Maple Hazelnut Bread

 

Don't have time to make buckwheat pancakes in the morning?  Try making this before you go to bed. It smells heavenly and makes fabulous toast!

Maple Hazelnut Bread

2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp maple extract
1 2/3 c. water
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 c. buckwheat flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. chopped hazelnuts
2+ c. white flour
1 Tbsp yeast

Combine oil, syrup, honey, maple extract, water, salt, buckwheat flour, whole wheat flour, rolled oats, and hazelnuts in the bottom of a mixer bowl.  Mix thoroughly.   Combine 2 c. white flour and yeast.  Mix in to the dough.  Add extra flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.  Turn onto a floured surface.  Knead until smooth.  Let rise 1 hour (or until doubled in bulk). Shape into a loaf, and place in a greased loaf pan.  Let rise another hour.   Bake at 400 °F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 °F for the final 25 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Fluffy Potato Rolls

These rolls are classic.  They are light, moist, and very good for soaking up gravy.  Based on sheer numbers, these were the most popular roll at the dinner that I took them to.

The dough is very spongy/sticky in texture, and it is very important that the yeast be dissolved in water prior to adding it to the dough.  I added all of the potato flour in the beginning and then mixed the bread flour in gradually, but I would recommend that the flours be premixed and added together.

Fluffy Potato Rolls

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 Tbsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 egg, beaten

2 c. water, divided

3 tsp. yeast

1 1/2 c. potato flour

3 1/2 c. white bread flour

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a microwavable dish.  Stir in the salt, sugar, 1 1/2 cups of the water, and the egg.  Place in the bottom of a mixer bowl.  Separately, combine the potato flour and bread flour.  Add 2 cups of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients along with the dissolved yeast.  Mix thoroughly, then add the remaining flour in portions until a good consistency dough is formed.  Turn this out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.  Let rise for 1 hour.  Divide the dough into 2 1/2 oz. portions and shape into rolls.  Place on a greased cooking sheet about 1 inch apart.  Let rise for 1 hour.  Dust with flour and bake for 20 minutes at 375 °F.

Cranberry Apple Rolls

These rolls are a modification of the Cranberry Bread with Apple Glaze recipe that I posted last month.  For the record, I did discover a mistake in the recipe (there should be 1 1/4 c. water, not 1/4 c. water).  My apologies if anybody attempted to repeat that! 

Make the dough as directed in the original recipe and let rise for 1 hour. Then, weigh out 2 1/2 oz. portions of dough, and roll these into balls.  Place them on a greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.  Let rise for 1 hour.  Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes.  When the rolls have cooled, brush with the apple glaze.

These were a little bit tricky to transport since they are sticky on the top.  But, they were worth the effort!  None were left by the end of the night!

Sweet Rye Rolls

Flourboy and I sometimes disagree about what rye bread should taste like.  This is the recipe that he grew up with, modified into rolls.  It is a sweeter bread than what I am used to, and it doesn't have any caraway seeds in it.  But, it does pack a nice whole-grain punch.  We both agreed that these were quite tasty with leftover turkey for a light lunch.

Sweet Rye Rolls

3 1/2 c. white bread flour

2 c. rye flour

2 Tbsp. butter

2 c. water

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

4 1/2 tsp. yeast

Melt the butter in a microwavable dish.  Add the water, salt, and sugar.  Stir until mostly dissolved.  Mix in the rye flour and let stand for 5 minutes.  Separately, combine the yeast and 2 cups of the white flour.  Add this to the rye dough.  Finally, stir in the last portion of flour gradually, until a nice consistency dough has formed.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.  Cover and let rise for one hour.  

To shape, divide the dough into smaller batches (about 4).  Roll each batch into a thick rope, and cut off 2 1/2 oz. portions of dough.  Let the divided dough rise for about 1 hour, then cut lengthwise slits in the tops.  Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 °F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Rolls

These rolls are a modification of the Pumpkin Spice Bread that I posted last month. 

Make the dough as directed in the recipe.  Then, divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each section into a ball.  Place in a greased muffin tin, and let rise for 1 hour.  Decorate the tops with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds.  Bake at 375 °F for 20 minutes.

These rolls are not very sweet, so they pair really well with a sweet topping (like apple butter).  Just beware that they aren't exactly traditional.  If you are serving a crowd that favors fluffy white dinner rolls, check out the Potato Rolls that I post later this week.

