It is interesting to me how the aroma of spices can summon up memories, and cinnamon certainly does this for me. Holidays are of course synonymous with the warming fragrance of cinnamon. Christmas cookies, mulled wine, and holiday potpourri immediately come to mind when I think of cinnamon, but I have another favorite memory conjured by this delightful spice, Cinnamon Swirl bread.

A number of years ago we stayed at a charming B&B in Taos New Mexico late in the fall.  It was an wonderful little place with small casitas nestled amid giant cotton wood trees. There was a beautiful 100 year old ranch house with thick adobe walls where a daily breakfast was served. Among the selections offered was fresh baked cinnamon raisin bread. To this day I can remember the almost magical fragrance of the toasting bread. It wasn’t that I’d never had cinnamon bread before, but somehow at that particular place in time, it was like nothing else I had ever tasted. Funny how those slices of toast on that fall morning still come to mind when I smell cinnamon. 

In addition to being a delicious flavor, there are also many health benefits of cinnamon. It is a great source of fiber, manganese, and calcium. Cinnamon has been shown to act as a powerful antioxidant and also has beneficial anti-inflammatory properties. It has also shown to be beneficial to the brain and may also aid in delaying the progression of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Cinnamon has also been found to help with reducing stress. While studies are not conclusive, cinnamon has been shown to lower blood sugar levels by decreasing insulin resistance, a possible benefit for everyone, but especially those with diabetes, and may also help to fight infections.

Getting started – This bread is relatively easy to make so don’t be intimidated. I like to begin by clearing the decks, making sure I don’t have anything in the sink and that the counters are cleared and ready. Next I collect and measure all my ingredients into ramekins and bowls so I can concentrate on the dough. I can also put canisters and measuring spoons and cups away giving me plenty of room to work.

Equipment – I like to use my stand mixer with a dough hook but this bread can certainly be worked by hand. A large bowl with a lid is handy for the fermentation. A good stiff spatula for scraping down the bowl as well as a bench scraper are also key to have available. Of course you will need some measuring cups and spoons as well as a 9″ x 5″ bread pan and a sheet pan. Cling wrap and cooking spray also come in handy.

Ingredients – A nice thing about this bread is you probably have everything you need to make it, raisins might be the exception. Dried cranberries, cherries, or currants would also be great if you do not care for raisins.

Bread –

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 Tablespoon nonfat dry milk
• 2 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 packet instant dry yeast – 2 1/4 teaspoons
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins, plumped and drained
• 1 cup warm water
• 4 Tablespoons butter, room temp

Swirl mixture –

• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Topping –

• 1 Tablespoon melted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of the swirl mixture

Let’s make some bread –

Soak the raisins in very warm water to hydrate for about 1/2 hour before starting the actual mixing process. I have also used rum to plump the raisins and it adds lots of flavor. One thing to keep in mind is that if you do soak your raisins in liquor it will slow down the rising process. Also now is the time to take the butter from the fridge and cut it into small cubes which will allow it to warm up enough while you get the rest of your mise en place. The butter needs to be softened but not melted, slightly cool is better than too warm. 

Sift 3 cups of the flour into the bowl of your mixer. Place the 4th cup in a separate bowl and set off to the side. This will be the flour we use to add to the bread if needed and also to dust the board. It is important not to add too much flour and this is a good way to ensure that you don’t. Add the powdered milk, sugar, yeast, salt and cinnamon and whisk together. Instant yeast will not start working until liquid is added. Add the drained raisins and toss to combine.

Add the warm water. I run the tap until very hot then check the temperature with my instant read gun. The water should be between 88 and 92 degrees. Mix on low speed for about 5 minutes or until the dough begins to climb the hook and all visible flour is absorbed. It is important to stop periodically and scrape down the bowl making sure to scrape under the bottom of the ball of dough as well. During this stage I add more flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough starts to clean itself from the sides of the bowl. Now take a little break. Walk away from the mixer for about 5 minutes to allow the dough to relax before adding the butter.

Increase the speed a click and add the butter a few cubes at a time, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed. Add more flour a spoon at a time until the dough climbs the hook and cleans the bowl. Depending on the humidity in your kitchen and the dryness of your flour this can take from 3 to 5 minutes. When the dough is ready it will have a smooth elastic appearance and will have cleaned the sides of the bowl. Dust your hands with some of the reserved flour and remove the dough from the mixer. Give it a few turns by hand to form a ball. Place the freshly kneaded dough in a bowl that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick and cover with a lid or piece of plastic.

Now the dough has some work to do. I place my bowl on top of my stove for the bulk fermentation or first rise which takes usually about an hour. We are watching for the dough to roughly double in size. Depending on your kitchen temperature, or if you used alcohol to plump the raisins it will probably take longer.

When the dough has doubled it is time to prepare your loaf pan. Coat the pan with shortening making sure to get the corners well. Using some of the reserved flour lightly dust your board. We don’t want to add lots of flour, we just need to keep the dough from sticking. I take a pinch of flour at a time a throw it across the board, same motion as skipping stones. Also dry your hands with flour before you grab the dough. 

Turn the dough out on to the board and slide it around a bit to make sure it is not sticking. I do not use a rolling pin for this, I just use the flat of my hands to press and gently coax and stretch the dough into a 9″ x 12″ rectangle. The dough should be 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick. As you work be sure your bread is not sticking. If it is use, a bench scraper to loosen it. If your seems to recoil and uncooperative to stretch out, cover it with a clean dry towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes. Usually this is a sign that the glutens have not fully relaxed. I find setting my bread pan next to my board while I shape it makes for a helpful reference.  

Sprinkle the dough evenly with the sugar cinnamon mixture, holding back around a teaspoon and a half to top the loaf.  Leave about an inch of the dough un covered for sealing the loaf. 

Gently roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam closed with your fingers. At this point you can roll the log a bit to even it up if needed. You can also shorten the loaf by pushing both ends towards the center at the same time if it has gotten longer than your pan.  

