Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Rolls with Apple Cider Glaze

One more apple treat to share. 🙂 We ate these rolls as a special snack and re-warmed them for breakfast the next day as well.

The recipe for these miniature “monkey breads” was adapted from King Arthur Flour.com, but I was inspired to top them with apple cider glaze from davebakes.com.

The apple cider glaze gave them an unexpected tanginess. Tasty and fun.

Yield: 16 rolls

For the Dough:

• 1 cup (113g) white whole wheat flour
• 2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons (8g) fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons (32g) potato flour
• 3 tablespoons (50g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 4 tablespoons (57g) butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm milk (I used 2 percent milk)
• 1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm water

For the Topping:

• 1/4 cup (4 T) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 heaping cup (128g) cored, chopped apple, peeled or unpeeled (I used Pink Lady apples)
• raisins, optional (I omitted them)

For the Glaze:

• 2 cups apple cider, reduced, optional
• 2/3 cup (74g) confectioners’ sugar
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 T (14g) milk (I used 2 percent milk)
• 1 T unsalted butter, melted

To Make the Dough:

1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine all of the dough ingredients, mixing and kneading to make a smooth, soft dough. It may seem dry at first, but as you knead it’ll soften up.
2. Place the dough in a greased bowl or greased 8-cup measure, cover it, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s noticeably puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk). (I used a proofing oven.)
3. Lightly grease paper muffin cups, and use them to line 16 cups (8 cups in each) of two standard muffin tins.
4. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 16 pieces; each will be about 1 1/2 ounces (44g). Round each piece into a flattened ball.
5. Working with one piece at a time, use a bench knife (or regular knife) to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Don’t worry about being precise; pieces can vary in size.

To Make the Topping and Form the Rolls:

1. Ration the chopped apple into 16 piles, each pile should be about a generous tablespoon.
2. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon with a whisk.
3. Roll or shake four dough pieces in cinnamon sugar, and place them into a muffin cup.
4. Sprinkle with raisins, if using, and chopped apple.
5. Roll the remaining four dough pieces in cinnamon sugar; top the filling with these remaining four pieces of dough.
6. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough, raisins, and apple.
7. Sprinkle the top of each roll with an additional 1/4 tsp cinnamon sugar.
8. Cover them lightly with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let them rise for about 2 hours, until they’re noticeably puffy. (I used a proofing oven.)
9. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F, preferably on convection.
10. Uncover the risen rolls, and bake them for 14 minutes, on convection, or up to 17 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Don’t let them darken too much; they’ll be dry.
11. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack.

To Make the Glaze & to Finish:

1. Place the cider in a pot over medium heat. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Set aside. (If the cider cools, it must be rewarmed in order to add it to the glaze mixture.)
2. Combine the confectioners’ sugar, salt, milk, and butter. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of reduced cider, to taste.
3. Adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding more milk or more reduced cider.
4. Using a spoon, drizzle the rolls with glaze.

Crusty Sourdough Rolls

I have made these wonderful rolls on numerous occasions. I love that they can be prepared from start to finish in an hour or two. We have eaten them as dinner rolls and as sandwich rolls.

This recipe was adapted from HeartsContentFarmhouse.com. I weighed the ingredients, and used a stand mixer and warming drawer. Similar to Portuguese rolls, these have also become a family favorite.

Yield: 8 rolls

• 7 oz of thick liquid pourable starter (1 1/4 cups)
• 13 oz white bread flour (2 1/2 cups to 3 cups)
• 6.5 oz of water (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of yeast

