Something Comforting for Breakfast - Oatmeal Nut Bread*

As you know, I like to experiment. Sometimes that just means that I like to try a new recipe from an exotic part of the world. Sometimes it just means trying an interesting combination of ingredients. Sometimes both. Oh, and sometimes I get an idea and 'invent' a recipe just to see how it will work (or not). This bread is based on a classic combination of ingredients but with the addition of chopped walnuts that give the bread an added crunch and a wonderful aroma. It is perfect for a late-morning brunch slathered with cream cheese or butter. Try toasting it lightly first then let the butter get soft. Yummmmm!

* This bread is dairy because of the cream. You can omit the cream if you like, or use a substitute (like soy milk) if you avoid dairy products.

Here's What You'll Need:

3 to 3 1/2 cups AP flour
1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1 Tbs. instant dry yeast
1/2 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
1/3 cup dry milk powder ( I use baby formula for added nutrition)
2 Tbs. heavy cream (approx. 15% fat - but only 2 Tbs.)
about 1 1/3 cups warm water
1 cup chopped walnuts - lightly toasted

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, oats, yeast, sugar, salt, milk powder) in a large bowl.
2. Add the cream then the water, slowly mixing as you go until a soft dough is formed.
3. Knead to strengthen the gluten for about 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Add the walnuts towards the so as not to 'cut' the gluten strands and help the bread keep its shape.
4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with a wet towel, to rise until doubled in volume. This will take about 1 1/2 hours at normal room temperature.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl to a parchment-covered baking sheet and form into a ball by tightening the dough and tucking underneath. Try to retain as much air as possible in the dough.
6. Cover and let the dough rest for another 30-45 minutes to rise again.
7. About 15 minutes before baking time, heat the oven to 350F (180C). Slash the bread about 1/2 inch (3mm) deep just before placing in the oven. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
8. Cool completely on a rack before serving (if you can).

Another Experiment - Barley-Wheat Batard

I admit it. I have a weakness for sandwiches of all kinds. I like cold cuts, especially salami, for instance. Oh, and pastrami. I love a good roast beef sandwich with a sharp mustard and a kosher dill on the side. I'm supposed to avoid things extra salty, btw, so you can see how that's working for me. (We 'll leave aside my snack weakness for potato chips, just for now). That said, I also love dairy sandwiches, especially a good sharp cheese like a Swiss Emmental  or a Gouda from Holland. Again with the same mustard. This is a way of explaining to you, dear readers, why I bring you another great sandwich bread. This time, I experimented with barley flour. The flavor is similar to rye but the color is not as dark, and it seems to rise a little more readily as well. The result is a strong bread, slightly 'grayish' in color that holds a big stack of filling without falling apart! I shaped this loaf in the classical 'batard' style which is to say a kind of 'boule' that is tapered at each end. Although this shape is sometimes used as an intermediate stage to making baguettes, it can be a final shape in its own right. What I like about it, is that the tapered ends get very, very crispy. I mean very, very crispy. Make an open-face sandwich and crunch away... BTW, this post has been submitted to Yeastspotting.

Here's What You'll Need:

about 2 1/2 cups AP flour
about 1 cup barley flour
1 Tbs. dry yeast
2 Tbs. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. milk powder
2 Tbs. oil
about 1 1/4 cup warm water

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer) add the barley flour and the yeast. Add 1 cup warm water, cover, them let the mixture sit at room temperature for about an hour.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt, and mix to form a rough dough. Adjust for dryness by adding a little water or white flour as necessary. Finally, add the salt mixing thoroughly.

3. Knead the dough vigorously for about 10 minutes until smooth and even. The dough will be slightly gray in color because of the barley flour. That's OK.

4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, covered and let it rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly taking care not to remove all the gases trapped inside. Form the dough into a 'batard' shape applying slightly more pressure on the ends so they become tapered. Place the shaped dough on a parchment covered baking tray and cover for the second rise. This should take about 45 minutes.

