Cinnamon Chip Bread

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 ½ tsp yeast
• ½ Tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ½ Tbsp salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup evaporated milk
• 5-7 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cinnamon chips

Place yeast and 1/2 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl. Pour the warm water over the top and let it stand for 15 minutes.

In a stand mixer, combine butter, salt, sugar, & evaporated milk.

Once the yeast is nice and foamy, add it to the stand mixer with 3 cups of flour. Mix with the dough hook on slow-medium speed until incorporated.

While mixing, add 2 cups flour and combine until incorporated. Toss in the cinnamon chips and mix just until incorporated. Then switch to ½ cups of flour and continue adding just until the dough stops sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Coat the sides of the mixing bowl and the top of the dough with shortening. Cover the bowl with a warm towel and set aside to let the dough rise over the rim of the bowl (approx. 1 ½ hrs).

Use oil to grease two 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pans.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. Cut dough in half and use a rolling pin to roll out the sections into a rough rectangle (approx. 8x12”). Don’t overwork the dough. Use the width of your bread pan as a guide.

Using your fingers, gently finish shaping the dough so it is an even layer. Then roll dough from top to bottom, pinch the seams on the ends, and tuck them under slightly to create tension for the top of the loaf.

Dip the top of the loaf in the oiled pan and then flip to place seam side down. Let the dough rise until it looks like a loaf (approx. 40 minutes). Before baking, gently brush the top of the loaf with oil for a smooth, chewy crust.

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Bake the loaves for 25-30 minutes (rotating halfway through for nice even baking) until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature is about 190℉. Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out and sitting on the cooling rack.

Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

NOTES:

• Perfect for brunch.  I started after dinner on Saturday and it had plenty of time to rise and bake before I went to bed. It was fresh and delicious the next day!
• I never have shortening anymore so I sprayed my bowl and pans with PAM
• I used bread flour, but just because I have it.
• I added at least a teaspoon of cinnamon at the batter stage. This would be good, even in addition to the spice.
• Chips: I mixed them in because I tend to have spectacular failures with roll up breads. The mini cinnamon chips from gygi.com are superior. Definitely add them to your list if you ever order from them. In the meantime, I can sometimes find a name-brand version in the grocery store.  (For whatever reason at County Market, but not Cub.) Mini chips would be better than full sized, especially if you want to make toast.
• I only had a cup of chips, so I made up the volume with coarsely chopped pecans.  It's good.

If you really want to be the brunch queen, while it's baking make some cinnamon butter.

Source

Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

 

Scone

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter , cold and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp canned pumpkin puree , chilled (don't chill in can)
• 3 1/2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp half and half

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp half and half , then more as needed

Pumpkin Icing

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Tbsp half and half

• For the scones:
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor pulse together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well blended (if you don't have a food processor you can whisk by hand in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry cutter). Add butter and pulse mixture several times to cut butter into mixture (large pieces of butter should no longer be visible). Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and create a well in center.
• In a bowl whisk together chilled pumpkin puree, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract and honey. Pour mixture into well in flour/butter mixture. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon to incorporate, then knead in bowl (or on work surface) by hand several times to bring mixture together. Dust a work surface with flour then invert dough onto surface. Pat and shape dough into an even 8-inch round. Using a large knife, slice into 8 equal wedges (dust knife with flour as needed while cutting, it will be fairly sticky).
• Transfer scones to a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 Tbsp half and half then bake in preheated oven 13 - 15 minutes until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes (no longer) before spreading with glaze.
• For the glaze:
• In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and half and half, adding more half and half as needed to reach desired consistency (it should be fairly thick not runny). Spoon and spread mixture scones to evenly coat tops (use all of it). Let glaze set at room temperature.
  
  
  For the pumpkin glaze:
• In a mixing bowl (I just used the one from the glaze above without cleaning out) whisk together powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and half and half. Transfer mixture to a small Ziploc bag, seal bag, cut a small tip from corner and drizzle mixture over tops of scones. Allow icing to set. Best served day prepared.
• Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
  
  
  NOTES: Holly made them and said they were really good even without the glaze.

