Breads

When I was growing up I wasn’t exposed to “bought’n bread” very often. Between my mother and her mother they kept our family supplied with wonderful soft bread, bread sticks and rolls. “Back then” I don’t remember seeing any Artisan Breads or some of the different breads you find recipes for today. In our house it was kept fairly simple - except grandma’s Orange Rolls.
Lately I have become quite interested in creating different kinds of breads and the process necessary to get that perfect loaf. The most recent book I purchased is called “Baking Artisan Bread” by Ciril Hitz. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning the whole process. He is an excellent teacher and the book also includes a DVD so you can see what he is talking about in his book.
For Super Bowl Sunday I tried his recipe for pizza. Now I will have to admit that I made a pretty mean pizza before… but this one was outstanding! You will have to buy the book. This recipe alone is worth it. I will say that I highly recommend a baking stone if you are going to bake Artisan Breads - and Pampered Chef just happens to have some!!!
This week I have published some bread recipes that I have tried and some that I intend to try very soon.

Orange Rolls
Grandma Arrington’s
3 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. milk
3 T. butter
1 cake comp. yeast*
1/2 t. salt
1 c. flour
3 c. flour, add later
Beat eggs slightly, add sugar. Scald milk and add 3 T. butter. When lukewarm add yeast and salt. Add to egg mixture, mix well. Add 1 cup flour and beat well. Let rise 2 hours.
Add 3 c. flour to sponge. Stir, but do not knead at anytime. Let rise 2 hours longer.
Roll out on floured board and spread with:
scant 1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 orange - grated rind
Roll and cut as for cinnamon rolls. Let rise in greased muffin tins 2 hours and bake in hot oven (375) for 15 to 20 minutes. Yield: 15 to 20 biscuits
* 1 T. plus 1 t. or 3/8 oz. dry yeast = 1 (1 oz) cake compressed fresh yeast

Outback Steakhouse Honey Wheat Bushman Bread
(Bread Machine)
I have never eaten at Outback Steakhouse, so I’m not a good judge of the following recipe, but when I made it I found it a little sweet. I wanted to try it due to the fact that I have never made bread with either coffee or cocoa in the recipe, let alone both! - Very interesting! I did share the bread with a friend who said she loved it.
1 1/2 cup water - warmed
2 tablespoons butter - softened
1/2 cup honey
2 cups bread flour
2 cups wheat flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon caramel color - optional
3 tablespoons cornmeal - for dusting
Place all of the ingredients in the bread machine and process on dough setting. The dough will be a little on the wet side and sticky, but if it seems too wet add more flour. When dough is done let it rise for 1 hour.
Remove from pan, punch down and divide into 8 portions. Form portions into tubular shaped loaves about 6-8 inches long and 2 inches wide. Sprinkle the entire surface of the loaves with cornmeal and place them on 2 cookie sheets. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm with whipped butter.

Winkler Honey Wheat Bread
The Southern Heritage Breads
2 1/4 c. warm water (105º to 115º)
1/2 c. honey
3 T. firmly packed brown sugar
1 c. instant nonfat dry milk powder
2 T. shortening, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. salt
2 c. all-purpose flour
5 to 6 c. whole wheat flour
Combine water, honey, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl; stir well, and let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Stir in milk powder, shortening, egg, cumin, and salt. Add all-purpose flour, stirring with a wire whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in enough whole wheat flour to make a soft dough.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface; knead 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85º), 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide in half. roll each half into a 13x8-inch rectangle. Beginning at narrow edge, roll up dough; press firmly to eliminate air pockets. Pinch edges to seal. Place loaves, seam side down, in 2 greased 9x5x3-inch loaf-pans. Cover and repeat rising procedure 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 375º for 40 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove bread from pans, and bake an additional 3 minutes to crisp bottom of loaves. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

Boca Raton Pecan Rolls
The Southern Heritage Breads
1 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
5 1/2 c. bread flour, divided
2 eggs
2 packages dry yeast
1 t. sugar
1 c. warm milk (105º to 115º)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
2 T. honey
1 T. water
1 T. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
Cream butter; gradually add 1/2 c. flour, beating well. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Place waxed paper on a large wet baking sheet. Spread butter mixture evenly into an 11x7-inch rectangle on the waxed paper and chill well.
Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in milk in a large bowl; stir well. Let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 c. melted butter, 3 eggs, salt, and 3 cups flour; beat at low speed of electric mixer until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Cover; chill 30 minutes.
Roll dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Fit chilled butter mixture over half of dough leaving a margin at the edges; remove waxed paper. Fold dough over butter; pinch edges to seal.
Place folded edge of dough to the right; roll dough to a 16x8-inch rectangle. (If butter breaks through dough, flour heavily, and continue rolling.) Fold rectangle into thirds; pinch edges to seal. Wrap dough in waxed paper; chill 1 hour. Repeat rolling, folding, and sealing process; chill 30 minutes. Repeat rolling, folding, and sealing process again; wrap dough in foil, and refrigerate overnight.
Cream 1/4 cup butter; gradually add brown sugar, honey, water, and oil, beating well. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly into two 15x10x1-inch jellyroll pans.
Roll chilled dough into a 16x8-inch rectangle; brush with remaining 1/2 cup butter. Leave a narrow margin on all sides.
Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over dough. Roll up jellyroll fashion, beginning at long side; moisten edges with water to seal. Cut rolls into 3/4-inch slices; place slices, cut side down, in prepared jellyroll pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 375º for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Invert rolls immediately onto a cookie sheet. Yield; about 2 dozen.

Parmesan Sticks
The Southern Heritage Breads
1 package dry yeast
1/2 c. sugar, divided
2 c. warm water (105º to 115º)
3 T. shortening, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 t. salt
6 1/2 c. all-purpose four, divided
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Dissolve yeast and 1 t. sugar in warm water in a large bowl, stirring well. Let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add remaining sugar, shortening, 1 egg, 1 t. slat, and 3 1/2 c. flour; beat at low speed of electric mixer until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down, and let rest 5 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 4 to 5 times. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Divide each portion into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch rope, and place on greased baking sheets. Brush top of bread-sticks with beaten egg.
Cover and repeat rising procedure 50 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 425º for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Place on wire racks to cool. Yield: 40 sticks Print this post