Category Archives: Breads

Gooey Pumpkin Nut Cinnamon Rolls

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MiscNov 021I promise this is my very last pumpkin-related recipe for the season. Honest! I wasn’t going to open another can of pumpkin until it was time to make pies for Thanksgiving, but the thought of a pumpkin filled cinnamon roll got into my head and wouldn’t leave…and I’m glad I paid attention, because these are so good!

Nothing compares to the fragrance of cinnamon rolls warm from the oven. Except, perhaps, cinnamon rolls with a spicy pumpkin-walnut filling. Add a vanilla glaze dripping down the side, and you have a pastry worthy of company―or an afternoon indulgence for a busy day.

They also freeze well and can be quickly microwaved for an impromptu snack. The recipe makes 20-24 rolls (depending on what kind of pan you plan to use) and just for the record I want you to know I had ONE of them. And then they were gone. So you got the two-thumbs-up seal of approval from my menfolk.

Here you go:


Gooey Pumpkin Nut Cinnamon Rolls
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Makes 20-24 rolls.
Ingredients
  • Dough
  • ⅓ cup warm water
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1½ cups buttermilk
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1¼ teaspoon salt
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • .............
  • Filling
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soft butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • .............
  • Glaze
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon soft butter
  • Cream or milk for desired consistency
Instructions
  1. Lightly grease two or three round cake pans or one 12-inch by 18-inch rectangular pan. Feel free to improvise―rolls spaced closely together will rise higher, and rolls placed farther apart in a rectangular pan will be more uniform.
  2. In a large bowl combine water, yeast, and ½ teaspoon sugar. Let the mixture sit until bubbly – about 5 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, ⅓ cup sugar, melted butter, eggs and salt. Whisk together.
  4. Add the buttermilk mixture to the yeast mixture and mix until combined.
  5. Add the flour slowly. (If using a stand mixer, use your dough hook.) Mix for one minute. If you will be kneading by hand, put dough on a floured surface and knead for 8 minutes. If you are using a stand mixer, it will take 5 minutes. The dough should come cleanly away from the bowl. If it doesn’t, add flour a little at a time. This should be soft, elastic dough, but should not be sticky.
  6. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double – about an hour.
  7. While the bread is rising, combine all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  8. When the dough has doubled, punch it down. Working with half of the dough at a time, roll into a 10-inch by 14-inch rectangle, with the long edge facing you. Spread with half of the filling.
  9. Beginning at the long edge facing you, roll the dough, gently pulling towards you as you roll, to keep it snug. Slice into 12 pieces. (If using just two round cake pans, slice into 10 pieces) Repeat with the remaining dough.
  10. Place pieces in greased pan. If using 3 round pans, arrange 8 slices in each. If using 2 round pans, arrange 10 slices in each. For a large rectangular pan, space all 24 slices evenly. Cover and allow rolls to rise for about an hour.
  11. Heat oven to 400 F.
  12. Bake rolls for 17-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  13. Cool in the pans on a rack until they are slightly warm, and transfer to a serving platter.
  14. When the rolls are cool, combine all of the ingredients for the glaze, beginning with 1 tablespoon of cream or milk, and mix well. Add additional milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Pour or brush over the rolls.
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Rolls are in the pan, ready to rise.

Rolls are in the pan, ready to rise.

Pretty! Poofy! Ready for the oven.

Pretty! Poofy! Ready for the oven.

And...done! Can you smell them?

And…done! Can you smell them?

MiscNov 023Now on to eggnog and peppermint and chocolate and caramel and rum and….well, you get the picture.  I hear those sleigh bells ringing!

Hearty French Bread

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MiscNov 054A tender bread with a crispy-crackly crust, french bread is one of my favorite breads to bake. It’s very simple to make, as long as you’re not in a big hurry. It rises twice before you form the loaves, so although you spend less than a half hour of actual prep time (if you’re using a stand mixer), you’re committed to hanging around for nearly four hours, total.

This is almost identical to my french roll recipe. I just replaced one cup of white flour with one cup of whole wheat flour and dropped the baking temperature just a little, and of course shaped the dough differently.

The trick to getting a nice crust on the loaves is steam. I put a big lasagna pan of water on the bottom rack of my oven and start it preheating while the loaves are rising. This fills the oven with steam, and then the loaves are carefully  put in the oven to bake. From experience I can tell you to wear an oven mitt and don’t get your face close to the oven door when you open it up. That steam is HOT!

