Category Archives: BREAD, ROLL, AND MUFFIN RECIPES

CROCCANTINI CRACKERS WITH FRESH ROSEMARY

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And yes, this is a knock off of La Panzanella’s amazing Rosemary Croccantini. I found the recipe (or the bones of the recipe) on The Fresh Loaf web site. (Great site BTW.) And if truth be told, I’m not going to make a habit of preparing these homemade crackers each time I need a base for a yummy spread. I’m not crazy after all! But for those times when I want to play gourmet and impress the pickles out of a small group of people, myself included, I’m going to continue baking a batch of these little darlings whenever a get a wild hair. And truly, they are very easy to build and don’t take that much time. But sticking my hands and head in and out of a 450 degree oven is not something I care to do on an everyday basis!

So now that I have convinced you that these crackers are somewhat of a bother, let me tell you why I am going to continue making them, if only for special occasions. And why you should try them at your earliest convenience. THEY ARE JUST FREAKING DELICIOUS. In my opinion, they are even better than their prototype. Not kidding here folks. Fresh out of the oven they are light, crisp, and don’t break into a million pieces at the mere suggestion of using them as the base for a spread. They are simply perfect crackers.

Plus, if you are the kind of person who enjoys speculating on how much money you save by baking your own breads, desserts, etc., like I do, you are going to love this recipe all the more. Just glance down at the list of ingredients; then think about how much an 8 ounce package of this type of cracker costs at the grocery store. (And yes I know you can buy them for a reduced price at Costco, but not everyone has a Costco within walking distance!) But of course, as our dear friend Jim so lovingly pointed out last evening at our cooking club dinner party, you still have to consider the cost of running your oven etc. if you are going to perform an accurate analysis of the cost savings. (Not going to do that, just telling you straight!) But I’m still willing to bet a month’s wages (like I still receive wages being retired and all) that the savings is in the vicinity of 85-90%.

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(Our cooking club sitting down for yet another wonderful meal together.)

So considering the cost savings, the fact that these crackers are really quite easy to build, and that the final product is amazing, I advise you to put on your welding smock (just kidding) and get cracking, or should I say – get crackering!

  • 1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. course sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1-2 T. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried rosemary
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ c. very cold water

Place a baking stone* on a rack set in the middle of your oven. Place an empty pan (like an 8×8-inch metal cake pan) on the lower rack and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Meanwhile, place the flour, salt, and rosemary in the bowl of your food processor fitted with the cutting blade; pulse to blend the ingredients. Add the olive oil and pulse again. Add the cold water in a thin stream until the dough comes together; process for about 20 seconds. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface (I use a pastry cloth) and knead to a smooth ball. Divide into four equal sized portions and cover with a towel; let rest 5 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll each quarter of dough out until the dough is paper thin. (Make sure you have plenty of flour on the rolling surface and also on your rolling pin. The dough is quite sticky.) Pierce the dough liberally with a table fork to help prevent bubbles forming during the baking process; cut the rolled dough into workable sized pieces.

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Cover a one sided baking sheet (see picture below) with parchment paper and place the dough pieces on the paper. Sprinkle lightly with course sea salt.

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When ready to start baking, add about ½ cup water to the pan in the bottom of the oven. Slide the crackers, using the cookie sheet in much the same way you would use a pizza paddle, onto the baking stone, parchment paper and all.

Set your timer and flip the crackers (I use my fingers) after about 3 minutes. Bake another 3 minutes or until the crackers start to show a hint of brown. (You truly need to watch the crackers very carefully throughout the entire baking process.) Then using the same technique you used to slide the parchment paper onto the baking stone; reverse the process. Slide the cookie sheet under the first inch or so of parchment paper and pull the paper onto the cookie sheet. (You can use your fingers for this step because the paper is not hot. Just don’t touch the baking stone.)

When out of the oven, cool the crackers on wire racks. Repeat the process for the next 3 pieces of dough including cutting new parchment paper for each batch.

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Please note: Some crackers may be slightly limp when taken out of the oven, but will crisp up as they cool. If a couple don’t seem to be crisping properly, place them back in the turned off oven and they will dry out in about 5 minutes from the residual heat.

Cool crackers completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.

Serving suggestion: try using these crackers as a base for the next recipe I’m going to post – Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Creamy Horseradish Spread.

