Pumpernickel Bread

Pumpernickel Bread

I spoke about this bread with Krystal Cashin at work.  She was intrigued.  I looked up the meaning of this bread in Wikipedia.  I guess "Pumperknickel" means "devils fart" as this bread will give you gas.  Who knew...?  

What, bread that makes you fart?  This is every guy's dream excuse...  Let me set the scene.  You watching TV with your favorite gal, and you "accidentally" pass some gas.  "Oh honey, I am SO SORRY!  But it was the sandwich that you made me earlier.  That darn tasty pumpernickel bread.  It gives me gas".  (Meanwhile, your laughing inside)

I just like it cause of the taste.  Toasted and made into a sandwich...  hmmm...  yummy!  I never noticed the gas part.

If your like me, and you probably are, who has "bread flour" in their cupboards?  I don't.  So I add a tablespoon of extra gluten flour.  I got about a cup of it at the Bulk Barn.  I think it cost about $0.50.

Ingredients
2 cups warm milk
2 2/3 t active dry yeast
pinch of white sugar
3 1/4 cups bread flour
1 1/3 cups rye flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1 1/3 t salt
4 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 heaping T caraway seeds
2 2/3 T brown sugar
2 T vegetable oil
4 T molasses

Directions
In a two cup measuring cup, warm the milk in the microwave until warm, but NOT hot. 

Whisk in the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes or until bubbly and frothy.

In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook) combine the flours, corn meal, salt, cocoa powder, caraway seeds, and brown sugar. 

Add the yeast mixture, vegetable oil, and molasses, knead with the dough hook until dough comes together. Add more rye flour a tablespoon at a time until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Transfer to a large greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a tea towel and set aside to rise for one hour.

Transfer to a greased and parchment lined bread pan. Cover and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375F. Bake bread for 30-40 minutes or until dark and hollow sounding when tapped. 
Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice and enjoy!

Here is a video for you to enjoy!

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As always, comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome.

Molasses Brown Bread

Molasses Brown Bread

Do you like bread?

Of course you do!

But have you ever tried Molasses Bread?

Show of hands those that have.

I don't see a lot of hands going up.

You can make bread by hand.

Back breaking labour if you ask me

Must have been a man that invented the mixer.

As he want his lovely wife to make bread, but didn't want her back broken

Anyways, follow the recipe below

Let the rolls rise

Then cook them to perfection

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
3/4 cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
1 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water
2 cups whole wheat flour (spooned in)
4 1/2 cups flour (spooned in)

Stuff you will need

A mixer, like a Kitchenaid
Mixing bowl
8x13 inch baking dish + 1 bread loaf pan, or
2 x bread pans

Directions

Add 1 cup boiling water, whisk, and then add 1 cup cold water.  Dissolve the sugar in the warm water.  Then sprinkle the yeast over the water.  Leave for 10 minutes.

Add molasses, rolled oats, butter and salt.  Mix that together with the yeast, sugar water.

Add flour gradually and let your mixer knead the bread dough for 10 minutes.

Cut dough in half and place in two large bread pans that have been well greased or lined with parchment paper. (Or like I did above, make Molasses Buns)

Cover each pan with a dishtowel and set in a warm place to rise until almost double in size (about 1 1/2 hours).

Remove dishtowels and bake at 325 F for about an hour.  The buns only took about 35 minutes.

When ready, remove from oven and let cool about five minutes before removing from pans to cool on a bread rack.

While the buns were cooling, I brushed the tops with melted butter.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome

Banana Bread Doughnut Twists

Ingredients

Doughnuts:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3 bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla
⅓ cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Glaze:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons milk (or buttermilk)

Nuts:
½ cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a Wilton 6-cavity Doughnut Twist Pan with nonstick spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and salt until well combined.

In another large mixing bowl, beat together 4 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in bananas and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Alternate beating in dry ingredients and buttermilk into bowl until ingredients are just combined being careful to not overmix.