6. About 15 minutes before bake time, preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Spray water into the oven to create a steamy atmosphere and bake the bread for about 35 to 40 minutes, removing the steam for the last 15 minutes or so. Cool on a rack.

7. Enjoy!

Closer to home - Jerusalem Bagels

No doubt the reason these are called bagels in Jerusalem, is because of the hole in the middle. But, as they say on TV detective shows, any resemblance to 'the real event' is purely coincidental. OK. So not purely but pretty close. In a previous post I showed you how to make Montreal  bagels, a variation on the NYC bagels and to North Americans the only true bagels in the world. It's just not true! These bagels, found all over the Mideast but especially in this form, in Jerusalem have the required hole, but that's where the comparison ends. They are completely covered with sesame, and most importantly, they are not boiled like their North American cousins. Regardless, they are delicious, and these relatively thin round, elongated breads are crunchy as well. The sesame adds a nutty flavor you just don't get with other breads like this. Serve them with za'atar and olive oil for dipping.

Here's What You'll Need:

4 1/2 cups AP flour
3 1/2 Tbs. sugar
2 heaping Tbs. milk powder
1 Tbs. dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 Tbs. oil (olive oil is good but optional)
1 tsp. salt

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook until it comes together into a 'shaggy' dough. Then mix at medium speed for about 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and a little shiny.

2. Place it in a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let it rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

3. Divide the dough into 6 or 8 pieces (depending on the size of the bagels). Then flatten each piece. Punch a hole in the middle using you thumb, then stretch the dough (careful not to tear it) into an elongated oval bagel shape.

4. Place each bagel on a parchment lined baking tray. Cover and let rise a second time, this time for about 20 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Before baking, brush each bagel with egg diluted in water then sprinkle heavily with sesame seeds mixed with sugar and salt (2 Tbs sugar + 1 Tbs salt + 3 Tbs. sesame seeds).

6. Bake for 15 minutes until they are a  rich golden brown and crispy. Cool on a rack and serve with za'atar and olive oil. Yum!!

Brunch time - Lemony Cheese Boule

Lately I have been working harder later in the day, and relaxing in the mornings. Well, maybe not exactly relaxing, but at least not working as hard, let's say. For instance, right now it's noon time and I am writing this post, while the world is out trying to make a living. I say, it's much more enjoyable, and not less profitable, to do it my way. And certainly much more fun. The weather is finally showing signs of turning springward and after about 3 weeks of terribly cold and rainy weather, it is warm outside. Warm enough that I have turned off the heat, opened the windows to air out the house a little. Get rid of the mustiness of winter caused by being shut down tight for the last few months. Birds are in the trees in the backyard, the trees are budding and the first flowers are blooming. What a change from last week! Last week we has snow, sleet, freezing rain and strong winds for 5 days straight, non-stop!

The relief that comes with spring weather made me start thinking about breads that would reflect my good mood and, after a little searching, and a little bit of my own tweaking, I came up with this fragrant loaf that is super tasty and at the same time refreshing and 'sunny', if you can say that about bread. This bread, a lemony cheese bread, is dairy, something that must be noted, because I don't usually add dairy to my breads, but this time I had to. The sharp tang of the cheese helps to make this a very special bread. Oh, and the lemon zest, too, of course. In the end this bread is perfect for warming weather and brunch. It is superb when toasted, and even when not. You'll love it I'm sure.

Here's What You'll Need:

2/3 cup of milk, room temperature
1 tsp. dry yeast
2 Tbs. vegetable oil (I use canola)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheese (I used cheddar, but Swiss, Colby or Jack would be fine)
2 cups AP flour, about

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. In a large bowl mix the yeast into the milk. Then add the egg, sugar, salt, and cheese. Mix well. Finally add the oil, and lemon zest mixing all the time. Then 1 cup of the flour. Mix until fully incorporated. This mixture will still be quite wet.

2/ Slowly add another cup of flour, a little at a time, until the dough forms and starts to 'clean the bowl'.

3. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let it rise until doubled. This will take at least an hour and a half, maybe two hours.

4. Remove the dough from the bowl, careful not to fully deflate, then form it into a 'boule', i.e., a ball with a tight surface. Pull and tuck underneath then place on a parchment covered baking tray, covered with lightly-oiled plastic wrap, to rise again.This time it will take about 45 minutes.

5. Just before baking, brush the surface of the dough with egg diluted with maybe a tablespoon of water. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 35-40 minutes until it is a rich golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

6. If you can wait until it is completely cooled, then slather it with butter or cream cheese. Otherwise, it tastes even better when still a little warm.
Enjoy!!

Breakfast Time - Morning Rolls with Raisins

Truth be told, I have never really been a breakfast person. I know, I know, it's the most important meal of the day etc. etc. etc. Those arguments never quite persuaded me, I guess. I was mostly just trying to wake up with my 2 (yea, 2) cups of strong coffee in the morning to think about food. And truthfully, even though I have started having something, it's still not my best time. I actually only eat one big meal a day, usually at night along with a few smaller snack-like meals during the day. And that's what makes these rolls so perfect for me.

First they are really not all that big (about 2 oz. or 60 g.) each. Maybe a little more with the raisins. So I can have one and not feel too guilty. Second, I can load it up with peanut butter (one of my favorite vices), have an apple or other fruit with it and, of course, another cup of coffee. Entirely too much coffee but I'll have to work on that. Starting tomorrow, I promise!

This recipe is a variation of several I have tried over the years. It is on the whole a breakfast roll that is enriched with milk (I use soy milk so it's dairy free). The inclusion of the raisins (you can use cranberries or other dried fruit if you like) makes it similar in style to a kind of roll eaten in Eastern Europe just before Lent, a rich breakfast roll before the fast, as it were. But that's not where I'm going with this! It is simply a soft, sorta sweet, rich roll with dried fruit in the center. Oh, and delicious, of course.

Here's What You'll Need:

1 1/4 cups (310ml) milk at room temperature (I used soy milk)
1 large egg
1 tsp. salt
2 oz. (60g) butter or margarine at room temperature
3 Tbs. powdered sugar
1 Tbs vanilla sugar
about 4 1/3 cups AP flour
1 Tbs. dry yeast
3 1/2 oz. (about 100g) re-hydrated raisins*
egg + milk for glazing


* To re-hydrate raisins: Place the raisins in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water for about 20 minutes or so. Drain the water and dry them with a paper towel, and the raisins will be re-hydrate. You can do this during the first rise of the dough.

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. In a large bowl, mix in the dry ingredients, i.e., the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar and salt. Mix to disperse uniformly, then add the yeast and stir it in.

2. Add the egg and mix it in. Then add the milk, the butter or margarine and mix to form a rough dough. Knead this dough vigorously for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and shiny.

3. Remove the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and place in a warm draft-free location until it about doubled in size. This could take as much as 2 hours.

4. Divide the dough into 12 pieces (16 if you want smaller rolls). Flatten each into a rough rectangle and place several re-hydrated raisins int he center. Close the dough around the raisins, then roll into a ball. Place the rolls on a baking sheet covered with baking paper, then cover to rise a second time. This time they should only rise about 45 minutes.

5. About 15 minutes before the end of the second rise pre-heat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Just before baking, brush an egg and milk wash over the tops of the rolls. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until a beautiful rich brown color.

6. If you're like me, you will end up eating one (just to try) while still warm and on the cooling rack. These rolls will keep well for a few days. I had to say, but honestly, they won't last for a few days, so why bother! Enjoy.

Dinner Rolls with a Twist - Onion Poppy-seed Muffins

I admit it, I have never known exactly how to relate to savory muffins. When I was growing up, muffins were small cake-like creations, soft and sweet sometime plain, sometime with some kind of dried fruit. But decidedly cake-y. In recent years, a new creature has started to haunt the dinner table, in places normally occupied by soft rolls. These are muffins, that are savory and not sweet. Using herbs or other decidedly un-muffin-y ingredients, like onions and poppy-seed. Aside from the switch required in my head, I must admit, the idea is long overdue. And so, here is my contribution to this ever-growing dinner course - onion poppy-seed muffins. Get past the cake-y idea and I'm sure you'll agree they are truly fabulous.

