Whole Wheat Bread — Revisited

Finally, I can say I have found my everyday, go-to sandwich bread. This bread is absolutely perfect in every dimension. It has a nice hearty crust with a perfectly soft interior. In addition to the taste and texture, the bread is packed full of nutrients. It makes two loaves so I freeze one while we use up the other. Obviously, I can’t say enough about this bread — you just have to make it. It will definitely be your new go-to recipe.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
2 1/3 Cups warm water (about 100 degreesF)
1 1/2 Tbsp instant yeast
1/4 Cup honey
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 Cup rye flour
1/2 Cup toasted wheat germ
3 Cups whole-wheat flour
2 3/4 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, yeast, honey, butter, and salt with a rubber spatula. Mix in the rye flour, wheat germ, and 1 cup of each of the whole-wheat and all-purpose flours.

Add the remaining whole-wheat and all-purpose flours, attach the dough hook and knead at low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly flour surface. Knead just long enough to make sure the dough is soft and smooth, about 30 seconds.

Place the dough in a very lightly oiled large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Gently press down the dough and divide it into two equal pieces. Gently press each piece into a rectangle about 1-inch thick no longer than 9 inches. With the long side of the dough facing you, roll the dough firmly into a dylinder, pressing down to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Turn the dough seam-side up and pinch it closed. Place each cylinder of dough into a greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, seam side down, pressing the dough gently so it touches all four sides of the pan. Cover the shaped dough; let rise until almost doubled in volume, 20 to 30 minutes.

Bake until an instant-read thermometer reads 205 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the bread immediately from the baking pans to a wire rack; cool to room temperature.

Source: Annie’s Eats

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Yet again, another recipe that is so much better than store-bought. I love making yeast breads. No matter how many recipes I have tried I continually get a kick out of watching the dough rise. This is the first sweet bread I made and the first time I rolled a loaf up. I did end up with a little air pocket in the middle of the loaf so maybe next time I will try to roll tighter? Regardless, the bread was great. I will be making this again and again!

I halved this recipe because I didn’t want to end up with two loaves if we didn’t enjoy it. Now, I’m really sorry I did. I wish I had another loaf to pull out of the freezer. Don’t make my mistake — make two loaves! I also used all dark raisins instead of half golden half dark since that is what I had on hand. Next time I would like to try it with golden.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115 F)
1 cup warm milk (105-115 F)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 to 6 1/4 cups bread flour, plus more as needed
3/4 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup dark raisins

for the filling:
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
In a bowl, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of granulated sugar over 1/2 cup of the water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fittened with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 3/4 cup water, milk, butter, remaining sugar, salt, egg and 2 cups of flour. Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the yeast mixture and 1/2 cup of the flour and beat for 1 minute. Add the raisins, then beat in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Switch to the dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed, adding flour 1 Tbsp at a time, if the dough sticks, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Transfer the dough to a greased deep bowl and turn to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1.5 hours.

Lightly grease two 9-by-5 inch loaf pans. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide the dough in half and roll or pat each half into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Lightly sprinkle each rectangle with half of the filling, leaving a 1 inch border on all sides. Beginning at the narrow end, tightly roll up each rectangle into a compact log. Pinch the ends and the long seam to seal in the filling. Place each log, seam side down, in the prepared pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is about 1 inch above the rim of the pan, 1 to 1.5 hours.

Preheat an oven to 350 F. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and pull away from the sides of the pan, 35-40 minutes. Turn the loaves out onto wire racks and let cool completely.

Yield: 2 9-by-5 inch loaves

Source: Williams-Sonoma

Parmesan Ciabatta

I have mentioned previously that I love making fresh bread. This is just another recipe that I tried recently. This bread was wonderful. It is great served with pasta, soup, and salad. The only think I would do differently next time is add more cheese. That was the best part of the bread — biting into a gooey piece of cheese.

Now, this bread does take some time to make and needs to be planned for. The biga needs to sit for 12-20 hours so if you do want to try this bread plan accordingly.

Parmesan Ciabatta Bread
Ingredients
For the Biga (starter):
1 1/2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup pumpernickle, rye, or whole wheat flour
1 Cup water
1/8 tsp instant yeast

For the dough:
all of the starter
2 1/2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 Cup water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1-5 ounces parmesan or asiago cheese cut into 1/4 pieces. Plus extra for grating.

Directions
To make the biga, mix all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until well combined. Cover and leave it at cool room temperature (68-70 degrees F) for 12-20 hours until the biga is very bubbly

To make the dough, mix the biga and the remaining dough ingredients, except the cheese using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, about 4 minutes. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky; add additional water or flour if necessary. Mis in the cheese; don’t worry if some pieces pop out. Allow the dough to rise, in a greased, covered bowl, for 1-2 hours, until very puffy.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and shape it into two long loaves, about 12 x 4 inches each. Place the loaves floured side up, onto parchment paper (if you plan to bake on an oven stone) or baking sheets. Cover the loaves with well-greased plastic wrap, and allow them to rise an additional 45 minutes, or until they’re verry puffy. Sprinkle them with additional grated cheese.

Bake the loaves in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 22-26 mnutes , until the bread is golden brown. Remove it from the oven and cool on a rack.

Yield: 2 loaves
Source: Amber’s Delectable Delights

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

I have really been enjoying using yeast. I have always made the occassional loaf of bread or pizza dough, but it isn’t until quite recently where I try to make our sandwich bread too. I can’t get over just how much better it is. I thought this bread tasted great, but it didn’t quite get the height I was looking for. Ideally I would like a perfect mix between this bread and the cottage cheese dill bread. Even though it is more rectangular shaped than loaf shaped the bread is great and I will definitely make it again.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour
1/2 Cup milk
1/2 to 2/3 cup hot water, enough to make a soft, smooth dough
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) melted butter, margarine or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water OR 2 teaspoons instant yeast

Directions

Begin by mixing cold milk with 1/2 cup hot tap water to make a lukewar combination.