90 Minute Man Bread (aka My New Favorite White Bread?)

 Taken from Don't Waste the Crumbs.
(My notes at the bottom.)

• 1-1/2 cups of warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2-1/4 tsp active-dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• Vital wheat gluten - 1 Tbsp per cup flour (optional)

1) If your kitchen is not warm, turn your oven to low. This is simply to warm your kitchen up a little bit (since it’s cool where we live).

2) In your mixer bowl add warm water, honey, and yeast. Stir a few times until honey dissolves. Once yeast starts foaming (5 minutes or so), add flour, melted coconut oil, and salt. Using dough hook, knead for 10 minutes on low/medium low. Leave your dough ball in the bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise for 30 minutes.

3) After the first rise, lightly flour a surface and scoop your dough ball on it. Knead your lump of dough by hand a few times, until it forms a firm ball. Cover this ball of dough with a towel.

4) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, make sure this is in the oven to warm up. Alternatively, you can use a cast iron skillet while the oven is preheating – as one reader had great luck with! (Note: We have only tested this recipe with a pizza stone.)

5) Let rise for 30 minutes.

6) After the second rise, place dough ball directly on pizza stone, cut two slits on the top of the dough ball and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. If you are using a loaf or cast iron skillet, the cook time may need to be increased an additional 10-15 minutes. (bread is done when the internal temp is 220 degrees).

7) Let cool and enjoy.

NOTES

*We move this dough from the counter to the pizza stone, but if you don’t feel confident in that transition, flour a piece of parchment paper and shape the dough on that for the second rise. Then move the entire paper with the dough to the oven for baking.

**Vital wheat gluten is optional but helps create a more pliable, softer loaf.

Jenny's Notes:

• This is a very easy recipe and makes a very soft, pleasant bread (probably even good for sandwiches, although we've only had it by itself).
• I used Heritage White Flour and omitted the Vital Gluten.
• I baked it in my dutch oven on parchment paper.
• I baked it a little longer than 25 minutes (probably about 30).  It hadn't reached 220 degrees, but I took it out of the oven 1) because I had somewhere to be and 2) because it seemed done on the outside.  It was cooked all the way through.

Jonah-approved!

Pizza crust - Gerardi method

 5 stars!

I used the Sallys Baking Addiction recipe - https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-pizza-crust-recipe/#tasty-recipes-66436

• I mixed it at lunch time so it had lots of time for the yeasty taste to develop. (Probably not essential)
• To bake, I preheated the oven to 475 with a baking sheet inside to heat up.
• I rolled out the crust on a silicone mat.
• Brush it with olive oil where the sauce will be to keep it from getting soggy.
• Add sauce and toppings and slid it onto another inverted baking sheet to make it easier to transfer to the hot pan.
• When the oven was hot I pulled out the pan and butted up against my inverted baking sheet so I could easily slide it all onto the hot pan. An extra set of hands would probably make all that unnecessary.
• Bake 10 minutes on the bottom rack and maybe 4 more on the top.

It slid onto a cutting board easily.

NOTES: 

• Holly uses parchment paper at 450.
• Johnny uses a silpat and 500 degrees.
• They both use TJs crust
• Sallys recipe filled the baking sheet with a thicker crust than I usually make. Next time I’ll probably try 2 thinner crusts.
• Fwiw, I added Italian seasoning and garlic powder to the crust. It was good.

Crusty Cranberry Nut No-Knead Bread

 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons (390g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

3/4 cup (95g) chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

3/4 cup (105g) dried cranberries*

1 Tablespoon honey

1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (about 95°F (35°C))

*No need to grease the bowl.* Stir the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the warm water. The dough will be pretty sticky– don’t be tempted to add more flour– you want a sticky dough. Gently shape into a ball as best you can. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Set on the counter at room temperature (honestly any normal room temperature is fine!) and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and be covered in air bubbles.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using lightly floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. Doesn’t have to be perfect! Transfer dough to a large piece of parchment paper. (Large enough to fit inside your pot and one that is safe under such high heat. I use this parchment and it’s never been an issue.)

Using a very sharp knife, gently score an X into the top. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap and leave alone for 30 minutes.