 

Hearty French Bread
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Ingredients
  • 2½ cups warm water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 5 cups white bread flour (regular is okay, too)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Cornmeal
Instructions
  1. In a large mixirollng bowl, stir sugar into warm water and then stir in the yeast. Let sit until bubbly (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add whole wheat flour, 4 cups of white flour and the salt. Beat with electric mixer, using paddles, for 5 minutes.
  3. If you prefer to knead by hand, put the remaining cup of flour on the board and knead for 7-8 minutes. If you have a sturdy stand mixer and prefer to let the machine do the hard work, switch to your dough hook, add the remaining cup of flour, and let it knead for 5 minutes. Your finished dough should be smooth and elastic. If it isn't coming cleanly away from the side of the bowl, add a little more flour.
  4. Place the dough into a large greased bowl. Turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled. Depending on room temperature, this could take anywhere from 1-3 hours. (A slow rise makes more flavorful bread, so don't rush it!)
  5. Punch down the dough, turn it over, and let it rise again until doubled, about 1½ hours.
  6. Punch down the dough and divide into two pieces.
  7. Sprinkle cornmeal generously on a large baking sheet.
  8. Shape each piece into a long slender loaf, and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover lightly with a clean dishtowel and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
  9. While the loaves are rising, place a large pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven, and preheat to 425 F.
  10. When the loaves have risen, dust them with flour and, with a very sharp knife or razor blade, cut ¼" deep diagonal slashes along the top of the loaves.
  11. Carefully (it will be HOT) open the oven door and quickly put the loaves in, trying to let as little steam escape as possible.
  12. Bake until rich brown, about 35 minutes, and cool on a rack. Listen to them crackle!
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French bread is luscious when it’s warm and fresh, but goes stale fairly quickly. It rarely has the opportunity to get stale at my house, but If this happens I just make french toast, garlic bread, or croutons!

Bread doesn’t get more basic and satisfying than this, and sometimes that’s just what we all need.MiscNov 055

Pumpkin Sandwich Bread

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IMG_9657Hmmmm. That’s a terrible name for this bread, isn’t it? I mean, it makes me wonder who would eat a pumpkin sandwich! But if I just say “Pumpkin Bread”, people will scroll past my post because everyone has a recipe for sweet pumpkin bread, right?

So, to be specific, this is a yeast bread that is only slightly sweet, and is perfect for sandwiches or toast. It is soft and tender and slices like a dream. I’m super-excited about this recipe and pleased to pass it along to you! It makes three large loaves of bread or two loaves and eighteen rolls. Think THANKSGIVING, folks! These rolls would be a big hit.
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My garden was less than cooperative this year. We got loads of potatoes, green beans, peas, and tomatoes, but almost no squash. Usually I have a wheelbarrow full of squash and sugar pumpkins, but this year I got two pumpkins that were the size of my boobs Satsumas, so I had to resort to canned pumpkin. Oh well, it’s lots less work and certainly convenient, though with all the pumpkin recipe ideas I have floating around in my head I’d probably better buy it by the case.

Pumpkin fever is a common malady among foodie bloggers. My first thought goes to sweets, of course: pumpkin cookies, fudge, muffins, sweet rolls, cakes. For grins I’ve been making myself think of non-sugary options, with some interesting results.

That’s the problem with being OCD. If I think of a new idea, it must be tried. That’s why the chickens get fed so many goodies from the kitchen! Last night I was making homemade egg noodles for a chicken soup (no, not MY chickens, thank you very much) and was compelled to add pumpkin to the noodle mixture. That was a winning idea and the guys gobbled them up with gusto, which tickled me; I love sneaking vegetables into food undetected.

Pumpkin Rolls - perfect for Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Rolls – perfect for Thanksgiving!

We ate the pumpkin rolls with the soup, and between the three of us made a serious dent in eighteen dinner rolls. Even if you’re a yeastophobe (and yes, Baking In a Tornado I mean you) you really should give this recipe a try. It’s not that hard, honest!

Pumpkin Sandwich Bread
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A beautiful light orange bread that slices beautifully. Great for sandwiches or toast. Makes 3 large loaves or 2 loaves and 18 rolls.
Ingredients
  • 2 pkgs active dry yeast
  • ⅓ cup very warm water
  • pinch of sugar
  • 1½ cups boiling water
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 cup wheat flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup solid pack canned pumpkin
  • 7-8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, ⅓ cup warm water, and sugar. Let it sit until bubbly (about 5 minutes)
  2. In a large bowl (preferably using a stand mixer) combine the boiling water, butter, and molasses until the butter is melted.
  3. Add the wheat flour, eggs, yeast mixture and pumpkin. Mix well.
  4. Add 3 cups of the all-purpose flour and the salt. Mix very well for several minutes.
  5. Slowly add 4 cups of all-purpose flour, one cup at a time, mixing continuously.
  6. The goal is to have dough that is soft but not sticky. It should come cleanly away from the side of the bowl. Add flour if necessary, a little at a time. If you are kneading by hand, this can be done by kneading for 6-7 minutes on a heavily floured surface. If you are using a stand mixer with a dough hook, add any additional flour as you knead for 5 minutes.
  7. Place dough in a very large greased bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and let it rise until doubled, at least an hour.
  8. Prepare bread pans by greasing generously (or spraying with a flour/oil mixture like Baker's Joy.)
  9. Punch the dough down and form into loaves or rolls and place in pans. Cover and let the dough rise until doubled.
  10. Heat oven to 375 F.
  11. Bake rolls for 20 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Bake loaves for approximately 40-50 minutes. The top should be a dark brown.
  12. Allow the loaves to rest in their pans on a cooling rack for a few minutes, then dump them out on their tops to cool.
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Too sticky still. See the dough around the side of the bowl?

