Everything' Bread *a no knead bread, made in a dutch oven Dough Ingredients: 3 cups King Arthur All Purpose Flour 1 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast 1 1/2 cups Water (90-100 degrees or your yeasts needs) 3-4 tsp 'Everything' Topping Mix into dough, plus more 1-2 Tbs for topping crust (recipe below) Everything Season Mix: 1 Tbs dried onion 1 Tbs dried garlic 1 Tbs poppy-seeds 1 Tbs toasted sesame seeds 2 tsp course salt Directions: In a large bowl (I used my stainless steel Kitchen-aide Mixing bowl) mix together flour, salt, 'everything' mix and yeast. Add water to the bowl and using your hand or a spatula, mix dough until it is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and sit on your counter for 13 to 18 hours. Your dough is ready when the top of your dough is full of tiny bubbles all over. When ready to bake, preheat oven and your cast iron dutch oven with lid on to 450 F degrees. Flour your work surface and your hands. Gently remove the dough from the bowl and let it lay flat. Pull right and left edges up and toward middle of dough and then Pull top and bottom edges up and toward middle of dough (you are forming into a large ball shape) flip dough over on work surface and use your hands to shape dough - give a light dusting of additional flour to the bottom of your dough ball. Slice 3 slashed into top of bread dough, spritz with water and sprinkle on 1-2 Tbs of the 'Everything' Topping. Remove pot from oven when preheated, and remove the lid. Carefully, take the ball of dough and place it into the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and place it back in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove lid and bake for another 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Carefully, remove from the oven and pot, set on cooling rack (brush with a bit of melted butter, if preferred) and let cool before slicing. Recipe and Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home Basic No Knead Dutch Oven Bread Dough Recipe Adapted from: The New York Times Don't want to use Everything Spice Mix? Try the basic recipe (photo to left:) No Knead Crusty Bread in a Dutch Oven I wanted to try a new bread. Something more akin to what I used to buy at the store (Orowheat's Country Buttermilk Bread) this recipe does the trick. You get a nice soft bread that is perfect for sandwiches and toast. This bread has just a hint of honey taste and buttermilk, I did have to cover my loaves with foil in the oven (just the tops) as they were browning pretty fast *about halfway through bake time. I also buttered the tops of my loaves with melted butter and placed the foil back over the tops so that while cooling, the top crust will remain soft (worked like a charm) My advice is keep an eye on this bread when baking...it will brown fast and cook faster then expected (I ended up using my digital thermometer to ensure 'doneness' and cut my bake time by 5 mins as the bread was just starting to look almost 'over-cooked'... ~Enjoy! Diane
Honey Country Buttermilk Bread *makes two loaves Ingredients: 1 Tbs Active-Dry Yeast 1 tsp sugar a pinch of ground fresh ginger, optional 1/4 cup warm water, temp your yeast calls for 2 cups buttermilk, warmed 1/3 cup honey 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled so that it is warm, but not hot. 6 cups white bread flour Directions: Mix the yeast, sugar and water (set aside for five minutes.) Mix the warmed buttermilk, honey, salt, and baking soda and add with the yeast mixture into a stand mixer bowl with dough hook attachment. Add three cups of flour and mix until smooth. (approx. 3 minutes on low speed.) Mix in cooled melted butter until it is totally incorporated into dough. Add in the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, keeping mixer on low speed or "1". When dough pulls from the sides of the bowl, raise speed to kneading speed or "2" and let mixer knead dough for approx 5-7 minutes until dough is elastic and smooth. Place in lightly greased bowl, turn to grease the top, cover and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and form into two loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and grease tops. Cover, and allow to rise for 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake for 30 minutes, covering tops with foil if they brown too fast. Remove loaves from oven and brush with melted butter. Allow to cool in pans for 8 minutes. Turn out and cool completely on a rack. Cover the loaf tops with foil if you want soft top crust . Adapted from: Bread Boot Camp/restless chipotle Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home What I love the most about this bread is that you can "top" it any way you want! I love the mix of maraschino cherries and nuts the best (slightly crushed cardamom comes in a close second.) This is the perfect bread for a special morning breakfast (think - Holidays) the smell they create baking is magnificent - who wouldn't want to 'wake' to that!? This recipe makes 2 large loaves and you can do with that what you want too. I made one large and two smaller. I usually like to form one into a ring after braiding too (think Christmas wreath) You can also make them into even smaller 'personal sized' servings and let your kids or guests 'create their own' topping... The bread itself is slightly sweet. A perfect addition to start your day! ~Enjoy! Diane
