French Bread

I got this recipe from Lovella G. ( another Lovella, and another great friend) way back when our kids went to the same elementary school. This recipe has become sort of a "staple" kind of recipe for a quick bread, for pizza crust, pizza buns, focaccia bread or baguettes (used for spinach dip etc) As you can see - It is a must have! =)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups hot tap water
• 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour, white - can be half whole wheat or multigrain *
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast

Method:

1. Put sugar, oil, salt and hot water in a large mixing bowl. You can also use a mixer that has a dough hook attachment or your bread machine.  
2. Add 1 cup of the flour mixed with the yeast, then the rest of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Add flour until dough comes away from side of bowl or easily holds together in a ball shape and is not too sticky if you handle it with floured hands. Cover bowl with wax paper and tea towel.
3. Let rise until double, about 1/2 hour. Divide in half.
4. Roll out on a slightly floured surface to about 12"x15” rectangle. Roll up jelly roll style, beginning at longer end, and place on greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Cut diagonal slits on top. Cover with tea towel and then wax paper or plastic.
5. Let rise about 30 - 45 minutes. Brush with mixture of 1 egg and 2 tablespoons milk, whisked with fork.
6. Bake at 400° F for 20 minutes, or until golden. Remove to rack to cool.

* Flour purchased in the USA may need a teaspoon of vital wheat gluten added to the flour




For Pizza:
Instead of rolling out the dough, just divide and press onto 2 pizza pans. Bake at 400° F until light golden - barely done. About 8 -10 minutes.
Spread lightly with pizza or spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with any cold cuts you want . . . ham, salami, pepperoni, cooked hamburger (left over sloppy joe sauce) or cooked chicken, slivered peppers, grated cheese (mozzarella, or assortment). Sprinkle with oregano and basil. Bake at 375° F, about 15 min.

focaccia bread:
Add about 1 tablespoon of each (fresh if possible) thyme, oregano, rosemary, chopped into tiny bits,
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 1- 2 teaspoons garlic powder to the dough, as you're mixing it. Cover and let rise.
Press dough into 2 - 8" x 8" greased pans. Make indentations with end of wooden spoon and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal and rosemary (optional)
Cover and rise 1/2 hour. Bake until light golden, about 25 - 30 minutes. Serve with Olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

dipping bread:
Use any kind of combination of flour and grains that you like, roll out to make long skinny loaves (baguettes) and slice at an angle. Great with Spinach dip.
Maybe this is too much information, but it's there to give you ideas on what you can do and I hope you try something new and enjoy it.

Donuts

I started a tradition that wasn't really meant to be a tradition, but when you are Mennonite and do something once that went over well and everyone liked it HAS to become tradition......."awe come on mom, we did it last year". So hence a new tradition had begun. Each child is allowed to invite their friends, cousins, second, third cousins, whom ever they wish. The first year that we did it my sister in-love and I didn't know how many the recipe would make so to be on the safe side the Mennonite in us came out and quadrupled the recipe. After all we wanted to make sure there was plenty. CAUTION..........unless you want to feed the masses of 500 or more DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT quadruple the recipe. We made hundreds, fried for hours, we were covered in a thin layer of grease ourselves. We invited another family, then more families, then people from church, neighbours. They ALL got eaten. Donuts need to be eaten fresh. Set an afternoon aside, set up a Coleman stove outside so your house doesn't smell like a deep fryer, invite the people you love and just enjoy. I must say that fun was had by all. Oh by the way I only doubled the recipe this time, I am sure the teenagers ate a dozen each. The boys for sure did. It made about 200.

Raised Donuts or (Donuts originally from the Mennonite Treasury Cookbook)

• 1 tablespoon quick rise yeast
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups scalded milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening ( I used oil)
• About 6 cups flour

1. Add dry yeast to 3 cups flour, salt and sugar. 
2. Scald milk, add 1 cup water, oil and beaten eggs. 
3. Mix in enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. 
4. Let rise approximately 1/2 hour. 
5. Roll into 1/4-1/2" thick and cut into desired shape with either a donut cutter or cookie cutter.
6. Deep fry until golden brown. 
7. Careful that the oil doesn't get too hot, usually cooking on medium heat to medium high is enough. 
8. Glaze while warm in following glaze.

Glaze:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 milk

Bring to boil, take off heat and add

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Whisk ingredients together, keep on a low element.
2. Dip the warm donuts into the glaze and place on parchment lined cookie sheets to dry.
3. Enjoy.