Spoon batter into prepared pan until each cavity is about ⅔ full. Bake for about 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, mix together cream cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk until well combined. Add additional milk as desired for thinner consistency. Drizzle glaze on top of doughnuts or dip top of each doughnut into glaze as desired.

In a small bowl mix together nuts and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of doughnuts.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome

Soft Dinner Rolls

Soft Dinner Rolls

These Soft Dinner Rolls are like something from a dream: buttery, soft, and tender. Plus, you don't have to choose between White and Whole Wheat since this recipe makes both! Serve these warm at brunch, lunch, or dinner; they'll be a huge hit.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
· 7 3/8 ounces milk (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons or 7 fluid ounces)
· 2 teaspoons sugar
· 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
· 2 ounces butter (1/4 cup), cut into tablespoons
· 1 egg, lightly beaten
· 7 3/8 ounces bread flour (1 3/4 cups)
· 6 3/8 ounces whole wheat flour (1 1/2 cups)
· 1 teaspoon salt
·
White Dinner Rolls
· 6 3/8 ounces milk (3/4 cup or 6 fluid ounces)
· 2 teaspoons sugar
· 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
· 2 ounces butter (1/4 cup), cut into tablespoons
· 1 egg, lightly beaten
· 13 3/4 ounces bread flour (3 1/4 cups)
· 1 teaspoon salt
·
Glaze
· 2 tablespoons milk
· 1 ounce butter, melted (2 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Note: If you have enough kitchen equipment you could make both doughs at the same time, and knead the white bread dough by hand while you have the whole wheat dough kneading in your stand mixer. (The white dough will be easier to knead by hand.) However, I've written the recipe as I did it, making the whole wheat dough first and the white dough second.

Prepping and First Rising:

2. Begin with the whole wheat dough. Scald the milk in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave by heating it until it reaches 180°F (about 80-90 seconds). Then, let it cool (about 20 minutes) until it reaches 110°F-115°F. Transfer the milk to the bowl of your stand mixer and stir in the sugar to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and stir it in. Let the mixture sit until foaming on top, about 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, microwave the butter for about 30 seconds, and then stir until it has melted completely (microwave a bit longer if needed). Make sure the butter is below 115°F before combining with the yeast. Start working on the white dough: Scald the milk as you did for the whole wheat, and let it cool to 110°F-115°F.

4. Pour the butter into the proofed yeast mixture and add the lightly beaten egg. Sprinkle the flour on top, and then the salt. Using the dough hook attachment, start the mixer on low speed. Let the machine knead the ingredients, and once they've come together into a dough, continue letting the machine knead for 5-8 minutes, until you have a soft and fairly elastic dough. Shape into a round with a smooth top and transfer to a greased bowl double the size of the dough, turning the dough once to coat the top with cooking spray. Cover with greased plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place. While the machine is kneading the whole wheat dough, start proofing the yeast for the white dough, and melt the butter for the white dough, setting it aside to cool.

5. Prep the white dough just as you did for the whole wheat, placing the prepared dough in another bowl to rise. Let both doughs rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Shaping and Second Rising:

6. Starting with the whole wheat dough, punch it down gently. Divide it into 6 equal pieces (they should weigh about 4 ounces each). Keeping the remaining pieces covered, work with one portion of dough at a time, shaping it into a ball by stretching the dough out with your palms to form a smooth top and pinching the edges together underneath. Cup the sides of the dough ball in your palms and rotate it gently to further smooth it out. Cover and repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

7. Repeat the previous step with the white dough. Each portion of dough should weigh about 4 ounces for the white dough.

8. Place the rolls into a 9" x 13" baking dish, alternating between white and whole wheat rolls in 3 rows of 4. Leave space between each column of dough to allow room for rising. Cover with greased plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for another 45 - 60 minutes, until doubled in size, filling up the space in the baking dish, and at least as high as the top of the dish. Once the rolls appear close to being fully risen, preheat oven to 350°F.

