Bread — yeast

Butter Crescent Rolls

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Look at this picture…what else do I have to say?

1 -1/2 cups of milk
3/4 cup +1 TBSP sugar
1 egg
1 TBSP salt
2 TBSP yeast
2 cups of warm water
about 9-10 cups of flour
at least 1 cup of butter

Scald 1-1/2 cups of milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup of butter, in a microwave safe bowl, for about 2 minutes. Cutting the butter into pieces helps it melt faster. There will probably be some little cubes of butter still floating in the hot mixture, they will melt.

Add yeast to this hot mixture, but it will be too hot to just dump the yeast straight in (it would kill it). To cool it down add 1 egg and 1 TBSP of salt, and leave it to cool for a couple of minutes. OR just let it cool for a while as the yeast mixture rises! Meanwhile, in a measuring cup dissolve 2 TBSP of yeast in 2 cups of warm water and 1 TBSP of sugar. Let it sit for a couple of minutes until it is bubbly. You can stir in 1-2 cups of flour to the milk/butter mixture to cool it down further. Make sure your milk mixture is just warm, not boiling and add the yeast mixture!

Using a fork or wooden spoon, gradually stir in 9-10 cups of flour. Remember to fluff your flour. Either sift it or take a whisk through it to lighten it, that way its not so dense when you go to scoop and measure. I would recommend only adding 2 cups at time and stirring in between. These rolls turn out so much better when they are mixed by hand. AT the end the dough will be dense and sticky, and may be hard to stir, you can use your hands to incorporate the rest of the flour if needed. Be sure not to add too much flour. Then smooth the dough out and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave it in a warm place and let it rise.

Cover your working space with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Dump your dough out and divide it into 4 balls. Try to make them even, but they don’t have to be perfect. Using one ball of dough at a time: roll the dough into a circle on a floured counter. Once it is rolled out spread the top with soft butter from edge to edge. You will use about 2 TBSP per circle of dough.

Cut the dough into quarters using a pizza cutter. Then cut each quarter into 3 pieces. You should end up with 12 triangles from each circle of dough. Roll each triangle starting with the wide end. Tuck the tail of the triangle under the roll and place it on the buttered cookie sheet. You will make 3 rows, with 8 rolls per row. This will give you 24 rolls per pan. Two balls of dough will fill 1 pan. You will get a total of 48 rolls.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the pans of rolls in a warm to let them rise. DON’T let them rise to long or get to big..they will dry out in the baking! (This is key to this roll recipe!) Once they are touching and full in size, cook (one pan at a time) in the oven till they are golden brown. About 10-15 minutes. Keep a close eye on your first pan to get the right time for the second.

While they are still hot and fresh out of the oven run a stick of butter over the tops of the rolls for a delicious buttery glaze.

recipe : howdoesshe.com

Cheesy Bread Sticks

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These are just plain good! This is the same dough as used in my taco pizza that I posted a few weeks back. They are perfect!

1 tsp. active dry yeast
1-1/2 cup warm water
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cups of olive oil
1 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
a good marinara sauce, optional

Mix yeast with warm water and set aside for 8-10 minutes. mix flour, salt, and olive oil in a mixing bowl. With speed on low, drizzle in yeast/water mixture. Allow to mix until totally combined. Cover bowl with a towel and set bowl in a warm, draft free place. Allow to rise for 1-2 hours.
Place overn rack in the bottom position of oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove half of the pizza dough from teh bowl. (save remaining dough or make more bread sticks!) With hands, spread pizza dough on an oiled baking sheet, making sure its relatively thin.
Sprinkle grated cheeses over the dough and bake for 9-12 minutes. Serve with or without marinara sauce.

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

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I love cinnamon rolls.  Like, REALLY love them.  When I saw the idea to use a cake mix as a base for a cinnamon roll, the wheels started turning.  I decided to experiment with a carrot cake mix I had in the pantry.  The results were better than I expected so I think I see some more experimentation going on in the near future….orange cake mix with orange cream cheese frosting, chocolate cake mix with cookies and cream frosting or chocolate frosting with a mint drizzle.  Hmmmm….probably didn’t pick the best time to go on a diet.  Oh well, enjoy these yummy spirals of gooey goodness!!

Ingredients:
1 carrot cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
2 1/2 cups warm water
4 1/2 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
5-6 cups all-purpose flour
melted butter
cinnamon
sugar
raisins

1.  Combine cake mix, water, yeast, salt, and 2 cups of the flour.  Whisk until well blended.  Mix in remaining flour with wooden spoon until well combined.  The dough should not be super sticky, just a little bit sticky.  Let rise until doubled.
2.  Push the dough down and roll out into a large rectangle on a well-flour surface.  Spread melted butter evenly over the surface to within 1/2″ of the edges.  Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and raisins.
3.  Roll up dough.  Cut into 16 slices.  Place on greased sheet, cover, and let rise until doubled.
4.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes.  Frost while still warm.

Frosting Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
any leftover melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
about 4 cups powdered sugar
milk

1.  Cream the butter (if you have any left) and cream cheese until smooth.  Mix in vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.
2.  Add powdered sugar a cup at a time, thinning as you go with a few teaspons of milk until the frosting reaches the proper consistency.
3.  Scoop spoonfuls of frosting onto the pan of rolls and spread with an offset spatula.