*If you don’t own a baking stone, just use the baking sheet. You might need to increase the baking time a bit for both sides. Watch closely.

CRUSTY SOURDOUGH RYE BREAD

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I have been building bread for almost 50 years now. So I thought I knew quite a bit about bread baking. That is until we spent a weekend recently with our good friends Jim and Margo at our mutual good friends amazing Quillayute River Resort in Forks, Washington. Mr. C and I had been to visit Chip and Linda’s resort several times before, but we had never experienced one of Chip’s loaves of bread before this recent weekend. Talk about a humbling experience! Now that man knows how to bake bread! Plus he knows all the right words for each step along the path to the perfect loaf. Was I intimidated? You bet your levain I was intimidated. But I got over it when I decided to relax and learn from the master. (BTW – levain is a substance used to produce fermentation in bread dough.) Who knew? (See below for the names of several bread loaf shapes we see routinely in good bakeries and high end grocery stores. Bread lesson number 1.)

Anyway, in my opinion Chip has the knowledge, recipes and the right paraphernalia needed to be considered a true artisan baker. And by golly, I learned some wonderful techniques and terms from him that I am going to share with you, along, of course, with a great recipe for a Sourdough Multigrain Bread. But first, I am going to give you this wonderful recipe for my sourdough rye bread. (I’m still working on putting Chip’s recipe into layman’s terms so that those of us who have yet to achieve artisan status can actually build a loaf!) But back to my recipe.

I have been making this rye bread now for about 10 years and it has never let me down. It’s easy, delicious, and doesn’t have too overpowering a rye flavor; making it a perfect accompaniment to almost any kind of food.

So get out your yeast and bread flour and build your family and friends a treat. Just don’t forget to have plenty of room temperature unsalted butter on hand. Only someone with the discipline of an Olympic athlete can resist butter on their homemade bread. Just saying’!

  • 1 c. sourdough starter (recipe given below)
  • 1½ c. rye flour
  • 1¼ c. warm water, divided
  • 2 tsp. active dry yeast
  • 1 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1¾ c. unbleached all-purpose bread flour, or more as needed
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 T. sugar

Combine starter, rye flour, and one cup of the water in the bowl of your stand mixer; stir to blend. (If you prefer an extra-sour flavor, cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for 6-24 hours. I usually let mine sit for about 8 hours or until the mixture becomes bubbly, sour, and kind of boozy smelling.)

When ready to continue, combine the yeast and remaining ¼ cup warm water in small bowl; let stand about 5 minutes until foamy. Stir into the sourdough mixture; add the whole-wheat flour, 1½ cups of the bread flour, salt, and sugar. Using your dough hook, mix until dough comes together. Knead 5-6 minutes until dough is smooth and springy. Add more bread flour, a tablespoon or two at a time during the kneading process as necessary to reduce excess stickiness. But don’t add too much flour. You want a fairly soft dough.

Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1-1½ hours or until doubled. Punch down and knead a few times to release air; shape into 1 round loaf (boule) and place on a piece of parchment paper. Dust with flour and gently lower parchment paper and loaf into a bowl or basket. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise about 30 minutes or until almost doubled.

Meanwhile place the lid and the bottom of a clay baker* (cloche) in your oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. When the dough is ready, remove the clay baker and lid from the oven and carefully place the parchment paper and loaf on the bottom portion of the cloche. Cut a large shallow X on the top of the loaf using a serrated knife. Then carefully cover the bread with the hot lid.

Place in the pre-heated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, remove the lid, reduce heat to 400 degrees and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. (You can take the breads temperature by carefully sticking an instant read thermometer into the bottom of the loaf. It should read between 200 and 205 degrees when the bread is fully baked.)

When the bread comes out of the oven, transfer it to a cooling rack for at least 2 hours before cutting. Actually, if you can wait, don’t eat the bread until the next day. (Asking a lot, I know!) It takes time for the texture and flavor to develop. (And no, I don’t know why!)

*A wonderful alternative to a clay baker is a heavy covered casserole like a size 28 Le Creuset Cast Iron Round Dutch Oven. Follow the same instructions when using cast iron as given in the preceding paragraph when using a cloche, including pre-heating the cast iron pan.