During this 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C). (Yes, very hot!) Place your dutch oven (with the lid) or heavy duty pot inside for 30 minutes so that it’s extremely hot before the dough is placed inside. After 30 minutes, remove the dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and sticking it all– the parchment paper included– inside the pot. Cover with the lid.

Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for 8-10 more minutes until the bread is golden brown. Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before breaking/slicing/serving.

Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for 1 week.

NOTES:

• Warm bread for brunch?  Yes, please!
• I messed up the oven settings but the heated dutch oven carried me through and I was able to save it.  It was great this time, and I'm sure will be even better if I follow the directions carefully.
• Go to Sally's site for similar recipes for olive bread and jalapeno cheddar.
• Source: Sally's Baking Addiction; the baking site that never disappoints

Rosemary Garlic Pull Apart Bread

DOUGH

• 2 teaspoons Platinum Yeast by Red Star*
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 3 Tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 2 and 1/3 cups (300g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more as needed*
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)

FILLING

• 5 Tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter, extra soft (see note)
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (95g) shredded parmesan, mozzarella, or white cheddar cheese (or your favorite shredded cheese)

OPTIONAL TOPPING

• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• flaky/coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Make the dough: Place the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Or, if you do not own a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave until warm to touch, about 110°F (43°C). Pour warm milk on top of yeast/sugar. Whisk gently to combine, then loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. The mixture will be frothy after 5-10 minutes.

If you do not have a mixer, you can mix the dough together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula in this step. Add the butter, egg, flour, salt, garlic powder, and rosemary. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes. Dough will be soft. Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Using lightly floured hands, knead it for 1 minute. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1-3 more Tablespoons of flour, but you want a very soft dough. Shape into a ball.

Place the dough in a greased bowl (I use nonstick spray to grease) and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in a slightly warm environment to rise until doubled in size, around 60-90 minutes. 

As the dough rises, prepare the filling in the next step and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. PAN SIZE IS IMPORTANT.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix the soft butter, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and salt together. If the butter is soft enough, you can just mix it all together with a spoon or fork. You can use an electric mixer if that’s easier too. Cover tightly and set aside until ready to use. (Don’t refrigerate unless making well in advance. It’s easiest to spread on the dough when at room temperature. If refrigerated, let it come to room temperature before spreading on dough pieces.)

Assemble the bread: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide it into 12 equal pieces, each about 1/4 cup of dough and a little larger than a golf ball. Using lightly floured hands, flatten each into a circle that’s about 4 inches in diameter. The circle doesn’t have to be perfectly round. I do not use a rolling pan to flatten, but you certainly can if you want. Spread 1-2 teaspoons of filling mixture onto each. Sprinkle each with 1 Tablespoon of cheese. Fold circles in half and line in prepared baking pan, round side up. See photos above for a visual.

Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and allow to rise once again in a slightly warm environment until puffy, about 45 minutes.

Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position then preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes. If you find the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil. (Don’t be alarmed if there’s melted butter around the sides of the bread as it bakes, it will seep into the bread before it finishes.) Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. If desired, brush with melted butter for topping and sprinkle with sea salt.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and serve warm.

Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Since the bread is extra crispy on the exterior, it will become a little hard after day 1. Reheat in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10-15 minutes until interior is soft again or warm in the microwave.

NOTES:

• Best warm (no surprise there)
• Filling flavors could easily be changed
• Serve in place of breadsticks or garlic toast
• It was fun to make with Maddy and Sophie
• From Sally's Baking Addiction

Star Bread

UPDATE: This would be a really great choice for breakfast on Epiphany. #liturgicalliving

Lots of drama, but easy to make with a brunch-friendly shortcut version requiring only 20 minutes for the 2nd rise. 