Too sticky still. See the dough around the side of the bowl?

My dough doubled in about 90 minutes. It all depends on the warmth of your kitchen!

My dough doubled in about 90 minutes. It all depends on the warmth of your kitchen!

Go ahead, get out all those aggressions!!!

Go ahead, get out all those aggressions!!!

And the best part…the final product!

Mmmm. You beautiful rolls...get in mah belly!

Mmmm. You beautiful rolls…get in mah belleh!

Did I say that was the best part? Silly me. The BEST part is slapping some soft butter on a piece of roll and eating it!

Please pass the butter!

Please pass the butter!

 

Rose Dinner Rolls, and Cinnamon Roses

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IMG_9465Sometimes “yummy” just isn’t enough. Sometimes it’s necessary to go for the WOW factor. A visual delicacy…food porn, if you will.

So I made roses out of a rich dinner roll dough, turning them into dinner rolls and then cinnamon rolls. Both ways were hugely successful. These roses aren’t just appealing to the eyes, they’re also easy to devour politely, one fluffy petal at a time.

Manners were strictly enforced during my formative years. We knew better than to butter an entire slice of bread. Rolls were torn into small pieces, each of which was buttered just before it disappeared in our mouths. If I’d taken a bite out of a whole roll my father’s fist would have come down on the table sharply, making the silverware rattle. I’m grateful for the knowledge now, though the years of screaming babies (and shoveling food in as fast as possible while there was a spare moment) have probably made my manners pretty rusty.

Think about it – does anyone actually bite into a cinnamon roll? Personally, half the enjoyment I get from eating a cinnamon roll is derived from unwrapping it slowly, sticky fingers and all. But with these beauties, pulling the petals off one by one is just as fun, and a lot less messy. IMG_9468 The dough I used isn’t too sweet, so it works well as a dinner roll, but is rich enough to turn into a cinnamon roll. I picture these rose shaped rolls on a buffet line at a luncheon or tea; probably not something you’d serve for a Super Bowl party.

Here is the recipe and lots of how-to photos. They really are simple to shape, just a little more time-consuming than regular rolls. Well worth the effort when you consider the visual impact.

Rose Rolls
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Makes 12 rolls.
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 pkg active dry yeast
  • 1¼ cups half & half (whole milk will do in a pinch)
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup softened butter
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 4-5 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  2. Heat the half & half until hot but not boiling.
  3. In a large bowl (I use a stand mixer) combine the half & half, sugar, ¼ cup butter, and salt.
  4. Add the egg and mix well.
  5. Add the yeast mixture and 3 cups of flour. Beat with a paddle attachment until well combined. Switch to a bread hook and add 1 more cup of flour and knead for 5 minutes. (If you are kneading by hand, keep the work surface well floured, as the dough will be sticky until it picks up some of the flour and the kneading is done. By hand, knead 7-8 minutes.) If the dough isn't coming cleanly away from the side of the bowl after 5 minutes of kneading, add flour a little at a time. You want a soft, elastic dough - not sticky.
  6. Place the dough in a greased bowl and allow it to rise until doubled, at least an hour. Punch dough down.
  7. Roll out dough on floured surface. The dough should be thin - about ¼-inch. Cut into 78 2-inch circles. (I used a small brandy snifter. You may have to get creative - milk jug cap, stainless prep cups, etc.)
  8. Spray a muffin pan with an oil/flour spray like Baker's Joy, or grease well (including the top surface of the pan!)
  9. For dinner rolls, stretch out 60 circles slightly-into a teardrop shape-and place in prepared muffin pan, 5 to a cavity. Let the rounded petals curve over the top of each opening slightly. Press the inside center gently and brush lightly with butter. Slightly stretch out 12 circles and place one in each cup, pressing down firmly in the middle of each and brushing lightly with butter. Cut 6 circles in half and with the straight side facing you, roll each half-circle up to create the bud. Place one in the center of each rose.
  10. For cinnamon rolls, follow the procedure above, but dip rounded side of the large petals in butter and then in cinnamon sugar and place 5 in each cavity. Brush the bottom surface with butter and sprinkle with about ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place the single circle inside and brush the bottom surface with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon. Then add the bud and brush the top of it, sprinkling lightly with cinnamon.
  11. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel and allow the rolls to rise until puffy-about an hour.
  12. Heat oven to 375 F.
  13. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a rich golden brown.
  14. Remove to rack and cool a few minutes in the pan - then remove rolls to finish cooling on rack.
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IMG_9449.JPG cropped

Cut 2″ circles.

