Tag Archives: yeast

French Bread

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Maybe I enjoy making things more difficult, or it may just be the fact that I love making as much from scratch as possible. I enjoy learning new techniques as well as avoiding buying more over-priced foods from Publix, (the money saving makes it even more rewarding for me). I needed to make these for meatball sandwiches, so hopefully they’ll hold up well to the sauce, cheese and of course – the meatballs. This dough was hard to work with because it was so sticky.
Verdict: These were really good with a nice tight crumb so they held up well to the meatball subs we used these for. They have a nice chewy crust too – overall a great choice for future sandwiches. Before adding the meatballs, I hollowed out the bread to make room for easier handling and eating. All the bread guts went into a freezer bag to be used for bread crumbs – waste not, want not! Thanks for reading, enjoy!
French Bread – adapted from The Sisters’ Cafe
  • 2 ¼ c. warm water
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp yeast
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured

First dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this proof—or sit for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well (At this point I switch to my dough/kneading attachment on my mixer) Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too sticky. Knead for a few minutes. Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds) and then allow to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times. Then turn dough onto a floured surface and knead it 2 or 3 times to coat with flour. Divide into 2 equal parts. Roll each part into a 9×13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with second part of dough. With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an angle on the top of each. Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes. Brush entire surface with egg wash (one egg beaten slightly with 1 Tbsp of water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame seads. Bake for 30 minutes at 375. Cool on racks

Brioche Buns

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Yum – hamburgers with caramelized onions, chipotle Gouda, avocado, and tomato…so good. Up until today, I have never caramelized onions before, but it couldn’t be easier. If you have 15 minutes, onion and olive oil – you’re golden! Just be sure to stir them around every once in a while so they brown evenly. My house smells amazing and I am going to have to make these every time we make hamburgers now – for the smell alone! 😉 Oh, and if that wasn’t enough to make these burgers special, I made brioche buns. These are light, fluffy and slightly sweet buns enriched with eggs, butter and sweetened with honey. The dough is pretty sticky but so light and pillow soft. These burgers had so many flavors going on – sweet, salty, savory and spicy. I am so hooked on caramelized onions now, I’m going to have to find more ways to use them. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Brioche Buns  –  adapted from Home Cooking in Montana
  • 2/3 cup warm milk
  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 3 TBS honey
  • 2 ex-large eggs, room temp.
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 cups bread flour(+ more, if needed)
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 TBS unsalted butter, softened
Topping:
  • 1 egg yolk, for brushing( you can mix the yolk with a bit of water, if you like)
Directions:
1. In the bowl of a mixer add the flours(3 cups first), yeast and the salt. Whisk to combine and add the sliced soft butter.
2. In a glass measuring cup, combine milk, warm water, eggs and honey. Whisk to combine and add it all to the dry ingredients.
3. Place a kneading hook and turn on mixer. Mix on low scraping the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the flour. Increase the speed to medium. Knead for 8 minutes…the dough should be tacky and look pretty sticky. If you feel the dough is sticking to the sides too much add 1 TBS of flour at a time until the dough gathers around the hook and slaps around the sides of the bowl. It may still stick a bit to the sides, but not overly. Don’t be tempted to add too much flour or the buns will be dry.~ I probably added another couple of tablespoonfuls of extra flour.
4. Continue kneading for an additional 2 more minutes… for a total of 10 minutes.
5. Scrape the sticky dough that clings to the sides of the mixer bowl and then form all of the dough in a ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until at least doubled in bulk and is nice and puffy… 1 to 2 hours.
6. Plop the soft dough unto a floured countertop… sprinkle a bit of flour on top as well. Using a dough scraper, divide dough into 8-10 equal parts. With floured hands form balls and place on lightly oiled parchment-lined baking sheet. Arrange 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheet as they will rise some more.
7. Flatten the balls down a bit( to about 1 1/2-2 inches or so) and brush with egg yolk. Cover loosely( with oiled plastic wrap) and let buns rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours… or until nicely puffed.
8. Pre-heat oven to 400 deg. F with rack in center. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 10-15 minutes(depending on the size of the bread buns…mine took about 11 minutes.)

Oatmeal Wheat Bread

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Mmm…these smell wonderful while baking – but don’t all breads? That smell will never get old to me – it’s always so comforting. Anyway, this is another brand new recipe for us to try; and I spent a lot of time finding it so hopefully it tastes as good as it looks. This makes two 8×4 inch loaves, so once they’re completely cool I’ll wrap and freeze one. I have found that freezing and thawing bread doesn’t affect the taste or texture at all – I love that.