Thanksgiving Roll Spectacular

Ahhh Thanksgiving!  

A bread-blogger's ultimate holiday!  

Since my family decided to celebrate early this year, I had the privilege of working through some recipes in advance of when you might be doing some baking of your own:

Clockwise from top left: 

Sweet Rye Rolls, 

Cranberry Apple Rolls, 

Fluffy Potato Rolls, and 

Pumpkin Spice Rolls.

Stay tuned for more details!

Bread for Butter

One of my labmates has a fancy-schmancy Sam's Club membership.  Recently, I was privileged to have him pick me up a ginormous box of individual servings of butter.  (See my recent post about butter here.)  I offered him some cash in return, but he indicated that he would rather have a loaf of rye bread.  Of course, I was crushed.  And he had to twist my arm.  Really hard.

He reported back to me later that this makes a great base for grilled cheese, loaded with several kinds of meat in addition to the usual cheddar.

Dark Rye Bread

2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. molasses
2 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 Tbsp. instant coffee
1 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1 c. rye flour
2 t. yeast
1 1/2 t. salt
2 Tbsp. powdered milk
1 Tbsp. caraway seeds (optional)
3 c. white bread flour

Mix together all ingredients except white flour.  Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.  Gradually add the white flour to form the dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.  Let rise for 1 hour, covered.  Gently knead and shape into a loaf.  Place in a greased loaf pan.  Let rise for 1 hour, covered.  Bake at 400 °F for 10 minutes, lower the temperature to  375 °F for 25 minutes, then turn off the oven for the final 10 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.

Cranberry Bread with Apple Glaze

A few years ago, I was living on the east coast and saw a cranberry bog for the first time.   I always thought that cranberries grew on trees, but they actually grow on vines, in marshy wetlands.

It's a shame that these sour little fruits are not used more often in regular yeast bread. This recipe came out really well (and would probably make really dynamite Thanksgiving rolls):

Cranberry Loaf

2 Tbsp canola oil
3 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp corn syrup
1/4 c. applesauce
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 c. water
1 c. coarsely chopped cranberries
1/2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 Tbsp salt
4+ c. white bread flour

Apple Glaze:
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp apple juice

In the bottom of a mixer bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients.  Add the cranberries, yeast, salt, and 2 cups of the bread flour.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the remaining flour in portions, until the dough forms a ball on the hook.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead in extra flour until the dough is elastic and not too sticky.  Let rise for one hour.  Knead again very briefly, shape into a loaf, and place in a greased loaf pan.  Let rise for one hour.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes then at 375 for 25 minutes.  Meanwhile combine apple juice and sugar.  Heat briefly in the microwave to help the sugar dissolve completely.  Remove the baked loaf from the oven and place on a cooling rack.  Then, using a basting brush, coat the top of the loaf with the apple glaze.  Allow to cool before slicing.

Multigrain Bread

A friend of mine recently celebrated a birthday.  This is the loaf that I made for her.  (I am told that it pairs fabulously with apple butter!)

If you don't have multigrain flour (or can't find it in the grocery store), you can mix some together yourself, using whatever combination of grains sounds good to you.  Sometimes you can buy small amounts of many different flours if you shop at natural foods stores that sell in bulk.

As a general rule of thumb, I try to keep the gluten-free flour (everything that isn't wheat) to no more than 25% of the total flour content.  If I want a more hearty loaf, I will incorporate an additional 25% whole wheat flour. 

Multigrain Bread

Multigrain Flour:
2 Tbsp brown rice flour
2 Tbsp white rice flour
2 Tbsp corn flour
2 Tbsp buckwheat flour
4 Tbsp rye flour
2 Tbsp millet
1/2 Tbsp Flax seed
2 Tbsp rolled oats

3 Tbsp canola oil
3 Tbsp molasses
1 2/3 c. water
1 egg, beaten
1 c. multigrain flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. yeast
1/2 Tbsp salt
3 1/2 c. white bread flour

Combine the wet ingredients and place them in the bottom of the mixer bowl.  Add the multigrain flour, the whole wheat flour, and the yeast.  Mix briefly and allow to sit for 10 minutes before mixing in the salt and two cups of the white bread flour.  Mix in the remaining cup of white bread flour gradually (extra/less as needed), until the dough makes a ball on the bread hook.  Increase mixing speed slightly and mix for about 2 minutes more.  Turn out onto a heavily floured surface (dough may be sticky) and knead in extra flour until the dough is soft and elastic.  Let rise for  one hour.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly; shape the dough, and press into a greased loaf pan.  Allow to rise for one hour.  Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 F and cook for 30 minutes.  Turn off the oven and allow the bread to stay inside the oven for 10 minutes more.  Place the loaf on a wire rack to cool completely.

