Peasant Bread

I don’t really have anything against Valentines Day. I like red & pinks hearts, I like chocolate, I like flowers (but not roses. I think they’re ugly). But none of those things mean love to me.



You know what does though? Spending time with the people I love. And homemade bread. Homemade bread just tastes like love, doesn't it?




So that’s what I’m doing today. Baking really good bread, and sharing it. With my family, and you too!

Happy Valentines Day!

European Peasant Bread
from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
Makes four 1 pound loaves

Ingredients

3 Cups lukewarm water
1 1⁄2 Tablespoons granulated yeast
1 1⁄2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
1⁄2 Cup rye flour
1⁄2 Cup whole wheat flour
5 1⁄2 Cups unbleached all purpose flour
Cornmeal for dusting the peel


Mixing and storing the dough: Mix yeast and salt with water in a 5 qt. bowl or lidded (not airtight) food container.


Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading. You may have to use your hands to get the last bit of flour mixed in.


Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), about 2 hours.


The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, although it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in the lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 14 days.



On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour, and cut off a 1-pound piece (grapefruit-size). Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.

Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour and slash a cross, "scallop," or tic-tac-toe pattern on the top, using a serrated bread knife. Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some of it off before slicing.

Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the top crust is deeply browned and very firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time.

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Pecan Filling

So, October is almost over, can you believe that? It’s been quite the month for me.

You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been around this place much lately. That’s because October 8th, my mom was admitted to the ICU with a massive blood clot, a saddle pulmonary embolism. It was there the doctor looked me in the eye and told me that the mortality rate for this condition was incredibly high, he compared it to a heart attack and stroke, and that I should prepare myself for the worst.

My mom spent over a week in the hospital, and I stayed with her the entire time. It was incredibly hard, the worst thing I’ve ever been through, but also a really joyful time. I watched my amazing, strong mother laugh and smile in the midst of facing her mortality, I watched her pull through, I heard the doctor tell her that she was so blessed, a miracle, that most people don’t make it. I experienced the worst day of my life and the best day of my life, when the doctor walked in and told her she was being discharged.



Needless to say, it’s been a tough month. I didn’t think I was going to watch the leaves change color through a hospital window. I think that this experience has me leaving the month of October a more grateful person though, grateful for family, for modern medicine, for my heavenly father. I’m going to spend these last days of the month soaking it all in, celebrating life.

I’m starting the best way I know, with food! This pumpkin loaf is the essence of the season. It’s gooey, pumpkiny and cinnamony. What more could you ask for?



Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Pecan Filling
Adapted from Martha Stewart, makes 2 loaves

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups canned pumpkin purée
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup milk

Filling:
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 chopped pecans
1/2 stick butter, melted

To make filling: Combine sugar, cinnamon, pecans and butter in small bowl, mix to combine.


For bread: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and coat your pans with butter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, spices, and salt, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the pumpkin and sugars. Mix until well combined, and then add the eggs and oil. Mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. With the mixer on low, add the flour in two batches, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined.

Fill loaf pans half way, add filling, top with remaining batter.

Bake for 55-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. A cake tester should come out clean. Cool the pans on a rack for ten minutes, remove the loaves from the pans, and cool completely.

Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter Glaze

Hello Blogland! I’ve missed you! I never meant to be gone so long, I had lots of stuff planned for last week, but things went a bit awry.

Last Wednesday my mom, sister, my moms friend, her daughter and I went on a nice little trip to the Smoky Mountains. I had planned on baking several things and blogging about it while I was there, but the internet connection at the cabin wasn’t working! So instead, I decided to just relax and enjoy my short time there.





The Smokies are so beautiful this time of year, mountains look like they are on fire from all those beautiful leaves.





Thursday we headed to Cades Cove, one of my favorite places on earth. It’s a stunningly beautiful, all the little churches and cabins. If you ever have a chance to visit, you should. It’s a little tourist-y, which I usually detest, but you totally forget that other people are around while you’re there.


It was a great time, laughing until our sides hurt, staying up too late, eating a lot of great food. I can’t wait to do it again.



I got back into the swing of things today, by making this amazing Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter Glaze. It’s probably the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever had, so tender and moist. And because I’m sort of obsessed with brown butter right now, I threw together a frosting-like glaze for the top. The bread is great without it, but I think the glaze adds an unexpected element that really brings it to another level, more cake-like. If you glaze it while it’s still warm the brown butter flavor seeps into the bread, it’s heavenly.