Place the roll of dough seam side down in your prepared pan. Using the flat of your hand gently press the dough if needed to even up your loaf. Lightly spray a piece of plastic wrap with non-stick and loosely cover the loaf. Be sure the plastic is cover the dough but not stuck to the pan. I put my bread pan on top of a sheet pan which makes it much easier to handle. Now it is time to proof the loaf for baking. I like to put my loaf on top of my stove to rise and at the same time I position a rack in the oven one notch below center. This helps the bread to bake through and keep the top from getting to dark too early. 

The bread will usually proof in about 30 minutes, but you will need to keep an eye on it. You want to allow your bread to rise until it is about 1″ over the top of the pan. I usually check on it at about 20 minutes and get a good idea of how much more time is required. The heat from the warming oven helps with the rise.

Ready to Bake – 

When the oven is hot and the loaf is proofed, gently brush all exposed surfaces with melted butter and even sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the top. I like adding this topping as the sugar adds a nice bit of crisp to the top crust.

Place the loaf pan of bread on the sheet pan in your oven and bake for about 45 minutes. The top should have developed a nice rich brown color. Remove the pans from the oven and turn the loaf out of the bread pan on to the sheet pan and return the bread to the oven for 5 minutes. This will brown up the sides slightly and help your loaf of bread keep it shape and last longer. 

Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack. It is always very hard to resist cutting into the warm loaf but let it cool completely. The bread continues to develop its texture as it cools. Be sure that the loaf is completely cool before storing it in a bread bag.

This delightful Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread is one of our fall favorites here at James & Everett. The aroma of this bread toasting is absolutely heavenly and makes the perfect companion for breakfast next to a piping hot cup of fresh coffee.

Toasted with some fresh butter is probably my favorite way to enjoy this bread. I also enjoy this bread for sandwiches bringing  that salty sweet combo that I do love. 

Another way to enjoy this bread is as some French Toast. Topped with some apple slices sautéed in butter with cinnamon and sugar, this bread magically becomes the perfect brunch.   

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Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Delicious and aromatic raisin bread with a cinnamon and sugar swirl. Perfect for morning toast and also makes amazing French toast.

Course Breads, Breakfast

Keyword bread, Breakfast

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Rising time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Slices

Author Christoph

Equipment

• Stand mixer fitted with dough hook
• 9 x 5" loaf pan

Ingredients

Raisin Bread

• 4 cups all-purpose flour divided
• 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast 1 packet
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup raisins soaked to plump and drained
• 1 cup lukewarm water 85-90°F
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened

Cinnamon Swirl

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Top

• 1 tablespoon butter melted
• 1 teaspoon swirl mixture

Instructions

• Place the raisins in a small bowl with warm water to hydrate. Drain before adding.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer place 3 cups of the flour. Put the 4th cup of flour in a small bowl and set aside. Add powdered milk, sugar, salt, yeast, cinnamon, and whisk to sift together. Add raisins and stir to combine.
• Add the warm water and place the bowl on the mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed to combine 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour from the reserved 1 cup 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls away from bowl. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as well.
• Turn the speed up one click and add the softened butter in small pieces, add more flour a tablespoon at a time as needed from reserved bowl. Scrape down the bowl periodically to ensure all the butter and flour is incorporated in to the dough.
• When the dough is climbing the hook and not sticking to the sides of the bowl (3 to 5 minutes) transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl for the first rise. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Allow the dough to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
• In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon powder for the swirl mixture.
• Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch bread pan.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently press the dough with the flat of your hand to deflate. Lift the dough to make sure it is not sticking to the board. Pat and stretch the dough into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle trying to make an even thickness, (I place my bread pan on the board to help me form the right size for the pan). Sprinkle the dough evenly with all but about one teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar.
• Roll the dough up into a log and pinch the seam to close. Place the loaf seam-side down in the prepared pan and cover lightly with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Place the pan in a draft free location and proof until the dough is about 1 inch above the pan or about 60 – 80 minutes (time will vary based on temperature of kitchen and humidity).
• During the last half hour of the proofing time, heat the oven to 350°F. When the bread has risen, gently brush the top of the loaf with the melted butter and dust the remaining sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the top of the bread is golden browned. Near the end of the baking time, turn the loaf out onto a baking sheet and return to the oven for the last 5 minutes of baking (this will brown up the sides slightly and help the bread keep its shape). Remove the loaf from the oven and place on a wire rack to completely cool.
• Store cooled bread in a plastic bag for 4 to 5 days, if it lasts that long.

Well it has been a little over two months since my shoulder surgery and I am finally getting back in the kitchen a bit.  Not ready to tackle anything too challenging yet, but not being able to stir or chop for the past eight weeks has been driving me up the wall!  I thought I better ease back into things with something easy so I decided upon trying a strawberry bread recipe that I had come across during early recovery.

The idea of using fresh strawberries in a quick bread intrigued me and we just so happened to have a couple pounds sitting in the fridge.  I have used fresh strawberries in cake before and knew that the moisture content presents a bit of a baking challenge.  I was a little surprised at how thick the batter was before adding the berries, but knew that it would loosen up quite a bit with the addition of the fruit; (I did use a couple tablespoon more flour than the recipe called for since my berries were very ripe and seemed especially full of liquid).  Baking time was about ten minutes longer than the recipe suggested, I thought it might require more time because of the fresh berries, so I just kept checking the center with a chopstick.

I held to the measure for the berries in this recipe.  Often I like to “amp up” the fruit but glad I did not, the results would have been a very wet bread that would have formed a tough crust on the outside before the center was completely baked.  The recipe called for an oven temp of 375°F.  I am going to bake this one again dropping the heat 25° to 350°F to see if the loaf will bake a little more evenly.  The outside did get a bit dark as you can see because of the extended oven time, but the moisture in the berries prevented it from getting hard.