 <Sigh> One of my favorite sights is a loaf of bread almost hitting the top of the oven!

Split Top Rye Bread

 

Every once in a while (more often than I'd like to admit), I wake up in the wee hours of the morning, frazzled about some aspect of my graduate work.  Although I'd rather get a good nights sleep, I enjoy the opportunity to bake a loaf of bread before work.  It's always fun to send out the early morning e-mail to my colleagues: "Fresh Bread... still warm... help yourself!"

In my opinion, really good Rye Bread is best done with a prefermentation of some sort.  This is what evokes some of the richer flavors of rye.  But, since I don't do anything with notable grace, eloquence, or speed at 4 am, this was an easy alternative.

Rye Bread

2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp molasses
1 2/3 c. water
1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. rye flour
1/2 Tbsp yeast
2 Tbsp nonfat dry milk
1/2 Tbsp salt
3 c white bread flour
1 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

Mix oil, honey, molasses, water, lemon juice, rye flour, and yeast in a mixer bowl.  Let sit 10 minutes before mixing in the dry milk, salt, and two cups of the bread flour.  Gradually mix in the last cup of flour, until the dough is a good consistency: not too sticky or too dry.  Knead the dough for several minutes until it is fairly smooth and elastic.  Let rise in a warm place, covered, for about one hour.  Knead the dough down slightly, shape into a loaf, and place in a loaf pan.  Let rise again, about one hour.  Cut a slit in the top of the loaf and sprinkle bran flakes over the top.  Bake at 400 °F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 375 °F and cook another 25 minutes.  Turn off the oven, and leave the loaf inside for a final 10 minutes.  Place the loaf on a wire rack to cool completely.

Sourdough Bread Bowls

This weekend, I had the privilege to send Flourboy off to the wilderness on a hunting expedition.  Part of the send-off included a batch of Sourdough bread bowls to accompany the stew that he put together for the hunting party.  I'm not going to lie, this is definitely the best batch of sourdough that I've made yet.

I attribute this greatness to two changes.  First of all, I added extra gluten to both the firm and the dough.  Second of all, after shaping the boules, I let them rise in bowls rather than directly on a cooking sheet.  Both of these changes contributed to keeping the boules round (as opposed to flat-ish puddles in the middle of the pan.)

I am told that the hunting party found them satisfactory.

Apple Bread French Toast

It's been a while since I made french toast, but I decided to put some of my leftover apple bread to good use.  Most excellent! 

Just beat 2 eggs, add a little milk, dip some slices of bread, and ta-da!  You have an awesome breakfast!

Apple Bread

This week I have been experimenting with apple bread recipes.  After several iterations, this is what I've come up with.  The recipe makes a very moist bread with excellent apple-y flavor.  Consider adding bacon if you want to make a more savory bread, or try using the leftover bread for apple french toast.

 
Apple Bread


2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. applesauce
1/4 c. water
1 c. peeled, chopped apple
1 c. rolled oats
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
3+ c. white bread flour
1 1/4 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp. vital wheat gluten

1/2 c. cooked, crumbled bacon (optional)

In the bottom of a mixer bowl, combine the wet ingredients, apples, rolled oats, salt, and apple pie spice.  In a separate bowl mix together two cups of the flour with the yeast and gluten.  Add this to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Slowly add in the last cup of flour and watch for the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently.  (This part is a bit awkward with all of the apple pieces, but it can be done!)  Once the dough seems to be holding together fairly well, allow it to rise in a covered bowl for an hour.   Punch down, knead slightly, and if desired, knead in the bacon pieces.  Shape into desired loaf.  Let rise on hour.  Bake at 400 °F for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375 °F and cook for 25 minutes longer.  (Note: the texture and flavor of this bread really improve if you let it cool all the way before slicing.)

