Cheese Bread
This cheese bread is so good. I am certain that you will get hooked on this bread! You can make dinner rolls out of this recipe by simply dividing into smaller pieces.
INGREDIENTS
¾ Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Yeast
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 ½ Teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Softened Butter
½ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
½ Cup Cottage Cheese
4 Tablespoons Grate Parmesan Cheese
Dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup of lukewarm water. Make sure that the water is NOT hot or it will kill the yeast. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Knead by hand. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for 10 minutes. This is a great workout for your arms! Place in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise, in a warm place, for 1 hour until doubled. Punch down the dough and form into a 9 inch log. Place it in a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Loosely cover with greased plastic and let it rise until the bread is one inch above the rim of the pan.
If you are making dinner rolls divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape into rolls. Place the rolls on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise, in a warm place, for 30 minutes.
Bake the risen dough in a preheated 350° F oven for 20 minutes for the rolls and 30 minutes for a loaf. Remove from the oven and serve the rolls warm or let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes removing from the pan to cool on a wire rack. Makes 12 rolls or 1 loaf (16 slices).
Sweet Potato Biscuits
INGREDIENTS
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
5 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
10 Tablespoons Butter
½ Cup Milk
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 2 inch chunks. In a medium saucepan, heat the sweet potato chunks and enough water to cover to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain. Place cooked potatoes into a medium bowl and mash well. Set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 425° F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, light brown sugar, baking powder and salt. With a pastry blender cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk and cooled mashed sweet potatoes. Mix just until combined. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into an 8 inch square. Cut the dough in half. Cut each half into 10 equal pieces. Gently place the biscuits 1 inch apart on two large cookie sheets that are lined with parchment paper. Place the cookie sheet on 2 separate oven racks and bake the biscuits for 14 minutes until golden brown. Make sure not to over bake. Serve warm. Makes 20 biscuits.
Buttermilk Bread
INGREDIENTS
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
2 Teaspoons Salt
4 ¾ Cups Unbleached Flour
¼ Cup Sugar
1 ¾ Cups Buttermilk
½ Cup Butter
In a large bowl combine the yeast, salt and 2 cups of flour. In a medium saucepan heat the sugar, buttermilk and 6 tablespoons of butter over a medium low heat until very war. The temperature should be between 120° F to 130° F. The butter does not need to melt. With a mixer gradually beat the buttermilk mixture, on a low speed, into the flour mixture just until blended. Do not over mix. Increase the speed and beat 2 minutes longer. Scrape the bowl often. Beat in 1 cup of flour to make a thick batter. Beat the batter for another 2 minutes. Keep scraping the bowl. With a wooden spoon stir in 1 ½ cups flour to make the dough stiff. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Work in ¼ cup more flour while kneading. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large greased bowl. Turn the dough to grease the top. Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled. Punch down the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Grease two loaf pans and shape each piece of dough into a loaf. Place the seam side down in the loaf pans. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for another 1 hour until doubled. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Melt the remaining butter. With a sharp knife slash the top of each loaf lengthwise. Cut about ¼ inch deep. Brush the slashes with melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves
Irish Soda Bread
Many people think that St. Patrick was holding a slice of Irish Soda Bread in one hand while driving the snakes out of Ireland with the other hand, but Soda Bread actually came long after St. Patrick. Soda Bread was introduced in the mid 1840’s when bicarbonate soda was used in Ireland as a leavening agent to work with the native soft wheat. Irish Soda Bread became popular extremely popular in Ireland after the Famine years. Traditional Irish Soda Bread is made with flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk or sour milk. This recipe is not a strict traditional recipe, but rather one that you can play around with. If you want to leave out the currants or caraway seeds you can. It is up to you. I love this Irish Soda Bread and think that you will too.
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Unbleached Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 ¼ Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 ¼ Teaspoons Salt
2 ½ Tablespoons Sugar
9 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Currants
3 Tablespoons Caraway Seeds
2 Eggs
1 1/3 Cups Buttermilk or Sour Milk
½ Cup Milk For Brushing Top Of Bread
Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, caraway seeds and currants. Cut the butter into quarters and add to the dry mixture. Blend the eggs and buttermilk in a separate bowl and then add them to the flour mixture. Incorporate all of the dry and wet ingredients together and this will form your dough. Briefly knead the dough. Grease an 8 inch round pan and add the dough to the pan. Cut a bold cross into the top of the dough to avoid splitting. Brush the top of the bread with milk and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Make 1 loaf
Mini Blueberry Breads
INGREDIENTS
1 ¾ Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2 Beaten Eggs
¾ Cup Butter Milk or Sour Milk
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup Blueberries
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease 6 mini bread pans and set aside. In a medium bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside. In another bowl combine the eggs, milk and olive oil. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. The batter should be lumpy. Add the blueberries until combined. Fill each mini bread pan two thirds full. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans and serve warm. Makes 6 mini breads
Chocolate Muffins
Chocolate Muffins are great for a sinful breakfast or mid-day snack.
INGREDIENTS
1 ¾ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
¾ Cup Sugar
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Buttermilk or Sour Milk
1/3 Cup Plus 2 Teaspoons Vegetable Oil
1 Large Egg
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Preheat the oven to 400° F. You will need a muffin tin and paper muffin cases.
