With that, here are six bread and roll recipes to try your hand at. Enjoy!
EXCELLENT WHITE BREAD
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times' Cooking e-newsletter. Melissa writes, “This straightforward loaf is the white bread of your dreams, and its fluffy slices make for evenly browned toast. The 1/3-cup of sugar makes this mildly sweet and perfect for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but you can cut it down to 2 tablespoons if you’d rather have something more neutral in flavor. You do need some sugar, however, to feed the yeast and ensure a lofty rise. This recipe makes two loaves, one for now, and one for the freezer or to share with a lucky friend.” Time: 4 hours 15 minutes; makes 2 loaves
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017369-excellent-white-bread.
Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted, more for greasing bowl and pans and for brushing the tops of the loaves
2 eggs
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
Preparation
In a large electric mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk. Add the remaining warm milk, the sugar, the salt, the butter and the eggs. Add 5 cups flour and mix with paddle attachment until smooth, about 2 minutes. Switch to hook attachment and knead on low speed, adding more flour if necessary until dough is stiff and slightly tacky, about 10 minutes.
Grease a large bowl with butter and turn dough out into the bowl. Flip over dough so greased side is up, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Generously butter two 9-x-5 loaf pans.
When dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto floured surface and knead for 3 minutes. Return to greased bowl, cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.
Press down dough with your hand to expel the air. Divide dough in half and place each half into a loaf pan. Brush tops of loaves with remaining melted butter.
Cover and let rise until dough is just above the tops of pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake bread for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped, the tops are brown and the internal temperatures are 200 degrees. Remove loaves from pans and let cool on wire racks.
MAGIC CATERPILLAR PEANUT BUTTER BREAD
Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live, although the episodes can still be found here. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/. This recipe and the next (Raisin Walnut Bread), as well as the Texas Moppin' Rolls and Crunchy Onion Loaf, are from Breaking Bread... This recipe yields 1 loaf.
Ingredients:
1 package FLEISCHMANN'S Active Dry Yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
For decoration: tubes of colored frosting, candies, gumdrops, licorice, etc.
Directions:
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until foamy.
Combine milk, peanut butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Let cool to lukewarm, then add to yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until flour is thoroughly incorporated.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Rinse and dry bowl, then lightly oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Roll dough into a rope about 24 inches long. Form rope into a large S shape on a lightly greased 18x12-inch baking sheet. Using a butter knife or dough scraper, chop rope into 3-inch sections, but do not separate completely. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (The caterpillar will magically grow back together during rising and baking.)
About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaf 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate cooled loaf with frosting and gumdrops or other candy. Poke holes in the sides with a wooden pick and insert sections of licorice for legs.
Note: Decorating gel doesn't work as well as frosting as a glue for the candy decorations, so make sure you pick up the right tube at the store. Any candies will work to make spots for the caterpillar's sections. Thin red licorice makes the perfect legs and antennae, unless you know your youngsters prefer the flavor of black licorice.
RAISIN WALNUT BREAD
Also from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic. Yield:2 loaves.
Ingredients:
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 cup lukewarm water
2 packages FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast
2 tablespoons light molasses
2 cups rye flour, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I prefer canola)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
2 cups raisins
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Directions:
Combine milk, water, yeast, molasses and 1 cup of the rye flour in a large mixing bowl; stir to mix well. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Add oil and salt; mix well. Stir in the remaining 1 cup rye flour. Let dough rest 10 minutes; the rye flour will absorb moisture.
Add 3 cups of the bread flour, one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead vigorously 8 to 10 minutes, adding enough of the remaining 1/2 cup bread flour to make a firm (but not stiff) dough that is slightly sticky. Lightly oil surface of dough, and put in the rinsed mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 60 to 75 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
Punch down dough. Knead briefly to work out the larger air bubbles. Roll out dough to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Sprinkle raisins and walnuts on top of dough. Fold the edges of the dough toward the center. Knead dough a few minutes to evenly distribute the raisins and walnuts. (At first the dough will be messy and seem to be falling apart, but be patient; it will all come together.)
Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf. Place loaves in lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Cover with a towel and let rise 40 minutes, or until nearly doubled in bulk.
About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks.
Note: If you would prefer smaller loaves, divide the dough into four pieces and use mini-loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. I like the smaller size for gift breads or for a light buffet.
TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS
Yield:12 rolls.
I frequently make these (from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic) to go with chili or homemade spaghetti. Definitely yummy!
2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon honey
2 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 cup minced onion
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Directions:
Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.
Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.
While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.
Note: "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper.
"I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well." (All notes after the recipes are Father Dominic's notes.)
CINNAMON EGG BREAD
I first found the recipe that this morphed from in an old, long-since-lost cookbook. Since losing the cookbook, the recipe has changed to this version. I've had numerous friends and relatives rave over this. One lady I knew said that it was one of the few bread recipes that could almost double as dessert.
1 cup milk (or soy milk)
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 eggs
1 cup warm (not hot) water
2 Tablespoons honey
2 packages yeast
6 – 7 cups flour
3/4 – 1 cup margarine, melted
2 – 3 cups cinnamon sugar
Heat milk to almost scalding, stirring fairly constantly so that it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl. Add ½ cup margarine, and stir until melted. Let milk and margarine cool.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place very warm water, add honey and yeast, then stir to dissolve. Let stand for 5 – 10 minutes.
Add salt to milk, then add yeast and water to milk. Add flour, 2 cups at a time, for a stiff, non-sticky dough. Knead for about 8 – 10 minutes.
Wash and dry bowl, then place dough in bowl. Place cooking oil (I recommend canola or olive oil) in hands, then rub over dough. Place clean towel over the top of bowl and allow dough to rise until almost double, about an hour.
Take 3 loaf pans and spray with cooking spray. Take dough out and divide into thirds.
Melt 3/4 – 1 cup margarine. Set aside.
With a floured rolling pin, roll out first third of dough. Pour some of the margarine over the bread and spread 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar over the dough. Roll dough, then place in loaf pan with the bread-seam down. Repeat with other two thirds. Place towel over all three loaves and allow to rise again, approximately one hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Then, removing towel, bake loaves for 45 – 50 minutes. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes on cooling rack.
CRUNCHY ONION LOAF
One more recipe from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic. Yield: 2 loaves.
1 package FLEISCHMANN'S Active Dry Yeast
1/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 1/2 cups white or yellow cornmeal
1 egg
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon white or yellow cornmeal
Solid shortening to coat 1 large bowl and baking sheet or baguette pan
Add yeast to the warm water & let stand for 10 minutes. In large measuring cup or medium-sized saucepan, heat milk & margarine to 135 degrees (about 1 1/2 minutes in microwave or 4 minutes in saucepan on medium heat). Pour this liquid into large mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, & minced onions. Cool to lukewarm. Add cornmeal, egg, Parmesan cheese, softened yeast, & mix well by hand or with a mixer.
Add flours to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface & knead until smooth & satiny, 10 minutes by hand, or 4 minutes in electric mixer or food processor fitted with dough hook. Put in greased bowl, turning to coat thoroughly. Cover with damp cloth & allow to rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Knead down dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half & let rest for 10 minutes. Shape each piece into a long narrow loaf, about 14 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on prepared sheet or in baguette pans and sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.
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