bread

soft pretzels

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:40:20 GMT

i was feeling a bit scrooge-like this weekend for not baking any christmas cookies. rather than make red and green cookies i decided to try something i have always wanted to do but have never gotten around to ... soft pretzels. that would be my christmas baking.

i remembered bookmarking a recipe on smitten kitchen that looked amazing. i always trust the recipes on Deb's site. any time i plan on making something intricate or complicated i go there to see if/how she has done it. once again - a perfect recipe from Deb!

i am a bit at a loss for words to describe these little chubby soft pretzels. amazing ... wonderful ... perfect ...heavenly ... they all kind of work but don't quite encompass how completely ridiculous these little guys are. yea they take some time and love but my god are they astonishing! the outside gets crispy and brown and the inside is perfectly chewy. i will never be able to eat another ball park pretzel again. these are in a whole other league.

am i pouring it on too thick? i really do not know any other way to convey the perfection. you will need to make them yourself to truly understand my undying love.

i hope you and yours have the most wonderful holiday - cheers!

soft pretzels
from smitten kitchen

Makes 16 full-sized or 32 miniature

2 cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons canola or other neutral oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1 large egg
Coarse or pretzel salt (I used coarse sea salt)

Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1. Pour warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar into bowl of electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and stir to combine. Sprinkle with yeast, and let sit 10 minutes; yeast should be foamy.

2. Add 1 cup flour to yeast, and mix on low until combined. Add salt and 4 cups more flour, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium-low until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add another 1/2 cup flour, and knead on low 1 minute more. (at this point i had to add 2 tablespoons of water - my house must be dry) If dough is still wet and sticky, add 1/2 cup more flour (this will depend on weather conditions); knead until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a lightly floured board, and knead about ten times, or until smooth.

3. Pour oil into a large bowl; swirl to coat sides. Transfer dough to bowl, turning dough to completely cover all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel, and leave in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size.

4. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly spray two baking sheets with cooking spray (parchment paper, ungreased, also works. i used a sil-pat). Set aside. Punch down dough to remove bubbles. Transfer to a lightly floured board. Knead once or twice, divide into 16 pieces (about 2 1/2 ounces each) or 32 if making miniature pretzels, and wrap in plastic.

5. Roll one piece of dough at a time into an 18-inch-long strip. [I find the pretzels much easier to roll on an unfloured board, oddly enough, but see what works for you. I would agree with Deb on this] Twist into pretzel shape; transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel. Continue to form pretzels; eight will fit on each sheet (you may need a third sheet if making miniatures). Let pretzels rest until they rise slightly, about 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, fill large, shallow pot (I used a dutch oven) with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Add baking soda (and step back, it foams up quickly) and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Reduce to a simmer; transfer three to four pretzels to water. Poach 1 minute on each side. Use slotted spoon to transfer pretzels to baking sheet (I used a drying rack with a towel underneath - then once they were dry I put them on the baking sheets). Continue until all pretzels are poached.

7. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush pretzels with egg glaze. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack, or eat warm. Pretzels are best when eaten the same day, but will keep at room temperature, uncovered, for two days. Do not store in covered container or they will become soggy.

Serve with mustard - delicious!

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monkey bread

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:38:50 GMT

i keep a list in one of my recipe files called "weekend baking". i put recipes on that list that i know will be "projects" - meaning they will take longer than the average recipe.

i signed up for a online membership to Cook's Illustrated about two years ago. it was one of my favorite food related purchases. with the membership you gain access to the wealth of knowledge that is America's Test Kitchen. their recipes are wonderful starting points - they do all the hard work for you. my only complain about some of their recipes is they sometimes need a little something to make them extra special - but sometimes you get recipes like this monkey bread that are perfect the way they are.

i wasn't sure that to think of monkey bread - honestly i had never of it before and because there were no photographs with the recipe i wasn't sure what to expect. it is one of my favorite things i have ever made! i have since seen other monkey bread recipes that use pre-made dough - don't do this! spend the time to make this dough. it is buttery and perfect. i don't think i even need to address rolling the dough in cinnamon, sugar and butter as that is never a bad thing and the simple glaze is the perfect "frosting" for the bread. it is amazing - you need to make this monkey bread.

monkey bread
from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

Dough
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided, 2 tablespoons softened and 2 tablespoons melted
1 cup milk , warm (about 110 degrees)
1/3 cup water , warm (about 110 degrees)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package rapid-rise yeast (or instant)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for work surface
2 teaspoons table salt

Brown Sugar Coating
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. For the dough: Adjust oven rack to medium-low position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Butter Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Set aside.