Morning "Coffee" Bread Ingredients: 1/4 Cup Water, (100-110 degrees) 1 Pkg. Active Dry Yeast 3 Tbs Sugar 1/2 Cup Milk, warmed 4 Cups All-purpose Flour 3 Eggs 1/2 Cup Butter, cut into small cubes 1/2 teaspoon salt Directions: Heat your oven to its lowest setting (mine is 170 - as soon as it reaches 170, turn oven OFF and leave oven door slightly cracked/ajar until dough is ready) you are creating a draft-free and warm proofing box for your dough to rise. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let that sit while you prepare your other ingredients. In a large mixing bowl; (I use my Kitchen Aide Mixer with Dough Hook for this recipe) Add the sugar and flour and combine. Add in the remaining ingredients (adding the yeast and water into the bowl last) and mix with dough hook for about 4-6 minutes (adding water or flour if needed *according to your humidity at the time) Once a cohesive, soft dough ball forms place dough into an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover and let rise in your warmed oven (close oven door during rising, oven remains OFF) for 1.5 hours (or until dough doubles in bulk) After first rise, take dough out and 'punch down' dough - gather up the dough and roll out onto a lightly floured surface. For two loaves: divide dough in half. Then divide each half into three equal portions and roll each out into a 14" rope/strand for braiding. Gather/pinch the top of the three strands together and braid the bread - pinch the three strands together at the bottom of braid and roll under bread - place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with saran (not tightly covered) Let rise in oven (turned OFF) for another hour. The last 5 minutes of second rise time - remove the baking sheet from oven, so you can heat your oven for baking. Remove saran from bread, and heat your oven to 375. Bake Bread 20-30 minutes, until golden. Remove, let cool and top as preferred. Basic Vanilla Glaze: 1 Cup Powdered Sugar 1-2 Tbs Milk (you want to be able to drizzle on glaze without it being too runny) 1 Tsp Vanilla (I like using Vanilla Bean paste) *Dried Fruits and Nuts as preferred to top glaze. Recipe Adapted from: Nancy Molldrem: "Braided Coffee Bread" Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home Traditionally Challah is double stranded (meaning 6 strands that create 12 'humps') The strands, arms intertwined, symbolize love, truth, peace, creation, freedom, harmony, family connection, unity and justice. Rather poetic isn't it? Challah is a celebrated bread in the Jewish community and it's challah that heralds the Sabbath. Who knew one bread (or two loaves, traditionally) was so intertwined with Faith and beautiful meaning/s to so many. I grew up having so many Jewish friends, coworkers and my employer for a decade was Orthodox Jew - I loved learning all about their religion and customs. I decided to try and bake my very first Challah bread today. I really do think that my Dear friend Sylvia was watching over me!! I have never considered myself a good baker - at all. I think it amazes me more then anyone else that this bread turned out so well... I hear Sylvia right now - silently whispering "mazel tov Diane"
~Enjoy! Diane Challah Bread Bread 3 Cups unbleached white all-purpose flour, divided 1 Tbs active dry yeast 1/2 tsp sugar, for yeast/sponge 1/2 tsp salt (table salt) 1/2 cup warm water, divided (90-110 or temp your yeast needs) 2 1/2 Tbs plus 1/2 tsp sugar 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 eggs,at room temperature Topping 1 egg 1 Tbsp water, cold 2 Tbsp poppy seeds Instructions Using electric mixer with dough hook at slow speed (2). Place 2 cups of the flour in the mixing bowl, make indentation into flour, and place yeast and sugar in indentation. Add 1/4 cup of the water and mix. When sponge rises (approx. 5 mins), add eggs one at a time and blend thoroughly. Then add salt, remainder of the flour along with warm water, oil, and sugar. If batter is too loose add flour and bring dough to an elastic state. If batter is too tight, add a bit of water. Let machine and knead 3 to 4 minutes more. Place dough ball in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise to double in size (approx 1 1/2 hours.) Punch down dough and remove from bowl. Challah requires 6 braids, however, this is a 3 strand braid - it's a lot easier. Cut dough into three pieces. Form each piece of dough into 3 equal strands at 14” long. Pinch the tops of the 3 strands together and braid the dough. Place on a lightly corn meal covered, parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for the second time, one hour. Preheat oven to 400. Slightly beat the egg and cold water to make an egg wash. Brush egg wash on top of loaf and and then sprinkle poppy seeds on top. Bake for 15 minutes then change the temperature to 350°F. Total baking time should be about 30 minutes. Yield: One Loaf Recipe Adapted from: Bob Losch Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home We love this bread. Super easy to make and usually the first loaf someone makes when wanting to learn how to bake bread. no fancy kneading, no fancy rise times or yeasts needed (other then the beer) Perfect for Fall, Football and Oktoberfest! ~Enjoy! Diane
Cheddar Beer Bread Ingredients:
Directions: Mix all ingredients together, mixing in beer last. Batter should be the consistency of Bisquick. Spoon into a well greased bread pan and bake at 350 degrees (f) for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let bread rest in it's pan for about 10 minutes then let it cool on a rack for another 10 or so. If you can wait that long! Recipe & Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home |