IMG_9450

Stretch the dough slightly, making a teardrop shape.

Place five pieces of dough in the prepared pan to form outer petals

For dinner rolls, place five pieces of dough in the prepared pan to form outer petals

The only difference between the dinner rolls and the cinnamon rolls is a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar between each layer.

For cinnamon rolls, dip the petal tops in butter and cinnamon first.

For cinnamon rolls, dip the petal tops in butter and cinnamon first.

 

Lightly butter the bottom surface, add single circle. Brush with butter and add "bud"

Lightly butter the bottom surface, add single circle. Brush with butter and add “bud”

 

Adding the "bud" to the cinnamon roses.

Adding the “bud” to the cinnamon roses.

 

Risen and ready to bake.

Risen and ready to bake.

 

Baked and smelling goooooood!

Baked and smelling goooooood!

Cinnamon roses with a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.

Cinnamon roses with a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.

Hopefully I’ll never run out of new recipes to try, but even if I do, there are always old standbys to tinker with. So one of my father’s favorite admonishments: “Don’t play with your food!” is still ignored by me. Pffft…food is meant to be played with. Stop and taste the roses!

Cheesy Hamburger Buns

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It may be considered un-American, but hamburgers just aren’t something I lust after. However, sweeten the pot with homemade cheesy hamburger buns and throw in an all-American holiday like Independence Day, and I can wave my flag and chow down a deluxe burger like everyone else!

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Cheesy Hamburger Buns
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Makes approximately 18 hamburger buns.
Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • ⅓ cup powdered nondairy creamer
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • 1 egg
  • 6-7 cups bread flour
  • 2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
  • Egg wash (1 egg, mixed well with 1 tablespoon water)
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast into the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the sugar, butter, creamer, salt, egg, and 5 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth.
  3. Slowly add just enough remaining flour to form a soft dough that pulls away from the side of the bowl.
  4. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. (Or, if using a stand mixer, knead with a dough hook for approximately 5 minutes.)
  5. Add 1½ cups of the shredded cheese to the dough and mix until combined.
  6. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Punch down.
  7. Working with half of the dough at a time, roll the dough out fairly thin - somewhere between ¼-inch and ½-inch.
  8. Cut the buns using a large round cutter, floured well. Make sure the cutter is a little bigger than the size you want, because the dough is elastic, and the shapes will shrink back a bit after you cut them.
  9. Set each shape on a cookie sheet, at least 1" apart. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until they're almost doubled - about an hour.
  10. Heat oven to 375 F.
  11. Brush the buns with egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake until light golden brown - about 12 minutes.
  12. Cool on a rack. Slice and serve!
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If the recipe looks familiar, that’s because I used my Perfect Dinner Rolls recipe as a base, and added an egg and some extra sharp cheddar cheese. Oh, and I cut the dough out instead of shaping it. And gave it an egg wash with a sprinkle of cheese. Other than that, it’s just the same!

The ingredient that I hate to use in this recipe is powdered non-dairy creamer (I try not to look at the ingredient label) but believe me, it really does make a difference. It acts as a dough conditioner and makes a very soft, light bun.

Cutting out the hamburgers. I used a 3 1/2" cutter - 4" would have been better.

Cutting out the hamburgers. I used a 3 1/2″ cutter – 4″ would have been better.

I was a little more generous with the cheese when I topped the buns; it’s my favorite part – crispy and a little tangy. You may want to experiment with other flavorful cheeses like romano, asiago, or parmesan. Sprinkle on a little garlic or onion powder if you wish. They’re your buns – gussy them up however you like! And if someone tells you you have nice buns, just smile…because it’s true!


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French Rolls

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Crispy and crackly on the outside, soft and tender on the inside…that, my fellow carb fiends, is a perfect French roll. Dip it in au jus, slather it with butter and pull it apart piece by piece, or make it into the perfect “Dagwood Sandwich”. Make large round balls of dough and bake your own bowls for chili or stew. Roll the dough out and cut it into strips for bread sticks. If you’re drooling right now, just think how I’m feeling; in five minutes my fragrant batch of rolls will be out of the oven.

The recipe is very simple and basic, but it does rise twice before you form the rolls, so you’ll want to start these rolls when you aren’t in a hurry. One of the things I love most about baking French rolls is the noise they make when they’re cooling on the rack. They crackle and snap – beautiful music to my ears!