1. Combine the starter, flour, water, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir to combine. The mixture should be a slightly sticky dough.
2. Cover and allow to rest for about 20-40 minutes. (I put the covered bowl in a warming drawer for 20 minutes.)
3. Add the salt and yeast on top of the dough, and transfer it to whatever you are using to knead. For a stand mixer, use the dough hook and set it on low for about 5 to 7 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes (with a 5 minute rest halfway) without adding any additional flour. ( If using a bread machine, set it on the dough cycle.)
4. Check the consistency of the dough after a few minutes of kneading.  It may seem sticky, but should clear the sides of the bowl.  If it seems very wet, add more flour a few tablespoons at a time.
5. When the dough is kneaded, cover it and put in in a warm place to rise between 40-90 minutes. (If using the bread machine, let it complete the cycle and leave it in the machine a bit longer.)
6. When the dough has completed its first rise, dump it onto the counter or a cutting board. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper dusted with cornmeal.
7. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. I use a scale and aim for a tad over 3 ounces for each.
8. Shape the pieces into rolls by pinching the bottoms. Place on the cornmeal dusted parchment.
9. Cover with heavily greased plastic wrap and allow to rise again at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. (I placed the baking sheet in a warming drawer for 45 minutes.)
10. Fifteen minutes prior to the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Place one rack in the center, and one in the lower middle area. Place an empty baking sheet on the lower rack to get hot while the over heats.
11. Rub the top of each roll with flour. Slash, if desired, using kitchen shears, a lame, or sharp knife. Cover while the oven is preheating.
12. When the oven has heated and the rolls have risen, pour 1 cup of water on the hot baking sheet to create steam. (It may buckle.)
13. Place the rolls inside the oven and bake for 15-21 minutes, until browned outside and until the internal temperature reads 210 degrees on an instant thermometer. Cool on wire rack.

English Muffin Bread

I have another special breakfast to share. Having a treat to start the day brings a little sunshine. 🙂

I am not really a bread person, but I do really enjoy English muffins. I often have a whole wheat “British muffin” from Trader Joe’s for breakfast. Naturally, this bread full of nooks and crannies caught my eye.

The recipe is from Shauna Sever’s Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland. It is easy and relatively quick to prepare, with only one rising time. She suggests baking the loaf in a German Rehrucken (crimp loaf pan) or standard loaf pan. I baked the loaf in my favorite Pullman loaf pan and modified the baking time accordingly.

The original recipe recommends making it a day ahead to serve it toasted the next day. We ate warm from the oven, slathered with salted Irish butter and our homemade strawberry-vanilla bean jam. We did toast the leftovers! Perfect.

Yield: One loaf

• nonstick cooking spray, for pan
• 3 T (30 g) yellow cornmeal, divided
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 1/3 cup (75 g) warm water (110° to 115°F/43° to 46°C)
• 3 tsp granulated sugar, divided
• 3 cups (384 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (225 g) well-shaken buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 T plus 1 tsp (32 g) vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
• 1 T unsalted butter, melted

1. Lightly spray a 9×5-inch (23×12.7 cm) metal loaf pan, German Rehrucken crimp loaf pan, or Pullman loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Wipe away any excess that pools in the edges.
2. Dust the pan all over with about 2 tablespoons of cornmeal; tap out the excess.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Let rest for a couple of minutes.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the flour, the remaining 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda.
5. On low-speed, stir in the buttermilk, oil, and finally the yeast mixture. Mix until incorporated. (It is very important that the buttermilk is at room temperature so that the dough can rise well.)
6. Increase the speed to high and mix for 1 minute, stopping halfway through to scrape down the bowl. The dough will be soft and sticky.
7. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan.
8. Oil your hands lightly and pat the dough gently and evenly into the pan.
9. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of cornmeal.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled and the dough comes about 1 inch from the top of the pan, about 1 hour. (I used a proofing oven.)
11. During the rise, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 400°F/200°C.
12. Bake the bread until golden and risen, with a hollow sound when tapped int he center, 22 to 25 minutes for a standard or crimped loaf pan, or 18 to 20 minutes for a Pullman loaf pan. The internal temperature should register at least 190°F/88°C on an instant-read thermometer.
13. Turn out the bread onto a wire rack. Brush lightly all over with the melted butter. (I only brushed the top.)
14. Let cool completely before slicing- if you can wait!

Light Wheat Sandwich Bread

This sandwich bread was so pretty! It also sliced like a dream. 🙂

The recipe is from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, via Smitten Kitchen.com. I weighed the flours and used coarse salt. I mixed and kneaded the dough in a stand mixer and used a proofing oven as well.

The original post had a link for the windowpane test– which was quite helpful! I added additional kneading time to my dough after it failed the test.

