushroom that is apparently a lovely company, according to everything I've heard and read.

Going to a party tonight, what to take, what to take. Already had drained some yogurt to make yogurt cheese. Mixed that with the seeds from one vanilla bean (putting the pod into some sugar, mais oui), and some agave nectar. You could use honey; I didn't have any. Added some mini chocolate chips, but really, that's gilding the lily.

You could be healthful and serve it with some fruit dippers, but we are Girl Scout central here, so I'm taking a box of plain shortbread.

Good stuff, Maynard.

Seeduction v 2

More experimenting, trying to crack the "Seeduction Bread" code. Did 1/2 and 1/2 whole wheat flour and bread flour. Used a 2 hr sponge.

Next time:

First sponge: overnight in fridge for slow rise
Needs to be sweeter -- go get molasses, LE!
Needs a little more salt.
Used 1 cup combined seeds to 5-6 cups combined flour. Needs more, especially millet and poppy.
May add a little extra gluten to help with raising those seeds.

Seeductive Bread

I am trying to break the code for Whole Foods' Seeduction Bread. Last night's loaf, while still edible, was emphatically Not It.

Things learned:

Even with added gluten, the texture doesn't work. They don't use 100% whole wheat, and I can't either. Next try will be part whole wheat, part "bread flour."

Need a lot of sweetener. Must buy some molasses.

This first time, I made it with a sponge, but I think it also needs a slow rise in the fridge.

And I need to let its second rise go until the ultimate point. Those of you who have made bread know what I mean. The "it can't rise any more and is in danger of overrising."

More details with each experiment.