If you have neither a cloche or a cast iron pan, place the dough, after you have shaped it into a round, on a corn meal sprinkled baking stone or baking sheet and follow remaining instructions as written. Bake at 425 degrees for 9 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for another 30-35 minutes or until the loaf is brown and sounds hollow when tapped with your fingers.

Please note: If you want to use this bread for sandwiches, and BTW, it does make a mean Rueben sandwich, divide dough in half and place in two greased loaf pans, follow the rest of the instructions as written, and bake at 425 degrees for 9 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for another 25-35 minutes or until the loaves are brown and sound hollow when tapped with your fingers.

Basic Sourdough Starter Recipe:

  • 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 T. sugar
  • 1 T. active dry yeast
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 C. warm water

Combine all ingredients in a plastic juice pitcher using a wooden or plastic spoon. (Don’t worry about lumps because the little yeasty beasties will make short work of dissolving the lumps!) Cover with lid, turning strainer in lid to pouring lip. (This allows air to reach the starter.) Let ferment 2 to 3 days at room temperature, stirring several times daily. After the third day, transfer starter to a covered glass container and refrigerate.

To use, remove desired amount for recipe and replenish starter by stirring in equal amounts of flour and water or follow the instructions for the particular bread you are making. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Return to refrigerator.

If a clear liquid forms on top, stir back into starter. Every time you use, replenish with equal amounts of flour and water. Even if you don’t use every week, replenish every 7 – 10 days with equal amounts flour and water. Use in any of your favorite bread, muffin, or pancake recipes.

Bread Shape Names:

Large round loaf – Boule

Small round loaf – Boulette

Long rounded loaf – Baguette

Baguette shaped loaf, but a little shorter – Baton

Smaller version of a baguette; the length may be the same, but the diameter and weight of the bread is about half that of a baguette – Ficelle

Fat, log-shaped loaf with tapered ends (think torpedo shaped) – Bâtard or Vienna

 

OVERNIGHT SOFT HERB ROLLS

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I love homemade bread straight out of the oven. Who doesn’t, right? So when I can build bread dough and shape it one day and bake it off the next, I call that a jolly good thing! And when the bread tastes as good as my slightly modified version of Bradley Ogden’s recipe for herb rolls that I found in Sunset Magazine a few years back, I am just one happy camper. You see, I am a proponent of doing as much prep work ahead of time as possible. And this bread, which truly benefits from some down time in the refrigerator, fits my style perfectly. Because you see, I consider myself a fairly good practitioner of the ancient French art of mise en place. (In fact, if they gave out belts in mise en place the way they do in karate I’m sure I would be at least a red belt!)

Now I know at least some of you are wondering what the heck I am talking about. And even though you may not know the term mise en place, many of you are already experts in the field. All mise en place means is that you have all your ingredients prepared and ready to go before you start to cook. And because I entertain large groups of people on a regular basis, I take the concept one step further. I prepare as many dishes and do as much prep work as possible before the day of the dinner party. (And yes, some would say I’m just lazy and don’t want to get up at o-dark-thirty on the day of the gathering. Well of course, that is absolutely true! But I prefer to think of all my hard “pre-day of party work” as the logical and intelligent way to help prevent a fiasco!)

So if you too would like to exude a fascinating aura of mystique at your next dinner party, do as much kitchen work as possible ahead of time. And these delicious rolls should help you with that mission. Then when your guests arrive, greet them at the door as if they were entering a 5 star restaurant, with you being the executive chef. After all, that’s what you are! (Of course you’re probably also the prep chef and the soux chef, but you don’t have to go into that with your guests.)

  • ¼ c. slightly warm water
  • 1 T. or 1 pkg. active dry yeast
  • 2 T. sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 T. minced Italian parsley
  • 1 T. minced fresh dill
  • 1 T. minced fresh chives
  • 1 T. minced fresh rosemary
  • 2 T. soft unsalted butter
  • 2 lg. eggs, divided
  • 1 c. half-and-half
  • 3½ c. un-bleached all-purpose flour or more as kneaded (sorry, couldn’t resist!)
  • coarse salt for sprinkling (I use course kosher salt)

In the bowl of your mixer combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until the yeast starts to foam. Add the 1 teaspoon salt, herbs, butter, one of the eggs, half-and-half, and most of the flour. Knead dough on medium speed, adding more flour as necessary until the dough is smooth and soft, but no longer sticky to the touch. Shape into 24 small balls and place in a well greased 9×13-inch pan.

