Sugar Knot Rolls, Easter Preps and Birthdays!

Easter is coming soon and if you're looking for a wonderfully soft and delicious sweet bread for your Easter brunch I have a great recipe for you!  Inspired by my blogging friend, Juliana, at Color Your Recipes, this bread incorporates the Tangzong or water roux method.  I have been wanting to try this method of bread-making for a long time and finally got around to making some this week.

The bread is so soft and fluffy inside it's almost like eating cotton candy! Delicious on it's own with butter or jam, baked with a sugar topping as Juliana did, or drizzled with glaze and sprinkles like mine.  You can visit Juliana's website to get the recipe and her tips by clicking the link above or also see the recipe with my tips below.

The end of March and beginning of April is always such a fun and busy time here as we celebrate three birthdays in our immediate family in the course of 2-1/2 weeks.  Mine is first in March, followed by my husband's, exactly one week later, and then our oldest daughter's birthday is 9 days after that.

We had a big family dinner party last weekend at our home and celebrated all three at the same time.  Gifts and cards from dear friend's arrived early...

Thank you, Dear Monique!  We have been cyber 'Peas in a Pod' for can it be 25 years now?  We share a love of gardening, painting, cooking and baking among many other parallels in our lives. The gift of friendship is the most valuable and cherished.  ♥

Our middle grandson, Dane who just turned seven shortly before my birthday, gifted both my husband and me with one his original pieces of artwork.  I love his artistic expression!

I've also been doing a little painting of my own for Easter.  I got the idea for the flower painted eggs from Lucy at Craftberry Bush.  Hers are so much better than mine!  I tried a few of her poppy designs and then decided to paint some of the spring flowers that grow in my garden.

I found the faux eggs I used at Walmart.  I love to have a few dozen on hand so I can let my grandsons decorate their own eggs and take them home.  No fear of broken or smelly eggs :)

Enjoy!

Sugar Knot Rolls

Printable Recipe

Makes about 12-14 knot rolls, depending on size. It helps to have a digital scale that measures in both grams and ounces.  In parenthesis I tried to give alternate measurements.

Note:  I started making the bread dough in the afternoon and put the dough in the refrigerator for the first rise overnight.  In the morning, it had tripled in size and was ready for forming into rolls.

Tangzhong or water roux:

50 grams (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) bread flour
250 milliliters (1 cup) water

Bread dough:

550 grams (3-1/4 cups) bread flour
90 grams (1/3 cup) sugar
7 grams (1-1/4 teaspoon) salt
7 grams (1-1/4 teaspoon or one packet) yeast
20 grams (4 tablespoons) non-fat dry milk
2 very large eggs (minus 1 ½ tablespoon), approximately 100 grams. Save what's left for the egg wash.
65 grams (1/3 not-quite-full cup) heavy cream
70 grams (5 tablespoons) butter, softened

Glaze (Optional)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Milk stirred in to obtain drizzling consistency. Perhaps 2-3 tablespoons.

First make the water roux. In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and flour until well-blended and free of lumps. Cook over medium heat to the temperature of 65C/150F, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens. This will take 2-4 minutes. When done, it should have the consistency of custard and the whisk should make visible lines in the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap to keep a 'film' from forming. Cool. The roux can be kept in the refrigerator for 48 hours until ready to use.

To make the bread dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook, place all of the cooled roux. Then add all of the other ingredients for the bread dough, except for the butter. That will be added after the first 'mix'. Turn the mixer on low and stir for 2-3 minutes. Increase mixer speed to level 2 and let it mix for 15 minutes. The dough will be sticky but do not add any more flour. As the dough mixes and the gluten forms it will become less sticky.

Add the softened butter and mix for another 15-20 minutes. To test if the dough is ready, take out of small, golf ball sized portion of dough and slowly stretch in all directions. This is called the windowpane test. If the dough is elastic enough the dough will not tear and you should be able to see light and shadows through the dough. If it tears, return to the mixer and mix for another 2-3 minutes and test again.  Here is a short video on the windowpane dough test:  Click Here.