To make them crispy you need to start preheating the oven (with a big pan of water on the bottom rack) while the formed rolls are rising. This moisture is what makes the flaky crusty goodness on the outside. Be very careful when you open the oven to put the rolls in. It’s unbelievably hot and steamy. WEAR OVEN MITTS!

We had these a lot when I was young, usually used for “Dunka Dunka” sandwiches (aka: French Dips) or to accompany a salad. We always had them on Christmas Eve with cracked crab and a salad. Of course, they came in a plastic bag from the grocery store, and I thought they were just wonderful. I also thought Oreos and Jiffy muffins were great, so obviously it took me some time to develop a more sophisticated palate!

Try making your own. I guarantee you will enjoy these much more than store bought, and you’ll have the added satisfaction of being able to pronounce all 6 ingredients used in the recipe!

French Rolls
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Ingredients
  • 2½ cups warm water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 6 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Cornmeal
Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, stir sugar into warm water and then stir in the yeast. Let sit until bubbly (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add 5 cups flour and the salt and beat with electric mixer, using paddles, for 5 minutes.
  3. If you prefer to knead by hand, put the remaining cup of flour on the board and knead for 7-8 minutes. If you have a sturdy stand mixer and prefer to let the machine do the hard work, switch to your dough hook, add the remaining cup of flour, and let it knead for 5 minutes. Your finished dough should be smooth and elastic.
  4. Place the dough into a large greased bowl. Turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled. Depending on room temperature, this could take anywhere from 1-3 hours. (A slow rise makes more flavorful bread, so don't rush it!)
  5. Punch down the dough, turn it over, and let it rise again until doubled, about 1½ hours.
  6. Punch down the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 16 pieces.
  7. Sprinkle cornmeal generously on two baking sheets.
  8. Shape each piece into a ball or oblong and place on prepared baking sheets, at least an inch apart (2 inches is better.) Cover lightly with a clean dishtowel and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
  9. While the rolls are rising, place a large pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven, and preheat to 450 F.
  10. When the rolls have risen, dust them with flour and, with a very sharp knife or razor blade, cut a ¼" deep line down the middle of each oblong roll, or an "x" on round rolls.
  11. Carefully (it will be HOT) open the oven door and quickly put the rolls in, trying to let as little steam escape as possible.
  12. Bake until light brown, about 20-25 minutes, and cool on a rack. Listen to them crackle!
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To form rolls, first pull up all the sides like a steamed dumpling!

To form rolls, first pull up all the sides like a steamed dumpling!

Turn the dough over and pull gently towards you, tucking under as you go.

Turn the dough over and pull gently towards you, tucking under as you go.

Place dough on baking sheets covered with cornmeal. (Mine may look funny because I grow and grind my own corn.

Place dough on baking sheets covered with cornmeal. (Mine may look funny because I grow and grind my own corn.)

Hot from the oven, crackling noisily!

Hot from the oven, crackling noisily!

Oh, HELL yes!

Oh, HELL yes!

Maple Pecan Spiral Bread

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Blog4 070My love affair with maple just got wilder and more obsessive. Torrid, even! It knows no bounds, respects no limits, takes no prisoners. There…every cliché I could come up with at the moment. (Sorry, Mr. Bass. You tried to teach me better.) I truly have no self-control when it comes to maple.

Here is a tempting loaf of white bread with sweet swirls of maple and toasted pecans. Toasting the pecans is what really takes the flavor over the top, and is such an easy thing to do. You can use your oven, but I just put them in a skillet on the stove at medium low for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fragrance drives me crazy. They’re done at that point, but you might need to test them to be absolutely sure. Actually, you might need to test them a few times!

toasting the pecans in a ceramic skillet.

toasting the pecans in a ceramic skillet.

Although this bread is delightful just as it is, I recommend trying it toasted. Yum! It also makes scrumptious French Toast. Making a spiral bread is easy, and very attractive, but I wanted to try a layered bread because I envisioned stripes of maple pecan instead of a spiral. I don’t know why…sometimes I just have to do what the little voices in my head tell me to do.

Maple Pecan Bread - the layered version.

Maple Pecan Bread – the layered version.

Here’s the recipe in all its glory. I would like to mention that the filling calls for one tablespoon of Mapleine (a maple flavoring.) If you have plebian controllable maple cravings, this is the perfect amount to give your bread a pleasant maple flavor. Frankly, that’s like adding a precise jigger of vodka to a Bloody Mary. Adequate, but a little more is always better! I usually add a bit more (to both mixtures!)

