This is a Original Recipe feature, created by Marcy Goldman at betterbaking.com © for frenchbutterdish.com
Recipe Selection For French Butter Dish/James Sloss
Pottery from
the BetterBaking.com Bread Basket Bonaza for Summer Picnics
When less is more - Baby Breads to start picnic season
with Sometimes, a large loaf is too much. All you
really want is a few bites of something fresh and warm,
such as French Crusty Rolls, a classic buttery Parker
House Roll or maybe a punchy Lunch Box Onion Roll? This
is the place! Make sure you have plenty of butter, kept
nice and spreadable in your French Butter Dish. (Marcy
Goldman has three of our dishes - and keeps a different
flavored butter in each)
When less is more - Baby Breads to start picnic season
with....
Sometimes, a large loaf is too much. All you really
want is a few bites of something fresh and warm, a new
little roll or rustic bun - great for snacking or the
perfect cradle for a sandwich. This selection of 'baby
breads': little loaves, rolls, and buns are just the
ticket. They offer shorter rising times and are
pleasingly unique to the eye and wonderful to
the palate. They also happen to round out many an
informal meal, transforming a casual supper or spring
luncheon into a dining oasis. "Oh, are those hot, fresh
rolls?" your guests or lucky family will ask. You bet!
Whatever doesn't get devoured at the table will wind up
in your brown bag lunch of picnic hamper.
Versatile, rustic, little bread that takes well to
countless variations. Crusty outside, tender and airy
inside, you could make a meal of this and a tossed salad
and be quite happy or use them as brown bag sandwich
rolls - depending on how you shape them. The malt powder
helps to color these rolls and adds a lovely extra bit
of flavor but it is entirely optional if you don't have
it.
Quick Sponge
1 cup water
pinch sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 1/2 cups bread flour
Dough
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon malt powder (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups bread flour
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
Spray 12 miniature loaf pans with non-stick cooking
spray and set aside. Alternatively, line a doubled up
baking sheet with parchment paper (if baking rolls in a
freeform style).
For the Quick Sponge, in a medium sized bowl, stir
together water and sugar. Sprinkle on yeast and allow to
stand a minute before whisking to blend dissolved yeast.
Fold in the flour and mix to make a pudding-like, gloppy
paste. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let sit an
hour.
For the dough, place the sponge in the bowl of an
electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. To the sponge,
add in the water, honey, malt powder, oil, most of bread
flour and salt. Stir with a wood spoon to make a mass.
Let dough sit, uncovered ten minutes. Resume kneading,
now with dough hook of mixer, on slowest speed of mixer,
to make a soft, elastic dough, about 8-10 minutes. Shape
the dough, in the mixing bowl, into a rounded mass.
Place the whole bowl inside a large plastic bag and seal
lightly. Let rise, about 45-90 minutes (can also be
refrigerated at this point up until overnight. To use,
allow dough to warm up about an hour, shape as notated
below, and let rise).
Deflate dough and divide into twelve portions. Make two
balls from each portion and place side by side in the
prepared miniature loaf pans. Alternatively, form into
ovals or rounds and place in loaf pans or on a parchment
paper lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and
let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 F.
Mist the rolls with water and dust with flour. Bake
until beginning to turn medium brown, about 30 minutes.
About 12 rolls
Buttery little bundles of dough are tucked into a
mini-loaf pan or regular muffin pans. They bake up into
a tender roll, reminiscent of a French croissant in
taste but with the velvety crumb of a traditional rich,
white bread roll. These are supposed to be 'side' rolls
but frankly, some folks consider them the main event.
After eating one of these warm treasures, the rest of
the meal is incidental.
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/4 cups warm buttermilk
1/4 cup unsalted, softened butter, cut in small chunks
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5-6 cups all purpose or bread flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
In a large bowl, sprinkle sugar and yeast over warm
water and stir briefly. Let stand, allowing yeast to
swell a couple of minutes. Stir in buttermilk, butter,
sugar, salt and most of flour. Knead to make a soft
dough, adding more flour as required. Knead about 8
minutes until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Allow to
rise until almost doubled in bulk.
