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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.