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Cover with plastic wrap (do not let rise) and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator about 2 hours before you want to bake the rolls. Replace the plastic wrap with a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft free place.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the remaining egg and brush the rolls evenly just before sprinkling lightly with coarse salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a lovely golden brown. Serve the rolls hot, warm, or at room temperature. Best served the day they are baked.

 

 

 

DRIED CRANBERRY AND ALMOND BRAIDED DANISH

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I love to bake bread, especially specialty breads. And this lovely braided creation is no exception. Even the precarious step of transferring the 2 lengths of cut dough to the baking pan is my kind of fun. (And yes, I know I have a warped sense of what’s actually “fun”!) It’s just that it is such an exciting challenge to see if I can actually perform this task when it appears that the bread is just aching for the chance to jump out of my hands and land “jelly side down” on the floor. But I was given some advice, maybe the most important advice I ever received regarding working with food, from a cake decorating instructor I had many years ago. (I’ll tell you why I took the class after I finish telling you about my instructors’ sage advice. Don’t let me forget.)

Anyway, she said, and I quote (not quite verbatim of course because it was 30 plus years ago) – “always remember, you are a human being and have a brain; whatever ingredient or ingredients you are working with are inert and if they ever had even the tiniest of brains, like a pig or a chicken, it’s gone by the time you get it under your fingers. Therefore fear not, You Are in Charge!”

OK, so maybe those weren’t even close to the words my instructor used. She only informed us that any boo-boo made while building a wedding cake can be fixed by the judicious use of frosting. I just naturally took it to the next logical level. And I have kept it at that level ever since.

Food ingredients are inanimate. They can’t fight back, and even though it might feel like an ingredient or group of ingredients is being extremely recalcitrant, I’ve learned to not take it personally. I just get even. I wrestle the ingredient(s) until I have it or them under my thumb. (You too are welcome to adopt my very practical approach to working with food.) So where was I? Oh yes. Why I took a cake decorating class.

Our extended family decided we would cater the appetizer and cake reception for our good friend Jim’s wedding to Margo, the girl of his dreams (and ours too if truth be told). Fixing the appetizers was no problem. We had all been fixing party food for years. However, none of us had ever baked, let alone decorated a wedding cake. So my good friend Dodie and I decided to take a class. We did, we did, and the food was. We did take a class, we did bake 2 wedding cakes, and all the food including the cake was a success. Now I know you are asking yourself what all this has to do with a braided Danish? It has nothing to do with a Danish per se, but in practicality, it’s my way of reminding you not to be afraid of any recipe just because it might look a bit intimidating. And I have to admit, braiding this bread is a bit of a pain. But so what? Paying taxes or going to the dentist is no walk in the park either. Just think of it as an adventure and know that the rewards will be ever so worth the effort.

So next time you need a beautiful breakfast bread, give this recipe a go. Just put on your best “Atilla the Hun” persona, and manhandle the dough like you have been building this bread since you were 14 years old. You are in charge! Power to the people!

Bread Dough:

  • 1 scant T. or 1 pkg. active dry yeast
  • ¼ c. warm water
  • ½ c. warm milk
  • 3 T. sugar
  • 4 T. (½ stick) un-salted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 3½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour (more or less)
  • canola oil

Cranberry-Almond Filling:

  • ¾ c. dried cranberries or cherries
  • 1/3 c. brandy
  • 6 T. butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¾ c. finely chopped almonds
  • 3 T. sugar
  • 1 tsp. almond extract

Powdered Sugar Glaze:

  • 1 c. powdered sugar
  • 2 T. brandy (use the leftover brandy from re-hydrating the dried cranberries or cherries)

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it proof for about 5 minutes. Add the milk, sugar, butter, salt, cardamom, and eggs. Stir to mix. Add three cups of the flour, one cup at a time. Beat for 2 minutes after each addition. Add enough remaining flour, a small amount at a time, until you have a soft dough. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add more flour if needed to prevent sticking. Pour a little oil over the dough and roll up into a ball with your hands, making certain the dough is completely covered with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours. Meanwhile prepare the filling.