(You can also refrigerate dough, covered, at this point.
To use, up to a day later, allow dough to warm up for an
hour before proceeding with recipe).
Divide dough in 12 portions. Cut each into three chunks
and dip in melted butter. For more traditional looking
rolls, form the chunks into small balls. Place the three
balls or chunks each into each well of a 12 cup muffin
tin. Drizzle any leftover melted butter over rolls.
Cover lightly with plastic (slipping the entire baking
sheet into a large, clear garbage
bag works well) and allow to rise until almost doubled
in bulk.
Preheat oven to 375 F and bake ten minutes. Reduce heat
to 350 F and bake until lightly browned, another 15-20
minutes.
Makes about a dozen
Making a sponge beforehand greatly enhances the flavor
and texture of these fragrant rye buns.
Quick Sponge
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon dry yeast
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
2 teaspoons malt flour or syrup (or can use brown sugar)
1 cup coarse or dark rye flour
1/4 cup white bread flour
Dough
1/2 cup warm water
2-4 Baker's Caramel*
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2-3 cups white bread flour
1 cup dark currants, plumped and dried
Beaten egg white
Caraway Seeds
* Real baker's caramel is available through King
Arthur's Baker's Catalogue 800-827-6836 or you can try
Kitchen Bouquet, sold in bouillon/soup section of
supermarket.
For the sponge, about an hour before making dough, mix
together the water, yeast, caraway seeds, malt flour or
syrup, rye and white bread flours. Stir to make a thick
gloppy mixture and let stand one hour (or up to 3
hours).
Stir down spongy mixture and add remaining water,
baker's caramel, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and most of
white bread flour. Stir until dough can be kneaded (by
hand or dough hook) adding additional flour as required
to make a soft, springy dough, 6-8 minutes. Let rest a
couple of minutes then press in raisins into the dough.
Place dough in a well-greased bowl, cover with plastic
wrap and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Divide dough into 12 or 16 portions, depending on size
of rolls required. Form each into a ball. Place a
parchment paper lined baking sheet, spaced three inches
apart. Brush each roll with egg white and sprinkle on
some caraway seeds. Let rise, until quite puffy, 30-45
minutes.
Bake in a preheated 400 F degree oven, 15-18 minutes,
until rolls are slightly firmed when pressed with
fingertips.
Makes 12-16 Rolls, depending on size
Golden, moist, crunchy: heaven. No yeast and who cares
when you are serving up such a terrific little quick
bread. These are, as they say, rather fine. Stone
ground cornmeal is key but if you do not have it, I
promise rather wonderful results nonetheless.
3/4 cup oil or unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup stone ground cornmeal
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Very generously spray or
grease 10 mini loaf forms (1 1/2 by 3-4 inches) or 12
muffin cups. Alternatively, use a ten-inch springform
pan or cast iron skillet). Line mold bottoms with a
muffin liner cup, widen to line bottom of loaf mold (for
muffin mold, leave liners in original shape.
Blend oil or butter, and sugar together. Mix in eggs,
then water and vanilla. Fold in salt, baking powder,
baking soda, flour and corn meal.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake at 400 for ten
minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F until edges are
lightly browned and tops are just firm (may have a crack
down centre) and spring back when touched.
Eggy, moist, and light as air, these usually disappear
before dinner is served so count on making an extra
batch.
1 generous cup diced onions, lightly sautéed
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, room temperature
5 cups, approximately, all-purpose or bread flour
Egg Wash
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
Sesame Seeds or Poppy Seeds, Dried Minced Garlic or
Onion bits - Optional
Prepare onions and set aside.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set
aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk in dry yeast with water
and let stand a minute to allow yeast to swell and
dissolve. Briskly stir in honey, sugar, salt, oil, eggs,
and most of flour. Knead 8-10 minutes to make soft,
springy dough - let rest 15 minutes then press in onions
to distribute.