Notes:

  • I eyeball the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and raisin amounts inside the rolls.  I spread the melted butter out a few tablespoons at a time and sprinkle enough sugar on top of that to kind of soak in the butter.
  • Cutting Tip:  Buy a container of plain ol’ dental floss to cut the cinnamon rolls.  After you have rolled the dough up, take a long thread of the floss and scoot it under the roll at the halfway point. The floss will be perpendicular to the dough.  Take the ends, cross them, and pull.  Easy, and no more smushed rolls!
  • I like to add a touch of cinnamon to my frosting to tie in the flavors.
Source:  a Julie original 

All Purpose Pizza Dough

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As you can see, we didn’t use this dough for pizza this time. We used it for Stromboli, but this is the best recipe I’ve found for recipes needing a fairly easy, rising dough. We usually use this dough recipe for Pizza, Stromboli, and Scones.
1 C Warm Water
1 Tbsp (or 1 package) Yeast
1 Tbsp Sugar
1.5 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Oil
2 3/4 – 3 1/4 C Flour
1. In a mixer (or bowl) combine your water, yeast, and sugar. Wait five minutes and allow yeast to activate (get foamy).
2. Add remaining ingredients, adding flour a little at a time until you have a moderately-sticky dough.
3. Knead dough (adding flour as needed–no pun intended!) for about 200 turns. I let my KitchenAide run for between 5 – 10 minutes.
4. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Make your pizza!
For Pizza Crust:
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. On a slightly floured board, roll dough out to fit your pan(s). Place dough in/on your pan(s).
3. Bake for 6 minutes. Prick any big bubbles with a fork.
4. Bake 6 minutes more. Add pizza toppings and bake until the cheese is melted and toppings are hot.
This is enough dough for 1 big 15 x 11 pan, or two 12″ pans.
Source: From My House To Yours: Big Piney-Marbleton Communities 1995 Cookbook
~Kara

Indian Naan

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Last week I talked about loving naan, so I thought it would be appropriate to share how to make it in your own oven. Traditionally naan is made in a tandoori oven like in this video:

 
To cook naan in your home oven a *pizza stone will substitute for the tandoori oven.
You can eat your naan with any indian main dish, hummus, dill yogurt dip, honey butter, or make it into flatbread pizza.

Naan
1 tsp. active dry yeast
3/4 C. warm water
2 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1. tsp. sugar
pinch of baking soda
2 T. oil
2 1/2 T. plain yogurt
 

 
Directions:
1. Dissolve active dry yeast in warm water (100 degrees F) and let sit for 10 min or until it becomes frothy.
2. Mix flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
3. Add the oil and yogurt and mix. Dough will be crumbly like this:
 

4. Add the water/yeast mixture and make into soft dough.
5. Knead in bowl until the dough is smooth. (this will be a very sticky endeavor!)

6.Cover and keep in a warm place 3-4 hours. The dough will almost double in volume.
7. Pre-heat oven and pizza stone to 500 degrees. Then, set the oven to broil.
8. Dust the counter with flour and knead the dough for about 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into six equal parts.

9. One at a time, roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch oval. (Use a dusting of flour to help prevent sticking.

10. Before putting naan in oven, lightly wet your hands, take the rolled naan and flip it between your palms and place on the pizza stone. (this will moisten the dough and stretch it out a bit more)

11. Bake 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly on top.
12. Remove from oven with a spatula or tongs and continue until all the dough is cooked.
13. Brush with butter, and enjoy!
 

*Check what kind of temperatures your stone can withstand, some stoneware can crack in extreme heat.

Source: An Indian woman on YouTube, but now I can’t find her. I am pretty sure she can cook naan blindfolded though.

Easy Rolls

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These are my most favorite rolls to make and favorite to eat!

2 Tbs. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
3 c. milk
2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2/3 c. shortening or oil (I always use shortening) 8 c. all purpose flour or more

Dissolve yeast in 1/3 c. warm water, set aside until puffy. Mix milk, sugar, salt, and shortening in saucepan; heat to scalding. After cooled, pour milk mixture into mixing bowl; add beaten eggs and yeast. Mix in flour to make soft dough. This is pretty sticky and soft, you made need to add more flour. Knead 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let rise for 1 hour.

Punch down. Pull off desired amount and shape into rolls. Let rise in greased floured pans for 30-45 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Butter the top and eat! Wow! Look at that roll! YUM!!

adapted from Bobbie Syphert’s recipe.

Rich Banana Cake

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This recipe went from being my favorite gooey-centered banana bread to my favorite moist, evenly-cooked snack cake.  And it’s sweet enough to eat without frosting!

Ingredients:
1/2 c Butter, melted
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2  tsp salt
1/2 c yogurt (I’ve used vanilla, strawberry/banana, strawberry and plain) or sour cream
5 over ripe bananas (2 chunked, 3 mashed) You can use less if you need to…it’s a very moist cake.
1/2 c chopped walnuts and or chocolate chips (optional)

  1. Preheat oven to 350*, grease a 9×13 pan or 2 round cake pans.  
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
  3. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth.  (the batter will get thick)
  4. Finally, fold in the yogurt, bananas, and walnuts.  Spread evenly into the prepared pan(s).  
  5. Bake for 35-40 min or until center is firm set.  
  6. Cool for at least 10 min before removing from pan.  
  7. Cool completely before frosting. 
Adapted from allrecipes.com Janet’s Rich Banana Bread

Potato Pan Rolls

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Baking bread is a hobby of mine. ..and I love to eat it! Here is a recipe I found courtesy of ‘Taste of Home’. These rolls are very soft and yummy smeared with butter or honey.

2 medium Potatoes, peeled and quartered
1-1/2 c. water
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
6-7 c. all-purpose flour
In a saucepan, bring potatoes and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 min. or until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid; cool liquid to 110-115 degrees. Mash potatoes until there are no lumps; set aside 1 cup to cool to 110-115 degrees (save remaining potatoes for another use.)
In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in reserved potato liquid; let stand for 5 minutes. Add reserved mashed potatoes, butter, honey, oil, eggs, salt and 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down and turn onto a floured surface; divide into 30 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Place 10 balls each in three greased 9″ round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Smear with butter over the tops. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.