Place the dried cranberries and brandy in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir the cranberries and let them cool. Drain the dried fruit reserving the liquid to use in the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the drained fruit, butter, flour, almonds, sugar, and almond extract. Set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and place it on a lightly floured board, kneading just enough to release any air bubbles. Roll the dough into a 9×30-inch rectangle. Crumble the filling over the dough to within 1-inch of the edges.

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Starting on a long side, tightly roll up the dough, (just like for cinnamon rolls) pinching together to seal. With a sharp knife, cut roll in half lengthwise. Carefully transfer each half (cut side up) to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Loosely twist the halves around each other, keeping cut sides up.

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(And you’re right, not an easy step.) Shape into a round, pinching the ends together to seal. Let it rise, uncovered, in a warm place for about 45 minutes.

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Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. While the bread is baking, whisk together the powdered sugar and reserved brandy and set aside.

When the bread is done baking, remove it to a rack to cool, pan and all. Let it sit for a few minutes then drizzle the glaze over the warm bread. Allow to cool completely before serving. Best served the day prepared. Based on a recipe on the kitchn.com website.

Note:For Christmas, decorate with red and green candied cherries and holly.

 

ROTOLO AL FORNO (MEAT AND CHEESE ROLLED SANDWICH)

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(The Rotolo al Forno is in the foreground, just to the left of the deviled eggs.)

This is one of those recipes that is easy to prepare and sure to please. It is simply a wonderful combination of soft white bread, tangy mustard, tasty deli meat, and 2 kinds of cheese. Sounds just like a sandwich, right? Well it should, because that’s exactly what it is. Except for the fact that it’s kind of fancy and looks divine on a table, Rotolo al Forno is just your basic meat and cheese sandwich presented in a gussied up form. (Love that word – “gussied”.) Anyway, it’s lovely to behold and even lovelier to consume.

I first had this appetizer/sandwich/main dish many years ago when my friend Julie made it for a dinner gathering she and her husband Joe were hosting. At the time, most of our friends had small children, good jobs or were starting new businesses, but no what you would call “disposable income”. We were all just able to pay our mortgages, feed and clothe our children (if we had them), go camping in the summer, and afford box wine or Coors beer for occasions with our buddies. (This was the 70s folks, so cut us some slack on the box wine and Coors beer!) Where was I? Oh yes – so for all of us, this much meat and cheese in one dish was considered if not gourmet, pretty swell and elegant.

And that was Julies’ forte. She loved to try new recipes and the more labor intensive the better. So those of us who were her friends got to experience all kinds of new and amazing taste adventures. She was a true gourmet and taught me a lot about fine cuisine. Julie and Joe are now both deceased, but their friendship lingers on in our memories of fun get-togethers, fabulous New Year’s Eve parties and new and exciting dishes. This may not be an exciting dish, but it is never-the-less delicious. Try it the next time you have guests coming for lunch or you need a hearty appetizer. Just don’t forget to lift a glass to Julie. I’m sure from heaven she will lift a glass right back at you. Cheers everyone.

  • 1 loaf frozen white bread dough
  • Dijon mustard
  • ¼ lb. thinly sliced deli salami
  • ¼ lb. deli pastrami, thinly sliced
  • ¼ lb. deli ham, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 lb. thinly sliced Swiss cheese
  • 1/3 lb. thinly sliced Provolone cheese
  • 1 beaten egg yolk

Thaw bread and let rise one hour. Punch down and roll out to approximately a 12×16-inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush, spread a very thin layer of Dijon mustard over the bread dough. Layer with meat and cheese and roll up like a jelly roll. Pinch the seam together and place, seam side down, on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Brush with egg yolk. Let sit uncovered for 30 minutes. Bake the bread in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is a dark golden brown.

Remove from oven and let sit for about 25 minutes before cutting into 1-inch slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: If you are going to bake the roll ahead of time, let the bread cool completely before you cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, slice, plate, and warm for a few seconds in microwave.

 

GARLIC TOAST

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OK, I know, almost everyone knows how to make garlic toast. But if you happen to be in the .04% of the population who doesn’t know how to make a truly wonderful garlic toast, I am going to help you out right now!