Yield: One 2-pound loaf

• 2 1/2 cups (11.25 oz) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
• 1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz) whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (.75 oz) granulated sugar or honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (.38 oz) coarse salt
• 3 tablespoons (1 oz) powdered milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (.17 oz) instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (10 oz) water, at room temperature

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the high-gluten/bread flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar (if using), salt, powdered milk, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl.
2. Add the butter, honey (if using), and water.
3. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the ingredients form a ball. If there is still flour in the bottom of the bowl, dribble in additional water. The dough should feel soft and supple. It is better for it to be a little too soft that to be too stiff and tough.
4. Using a dough hook, knead the dough on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes. (To knead by hand, sprinkle flour on the counter, and transfer the dough, and begin kneading, adding more flour if needed to make a firm, supple dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky. Kneading should take about 10 minutes.) The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77 to 81 degrees F.
5. Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking spray and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
6. Ferment at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size. (I used a proofing oven for 1 1/2 hours.)
7. Remove the dough from the bowl and press it by hand into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 to 10 inches long.
8. Form it into a loaf by working from the short side of the dough, rolling up the length of the dough one section at a time, pinching the crease with each rotation to strengthen the surface tension. It will spread wider as you roll it.
9. Pinch the final seam closed with the back edge of your hand or with your thumbs.
10. Place the loaf in a lightly oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch bread pan; the ends of the loaf should touch the ends of the pan to ensure an even rise. Mist the top with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap.
11. Proof at room temperature for approximately 60 to 90 minutes (final rising times vary), or until the dough crests above the lip of the pan. (I used a proofing oven and the dough was ready in about 45 to 50 minutes.)
12. Preheat the oven to 350° F with the oven rack on the middle shelf. (I used the true convection setting.)
13. Place the bread pan on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes.
14. Rotate the pan 180° for even baking and continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the oven. The finished loaf should register 190° F in the center, be golden brown on the top and the sides, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
15. When the bread is finished baking, remove it immediately from the loaf pan and cool it on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, before slicing or serving.

Italian Easter Bread Wreath

Happy Easter! I made this sweet and tender orange-scented bread to serve for breakfast with our hard-boiled Easter eggs. The texture was similar to panettone without the dried fruit.

As an aside, I have to share a photo of my Easter cat with his catnip carrot. ❤ We are all very festive in my house!

Because I live in fear of overbaking my sweets, I was disappointed that this loaf was slightly overdone after I had already significantly reduced the baking time in the original recipe. Don’t worry! We still gobbled it up, but, I modified the recipe below. The sweet orange glaze made it a crowd-pleaser.

This recipe was adapted from King Arthur Flour. I weighed all of the dry ingredients and used vanilla and orange extract instead of Fiori di Sicilia. I also reduced the baking time and tented the loaf during baking. Pretty.

Yield: One 10-inch round loaf

For the Starter:

• 120 g (1 cup) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup (113 g) cool water
• 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast

For the Dough:

• 269 g (2 1/4 cups) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 67 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract + 1/4 teaspoon orange extract or orange oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground anise seed, optional (I omitted it)
• grated peel of 1 large orange

For the Glaze:

• 113 g (1 cup) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• sprinkles or nonpareils, for decorating

1. To make the bread: Mix together the starter ingredients, cover the bowl, and let rest at room temperature overnight, or for up to 15 hours.
2. Next day, combine the bubbly starter with all the remaining dough ingredients. Mix and knead, using a mixer or bread machine, until the dough is elastic and satiny. We don’t recommend preparing this dough by hand, as it’s quite sticky and challenging to bring together. (I used the beater until the dough came together and the dough hook for about 7 minutes on medium speed to knead the dough.)
3. Grease a large bowl and let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, until it’s noticeably puffy. (I used a proofing oven.)
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface, divide it into three pieces, and shape each piece into an 18″-long rope. Braid the ropes together, and connect the two ends to form a wreath.
5. Cover the wreath and allow it to rise until puffy, about 1 to 2 hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F, preferably on convection.
6. Bake the wreath for 10-15 minutes, then tent the loaf with aluminum foil and reduce the oven heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 8-15 minutes. The finished loaf will be golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will register at least 190°F. (I baked it at 375°F for 15 minutes, and 350°F for 10 minutes and the internal temperature of the loaf was 205°F.)
7. Remove the wreath from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool.
8. To make the glaze: Stir together the sugar and 2 tablespoons of the milk or orange juice. Add more liquid 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is thin and pourable.
9. Drizzle the glaze onto the cooled braid, then decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Portuguese Rolls

My husband came home from work with special homemade rolls that one of his co-workers had brought in for a pot luck celebration. We couldn’t believe that any of them were leftover! They had an amazing texture and were absolutely delicious.

Thankfully, she was happy to share the recipe with me. 🙂 I’ve made them several times. Easy and perfect.