My orange bread version before icing

2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast*

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk

1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 large egg

2 and 1/3 cups (290g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more as needed

1 teaspoon salt

filling (see recipe note)

egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk

2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Make the dough: 

• Place the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Or, if you do not own a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave until warm to touch, about 110°F (43°C). Pour warm milk on top of yeast/sugar. Whisk gently to combine, then loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. The mixture will be frothy after 5-10 minutes. 
• If you do not have a mixer, you can mix by hand in this step. Add the butter, egg, flour, and salt. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes. Dough will be soft. Using lightly floured hands, form it into a ball. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1-3 more Tablespoons of flour, but you want a very soft dough.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl (nonstick spray is fine) and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in a slightly warm environment to rise until doubled in size, around 60-90 minutes. For this warm spot, I suggest using the oven. Preheat to 150°F, then turn the oven off after preheating. Place the covered bowl inside and shut the oven door. This is your warm environment.

Prepare filling: 

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and prepare your star bread filling. See all my options in the recipe notes below.

Assemble the bread: 

• Watch the video above to guide you through this step. Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces and, with a floured rolling pin, roll each out into a thin 10-inch circle. Place the bottom circle on prepared baking sheet. If it lost its circle shape, use your hands to form the edges back into a round shape. Top with filling, then layer the remaining circles and filling on top. The top layer does not have filling on it, so only 3 of the 4 circles will be topped with filling. 
• Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut any scraps around the edges so you have an even circle. Place a 3 inch round object or bowl in the center and make an indent. This is the center of the star. Now it’s time to cut strips from the edge to the center 3-inch circle. Using a pizza cutter, cut 16 even strips. 
• Using both hands, grab two strips and twist them away from each other twice, then press the two ends together to make a point. Your star bread will have 8 points.

Cover the shaped bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

Bake the bread: 

• Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the star bread with egg wash. This ensures a beautifully shiny golden brown bread. Bake for about 25- 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. If you notice the top or points browning too quickly, loosely tent the star bread with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
• Dust confectioners’ sugar on top and enjoy warm. Cover and store leftover star bread at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Make Ahead Instructions: 

• Refrigerate dough for up to 1-2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Prepare bread dough through step 3 below. After it has risen, punch the dough down to release the air bubbles. Cover the dough tightly, then place it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready, thaw the bread overnight in the refrigerator. (If frozen.) Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Punch the dough down again to release any air bubbles. Then, continue with step 5. I do not recommend shaping the star bread and refrigerating overnight. Letting the shaped bread sit in the refrigerator overnight risks over-rising and losing its shape.

FILLINGS:

• Cinnamon Sugar: Spread 1 Tablespoon of very soft unsalted butter onto each of the 3 circles. (3 Tbsp total.) Mix 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. This is the total amount and you will divide it between each circle. Sprinkle evenly over butter on each circle.
• Nutella: Spread 1 heaping Tablespoon of Nutella onto each of the 3 circles. Nutella is difficult to spread onto soft dough, so warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds until it’s a spreadable consistency.
• Your favorite jam: Spread 1 Tablespoon of jam onto each of the 3 circles.
• Butter, Brown Sugar, + Ginger: Spread 1 Tablespoon of very soft unsalted butter onto each of the 3 circles. Mix 3 Tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 Tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger. Sprinkle evenly over butter on each circle.
• Apple Butter or Pumpkin Butter: Spread 1 heaping Tablespoon onto each of the 3 circles.
• Chai Spice: Spread 1 Tablespoon of very soft unsalted butter onto each of the 3 circles. Mix 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar with 1/4 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ground ginger,  ground cardamom, and ground allspice. Sprinkle evenly over butter on each circle.
• Butter + Cinnamon Sugar + Walnuts + Dates: Spread 1 Tablespoon of very soft unsalted butter onto each of the 3 circles. Mix 3 Tablespoons packed brown or granulated sugar with 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 2 Tablespoons each finely chopped walnuts and pitted dates. Sprinkle evenly over butter on each circle.
• Cinnamon sugar + Orange Zest + Fresh or Dried Cranberries: Spread 1 Tablespoon of very soft unsalted butter onto each of the 3 circles. Mix 3 Tablespoons packed brown or granulated sugar with 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons orange zest, and 3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh or dried cranberries. Sprinkle evenly over butter on each circle.

NOTES:

A little bigger than expected - I didn't have a round platter it fit on, so my photo is on a grungy pizza pan. :-/

Thanks to Sally's Baking Addiction, where you'll find helpful photos and a video version.