There are actually few things better than a crunchy, chewy, and totally butter infused with garlic piece of bread to accompany an entrée. Granted, garlic toast wouldn’t go well with Mexican or Chinese dishes, but Italian or French food – c’est magnifique! And even for breakfast with a side of eggs and bacon, garlic toast is a winner.

So next time you prepare an Italian or French feast, or just want to make your family and friends totally happy at dinner time, bake up a batch of this toast. It’s ever so easy and ever so much better than the prepared garlic bread loaves that you can buy at your local grocery store. There simply is no substitute for the real thing. And this is the real thing! Vampires beware!

  • 4 T. unsalted butter (½ stick), room temperature
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ of a crusty Italian or French baguette, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into serving size pieces

Place the butter, garlic, parsley, and salt in a small bowl and mix with a table fork until well blended. Place the bread on a baking sheet, crust side down. Spread the butter mixture evenly over all of the pieces. Bake the bread in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the top is a nice golden brown. And of course, doubling or tripling, etc. is easy peasy.

SOFT FRENCH BAGUETTES

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As everyone knows, bread is the staff of life. And no group of people are in touch with their inner “must have bread” like the French. One of the best things about visiting France is watching people go about their business snacking on big old chunks of freshly baked baguettes. They rip off a piece and somehow manage to get at least the majority of the bread in their mouths. They carry the baguettes in bags, back packs, the little baskets on the front of their bicycles, anywhere their hands can reach with the least amount of effort. It’s amazing to watch how contorted their bodies can become when their mission is to eat the bread and maneuver through traffic at the same time. Boggles my mind, I’ll tell you that! And because of that, French bread has a special place in my heart. (Well that, and the fact that I am a sucker for good bread!)

This recipe, unlike most of the baguettes you see being consumed on the run, (so to speak), produces a soft and tender loaf of bread. The crust and crumb (inner portion) are both soft, with just enough “chew” to be interesting. And the preparation could not be easier or the final result more delicious. (And I know I have already given you plenty of recipes for bread. But buying good bread is just ridiculously expensive. And when you consider that basic bread is just yeast, water, sometimes a little something sweet to encourage the yeast, salt, and flour; well highway robbery immediately springs to mind!)

So I’m not going to bug you this posting about baking your own bread. I’m just going to remind you that there are no preservatives in home baked bread. There isn’t too much salt or sugar. And, it only costs pennies to produce. (That’s as close as I can come to “not bugging” you. And yes, it was very hard to show even that much restraint. But then, I’m not your mother! Or if I am, please let me take this opportunity to tell you once again how much your mamma loves you.)

  • 1½ c. warm water
  • 2 pkgs. or a scant 2 T. active dry yeast
  • 2 T. honey
  • 3½ to 4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • olive oil, for greasing the bowl
  • cornmeal, for baking pan

Combine the water, yeast, and honey in a large mixing bowl, preferably the bowl from your stand mixer. Let proof for about 5 minutes or until the mixture looks foamy. Add about half of the flour and the salt and mix until all of the flour is incorporated. Slowly add enough remaining flour to make a dough that is not too wet or sticky. Knead for about 4 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and pour a small amount of olive oil down the side of the bowl. Using your hands, lift the dough from the bottom of the bowl and coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let rest in a draft free area until doubled in size, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal and set aside.

After the dough has doubled in size, punch down and divide in half. Using your hands, form each half into an elongated, 12-14 inch loaf and place on the prepared pan. (To shape the dough, I hold the dough with one hand and using the other hand I squeeze the dough up and down its length until I have the desired size I need. Then I finesse it a bit once I have it on the pan. A little additional shaping here and there until it is roughly symmetrical.)

Once the baguettes are on the baking sheet, make diagonal cuts along the top at about 1-inch intervals. Cover the baguettes with the tea towel again, and let double in size. This takes about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place a pan of water on the bottom rack of your oven. Set the other rack in the middle of the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. When your bread has doubled for the second time, remove the towel and place the pan in the pre-heated oven. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the crusts are a lovely golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when you thump them with your knuckles. Allow to cool before they are devoured.

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

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There are just times when nothing will do but a biscuit. And I know, there is nothing wrong with toast, or muffins, or bagels – you name it. But sometimes, you need just that perfect vehicle for butter and honey or jam. And when that happens, there is no other bread type as perfect as a warm, straight from the oven, good old fashioned biscuit. And I’m not talking just for breakfast either.