Maple Pecan Spiral Bread
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Makes two loaves. Hide one. Trust me! Hide one.
Ingredients
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1¾ cups hot water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ cup butter, softened (you may use oil if you prefer)
  • 5½ - 6 cups all purpose white flour
  • MAPLE FILLING:
  • 1½ cup toasted pecans, finely chopped (please don't skip the toasting step!)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon Mapleine
Instructions
  1. Test the yeast by adding it to ¼ cup warm (not hot) water and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. (Note: this water and sugar is in addition to the amounts listed above.) Stir lightly and set aside for 10 minutes. If it doesn't bubble and rise up, try again with another package of yeast.
  2. In a large bowl (a stand mixer is best) combine the hot water, sugar, salt, and butter. Stir well.
  3. Add 3 cups of the flour and stir.
  4. When your yeast mixture is bubbly, pour it into the flour mixture and mix well.
  5. Gradually beat in the remaining flour until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
  6. Knead until smooth (about 8 minutes by hand, 5 minutes if using a dough hook.)
  7. Place dough in a large oiled bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm spot to rise just until doubled - about 1 hour.
  8. While the dough is rising, Make the maple filling by combining the toasted pecans, brown sugar, white sugar, flour, and Mapleine in a small bowl. (To make sure it's well mixed, use your hands!) Set aside.
  9. Grease or spray (I like Baker's Joy) two bread pans.
  10. Punch down the dough and let it stand for 5 minutes. Divide into 2 equal parts and, working with one at a time, roll out to a rectangle, approximately 12"x7", with a short edge towards you.
  11. Lightly brush (or spray) the dough with water. (This will help keep it from developing air pockets.)
  12. Cover generously with maple mixture and pat down firmly. Beginning with the short end, roll away from yourself. Don't worry if a little filling comes out the sides. Turn the seam to the bottom and pinch both sides to close. Set the dough seam down in prepared bread pan. Repeat with the other piece of dough. If you have leftover filling, put it in an airtight container - it's wonderful on hot cereal or as a streusel topping for muffins.
  13. Cover loaves with a dishtowel and let them rise until almost doubled - approximately 1 hour.
  14. Heat oven to 375F.
  15. Bake loaves for 40-45 minutes, until they're a rich golden brown. Let cool slightly, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling. I like to butter the crust a little while the loaf is still warm.
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Adding the yeast.

Adding the yeast.

Dough is kneaded.

Dough is kneaded.

Rolling up the dough.

Rolling up the dough.

and...in the pan to rise!

and…in the pan to rise!

Dig in!

Dig in!

To make layered bread, follow the recipe until step #10. After you divide your dough into two parts, roll each part into a 8″x16″ rectangle. Cut four pieces, each 8″x4″. Put one piece into the prepared pan, Lightly brush (or spray) with water, cover it with a layer of maple filling, and repeat, twice, with the fourth piece of dough on the top. Tuck the sides down gently, and allow to rise as usual. After baking, turn them out right away onto a rack. If you let them cool in the pans, the gooey sides will stick. Be gentle, and let them rest on their sides to cool completely.

Cutting strips of dough for a layered effect.

Cutting strips of dough for a layered effect.

Dough, filling, dough, filling...etc.

Dough, filling, dough, filling…etc.

I’ll admit it’s not the most attractive bread I’ve ever seen (maybe we can just call it “rustic”, ok?) but the slices themselves are very pretty!

Funny looking from the side!

Funny looking from the side!

Now I’m imagining the maple filling in cinnamon rolls, with a maple frosting. Oh oh…I barely get the kitchen clean from one baking spree and another is already building. Stand back – I’m going in there!

Perfect Dinner Rolls (if you’re a leprechaun!)

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A traditional clover-leaf roll...except it's green!

A traditional cloverleaf roll…except it’s green!

Are you ready to get some dough under your nails? Green dough, to be exact – since it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day. I’ll give you my basic recipe for dinner rolls, and then instructions below for making the green clovers. Wow your friends and crank out the shamrocks!

Fair warning, I’m hitting the green wine, starting….NOW! I’ll try to get the recipe ingredients entered before I lose my focus, and the photos snapped while I’m still only seeing one of everything. (Disclaimer: In case you’re wondering about my wine glass, this was a gift from my daughter, who understands my obsession for blue ribbons. She’s not saying I’m a really top-notch whore…just that I will do nearly anything to add to my ribbon collection.)

Sláinte!

Sláinte!

Remember, this is my basic dinner roll recipe. You’ll have to jazz it up with green food color and follow the photos below for making cloverleaf rolls.

Perfect Dinner Rolls
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Author:
Serves: 24
This recipe makes 2 dozen soft, fluffy dinner rolls. You can also flatten out balls of dough for delicious hamburger buns!
Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup butter, softened
  • ⅓ cup powdered nondairy creamer
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • 6 to 7 cups bread flour
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast into the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the sugar, butter, creamer, salt, and 5 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Slowly add just enough remaining flour to form a soft dough that pulls away from the side of the bowl.
  3. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. (Or, if using a stand mixer, knead with a dough hook for approximately 5 minutes.)
  4. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Punch down.
  5. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Shape into balls (or oblongs if you prefer) and place about an inch apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
  6. Cover and allow the rolls to rise until doubled.
  7. Heat oven to 375 F.
  8. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top.
  9. Cool on a rack.
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Powdered creamer is something I never use in coffee. Ghastly stuff. But I’ve tried this recipe without it, and the rolls just don’t turn out as fluffy. Apparently it acts as a dough conditioner. Bite the bullet and use it – you’ll love these versatile rolls!