Buns and Platz

Memories of Saturdays growing up, always remind me of how my Mom would cook a big pot of soup, bake a batch of fresh buns and usually she would take part of the dough to make a platz or, as we called it, Streuselkuchen. My husband's side of the family called it Riebelplatz. Our middle daughter, as a pre-schooler, announced one day, "Mommy, it's easy to make Lieberplatz . . . all you need is dough, plums and crumbs!"
Now that I'm not baking for a family on a regular basis, and we don't eat a lot of white buns, I have taken part of the dough to make cinnamon buns as well. We have been pleasantly surprised how yummy they turn out even with less sweetness. So I'll leave you with a variety of goodies to try with one dough.

Ingredients for dough:

• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup oil
• 2 cups very warm water
• 10-11 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast

Method:

1. In small pot, melt butter and heat milk until warm.
2. In large mixer bowl, beat eggs, adding the sugar and then the oil.
3. Stir in all liquids – warm water, milk and butter
4. Add 4 – 5 cups flour and instant yeast, mixing well
5. Switching to dough (hook) attachment on mixer, add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time.
6. Turn dough into a larger bowl to rise, giving it a few more punches if needed.
7. Cover with a tea towel and plastic bag and rise about 1 – ½ hours

To make plain buns:

1. Use about ½ of the dough to make 15-18 buns. Shape into buns by taking a handful of dough at a time and squeezing bun shapes between thumb and forefinger. 
2. Place on greased cookie sheet, cover with tea towel and plastic and let rise 1 hour. 
3. Bake at 400° F for 20 min. Cool on wire racks.

Note: I slice the buns before freezing them. This makes it easy to make sandwiches quickly when they are still frozen, especially when I did school lunches.

To make Cinnamon Buns:

1. With greased hands, pinch off a large piece of the rest of the dough and roll out on floured surface. 
2. Spread with about 2 Tbsp melted butter and 1 cup brown sugar mixed with 1-2 tsp cinnamon.
3. Roll up jellyroll style and cut into 1” slices. Place on greased or parchment paper lined pan.
4. Cover and let rise 1 hour and then bake at 350° F for 20 min or until golden.
5. To ice: mix about 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, 1 Tbsp soft marg or butter and enough milk to make a nice spreading or drizzle consistency.

To make Platz:
Ingredients:

• fruit, jam or pie filling
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temp
• ½ cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar

Method:

1. Grease any shape of small - medium pan you like. You can use a round spring-form pan, a 9x13" pan or a cookie sheet. Spread or pat your left over dough into pan by hand. It will rise some, so it doesn’t have to be high – about ½ - 1 inch – some prefer a flat platz and some a high platz. Let it rest about 20 – 30 min.
2. Spread with cut up fruit, such as plums or apricots and sprinkle with just a couple of Tbsp of sugar. I used canned cherry pie filling. My mom often just spread it with just a beaten egg for moisture, then topped it with crumbs.
3. For Crumbs: Mix butter into flour and sugar with pastry cutter. Squeeze a handful at a time and sprinkle on fruit or jam. If you find the crumb mixture too dry, mix in a Tbsp of cream, and then squeeze into crumbs as you drop onto the fruit.
4. Let rise about ½ hour. Bake at 375° F for about 30 min. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. This is one of our favorite Sunday morning breakfast treats. To keep crumbs crunchy, don’t cover. If you freeze it, uncover to thaw.

This recipe can also be used for Zwieback or pizza crust. (not pictured)

Italian Wedge Bread

This recipe I got from a Lutheran Church Cookbook and there is no doubt in my mind the Lutheran Girls can cook too. I have gotten so many good recipes from this book. Today I want to share this tasty flat bread that is a good addition to an Italian meal instead of Garlic Bread.

Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups flour ( I used half whole wheat)
• 1 tbsp. instant yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with a spoon. 
2. Knead in 1/2 cup flour if needed. 
3. Form in to a ball. 
4. Cover and let rise for 20-30 minutes. 
5. Spread dough on to a greased pizza pan.

Topping:

•  1/4 tsp. salt (I omit)
• dash of pepper
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. thyme

1. Mix spices in a bowl. 
2. Brush with 1/3 c. Italian dressing (I have used Ranch and Caesar Dressings just for variety). 
3. Sprinkle with the spices over the dressing. 
4. Top with Parmesan Cheese and grated Mozzarella (light cheese). Bake at 450 for about 15-20 minutes.
5. A tasty appetizer or snack for any occasion.

