James Beard's Sour Cream Bread

 

This was another one of those times where I needed to use up something in my fridge. In this case, a pint of sour cream. I was thinking about using it in banana bread or maybe coffee cake, but since bread goes over a lot better in my household than sweets, I decided to see if there were any recipes using sour cream in bread. James Beard's Sour Cream Bread recipe was just what I needed and the several stellar reviews I saw made the choice easy. As this bread bakes, it permeates your home with the most fantastic sweet toasted milk smell. It's got a texture reminiscent of biscuits as others have said and makes wonderful toast.

 

The bread is pretty easy to make and can be refrigerated or probably even frozen and reheated when you need it. I baked the bread in a long Pullman loaf pan and sliced it up to store in the fridge. I also subbed about a cup of white whole wheat flour in this bread and some thick Greek yogurt since I didn't have a full pint of sour cream and both substitutions worked out fine.

 

Sour Cream Bread

Recipe adapted from James Beard via Honey and Butter

Makes 2 medium loaves

 

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)

3 tbsp. sugar, granulated or brown sugar

1/4 cup warm water (110-115 deg F)

1 pint full fat sour cream, room temp

1 tbsp. kosher salt, half the amount of fine salt

4 1/2 to 5 cups all purpose flour

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the water and sugar together with a whisk, sprinkle in the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Add in the sour cream and the salt, mixing thoroughly.

 

Attach the dough hook to the mixer and add the flour gradually on medium low speed letting the flour become incorporated before adding more. Knead the dough in the mixer for about 5 minutes, the dough should still be sticky, but come together in a rough ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

 

Punch the dough down and shape into 2 loaves placing them into 2 loaf pans. Let rise for another 1-2 hours until it has almost doubled.

 

When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 deg F. Slash your loaves with a sharp blade and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let the loaves cool for 20 minutes before cutting into them. Bread will last for a few days wrapped at room temp or for a week in the fridge. Freeze for longer storage up to several weeks.

Chapati

To go with the chana masala I made recently, I decided to finally break open the economy-sized package of chapati(atta) flour I had purchased at Costco a while back and make some chapati. It turned out to be super simple and once again, I can't believe I've waited so long to do it. The process is basically the same as making tortillas, which I've also been meaning to do, except the type of flour is different. If you can't find chapati flour, I've seen other recipes use about half whole wheat and half all purpose flour which should give you a very similar flavor.

I made two different kinds, spiced cumin-coriander chapati and plain chapati. Other spices would also work. The chapati last for several days and can be reheated in the microwave or steamed for an even softer texture. I've been enjoying them for sweet and savory wraps in addition to eating them with my chana masala. There are many other variations of chapati, so I'm excited to continue experimenting. If you want to make these ahead, you can make the dough, roll them out, refrigerate them or freeze them for longer storage, and then defrost and cook them when you're ready to serve.

Chapati

2 cups chapati(atta) flour
4 tbsp. vegetable oil, plus 1/2 tsp
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup warm water
All purpose flour, for rolling
1/2 tsp each of ground cumin and chili powder, 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro (optional)

Mix the flour with the salt and spices, if using, add the 4 tbsp. of oil and rub into the flour. Add the warm water and mix with your hands until a ball of dough is formed. Knead for a few minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp of oil to the ball of dough and knead until the oil is incorporated.

Let the dough rest for about an hour, covered. After the dough has rested, divide the dough into 10 - 12 equal pieces. Dip each piece in all purpose flour and roll out into a thin circle with a rolling pin. You may roll them as thick or thin as you like, though thicker ones will take longer to cook.

Preheat a dry cast iron pan over medium-high heat, cook the chapati one or a few at a time, about 30 seconds per side. Spread with butter or oil and serve hot. Chapati will last for several days at room temp. Microwave or steam them to reheat.

To store chapati, stack them with parchment paper in between after rolling. Then refrigerate for a few days or freeze if storing for longer. When ready to serve, defrost and cook them in a dry pan.

Easy Peasy Focaccia

*Bad blogger, forgot to take pics, will update the next time I make it.

Recently, I've been thinking about skills and learning. I've spent the majority of my life learning academic knowledge and honing my thinking skills. However, there is always more to learn and in many cases, having a certain range of skills is just as important as knowledge. At this transitional point in my life, I think it's a good time to work on developing those skills that I would like to put to use later on and so I've been looking at the options out there as I try to move to the next part of my life.