The other evening I served a cold salad for a family dinner gathering and decided that biscuits would be just the perfect side. (I mean really, what do you serve as a side with a main dish salad?) Especially one like the Chicken and Wild Rice Salad on this blog that has the starch, meat, and all the veggies you can eat already represented. So I decided on biscuits. First of all, they’re easy. And they are just enough different to add a special quality to a meal. (Plus this recipe makes a lot of biscuits and I could serve them again for breakfast the next morning.) Luckily, they ended up being a nice side for the salad. And for breakfast, perfect with sausages and scrambled eggs.

So consider making biscuits the next time you want to change things up a bit at the dinner table. Your family and friends will love the soft texture and the depth of flavor imparted from the buttermilk. And I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful these biscuits are for breakfast all smothered with room temperature butter and jam. So be advised. If you serve your friends biscuits for dinner and they see that some are left, your friends might still be around in the morning. Make a note: Buy extra eggs when serving biscuits for dinner!

  • ½ c. lukewarm water
  • 1 pkg. active dry yeast or 1 scant tablespoon if you buy your yeast in bulk
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 5 c. flour
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 T. baking powder
  • ¾ c. vegetable shortening
  • 2 c. buttermilk

Place warm water in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle on the yeast and sugar. Set aside to proof. Meanwhile whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. (I use my KitchenAid mixer bowl.) Cut the shortening into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the yeast mixture and the buttermilk and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix.

Scoop dough onto a floured pastry cloth or a floured clean work surface. Allow dough to rest for about 10 minutes. Dust top with additional flour. Using your hands pat the dough to about ¾-inch. Cut into round or square biscuits as large or as small as you desire. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and let sit while you heat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. (Since I have a convection option on my oven, I start the biscuits in a regular oven for 7 minutes and then turn on the convection option for the next 3-4 minutes or until a light golden brown.) Don’t over-bake. Serve warm with butter, honey, or jam.

Based on a Paula Deen recipe.

 

SOUR CREAM AND CHIVE CRESCENT ROLLS

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Whenever I make these rolls I think about my mother-in-law Betty. She loved these rolls, so whenever we had a family get-together, and I was assigned the bread duty, I would make these especially for her. Not that all the rest of us didn’t love them too, it’s just that she was especially fond of them.

When you think how easy it is to make someone feel loved simply by fixing one of their favorite dishes, it’s a shame we don’t take the time to do it more often.  It’s such a simple way to say “I love you”. For example, all I have to say to Mr. C. to see his face light up is “would you prefer something with pesto or Chicken Paprika for dinner?” He practically starts to purr at the mere mention of either of these two favorites.

That’s why I feel particularly sad for children who don’t grow up with parents that make an effort to cook tasty and healthy food; children for whom fast food is their primary source of sustenance.  Not only are they undoubtedly not receiving the nourishment their bodies require, they aren’t receiving the nourishment I personally feel their souls need too. (Is there anything more reassuring or comforting to a person of any age than good smells emanating from the kitchen?) I can still hear my kids’ voices when they would ask me what was for dinner and I would answer with the name of one of their favorites. There would always be loud happy exclamations that for me were worth all the effort I had expended and more!

So next time you are thinking about what to fix for dinner, pick a dish that you know is one of your family’s favorite. The same thing goes for your elderly relatives. Make dishes that you know are their favorites too. I would love to be able to make another batch of these for my mother-in-law, but I’m glad I made as many as I did while I still had the opportunity.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. The rolls are easy to make and perfect for holidays or dinner parties because the mixing is done the day before. Then roll them out, leave them alone for a couple of hours and pop them in the oven just before dinner. Pillsbury dough boy – eat your heart out!

  • ½ c. butter
  • 1 c. sour cream
  • ½ c. warm water
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 (.25-oz.) pkgs. or scant 2 T. active dry yeast
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 4 c. bread flour
  • ¼ c. chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in small saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream. Meanwhile, pour water into a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, salt, and yeast. When the sour cream mixture is lukewarm, add to the yeast mixture. Add the eggs, flour, and the chives. Knead for about 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Dough can be left in refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking.)

