Latest news with #LuayGhafari
CBC
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
The internet is obsessed with croissant bread — here's how to make it
If there's one thing the internet loves, it's a croissant. Over the past couple of years we've seen viral recipes for cube croissants, crookies, flat croissants and even croissant cereal. Incoming: croissant bread — a playful spin on sourdough, which has captured the imagination of amateur bakers. It all started when Kentucky-based recipe developer Amy Coyne, grated chilled butter into her sourdough, a method commonly used for pie crusts, scones and blitz or rough puff pastry. "One day, while baking a batch of my sourdough-discard scones and grating the butter, I had a batch of sourdough dough fermenting at the same time," she said. "I had a thought: What if I added the grated butter to the dough?" Thus croissant bread was born. "I've tried all kinds of inclusions in my sourdough breads before, but I hoped the butter would create a light, flaky, croissant-like flavour and texture," she said. "It ended up surpassing my expectations. "From there, I tested different amounts of butter, played with fermentation temperatures, and even experimented with sweet and savoury inclusions." Since her reel went live on March 5, Coyne's recipe has amassed over 11 million views — evidently inspiring other creators to bake their own. Luay Ghafari, the Toronto-based food blogger behind Urban Farm and Kitchen, came up with his own version of Coyne's recipe — a no-knead croissant focaccia. It doesn't require a Dutch oven or sourdough starter and is based on his popular overnight focaccia. "It's foolproof and very accessible, requiring minimal effort and technique," he said. "So even if you are off by a little bit of flour or water, the focaccia should still turn out great." Pro tips from Coyne "Temperature is key," Coyne said. The dough needs to be cool enough so the butter doesn't melt, but not so cool that the dough stops fermenting and rising. "I've found 70 to 72 F to be a good dough temperature to shoot for," she said. Then during the proofing, allow the dough to rise about 70 per cent of the way before shaping and cold-proofing. "[When] laminating the butter, incorporate the grated butter during the stretch-and-fold process — not just before shaping," Coyne said. This helps to disperse the butter throughout the dough and prevent clumping. For added flavour, she suggests mixing in ingredients like chocolate chips, frangipane or even ham and cheese. Pro tips from Ghafari Always use ice-cold butter. Ghafari recommends popping the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes to make it easier to grate and less messy. You could also wear gloves. And be sure to use ice water to preserve the chunks of butter in the dough. "Don't hurry the process," Ghafari said. "Allow the focaccia to rise in the fridge for at least 18 hours, and you'll need [an additional] one to two hours for the second rise." "This might be my best focaccia baking tip to date: before you oil the pan, butter it," Ghafari said. This creates a layer between the pan and the dough, which makes it easier to get the bread out of the pan once it's baked. And as tempting as it might be to dig in right away, let the focaccia cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting it or it may be gummy. "I know it's hard," Ghafari said. "But trust me — it'll be worth the wait."
CBC
16-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- CBC
How to grow the ultimate salad garden
Luay Ghafari shows what crops to plant right now for flavourful salads all season long.
CBC
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
A seed-starting party is the perfect cosy activity for right now
Big Night In is a series where Canadian experts and creatives share advice on how to spend a magical night at home. It's the ultimate guide to staying in — whether solo or with friends — featuring thoughtfully curated ideas that are anything but routine. This isn't your typical garden party. A seed-starting party — where you and your friends plant trays of seeds that'll eventually sprout into seedlings — is the perfect way to spend a cold winter night together. "Gardening is all about building connections with the land and the people around us," said gardening expert Luay Ghafari. Plus, growing your own seedlings instead of buying plants later can save you a lot of money. For a smooth seed-starting session, Ghafari suggests keeping the group to four to six people. That way, you'll need fewer supplies and cleanup will be easier. Before you get together, decide on the type of garden everyone wants to grow and make that the theme for the night. "Sensory gardens and cut flower gardens can be a great way to hone in on a specific topic," he said. Ask your guests to bring seed packets that fit the theme and suit their own growing spaces — and enough to share, of course. Just make sure your picks are meant to be started indoors, Ghafari cautions. Seed catalogues contain lots of useful information about space, light and climate considerations, he says. To prep your space for the main event, cover a table with an old tablecloth or butcher paper — things can get messy, especially if kids are taking part in the fun. Everyone will need their own tray, containers and a bowl of seed-starting mix, Ghafari said, but seeds, a spray bottle and water can be shared. Repurposing old yogurt containers, plastic cups or egg cartons as planters is another way to keep costs down. When it comes to snacks and drinks, which you can serve before everyone gets their hands dirty, Ghafari suggests taking inspiration from the night's theme. Planting salsa gardens with tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and the like? Serve a variety of jarred or homemade salsa, he says. "Who knows? Maybe someone will try that salsa verde for the first time and ... discover tomatillos and [decide to] sow those seeds for their own garden." As everyone settles in and enjoys a snack, invite your guests to trade gardening tips from last year, swap seeds and finalize their planting plans. After all, "seed-starting in a group can foster discussion, learning and sharing of ideas," said Ghafari. Then, it's time to get sowing! Watch Ghafari's full tutorial for step-by-step instructions, plus some expert tips and tricks.