Bread Bowls

2 packets yeast (4 and 1/2 teaspoons)
2 and 1/4 cups (540ml) warm water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt*
2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
6 cups (780g) bread flour
egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk


Pour the warm water over yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Or, if you don’t have a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Whisk together and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 

Add the sugar, salt, olive oil, 4 cups of bread flour. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then add remaining 2 cups of flour. Beat on low speed for 5-6 minutes. The dough should be thick, yet soft. And only slightly sticky. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl as it mixes. If it’s too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Then place into a large greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. (I just use the same mixing bowl– remove the dough, grease it with nonstick spray or olive oil, put the dough back in.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm environment to rise until doubled, about 90 minutes(mine didn't take this long).

Once doubled in size, punch down the dough to release any air bubbles. Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down again to release any more air bubbles if needed.

Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut into 6 even pieces. Form each into a large ball.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place 3 dough balls onto each. Cover lightly and set aside to rest for 20 minutes as the oven preheats.

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Brush each dough ball with egg wash and, using a sharp knife, score an X into the tops of each.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Once cool, cut around the top and scoop out the insides, fill with soup and enjoy.


Notes:
*The original recipe didn't specify what kind of salt, so I guessed and used kosher. They came out very under-salted, so try it with table salt instead.

*I've only used these with chowder so far, so I'm not sure how they'll hold up to a brothy soup.

Pretzel Buns

3¾ cups (20⅔ ounces) bread flour

2 teaspoons plus pinch table salt, divided

2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

1½ cups (12 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon water, room temperature, divided

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup baking soda

1 teaspoon pretzel salt

1 large egg

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

We use coarse pretzel salt on the exterior of the buns, but kosher salt may be substituted. Do not use pretzel salt in the dough; if using kosher salt in the dough, increase the amount to 4 teaspoons. If you don’t plan on serving these buns immediately, skip sprinkling them with pretzel salt until you are ready to reheat and serve; over time the salt crystals dissolve and can create a soggy exterior.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Whisk flour, 2 teaspoons table salt, and yeast together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk 1½ cups water, oil, and sugar in 4‑cup liquid measuring cup until sugar has dissolved. 
• Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add water mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. 
• Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours. 
• Lightly flour 2 rimmed baking sheets. Press down on dough to deflate. Transfer dough to clean counter; stretch and roll into even 12‑inch log. Cut log into 8 equal pieces (about 4 ounces each) and cover loosely with greased plastic. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining pieces covered), pat into 4‑inch disk. Working around circumference of dough, fold edges of dough toward center until ball forms. Flip dough ball seam side down and, using your cupped hand, drag in small circles until dough feels taut and round and all seams are secured on underside of ball. Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rest for 15 minutes. 
• Arrange balls seam side down on prepared sheets, spaced evenly apart. Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until nearly doubled in size and dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, about 30 minutes.
• Adjust oven racks to upper­-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 425 degrees. Dissolve baking soda in 4 cups water in Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-​high heat. Using slotted spatula, transfer 4 buns seam side up to boiling water and cook for 30 seconds, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer buns seam side down to wire rack and repeat with remaining 4 buns. Let rest for 5 minutes. 
• Line now-empty sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Lightly beat egg, remaining pinch table salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon water together in bowl. Transfer buns seam side down to prepared sheets, spaced evenly apart. Gently brush buns with egg mixture. Using sharp paring knife or single-edge razor blade, make two 2‑inch long slashes along top of each bun to form cross. Sprinkle each bun with ⅛ teaspoon pretzel salt. 
• Bake buns until mahogany brown, 16 to 20 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Transfer buns to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour, before serving. (Cooled buns can be stored in zipper-lock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Wrapped in aluminum foil before being placed in bag, buns can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw before reheating. To serve, mist buns lightly with water, sprinkle with pretzel salt, and bake in 300‑degree oven for 5 minutes.)

NOTES:
A 4-ounce bun makes a largish hamburger roll.  2 ounces would be a perfect bun to serve with soup or something like that.
Source: ATK

Perfect Hamburger Buns

Ingredients

Buns

• 3/4 to 1 cup (170g to 227g) lukewarm water*
• 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 3 1/2 cups (418g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast

*For best results (a smooth, slightly soft dough), use the smaller amount of water in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate); and something in between the rest of the time.