Verdict: This loaf is so good. Not too wheaty and not at all bitter from the wheat flour. It has a nice texture and chew and it’s my favorite mostly whole wheat loaf I have made so far. I love the dark crust of this bread and the texture of the toasted oats on top. I hope my family enjoys it as much as I do because I’m always looking for more ways to give them foods with more nutrition and fiber. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Oatmeal Wheat Bread – adapted from Epicurious

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking) plus additional for topping
  • 1/2 cup warm water (105-115°F)
  • 2 tablespoons active dry yeast (from 3 packages)
  • 1/2 cup mild honey
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 cups white whole-wheat flour
  • About 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • Vegetable oil for oiling bowl and loaf pans
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Heat milk in a 4-cup measuring cup and stir in oats. Let stand, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add water, melted butter and honey – stir to combine. Set aside to cool to about 105 degrees before adding to the flour mixture.

Stir together whole-wheat flour, unbleached flour, yeast, salt  in a standing mixer bowl. Add oat mixture, stirring with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Using your dough hook, knead adding more  flour a tablespoon at a time (if needed – I used 5 more TBSP) to keep from sticking, until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic – about 5 to 7 minutes (dough will be slightly sticky). Form dough into a ball and transfer to an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; let rise at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly grease loaf pans. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times to remove air. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf, then place 1 loaf in each pan, seam side down, tucking ends gently to fit. Cover loaf pans loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush tops of loaves with some of egg wash and sprinkle with oats, then bake until bread is golden and loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 35 to 40 minutes. (Remove 1 loaf from pan to test for doneness. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen.)

Remove bread from pans and transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

Sub Rolls

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I have been on the lookout for a recipe like this for some time. This dough was not easy to work with at all because it was so sticky, and these rolls wont win any beauty contests, but hopefully it was worth the mess. While handling it try to have some olive oil or flour on your hands and work surface to make things a little less sticky. This dough did come together quickly and the rise time wasn’t too long either, so from start to finish it should take less than three hours, and most of that is just your rise and bake time.

Verdict: These came out light colored, but they did bake through all the way. It’s hard for me to resist leaving loaves in longer than the recommended amount of time when this happens. There is hardly any fat in this recipe – only 2 teaspoons of olive oil, so they probably aren’t meant to be any darker than this. The interior was nice and light with big bubbles and a thin, crisp crust and they held up well to our sandwich filling. Overall, I’m happy with how these turned out but I’m sure I’ll find an excuse to try a new recipe soon. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Long Loaves – adapted from Cookistry

  •  2 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 tablespoon yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup semolina flour
  • 4 cups (18 ounces) bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions –
1. In a bowl of a standing mixer, combine all dry ingredients and pour the wet over top. Mix until a rough dough is formed, then knead with the dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes. Dump the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temp for 50-60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
2. Lightly flour your work surface.  Turn out the dough and divide it into 4 roughly equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 12 inches long. Place 2 logs on each baking sheet. They’re look a little narrow, but they will grow impressively.
3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 20 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap. If it seems to be sticking, flour the surface a bit – rice flour is nice for this but regular flour is fine. Slash the loaves as desired, and cover them with plastic wrap again. Let rise for another 10 minutes. They should be doubled in size – maybe a little more.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through the baking time. Let the loaves cool completely on a rack.

Buttermilk Sandwich Bread

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This loaf smells like honey! I can’t wait for it to cool so I can try a slice 🙂 Here’s another sandwich loaf to add to the very short list of recipes I have tried. I have wanted to make bread that required the use of buttermilk for some time, and thankfully I had enough to make this. The bread is relatively healthy too, because there are only 2 tablespoons of butter in it. The other sandwich breads I have made require 4 or 6 and those recipes are for smaller loaves.

Verdict: This bread has a slight tang reminiscent of a sour dough – not too sour at all though. It’s perfect for sandwiches and toast and I like that this makes a large 9 inch loaf, which gives me about 16 slices worth – that’s lots of sandwiches! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Buttermilk Sandwich Bread – Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

  • 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup cold buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup water – hot
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast

Directions –

1. In a 2-cup measuring cup, pour hot water, buttermilk, butter and honey. Place in the microwave and heat for 30 – 45 seconds, take out and stir to combine the honey with the other ingredients. Make sure the mixture isn’t too hot, but it should be warm – 110 degrees.

2. In your standing mixer bowl, add 3 1/2 cups of the  flour, yeast and salt and mix to combine. Pour your wet into your dry ingredients and stir until a rough dough forms – it will be sticky! Using your dough hook, knead for 5 minutes but take a couple breaks in the kneading to scrape the bowl and dough hook down. *My dough was super sticky, I had to use all the reserved flour to make mine slightly less sticky* If after 5 minutes of kneading the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 1/4 cup total) until the dough is no longer sticky. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead to form a smooth, round ball, about 15 seconds.