Yield: 8 rolls

• 250g bread or all-purpose flour
• 200g (200 ml, 6.7 ounces) cold water
• 10g bread yeast
• 5g coarse salt
• 10g granulated sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. (I use a stand mixer and knead the dough on medium speed for 2-6 minutes.)
2. Lightly oil the top surface of the dough and turn to completely coat the outside of the dough.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a proofing oven or warm spot for 1 hour.
4. Remove dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 equal pieces.
5. Roll into rounds or oval shapes.
6. Place on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Let rest for 15-20 minutes in a proofing oven or a warm spot.
7. Bake at 400 degrees, preferably on convection, for 15-20 minutes.

Easter Challah

Happy Belated Easter!

I was so proud of myself because I learned how to make a four-strand braid to make this special loaf. 🙂 The challenge in the original recipe was to learn how to make a six-strand braid, but a four-strand seemed like enough of a challenge at the time. 😉 I loved how it looked too.

This recipe was adapted from King Arthur Flour. I modified the braid and used a proofing oven. I learned the four-strand braiding technique from Tori Avey.com. This link actually has very useful steps for several challah braiding techniques.

Challah is best eaten the day it is made. Because I made the challah the day before Easter, we ate it toasted with butter and jam. I thought it was a perfect holiday breakfast along with our colored Easter eggs. Lovely!

For the Dough:

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 6 T vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 17 ounces (4 cups) unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1 T instant yeast
• cooking oil spray, for coating the bowl

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg
• 1 T water

To Prepare the Dough:

1. Weigh out 17 ounces of flour; or measure 4 cups of flour by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. The more accurately you measure your flour, the better your bread will be; too much flour will yield a dry, heavy loaf.
2. Combine all of the dough ingredients, except the cooking oil spray, and mix to make a rough dough.
3. Knead the dough — by hand, using a stand mixer, or in a bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough. It’ll still have a slightly rough surface; that’s fine. (I kneaded the dough in a stand mixer using a dough hook for about 5 minutes.)
4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
5. Allow the dough to rise for about 2 hours. (I placed the bowl in a proofing oven.) It won’t necessarily double in bulk, but should become noticeably (if not dramatically) puffy.
6. Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
7. You may braid the challah the traditional way, into a three-strand braid. I chose a four-strand braid. (Instructions for these and a six-strand are in the link above.)
8. Divide the dough into four pieces, or into equal pieces for desired braiding techniques. A scale is a big help in dividing the dough evenly.
9. Shape each piece into a rough log.
10. Cover the logs with plastic wrap, and let them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
11. Roll each piece into a long rope. Your goal is ropes about 20″ long; if the dough starts to shrink back as you roll, cover it and let it rest again for about 10 minutes, then resume rolling. The short rest gives the gluten a chance to relax.

To Make a Four-Strand Braid:

1. Pinch together the ends of the strands so that all six strands are joined at one end.
2. Take the strand furthest to the right and weave it towards the left through the other strands using this pattern: over, under, over.
3. Take the strand furthest to the right and repeat the weaving pattern again: over, under, over. Repeat this pattern, always starting with the strand furthest to the right, until the whole loaf is braided.
4. Pinch the ends of the loose strands together and tuck them under on both ends of the challah loaf to create a nice shape.
5. Gently pick up the braided loaf, and place it on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

To Finish:

1. Cover the braided loaf with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until it’s very puffy, 90 minutes to 2 hours at room temperature or in a proofing oven.
2. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F, preferably on convection.
3. Whisk together the large egg and 1 tablespoon water to create the egg wash. Brush this glaze over the risen loaf.
4. Nest the challah on its baking sheet into another baking sheet, if you have one. This double layering of pans will help prevent the challah’s bottom crust from browning too quickly.
5. Put the challah into the lower third of the oven, and bake it for 20 minutes. If it’s a deep golden brown, tent it loosely with aluminum foil. If it’s not as brown as you like, check it again at 30 minutes.
6. Once you’ve tented the challah, bake it for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the loaf looks and feels set and its interior registers at least 190°F on a digital thermometer.
7. Remove the bread from the oven, and place it on a rack to cool.

Note: Store any leftover bread, well wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage. While challah does tend to dry out after a day or so, it’s always good toasted or made into grilled sandwiches or French toast.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Babka and Easter Paska

Three Years Ago: Easter Babka

Four Years Ago: Low-Fat Oat & Whole Wheat Buttermilk Waffles

Five Years Ago:

• Brown Sugar-Oatmeal “Sunshine” Muffins
• Crumb Cake
• Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
• Giant Cinnamon Apple Roll