Beaver Tails/Fry Bread

'Beaver tails' originated in Ottawa..google it to get the story, they are simply pieces of bun or bread dough shaped some what to resemble beaver tails, then deep fried and shaken up in a mixture of white sugar and cinnamon. I have tried a 'beaver tail recipe' which I found online but I still like the ones best that are made from plain bun dough.

Just take a piece of bun dough the size you like, put it on an oiled surface..I do this right on the counter top, press down and stretch it out with your fingers till you have a fairly flat shape of a beaver tail of course. You don't need to let it rise again but can let it rest for a few minutes if you wish. Deep fry and shake up in a bag with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. These are best fresh and hot! Be sure to leave some plain to have with syrup or honey.

My Mom used to make these on bread or bun baking day for a treat, we called them 'lada koki' and later my family called them fry bread. We didn't put sugar/cinnamon on them but rather ate them with Roger's Golden syrup. In those days we didn't know that they would one day become popular as 'beaver tails'.
Check this blog for bun recipes and when you next have bread or bun dough rising try them and tell us what you think!

Lemon Rolls

I found a number of recipes using lemon cake mix for these rolls. This one is adapted from the kraft website. They were delicious. They were moist and tender and had the most wonderful lemon flavor. Lemon is one of my favorites so how could I go wrong? I had a few leftover after giving most away and made french toast, tasted amazing.

Dough:

• 1 box lemon cake mix
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast (fast rising)
• 5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened and divided
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 package lemon flavor instant pudding

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk

1. In mixer with dough hook combine cake mix, yeast, flour, and salt. 
2. Add warm water and vanilla and mix well, kneading until ingredients are combined. If the dough is sticky lightly oil your hands and form dough into a ball. 
3. Cover bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled, approximately 1 hour.
4. Divide dough in half. On a floured surface roll half of the dough into a 9" x 13" size.
5. Brush with half of the butter.
6. In a small bowl combine white sugar, zest of lemon, and lemon flavored instant pudding until well combined.
7. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture over buttered dough. Roll up dough lengthwise. Slice dough into 12 pieces. Place in one of the greased 9" x 13" pans. Repeat with remaining dough for the second pan.
8. Cover pans and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes.
9. Bake in a 350º oven for for 25 minutes or until golden in color.
10. Remove from oven and immediately spread rolls with frosting which has been whipped until creamy. Optional: sprinkle with lemon zest. These rolls are best fresh but freeze well and a quick warm up in the microwave will result in a 'just out of the oven' freshly baked roll.
11. Yield: 24 rolls 

Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns
One a penny, two a penny

Hot cross Buns

If you have no daughters,

Give them to your sons,

One a penny, two a penny

Hot Cross Buns!

Always a favourite at our house, I tried and tweaked recipes

until I came up with one I like. These have the dough crosses on them and a honey glaze.

• 2 cups scalded milk
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 7 1/2 - 8 1/2 cups flour, divided
• (you can use about 2 cups whole wheat flour if you like)
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 2/3 cup sultana raisins, washed and patted dry
• 2/3 cup fruitcake mix (candied fruit, with or without peel)
• grated rind of 1 orange

1. Mix warmed milk, margarine and water until margarine melts.
2. In large bowl of mixer, combine 4 cups flour, yeast, salt, sugar and spices.
3. In medium bowl, dredge fruit and raisins in 1/2 cup flour. Set aside.
4. Pour in milk/margarine mixture.
5. Using beater attachment of mixer, turn on mixer and gradually add beaten eggs.
6. Change to dough hook and add floured raisins and fruit and grated rind.
7. Mix and gradually add flour until mixture begins to form a ball.
8. Mix for 5 minutes or knead by hand until dough is smooth and elastic.
9. Place in greased bowl cover with greased plastic and a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.
10. Grease two 9 x 13 inch pans and one 9 x 9 inch pan. or 3  9 x 13 inch pans.
11. Form buns and place in pans.
12. Cover again and let rise until doubled.

Mix dough for crosses:

• 1 cup flour
• 5 tablespoons shortening or lard
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• dash of salt
• about 1/2 - 2/3 cup water

1. Cut shortening into flour, sugar and salt.
2. Add water and stir well - dough should be sticky and somewhat soft.
3. Place dough into a piping bag with a 1/4 inch tip. Set aside.
4. Brush buns with 1 egg yolk whisked together with 1 tablespoon water.
5. Pipe crosses on, using a knife to cut off the dough from the tip.
6. Bake at 400 degrees F for 17- 20 minutes.
7. Remove to rack. Cool for 1/2 hour.

