Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (100-110 F)
1 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bread flour + extra for kneading
1 egg, whisked + 1 Tbsp. water, for egg wash
dried rosemary, for sprinkling
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes to proof.
Stir in the salt, rosemary, seasonings, olive oil, and whole wheat flour. Add the bread flour and stir until the dough forms a ball. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and form it into a round loaf. Place it on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel or parchment paper; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 400 F. Once the dough has risen, gently brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with dried rosemary.
Bake on preheated stone for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Makes 1 round loaf
(via nothingbutseashells)
Golden Herb Rolls
Like yesterday’s Acorn Squash recipe, these Golden Herb Rolls are no tradition anywhere, but they’re still a great addition. Bread has been a traditional staple of the holiday since it’s origin, as it’s believed to provide the most sustenance for spirits passing through the veil. Utilizing the pumpkin and lots of fragrant herbs, this recipe also holds a place in what could easily be another Samhain Tradition.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 package quick-rising yeast
2 teaspoons dried savory leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, crushed
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 eggs, divided
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 20 to 24 muffin cups.
Combine milk, butter and water in small saucepan; heat until butter is melted. If necessary, cool to 120º F. to 130º F. Combine 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, savory, salt, thyme and dill in large mixer bowl. Add milk mixture and pumpkin; beat for 2 minutes. Stir in 3 eggs and remaining flour. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place for 10 minutes or until doubled. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 1/2 to 3/4 full. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place for 30 to 40 minutes or until doubled. Beat remaining egg and brush on top of rolls; sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until rolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans; serve warm or cool on wire rack.
Pumpkin-Cider Bread
A great take on a widespread American Halloween tradition.
Ingredients:
2 cups pureed pumpkin
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp nutmeg
2 cups of flour, and then enough to keep the consistency just right
2 tblspns dry yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
1 tblspn salt
2 tblspns vegetable oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup molasses
2 cups of fresh cider
Directions:
Combine cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg with the pureed pumpkin. Combine salt and 2 cups of flour. Add the cider, yeast mix and all other ingredients. Add more flour if necessary.
Pour the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap, and let it in rise about 45 minutes, until it’s doubled in size in a warm place. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough into a long strip and then roll it up jellyroll style to fit into the bread pan. Place in a greased pan and let rise until doubled again.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 50-60 minutes until brown and done, when a fork comes out clean
Pan De Muertos
During Day of the Dead festivities (usually celebrated on November 2, but generally lumped together under the Haloween celebrations) families and vendors alike in Mexico bake the Bread of the Dead, or Pan De Muertos, which eaten or used on altars prepared for the spirits of the dead so they can have some sustenance for the long trip.
Traditionally the bread is is formed in either a round shape with extra dough used on top to fashion bone shapes across it, or fashioned into images of resting corpses. Both are often decorated with brightly colored sugars.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons anise seed
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons white sugar
Directions:
Heat the milk and the butter together in a medium saucepan, until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add them warm water. The mixture should be around 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).
In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Beat in the warm milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take about 1 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. Place dough onto a baking sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven let cool slightly then brush with glaze.
To make glaze: In a small saucepan combine the 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. Brush over top of bread while still warm. Sprinkle glazed bread with white or colored sugar.
Báirín Breac
Báirín Breac is a traditional Celtic bread that’s survived through Irish and Welsh traditons to this day. In the olden days, the Barmbrack was the center of a divinatory ritual for the coming year, a tradition that’s survived as a sort of “game” to be played on the Withes New Year.
The Brack was baked containing various objects. Traditional Items to be baked in were a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin (originally a silver sixpence) and a ring. Each item, when received in the slice, was supposed to carry a meaning to the person concerned: the pea meant the person would not marry that year; the stick meant an unhappy marriage or continually be in disputes; the cloth or rag would have been for bad luck or to “be poor”; the coin meant the receiver would enjoy good fortune or be rich, and the ring meant they would be wed within the year. Another traditional item added to the brack included a medallion, usually of the Virgin Mary, to symbolise going into the priesthood or to the Nuns, although this tradition is not widely continued in the present day.