If you are wondering about the addition of gluten to this recipe, it's basically a slick way to increase the protein content of your dough.  If you take a look at the amount of protein in all purpose flour, it  is usually around 3g per 1/4 c.  Bread flour is about 4g per 1/4 c.  Adding extra gluten to the dough adds another 8 grams of protein, bringing the total to almost 5g per 1/4 c.  So, it's basically like using SUPER bread flour.  In this case, the addition of gluten positively impacts the structure of the bread and helps to compensate for all of the gluten-free ingredients.  You don't have to add it, but you will probably end up with a flatter, denser loaf.

Starting The Day Sour

One of the downsides to having a sourdough starter is the perpetual feeding that it requires.  Every two days (if I'm keeping it at peak performance), I end up throwing away about half of it.  Turns out, there is a use for some of that extra starter: sourdough pancakes!  I think this makes Monday morning just a little bit more pleasant.

I found this recipe in the same book that the other sourdough recipe came from.  Check it out here.  These are a little more chewy than other pancakes that I've had, but give it a try and see for yourself what you think.

Sourdough Pancakes

2 1/2 c. Sourdough starter
2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. milk
1 c. water
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. baking soda

The night before you want to make pancakes, mix together the starter, flour, milk, and water.  Let it sit covered, at room temperature, overnight.  In the morning, mix together the remaining ingredients, and fold them into the batter gently.  Let it sit for 30 minutes.  Ladle the batter onto a hot griddle (1/3 to 1/2 cup depending on the size of pancakes that you like).  Watch for lots of bubbles on the tops and then flip 'em!  Keep pancakes warm in the oven until you are ready to serve.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

Extenuating circumstances have kept me from posting for a few days, but fear not!  I have been hard at work, ruminating on all sorts of wonderful bread ideas for the fall.  Sweet quick breads are one of the most common outlets for all of that pent-up baking zeal.  My hope is to throw a few less-sweet alternatives into the mix.  After all, it isn't just about the sugar is it?

This bread literally made my house smell like I was baking a pumpkin pie, and I appreciate the fact that it looks so pretty!  Try it toasted for breakfast with a little bit of honey, molasses, or pumpkin butter on top.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 c. whole wheat flour
2+ c. white bread flour

Combine together all of the wet ingredients in the bottom of a mixer bowl.  Add the spices, yeast, salt, and whole wheat flour.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the white bread flour one cup at a time (plus extra if necessary) until the dough balls up on the mixer dough hook.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead in extra flour until the dough is a nice consistency and not too sticky.  Let rest, covered, for 15 minutes.  Knead again, for a few minutes more, then let the dough rise for one hour.  Shape the dough into a loaf and let rise one hour.  Brush milk on the top of the loaf and decorate with pumpkin and flax seeds.  Bake at 400 °F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 °F for the last 20 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.

Cheesy Corn Bread

With the weather getting cooler, chili and chowder season is right around the corner.  This has prompted me to start working on a corn bread recipe.  While I've never shredded cheese over the top of a loaf before, the idea seemed sound.  (After all, there are a lot of commercially available breads that have cheese on them.)

I think I'll probably play around with this some more, but the resulting loaf was good enough to serve to friends (and get several compliments).  If you want to try this yourself, be sure to grease your loaf pan well so that the cheese doesn't cement the loaf into the pan. <wink, wink>

Cheesy Corn Bread

2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 1/4 c. water
2 eggs, beaten
3 c. white bread flour
1/2 c. corn flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Beat the eggs and combine with the remaining wet ingredients in the bottom of a mixer bowl.  Combine the dry ingredients separately and add to the the mixer bowl.  Mix on low until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated and the dough balls up on the dough hook.  The dough will be very soft.  Knead gently on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth, then let it rest for 10 minutes.  Knead gently a second time to build up the strength of the dough, then let it rise for 45 minutes, or until about doubled in size.  Shape the dough into a loaf, place it into a greased loaf pan, and allow it to rise a second time.  Spray the loaf with water and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top before baking.  Bake at 375 °F for 35 minutes, then turn the oven off and let the bread remain inside for 10 minutes more.  Slice after cooling.

 

I find myself wondering if some actual corn kernels would be good in this?  Or perhaps green chilies?  Any opinions out there?

Where's the Butter?

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lie (or at least not tell the whole truth) when you are eating something that someone else has made?  How many times have you told someone that you thought their cooking was great when it really wasn't?