Topping

• 3 tablespoons (43g) melted butter

NOTES:

• These are perfect and possibly foolproof. I’ve made them three times in the past couple weeks and they’re perfect every time.
• Before baking brush with the egg wash from the second link (1egg, 1 T water, pinch of salt to break down the egg)
• Sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning before baking
• 3 ounce balls of dough are just right and make 10 buns. (8 4 ounce buns)

Credit: King Arthur and these extra ideas.

Thanks Holly!

Nutella Swirl Bread

Start with a batch of Do-It-All Dough
NOTE:  For Swirl Bread add 1/2 tsp of cardamom and zest of an orange to the dough when the milk is added.

Makes enough for 12 rolls
Ingredients
3¾ cups (469 grams) Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour, divided
2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (9 grams) kosher salt
1 (0.25-ounce) package (7 grams) active dry yeast
½ cup (120 grams) whole milk
½ cup (120 grams) water
⅓ cup (76 grams) unsalted butter
1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1½ cups (188 grams) flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
• In a medium saucepan, heat milk, ½ cup (120 grams) water, and butter over medium heat until an instant- read thermometer registers 120°F (49°C) to 130°F (54°C). Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture, and beat at medium speed until combined. Add egg, beating until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add 2 cups (250 grams) flour, beating just until a shaggy dough comes together and stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
• Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at low speed until a soft, somewhat sticky dough forms, 6 to 7 minutes, stopping to scrape dough hook and sides of bowl. Add up to remaining ¼ cup (31 grams) flour, 1 tablespoon (8 grams) at a time, if dough is too sticky. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a smooth round.
• Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft- free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

• Once it's doubled roll it into a 20h x15w rectangle and spread 2/3 cup of jam on it.  (I made the nutella option.)
• Roll it up tight and pinch the edges to seal.  Slice to almost the end and turning the cut edges up place them over one another in a twist.
• curl the twisted dough into a spiral, then place it into a parchment-lined 8-inch baking pan. Allow the dough to rise for 90 minutes. 
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in the bottom 1/3.
• Just before baking, sprinkle with sugar
• Bake for 45-50 minutes. The top will be golden brown and the center will feel set when you poke with your fingers. 

Flashy, easy and delicious!

Sources:

Bob's Red Mill  (Note to self: try those cloverleaf rolls in the picture - they look pretty delish)

Zoe Bakes

Beer Bread

3 c flour
3 tsp baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)
1 tsp salt (omit if using self-rising flour)
1/4 c sugar
12 oz beer (almost anything works; Guinness makes a pretty heavy loaf, though)
6 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix dry ingredients and beer.
Pour into a greased loaf pan.
Pour melted butter over dough.
Bake 1 hour, remove from pan, and cool at least 15 minutes.  Best the first day.

Blueberry Lemon scones

It's Nick's baptism day, so naturally a treat is in line.
I added these scones to brunch and they were quite delicious!

Ingredients

• Scones
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold, unsalted butter
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large lemon, zested
• ¾ cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup frozen raspberries
• Glaze
• ½ large lemon, juiced
• ½ to 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. Cut butter into ¼-inch pieces and return it to the refrigerator to keep it cold until needed.
2. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large wide bowl. Mix to combine.
4. Add butter to the dry ingredients and toss it to coat with flour. Working quickly with clean fingers or a pastry blender, rub or cut butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
5. Add frozen raspberries to the mixture and toss to coat. Drizzle the heavy cream evenly over the mixture. Toss with a fork, scraping up from the bottom, until the dough starts to clump together. Knead the mixture together in the bowl until it comes together in a mass. It’s okay if there are a few stray bits and dry patches; the most important thing is to avoid overworking the dough.
6. Turn out the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press in stray bits gently and shape the dough into an a 7 to 8-inch square about ¾-inch thick. It should look a bit rough and ragged.
7. Using a knife or bench scraper, divide the square into 9 smaller squares. Divide each square in half diagonally to make 18 small triangles.
8. Separate the scones carefully to give them room to spread. Bake until pale golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
9. To prepare the glaze, combine lemon juice and ½ cup confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Add more sugar, as needed to create the desired consistency for glazing.
10. Cool scones for at least 10 minutes before glazing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Find a nice photo here. I'm not sure how to add it on my iPad.

