Sweet Wheat Dinner Rolls

In addition to making Hot Cross Buns for Easter, I also adapted the recipe to make some decadent dinner rolls.  I'm pretty sure that even the most staunch white-bread enthusiast couldn't turn these down!

Sweet Wheat Dinner Rolls

Sponge:

7 oz. whole wheat flour

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

1 c. buttermilk (room temperature)

Dough:

16 oz. white bread flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter (softened)

5 eggs, beaten (cold)

sponge

Mix the ingredients for the sponge.  Cover and allow to sit for 2 hours.  

In a mixer, beat together the eggs, butter, salt, and sugar.  Add the sponge.  Gradually add the remaining flour (and extra if necessary).  After the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl, mix on medium speed for 5 minutes.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead briefly.  Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.  

Punch the dough down, and divide it into 2 oz. portions.  (Work in quarter batches, and keep the remaining dough covered so that it doesn't dry out.) Roll each portion into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking pan about 1" apart. Lightly spray with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise for 1 hour.  

Preheat the oven to 350 ˚F.  Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half way through.  Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Makes 2 dozen rolls.

I tried to reproduce the Great Harvest Honey Bunny with a bit of extra dough.  Apparently that takes some practice...

Hot Cross Buns

As of two weeks ago, I had never attempted to make Hot Cross Buns. This seemed a bit ironic (as I am both a bread-baker and a Christian) so I thought I'd give it a try for Easter. The key elements of this recipe are the butter (lots of it!), eggs (5 of them!), and the addition of allspice. The resulting rolls are rich, slightly sweet, and wonderfully aromatic. A small amount of icing on top launches them into the 'irresistible' category.

Hot Cross Buns
from Crust and Crumb by Peter Reinhart

Sponge:
3 1/2 oz. white bread flour
2 tsp yeast
1 c. buttermilk (at room temperature)

Dough:
19 1/2 oz. white bread flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. allspice
1/2 c. unsalted butter (softened)
5 eggs, beaten (cold)
sponge

Mix the ingredients for the sponge.  Cover and allow to sit for 2 hours.  

In a mixer beat together the eggs, butter, salt, and sugar.  Add the sponge.  Gradually add the remaining flour (and extra if necessary). Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes once the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.

Punch the dough down, and divide it into 2 oz. portions.  (Work in quarter batches, and keep the remaining dough covered so that it doesn't dry out.) Roll each portion into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking pan about 1" apart. Lightly spray with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise for 1 hour.*  

Preheat the oven to 350 ˚F.  Brush the tops of the buns with a mixture of egg yolk + 1 Tbsp. water.  Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half way through.  Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating the tops with icing. Makes 2 dozen buns.

*Alternatively, you may let the dough rise for 30 minutes, then wrap the pan in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it overnight.  Remove the pan from the refrigerator about 1 1/2 hours before baking, allowing the buns to warm to room temperature first.  

Under Construction

As Easter approaches, I've got some recipes that I'm working on. Here's a preview of my hot cross buns:

Stay tuned!  Hopefully I'll have more details to post in the next couple of weeks.

Sesame Loaf

This is my creation of the weekend.  It has an enjoyable nutty flavor and makes a good change-of-pace sandwich bread.  Happy baking!

Sesame Loaf


2 c. water
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp) yeast
2 tsp. salt
1 c. rice flour
1/4 c. sesame seeds
4 c. white bread flour

Mix together the dry ingredients. Add these to the wet ingredients and, using a mixer with a dough hook, mix thoroughly (adding more flour if necessary) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Let rest 5 minutes. Knead again briefly, then cover and let rise for about an hour or until nearly double in size. Punch down, then shape into a loaf and place into a greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise for an hour or until nearly double in bulk. Bake at 350 ˚F for 25 minutes, then brush the top of the loaf with an egg yolk + 1 Tbsp. water mixture. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the bottom and sides of the loaf appear slightly golden. Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Nora's Irish Soda Bread

I don't know who Nora is, but when I pulled her recipe off of the internet a year ago, I was really impressed with it.  This recipe is a little different from those typically posted here because it isn't a yeast bread.  Instead, this quick bread (read: EASY!) is made by reacting baking soda (basic) and buttermilk (acidic) to make the bread rise.  Unfortunately I've tasted a lot of really bad soda bread.  It does not keep well, and if the dough is overworked, a game of kickball might put the resulting loaf to better use.  This recipe (while not exactly traditional) produces a really moist, wonderful loaf.  Note that I use regular, all-purpose flour.  This helps to reduce the formation of gluten, which would make the bread tough.

Mix Dry Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 8 oz. raisins, softened (soak in hot water, drain)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

Mix Wet Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 3 Tbsp. melted margarine

Combine wet and dry ingredients; knead together on a floured surface. Add to a greased, floured 9" pan. Cut an "X" in the top. Bake 55-60 minutes at 350 ˚F.