To mix the dough combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Once the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl switch to the dough hook. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise until puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased loaf pan, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 60 minutes, until it’s domed about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Bake the bread in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 35 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or by its interior temperature to 190 degrees F at the center of the loaf. Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Yield: 1 loaf

Source: King Arthur Flour

Cottage Cheese Dill Bread

Cottage cheese is one of those ingredients that people feel very strongly about, either they love it or hate it. I happen to love it and always have. When I saw this recipe I happened to have some dill that needed to be used and cottage cheese in the fridge. I have become very fond of the idea of making our own bread and am trying to experiment with different recipes. This bread has a great taste and texture. It rose quite high and produced very large slices of bread. I can only eat half of a sandwich that these slices make! If you’re unsure about the cottage cheese, try it — you will not be disappointed.

Cottage Cheese Dill Bread
Ingredients
2 Tbsp instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 Cup cottage cheese, at room temperature
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 heatping Tbsp fresh onion, finely minced
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh dill, minced
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp olive oil
5 to 6 1/2 Cups bread flour

Directions
Combine the yeast and the water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir slowly to dissolve the yeast. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the flour to the bowl and mix until combined. Switch over to the dough hook and stir at low speed. Add flour 1 cup at a time until you have a soft dough that clears the sides of the bowl (I used exactly 5). Continue kneeding on low speed for 5-6 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (1-1 1/2 hours).

When the dough has finished rising, punch it down and shape into a log the size of a loaf pan. Place into a lightly greased loaf pan and press down so that the dough touches all sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (30-60) minutes.

Once the loaf has risen, remove the plastic wrap and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover with foil and bake another 15-20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool to room temperature before slicing.

Source: Annie’s Eats, originally from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.

Cheesy Beer Bread

Here is another recipe that has been floating around lately. Once again, it’s wonderful! I love the simplicity of a really good quickbread. I served this alongside chilli and it really complimented it nicely. If you haven’t had the opportunity to try this bread yet, give it a shot. You’ll love it!

Cheesy Beer Bread

Ingredients
2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar
12 oz. bottle of lager or stout (I used Sam Adams Oktoberfest)
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine well. Add cheese and combine. Slowly add beer to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Knead dough until it just comes together. Place into prepared loaf pan and pour melted butter over top. Place in preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Source: Good Things Catered

Tomato Herb Flatbread

W-O-W! This stuff is good. I knew immediately this was wonderful when Joe (who isn’t a bread lover) ate almost the entire flatbread. I served this with Pasta Fagioli and the tomato flavors complimented each other wonderfully. I can’t wait to make it again!

Ingredients
For the dough:
½ tsp sugar
1 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ Cup warm water (110 degrees)
1 ½ tsp instant yeast

For the topping:
olive oil
garlic salt
pepper
dried parsley
dried oregano
tomatoes, sliced thin
4 large basil leaves, minced
rosemary
freshly grated parmesan

Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitten with the dough hook, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. In a small bowl combine wthe warm water and yeast. Turn the mixer onto low speed and slowly pour the water into the dry ingrediens. Once the dough has formed, knead the dough in the mixer on low speed for about 2 minutes. Place the dough into an oiled boil, turning the dough to coat. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about one and a half hours.

After dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down and allow it to double again, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Shape the dough into a rectangle and place on a baking stone. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with spices and herbs. Cover dough with sliced tomatoes, sprinkle fresh herbs, and grated cheese over the top. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Source: Annie’s Eats

Cornbread

 

I usually never eat cornbread with my chilli because I grew up on ditalini (chilli mac) in my chilli. Today I decided I wanted to try and make cornbread and have a carb overload! I found this recipe and it sounded great and I’ve never had a bad Cook’s Illustrated recipe. This recipe was no different. It was very good. I froze half of the bread to use in stuffing later. Mmm, mmm! The only thing I did wrong (and it was my fault) was not read the directions carefully. I combined the brown sugar in with the flour instead of processing it. Luckily, the bread game out wonderfully despite my mistake.

 

Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp table salt
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ Cup packed light brown sugar
¾ Cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 Cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400^o. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In a food processor, process sugar, corn, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs and process until combined (there will still be corn lumps).

Using a rubber spatula, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and fold a few times. Add the melted butter and continue folding until the dry ingredients are moist. Pour the batter into the baking dish, smoothing the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before inverting cornbread onto a wire rack. After inverting turn right side up and cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Cook’s Illustrated

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite banana bread

This is the recipe that my Grandma and Mom have always made. The photo copy I have is the from an old newspaper article my Grandma clipped many years ago. No matter how many banana bread recipes I try, nothing ever seems to compare to this one. Now, I realize that many people do not like to bake with bisquick, but I promise if you try this recipe you will not be disappointed. I have to keep bisquick on hand for this recipe alone. I LOVE it. It is so moist and flavorful. It is extremely simple, and is called a one pan bread because you can mix it directly in the loaf pan (although I never do).

One Pan Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup vegetable oil

1 ½ Cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4)

½ tsp vanilla

3 eggs

2 1/3 Cups Bisquick

1 cup sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease the bottom of a loaf pan. Stir all ingredients in a bowl (or the loaf pan you are baking bread in) with a fork until moistened; beat vigorously 1 minute. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (55-60 minutes).