Amazing Pumpkin Bread

2 Loaves

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup butter, really soft
3 large eggs

1 16 oz can of pure pumpkin

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and spray two medium loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the wire whisk attached, dump in the sugar. Take the butter and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, so that it is half melted. Dump it into the sugar. Add the eggs. Cream these three ingredients together on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add the pumpkin and combine well.
4. In three batches, add the dry ingredients and mix gently until each batch is just incorporated. Scrape the sides between each batch.
5. Pour half of the batter into a one of the prepared pans. Fold the pecans into the remaining batter and then pour it into the other prepared pan. Bake side-by-side for about one hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean the top is golden.

Browned Butter Frosting

1/2 c. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1-3 Tbsp. milk

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, and let it cook till it’s a delicate brown color. Remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, combine powdered sugar with browned butter. Add 1 Tbsp. milk. Add more milk as needed to reach spreading consistency.

zucchini bread: part two.

You know back when I posted the zucchini cheddar bread I said I didn’t like sweet zucchini bread? Well I’ve changed my mind.



Last Saturday a guy at the farmers market gave me a whole bunch of free zucchini. Like, 8-ish. That’s a lot of zucchini. So I figured the best way to use it was try some new bread recipes, see if I could find one I could use for the farmers market. And since most people seem to prefer sweet zucchini bread, I gave in and tried it.



I was preparing myself to hate it. Which is stupid because I haven’t even had any in years. But I was sure I was going to have to spit it out. I’d built it up in my head, kind of like getting a shot at the doctor (I realize I’m crazy. haha).



But it was delicious! So moist, and not crazy, overpoweringly sweet. Kind of dense, but in the best way possible. And is was so, so easy to put together. Plus, it’s gorgeous. Dark brown and kind of rustic looking. I’m so glad I tried it again, it was so worth it. You should try it too!



Zucchini Bread
adapted from allrecipes.com

3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl or electric mixer beat the eggs well. Add the oil, brown sugar, zucchini, and vanilla. Mix well.

Lightly stir in the flour mixture. Add raisins and nuts, if using.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Peach Bread

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here, but a couple of weeks ago I got a job as the manager/director of my local farmers market. My first day was this past saturday and I absolutely loved it. It’s pretty much my dream job, I love the sense of community and small town charm the farmers market provides.



But since I’m the director, I can’t have a table. But my mom can! So I’m still baking up a storm all friday and tuesday to get ready for the market days. I’m in the process of finding recipes that are easy, cost effective, and delicious.



My local apple orchard had gotten some peaches in, so I decided to try out a peach bread. The bread it’s self was very good, but my poor peaches just weren’t ripe enough, not sweet enough.

I’d definitely recommend making this though, if you have some ripe peaches.



Peach Bread
Adapted from here.

3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups diced peaches
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Blend in the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix just to combine. Stir in the peaches and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 1 hour (mine only took about 45 minutes.), or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Individual Monkey Breads.

Biscuits, butter, sugar, cinnamon. I think that’s all I need to say about this one.







This stuff is astoundingly good. I grew up with monkey bread, but have never made it with this method - it works wonderfully. I think we’re planning on selling these mini ones at the farmers market. Be careful if you use jumbo muffin cups like i did, the butter mixture spillled out a lot and got in the bottom of the oven. Put aluminum foil under the pan.

Monkey Bread
from Ryan via The Pioneer Woman

3 cans Buttermilk biscuits (not the flakey kind)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 sticks butter


Preheat the oven to 350.

Open up all three cans of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters.

Next, combine the white sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon. 3 will be really cinnamon-y. Dump this mix and the biscuits into a gallon size zip lock back and shake it up really well.

Drop all of the biscuit quarters into a bundt pan (or jumbo muffin cups).

Melt the butter with the brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium-high heat until combined. Once the brown sugar butter has become one color, pour it over the biscuits.

Bake for 30-40 minutes (or 20 minutes for the muffin cup ones) until the crust is deep brown on the top.

I should now say that you should let it cool for about 15-30 minutes, but that’s practically impossible. Just tear you off a piece, blow on it for a minute and stick it in your mouth.

Oh man, it’s good.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Last October my mom, sister and I started selling bread at our local farmers market. We caught the market right at the end, we only got to do it a couple of weeks. But this year it starts on May 22nd and I’m trying to get ready. We made fall type breads last year, pumpkin and apple cinnamon. But who wants to buy pumpkin bread in May? So I’ve been trying out some new recipes.



I have a good banana bread recipe, lemon poppy seed, maybe a blueberry, but I was looking for something new. I found this recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Bread in Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook.



I almost talked myself out of making it. It has yeast! and I didn’t have any raisins! But I’m glad I didn’t. This was delicious, and not too hard. My only complaint is how long it has to rise. But I'm thinking that I can get several other loaves of different types done while it’s rising.

Do you have any suggestions/recipes for bread I could sell at the farmers market? Let me know!