3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warmed oven until dough doubles in size, 60 to 80 minutes.

4. Gently press dough into rectangle 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches. With long side facing you, roll dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing firmly with fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Place dough seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and press it gently so it touches all 4 sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot until the dough crests over the top of the pan by 1 inch, about 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of the rise, preheat your oven to 350.

5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until your loaf internal temperature reaches 195 degrees. Turn out and cool on a wire rack – cool completely before slicing.

Italian Style Herb Bread

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I have had this recipe written down for almost a year and happily rediscovered it the other day. Since our new favorite garlic rosemary focaccia bread tastes so amazing, why not try another herb bread? But what makes this one even more fabulous is the addition of Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese rolled up inside. It’s kind of like our other fave, sausage bread. It marries our two favorites – the savory herb bread with a meat and cheese filling. I can’t wait to try this!

Verdict: This recipe could easily feed 6-8 people. The four of us took down half of it served with a side salad and marinara sauce for dipping. This is a winning combination of flavors for us – even my picky eater had seconds. The next time I make this, we’ll have to have company over to help, but I’m sure the leftovers will be just as tasty. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Italian Style Herb Bread – adapted from The Bread Bible

For the bread

  • 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp each – dried oregano, basil and rosemary
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 TBSP dry active yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 TBSP sea salt
  • 5 1/2 cups of AP or bread flour
For the filling
  • 1 1/2 pounds mild Italian sausage
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella, diced
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine pepper, herbs and olive oil.
2. In your standing mixer bowl, combine wine, water, yeast, and herb oil mixture. Using your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add flour 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Remove the paddle and replace with your dough hook and knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes until the dough is smooth and springy.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl then cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until the dough is doubled in bulk, about 60 – 90 minutes.
4. While your dough is rising, brown your sausage along with the onions and garlic. Drain the meat mixture well and set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat the dough into a 14 x10 inch rectangle. Sprinkle meat mixture over the center third of the dough. Top with cheese then fold dough into a rectangle by bringing the two long ends together. Pinch seams to close and fold ends over to close. Carefully turn over seam side down onto a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Cut shallow slashes diagonally down the length of the loaf and brush lightly with olive oil. Let rest for 10 minutes then bake in the center of your oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer the finished loaf to a cooling rack.

Classic Sandwich Bread

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I have been using the same sandwich bread recipe for a year now, and I decided it’s time to try out a new one. Not that anything is wrong with the old one, it’s just that I want to experiment. It’s a basic white bread recipe that is easily veganized (if that is a concern of yours) by substituting your preferred unsweetened milk substitute (ie. almond milk). For this I’ll use a combination of half and half and 1% milk – why not? I’m debating if I should use AP flour as the recipe suggests or a combination of bread flour and white whole wheat like I use in my other recipe.
I decided to go with my usual combination of bread/white wheat flour for this, because my conscience gets the best of me. I might as well sneak in extra fiber where possible for my family. The great thing about this combination is that it’s never too “wheaty” for us – if that makes sense.
Verdict: Yum! This has a mild and subtle flavor, slightly sweet with a nice crumb, and its soft, but not too soft – perfect!  I will double the recipe next time for sure and I will continue to try new recipes for basic sandwich breads cause I’m a food geek and it’s fun for me! 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Classic Sandwich Bread – adapted from King Arthur Flour
  • 3 cups AP Flour (*I used 2 cups bread and 1 cup white whole wheat flour)
  • 1/2 cup milk (*all half and half here)
  • 1/2 hot water
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast

Directions –

Mixing: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine set to the dough or manual cycle). Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8″ log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 60 minutes, until it’s domed about 1″ above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Baking: Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until it’s light golden brown. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or by measuring its interior temperature with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf). Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature. Yield: 1 loaf.

Pizza Bites

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This recipe has been on my list for a long time now. Today was a great day to try it because I had all of the ingredients sitting in the fridge – bits of mozzarella, already opened pepperoni and only one 18 ounce ball of dough (left over from calzone night). M was away golfing, so I decided to treat the kids and I to a fun dinner. How cute are these? And they’re so easy to put together. I divided my dough ball into 18 equal pieces, cut up cubes of mozzarella and cut my giant slices of pepperoni into thirds. These little bites would also make a perfect party appetizer.

Verdict: These were so yummy – the kids loved them too. The only problem is that 18 isn’t enough for the four of us, but lucky for them I wasn’t super hungry. Next time I’d double the amount, or make sure we eat a salad along with this. These will be in our rotation for sure, and I know that these would be well received at any party.