I've certainly found myself in this predicament.  You know how it goes: you don't want to hurt someone's feelings, or you know that they tried really hard, or you trust that their intentions were good... and so on and so forth.  But, it's not so nice when you're on the receiving end of hollow compliments.  Now that I'm making bread on a pretty regular basis, I really want to get good at this.  And, I really want people to genuinely like what I make.  I need to know what people honestly think.

That's why I got pretty excited when somebody told me last week,

"Hey, this bread is the real thing isn't it!  But, I gotta offer you some constructive criticism:  Where's the butter?" 

I don't actually put butter on my bread very often, and as a result, I don't always provide butter with my bread when I take it places.   But after this encounter, I think that's something that's going to change.  Not only will it make my bread more enjoyable for others, but it's also a good opportunity to practice humbly accepting criticism and seeing things from somebody else's perspective.  That's an important skill for someone who aspires to put their creative energy into the public arena.  Friends and family may mince words, but editors probably don't.

As an interesting side note: a new bakery is opening in Fort Collins.  The name?  Butter: A Bakery  (not to be confused with the Buttercream Cupcakery).  Check out the recent press here.

Triple Chocolate Loaf

This is bread is the happy marriage of gooey, melted chocolate and hot, fresh bread.  I have a hard time imagining a situation in which this bread could do you wrong...

Triple Chocolate Bread

(modified from Jennie Shapter's Bread Machine cookbook)

 

2 Tbsp. butter

1 2/3 c. cool water

1 egg, beaten

3 c. white bread flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. yeast

2 oz. each: milk chocolate, dark chocolate with orange, and fruit & nut chocolate (feel free to substitute your own preferred flavors!)

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish.  Mix with the cool water and place in the bottom of the mixer bowl.  Beat the egg and add to the wet ingredients.  Premix the dry ingredients (except for the chocolate) in a separate bowl.  Add to the top of the mixer bowl.  Mix the dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.  Allow to rise for 30 minutes.  Punch the dough down and roll into a rectangle.  Coarsely chop the chocolate and sprinkle over the dough.  Then, roll up the loaf, sealing all of the sides.  Place in a greased bread pan and let rise for 30 minutes.  Bake at 400 °F for 10 minutes, then 375 °F for 25 minutes.  Finally, turn the oven off, and let the bread sit inside for an additional 10 minutes.  Brush the top of the loaf with butter and allow to cool before slicing.

Crescent Rolls

This weekend, I decided to recreate some crescent rolls that my Mom used to make for various family functions.  In spite of a few setbacks, I am pretty satisfied with the results.  Not only are the rolls pretty, but if you are serving them to a group of people, there is no need to deal with the mess of sliced bread.

Crescent Rolls

Prepare one recipe of Easy White Bread dough.  After the bulk dough is done rising, it is ready to shape into rolls. 

To make the rolls, divide the dough in half.  For one half, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle.  Slice into eighths; then roll out each slice a little bit longer. Spray lightly with cooking spray, then starting at the wide end, roll up the slice into a crescent shape.  Place the rolls on a lightly greased cooking sheet and then mist the tops with cooking spray.  Repeat with the second half of the dough.

  Let rolls rise for 30 minutes.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake at 375 for 10 minutes more.  Cool on a wire rack.

Warning: Amatour at Work

I think today is a good day to remind you (or me?) that I am not a professional. 

Although I may spend hours typing these posts and trying to get the best angle photographs with my *fancy* camera, I'm really just an everyday person who likes to make bread.  The upshot of this is that sometimes I royally biff it. 

Generally, I would try to shield you from examples.  But, seeing as I was talking with a coworker recently about the importance of making and learning from mistakes, I'm going to indulge you.

I made crescent rolls Saturday.  I carefully mixed the dough and let it rise.  I divided it and shaped it into 16 lovely rolls.  I preheated the oven and put the rolls inside.  And then, in a moment of sheer absent-minded, un-brilliance: I turned off the oven.  WHY?  WHY? (The question is still ringing in my ears.)  

When I discovered my mistake 10 minutes later, I turned the oven back on, but it was to late.  Baking while preheating only results in rolls that are lightly browned on top and burned black as soot on the bottom.

The worst part is that I was doing all of this so that I could take said rolls with me to an event where I might garner some publicity for Loafin' Around.  *sigh*  Sometimes things just don't work out quite like you imagined.