Speaking about skills, bread making is a skill that is definitely worth acquiring because there's just nothing like a fresh loaf of bread from the oven. It takes some practice to master, but even beginners can make an excellent loaf of bread with the right recipe and resources. The most important things for me in bread making are making sure that my yeast is alive and to give dough enough time to rise and yet not over rise. The time required and even the amount of flour to water varies depending on the conditions. So, as much as baking is a science, bread making still requires the baker to be flexible and make adjustments as needed.

I still have a long way to go in terms of my bread making skills, but this recipe for focaccia from Anne Burrell is a good place for anyone to start or continue on their bread making journey. The instructions are simple enough for a bread making novice and produce an impressive praiseworthy slab of flavorful focaccia. The recipe is widely available, but I thought I would document my experience anyway.

The focaccia can be made in just a few hours and is perfect for eating as is or for sandwiches. For sandwiches, I would dial back on the olive oil so it's not too oily for sandwich making. I wanted to serve the focaccia for a party so I made it the day before, underbaked it slightly and then reheated it for about 15 minutes the next day. You can add herbs, caramelized onions, cheese, etc. to the focaccia to make it your own or keep it plain.

Focaccia
Recipe from Anne Burrell
Makes about a Jelly Roll Sized Sheet of Focaccia

1 3/4 cup of warm water (110-115 deg F)
2 1/4 tsp of active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
5 cups of all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 tbsp. kosher salt, half the amount of fine table salt
1/2 -1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and mix in the yeast, let sit for 15 minutes, it should be bubbling. If not, start again with new yeast.

In a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix the flour, salt, 1/2 cup of olive oil, and the yeast mixture on low. When the dough starts to come together, increase speed to medium and mix for 5-6 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. Take the dough out of the mixer onto a lightly floured surface kneading it a few times to bring it together into a ball.

Lightly coat the inside of the mixer bowl or another large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl lightly coating it with the oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.

Coat a jelly roll pan with the remaining 1/2 cup of oil or just a few tablespoons depending on how you plan to serve the focaccia. Place the dough in the pan and press it out with your hands to fill the pan. Turn the dough over to coat the other side with the oil. As you press and stretch out the dough, use your fingers to make holes throughout the dough so that you end up with the traditional bumpy looking focaccia. If you want a smooth focaccia, then you don't need to do this.

Place the dough in a warm place covered with a damp kitchen towel or a loose piece of plastic wrap. Let rise until it has doubled in size again, about 1 hour.

As the dough is nearing the end of its second rise, preheat the oven to 425 deg F. Sprinkle the top of the focaccia with sea salt, herbs, cheese as you would like and drizzle a bit of oil on the top. Bake the focaccia until the top is golden brown, about 25-30 min. Let the focaccia cool before cutting. Store in an airtight container for up to several days.

New York Style Bagels

I've never been to New York, so I can't vouch for the authenticity of these bagels, but they're good, trust me. In true NY style, or so I've been told, they are chewier and denser than bagels you may find elsewhere. I've tried them with several different toppings and so far, my favorite is sesame. The sesame seeds add a fragrant nutty toastiness and allow you to still appreciate the bagel's own flavors.

Once you know what things to keep in mind, I find these bagels very simple to make. They're similar to making pretzels in that you have to boil the dough before you bake them, but in this recipe, there's no baking soda in the water which I prefer. You do have to keep an eye on the dough so it doesn't rise for too long, but the steps are not difficult. You don't have to be super delicate with the dough. As long as the bagels pass the float test, you don't have to worry about them rising too much because they're meant to be a bit dense. Unlike typical bread recipes where you're aiming to keep as much moisture in the dough as possible. For bagels, you actually want to add as much flour into the dough as possible.

Of the few bagel recipes I've tried, this one worked the best and it can be done in one day. This recipe was one of the first that I saw when I started reading blogs and it's on quite a few blogs because it works. I might try using all purpose flour to make some softer California style bagels for one of my sisters, but I urge you to try this one first.

Bagels

Recipe adapted from Ultimate Bread via TSG

Makes 8 bagels

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups warm water (110-115 deg F)

3 1/2 cups (500 g) bread flour, plus more for kneading

1 1/2 tsp fine salt

To 1/2 cup of the warm water, add the sugar, then the yeast, do not stir. Let the mixture sit for five minutes before stirring to dissolve.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook or in a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture. Pour in about half of the remaining 3/4 cup of warm water. Mix the dough on low speed or with a wooden spoon until it comes together to form a firm ball of dough. Add in the remaining water as needed.