Here's What You'll Need:

for the 'filling'
2 large onions chopped fairly finely
about 1/4 cup butter for sauteeing
salt and pepper

for the muffins:
2 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 1/4 cups warm water (or milk)
3 large eggs
1 tsp. salt

Here's What You'll Need to Do:

1. First make the filling. Chop the onions and then, on medium-high heat, saute them with the butter until soft. DO NOT BROWN. They will get plenty brown in the oven when you bake the muffins. Place them aside in a bowl to cool.

2. Now make the muffins. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).

3. Mix together all the other ingredients to make a batter the same consistency of pancake batter. Quite runny, but still with a little body.

4. Grease a muffin tin, then place it in the oven for 1 or 2 minutes to preheat the tin. Then fill each muffin about 3/4 full. Place about 1 Tbs. of onion and about 1/2 tsp. of poppy-seed on each muffin. Don't worry if it sinks in. That's actually good since now the topping will become the filling!

5. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and your house smells wonderfully oniony.

6. Remove to a cooling rack, but wait about 5 minutes before removing it from the muffin tin. It needs to stabilize first. These are great still warm, or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Head of the Class - Hungarian Potato Bread

The everyday breads of Eastern and Central Europe have certain notable characteristics. Firstly, they are usually quite dense in texture and also sturdy. By that I mean they are 'designed' to hold smoked meats and cheeses, to absorb mustard and other condiments, to be chewy and just a little sour. Secondly, they are also known for using ingredients as fillers (because often regular ingredients were not available). Like potatoes, for instance. When you think about it, mashed, white potatoes are really just starch , very much like AP white flour. So... let's say you don't have very much flour and you do have lots of potatoes. What do you think we could do in this situation?

This bread exists in various guises all over Eastern Europe. Sometimes with caraway seeds, sometimes with butter. But always with potatoes making up some of the starch needed for the dough. This particular loaf, comes from Hungary, but like I said, it is really a generic loaf that can be found in one form or another all over Europe. Like tomato sauce in Italy sort of... A million variations.

Text for this post, (for printing without the photos), can be found here. 

Here's What You Need: (for 2 loaves)

about 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cubed
700 g (25 oz) AP flour
300 g (10 oz) whole wheat flour
40 g (1.25 oz) salt about 4 tsp.
60 g (2 oz) butter, cubed (or margarine or vegetable oil)
20 g instant dry yeast (slightly less than 2 Tbs.)
1 tsp. caraway seeds (optional) or
about 200 g (6.5 oz) sharp cheese

Here's What You'll Need to Do:

1. Boil the potatoes in water until very soft (but not dissolved). Drain the potatoes reserving the cooking water for use in the bread. Set aside to cool.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the flours with the salt and butter and the yeast.

Add this mixture to the cooled potatoes. Finally, add about 330 ml (11 oz) of cooking water to the mixture and combine to for a smooth dough. Adjust the flour and water accordingly to make sure the dough is smooth and only very slightly tacky. If adding the caraway seeds, now is the time to knead them into the dough.

3. Place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and place in a warm location to rise. It should about double in volume in about 1.5 hours.

4. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, form each piece into a round ball without removing too much of the air, then cover to let it rest for another half hour.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400 F (about 190 C). Just before baking, slash the bread 2 or 3 times to allow for even 'oven spring', i.e., so the bread rises in the oven evenly.

5. Spray water into the oven to add steam, then bake the bread for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350 F (180 C) and continue baking for another 25 minutes or so until the bread is deeply browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Jó étvágyat!  (Hungarian for Bon Appetit - Google translate!)
Text for this post, (for printing without the photos), can be found here.