Cinnamon Raisin (or just Cinnamon Swirl Bread)


1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
2 cups warm milk (about 110 degrees)
6 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 stick butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for pans
½ cup sugar
2 eggs, plus 1 egg, lightly beaten
2 ½ tsp coarse salt
1 cup raisins
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

filling:
1 ½ cups sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon


1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk and whisk to combine. Add the flour, butter, sugar, 2 eggs, and salt. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed until all the ingredients are well combined, about 3 minutes. Raise speed to medium-low, and continue to mix until the dough is completely smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes more.

Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Pat out the dough into a big round. Sprinkle with raisins and cinnamon and knead and fold until they are just incorporated. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. Return the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and pat into a round. Fold the bottom third of the dough up, the top third down and the right and left sizes over, pressing down the seal. Return the dough into the bowl and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.

4. Make the filling. Combine sugar and cinnamon with 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl.

Generously butter two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans set aside. 6. Return the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and divide in half. Roll each half out to a large rectangle, a bit bigger than your loaf pans - about 10 inch. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle each with half of the filling.

7. With the short end of the rectangle facing you, fold in both of the long sides of the dough in. the roll the dough towards you, gently pressing forming a tight log. Roll back and forth to seal the seam. Place loafs in the prepared pans. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap, and let rest in a warm place, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F.

Brush the tops of the loafs with beaten egg, and transfer pans to the oven. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until loaves are golden brown, about 45 minutes. If the tops begin to brown too quickly, tent with aluminium foil.) turn out the bread onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. The bread can be kept, wrapped in plastic up to 4 days.

Note: I halved this recipe and it worked great for just one loaf, but I did have to add a little more than the flour recommended.

note, January 1st, 2010: A concern has been raised over what temp you should bake this bread. It's been so long since I've made it, but the temp does seem high. I'd suggest turning your oven down to 375-400 and just watch it. Let me know if this works for you!

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread.

This bread gave me lots of trouble. The recipe is simple enough, it was me that kept messing it up. First, I forgot to put the eggs in at the right time, so I had to throw them in at the last second. Then it wouldn’t come out of the pan. When it finally did, a whole chunk of it came flying out and landed in the cats water bowl.

But, it was delicious. The lemon glaze is so good, i was breaking off bits and just dipping it right in the bowl. This bread was originally just lemon bread, but I added some poppy seeds in there for fun.



At first, I was trying to figure out how to disguise all it’s ugly spots (and there are many!) but then I decided to just accept it, photograph it, chunks missing and all.





Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
The original recipe is here.


Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter,
at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest

A couple of teaspoons of poppy seeds


For the lemon syrup:

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 1-lb. loaf pan.

In a bowl, stir and toss together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture along with the milk and lemon zest. Beat until blended and smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the poppy seeds. (I just kept putting them in there until it looked like enough, I don’t have an exact amount)

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. (mine only took 45)

Meanwhile, make the lemon syrup: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside, stirring occasionally; don’t worry if the sugar does not dissolve completely.

Remove the bread from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack. Using a fork, gently poke the top in several places. Stir the syrup, then slowly drizzle it over the hot bread. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto the rack, top side up, and let cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.

Another Banana Recipe? Yes. Coco-Nana Bread.

Let’s start at the beginning, although I found this recipe disappointing, I actually really enjoyed the process of making this. I don’t mind sifting, and there’s a lot of it in this recipe, and there is just something about smashing bananas that is so satisfying.



When I first cut off a piece of this, it tasted absolutely disgusting, I was ready to write a scathing review, and possibly call Dorie Greenspan absolutely crazy for putting this in her book (forgive me!). 20 minutes later, I tried it again and it seemed like the taste had completely changed. I know some things get better the longer they are left to sit, but I’ve never seen anything this drastic.

The taste was...disappointing is the best word for it. It wasn’t bad per se, but it just wasn’t that good. I could hardly taste the bananas, and it just seemed to taste of chocolate that wasn’t sweet enough, if that makes sense.

I won’t be making this one again, but it was a fun experience.


Coco-nana Bread
from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1/2 cup store-bought chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other. (This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from over baking.)

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute, until softened. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point, the batter may look a little curdled -- it's okay. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40 to 45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 to 75 minutes) or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding. Invert and cool to room temp right side up.

Banana bread

This recipe is my stand-by. It so good, and it always comes out so well. It's just your basic banana bread recipe, but it tastes so homey and just makes you happy. Does anyone else equate tastes and smells to places and feelings? I'm sure we all do it. For me, this is what home should smell like. I made this loaf for a friend.



Banana Bread

3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (I never have self rising, you can just use 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt for every cup to make self rising)

Mix butter into mashed bananas, add sugar, egg and vanilla. Add flour last. Mix well.
Pour in greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

It's best with whole wheat, but I didn't have any ground. White works well too.