Divide dough into 4 parts. Knead and roll each piece into a 10-inch circle.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERACut circle into 8 pie-shaped wedges. Roll each piece from and wide end to the point.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAPlace on a lightly greased baking sheet pointy end down.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERACover with a light weight tea towel. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. (I start the rolls in a regular oven and then turn the oven to the convection setting about the last 5 minutes of baking! This produces a nicely browned roll.) Best served within a few hours of baking with room temperature butter.

CLASSIC ITALIAN BAGUETTE

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This recipe from King Arthur Flour takes about 20 hours from start to finish. OK, 99% of the time you are not on active duty, but I still think it only fair to let you know that this is definitely not a quick bread! But, boy oh boy is it good. I served it at one of our recent JazzVox pre-concert dinners, and all three baguettes were gone before I even had a chance to snag a piece. (I hate it when that happens, but love that my guests appreciate homemade bread.) I actually try to have some kind of homemade bread with every JazzVox meal I serve. First of all, people love homemade bread, and being the cheap frugal cook that I am, I like to save a buck or two where I can. And three really good baguettes from the store would cost me over $10, whereas I can bake 3 baguettes for about $1. (I will leave you to do the math!)

So the first time I made this bread, I knew I had a winner. I actually have several recipes for baguette style breads on this blog because every one of them is delicious in their own right. And even though I live in fear of being considered a nag, but going forward anyway, BREAD IS EASY TO MAKE!

So next time you have a dinner party, consider making homemade bread. Even, or maybe I should say especially people who are truly conscientious about what they put in their mouths are not going to be afraid of a piece of homemade bread, unless of course they are gluten intolerant, but that’s another story. Homemade bread has no preservatives or funny ingredients that most people can’t even pronounce much less want to consume.  And many recipes for baguette type breads contain no sugar, or if the recipe calls for any, a very small amount. (Usually just enough to start the yeasty beasties on their happy feeding frenzy!)

So if you are postponing bread making because you don’t think it will be well received, think again. Bread is the staff of life. Frankly, I don’t know anyone who can resist a piece of bread straight out of the oven. So get out your KitchenAid mixer or a large bowl, buy yourself some yeast and bread flour, and whip up a batch using either this lovely recipe or any of the other bread recipes on this blog.

For more information on making bread, please visit my Bread Baking 101 post.

Starter:

  • ½ c. room temperature water
  • 1/16 tsp. active dry yeast
  • 1 c. unbleached bread flour  

Dough:

  • 1 c. + 2 T. lukewarm water
  • 1 tsp. active dry yeast
  • all of the starter
  • about 3½ c. unbleached bread flour
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • extra virgin olive oil

Starter instructions:

Mix the yeast and water together. Stir in the flour. Cover and let rest at room temperature for about 14 hours. (Overnight works great.) After the 14 hours the “starter” should have risen a bit and appear “bubbly”.

Dough instructions:

Pour lukewarm water into a large prep bowl or into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle on the yeast. Let sit for a couple of minutes. Add all the starter, 3 cups of the flour, and the salt. Mix and knead everything together by hand or with your stand mixer for about 5 minutes adding additional flour as needed  to achieved a soft, smooth dough. Pour a little bit of olive oil on top of the dough, and using your hands, roll the dough into a ball with all sides very lightly greased with the oil. (Your hands should be nicely greased also!) Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise for 3 hours, gently deflating it and turning it over after 1 hour, and then again after 2 hours.

Ever so lightly grease a large baking sheet with olive oil. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and shape each piece into a rough, slightly flattened oval and place on the baking sheet. Cover with either greased plastic wrap or a piece of parchment paper. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, fold the dough in half lengthwise, and seal the edges with the heel of your hand. Flatten it slightly, and fold and seal again. With the seam-side down, cup your fingers and gently roll the dough into a 15-inch log. Place the logs seam-side down on your baking pan. Repeat with the other two pieces. (Try to keep the baguette dough pieces evenly spaced on the pan.) Cover them again and allow the loaves to rise till they’ve become very puffy, about 1½ hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Using a very sharp knife held at about a 45° angle, make three 8″ vertical slashes in each baguette. Spray the baguettes very lightly with cooking spray. (I use olive oil spray.) Bake the baguettes until they are a very deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.