bread Archives - Page 2 of 4 -

January 27, 2016

Cinnamon Beet Rolls

Over the summer our local CSA hosted a “kids on the farm” day and it was one of the highlights of our summer. It was such a treat to visit a real farm and see how and where all of our summer produce is grown. The kids went on an edible farm walk through raspberry bushes, fields of kale, rows of tomatoes, and even explored a mushroom forest. They learned about healing herbs and made little pouches of homemade tea. They were able to help feed the pigs and visit the cows. The experience was wonderful and deepened our appreciation for all of those hard-working farmers out there. Upon arriving at the farm, we were greeted by a large table set up with a heaping bowl of pink dough deeply colored from red beets. The kids all delighted in being able to take a bit of dough and shape their own rolls for their morning snack. And now as we approach Valentine’s Day, I thought it would a festive time to make those beautiful pink sweet rolls again and bring back memories of our day at the farm.

[Read more…] about Cinnamon Beet Rolls

August 20, 2015

Blueberry Lemon Thyme Bread

With the end of summer in sight, we are trying hard to make the most of it by squeezing in as much fun as possible while also being mindful to take each day slowly and intentionally. This past weekend we hosted a backyard morning brunch for our neighbors and it was such a nice way to kick off this end-of-summer season. The kids ran around and played while the adults mingled and my heart was filled with gratefulness once again for this community that we live in. Looking ahead to these next couple of weeks, we’re going to try to fit in a just a few more summer playdates, one last mini-golf outing, a trip to the raspberry farm, maybe one more picnic, and so on. I’ve made this blueberry lemon thyme bread to celebrate the end of summer as well. We’ve gotten beautiful thyme from our CSA and it adds such a fragrant and fresh summer flavor to the blueberries and lemon. The bread is made with white whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour for a light texture and yogurt to keep it moist and tender. This is the kind of loaf which is perfect for an afternoon tea or snack. It’s sweet, but not quite indulgent enough for dessert. We aren’t always able to sit down for a snack in the afternoons, but I do enjoy the times when we are able to come together for a few moments to rest, recollect ourselves, and savor a sweet treat together. School is just around the corner and I know I will be missing these times soon.

December 22, 2014

Chocolate Swirl Bread

There’s nothing quite like a loaf of warm freshly baked bread out of the oven. It’s cozy, comforting, and satisfying on cold chilly days. Add some deeply flavored dark chocolate to that and it becomes heavenly. This chocolate swirl bread is so much fun to make even more fun to eat. It has some resemblance to a giant cinnamon roll and some resemblance to pull-apart bread. I used a combination of all-purpose and white whole wheat flours, along with a bit of rye flour for some added depth of flavor. It’s filled with layers of chocolate, coconut sugar, and cinnamon. Using a high quality chocolate makes a difference since the chocolate plays such an important role. Use the best that you can find.

I’m off now to spend time with my sister’s family for the week and I am hoping to slow down, refresh, and take in the hope and peace of this season. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and wishing you all great joy during this wondrous time of year.

Chocolate Swirl Bread

Ingredients

Dough

2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
¾ cup whole milk. warmed to about 110 degrees
1 large egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
¼ cup rye flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Filling

3.5 ounce dark chocolate bar, finely chopped
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Finishing

egg wash (1 large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, stir the yeast and sugar into the warm milk. Allow mixture to rest and become foamy and frothy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the egg yolk and melted butter to the yeast mixture.
In the bowl of a large stand mixer, stir together the flours and salt.
Using the dough hook with the stand mixer running on low, gradually pour in the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough becomes smooth, but still soft and damp. Shape dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, and then cover. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1-1½ hours.
While dough rises, prepare filling. In a small bowl, combine the chocolate, coconut sugar, and cinnamon.
Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 9-inch cake pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread butter evenly on dough. Sprinkle filling evenly over the butter, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Carefully roll up length-wise and pinch the edges together to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut log in half length-wise. Pinch two ends together and then twist the bread by gently lifting one strand over the other strand until you reach the end of the log. Form a circle and pinch the ends together to connect.
Allow bread to rise again until an indentation remains after touching, about 45 minutes.
About halfway through the second rising, preheat the oven to 375.
When bread is ready to be baked, lightly brush with egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for 30 minutes and dust with powdered sugar if desired. This is best served slightly warm out of the oven.

Notes

adapted from Take a Megabite, originally from Joy the Baker