The icing adds a very nice extra layer of strawberry goodness for sure.  I would advise mixing in the berries and letting it stand for a few minutes before adding extra cream, the berries do bring quite a bit of moisture and the sugar draws it out.  I recommend holding the unused portion of this in the fridge, and be aware that because of the fresh berries it will get soggy after a couple days, but the odds are there will not be any around anyway.

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Strawberry Quick Bread

The flavor of fresh strawberries is the star of this easy-to-make quick bread, topped with a luscious strawberry icing.

Course Breads, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword quick bread, Strawberry bread

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12 Slices

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Bread

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups diced strawberries + 2 Tablespoons flour

Icing

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/3 cup finely diced strawberries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk as needed

Instructions

Bread

• Position shelf in center of oven and heat to 350°Prepare a 9”x5” loaf pan by greasing and lining with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl mix together the sugar, milk, oil, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
• In a small bowl toss the strawberries with 2 tablespoons of flour to coat. Fold the strawberries gently into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 - 65 minutes. Test bread with a knife or chopstick. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes before removing the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.

Icing

• Combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, diced strawberries and extract in a small bowl, adding cream a little at a time to make a thick yet pour-able icing. Spread over cooled bread. Allow to set up before slicing.

Notes

1. Strawberries are a very wet ingredient, if you use more than two cups you might need to adjust the flour as well.
2. Frozen strawberries can also be use just thaw completely before dicing.
3. Add the cream or milk to the frosting very little at a time.  The strawberries bring a lot of moisture to the icing and depending on your berries may require very little or no milk.
4. The original recipe called for oven temperature of 375°F, after baking a second loaf at 350°F I found that worked better, the outside did not get too dark before the inside was done.  I also increase the baking time.  I realize oven temps do vary.
5. Cake is best the first couple days after baking, and will become soggy if held longer.

Loaded with fresh apples and cinnamon then topped with a sugary glaze, this easy to make quick bread tastes amazingly like a bakery case apple fritter.  Studded with apples this cake-like bread is moist and tender, and the glaze gives the perfect balance to the tart apples.  The heavenly aroma of this bread in the oven is reason enough to make it, but one taste and you will see it is every bit as delicious as you imagined it was going to be.

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Apple Fritter Bread

A delicious buttery cake-like bread is loaded with apples and cinnamon. Topped with a sugary glaze this amazing loaf tastes just like a classic favorite apple fritter.

Course Breads, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword apple fritter bread, quick breads

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Bread

• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temp
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk room temp
• Apple Filling
• 2 large apples peeled, cored, and small dice
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Brown Sugar Swirl

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cardamom

Glaze

• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 - 2 tablespoons milk as needed for consistency

Instructions

Bread

• Position rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan.   I line the pan with parchment paper for ease.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time mixing well.   Add vanilla and beat until completely incorporated.
• In a separate bowl sift together all dry ingredients.  Add to the butter about a third at a time mixing well.  Add milk and beat until smooth.

Apple Filling

• Peel, core and dice apples.  In a bowl toss apples with sugar, flour and cinnamon.

Brown Sugar Swirl

• In a small bowl mix together brown sugar and spices.

Assemble

• Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and level out with a spatula or offset knife.
• Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture over the batter followed by half of the apples.
• Spread the remaining batter into the loaf pan, followed by the rest of the brown sugar and apples.  Using a knife, swirl the apples and sugar into the loaf.   Tap pan on the counter to remove air pockets and to level the bread.
• Place in the oven for 60 – 70 minutes or until a chopstick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool.

Glaze

• Mix the powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Add milk a teaspoon at a time until you have a pourable glaze. Place the wire rack holding the loaf over a pan or wax paper and pour the glaze over the still slightly warmed bread. Allow to cool completely.

Notes

If desired mix a second batch of the glaze only thicker to decorate the top. Chopped walnuts would be a nice addition.

 

Store left over bread loosely wrapped for several days.  If you wrap it tightly the moisture from the apples will make it wet and soggy. 

Farm fresh spinach is combined with garlic, onions and feta cheese then baked in thin flaky layers of phyllo dough until golden brown.  Our version of this classic Greek Spanakopita adds a bit of a twist to the traditional recipe adding a blend of feta and ricotta cheeses and a hand full of fresh dill.  Formed in a slightly different manner, this recipe offers the perfect ratio of filling to crisp flaky layers of pastry.

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Spanakopita

Layers of flaky phyllo dough are filled with spinach, onions, and feta cheese then baked to a golden crisp in the favorite Greek pastry.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword phyllo dough, Spanakopita

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh spinach wilted, chopped, and drained
• ½ red onion sautéed finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled
• 4 ounces ricotta cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• 1 package phyllo dough
• ¾ cup olive oil

Instructions

• Position rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375°F. Lightly grease a 10” springform or cake pan.
• In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat wilt the spinach in a tablespoon of olive oil adding handfuls at a time. You may need to do this in more than one batch depending on the size of your skillet. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• Sautee the onions until translucent, adding the garlic for the last minute. Add to bowl of spinach to cool. Once cooled, add the fresh dill and turn out on to a cutting board and finely chop.
• Press as much liquid as you can from the cooked spinach and onions using a mesh strainer and the back of a large spoon. A ricer also works very well for this.
• Return the spinach to the mixing bowl and add the cheese. Mix well and taste adding salt and pepper as needed. Once seasoned add the eggs and mix well.
• Place a sheet of phyllo dough in the bottom of the baking pan and brush with olive oil, and a second sheet and brush again.
• Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on a cutting board, long edge towards you and brush with olive oil, and another sheet and brush, add a third and brush again.
• Pipe or spoon a row of filling along the bottom edge of the dough, roll the dough into a rope. Starting in the middle of the pan, form a coil with the rope of dough, keeping it as tight as you can. The dough may crack a bit as you work.
• Repeat with more sheets and filling until the coil completely fills the pan. Brush the top of the coil with olive oil. Cover coil with a sheet of dough and brush with oil, add a second sheet and brush again. Tuck the edges of the top sheets down around the sides of the coil and sprinkle the top with sea salt.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool in the pan for five minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.
• Spanakopita is served warm or at room temperature.