Note:  This will make one big loaf or two smaller ones. You may, scale the recipe up by 0.5 to make two larger loaves.

Golden Raisin Loaf

Today, I decided to keep things simple.  No fancy syrups.  No long fermentation times.  Just a plain wheat loaf with an occasional burst of sweet golden raisin.  I'm imagining that this will be really good toasted with a little bit of butter for breakfast tomorrow.  Of course, I also thought about making to-go french toast sticks... but that would be less simple!

Golden Raisin Loaf

1 c. golden raisins
2 c. water
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. agave nectar (or honey)
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. white bread flour

Soak the raisins in warm water for about 30 minutes.  Then, using a mixer equipped with a dough hook, combine the raisins, water (try using the raisin soak water), canola oil and agave nectar.  Add the whole wheat flour, yeast, and salt at low speed.  Next add the white flour in 3-4 portions, until the dough begins to clean the sides of the bowl.  Turn this out onto a floured surface and knead gently until the dough reaches a smooth, elastic consistency.  Let rise, covered, for about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.  Punch  down and knead again briefly.  Then shape the dough into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan.  Allow it to rise for 1 hour before baking at 375 ˚C for 35 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let the bread remain inside for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove the loaf from the oven and the bread pan.  Allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

Last week I had a request for bread that contains no white flour, is vegan, and has no added 'sugary substance'. This recipe is one that I made a couple of times during my blogging hiatus in December.  It draws inspiration from Peter Reinhart's book Crust and Crumb and mostly fits the bill.  While it does not have any added sugar, honey, or syrup, it does contain raisin water.  Raisins are a fantastic source of natural sugar, and raisin juice concentrate can be found in some grocery stores.  I chose to make my own.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

Sponge:
16 oz (about 4 c.) whole wheat flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1 c. cool water

Mix together the sponge ingredients in a large mixing bowl. (It will form a thick paste.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the sponge to ferment at room temperature for 4-6 hours. It should rise and then fall.

Raisin water:
2 c. raisins
4 c. warm water

Soak the raisins in the water for one hour. Then, puree the combination in a blender or food processor. Strain the puree and collect the liquid. Discard the pulp. Place the liquid in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, then simmer for about an hour. Upon cooling, this will result in a thick syrupy brown liquid.

Dough:
8 oz (about 2 c.) whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. yeast
1/2 c. raisin water
6 oz. (about 1 c.) cooked wild or brown rice
16 oz (about 4 c.) sponge (from above; use all)

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, yeast, raisin water, and cooked rice.  While mixing, gradually add portions of the sponge. Mix thoroughly to combine, and add flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes, then knead again briefly. Lightly grease a bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, spray it lightly with cooking spray, and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 hour (or until about doubled in bulk).  Punch the dough down and divide it in half.  Knead each half briefly, shape into a round, then gently roll into an oblong loaf.  Place onto a greased cookie sheet.  Let rise for 30 minutes.  Then, bake at 350 ºF for 20 minutes.  Rotate the loaf for even baking.  Then bake another 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, and allow the loaf to remain inside for 10 minutes more.  Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Happy Valentines Day: I'm Nuts About You!

This creation was born while distracting myself from grading exams. (My coworkers probably wish that I had to grade exams more often!) The walnut oil made for a very moist, nutty flavored wheat bread. The braided dough (along with the icing drizzle) earned high marks for presentation.

Walnut Bread

1/4 c. walnut oil
1 1/4 c. water
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 1/4 c. white bread flour

1 Tbsp. milk
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

Mix the walnut oil, water, sugar, salt, yeast, and whole wheat flour together.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Add the white flour 1/2 cup at a time until the the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Let rise for 1 hour, covered. Split the dough into three evenly sized balls; roll each into a rope.  Braid the ropes together on a greased baking sheet. Let rise for one hour, covered. Bake at 375 ºF for 30 minutes.  Cool completely. Mix powdered sugar with a small amount of milk to make a glaze; drizzle over the loaf.  Sprinkle the walnuts on top.

Ethiopian Supernatural Coffee Bread

This bread is an attempt to pair two of my great pleasures in life: bread and coffee. Just make sure that you let the coffee cool sufficiently (or add a few ice cubes) before mixing the dough so that you don't kill the yeast.  I happened to have Peet's Ethiopian Supernatural roast on hand, but use whatever suits you!

Ethiopian Supernatural Coffee Bread

2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. dark corn syrup
2 1/4 c. brewed coffee (cooled)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. yeast
5 c. white bread flour

Combine oil, corn syrup, coffee, salt, yeast, and 3 cups of the bread flour. Mix thoroughly. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Cover, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down and divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in greased loaf pans. Allow to rise until nearly doubled in bulk. Bake for 35 minutes at 375 ºF. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Thank You!