Mix honey glaze in microwave safe bowl:

• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. water

1. Microwave for 1 minute.
2. Brush over buns.
3. These freeze well.

Easter in Ellen's Kitchen

Today in my kitchen we are preparing our Easter Bread. What many of you call Paska we call Kulich. This is my mom’s Russian Easter Bread Recipe that I quartered because the amount she would make is quite daunting for me. We have cut it in half in years past. Now what you need to know about my mom and recipes is that she ends up tweaking them from year to year so this recipe is for her Kulich from 2001. I have a 2009 and 2012 recipe, too. This one was easier to quarter. My dear mom passed away from this earth in September of 2013 so I cherish her tweaked recipes. This always seems to be an all day process in my kitchen and while the dough is rising have some lunch or tea with your baking crew and when the bread is safely cooling go out to dinner and celebrate another year of your success in making Paska/Kulich. My baking crew this year will be my sister and adult kids. Here's some of last year's crew.

Ingredients:

2 pkgs rapid rise yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
1 teaspoon sugar
4 egg yolks
1 egg
1-1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half and half
1/2 ounce apricot brandy
1-1/2 teaspoons powdered vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
Zest of half a lemon
About 2-1/2 lbs of flour, sifted (about 7 cups)
Vegetable oil to coat the rising dough
6 to 7 one pound or two pound cans for baking. You can use loaf pans or large muffin tins if you don’t have the cans to bake them in.

Add yeast to the lukewarm water and milk and sugar in a stainless steel bowl.
Make sure the liquids are lukewarm.
Let this mixture dissolve and sit.
Beat the egg yolks and egg together.
Cream the butter and sugar in the large bowl of a stand-up mixer.
Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture slowly mixing to combine and then beat to incorporate well.
Mix the half and half with the whipping cream and heat until lukewarm, not hot, and slowly incorporate into the creamed mixture.
Mix in the vanilla and brandy.
Add the yeast mixture and the salt and beat with a mixer.
Continue beating and add the lemon zest.
Continue beating and add the sifted flour about a cup at a time.
Once you cannot beat the dough any longer using the mixer, put the dough on a floured surface and start incorporating the remaining flour by kneading the dough.
The dough should be kneaded very well, approximately 10 minutes.
You should knead the dough until you can cut it with a knife and it is smooth without any holes.
Place the dough in a stainless steel bowl.
Take some oil and pour a little on the dough and spread it all over the dough.
Make sure to turn the dough so it is coated evenly.
Cover with plastic wrap right on the dough and a dish towel on top of that.
Place in a warm place away from drafts to rise, (My sister usually puts it into the oven that has been warmed slightly).

While the dough is rising (this can take an hour or longer) prepare the coffee cans (1 lb. and 2 lb. cans are the best) Cut circles the size of the bottom of the cans out of wax paper. You will need four circles per can. Make sure the cans are well greased. Put the 4 circles in the bottom of the cans.

Use a empty and clean coffee can like the ones above. If there is a label make sure to take it off. If the can has a lip at the top you’ll need to use a can opener to cut the lip off the can. I hope these pictures will make the process easier to understand.
Cut sheets of wax paper long enough to line the sides of the can and tall enough to be 2″ above the rim of the can. Use shortening to seal the ends of the paper.

You will take a portion of dough about 1/3 the size of the can. Knead it and form it into a smooth ball that you can easily drop into the can.
Let the dough rise again inside the can until it is at least double in size.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown on top.(approximately 30 minutes or more depending on your oven.)
Let them cool slightly in the cans. Remove them from the cans and then cool completely standing up. Some people cool them on their sides turning them often to keep their shape. We found this time that they cool just fine and keep their shape standing up so we didn’t bother with that step!





We got seven loaves from this recipe, some taller and some shorter.

We like to document the better results we get and hope always to improve our techniques from year to year.

To go with this bread my mom always makes a wonderful sweet cheese topping that is formed in a mold in different shapes, Seernaya paska. Our first cookbook has the recipe in it.



When the bread is ready to serve you can make a simple powdered sugar thin frosting to top the bread with and then add sprinkles!

Are you preparing for Easter?

To see Lovella's famous Paska recipe that brought us together and inspired the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog click here.