Notes

This can also be made on a baking tray if you do not have a large springform or round pan. Parchment paper would be a good idea.

 

Bake any remaining filling as hand pies.  Using several sheets of phyllo, brush oil between the layers, add the filling, and fold into pockets or triangles.  Bake until golden 20 - 25 minutes. 

I must confess, I really enjoy a good pastry with my coffee.  Flaky layers, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, with a bit of sweet but not overly sugary.  Now it is not very often that I actually act on this love affair with breakfast baked goods, but every once in a while there is no fighting the urge.  I first learned of this pastry on a trip to Munich a few years ago.  The hotel had these wonders nestled in with other delightful breads on a breakfast buffet, and the interesting shape of the croissant-like cinnamon roll caught my attention.

Like many European pastries, the Franzbrötchen (French roll) is not overly sweet, the star of the roll is the soft layers of the croissant.  This roll originated in Germany after Napoleon’s troops had occupied Hamburg in the early 1800’s, and most likely got its name from the French croissant or Französisch in German.  Originally found only in Hamburg, the popularity of this roll spread and it is now enjoyed all over Germany.

I had kind of forgotten about his delight until just recently.  I have been taking German language classes and to aid my pronunciation I have been streaming German television programs.  The other morning I was watching “Guten Tag Deutschland”, the German equivalent of Good Morning America.  The show had a segment called Essen & Trinken (food and drink) and the hosts were making this easy version of Franzbrötchen which caught my eye.  The traditional way to make this roll is done in the same fashion as croissants.  Layers of dough laminated with butter and folded and rolled and allowed to rise, a rather lengthy project.  This recipe however used prepared puffed pastry and for a twist they added some apple.  It was particularly fun because I actually understood part, not all, of what the hosts were saying, and I realized how easy this would be.  So the other morning I busted a move and put these together to enjoy with our coffee.  I will say they were quite delicious, not as good as the real thing of course, but for a quick and easy breakfast pastry, these rolls are a definite winner.

Two sheets of pastry dough are required.  Roll the sheets rather thin and as close to the same size as you can.  I used Pepperidge Farms puff pasty and rolled it to about 14″ x 20″.  Set one aside while you begin to build the roll.  Brush the first sheet from edge to edge with melted butter and dust evenly with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, I added cardamom.  The cinnamon and sugar should not be too thick just.  Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the shredded apples and spread them evenly over the dough, again not too thick.  Top this with the second sheet, patting it down to remove air gaps and to flatten it for easy rolling.  Brush the second sheet with melted butter followed by another sanding of the sugar and cinnamon.  And be sure to enjoy that fresh squeezed apple juice!

Roll the pastry up to form a roll without any air pockets.  Then carefully slice the log into pieces about 2½” – 3″ long.  After trimming the ends I got 8 rolls out of the log.  Then using the handle of a wooden spoon press down in the center of each piece about three quarters of the way through.  Don’t break the roll in half but you do want to press hard enough to form a butterfly looking roll.

Place the rolls 3″ – 4″ apart on a parchment lined baking tray, be sure not to crowd them.  You will want to use parchment, melted sugar is a tough one to clean up and might also cause your rolls to stick.  Silpats do not work because they will not allow the rolls to brown on the bottom.  Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until they have taken a nice golden brown color.  Be sure to let them cool a bit before devouring.  Remember apple and sugar fillings are hot.

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Franzbötchen mit Apfel

A very easy version of a beloved German pastry makes this a favorite breakfast treat. Croissant-like cinnamon rolls with bits of apple are perfect with your morning coffee.

Course Breads, Breakfast

Cuisine German

Keyword bread, Breakfast pastries, Franzbrötchen

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 sheets Pepperidge Farms puff pastry dough
• 1 stick unsalted butter 8 Tablespoons melted
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 2 apples grated

Instructions

• Position rack in the center of oven and heat to 400°F. Line 2 baking trays with parchment.
• Melt butter in a small sauce pan. Mix sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small bowl.
• Shred the apple into a large bowl with a course grater, stop at the core and be careful not to get any seeds.
• Thinly roll the sheets of puff pastry on a lightly floured board to about 14” x 20”. Fold one in half with a towel and set aside.
• Brush the first dough sheet with butter, completely covering the entire sheet. Spread half of the sugar mixture evenly over the dough. 
• Taking handfuls of the apples squeeze out as much juice as you can and spread them thinly over the dough.  You may not use all of the apple depending on the size and how much your grated.  
• Top with the second sheet of dough and pat to remove air and seat the apples. Brush with the remaining butter and sand with the sugar. Roll up into an even log taking care to not leave air pockets.
• Trim the ends and cut the log into pieces about 2 ½” – 3” long. Using the handle of a wooden spoon press down through the center about three-fourths of the way through the dough. Place on a baking tray 3” to 4” apart. Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes or until the pastry has a deep color. Allow to cool on a wire rack before enjoying. 

Notes

*** Remember fruit fillings can be hot! ****

 

The traditional rolls are filled only with sugar and cinnamon; however it is not uncommon to find them with fruit or shaved chocolate too.

The flavor of naturally sweetened ripe bananas make a flavorful contrast to chucks of dark chocolate and tart currants in these incredibly moist and delicious muffins.  As an after school snack for the kids, or for a quick out the door with your coffee treat, these muffins are sure to be a hit.

I am not sure how it works at your house, but it seems like whenever we buy bananas, there is always one that turns black before we get to it, so my standard rule is to toss it in the freezer for later since I really hate to throw food away.  The other day as I was taking an inventory of what is actually in the freezer, I came across a half a dozen frozen bananas and decided I better do something with some of them.  Banana bread is usually the first thing that comes to mind for using the frozen boomerangs, but I started thinking if I were to make muffins I could send some with Kelly to the office for his co-workers.