Remove dough from the mixer and place into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow dough to triple in size. This may take quite a while, depending on the temperature in your house. I placed my dough in the refrigerator overnight and the dough had tripled in size by morning.

To make the rolls, remove dough from bowl and deflate by pushing it down. Divide into about 12-14 balls of about 75 grams each pr about 2-1/2 inches round. To make the knots, roll out a rope from one ball of dough, about 12-14 inches long. Then tie the rope into a knot, tucking one end underneath and the other end bring over the top and push through the hole in the center, like a pretzel. Or twist into any shape you wish. Place each roll on a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone liner. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and allow to double in size.

When they are almost fully doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the top of the rolls with the reserved egg with a 1 tablespoon of water added to it. You can either sprinkle the rolls now with sugar before baking, or bake, allow to cool, and then drizzle a glaze over the top and then sprinkle with colored decors or sugar.

Whole Wheat Hamburgers Buns for the Bread Machine

For many of us, getting together on Mother's Day means having a picnic or barbecue, weather permitting (fingers crossed as that's what our plans are).  That will mean hamburgers, bratwurst, chicken breast, etc. on the grill.  Today, I have a delicious and very easy recipe for hamburger or hot dog buns using your bread machine.  If you don't have one, I'm sure you can make these by mixing the ingredients by hand and kneading the dough. These are definitely worth a 5 star rating!
 

I put off buying my bread machine for years but I'm so glad I finally took the plunge.  I use the 'dough' setting so often!  I know I've bragged out my bread machine before, but it is relatively inexpensive and a real workhorse and time-saver for me!

After the dough cycle is finished, the dough formed into balls and and allowed to rise until doubled in size under plastic wrap.  Then, I like to brush them with an egg wash and sprinkle them with sesame seeds before baking.

We used the first batch I made for some pulled pork shoulder that I had in the freezer and my husband commented on how delicious the buns were!  The recipe calls for all shortening, which makes them super delicious and our favorite, but I have also made them with half shortening and half butter with good results also.  Your choice! 

Whether you spend Mother's Day with family, friends, furbabies or plant babies, I wish you all a wonderful, spring day this Sunday!

Whole Wheat Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns

Adapted from Bread Machine Magic

Printable Recipe

This recipe will yield either 10 hamburger buns or 12 hot dog buns (or make some of each!)

1 cup water

1 egg

1/4 cup shortening, such as Crisco (or use 2 tablespoons shortening and 2 tablespoons butter)

1 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour)

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 envelope rapid-rise or quick-rising yeast (2-1/2 oz)

3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 cup sugar

1 small egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash (optional)

Sesame or poppy seeds (optional)

Place all ingredients in bread pan, according the your machine's directions.  For my machine, I put the liquid ingredients in first, followed by the dry ingredients.  Select the Dough setting and start the machine.  When the dough cycle has completed, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Cut the dough into individual pieces - 10 pieces for hamburger buns or 12 pieces for hot dog buns. I like to weigh each piece of dough on a digital scale to get them the same size - approximately 2 to 2-1/2 ounces each.  Tuck the outsides under and gently form into balls for buns or shape into logs for hot dog buns.  Hamburger buns should be flattened slightly after forming. Here is a good tutorial on how to shape hot dog buns:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPwwXZ0vgGk

Place the formed buns on a silipat or parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400F about 10-12 minutes before the buns are finished rising.

If desired, brush the buns with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

Bake buns in preheated 400°F oven and bake buns for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Time may vary depending on your oven.

Remove from oven and cool on racks. These will keep a few days in the refrigerator or freeze up to a month frozen in a single layer in freezer bags.

Note:  If you don't have a bread machine but have a stand mixer with dough hook, you can use the ingredients in this recipe and follow the directions on the King Arthur website to mix the dough and continue with this recipe after the first rise:   http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2011/05/16/countdown-to-summer-beautiful-burger-buns/

Italian Bacon and Cheese 'Snail' Rolls

First of all, let me tell you that these delicious rolls were a 'labor of love'! I first saw the charming, snail-shaped rolls called "Lumachelle of Orvieto" on Chiara's Italian blog La Voglia Matta in January. Lumaca means snail in Italian and Oriveto is the city in Umbria where they are popular. I immediately put the recipe to the top of my stack of recipes to try. And, try and try I did, with the first real success coming today after two previous attempts.