Flickr Photo by psd

Sometimes I get really frustrated with people who make my life difficult by doing their job poorly.  Then I had an epiphany: How often to I thank the people who make my life easier by doing their job well? It's easy to overlook the hard workers who never draw any (negative) attention to themselves. So last week, I decided to acknowledge someone whose work I really appreciate.  This guy runs gobs of mass spectrometry samples for me and does rock solid work.  So, I made him a loaf of bread.  And, I wrote him a thank you note.  

Sometimes the cure for self-pity is to stop focussing on what you don't have and start focussing on what you do. 

Whole Grain Bread

This post is a modification of the Whole Grain Wheat Bread recipe that came with my Kitchen Aid mixer.  The recipe calls for 5-6 cups of whole wheat flour.  I didn't have enough, so I used some rye and some white flour to make up the difference.  Also, it calls for 3/4 cup of powdered milk.  I didn't have that either, so I added an egg. Powdered milk generally functions as a browning agent, and an egg will do the same thing.  Unlike other recipes that I've posted, this one makes 2 loaves.

Whole Grain Bread

1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp brown sugar, divided
2 c. warm water
2 pkgs. (4 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. rye flour
2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c. oil
2 c. white bread flour

Dissolve one tablespoon of the brown sugar in the warm water in a small bowl.  Add yeast, stir gently, then let the mixture stand.

Add whole wheat flour, rye flour, salt, and remaining brown sugar to a mixer bowl.  On low speed, gradually add the yeast water, oil, and egg to the flour.  Mix thoroughly, stopping to scrape the bowl if necessary.  Let sit for 10 minutes.

Add the white flour, one half cup at a time, until the dough clings to the dough hook and cleans the sides of the bowl.  Remove from the bowl; knead briefly on a lightly floured surface.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.

Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf.  Place in a greased loaf pan, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.

Bake at 400 °F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake 20 minutes longer.  Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Mastering The Art of French Baking

Today I had the privilege of sharing bread with a special friend.

It's important to note that she made the bread.  But, it's fun to note that she made her first loaf by following the Wheat Bread Photo Tutorial that I posted a while back.

She tells me that making bread is much easier than she would have guessed. Clearly, she's hooked.

The loaf she made today features spelt flour and was inspired by  a recipe in Mastering The Art of French Cooking. What a treat!

Bacon and Egg Loaf

This week kicks off the start of a new semester and a busier schedule for me.  That said, I'm sharing a great (modified) quick bread recipe from the Crème de Colorado Cookbook.  Slices of this are perfect to freeze individually for breakfast on the go.  Pull a slice out of the freezer, pop it in the microwave for 1 minute, and you have a hot bacon and egg breakfast on the run.

Bacon and Egg Loaf

6 eggs

3/4 c. milk

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1/2 c. diced orange pepper, sauteed

1/2 c. diced onion, sauteed

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 c. shredded Swiss cheese

1 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Beat eggs until foamy; add milk, flour, baking powder and salt, stirring until well blended.  Add bacon peppers, onions, and cheeses.  Mix well.  Bake in greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan at 350 °F for 55-60 minutes or until a wooded toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Bags of Flour

This weekend, during my weekly lab-hiatus, I spent some quality time with Mr. Peanut, by Adam Ross. While doing so, I came across a striking description:

"[David] went to the kitchen to get more coffee, fetch the paper from the front door, and boil himself an egg, thinking over the ruffling water that his life was only a history of such mornings, an ever-growing pile of eggs, the shells by now filling up the kitchen, spilling out into other rooms." 

flickr photo courtesy of sarowen 

Have you ever thought of the passage of time this way?

In terms of egg shells?  

How large would your pile be?  

Or maybe you would prefer a different object.  

soda cans?  

pencil shavings?  

junk-mail credit-card offers?

I fancy the thought of measuring with flour.  Last year, I went through about 16 five-pound bags of flour.  

Is that a lot?  

Maybe to some people.  But, I don't think so.  Not when I picture that mere 16-bag wall as the solitary barricade that stood between me and an ever-raging river of grad school disillusionment.   In fact, I think I probably need to stack another 16 bags on the wall this year.  I think a monsoon is coming...

52 Loaves To The Rescue

Growing up, we used to joke in my family about having terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.  Yesterday was one of those.  By noon, I had received three major blows and was left nursing my wounds in full-fledged self-pity.  Little did I realize, an unexpected gift was concurrently making its way across the country to brighten my mood...

The Jab
Thursday I received a that's-news-to-me-email about my teaching duties for the semester.  I hastily emailed my advisor to inquire about the matter.  Friday morning, I got his response: a four line indication that, yes, I would be teaching, and sorry that he didn't tell me himself, and point of fact, money is tight. 