As the bananas were thawing I started digging around for some things to add in.  I looked at the nut inventory but somehow that was not quite what I wanted, and as an office treat and with nut allergies and all I decided to pass.  Then I came across some dark chocolate that was left over from holiday candy making as well as some dried currants that were extras from the Christmas fruit cake and it seemed to me this would make a great combination.  The flavors worked extremely well together with the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate and the tartness of the currants balancing perfectly with the sweetness of the bananas.  So not only was I able to use up odds and ends from other baking projects, but we ended up with some good eats!

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Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins with Currants

Chunks of dark chocolate and tart currents add a delicious contrast to the sweet flavor of banana in these easy to make muffins.

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup milk
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 over-ripened bananas mashed
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate cut in to small chunks
• 1/2 cup dried currants

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the top of a muffin tin and line the cups with papers.
• In a medium sized bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
• In another medium sized mixing bowl, stir together eggs, oil, milk, extract, and mashed bananas.
• Mix together wet and dry ingredients and stir to combine. Do not over-mix.
• Fold in chocolate and currants.
• Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups. Top each muffin with a few chocolate chunks and bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Test with a toothpick.
• Allow muffing to stand for about 5 minutes in the pan before lifting them out on to a wire rack to completely cool.

Notes

Toasted walnuts or almonds would make a nice addition to these muffins.

 

High altitude add 2 Tablespoons.

 

Batter can be baked as a loaf if preferred. Pour batter into a greased bread pan and bake for 55 – 60 minutes. Test with a wooden skewer.

Dresden Stollen goes by many different names; Stollen, Strutzel, Striezel, Stutenbrot, or Christstollen.  This traditional German Christmas bread, is a flavorful combination of rum soaked raisins and currants, almonds, candied citrus peel, spices such as cinnamon and cardamom, and of course lots of butter.  Legend says that the shape of Stollen with the white layer of powdered sugar symbolized the swaddled Christ Child.

For probably the last five years I have stated that I wanted to have Stollen for Christmas, but for some reason have never done so.  Last year we were in Munich at Christmas and I still managed to not savor any of the traditional treat.  Part of the reason has been that no one else in my family has seemed remotely interested and I really don’t need one to myself.  It seems that others equate Stollen to fruit cake  (which I am also the only one to claim a fondness for) and while there are some similarities, they are not the same thing.

So this year I decided that I would go it alone if I had to and make my own holiday bread.  I began searching for a recipe to try and found that there probably are as many versions of Stollen as there are Großmutters.  I was not inspired by much of anything I was finding, then it occurred to me to change my search words to Deutsch.  I replaced the word recipe with rezept and the results were much more what I was hoping for.  I found incredible recipes from many German bloggers (remember you can always use Google translate if you need) and finally came across this one that particularly interested me.  It was shared by a woman whose mother had worked in Dresden before the bombing at a bakery that was famous for making the Christstollen.  Her mother claimed that this was the original recipe, whether or not this is actually true, it doesn’t matter, I love the story.

The dough for this bread is very heavy because of the large amount of butter and lard.  After combining the dry ingredients and fruit it is best to just roll up your sleeves and mix in the milk, butter and lard by hand, it is much to heavy to stir.  Due to the large amounts of butter in the bread, it requires very long rise times and will not double in volume like other breads.  Because of the high fat content you need very little flour to keep it from sticking to your board or hands.

While the ingredients in the recipes I looked at varied somewhat, there was a consistency for the shaping.  To form the loaves or ‘lugs’, turn the ball of dough out on a lightly dusted board and flatten it by hand into disc that is easy to divide in half.  Then roll each half into an oval shape about 1″ thick using your hands to tighten up the edges as needed.  Then fold the oval in half lengthwise allowing the bottom of the fold to stand out about an inch past the top.

I brushed these loaves with butter before baking, about half of the recipes I looked at instructed to do so.  It did help to get a nice even golden color however I did need to tent them with foil after 45 minutes as they were getting too dark.  I think on another round I would skip this step, there is enough butter in the dough and the added butter coating made a slightly crisper crust than I want.  I also baked these lugs on a parchment lined sheet pan as recommended.  Because of the long baking time and the high fat content the bottoms of the loaves did end up a bit dark.  I would suggest baking the loaves on silpats or doubling up sheet pans to prevent this.

The completely cooled loaves are heavily dusted with powdered sugar then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and should be held for several weeks before you enjoy them.  I did cut into one of the two loaves of my experiment to see how things worked.  I will tell you it is a bit denser that I would like but the flavor is amazing.  I did not soak the citrus in the rum but I think I would do that another time, some of the bits seem a bit hard.  It will be fun to see how this bread develops over the next couple weeks.

I find baking is always a fun challenge and experimenting with new recipes is very interesting.  The techniques for making this kind of bread is one that will certainly require some practice.  Overall I am pleased with my results, and remind myself that the Germans have been baking these breads for hundreds of years in order to perfect.

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Dresdner Stollen

I found this recipe shared by a woman whose mother had worked in the bakery famous for making Christstollen before the bombing of Dresden during WWII. This traditional German Christmas fruit bread is also known as Striezel or Weihnachtsstollen.