For the first attempt, I made the dough in my bread machine and made the rolls in muffin tins.  I used smoked ham instead of pancetta and used sharp cheddar cheese. While they looked good and had a nice crumb while warm, they hardened too much after cooling.

For the second batch, I used another recipe that I found on the internet that didn't call for any butter or lard as the first recipe did but use more olive oil.  I kneaded by hand, as the recipe states, and used cooked bacon and grated, aged Pecorino Romano cheese.  These also hardened way too much after they cooled.  Little hockey pucks! I could have given up then and just posted a nice picture and kept my fingers crossed that you had better luck than I - but I just couldn't do that. 

It was then that I decided that the hardening was likely due to using American flour instead of fine, Italian flour.  It's also possible that I didn't add enough water to the dough as it is very dry in the house here in winter. The other factor could be that the original Italian recipes call for uncooked bacon or pancetta which could add additional fat while they bake and make them more tender.  However, I was afraid of using uncooked bacon. 

Whatever the reason, I decided to switch gears and try a totally different dough recipe because I still thought the idea sounded delicious.  I picked the famous Jim Lahey recipe for No-Knead bread dough that ferments on the kitchen counter overnight for 12-18 hours.  It was an Aha! moment when I tasted the first of these rolls!

The rolls were crusty on the outside and tender on the inside, just like a good baguette!  Hours later, I tasted one again and the interior was still soft and delicious (even though I got distracted and baked them a couple of minutes longer than I should have).

A soft and delicious crumb in the center and crusty goodness on the outside with bits of bacon and sharp cheddar cheese.  Yum! They would be delicious for breakfast with an omelette or as an on-the-go breakfast or lunch.  As is true with most delicious rolls, they are best eaten the same day.

All three attempts were formed in the same way by rolling small 50 oz balls of dough into ropes and then wrapping them around and around one end to make the snail shape. Here's a video if you'd like to see how an Italian bakery makes them. 

Whenever I make a European recipe I'm always so glad I have a digital kitchen scale so I can convert ounces to grams!

I think these two are going to love them ♥

If you'd like to try making your own Lumachelle of Orvieto using the original recipe follow the links to Chiara's Blog and the blog that was her inspiration below. 

Italian Bacon and Cheese Rolls

"Lumachelle of Orvieto" - Original Recipes found on La Voglia Matta, and Anice and Cannella, which I adapted using Jim Lahey's No Knead Dough

Printable Recipe

Note: This is the original dough recipe cut in half and it yielded 9 rolls.  You can follow the link to the original Jim Lahey recipe above and use half the dough for these rolls and half for a small loaf of bread - great idea!

1-1/2- cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for dusting
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast

1/2 rounded teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup diced lean bacon, cooked until fat is rendered, drained and cooled

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water, and stir until blended.  The dough will be sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest on the kitchen counter at least 12 hours and preferably 18, at room temperature, about 70 degrees. The dough is ready when the surface is dotted with bubbles.

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it.  Pat the dough out into a rectangle and add the cooked bacon and shredded cheese. Sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it over on itself several times until the bacon and cheese are incorporated. Form a ball with the dough and cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

Cut the dough into 9 equal pieces and roll each piece into a rope.  Make a spiral shape with the ropes but do not roll too tightly.  Place spirals on a silicone or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet dusted with a little flour. Dust surface of rolls with a little bit of flour and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to rest at least 1 hour or up to 1-1/2 hours. 

About 20 minutes for the resting time in finished, preheat the oven to 450F. 

When ready to bake, remove plastic wrap from rolls and place in hot oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack.

Bunny Buns

I saw these adorable rolls on Pinterest last week.  I knew my young grandsons would love to see these on the Easter table next weekend and I think they will bring a smile to the adults too :)

I did a test run on Saturday - which did not go well. First, the dough did not rise very well,  then I over-baked them!  "Add insult to injury" as they say. 