Kale Problem? Kale Solution!

Kale. (Photo courtesy of PioneerValleyGirl)

This summer, Flourboy and I have been participating in a CSA.  Enjoying the farm-fresh bounty of summer (without having to personally farm anything) has been a real treat!  But, it has also resulted in multiple batches of kale, collard greens, and swiss chard cluttering up the lower half of our fridge.  Don't get me wrong: I like a good batch of steamed greens.  It's just that that only gets you so far when you're getting this stuff week after week after week.  We tried kale chips.  We were not impressed.  (purported to be like potato chips... really??? Those are NOT like any brand of potato chips that I'm familiar with.)

So, I came up with a better use for all those greens:

 

My Mom used to make spinach dip and serve it in a bread bowl.  Kale is similar to spinach, and it turns out that it works great in this dip!

Kale Dip:

1. Coarsely chop and cook a large batch of kale.  

2. Chop it finely using a food processor.

3. Follow the Mrs. Grass Spinach Dip recipe, substituting the chopped kale for the frozen spinach.

Wheat Sourdough Bread Bowl:

1. Make the Firm.  Mix 2 c. Sourdough Starter with 2 c. white bread flour.  Knead until smooth.  Let rise at room temperature for 8 hours.  Then punch down, knead, and refrigerate until you are ready to make the dough (within 12-24 hours).

2. Make the Dough.  Mix the Firm (chopped into several pieces), 4 c. white bread flour, 2 c. whole wheat flour, 1 Tbsp. salt, 1 tsp. sugar, and 2 c. cool water.  Knead until smooth and elastic.  Let rise in the fridge 8 hours (or overnight; until about doubled in bulk.)

3. Divide the dough into 3 pieces.  Shape into round loaves.  Let rise in the fridge for 8 hours (or until almost doubled).

4. Let the dough come to room temperature (about 1 hour) before baking. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then 375 for 25 minutes more.  Turn off the oven and let the loaves sit inside for 10 minutes more.

5. Cool completely before cutting a square out of the top and tearing out the inside of the loaf.

The last part is obvious...  put the dip inside the bread bowl and serve it up!  This snack definitely got great reviews in the lab!  Need to make an appetizer for your next football party?  Try it out!

Useful Gadgets: The Dough Scraper

Among my favorite kitchen gadgets is the dough scraper.  Flourboy (who has actually worked in a real, honest-to-goodness bakery) insisted that it was a tool that I shouldn't live without.  Some folks think that the stiff, stainless steel scraper is better, but I really appreciate the flexibility of this plastic one.  It can be used to scrape all kinds of surfaces clean or to cut dough into smaller pieces.  I also like that I don't have to worry about it scratching the counter top.
If you have ever experienced the epic fail of trying to wipe up excess flour or residual dough with a sponge (which only results in the flour-goo mummification of said sponge), then this is the tool for you!

Baking (Photo Tutorial)

 (This post is the 5th in a 5-part series of photo tutorial instructions.  To see the original recipe, click here.)

After the loaf is scored, it is ready to bake.  

Start with the oven set to 400 ℉.  Place the baking sheet in the oven, and set the timer for 10 minutes.  Using a water spray-bottle, spray the sides of the oven (and the loaf itself) with water.  It may also be helpful to put ice cubes into the bottom of the oven.  (These will melt and produce steam which increases the oven rise).

Next, lower the temperature to 375 ℉ and cook 25 minutes longer.

Last, turn off the oven with the loaf inside.  Let it sit this way for 10 minutes.  This will keep the crust from getting soggy as the trapped moisture in the bread continues to escape.  (If you don't like your bread crusty, feel free to skip this step!)

You now have the all the expertise you need to make your own fancy loaf!

Dough Shaping (Photo Tutorial)

(This post is the 4th in a 5-part series of photo tutorial instructions.  To see the original recipe, click here.)

After kneading is complete, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

When the dough is doubled in size, it is ready to shape.

Preshape, and roll out into a rectangle.

Roll up the loaf, pinching all of the seams closed.  

Roll gently to elongate and set the seams.  Place on a baking sheet (seam-side down).  Spray lightly with cooking spray, and cover with plastic wrap. 

Let rise for about 30 minutes, or until almost double in size.

Cut diagonal slashes in the top using a very sharp knife or razorblade.

Now you are ready to bake the loaf.