Paska

Paska, Books, Lepps Farms...too much excitement for one week. By now most of us are back in our kitchens trying to prepare our last minute Easter Paska.
We all have our favorites and so we repeat them over and over because our families love them. I'm sure by now, you've all tried Lovella's Paska Recipe, which is the recipe that united us, women, together. Thank-you Lovella for a wonderful tutorial.
But today, I will share with you our family's tried and true version, the one that my kids keep asking me to bake, the one in the big pan that feeds the whole family.
What's most important is, that this keeps bringing traditions and families together.
I highly recommend that you check out Ellen's Paska Spread. I will be making this spread this year. When I tasted it, I realized that my grandmother had made it many years ago and  I could still savor the taste.
Remember, it's only Thursday, it' never to late to make Paska...Keep practicing.

• 1 cup milk (1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup milk)
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 - 10 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 10 cups flour.

Kneading Machine Procedure

1. Heat milk just to a scalding level, then add butter which will melt in the milk.
2. Add 1 cup water to the milk mixture and by now this will have cooled down the hot milk.
3. In mixing bowl blend half of the flour with fast-rising yeast, and add salt.
4. Add liquids and blend for 5 minutes on the lowest setting.
5. Combine sugar and eggs and lemon zest into a mixing bowl and beat for several minutes.
6. Add remaining flour and add egg mixture into the kneading bowl, and knead at a high setting till the dough pulls away from the mixing bowl.
7. Dough texture should remain soft.
8. Let the dough rise in the mixing bowl till doubled in size. Cover with saran wrap and towel.
9. Meanwhile, prepare your baking pans with cooking oil or parchment paper.
10. Shape your dough into preferred pans and let rise again for 1 hour or till doubled in size.
11. Bake at 325°  Buns need 20 minutes, while loaves need about 30-35 minutes. Check regularly that the bread does not get too brown on top.   
12. Ice with your favorite spread.

Here's my favorite icing.  I love this one because you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge up to three months. It's also excellent for cinnamon buns.

• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 41/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2/3 cups shortening
• 1 egg
• 21/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Dissolve white sugar in water. Shake or stir frequently. Set aside. Beat remaining ingredients to the consistency of whipped cream. Beat in sugar and water mixture. Store covered in the refrigerator. Will keep up to 3 months.
Most of our family will slice the Paska and spread it on like butter. So take the extra spread along with you. And you must always add many colorful sprinkles.
Meanwhile, let's not forget the real message of Easter in Paska making, but rather focus on who Jesus is; the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.

Paska Buns

Paska (based on the Hebrew word for passover) is a rich, citrussy sweet bread...baked in loaves or rolls of all shapes and sizes and decorated with icing and sprinkles. It is a traditional Easter bread baked by many generations before me. There are enough paska lovers in our family...that I think this tradition will carry on.

Paska was baked the Saturday before Easter in my childhood home, and on Easter Sunday we enjoyed the nicely decorated fresh paska. Though it is often baked in loaf form, we prefer paska buns over here.  They are easy to transport and share with friends and neighbours.  The following recipe uses instant yeast for simplicity.

 

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 small lemon, zest and juice
• 1 small orange, zest and juice
• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons instant yeast *
• 7-7 1/2 cups flour , approximately

1. Scald milk and butter in microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir to melt butter.
2. Grate rind of lemon and orange. Then squeeze juice of each.
3. Combine milk, butter, lemon and orange in a large bowl.  
4. Add beaten eggs, sugar and salt.  Mix well. 
5. Combine instant yeast with 4 cups flour and add to liquids.  Beat until smooth.
6. Continue adding flour, one cup at a time until the dough no longer sticky, but still quite soft.
7. Knead for several minutes.
8. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
9. Form small balls (the size of dinner rolls) and place on well greased pans.
10. Allow to rise once more until doubled in size about 1 1/2 hours. 
11. Bake at 325°F for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 
12. Remove to wire racks to cool.
13. Frost with the icing of your choice...and top with sprinkles. 

Yield: 3 dozen paska buns

 * If you have active dry yeast, you might want to use Lovella's recipe, which is very similar to this one.

Yeast doughs that are heavy on milk, butter and eggs tend to rise a little slower.  Have patience!

 

Paska

There is no other recipe that has found me more friends than this one. Most of the girls who share this blog with me. ..found my personal blog by "googling Paska". The recipe originated with my husband's Grandmother .. .but I made it simpler by utilizing my blender and thin peeling my citrus.

The aroma just amazing .. from the time you blend the citrus until the last loaf has cooled.