Pizza Bites – adapted from Annie’s Eats

  • 1 -18 ounce ball of dough, divided into 1 ounce pieces
  • 4 ounces mozzarella, cubed into 18 pieces
  • 6 large slices of pepperoni, cut into thirds
Topping –
  • Parmesan, Pecorino Romano
  • Pizza seasoning or oregano
  • olive oil
Directions –
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a pie dish with olive oil. For easy clean-up I use plastic wrap to cover my work surface 🙂
Flatten a piece of dough with the palm of your hand, place a slice of pepperoni and a cube of mozzarella cheese on top of the dough. Pull the dough around the filling and pinch closed. Place the ball seam-side down into the pie dish. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
2. Lightly brush the tops with olive oil, sprinkle with pizza seasoning and cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with pizza or marinara sauce if desired.

Individual Calzone

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I’m on a mission to make sure my husband has good stuff to eat for lunch besides your basic sandwich, and this meal is a step in that direction. Unlike the giant one  I made before, this one will be meant for one person to enjoy. He requested sausage, bacon and olive (ick – I don’t like the last ingredient, but I love him so what the heck?)

These came together really easily, especially because I kept all the toppings in separate bowls. I rolled out the 8 ounce dough balls into 8 inch diameter circles and topped it with sausage, pepperoni, bacon, mushroom, tomato, cheese – not all in each though. Be sure not to roll out your dough to thin so you don’t end up with a tasty mess later. I vented the tops of each calzone and lightly coated them with olive oil for browning.

Verdict: Everyone loved these and I was reminded why I love this pizza dough recipe – it’s perfect! These will be a repeat in our house for sure. Next time, I’ll use less dough per kiddie sized calzone, probably 6 ounces instead of 8. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Mini Calzone – Mom Makes

  • 5 – 8 ounce balls of pizza dough
  • 1 cup cooked sausage
  • 2 ounces pepperoni, chopped
  • 3 strips of chopped bacon
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 4 baby Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 Roma tomato, chopped
  • sauce to dip in (we used marinara)
Directions –
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Roll out your dough 8 inches in diameter, place your favorite toppings on half of the dough and leave a good 1/2″ or more empty space around the edge. Fold into a half and crimp the edges to seal well. Cut some slits to vent and lightly brush the top with olive oil if desired. Place on a Silpat-lined (or foil) cookie sheet. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully place each calzone on a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken & Bacon Pizza

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This is M’s fave. He loves the smoked Gouda with our fave barbecue sauce and roasted chicken combo – oh, and I can’t forget the cilantro or the bacon. I baked of some thick cut bacon for this (400 degrees for 25 minutes) and it was perfectly crispy. When I need shredded chicken, I always buy chicken breast with skin and rib bones which I then roast at 350 for 30-35 minutes. I simply season them with olive oil, kosher salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper – it’s perfect and juicy every time. This time I tried fresh mozzarella (the kind packed in water) and it was nice and creamy. I recommend letting the cut pieces dry a little on some paper towel before you put it on the pizza. I was reminded why this was his favorite, it was so good; and the flavors are wonderfully complimentary to each other, It’s a party in your mouth, people! Just try it 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza –

    • 1 – 15 ounce ball of pizza dough, I always use this recipe
    • 1/3 cup of store bought BBQ sauce, I used this
    • 1/2 cup smoked Gouda cheese
    • 3 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese, torn
    • 1/8 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
    • 4 – 6 ounces shredded, cooked chicken – sauced with a few tablespoons of BBQ and ranch dressing – trust me on this one!
    • 3 slices of crispy bacon, sliced
    • Fresh cilantro (optional)  if you have it
    • Pizza seasoning and dried oregano (optional)

Directions –

*Preheat your oven to 475 about 15 minutes before you make your pizza. I use a pizza stone and place it on the lowest rack of my oven.

1. On a piece of parchment paper, shape the pizza dough into the desired diameter. I use a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Work from the inside out, and gradually move your hands away from the center of the dough. You could also do this with a rolling pin – I happen to love using my hands for the job. Once you’ve achieved the size you want, take a fork and poke the tines all over the surface of the dough.

2. Spread the bbq sauce all over, making sure to leave about an inch around the circumference. Next, take your torn mozzarella and place on top of the sauce. Because it’s fresh mozzarella, you can leave lots of empty space because this type of mozz melts beautifully and spreads itself nicely when heated. I love the stuff!  Add some smoked Gouda and top with your roasted chicken, bacon, more cheese, cilantro leaves and dried seasoning if desired.

3. Carefully transfer the pizza – still on its parchment paper to an upside-down sheet pan. I use it like a pizza peel to move it to the stone in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes. Using the sheet pan again, remove the pizza from the oven and place the parchment paper and all onto a cooling rack.