Glazing and Baking:

9. Brush all exposed areas of the rolls with 2 tablespoons of milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the roll are puffy and barely getting a bit of color on top. Immediately brush the rolls with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter (use it all). Allow the rolls to cool briefly before serving, which will also give the butter time to soak in and soften the tops. Cover the rolls with a light kitchen linen while they cool.

Storing:

10. Once the rolls are no longer very warm, place them in a zip-top bag to store. If they're still warm enough to produce steam in the bag, leave the bag open until the rolls have cooled completely. Store airtight at room temperature. Rolls can be reheated in the microwave wrapped in a very light cloth.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome

Cinnamon Crisps

Cinnamon Crisps

You have to know your audience when you cooking

Before they go into the oven

Too bad this blog doesn't have "smell-o-vision"

You would be drooling

This could be yours, tomorrow morning, for breakfast

Ingredients

2 small tubes refrigerator buttermilk biscuits OR 1 tube Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits 

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 Cup pancake syrup

1/3 Cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 Tsp. cinnamon

1/4 Cup chopped pecans, optional

1/4 Cup chopped almonds, optional

Stuff you will need

Cookie sheet

Parchment Paper

2 x mixing bowls

Directions

Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.  This stuff is GREAT!  Makes clean up so much easier.

Combine the melted butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if desired). 

Lay out the biscuits and smash it down.  Make is as wide as you can.

Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top. Drizzle the syrup on top of that.

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet, then onto a serving platter and enjoy!

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome.

Bread Croissants - Garlic Knots

Bread Croissants

Recipe is pretty simple

Make bread dough

Flatten it in a circle, use a pizza cutter to cut lots of wedges

Roll them up and bake them

Homemade Bread by Nigel Hay

1 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tsp Salt

300 ml Water Tepid – see video above where Nigel explains

300 mg White Flour

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 packet of yeast or what you find in the bottle

Mix it up

Let it rise for an hour

Knock it down

Let it rise for another 30 minutes

You got bread

Oven at 350

Garlic butter coating:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup parsley, minced

1 teaspoon salt

So I use milk vice Nigel using water.  He did say you could use 50/50 water/milk, but I just use 1% milk, put in the microwave for 90 seconds.  I let it cool for about 4 or 5 minutes. Otherwise when you add the yeast, your going to cook it.  Add the sugar and yeast.  Let it set for about 10 minutes.

Get a spoon in there and make sure there is no yeast that was caught in an air bubble at the bottom.  But adding the yeast after the milk should prevent this.

Add the flour/salt mixture.  I am using a Kitchenaid and I "could" add all the flour at once.  But the common sense way is to add about a 1/2 cup of flour at a time.  Let it mix and then add more and more until you have added it all.  Let this mix for about 10 minutes.  Yes, it does seem like a long time, but you need to gluten to work in the flour.

I am always torn at this point.  The bread looks "wet".  But you will not regret leaving it like this.   Add more flour if you want.  Remember, cooks will tweak their recipes.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.  I have been known to go as much as 90 minutes here.

Punch down the bread dough.  Roll it out on the counter and knead the bread for another 2 or 3 minutes.  When my arms get tired, I put it back in the bowl, cover it, and let rise another 30 minutes.

I get out my rolling pin and flatten out the bread on a floured countertop.  With a pizza cutter, I cut the bread into wedges and roll them up.  Outside point to the tip.  Put them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

With the oven at 350, they browned up in about 25 minutes.

FOR GARLIC KNOTS: After they come out of the oven, let them set for a few minutes.  Them brush them with the garlic butter coating.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven Crusty Bread

Cast Iron Dutch Oven Crusty Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1¾ tsp salt

• ½ tsp active dry yeast

• 1½ cups water (room temperature)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a big bowl mix flour, salt and yeast together. Pour water into the bowl and using a spatula mix it until it's all incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter for 12 to 18 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 450 F degrees. Add your cast iron pot to the oven and heat it as well until it's at 450 F degrees.