2. In large measuring cup, mix together milk, water, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Mix flour and salt in standing mixer fitted with dough hook, (see below for instructions without a mixer.) Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form smooth, round ball. Coat large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place dough in bowl and coat surface of dough with cooking spray. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in warm oven until dough doubles in size, 50 to 60 minutes.

3. For the sugar coating: While dough is rising, mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in bowl. Place melted butter in second bowl. Set aside.

4. To form the bread: Gently remove dough from bowl, and pat into rough 8-inch square. Using bench scraper or knife, cut dough into 64 pieces.

5. Roll each dough piece into ball. Working one at a time, dip balls in melted butter, allowing excess butter to drip back into bowl. Roll in brown sugar mixture, then layer balls in Bundt pan, staggering seams where dough balls meet as you build layers.

6. Cover Bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap and place in turned-off oven until dough balls are puffy and have risen 1 to 2 inches from top of pan, 50 to 70 minutes.

7. Remove pan from oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap pan and bake until top is deep brown and caramel begins to bubble around edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out on platter and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

8. For the glaze: While bread cools, whisk confectioners' sugar and milk in small bowl until lumps are gone. Using whisk, drizzle glaze over warm monkey bread, letting it run over top and sides of bread. Serve warm.

note: The dough should be sticky, but if you find it's too wet and not coming together in the mixer, add 2 tablespoons more flour and mix until the dough forms a cohesive mass. Make sure to use light brown sugar in the sugar mix; dark brown sugar has a stronger molasses flavor that can be overwhelming. After baking, don't let the bread cool in the pan for more than 5 minutes or it will stick to the pan and come out in pieces. Monkey bread is at its best when served warm.

Monkey Bread without a Mixer:
In step 2, mix flour and salt in large bowl. Make well in flour, then add milk mixture to well. Using wooden spoon, stir until dough becomes shaggy and is difficult to stir. Turn out onto lightly floured work surface and begin to knead, incorporating shaggy scraps back into dough. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. Shape into taut ball and proceed as directed.

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lemon brioche rolls

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:37:46 GMT

when i first saw this recipe i knew i wanted to make it. it was sold as lemon brioche croissants. i love lemon - i love brioche - i love croissants. what could be bad about it?

the thing that went wrong with this recipe - i was lazy. i should have made my lemon curd to fill these with but the idea of making the dough and lemon curd was too much for me to bear that day. store bought lemon curd - even if it is the good stuff - is not like homemade. the store bought stuff doesn't even taste like lemon! so, when you make these - plan on making lemon curd!

i feel like i am not "selling" these to you and that is wrong - because they are good! i have decided they need to be sold differently. the word croissant is not applicable here. the only resemblance to croissants is the shape. they should be sold as lemon brioche rolls because they live up to that well - especially with the right lemon curd.

this brioche dough is nice - it is eggy and buttery. these rolls are a good balance of lemon and brioche. i would make them again. i would definitely add an egg wash to the tops before baking to crisp up the exterior a bit more and i would take the time to make the lemon curd. might as well do it right!

did i mention - make your own lemon curd? have i linked to the recipe often enough to really allow it to sink in? i hope so...

lemon brioche rolls
from The Knead For Bread

1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs ( room temp )
3 1/2 - 3 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups soft butter
1 1/4 cup lemon curd
3 tablespoon powdered sugar

egg wash - 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water

Pour milk into a saucepan and heat till lukewarm. (about 100 degrees)

In a large bowl add sugar and warm milk. Add 1 cup of flour, mix till smooth.
Add lightly beaten eggs and mix completely. Add in instant yeast and another cup of flour. Continue to mix. Add in salt and a half a cup of flour. Mix till the dough comes together. Add a little flour on a flat surface and pour out the dough.

Knead dough for 3 minutes adding just a little bit of flour at a time. You want the dough to be on the sticky side. The dough will stick to your hands a little. Just add a little flour to your hands and continue to knead. The dough will became a little easier to handle as you knead.

Place dough back into bowl. Add a 1/4 of the soft butter to the and mix together by hand. Once the butter is completely incorporated add another 1/4 of butter, continue till all the butter is mixed in.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place into fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

After resting time sprinkle a little flour on a flat surface and place dough on top. Cut dough in half and set one piece aside.

Roll out dough into a 15 inch diameter circle. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into eight pieces.

Add a heaping tablespoon of lemon curd to the base of the triangle. Start from the base of the triangle roll each one up and curve into a crescent shape, pinch the ends closed.

Place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Cover with plastic wrap for 45 minutes.

Brush with egg wash. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 15-17 minutes.

Allow to cool on a wire rack.
Then sift a little powdered sugar on top.

remember ... make your own lemon curd :)

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parmesan pull-apart rolls

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:36:41 GMT

Welcome Stumblers - Glad to have you here!
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i am always excited to get my new gourmet every month - but this month's cover made me drool. the most beautiful breads and rolls you have ever seen.

i have had mostly success with yeast so i am not sure what my paranoia is about with it. my cinnamon rolls with vanilla cream cheese frosting are a dream and i have made a decent loaf of honey white bread in my day. there is something about yeast that sends doubt through my body.

there is also something therapeutic about making bread. i am not sure what it is. its a strange dichotomy - the fear and the comfort.

this recipe was very easy to make. the mixer and time did most of the work. the only problem i had with it was dividing the dough into 12 equal pieces - some were bigger than others - but if that is the worst that happened, i consider it a success.

when i went to check on my parmesan pull-aparts halfway through the baking time- i opened the oven door a crack and was nearly knocked over by the incredible smell. i wish there was a way to make a scratch-n-sniff sticker to put on this recipe. the yeast and the parmesan - oh dear - it was incredible.

the results were equally as divine. the smell was amazing - the texture was perfect - and the thin layer of crust was perfect.

parmesan pull-apart rolls
from Gourmet magazine
Makes 1 dozen rolls | Active time:35 min |Start to finish:4 3/4 hr (includes rising)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-oz package)
1 teaspoon mild honey or sugar (i used honey)
2/3 cup warm milk (105–115°F), divided (i used whole milk)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 Tbsp for sprinkling
1 1/4 cups grated (with a rasp) Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/3 oz)
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into Tbsp pieces and softened
1 tablespoon water

Equipment:
a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment

Stir together yeast, honey, and 1/3 cup warm milk in mixer bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)

Whisk together flour (2 1/2 cups), cheese, and salt, then mix into yeast mixture along with remaining 1/3 cup warm milk at low speed.

Increase speed to medium and beat in 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until a very soft dough forms, about 3 minutes.

Beat in butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, until dough is elastic, about 2 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.)

Scrape dough into center of bowl and sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp flour.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch down dough (do not knead) and turn out onto a floured surface.

Cut dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball by cupping your hand and pushing dough against work surface as you roll in a circular motion.

Arrange rolls 1 inch apart in a buttered 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and cover with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled and dough fills pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Whisk together remaining egg with water and brush on tops of rolls. (You will have leftover egg wash.)

Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Loosen edges of rolls from pan with a sharp knife and invert rolls onto a rack, then reinvert and cool at least 20 minutes.

Cooks’ note: Rolls are best the day they're made but can be frozen (cool completely, then wrap well) 1 month. Thaw, then reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until warmed through, 5 to 10 minutes.

i served these with....

vegetable minestrone and spicy vegetable barley soup

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bread

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:33:32 GMT

pickycook.com is for vegetarians with a picky palette. i don't make vegetarian food - i make real food vegetarian.