http://www.flourarrangements.org/2016/05/raspberry-lemon-scones/

NOTES: 

One positive change -

• I used grated frozen butter ala Sally's Baking Addiction's recommendation 

Two things I did to avoid next time

• I used Aldi canned blueberries instead of frozen fruit and it was super messy. Frozen would be better.
• I tried to accomplish steps in advance and had the dry ingredients and the lemon zest mixed up in a bowl overnight. I'm wondering if the zest activated the baking powder because they did not raise as much as expected. 

Sausage & Bread Stuffing

Sorry, we ate it all.

A Thanksgiving staple in the Webster house.

4 pound version:
4 c bread cubes (dried the day before)
1/3 c butter
1/2 c minced onion
1/2 c chopped celery
1 tsp salt
1/6 tsp pepper
1 tsp each sage and thyme
breakfast sausage
1 egg

12 pound version:
12 c bread cubes (dried the day before)
1 c butter
1.5 c minced onion
1.5 c chopped celery
1 tbls salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbls each sage and thyme
breakfast sausage
1 egg (Must be wrong number for this amount.  I haven't ever made this quantity, but I'd increase the eggs proportionately.)

Brown onions and celery in the butter.  Add sausage and brown.  Mix egg with 1/4 cup water.  Mix everything well.  Bake.

Okay, I have a bunch of notes to this:

• I typically make the smaller batch using a package of purchased, seasoned bread cubes.
• Because I used seasoned cubes, I would not add extra salt.  (Maybe add pepper, and definitely added more sage and thyme, but Grandma also had a note to add poultry seasoning to taste and I don't bother.)
• I don't know what the deal is with the 1/4 cup of water, but that seems very inadequate to me.  I just dump in a can of chicken broth, mixed with the egg.  It may be relevant that I never actually use stuffing to stuff the turkey though.  It seems like way too much trouble to get in and out so I just bake it as a side dish.
• I don't know how much sausage Grandma used, but I use one pound of either breakfast sausage, or sometimes you can get sausage seasoned for stuffing.  Either is good.
• I probably also use more celery than recommended.

Chewy Italian Rolls

BIGA
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast

DOUGH
biga (from above)
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

Instructions

• To make the biga: Mix all of the ingredients until well blended. Cover the bowl, and let rest at room temperature for 12 to 20 hours, until the mixture is very bubbly.
• To make the dough: Mix the biga with the remaining ingredients for 2 to 4 minutes, using an electric mixer set on slow speed. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and mix for about 4 minutes; the dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Add additional water or flour if necessary.
• Let the dough rise in a greased bowl, covered, for 1 to 2 hours, until very puffy.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and shape it into a 6" x 12" rectangle. Using a bench knife or pizza wheel, cut out eight 3" square rolls. Place the rolls, floured side up, onto parchment paper. Let them rise for about 45 minutes, lightly covered, until they're puffy.
• Place a baking stone in the top third of your oven, and preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Bake the rolls for 13 to 15 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
• Yield: 8 rolls.

Source.

Notes

• Outstanding texture!  Well worth the wait.
• I'd cut into 12 instead of 8 next time.  They're big enough that we're cutting them in half for a reasonable serving anyway.

Pull-apart Garlic Rolls

Not a great picture, but they were cute in person

Ingredients:
1 tube refrigerated biscuits
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Cut biscuits into fourths, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, garlic powder, parsley, and mozzarella, and mix with your hands, coating all of the biscuit pieces. Place the pieces in a muffin tin, 3 pieces per tin (you’ll have 2 extra—just use them in whichever tin you want). Bake for 15 minutes. Best served fresh out of the oven!

Notes:

• Easy, cute, and really tasty.
• I used jumbo flaky buttermilk biscuits
• I used dried parsley instead of fresh and it was fine
• Source