Place in a greased bowl and place whole bowl in a large
plastic bag. Let rise, about 30-35 minutes.
For egg wash, whisk ingredients together in a medium
bowl and set aside until needed.
Divide dough into 12-16 portions (depending if you want
smaller or larger rolls). Roll out each portion into an
8 inch length. Gently tie in a knot. Place on baking
sheet. Brush each roll with two coats of egg wash. Seed
if desired. Place whole baking sheet in a large plastic
bag (a drawstring garbage bag is fine) and let rise
until puffy, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake, until golden brown, 18-20
minutes, reducing temperature to 350 F if rolls brown
too fast.
Makes 12-16 rolls
Quite a recipe title; quite a recipe. All the flavors we
love best tucked into one neat yeasty package. Serve
this up with stew or chili or a humongous Caesar salad.
8-10 large cloves of garlic, roasted and minced
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup milk or half-and-half
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons dry yeast
3 tablespoons melted shortening
5 drops hot sauce
5 cups (approximately) bread or all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded unpeeled, washed, red-skinned (not
sweet) potatoes
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp orange cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons melted margarine (for greasing pan)
1/4 cup cornmeal, approximately
Prepare garlic by roasting in oil until tender, about 45
minutes in a 350 F oven. Cool, and then peel from skins
and coarsely chop. Set aside.
Lightly oil mixing bowl and dough hook to prevent dough
from sticking.
In mixing bowl, whisk together water, milk or
half-and-half, sugar, salt, yeast, shortening and hot
sauce. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Stir in grated
potatoes and 2 cups of the cheese, roasted garlic and
enough of the flour to make a soft dough. When you can
no longer mix by hand, begin kneading or remove dough to
a mixer attached with a dough hook and knead 8 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead by
hand about 2 minutes to smooth. Cover with a tea towel
and let rest 15 minutes. Divide dough into roll-sized
mounds, about 12-16, depending on size desired. Form
into ovals and place on a baking sheet. Brush with
melted margarine and sprinkle tops lightly with
cornmeal. Place baking sheet in a large, drawstring
plastic bag and let rolls rise 30 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Make a lengthwise
shallow slash on top of each roll. Bake at 400 for 15
minutes, then reduce heat to 375 Degrees and sprinkle
remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top of bread. Bake
another 10 minutes or until rolls are nicely browned and
cheese is melted.
Makes 12-16 rolls
Sweet, wholesome, flavorful. Invite Pooh Bear for tea or
your own best friend.
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
2 cups white whole-wheat or regular whole-wheat flour
3 1/2 cups - 4 cups (approximately) bread or al-purpose
flour
Cinnamon, flour for sprinkling
In a large mixing bowl, or mixing bowl of an electric
mixer, whisk together the water, yeast, melted butter,
honey, cinnamon and salt. Briskly fold in whole-wheat
flour and one cup of the white flour. Begin to knead by
hand or with a dough hook, adding white flour as needed
until dough leaves sides of bowl. Dough should become
soft, but no longer sticky. You might need slightly
more flour, add a bit at a time). Knead about five
minutes then
press in walnuts. Knead another three minutes. Cover
dough with a damp tea towel and let rest on a lightly
floured board, cover lightly with a tea towel about 45
minutes. Deflate dough to release any air. Divide dough
into 12 portions. Form into ovals and place into a
well-greased miniature loaf pan (12 cup pan or use 12
separate small loaf pans) sections. Allow dough to rise
about 40 minutes or until it is flush with the top of
the loaf pan. Dust with flour and cinnamon.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place in oven, reducing
heat to 350 Degrees F. Bake until tops are lightly
browned, about 25-35 minutes. Cool in pan ten minutes
before removing.
Serve these with some churned honey butter.
Makes one dozen
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