First, a FAIL!

As so often happens, the actual results of my first shamrock experiment didn’t exactly match the picture in my imagination. It was late and I’d had my share of green wine, so I went to bed and gave it a fresh try in the morning. Here’s what the first batch looked like – not exactly something that would go viral on Pinterest.

Meh.

Meh.

Plan “B” was to make cloverleaf rolls, using jumbo cupcake pans. They rose beautifully and were a perfect, delicate green; not gopher guts green – a very edible spring green shade. To make these, add green food coloring to the mixture in your bowl before you add the flour. So simple.

Roll dough into balls

Roll dough into balls

Put 3 balls of dough in each cavity.

Spray the pan with a little “Bakers Joy” and put 3 balls of dough in each cavity.

Mmmmm.

Mmmmm.

May the Good Lord take a liking to you… but not too soon!

Lorinda

Cinnamon Spiral Bread

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Blog3 018My love of cinnamon toast brings back one of my earliest memories. I remember the night a babysitter made us cinnamon toast (a real treat, because my mother didn’t have a sweet tooth in her head) and then made me more when I asked for it. This was obviously a BIG DEAL. We certainly weren’t starved as children – Mom and Dad always cooked us wholesome meals – but we were rarely indulged when it came to sweets. Nothing tasted as good as that cinnamon toast, even though I knew I was playing that poor babysitter for a sucker!

I’m sure if I were stretched out on a psychiatrist’s couch right now, he’d be connecting the dots between my sweet “deprivation” as a child and my obsessive baking now. Pffft.

Since I’m in Valentine’s Day mode, I took my cinnamon spiral bread recipe and played with it just a bit. Instead of rolling each half out into an 8×12-inch rectangle, I rolled it out into approximately a 14×16-inch rectangle with the long side towards me, added cinnamon and sugar and rolled it up, then cut it in half, pinched the ends closed, and stuffed the rolls into buttered heart shaped canape tubes. (Or save yourself some work and use a baking spray that has flour in it.) I left one of the caps on, but I don’t think it makes a lot of difference.Don’t stand the pans upright – keep them horizontal to rise and bake. And remember, they’re smaller loaves, so only bake them about 35 minutes.

(You may have noticed that those canape tubes have been getting quite a workout lately. They were in my Valentine’s Day tub, so the novelty factor has been calling to me.)

When cooled and sliced, you’ll get pretty little spiral hearts. When toasted and buttered…heaven. And if you want to put a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze over the wide end of the heart loaf before slicing it, I won’t tell. Here’s my basic recipe:

Cinnamon Spiral Bread
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This is a sweet white bread that makes 2 standard loaves, or 1 standard loaf and 2 canape bread loaves.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups very warm water
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1-1/2 t. salt
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 6 cups white flour
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon flour
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and teaspoon of sugar. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl (a stand mixer works best) mix together the sugar, salt, vegetable oil and butter.
  3. Add three cups of the flour and the yeast mixture to the large bowl and mix until well combined.
  4. Add the remaining flour a cup at a time until the dough comes cleanly off the side of the bowl. This should be a fairly soft dough, but not sticky.
  5. If you are kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. If you’re using a dough hook to knead, 5 minutes is plenty.
  6. Place dough in a large oiled bowl, cover, and set aside in warm spot to rise until doubled (about 90 minutes.)
  7. Punch down the risen dough and let stand for 5 minutes. Divide into 2 equal chunks and roll each one out approximately 8-inches by 12-inches, with the short end facing you.
  8. Combine the ⅔ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon flour. Sprinkle half of the mixture (you don’t have to use this much – just make sure the dough is covered) evenly over each rectangle, pat the surface firmly, and roll, beginning at short end. Pinch the seams to seal.
  9. Place in 2 generously greased bread pans and cover with a towel. Allow to rise until double – about an hour. Depending on the temperature of your house, it may take a little longer.
  10. Heat the oven to 375 F.
  11. Bake the loaves for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is a deep brown. Let the bread sit in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes and then turn the loaves out on their sides to cool.
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The photos below will show you how to make the heart shaped bread.

For canape pans, roll dough out to 16"x14"

For canape pans, roll dough out to 16″x14″

Pinch the seam.

Pinch the seam.

Cut the roll in half and pinch the ends to seal.

Cut the roll in half and pinch the ends to seal.

Place dough roll in prepared canape pan.