You will need 4 or 5 loaf pans or you can free form little twists or use muffin tins just adjust your baking time, and watch the oven closely.

• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar

1. In a large bowl, put your yeast, sugar and warm water. Let sit 10 minutes. 

• 1 medium lemon
• 1 medium orange

1. Take your citrus and peel it very thin. I use a vegetable peeler. You don't want to use any of the white parts of the peel. Put the thinly sliced peel in the blender.
2. Once you have removed and discarded the white pith of the citrus. Chop your lemon and orange, removing all the seeds. Add the chopped lemon and orange to the blender.

• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup of real butter

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter and milk until the butter melts or do it in a saucepan on the stove.
2. Once it is melted add it to the blender. Start the blender .. and begin to puree.

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Start the blender on high and allow the citrus, peel, and milk, butter mixture to run for about 2 or 3 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, sugar, and salt.
3. Continue to run the blender for another minute or two until very smooth.
4. Measure the milk/citrus and sugar mixture it should be about 4 1/2 cups. If you have a bit more or less that is fine. .you will just adjust the flour likewise.
5. Pour the mixture, along with the yeast mixture into a large bowl .. or the bowl of your kitchen machine, which has a dough hook.
6. Add flour one cup at a time until you have a smooth soft dough it will be sticky. I think about 7 cups of flour should be right. . but it will depend on the size of your eggs and the size of your lemon and orange. With a plastic bowl, it is easy to tell when the dough has enough flour because it will stop sticking to the side of the bowl but with a metal bowl you really do need to stop the mixer often and touch your dough before adding additional flour. It really is best to stop the machine once it is getting close. . and knead the last bit of flour by hand. . .a little at a time until it is smooth. Do not add more than 7 1/2 cups flour allow it to remain sticky. If you measured the milk mixture and had 4 1/2 cups 7 cups of flour will be enough sticky but enough.
7. The amount of flour is a guide. If your dough is still super sticky add a little more flour a dusting at a time. Look at the picture in the collage of my dough .. .that is how it should look. It should be able to hold its shape. There will be several factors in how your dough could be different than mine, the flour you purchase or how you fill your cup of flour.  (I scoop and shake to level). It could be that you have slightly more liquid. Don't despair if you think it is still too sticky, slowly add a dusting more, turn the dough on the counter and knead until you are out of flour again and then give it another dusting and continue this way until it looks silky and is elastic.  (like mine in the picture).
8. After kneading it by hand or with the machine for about 8 - 10 minutes, transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, a tea towel, and allow to rise until doubled. This should take about an hour. .to an hour and a half.
9. At this point, give it a bit of a punch down and let rest at least 10 minutes or up to another hour.
10. During this time prepare your pans. I spray mine with Pam. Make loaves and let rise until doubled in bulk .. .or about an hour to an hour and a half.
11. Preheat the oven to 350 F. If you have a convection oven, set it at 325 F. Bake the loaves for approximately 20 - 30 minutes depending on the size of your pans.
12. Gently remove from pans and place on cooling racks.  Once they are completely cool,  put them in the freezer unless you are eating them the same day. 

Paska Icing

• 1 cup of soft real butter
• 4 pasteurized egg whites (young children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems should avoid raw egg whites)  I often use egg white powder and water.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• enough icing sugar to make a soft icing. It will harden again in the fridge.

1. Beat all together until light and smooth....and spread on each slice .. .and sprinkle with colored sugar.

Zwieback

It's Flashback Friday and I am re-posting my Zwieback recipe that was first published here in December of 2008.  If you are longing for the buns you once enjoyed at Grandma's table, why not try baking your own?

Zwieback (the Mennonite bun) are double-decker yeast rolls, that were traditionally served at every festive occasion, from Sunday afternoon Faspa to weddings and funerals. My mother-in-law made the best zwieback that were tiny, perfectly formed, melt-in-your-mouth morsels. According to her, the secret was using REAL butter.  In our home, these were known as 'Grandma buns'.

Zwieback

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons traditional yeast
• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups warm potato water*
• 4 cups scalded milk
• 14 cups flour (about)

 *I add 1/2 cup instant potato flakes to the water to make 'potato water'.