Sunday, I tried them again with different yeast and made sure my timer was set (and actually running).  Success!  I only wish I had made the ears a little longer as I think they could be mistaken for mice.  By the time I make these for dinner next weekend, I think I'll have all of the wrinkles worked out :-)

The idea for the bunny buns shape came from this blog.  I decided instead to use a recipe for egg buns formulated for bread machines which I found in my copy of  Bread Machine Magic.  They are really good! Just the right amount of buttery sweetness and soft and fluffy in the center.

In preparation for Easter, the decorations have come out of storage (some old, a couple new) and eggs have been colored.  Spring has teased us with some lovely days and even some Easter-y outdoor flowers! (We won't talk about the snow in forecast later today.)

I hope this spring season of birth and renewal brings you joy!  Happy Easter!

 

Bunny Buns

Adapted from Bread Machine Magic
Printable Recipe

Makes 16 Bunny Buns or 18 Regular Buns

1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, mixed together lightly
1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons active, dry yeast (I used quick rising yeast)

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Please a large piece of parchment paper or silicone liner on a 18 x 13 inch baking pan (half sheet).

Place all ingredients except egg wash egg, into bread machine in the order recommended by your bread machine. Select the Dough cycle and press Start.

When the dough cycle is finished (my machine takes about 1-1/2 hours), turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Gentle roll and stretch the dough into an 18-inch rope. With a sharp knife or bench scraper cut the dough first into 6 pieces and then cut each of those pieces into 3 pieces. Each piece should weight about 1 ounce if you have a digital scale.

For bunny buns, roll 16 pieces into a ball and then stretch slightly (2 pieces of dough are reserved for the 'ears' and/or 'tails', if desired.) Place on the prepared baking sheet. For the bunny shape, I squeezed one third of the ball between my thumb and forefinger to form the head area. To make the ears, pull off a small piece of one of the reserved dough pieces and roll it into a thin rope about 4-5 inches long. Cut the rope in half and bend each piece into an 'ear' and place between the head and body. With a toothpick dipped in flour, press the base of the ears firmly into the dough to keep them in place. Then, poke two eye holes deep into the head with the toothpick. Continue with the rest of the dough balls.

When finished, covered the pan lightly with a tea towel or parchment paper and allow to rise until doubled - about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F. Brush rolls lightly with beaten egg/water wash and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

May be served warm or cold.

Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake

Here is something to fulfill your cinnamon bun cravings!  After all, it's the holidays and you'll have family and friends to help you eat it :) This cinnamon roll bundt cake would be a delicious addition to your Christmas breakfast or brunch!

While searching online for cookbooks to give as gifts, I came across the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook and was immediately attracted to the beautiful cover.  After browsing through the book, I bookmarked over a dozen recipes and have already made two of them, including their Cinnamon Bun Bundt Cake.

I made a few minor changes to the recipe in that I used my bread machine's dough cycle to knead and raise the dough.  You can find the bread machine instructions at the bottom of the recipe below.

Then, instead of 1 tablespoon of cinnamon to the filling, I used 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of Penzeys Baking Spice which added a wonderful depth of flavor with its allspice, mace, anise and cardamom for just a hint of Chai flavor.  My last change was to add 3/4 cup of toasted and chopped pecans to the filling.

It received rave reviews from my husband who patiently waited while I took these photos so he could have the first piece :)  Naturally, it's best when eaten the same day, but after giving some to my daughter, I wrapped the rest in plastic wrap and refrigerated it.  Warmed for a bit in the microwave, it was wonderful with my morning coffee the next day..
 

 

Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake

adapted from The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook
Printable Recipe

Cinnamon Roll Dough:

1 pkg active dry yeast equally 2-1/2 tsp (make sure your yeast is fresh before starting)
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup warm water (105° to 110° F)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans (optional)

Vegetable oil for the bowl
Flour for the work surface

Bundt cake pan

*See my notes below for making with a bread machine

Filling:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (reserve 1 T for brushing bundt pan)
2/3 cup (plus more for dusting bundt pan)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Penseys Baking Spice (which is a combination of ground cinnamon, anise seed, mace, allspice and cardamom - or simply use 1 teaspoon of plain cinnamon)
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the cake dough:

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes, or until foamy.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks, buttermilk and salt until well combined.