3. Remove pot from oven and remove the lid from it.

4. Flour your work surface really well and make sure you flour your hands really well. With your floured hands gently remove the dough from the bowl and roughly shape it into a ball. Take the ball of dough and drop it into the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and place it back in the oven.

5. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, after which remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Sorry, no video just yet.

As always, comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome

Homemade Subway sub rolls

Homemade Subway sub rolls

Earlier today I posted my first "Cook With Mitch" post.  I have made my Ultimate Meaty Spaghetti Sauce.  Well you gotta have bread to go with your spaghetti.

Mum and Dad bought me this sub pan back in 2014.  I have a recipe for making Subway buns but the recipe is made for about a dozen buns.  Way too much to make for me and Tonya.

So I started with the bread recipe that Nigel Hay shared with me one night.  Before you click on the video, be warned, there is a bit of swearing.  (Not a lot and I am sure you heard people swear before)

Do you like the Subway Parmesan Oregano sub rolls?  Mix Garlic Salt, Oregano and Parmesan cheese.  Then put over the sub rolls before putting them in the oven.

Homemade Bread by Nigel Hay

1 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tsp Salt

300 ml Water Tepid – see video above where Nigel explains

300 mg White Flour

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 packet of yeast or what you find in the bottle

Mix it up

Let it rise for an hour

Knock it down

Let it rise for another 30 minutes

You got bread

Oven at 350

Bread loaf 30 minutes

Dinner Rolls 20 minutes

Sub roll bake for 25 minutes

Subway Parmesan Rolls (mix some in the dough, keep some to sprinkle on top of the roll)
1/4 cup parmesan
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano

No recipe is as easy as it sounds.  There is always the little stuff that cooks don't tell you.  Well I will.  I got nothing to hide and I don't work for a restaurant where the recipe is secret.

So I use milk vice Nigel using water.  He did say you could use 50/50 water/milk, but I just use 1% milk, put in the microwave for 90 seconds.  I let it cool for about 4 or 5 minutes. Otherwise when you add the yeast, your going to cook it.  That's another story.  Ask Ryan Milley about his first time trying to bake bread.  Add the sugar and yeast.  Let it set for about 10 minutes.  See in the picture how the mixture is all frothy.  Get a spoon in there and make sure there is no yeast that was caught in an air bubble at the bottom.  But adding the yeast after the milk should prevent this.

Add the flour/salt mixture.  I am using a Kitchenaid and I "could" add all the flour at once.  But the common sense way is to add about a 1/2 cup of flour at a time.  Let it mix and then add more and more until you have added it all.  Let this mix for about 10 minutes.  Yes, it does seem like a long time, but you need to gluten to work in the flour.

I am always torn at this point.  The bread looks "wet".  But you will not regret leaving it like this.   Add more flour if you want.  remember, cooks will tweak their recipes.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.  I have been known to go as much as 90 minutes here.

Since I like the Subway Parmesan Rolls, I mix this up ahead of time.  OK, ok, I know, where is the appropriate measures.  There is none.  But if you need some.  1/4 cup parmesan, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp oregano.  Since the Dr told me to cut back on my salt, I just use 100% granulated garlic.  Vampires beware.

After 80 minutes, I punched it down.  Then floured up my hands and the counter top.  I pinched in 1/2 and made the loafs.

Remember to twist the loaf.  Not sure if this is important or not.  But it's pleasing to the eye, so what the hell.  Give'er a twist.

I liberally spread the topping and let it rise for another 30 minutes.  At this point, there is where I pre-heated my oven to 350.

Ahhh..  the results.

Anyone coming over for supper?

From here, I am likely going to put one of them in a bread bag and cut the other one into "circles".  (Sub rolls are round)  I will spread garlic/oregano butter and more Parmesan on them and bake for about 10 minutes at 350.

I will be doing up more pictures once Tonya gets home and I make the spaghetti noodles.  I will also be doing a remake of the Ultimate Meaty Spaghetti Sauce.  Or at least adding photos.  Not sure if I should remake or just add photos.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome.