Sally Lunn Bread

My mother used to make this bread on Sundays for dinner and it was wonderful-- light and airy and delicious and fantastic. I have wanted for years to make this bread but thought I needed an angel food cake pan (or 9" tube pan) which what she made it in, or a bundt pan at least. It is amazing to me, the more that I cook, how much of cooking is simply having the right equipment. As I said to the Robber yesterday, "You know what I want? A 9" springform pan, a bundt pan, a tart pan, a kitchen scale, a food processor, and an icecream maker." "Which of those is the most important?" he asked. (I love him so much.) "The icecream maker, of course." One has to have priorities.

I know I've been stealing a lot from Smitten Kitchen lately, but seriously how could I not when I find things like Sally Lunn-- made in a normal bread pan! Something I have! As soon as I found it, I had to make it. Most recipes I find sit around for at least 3-4 months in my recipe list before I try them out, and this I think made it only 2 weeks, thankfully, as I made it last night and it was so easy and delicious and perfect and the Robber was so happy as he loves loves a freshly baked bread. I think this may be gracing our Sunday tables again in the near future. 

Note: Can double this recipe and make it in the tube pan... if you have one.

Adapted from Maida Heatter's Cakes (possibly the same one my mother got the recipe from) by yes, Smitten Kitchen (just read her blog, ok):

http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/03/sally-lunn-bread-honeyed-brown-butter-spread/

Ingredients:

2 C. all-purpose flour

2 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 1/8 tsp. active dry yeast

3/4 C. milk

4 T. unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix 3/4 cup flour, sugar, salt and dry yeast by hand or with an electric mixer.

2. In a saucepan, heat the milk and butter together until the mixture is warm (105 to 110 degrees); don’t worry if this butter isn’t completely melted. Gradually pour the warm ingredients into the dry mixture and mix with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or stir vigorously by hand with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes. 

3. Add the egg, yolk and another 1/2 cup flour and beat again for 2 minutes by machine or 3 by hand. Add the last of the flour and beat or stir until smooth.

4. Scrape down bowl and cover the top with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise for one hour or until doubled.

5. Meanwhile, butter and flour a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan. Once the dough has doubled, scrape it into the prepared pan. Cover with your kitchen towel and let rise for a total of 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, however, remove the plastic and preheat your oven to 375°F.

6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out to a rack to cool.

Soft Yogurt Sandwich Rolls

When I told the Robber I was making a new roll recipe he said, aghast, "Why are you betraying your ancestors?" It is true that my family's regular roll recipe is so delicious that to turn from it to even one more recipe seems extreme, but I am the kind of cook that likes having two or three options for every one dish-- at least at this point in my life. And the description of these rolls seemed so enticing, and the way of making it relatively easy, that I was suckered in-- with good results. These rolls are delicious and soft and excellent for sopping up delicious beef stroganoff sauce at a picnic. They are denser than my regular rolls and chewier. I think I'll keep them in the mix because they are good and because they use alternate ingredients-- yogurt and honey instead of milk powder and eggs-- which may come in handy on a milk-powderless day.

From A Hint Of Honey:

http://www.ahintofhoney.com/2009/04/soft-yogurt-sandwich-rolls.html

Ingredients:

3 1/2-4 1/2 C. all-purpose flour (white or wheat, I used 4 C. total before kneading)

1 T. active dry yeast

3 T. honey

1 C. warm water

1 C. plain yogurt (nonfat is fine, so is Greek)

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the honey and the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast on the top of the surface and let sit for 10 minutes, until slightly foamy. Stir in yogurt, oil, salt and alternately with the flour (I stirred in two cups of flour with the salt, then the yogurt and oil, then the remaining flour).

2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding additional flour if necessary to prevent sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

3. Turn risen dough out of bowl and onto a lightly floured surface. Gently deflate, pressing into a rectangle. Divide dough into a dozen even pieces. Shape each piece into a round roll. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or coated with cooking spray. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for 25 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until rolls are golden on the top and the bottom. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or in the freezer.

Yield: One dozen rolls.

Light Brioche Buns

The Robber and I grilled hamburgers for Labor Day and had found this recipe in the "Perfect Burger With All Its Parts" article in the New York Times. This certainly didn't disappoint! They were pretty easy to make and had such a light nice texture without being too fat to put in your mouth. I would make these again for sure-- if I ever have the time again.

Adapted from Hidefumi Kubota, Comme Ça, Los Angeles via the NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/dining/011brex.html?ref=dining

Ingredients:

1 C. warm water

3 T. warmed milk

2 1/2 T. sugar

2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 large eggs

3 C. bread flour

1/3 C. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 T. unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

1. In a glass measuring cup, combine 1 cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 1 egg.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, unfloured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let buns rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.

5. Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Yield: 8 buns.

Oven-Baked Naan

After eating at Pakwan on Saturday night the Robber decided it would basically make his life more than complete if he could both live with me AND make naan at home. So I googled around a bit and found this recipe for homemade naan that looked doable. Last night the Robber and I made a double batch and give it a rousing two thumbs up. It was pretty much one of the happiest days of the Robber's life. The dough is really -- like pizza dough and you make it pretty much the same way. The Robber and I both agreed that while it was delicious it tasted very American. Maybe it's the flour we use? Next time we make it we are going to try and put some fresh rosemary in the dough and see how it turns out.

From: http://foodformyfamily.com/recipes/how-to-make-naan-in-the-oven

Ingredients: (makes 4-5 naan)

3/4 C. warm water (110° F)

1 tsp. active dry yeast

2 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sea salt (I used kosher salt)

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2 T. canola or olive oil

2 1/2 T. plain Greek-style yogurt

Extra flour for rolling

2 T. clarified butter

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar into the water. Sprinkle yeast over the top. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until frothy.

2. When frothy, add in salt, baking powder, and flour 1/2 - 1 C at a time alternating with adding oil and yogurt. (Making a double recipe, I added 1 cup flour with salt and baking powder, then the 2nd cup of flour, then the oil, then the 3rd cup of flour, then the yogurt, then the 4th cup of flour).

3. Turn out of bowl on to a floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth. Place the dough back in the bowl with a little oil, cover and let rise in a warm place for 3 to 4 hours (if it is really warm it won't take this long.)

4. Once the dough has risen, preheat oven to 500° F with a baking stone in the oven.

5. Flip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until easy to handle. Break into 4-5 equal-sized balls. Dip each ball into a small amount of flour. Roll into an oval shape approximately 1/4″ thick.

6. Once the oven and stone are preheated, dip hands in water and wet each piece of dough slightly before placing it on the stone. (I brushed one side lightly with oil, as otherwise the naan stuck to the stone.)

7. Bake at 500° F for 4-5 minutes until top is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from the stone and brush with clarified butter. Serve.

Notes: The thinner you roll it, the crispier the naan will be. Maybe also adding the water makes it more crispy, as the naan I made brushed just once with oil were softer which made the Robber happy.

Cinnamon Rolls

When you ask someone in my family how to make one of the classic recipes, and then you ask someone else in the same family how to make the same recipe, you are sure to get a few different answers. Sometimes the same person doesn't always tell you the same way. So you just have to make things up a little as you go along.

When I wanted to make cinnamon rolls I went to two different sources for information and quantities and what not and I present to you the amalgam of everything that has best worked for me. These cinnamon rolls, however you do them, are delicious. Just ask the Robber, who ate ten of them in under 24 hours. :)

The roll base is the same that I use for dinner rolls and can be found previously on this blog here: http://vegetabletuesdays.blogspot.com/2010/12/dinner-rolls.html

Ingredients:

For 2 dozen rolls (you can also make one dozen rolls and one dozen cinnamon rolls):

2 3/4 c warm water

6 T sugar (optional: add 2-4 T. more for sweeter dough)

2 T yeast

3 t salt

1 c dry milk powder

1/2-3/4 c yellow shortening (or vegetable oil)

2 eggs

~9 c white bread flour

For filling for 2 dozen rolls (modest amount first, extravagant second. I like being extravagant):

1/2 - 2/3 C. brown sugar

1 - 1 1/3 C. granulated sugar

2 - 3 1/3 T. butter

4 - 5 T. cinnamon

For glaze for 2 dozen rolls:

3.5 T. butter

4.5 C. powdered sugar

1.5 tsp. vanilla

5-7 T. warm water added 1 T. at a time

For filling mix, of which you can make a lot of and then use 2/3 - 1 C. per dozen rolls instead of making filling everytime:

2 C. brown sugar

4 C. sugar

1/4 lbs butter (1 stick)

1 C. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Pour water over sugar in large bowl. Dissolve yeast and let stand, uninterrupted. When foamy, add milk.

2. Alternate 1/2 C. additions of flour with salt, eggs, fat and stir until all flour added to bowl.

3. Knead 10 minutes with additional flour. Allow to rise, covered in a warm place, until volume of dough has doubled.

4. Make filling by combining ingredients and using pastry cutter or fork to cut in the butter.

4. Punch down. Divide dough in half. Roll each half out into a large rectangle and add desired amount of filling. Roll the rectangle into a log and cut into twelve rolls. Place rolls on baking sheet or in 9 x 13 pan and allow to rise until doubled again.

5. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool. When cooled, frost with glaze. (Glaze is easy to make, you can melt the butter before adding it if you like for a smoother glaze.) Rolls can be microwaved again for 30 seconds to re-warm and stored in plastic airtight bags for a few days.

Dinner Rolls

Mom's roll recipe: the best! When I make this recipe I usually halve it and make 2 dozen rolls out of it, but the original recipe will make 2-4 dozen rolls depending on how big you want them to be.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c warm water
6 T sugar
2 T yeast
3 t salt
1 c dry milk powder
1/2-3/4 c yellow shortening (or vegetable oil)
2 eggs
~9 c white bread flour

Directions:

1. Pour water over sugar. Dissolve yeast. When foamy, add milk.

2. Alternate 1/2 c additions of flour with salt, eggs, fat and stir.

3. Knead 10 minutes with additional flour. Double. Punch, form into rolls and let rise on baking pans/dish until doubled again.

4. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Can put melted shortening on the tops of rolls to make them shiny while still hot.

Mom's Homemade Pizza

Even better than the biscuits, this sent Robber off into his own kind of Robber-land. On my pizza I had pepperoni and pepper and onion, but Robber had pepperoni and pepper and onion and ham and pineapple and mushroom and everything. He was so happy. He raved on and on about the crust. I guess we'll be doing this one again...

To make 2 14-inch pizzas:

Ingredients (crust):

1 T. sugar
1 T. yeast
1 C. very warm water
1/4 powdered milk
2 eggs
3 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 T. olive oil

(Can also make a simpler dough just using flour, salt, yeast, water, oil)

Directions:

1) Pour water over sugar. Dissolve yeast. When foamy, add milk. Alternate 1/2 c additions of flour with salt, eggs, fat. Knead 10 minutes. Allow to rise until dough has doubled. At this point you can punch it down and put it in the fridge overnight to use the next day or move forward.

2) Divide the dough in two and pat it out into greased 14-inch pizza pans. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle them with parmesan cheese.

3) Put the pizzas in an oven preheated to 400F. Bake them for 10 minutes, switching their positions halfway through. During that time, mix:

8 oz can tomato sauce
salt
pepper
herbs of your choice: Mom uses thyme, oregano (sometimes marjoram instead), basil, and sometimes parsley.

4) When the crusts are out, spread the sauce evenly over the two of them. Sprinkle on grated cheese (1 pound of mozzerella, 1/4 pound cheddar, mixed). Put on pepperonis or peppers and onions or whatnot.

5) Put them back in the oven for about 15 minutes. Switch their positions halfway through. Remove and eat after they have cooled just a little bit!