Place dough roll in prepared canape pan to rise.

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Slide the bread out and cool on a rack.

Slice and serve!

Slice and serve!

Of all the fragrant aromas of baking, breads and pastries containing cinnamon are the most exquisite. Maybe I need to develop a perfume; I’ll bet cinnamon and vanilla would work better than any pheromones. Of course, women would probably end up walking around like the Pied Piper, with a trail of hungry men following them. Hmm, that’s sounding better and better…

Boston Brown Bread (without the can!)

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blog2 148When I was young,  B&M Boston Brown Bread (straight from the can) and baked beans were the traditional side dishes for hot dogs or hamburgers. I’m sure there was a bowl of fruit, too, but this was probably the only meal my mom made that wasn’t accompanied by at least one vegetable. Rarely did we get a meal that didn’t have a protein, a starch, a fruit, a vegetable, and milk. I still feel guilty if I don’t follow this rule.

A bite of Boston Brown Bread – sweet, a little grainy, and full of plump raisins – immediately takes me back in time. I made some today that tastes exactly the same, and it wasn’t difficult at all, once I figured out the best way to steam it.

Traditionally, homemade Boston Brown Bread is baked in coffee cans. I can’t bring myself to do this (nasty BPA linings) so I tried some in a standard loaf pan. Meh. Just not the same. I made some in tubular canape pans, and that worked very well, but they were too tall for most of my steaming options.

I sent an e-mail to King Arthur Flour (whose catalog is dog-eared even more than my seed catalogs) and begged them to make brown bread pans, about the size of large bean cans. Ideally they’d have tight fitting (or screw-on) bottoms. Their customer service wrote back to me, saying it was a great idea and they’d pass it along to the right people. I’m desperately hoping that this wasn’t a form letter – that they’ll really consider manufacturing these. I know I’d buy several, and I’d browbeat all of you to do the same so I didn’t look like a total idiot!

Update: I contacted them again six months later, and though the pan is still on their “Customer Wish List”, they have no plans of adding them to their line. So…I wrote to USA Pans to see what they would say. Their pans are made in the USA and are PTFE free, a big plus for me. I’ll keep you posted.

For now, my best results came from the canape pans, using my big pressure canner as a steamer – not locking the lid, of course. Any kind of tall pot with a lid will work, as long as the lid can fit over the upright canape pans that are sitting on a rack in the pan.

Here’s my recipe:

Boston Brown Bread (without the can!)
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Author:
This will make 3 tubular canape pans of bread.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 1 cup corn flour (or you can put cornmeal in the blender briefly for finer texture)
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1¼ cup molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup raisins
Instructions
  1. Generously butter (or use a baking spray with flour - my favorite method) the insides of the tubular canape pans. Put a piece of foil over the bottom of each pan and place each firmly into their bottom caps. Put a larger piece of foil on a flat surface. Set one of the canape pans in the middle and bring up the foil, wrapping the pan snugly almost to the top. (This will keep any water from getting in from the bottom.) Repeat with the other two pans. Set aside.
  2. In a very tall pot with a rack on the bottom, add about 2-3 inches of water. Bring it to a simmer while you're making the batter.
  3. Blend the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
  4. In a medium bowl, stir together the molasses, vanilla, buttermilk, and raisins.
  5. Stir the molasses mixture into the flour mixture until it is well combined.
  6. Divide the batter between the three canape pans, approximately ⅔ full. Cover the tops with a piece of foil, pressing around the sides firmly.
  7. Set on the rack in the simmering water. Cover. Turn heat up to medium and allow the bread to cook for about an hour and a half, checking the water level occasionally. You may need to pour in a little more water if it gets too low.
  8. Test with a long skewer to make sure the bread is cooked through.
  9. Move the pans to a cooling rack and remove the top foil. The bread should be pulling slightly away from the pan. Allow them to cool for an hour, and then remove the foil and bottom cap and press gently on the end of the bread. It should slide right out of the pan. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
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Steaming rack in the bottom of my big canner

Steaming rack in the bottom of my big canner

Filling the canape pan

Filling the canape pan

Wrapped and ready for the steamer.

Wrapped and ready for the steamer.

Remove the cap and press the bread out!

Remove the cap and press the bread out!

Some people steam their bread in the oven. I tried it, and found that the bread didn’t bake as evenly. But if you don’t have a pot tall enough for the stovetop method, use the tallest oven-proof one you have and follow the same procedure. Just lay a loose foil tent over the top. Bake for about 1 1/2 -2 hours at 325 F.

This bread ages well; it just keeps getting better and better. The flavors stand out even more after a couple of days of rest – if you can keep it around that long! Refrigerating can dry it out, so make sure you keep it well wrapped if you like it cold. I do…with a scraping of butter. And beans and hot dogs on the side!
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