Course Breads

Cuisine German, Holiday

Keyword Christmas recipes, Stollen

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Rising 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours

Servings 2 Loaves

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups raisins
• 1 ¼ cups current
• ½ cup spiced rum
• 7 ½ cups flour
• 4 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup sugared lemon and orange peel fine diced
• 1 ½ cups almonds chopped
• 2 - 3 drops bitter almond oil
• 1 1/3 cups unsalted butter room temperature
• 2/3 cup lard room temperature
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/3 cup butter melted
• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar more if needed

Instructions

• Soak raisins and currents in spiced rum overnight in a non-reactive bowl with a lid
• In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the soaked raisins, citrus peel, and almonds. Mix well.
• Add almond oil, butter, lard, and milk. Mix with hands until a dough is formed. Turn out on to a lightly floured board and knead for about 5 minutes. Return dough ball to bowl and cover with a tea towel. Allow to rise for 1 hour.
• Knead well again and let rise for another hour.
• Slightly flatten the ball of dough into a circle and divide in two. Working with one half at a time roll the dough into an oval about 1" thick. Use your hands to tighten up the edges if necessary. Fold the oval in half the long way (like a taco shell) bending it so the top is held back and not even with the bottom. Transfer the lugs to a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a tea towel. Allow dough to rest for 30 minutes.
• While the dough is resting heat the oven to 350°F. Bake for one hour, cover with foil if necessary to prevent burning. Stollen should have a nice dark color but not be burnt.
• After baking, allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Brush warm lugs with the melted butter and sprinkle with vanilla sugar.
• When lugs are mostly cooled, brush again with melted butter and heavily dust with powdered sugar. When loaves are completely cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil.
• Stollen should be held for 2 weeks before serving.

Notes

This dough is very heavy almost like cookie dough. The bread does not rise very much during the resting periods but the sugar and flour become completely absorbed.

Very little flour is needed to prevent sticking.

I baked the loaves on a parchment lined sheet pan and the bottoms got a bit dark. I would suggest using a silpat or doubling up the pans to prevent this.

A golden buttery crust tops soft and tender pillows of flaky goodness in this pan of pull-apart rolls making them the perfect addition to your holiday table.  Shape your rolls in interesting combinations to create a bread that is not only incredibly delicious but visually stunning as well.  

I like serving pull-apart rolls at dinner parties, breaking bread at the table with family and friends brings me joy.  In passing a plate of fresh baked rolls to share there is a very human connection made with everyone at the table via the bread.  This is one of the reasons I enjoy serving pull-apart rolls, that and the fact that they are incredibly soft and delicious.

This recipe for dinner rolls is simply one of the best I have found.  I have tested this recipe many times over the past few years, in many different shapes and forms, and it is consistently produces a soft and tender roll.  The right recipe is key to making a good roll, but there are also a few tricks that will help you with this or any other bread to get the best results.

Units of Measure vs. Weight – Professional bakers use a bakers formula and weigh all ingredients when making bread.  I myself have taken to using a scale to measure ingredients and have found that it does give me a more consistent result, however many people do not have a scale or prefer the ease of using cups and spoons.  I admit I do not always pull out the scale, sometimes it is quicker and easier to grab the measuring cups.

So the first tip I will share is about measuring flour.  We have all learned the scoop and level method of dipping flour from the bin, however dragging the cup through the flour can actually add more flour than you want.  Flour is easily compacted and by scooping you are packing the flour into the measuring cup.  If you were to weigh the scooped amount you would find that it is almost always heavier, equaling more flour, which means tougher bread.  So start by taking a tablespoon or knife and fluffing up the flour in your bin, you will notice right away how the volume increases.  Then gently spoon the lightened flour into your measuring cup and level off with a knife, this will give you a more accurate amount.  Use the same method for any dry ingredient as they all settle and become more compact in the cupboard.

Bread recipes commonly call for a range of the amount of flour needed.  Depending on your flour, and the temperature and humidity of your kitchen, the actual amount of flour you use can vary from day to day.  So if a recipe calls for 5 to 6 cups, build your dough with five cups and place the additional cup in a bowl.  Only use flour out of the bowl to add to the dough and also to dust the board.  This will keep you from adding too much flour to your dough which can make it tough.

Most of us have kosher salt in our kitchens and use it for just about everything.  If you are using teaspoons to measure salt for your recipes use a regular ground table salt.  The larger sized crystals of the kosher salt take up more space and do not measure the same as the finer grind.  Again if you were to weigh and compare you would find you are adding less salt than the recipe actually calls for by using the sea salt.  I know you might be thinking less salt is a good thing, however in bread baking the right amounts are important and affect how the yeast and other ingredients react as well as flavor.

Active Yeast vs. Instant – The answer here is that both work equally, however I have taken to using instant or rapid rise yeast which eliminates the process of blooming the yeast before adding,  I had a baking instructor who changed my thinking on this ingredient.  Instant yeast can be added and thoroughly mixed with the other dry ingredients and the yeast will not start working until liquids are added.

Tenderizers – Milk, butter, and sugar all work to make bread softer.  Powdered non-fat dry milk is commonly used in bread baking, it is extremely easy to work with and adds to the tenderness of bread.

Kneading – Soft rolls and bread require minimal kneading.  The longer you work the dough the stronger the gluten strands become resulting in a tougher bread.  So work the bread only enough to form a nice ball that does not stick to your hands.

Rising – An important step in making any bread is not to let a skin form during any of the the rising processes.  Cover your bowl with plastic wrap to prevent this from happening.  I also find placing the covered bowl in the cold oven with only the oven light on is a perfect place to let your dough rise.

Degassing – After the first rise you will find most recipes ask you to punch down the dough to remove air bubble formed during the fermentation.  This is also usually the point that you form your bread into what ever shapes you are baking.  Lightly dust your working surface with flour from the bowl you set aside and turn the dough out onto the board.  Using the flat of your hands press the dough out into a rectangle.  Do not poke the dough with your fingers, that tears the gluten strands that have formed during rising.  Once the bread is somewhat flattened out, fold the top 1/4 part of the dough on to itself and using the heel of your hand press it together working along the fold from right to left, then fold again and repeat as needed until you have formed a log shape.  This method will gently remove any bubbles from the bread and prepare it for dividing.

