Award winning baker Bryan Ford is the host of Magnolia Network’s Baked in Tradition and The Artisan’s Kitchen as well as a judge on Netflix’s Blue Ribbon Baking Championship, Hulu’s Best In Dough, and a guest star in Netflix’s Waffles + Mochi (produced by Barack & Michelle Obama).

He’s the author of the hit cookbook New World Sourdough and Pan y Dulce: The Latin American Baking Book. Ford works to break free from the Euro-centric approach to baking and celebrate the baking traditions of Latin America. He infused each recipe with nuances and stories on the traditions to highlight the beauty and breadth of Latin American baking. 

November Cooking Hacks

The Proof is in the Dough

If you're proofing dough or need to ferment your sourdough starter in a cold kitchen, place your dough/starter into a large clear recycling bag with a pot of boiling water and seal the bag. This will help create a steamy environment that prevents your dough from drying out. Use a tall place holder, like a paper towel roll holder, to prop the bag up from the inside and prevent it from touching the dough. This might sound like a strange thing to do, but trust me, when its 20 degrees outside and your kitchen is running cold it is extremely helpful to get your dough proofed properly. 

Save Over-Proofed Bread with a Loaf Pan Boost

If you forget about the dough that has been proofing in the fridge and it over-proofs, put it into a loaf pan and bake it. Essentially, using a loaf tin helps prop the structure of the loaf up in the oven so that you aren't relying only on oven spring. Over-proofed dough has a very weak gluten network so you will likely get little to no oven spring if you try to bake on your stone or steel. 

From Leftovers to Sweet Treat

If you have leftover flour tortilla dough, or it dries out in the fridge, stretch it out and fry it to make "fritas" and top with honey or syrup. Fritas are also called machetadas and are a popular sweet treat in Honduras that my mom used to make. You simply stretch the dough out and cut two slits down the middle to create three sections. Lightly fry them in a skillet on both sides until golden brown before topping with your desired sweetener, such as maple syrup. 

Simple Syrup Secrets

Use panela or piloncillo to make simple syrup instead of regular sugar for a really incredible flavor. This syrup is used a lot in my book for various recipes like Golfeados or Alfajores de Miel. Piloncillo syrup is a staple in Latin America and you can even use it straight in your coffee as a sweetener. The flavor is completely different than that of a regular simple syrup, as panela is unrefined sugar can juice that has been pressed into molds and hardened. Don't skip this! 

Fugazetta Pro Tips

When making fugazetta, coat your sliced onions with olive oil to make sure they get extra crispy in the oven. You should also throw some oregano and red pepper flakes on them so that the flavor sticks to the onion.