1. Pour hot milk and potato water over butter, salt and sugar in large bowl. Let cool 5-10 minutes.
2. Prepare yeast by dissolving 2 tsp. sugar in 1 cup water and adding yeast.
3. Add 6 cups flour to the milk/butter mixture and beat well.
4. Continue adding flour and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough will be very soft.
5. Knead about five minutes more.
6. Cover and let rise until double in bulk.
7. Form the buns. Bottom bun is about the size of a large walnut...top bun is smaller. Place smaller ball on top of larger one...and push down through centre of both balls with knuckle of index finger to prevent buns from falling over during baking.
8. Let rise until light.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Note: Now that is the original recipe, but since I mix all my breads in the Bosch machine...it is much simpler for me than it was in ages past!

I let the machine do all the kneading...and add the instant yeast* directly to the mixer with the flour.  When the kneading is done...I just leave it right in the mixer bowl to rise. About 15 minutes later, the dough is ready to be formed into buns...lots of them!

*Instant yeast has fine granules that don't need dissolving and is sometimes called bread machine yeast.  It is made by Fermipan, Instaferm, Fleischmann's and others.  This yeast can be used interchangeably with active dry yeast. Measure out the same amount of yeast and skip the water-activation step.


Yield: About 8 dozen buns

Raisin Buns

I have searched my recipe books looking for my Mom's raisin bun recipe but couldn't find it. Finally I found one in Canadian Home Cooking that comes quite close to Mom's. I would add more raisins next time.

• 1 cup warm water, 2 tablespoon yeast, 2 tsp sugar
• Mix and let sit for 10 minutes.
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup milk, scalded
• 1 cup mashed potatoes(cook and mash)
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup oil
• 7-8 cups of flour
• 2 cups raisins (I will use 3 next time)

1. Scald milk and stir sugar into milk and cool to lukewarm. 
2. Add beaten eggs, mashed potatoes, salt, oil, and flour.
3. Mix and knead until you have a smooth soft dough, approximately 5 minutes. 
4. Allow to rise for 25 minutes, punch down and knead in the raisins. Let rise again till double in size. Grease pans, form buns, place on parchment lined pans and let rise again for 30 min.
5. Bake in 350º oven for 11 minutes.
6.  Yields: 3 1/2 dozen

Cranberry Yeast Bread

  

One of my favorite sandwiches at a local tea house is made with a cranberrry bread. I decided to combine a French bread recipe with a raisin bread recipe to make this bread - which makes for some amazing turkey sandwiches! Slice up the fresh bread and layer on the mayo, lettuce and left over turkey. Add stuffing too, if there is some of that around. 

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups very warm water
• 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 cup craisins
• 1 cup cranberries
• zest of one orange
• 1/4 cup sugar

Method:

1. In a large bowl, (or kitchen aid bowl) beat eggs, oil and salt, then slowly add very warm water, while beating.
2. Stir in 2 cups flour, then yeast.
3. Stir in combined craisins, cranberries, orange zest and sugar.
4. Continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough hold together - is not too sticky and can be shaped into a ball with floured hands.
5. Cover with tea towel and plastic bag. Let rise until double, about one hour.
6. Divide in half. Roll each half out to about 8 x 14 inches, then roll up jelly roll style, starting with long side.
7. Place on greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Cover and let rise 30 - 60 minutes.
8. Brush with beaten egg (optional) and bake at 400° F for 20 minutes.
9. Remove to cooling rack to cool.

Butterhorns

Butterhorns were my mom's signature baked goodie. She often made these for her Ladies group and we all were very happy when Ladies group was at our house. I was wondering if this is considered a Mennonite food since it isn't really a Danish. I discussed it with Anneliese and she thought it is considered Mennonite. My mom always put crushed walnuts on her butterhorns but I tried it with some Lemon Cheese in the center and they were quite delicious as well. You can find the Lemon Cheese Recipe here.

Butterhorns

• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup real butter

1. Put the yeast and sugar in a small bowl, add the warm water and let sit 10 minutes.
2. Measure the flour, second amount of sugar and salt into a bowl.
3. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender. You should have very small pieces of butter when you are done it should look like oatmeal.
4. Warm the milk until the chill is off.
5. Add the slightly beaten egg to the milk.
6. Add the yeast, milk, egg into the dry ingredients.
7. Stir well until it all blended together. It will be a batter, not a kneadable dough.
8. The dough will double, so move the dough to another bowl if it is not large enough.
9. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
10. Sprinkle flour on your counter.Roll the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. The dough will be sticky, but. .stick with it. You can use flour to make it easier.
11. Cut 3/4 inch strips, twist them and roll up as shown.
12. Put the twists on a greased pan.
13. Cover with a tea towel. Let rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
14. Bake at 400 for about 10 - 15 minutes.
15. Crush FRESH walnuts. . in the food processor or chop them very finely.
16. Make an icing of 1 cup icing sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk to make a spreadable consistency.
17. Ice and then dip the Butterhorns in the crushed nuts.