Dividing the Dough – One you have the dough in a log like form use both hands to roll the log out a bit more.  Starting in the center with hand over hand, gently roll the dough back and forth moving your hands toward the ends as you go.  If the dough springs back and is hard to roll, it is not relaxed enough so cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes. The idea is to create a semi-even log shape that will be easy to divide, it does not have to be perfect.  I like to work in halves or thirds when I divide. If a recipe yields 24 rolls, I cut the log in half and set half out of the way, covering it with a damp cloth.  I find it much easier to divide twelve pieces than twenty four.  Gently roll the half you are ready to work a bit more, then mark the center of the log with your bench knife, then mark each half in half, then each quarter in thirds.  By marking before you cut, you can make any adjustments before you cut.

Shaping the Rolls – I always start by rolling the cut pieces into balls.  No matter what shapes I plan to use it makes it easier to form consistent rolls if they all start out round.  Once they are all rolled I cover them again with the damp cloth and let them rest.  I like using a spring form pan for pull-apart rolls but you can use any pan you like, however I do suggest lining the pan with parchment to eliminate the heart break of sticking.  One of the things I love about pull-apart rolls is the softness of the sides of the rolls where they bake against each other, so I like to crowd the pan a bit.  This causes the rolls to rise upwards and gives more side surface area.  I use melted butter as well and brush the sides as I place the rolls in the pan.  It is fun to mix up the shapes, placing some rolls in whole, braiding some, or rolling others.  You can be create here and do what ever you like, it is just bread and it will all be good.  I make spirals by flattening a ball of dough into an oval about three by five inches, brushing it with butter, folding it in half butter side in, then rolling it up.  Place the folded edge down in the pan and the top will spiral up.

Butter Top vs. Egg Wash – Both make a nice finish and totally up to you.  Brushing the tops with melted butter will result in a nice golden appearance, while using an egg wash will give a shinier darker color.

Garlic and Herbs – Experiment with flavors that will complement the meal you are preparing, adding finely diced herbs or garlic to the melted butter will certainly add a nice flavor note to your bread.  If you are brushing the top of your rolls with garlic or herb butter be aware that you might end up with burnt bits on top of the bread.  Keep the flavor portion inside and just use plain butter for the top if this is a concern, and of course there is no need to brush the tops with anything if you don’t want.  Bread is beautiful no matter how it is prepared.

Cooling the Bread – It is important to remove your bread from the pan as soon as possible to prevent soggy rolls, and the spring form pan makes this part really easy.  Remove the sides, then using a spatula transfer the bread on to a wire rack to cool.  And while we all love that hot piece of bread remember bread continues to develop its flavor as it cools.

Reheating and Storing – It is very easy to reheat pull-apart rolls and give them that just out of the oven flavor.  Wrap the rolls loosely in an aluminum foil pouch and seal closed.  Place them in a 350° F oven for about 15 minutes, less time for half a pan of rolls.  To store place completely cooled rolls in a bread bag and close with a twist tie.  The bread will hold for two to three days, but the odds are it will not last that long!

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Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls

A golden buttery crust tops soft and tender pillows of flaky goodness in this pan of pull-apart rolls making them the perfect addition to your holiday table. 

Course Breads

Cuisine American

Keyword Pull_apart Dinner Rolls

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Rising Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 5 to 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup dry milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 2 cups warm water

Instructions

• Measure 5 cups of flour into a medium bowl then add the powdered milk, sugar, yeast and salt. Place the 6th cup of flour in a small bowl and set aside. Cut the butter into small pieces and stir into the dry ingredients.
• Pour the warm water into the mixture and beat to blend well.  Stir in the only enough of the remaining flour to form a shaggy mass.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should become soft and elastic and not stick to your hands.
• Allow the dough to rise in a lightly greased bowl, covered with plastic wrap, until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F and position the rack in the middle of the oven.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently de-gas the dough and divide into 24 pieces.  Form into the desired shapes and space them sides just touching in a 9" spring form pan or 2 greased 8" round pans.
• Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Brush the tops with melted butter or egg wash and bake the rolls until the crust is golden brown about 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and sound hollow to a tap.  Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
• For individual round dinner rolls divide the dough into 24 pieces. Round the rolls and space them evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Notes

This recipe works very well for individual rolls as well as pull-aparts.  Baking time will vary depending on pan size and number of rolls.  

Greek yogurt makes this banana quick bread incredibly moist and offers a slight tang which complements mini chocolate chips and toasted nuts.  So easy to make, this bread is the perfect way to turn those uneaten black bananas into pure joy.  Bake a loaf for an office treat that your colleagues will love, or serve it as a brunch item for overnight guests.  Anyway you slice it, this one is a winner. 

Seems at our house bananas can go from green to yellow to black in what seems like the blink of an eye, so I have made it my habit to toss any over-ripe fruit in the freezer for later use.  Just the other day while looking for something to thaw for dinner, I came across a few of my frozen treasures and decided that I had collected enough to make something.  The obvious, banana bread came to mind.

One of the things I like about making quick breads is that I usually have everything I need in the pantry, no special ingredients required.   Another aspect I appreciate is one mixing bowl.  No muss no fuss, and pow I have created a delicious treat that makes the house smell fantastic and that we always seem to enjoy.  After checking the larder I located about a half a cup of mini chocolate chips and a bag with some assorted nuts, not enough of either to do much with but a perfect amount to enhance a loaf of bread.  I decided to try some Greek yogurt that I had on hand to replace some of the oil and butter of my usual recipe, and it worked great.  The thick creamy texture of the yogurt definitely came through, adding amazing moisture and just a slight tang which worked well with the sweetness of the chips, but did not overpower the flavor of the banana.

With holidays coming I will certainly make this bread again, possibly mixing up some of the “add-ins” but keeping the basic recipe the same.  The other thing I love about quick breads is that they freeze extremely well.  Which makes me think that perhaps I should get on the ball now while I have a bit of time and get a few loaves in the freezer so I can be ready for holiday guests.

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Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

Greek yogurt adds moisture and a bit of tang to this banana bread with chocolate chips and nuts.