If you wish to follow the old tradition today, remember that each charm should be wrapped carefully in parchment or wax paper and placed equally through the bread before its final rise and that, when choosing to add charms to your Báirín Breac, be certain to warn your guests before consuming!
Ingredients:
1cup of Orange Spice tea, prepared
4 cups white flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 tsp Allspice
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick butter
1 package of yeast
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp white sugar
1 1/4 cups luke-warm milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried fruit
Directions:
The evening before you make the loaf, soak the raisins and dried fruit in the brown sugar and tea. Drain before using.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift flour, spices and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter. Add the yeast to the teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of the warm milk. Pour the rest of the warm milk and the egg into the yeast mixture and combine with the dry ingredients and the sugar. Beat well and knead until the batter is stiff but elastic.
Fold in the prepared fruit. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled. Knead again for another 2 or 3 minutes and divide between two greased 1 1b loaf pans.
Wrap the charms in greaseproof paper and then hide them in the dough. Be sure they are well distributed. Cover again and let rise until the dough comes up to the top of the pan (30 minutes to an hour).
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, until the top is nicely browned and the bread sounds hollow when thumped.
(Source: downtownn)
Chocolate Rosemary Bread
Ingredients:
3/4 cup spelt flour (or use an equal amount of all purpose flour)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3 eggs
1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch or smaller pieces
Rosemary Sugar (optional)
Directions:
Position an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly coat 4 small loaf pans (5” x 2”) or one regular loaf pan with olive oil. Place the pans on a baking sheet. If using a single loaf pan, you can skip the baking sheet.
Put the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and coriander in a large bowl. Use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the olive oil and whisk together. Add the milk and rosemary and mix again just to blend. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, stirring gently to combine. Stir in the chocolate until evenly distributed.
Divide the batter among the pans and smooth the top. Sprinkle tops evenly with some Rosemary Sugar, about 2 teaspoons each, if you have some.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are domed and a skewer inserted in the middle of the loaves comes out clean. Cool on a rack before slicing either warm or cool.
(via imdelicious)
Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
For the Dough:
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl (I used just the bowl of my stand mixer) whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.
Whisk together eggs and set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.
Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together. Keep stirring. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right.
Place the dough is a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.
While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.
Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. Seriously? Just go for it.
Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares. Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board. Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up. Serve warm with coffee or tea.
I think this bread is best served the day it’s made, but it can also we wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Makes: one 9×5x3-inch loaf
(via livingyourlifeinblue)
Seeded Flatbread
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast / active dry yeast
1 cup seeds of choice
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard seeds, toasted and crushed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups water, ice cold
semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting baking sheet
Directions:
Stir together the flour, salt, yeast, and seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer. By hand stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is absorbed. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 7 minutes or so, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. As you are mixing, the dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl (to me it looks a bit like a tornado). Add a touch of water or flour to reach the desired effect. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky.
Transfer the dough to a floured counter top. Cut it into 6 equal pieces and mold each into a ball. Rub each ball with olive oil and slip into plastic sandwich bags. Refrigerator overnight.
When you are ready to make flatbread (anytime in the next few days), remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before making the bread. Keep them in a warm place, covered, so they don’t dry out.
At the same time place a baking stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you don’t have a baking stone, you can use a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.
Generously dust a peel or a sheet pan with a bit of semolina flour or cornmeal and get ready to shape your dough. Uncover or unwrap the dough balls and dust them with flour. Working one at a time, gently press a dough round into a disk wide enough that you can bring it up onto your knuckles to thin it out. You can pull it as much or as little as you like. The dough in the lead image was pulled about 6-7-inches, and the one further down the page was pulled paper thin. If the dough is being fussy and keeps springing back, let it rest for another 15-20 minutes. Place the pulled-out dough on the prepared pan, and jerk the pan to make sure the dough will move around on the cornmeal ball-bearings (you don’t want it to stick to the pan).
Add your toppings if you are using toppings (less is more!) and slide the topped pizza onto the baking stone. Bake until the crust is crisp and nicely colored - I start checking on it after 7 minutes or so, but it can take quite a bit longer depending on how thick or not thick you’ve pulled it. Remove from the oven.
Makes six 6-ounce flatbreads.