If you want to put some Lemon on your Butterhorns instead of crushed nuts. Put a teaspoon of Lemon Cheese in the center of your Butterhorn just before baking.
They freeze very well. I put them on a cookie sheet, freeze them and then slip them into zip loc bags. To serve, allow to come to room temperature.

No Knead Crusty Italian Bread

I have just learned this new bread making process and then I checked to see if it had been posted and yes, Lovella had posted it way back. So we chatted about it and decided that I would post it again, changing it up, but also encouraging some of you to try making some bread. Some of you are thinking, "Bread? Not Me!" You too, can make this simple recipe. It only requires a bit of planning ahead, like 24 hours.
One thing that I learned cooking with Chef Dez, is that we will be making food the rest of our lives so we may as well enjoy this process rather than dreading it.  So that's what I've been working with this fall.  Trying something new! It's inspirational and tasty. He also taught us that if things flop, call it Rustic! I love that term. I've developed a few Rustic Recipes.

Crusty Italian Bread

• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups room temperature water, plus 2 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoon fresh herbs, oregano, thyme, rosemary, tarragon.

Method

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, and salt. Add your water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours preferably about 18 at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. (I used almost 2 cups water.)
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball.
3. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Fold towel ends together and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, the dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 2.5-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is OK. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Coon on a rack.

Add a few fresh herbs, and the dough should look shaggy.
Cover with plastic and let sit for 12-18 hours. (Step 1)

Flour tea towel generously. Step 3

Fold tea towel up and let rise for 2 more hours.

Slide your hand under the dough and dump into hot cast iron pot.
Step 4

Yes, it looks like a flop...Shake it slightly.
Smile...The best is yet to come.

Set the pot with lid into the oven and follow instructions used for Step 4.

This is what it looks like when you take the lid off after 30 minutes.
Now, let it brown for another 20 minutes at a high heat.

When it's finished, cut it in half.
If it has holes, congratulate yourself on making
Famous Rustic Italian Bread!

I have to admit, I did have to experiment abit...
Once you have mastered this art, it will be on your favorite list. Simple, easy and tasty.

Pumpkin Sweet Rolls

Okay these pumpkin sweet rolls were amazing, especially with all that glaze on them. Just so you know if you want to use this much glaze for each roll you will have to make more than I have stated. You only need to drizzle the glaze over the rolls and not pour like I did, but it sure tasted good.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 6 cups flour

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine warm milk, butter, sugar, pumpkin puree, egg, and salt.
2. Stir in flour and yeast, 1 cup of flour at a time, to make a soft dough, it will still be sticky.
3. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 4 minutes until dough is smooth.
4. Place in a greased bowl, cover and allow to rise 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
5. Punch down dough and form into two balls.
6. Roll each ball of dough to a 12 by 16 rectangle.
7. Sprinkle half of the filling on each rectangle.
8. Roll up jelly roll style, cut each roll into 12 pieces.
9. Place in two 9" x 13" greased pans, cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
10. Bake in a 375º  oven for 25 minutes or until golden in color.
11. Drizzle glaze over rolls. Best served warm.

Filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup butter

1. Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter till crumbly.

Glaze:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Whisk until smooth and 'drizzling' consistency.

Butterhorn Rolls

These rolls are a favorite at family gatherings, they are snatched up quickly. They are not difficult to make and definitely worth it.
I found this recipe in the 'Cooking with Grace' cookbook.
I made slight changes.

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 5 to 6 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Add the yeast, milk, and egg mixture to the flour mixture. Knead till smooth, soft but not sticky consistency, 4 to 5 minutes. I start with 5 cups flour, then add more as needed.
2. Let rise in warm place until doubled, 1 1/2 hours.
3. Knead down and let rise again till doubled, 1 hour. When short of time I have missed this step and they still turn out wonderful.
4. Cut pieces of dough and roll into size of large pie crust approx 1/4" thick  Butter lightly.
5. Cut into 8 wedges. Roll up each wedge, starting with wide edge and make sure that the pointed end is well tucked and pinched under the roll.
6. Let rise again until doubled in size.
7. Optional: brush with egg white or milk. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. 
8. Bake at 400º for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden in color.
9. Yield: 4 1/2 dozen