Note the "Advisor Runs Out Of Funding" low.  Check out more PhD Comics here.

Don't get me wrong.  I don't dislike teaching.  But, getting a teaching assignment is like having someone blow a 20 hour hole out of your [required] 60 hour work week with a shotgun.  Trying to gather all of the shards of time left after the explosion (and make productive use of them) is a challenge.  The sad reality, is that teaching doesn't get me any closer to publishing noteworthy research in my field.  What it does get me is a classroom full of needy, whiny students who incessantly worry about their grades (and not about learning anything).

The Hook
Less than an hour later, when I shared my devastating news with a friend, I received a response about as sensitive as that given to Job by his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.  This resulted in a complete emotional meltdown on my part and a total loss of dignity as I fled the scene crying.  Although she called me later to apologize, the experience was still traumatic.

The Upper Cut
While sitting at my desk, trying to recompose myself, I unwittingly read, The Disposable Academic: Why doing a PhD is often a waste of time, an article published last month in The Economist.  I quote:

"Many of those who embark on a PhD are the smartest in their class and will have been the best at everything they have done. They will have amassed awards and prizes. As this year’s new crop of graduate students bounce into their research, few will be willing to accept that the system they are entering could be designed for the benefit of others, that even hard work and brilliance may well not be enough to succeed, and that they would be better off doing something else."

Awesome.

Thankfully, I managed to keep from flinging myself off a bridge in my moment of despair.  But, my spirits were pretty low when I got home from work.

That's when I saw it:  a little, golden yellow book on my kitchen table.

"52 Loaves: One man's Relentless Pursuit of Truth, Meaning, and a Perfect Crust", by William Alexander. 

I asked Flourboy if he had purchased it.  He said no.  He thought I did.  I said no.  We looked at each other then, in a prolonged moment of curious confusion.  Where had the book come from? 

Then it hit me in a moment of fantastical delight!  This was an act of Covert Gifting!

There is nothing quite so refreshing as an unexpected kind gesture, from someone that you deeply respect and admire, on a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day, that affirms a pursuit that gives you real joy and satisfaction.

Thanks Jill, I can't wait to start reading!

Crust and Crumb Yeasted Rye

With the new year upon us, I thought I'd kick things off with this tasty Rye bread recipe.  It's a little bit more involved than some recipes that I've posted (since you have to make a sponge), but it doesn't require a starter.  Feel free to add in Caraway seeds if you like.

Yeasted Rye
from Crust and Crumb by Peter Reinhart

Sponge:
1 c. (4.5 oz) unbleached bread flour
1 c. (4.5 oz) coarse rye flour
1 tsp. (0.11 oz) instant yeast
1 c. cool water

Dough:
Rye sponge (from above, use all)
2 c. (9 oz) unbleached bread flour
1 Tbsp. (0.5 oz) brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp. (0.33 oz) salt
1/2 tsp. (0.06 oz) yeast
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1/4 c. (2 oz) buttermilk

Combine the sponge ingredients to form a thick paste.  Cover the sponge with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature for 4 hours.  The sponge will rise and fall within this time.  Next, mix the sponge with the other dough ingredients.  Knead by hand for about 10 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 60-90 minutes.  Shape the dough into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan.  Cover again and let rise for 60-90 minutes.  When nearly doubled in bulk, place in an oven preheated to 350 °F.  Bake 45-50 minutes.  Remove bread from the pan and cool on a cooling rack for 90 minutes before slicing.

Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe that the year 2010 has already come and gone.  But, ready or not, 2011 is now upon us! I don't know about you, but I always appreciate the start of a new year.  Do you find yourself reinvigorated with fresh resolve to become the person that you've always wanted to be?  Let me be one of the first to encourage you: 

Flickr Photo courtesy of Tim Solley

Most people probably aren't resolving to do more bread baking in the new year.  But really, why not?  Even if you are trying to take off some extra weight, you're probably not going to stop eating bread altogether.  (And, point of fact, the unpronounceable additives in your store-bought loaf probably don't make it any healthier for you.)  Here are my top 10 reasons to put on your baking mitts in the new year: 

1) Baking is an inexpensive, fun, creative hobby
2) Baking bread is healthier than baking cake & cookies
3) Kneading dough provides stress relief
4) You can make hearty, healthy, whole grain bread
5) You can also make vegan & gluten free bread
6) And occasionally...cinnamon rolls
7) Fresh toast with butter and jam
8) Your peers will be impressed (especially if you share)
9) Homemade bread makes a great gift
10) Bread smells AMAZING while it's baking

So why not give it a try?  It's not as hard as you might think!

Happy New Year!