Beat in the yeast mixture. Beat in 3 1/2 cups of the flour until combined.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, adding more flour if necessary.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll to a 12 by 18 inch rectangle. Brush with 3 tablespoons of the melted butter.

In a small bowl, combine the 2/3 cup brown sugar, the cinnamon and salt and sprinkle over the dough. Starting at one short end, roll into a cylinder. With a serrated knife, cut the roll in half crosswise, and then cut each half into six pieces so that you have 12 pieces.

Brush a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan with melted butter and coat with the 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Place the pieces of dough, seam side down, around the pan.  I placed a layer of pieces all facing the outside of the pan first and then filled the pan with the remaining pieces so that the swirl pattern would show up all around the cake. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until light and puffed, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown and well risen. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate or parchment-paper-covered cutting board. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

*My notes for making dough with a bread machine:

First, I melted the 6 tablespoons of butter in a bowl. I stirred in the buttermilk and added the ¼ cup warm water. Then, I added a little of the buttermilk mixture to the egg yolks and stirred quickly, then added the egg yolks to the buttermilk mixture and again stirred quickly so the yolks would not cook even slightly when added to the warm mixture. 

In a separate bowl, I combined the flour, yeast, sugar and salt.

For my bread machine, I need to add all the ‘wet’ ingredients to the machine first, then add the dry ingredients over that. I set the machine to ‘dough’ cycle.

Proceed with the rest of the rest of the recipe as written after the dough has risen in the bread machine.

Angie's German Hard Rolls

There's no denying it's soup weather.  From California to Texas to Winter Storm Iago in the South East, it is time to cozy up to a warm bowl of soup! And with your warming soup, you need to have really good bread. 

When I saw these beautiful rolls on Angie's Recipes, it was love at first sight.  You have to visit her blog to see how gorgeous her rolls are - so much nicer than mine.  She is a superb baker!

To make these rolls you have to start thinking the afternoon or evening before you want to make them because they are made with a preferment called Poolish, which is a tiny amount of yeast mixed with a small amount of water and flour.  It has to rest overnight before you can proceed with the rolls.  

I had a bit of trouble mixing up the poolish because my digital scale wasn't being cooperative and wouldn't read the very small amount of of yeast that the poolish required - .1 gram!  After doing some research online, it would probably be a little less than 1/8 of a teaspoon. 

They were absolutely delicious with our warm soup on a cold night!

What is it about bread that is so appealing?  A) The crust B) The soft inside C} The butter D) All of the above?   What do you think?

German Hard Rolls with Poolish

Adapted from Angie's Recipes which was also adapted from Plotzblog
Printable Recipe

My Notes:  A digital scale with gram conversion is helpful!

Poolish Dough
100 g Water
100 g Bread flour
0.1 g Fresh yeast (or about 1/8 teaspoon)

Dough
150 g Bread flour
55 g Water
5 g Fresh yeast
5 g Salt
10 g Sugar
3 g Butter or Olive oil

Combine together the poolish ingredients in a mixing bowl. Leave it, covered, at room temperature for 16-20 hours.

Mix the starter, bread flour, water and fresh yeast at low speed for 3 minutes, then increase the speed and mix for 5 more minutes. Add in salt, sugar, and olive oil and continue to knead for another 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and form into a round ball. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside for an hour. Stretch and fold the dough after 30 minutes. Knead the dough thoroughly and divide it into 5 large or 8 small portions. Shape each portion into an oval and place them on the parchment paper lined baking tray. Cover and prove for an hour.

Place a roasting tray at the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F. (May brush the rolls with milk, if desired) Score the rolls and place in the hot oven. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the roasting tray. Bake 20-25 minutes until they are nicely

Marigene's Holiday Rolls

Just one last post before Christmas and the New Year as I thought some of you may like to make these for your holiday meal. These rolls made their first appearance in my home on Thanksgiving and it won't be their last!  They will be made for many more holiday meals and celebrations.  I first saw these rolls on Marigene's blog, In the Middle of Nowhere and I was struck by how big and beautiful they were.

I adapted the recipe by using my bread machine - my instructions are in the recipe below.

They are the perfect addition to a holiday meal.  Since I only made half of the original recipe, mine were a little smaller than Marigene's as I had to divide them into smaller portions to fit the pans I used.  They were still plenty big, fluffy and delicious as you can see and a half recipe was more than enough for 8 people.

I hope you give these delicious rolls at try at your next family gathering - they are well worth the effort!

I want to wish all of you who celebrate a safe and very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!! Thank you for all of your support and kind comments!

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Holiday Rolls
Adapted from Marigene's Spicery Rolls
Printable Recipe

My Notes:  Amounts in (…) are for ½ recipe which was more than enough for 8 people.

I used my bread machine for the knead and first rise and decided to brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter right after they came out of the oven. Great idea!

3 (1-1/2) cups hot but not quite boiling water, divided
½ (1/4) cup butter
1 ½ (3/4) teaspoons salt
1 (1/2) cup sugar
6 (3) ounces evaporated milk (that’s about ¾ cup for a full recipe)
¼ (1/8) cup instant yeast
9-11 (5-1/4) cups all purpose flour

3 - 9” round cake pans (2 for ½ recipe)

In a large bowl or 6 quart mixer pour half of the hot water over the butter. Stir until melted. Add salt and sugar and stir well and add the rest of the hot water. Stir in evaporated milk. Slowly add flour and yeast.

Turn out onto floured board and knead or use the dough hook on your mixer or bread machine. Knead for about 10 minutes, if by hand or mixer. Next, grease a large bowl thoroughly. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it over so the surface will be well greased to prevent sticking. Cover, let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. (If using a bread machine, skip the above instructions and put the wet ingredients in first followed by the dry ingredients and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dough only cycle.)

Dump onto well floured surface. Divide into thirds and each third into 12 equal pieces to form into dinner-size rolls (if making a half recipe, cut dough in half and then cut each half into 12 pieces). Let rise until doubled. Just before popping them into the oven I give the tops a good brushing of egg/water wash.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 375° until the tops are browned nicely. Brush with melted butter upon removing them from the oven (optional). 

Makes 36 (24) large rolls.

According to Marigene they freeze well.  She wraps them in paper towels, then in foil and finally into a plastic bag. 

Parsley and Chive Pull Apart Rolls

If you have chives and parsley growing in your garden right now (or have a generous neighbor with some), you need to make these delicious rolls.

I saw these in a poppy seed version on Joyce's blog Kitchen Flavors and the original recipe comes from Abigail Johnson Dodge. When I saw Joyce's beautiful rolls I decided right then that I had to try to adapt the recipe to my new bread machine!

The recipe included an herb version with using parsley and chives and my garden has been providing me plenty of those early spring herbs. I'm already imagining other herb combinations when my herb pots are overflowing this summer. The original recipe calls for half and half (light cream) which I didn't have but I found a container of whole milk cottage cheese and I figured cottage cheese and chives go perfectly together so, why not? I whirred the cottage cheese in a blender to get it creamy and smooth and I added about 1 tablespoon of milk for consistency.

I've made them twice already, once using the cottage cheese that I mentioned above, and the second time I used buttermilk instead.  Both delicious!  They look so cute in this folding bread basket that I received as a gift for my birthday ;) They are so soft and flavorful!

Spring Herb Pull-Apart Rolls

Adapted from Abigail Johnson Dodge
Printable Recipe

Note: This recipe has been adapted for the bread machine.  Please see link to Abigail Johnson Dodge's original recipe above if you wish to make them by hand or stand mixer and to see her do-ahead notes.

Makes 16 rolls

1 cup (8 fl ounces/233 ml) whole milk cottage cheese, whirred in a blender until smooth and creamy with 1 tablespoon milk, or 1 cup Buttermilk
6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus 2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams), melted, for glazing (optional)
3-2/3 cups (16 ½ ounces/468 grams) bread flour or all purpose flour
2-¼ teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast (Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise, Red Star’s Quick Rise, or SAF Instant)
1/3 cup (2 ½ ounces/71 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
3 egg yolks from large eggs
1/4 cup Chopped Chives
1/4 cup Chopped Parsley

Other flavor options:

Poppy Seed: 1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon poppy seeds
Black Pepper and Cheese: 2 cups (5 ounces/142 grams) loosely packed finely shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese and 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

In a small saucepan or in microwave, combine the creamed cottage cheese or buttermilk and the 6 tablespoons butter.  Warm until the butter melts, stirring, and the liquid registers about 115 degrees (52°C) on an instant-read thermometer.  Add the packet of instant yeast and allow to stand for five minutes.

Mix the egg yorks with a fork and add to the above mixture and blend.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and herbs.

Add the wet and dry ingredients to your bread machine depending on the manufacturer's instructions.  (Mine calls for putting the wet ingredients in first and then adding the dry ingredients on top.)

Set the machine for dough cycle only.  It will knead the dough and perform the first rise in the machine.

Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch (22.75-by-33cm) baking dish (I used a Pyrex dish).

When the bread machine dough cycle is completed (about 1-1/2 hours), turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and press down gently to deflate. If the dough is too sticky add a little flour to the work surface. Using a bench scraper or a chef’s knife, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces (or 15 in my case), 2 - 2-1/2 oz (57 to 71 grams) each. (To be sure of uniform rolls, use a scale to weigh the portions.)

Work with one piece of dough at a time, and keep the others covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel. With a cupped palm, press down gently but firmly, rolling the piece in tight circles on the work surface until it forms a smooth-skinned ball with a seam on the bottom. Put the ball, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish, cover loosely with plastic, and repeat with the remaining dough. The dough balls can be arranged in rows or placed randomly; just be sure they’re evenly spaced.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let the balls rise in a warm spot until they’re about 1 ½ times their original size and have risen about three-fourths of the way up the sides of the baking dish (they won’t yet fill the dish), 40 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C) about 10-15 minutes before the above rising time is done and position an oven rack to the middle position.

Bake until the rolls are puffed and well browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with the melted butter, if using. Serve warm or bake earlier in the day and gently reheat in a low oven.

Brioche Sandwich Buns

I had fun playing with my new bread machine again this past week! I took a recipe not intended for a bread machine and used the "dough only" cycle since the dough needs to be shaped by hand. I wanted some really good rolls to make sandwiches with some of our leftover Easter ham and had saved this recipe from the NY Times and adapted it for a bread machine.

They turned out perfectly and were so tasty, it was hard not to eat them plain with a little bit of fresh butter.  They will be wonderful with burgers on the grill this summer!

Brioche Buns

Adapted from the NY Times
Printable Recipe

(Recipe adapted for the dough cycle on a bread machine - click on NY Times link for regular recipe)

Makes 12 buns

1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons warm milk
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened.
1 large egg
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Sesame or Poppy Seeds (optional)

In a glass measuring cup, combine 1 cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 1 egg and soften butter in microwave until just barely melted - stir to combine. Add beaten egg and melted butter to yeast mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt.

Add liquid ingredients and dry ingredients according to the instructions provided with your bread machine. Choose the 'dough' cycle.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

After the dough is kneaded and has risen in the bread machine, remove it to a work surface. Using a dough scraper, divide the dough into 3 equal parts and divide each of those parts into 4 equal parts. Shape each of the 12 parts into a ball, pulling the dough down and under the bottom of each ball. (Lightly oil your fingers if the dough sticks).  Arrange the balls 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let buns rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. 15 minutes before the hour is over, set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor or lowest rack. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the top rack in the center.

Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. Add sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Whole Wheat Olive Oil Bread and Bocconcini de Foccacia

Here are two recipes made from the Whole Wheat Olive Oil Bread dough from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. With the dough, I decided to make a plain loaf of Whole Wheat Olive Oil bread and Southwest Foccacia.

This was a great whole wheat bread recipe!  My addition to the recipe was to sprinkle the dough with dried basil and Kosher Salt over the top of the bread before it went into the oven.  The bread has a lovely, moist crumb and was delicious warm and slathered with butter.  Great for sandwiches too!

Then, with some of the remaining dough I made these Bocconcini 'Foccacia' Bundles:

The Southwest Foccacia recipe intrigued me and I made my own spin on the recipe by making them into muffin-like bundles instead of a flat foccacia.  My friend Monique, at La Table de Nana had shared a recipe for 'Bocconcini de Foccacia' which were more like filled muffins rather than foccacia.  Made with the same whole wheat olive oil dough, these bundles are stuffed with roasted corn, sauteed onion and tomatoes and manchego cheese, although mozzarella would be another good choice.

Onions were sauteed in a little olive oil and then I added tomatoes from my garden that I had oven-roasted and frozen at the end of last summer. Sun-dried tomatoes could be used instead.  I tossed in some rosemary, basil and a little salt and pepper to taste.  I bought a fresh ear of corn, removed the kernels, added a little olive oil and roasted them in the oven.

>br/> I used small, plum-sized pieces of the whole wheat olive oil bread dough to make small discs and added the filling and a little cubed Manchego cheese.I pinched the bundles together, turned them over and placed them in muffin liners sprayed with Bakers Joy.

They were so delicious warm from the oven!

100% White Whole Wheat Bread with Olive Oil 

Adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day 

Recipe can be Halved

7 cups white whole wheat flour (or use whole wheat flour)
1-1/2 Tablespoons yeast
1-1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
3-1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees F)
1/2 cup olive oil

In a large bowl mix together the flour, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten in a large, 5-quart bowl or container with lid (not airtight). Using a large wooden spoon mix in the olive oil and water, until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. You may need to wet your hands to incorporate the last of the flour but do not knead.

Cover the dough (not air tight) and let sit at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses or flattens out on top (about two hours.) Then you can use the dough right away, or for easier handling, refrigerate for a few hours or as long as ten days.

When ready to bake, sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, then remove a grapefruit sized piece of dough. Sprinkle with flour again, shape the dough into a ball by folding the sides under and stretching the top to a smooth surface. Put dough on a pizza peel, parchment paper, or cookie sheet to rest. (I use a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper to easily slip the dough onto a hot pizza stone in the oven.)

The dough needs to rest for 90 minutes, but after 60 minutes, place a pizza stone in the middle of the oven and a shallow baking pan on the rack below.  Begin preheating the oven to 450F/230C.  

After dough has rested for almost 90 minutes, brush the surface of the dough with water, then using a serrated knife, cut parallel slashes into the surface of the bread. (At this point I sprinkled the top of the bread with dried basil and kosher salt.)

Then slide the bread (and parchment paper if using) on to the hot pizza stone or baking sheet, and immediately pour 1 cup hot water into the other baking dish and shut the oven door. Bake bread for 30-35 minutes, until nicely browned. I like to turn the bread over after 20 minutes so the bottom of the bread will brown.

Remove and cool on a baking rack.  

To make the Bocconcini Bundles


You will need:

1 onion, chopped
1 ear of corn, kernels removed  (can substitute frozen)
6 ounces Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Red pepper flakes

1/2 cup diced or shredded cheese, such as manchego or mozzarella
1/2 teaspoon each dried rosemary and basil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Saute the onion in a pan with a little olive oil.  Add the chopped tomatoes, red pepper flakes and corn and saute for about 3 minutes.  Add seasoning and allow to cool.

Cut off plum-sized pieces of the whole wheat olive oil dough and press each one flat.

Add the diced cheese to the cooled mixture and place about 1 tablespoon of mixture for each 'bundle'.  Pinch together and place in sprayed muffin cups seam-side-down. 

Bake at 350F for about 20-25 minutes.