Course Breads, Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword Greek Yogurt Banana Bread, quick bread

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 very ripe bananas mashed
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips
• ½ cup walnuts or pecans chopped

Instructions

• Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350°F. Line a 9” loaf pan with parchment paper allowing the paper to hang over the sides of the pan. Grease pan and paper.
• In a large bowl mix together flour, sugars, soda, and salt. Add chips and nuts and mix to coat.
• In a separate bowl mix together bananas, yogurt, eggs, oil and extracts.
• Mix wet ingredients into dry stirring only enough to combine. Over working the dough will make the bread tough.
• Pour into prepared bread pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove bread from pan by lifting the parchment paper and place loaf on a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.

An iconic dark brown crust sprinkled with coarse salt envelopes a soft slightly spongy center giving these rolls the same flavor and texture as a big soft pretzel.  Serve burgers and sandwiches on these pretzel rolls for an added flavor sensation, or simply enjoy them with a dollop of butter with dinner.  Easier than you might think, pretzel rolls are fun to make and will certainly impress your family and friends.

I really enjoy making bread.  Of all the things I cook and bake I would have to say I find bread one of the most rewarding things to produce in the kitchen.  I like the fact that bread is the one common food of all people.  Every culture and nation on earth has some version of bread.  So taking flour and water and watching them develop into a delicious thing of beauty is something I not only find fascinating, but truly enjoy.  For those of you who have not ventured into bread baking I would highly encourage you to do so.  It does take a bit of practice but fortunately the ingredients are not expensive and are things you most likely have in your larder.  Like anything else you will have successes and some failures, but with time you will find that there is nothing to be afraid of and the sense of accomplishment is tremendous.

The dough for these rolls is rather simple and requires less kneading that other types of bread.  I start by mixing all of my dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  I use rapid rise or bread machine yeast which eliminates having to bloom the yeast separately before starting.  The instant yeast can be mixed in with the other dry ingredients and will not start to work until the liquids are added.  Warm water is used in this recipes as well as a small amount of butter.  A temperature of about 90 – 95°F for the water is what you want, slightly warm to the hand, but not hot.  If the water is too warm it will kill the yeast, a thermometer is most helpful.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients until all of the flour is absorbed.  This dough should be slightly sticky.  Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface.  Use only enough additional flour to prevent sticking, adding more flour will make the dough tougher.  Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough only enough to form a ball.  Place the dough in a bowl lightly sprayed with non-stick spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.  Place the dough in a warm spot, around 90°F is ideal.  Dough will rise is a cooler temperature but will take longer and a hotter spot will cause the dough to rise too fast and fall, so it is better to error on the cool side.  I find placing the bowl a cold oven with the oven lights on works very well.  The goal is to have the dough double in size which usually takes about an hour, but rely on the size of the dough more than your clock.

When the dough has doubled, turn it out on to a lightly oiled board.  We do not want to add any more flour at this point.  Just drizzle a little canola or olive oil and the board and rub it around with your hands.  This also will keep the dough from sticking to your hands as you work with it.  Flatten the ball of dough some with the palm of your hand, this will remove excess air pockets.  Don’t poke the dough with your fingers as this tears the gluten’s that were formed during the rise, just use the flat of your hand.  Once the dough is flattened roll it to form a log, this will make it easy to divide.  I mark the dough with my bench knife before I actually cut it, this makes it easy to adjust if any pieces look bigger that the others.  Once the pieces are cut roll each one into a ball then cover them with a cloth and let them rest on the board for 15 to 20 minutes.

Commercial kitchens use lye to get the brown color and thin crust on pretzels and rolls but baking soda will do the trick.  While the dough is resting bring two quarts of water to boil in a large pot.  Add the salt and baking soda to the boiling water.  Use caution when adding the soda as it will foam up, I add it a tablespoon at a time and that prevents the pot from boiling over.  Drop 2 or 3 rolls in the water at a time and allow them to poach for 30 seconds, then flip them over for another 30 seconds.  Remove the rolls with a slotted spoon draining them as you go.  Place the rolls on a parchment lined baking tray.  Be sure not to crowd the rolls they need room around them to brown evenly.  The poached rolls will look kind of lumpy and bumpy, a bit soggy even but fear not.  Score the top of the rolls with a sharp knife or lame, scissors will also work if you find that easiest.  Cut a cross or several lines about 1/2″ deep in the top of the rolls and sprinkle them with coarse salt.  There is a pretzel salt on the market but kosher sea salt will work.  If you find you like making these rolls a lot you might invest in some pretzel salt.  Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rolls are dark brown in color.  Place the rolls on a wire rack to cool.

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Pretzel Rolls

Pretzel rolls are soft tender and slightly spongy on the inside with a thin browned crust sprinkled with salt. Perfect for sandwiches and burgers or just enjoy with some butter.

Course Breads

Cuisine German

Keyword Pretzel Rolls, Sandwich Rolls

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Rising time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 10

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Dough

• 4 ½ cups flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup nonfat dry milk
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 ¾ cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened

Topping

• Pretzel salt or coarse sea salt

Water Bath

• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¼ cup baking soda

Instructions

Rolls

• Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Add butter and warm water and mix in to a smooth slightly sticky dough.
• Cover dough and allow to double in size about one hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface.
• Knead the dough several times to deflate. Divide into 10 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a ball. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Position rack in the center of oven and heat to 400°F.

Water Bath

• Bring water to boil, add salt and baking soda one tablespoon at a time.  Soda foams up when added so only add in small increments. 
• Drop several balls of dough at a time in to the water bath. Cook for 30 seconds then turn and cook an additional 30 seconds. Remove dough with a slotted spoon and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Topping

• Using a sharp knife, scissors or lame cut ½” deep crosses in the center of the rolls. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake

• Bake the buns for 25 – 30 minutes or until they are a deep-dark brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

Add the baking soda to the boiling water a Tablespoon at a time.  The soda foams up when added.