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar and chocolate chips. In a medium sized bowl combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix, but don’t over mix. A lumpy batter makes the best muffins. Spoon into the prepared muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are dark, risen and springy. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Serve with butter, cream cheese or plain. Makes 12 muffins
Garlic Naan
INGREDIENTS
1 Package Active Dry Yeast (.25 Ounce)
1 Cup Warm Water
¼ Cup White Sugar
3 Tablespoons Milk
1 Beaten Egg
2 Teaspoons Salt
4 ½ Cups Bread Flour
4 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
3 Teaspoons Chopped Coriander
¼ Cup Melted Butter
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water (NOT hot water). Let stand about 10 minutes – until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt and enough flour to make soft dough. Knead for 6 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside in a warm place to let rise. Let rise for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in volume. Punch the dough and knead in garlic and chopped coriander. Pinch off small handfuls of dough that are about the size of golf balls. Roll into balls and place onto a tray. Cover with a towel and allow rising again until doubled in size. This should take about ½ hour. During the second rising, preheat grill to a high heat. Lightly oil the grill and roll one ball of dough into a thin circle. Place dough on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter and cook until browned for another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill and continue the process until all of the naan has been prepared. If you don’t have a grill you may cook in the oven on a pizza stone. Makes 14 garlic naan
Julia’s Popovers
INGREDIENTS
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Sifted Flour
1 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
Extra Butter For Muffin Wells
Put 1/3 teaspoon butter in each muffin well. Heat the muffin tin in the oven for 5 minutes while you are mixing the batter. Sift the flour and salt into a medium sized bowl. In a separate medium sized bowl beat the eggs with a rotary beater. Now add the milk, butter and flour while beating on low. Mix only enough to make a smooth batter. Do not over mix. Fill the hot muffin wells 1/3rd full of the mixture. Bake in a preheated 450° F oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn the oven down to 350° F and bake for another 30 minutes or until brown and popped. Makes 12
Paska or Czech Easter Bread
INGREDIENTS
2 Packages Active Dry Yeast (1/4 Ounce Each)
1 Teaspoon Plus 1/3 Cup Sugar – Divided
4 Cups Warm Water (110° to 115°) Divided
1 Cup Nonfat Dry Milk Powder
13 ½ to 14 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour – Divided
6 Beaten Eggs
½ Cup Melted Butter
1 Tablespoon Salt
EGG GLAZE
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons Water
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 cup warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add remaining water. Beat in the milk powder and 5 cups flour until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until bubbly (for about 20 minutes). Add eggs, salt, butter and remaining sugar. Mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth surface. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl (I like to use olive oil), turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled.
Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half and set one portion aside. Divide remaining portion in half. Press each portion into a well-greased 10 inch spring form pan. Divide reserved dough into six balls. Shape each ball into a 30 inch rope. Make two braids of three ropes each. Place a braid around the edge of each pan, forming a circle. Trim the ends of the braids, reserving dough scraps. Pinch ends of braids to seal. Shape scraps into two long thin ropes. Form into rosettes or crosses. Place one decoration on the center of each loaf. Cover and let rise for an hour or until doubled. In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together. Brush over the dough. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Makes 2 loaves and serves 24
English Muffins
Purists insist that you should never slice open an English Muffin to toast it. Instead cut a sliver in the side and toast it whole. When done, poke butter in through the slit and savor the muffin with your morning cup of tea.
INGREDIENTS
¼ Cup Warm Water (110° F)
Pinch of Sugar
1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast
1 ½ Cups Warm Milk (110° F)
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Cut Into Bits & Softened
1 Tablespoon Honey
5 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour
1 ¼ Teaspoons Salt
Cornmeal
In a small bowl, combine the warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let stand until the yeast dissolves and becomes foamy (for about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, butter a large bowl. With an electric mixer combine the milk, butter and honey. Combine until the butter is almost melted. Stir in 2 ½ cups flour and the yeats mixture. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes or until well combined. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place, away from drafts, until it is doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Butter a 4 quart mixing bowl and set aside. Stir the salt into the dough. With a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour so the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic – about 8 to 10 minutes – adding enough of the remaining flour to keep the dough from sticking. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl, turning it once to coat the top of the dough with butter.
Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest in a warm place, away from drafts, until it is doubled in volume (about 45 minutes). Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Sprinkle a bread board generously with the cornmeal. Place half of the dough on a board and sprinkle more cornmeal over the top of the dough. Gently roll the dough out into a ½ inch thick round. Cut out the English muffins with a floured 3 inch biscuit cutter. Repeat with the remaining dough. Arrange the dough rounds 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Knead, reroll, and cut the dough scraps once. Cover the muffins with a tea towel and let them rise in a warm place, away from drafts, until they are doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Heat a lightly oiled nonstick griddle or skillet over medium high heat. Lift some of the dough rounds with a spatula onto the griddle. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, and then reduce heat to medium and cook, turning every few minutes, for about 13 to 18 minutes, until done in the center. Cool muffins on wire racks while you cook the remaining muffins. Serve with butter, jam or honey. Makes 10 to 12 muffins