Try to mix in as much additional flour as possible kneading with your hands or a stand mixer for about 10 minutes. If it starts getting tough for the stand mixer to knead the dough, switch to kneading it by hand. You want to end up with a moist, yet very firm dough in the end.

 

Place the dough in a large bowl brushed lightly with oil, cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs. Punch the dough down and let it rest for 10 min.

Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Shape each piece into a dough ball by pulling the dough into itself from the top to the bottom while turning in a circular motion so as to create more tension and smoothness on the surface of the dough ball. This may be done with one or two hands. (More detailed pics available at TSG)

Press a finger through the center of each dough ball to form a ring shape. Stretch the bagel so that the center hole is about 1/3 the width of the bagel. Place each bagel on a lightly oiled lined baking sheet. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let them rest for 10-20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 deg F in the meantime and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

To test if the bagels are ready, place a bagel into a small bowl of water. The bagel should float within 10 seconds. If it doesn't, dry the test bagel and let it continue to rest, covered with a damp towel. Check every 10 minutes or so until the bagel floats.

When the bagel floats easily, you are ready to boil the bagels. Gently place as many bagels as you are comfortable handling at one time into the boiling water. Boil for 1 minute(up to 2 minutes for chewier bagels), then flip them to the other side and boil for another minute. With a slotted spoon, move the bagels to a lined baking sheet lightly coated with oil.

Top the bagels with desired toppings as they come out of the water so that the toppings stick. Once all the bagels have been boiled, bake them for 20 minutes on the middle rack, rotating the pan halfway through. Cool for a few minutes before slicing into them.

Bagels will last for several days in an airtight container. Wrap in foil and reheat in a toaster oven or slice in half and toast.



Chinese Steamed Buns (Mantou) 饅頭

After having enjoyed quite a few potato dinner rolls and other baked goods the past few months, I had a craving for a lighter roll and steamed buns or mantou seemed like the perfect solution. Mantou are unfilled, so you really get to appreciate the flavor of the bun itself. While I can pretty easily get mantou in my area, they don't always compare to the light, fluffy, coconut-scented mantou of my childhood and the only bakery that comes closest to that memory is a bit of a trek away. So, I decided to try making my own and now after a few tries, I think these are pretty darn good.

The recipe is adapted from a Chinese cookbook that my mom bought many years ago and other sources. The recipe should be pretty easily adapted to make other variations of mantou such as matcha and chocolate. I'll have another post when I try those out. So far, I've made them plain and with coconut milk. While both are great, I just have a place in my heart for coconut-flavored things and what's even better about making my own is that I can make them as coconutty as I want. The plain version of these can be used to make other types of buns such as barbecue pork buns or flower rolls and I've done that in the past, but I haven't tried it out recently.


Coconut milk mantou

Mantou made with milk

While these buns are pretty fluffy, they may not be quite as fluffy as steamed buns you'll find outside which could be made using a sponge starter method. I'm also going to try that method soon. I've used a lower protein all-purpose flour here rather than a Chinese flour specifically for steamed buns as well as organic unbleached sugar, so the buns are not super white. I might try using cake flour to see how they come out, but I'm quite happy with the recipe as it is. If you like your buns a little less sweet, take out some of the sugar though I personally think mantou need to have a slight sweetness to taste right.

It's important that your dough doesn't sit out rising for too long and also to give it enough time to rise. The time your dough needs may be more or less than the times I've included here, so just keep an eye on it and go on to the next step when it has risen to the right size.

Mantou
Recipe adapted from The Food of China by Deh-Ta Hsiung and Nina Simonds
Makes 24 buns

5 1/2 cups (700 g) all purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping
2 cups milk, whole or reduced fat or coconut milk
6 tbsp (75 g) granulated sugar
3 tsp (13 g) active dry yeast
3 tbsp (45 g) coconut oil or vegetable oil
3 tsp (12 g) baking powder

Sift the flour into a large bowl. Reserve about half a cup of the flour on the side. In a small saucepan, add the sugar and coconut oil to the milk and heat over medium until the sugar is dissolved and the coconut oil has melted. Let cool to 110-115 deg F.

Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Gradually pour the milk mixture into the sifted flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes adding in the remaining half cup of flour as needed. Use a little more flour if your dough is very sticky. The dough should be smooth and able to be handled, but still sticky.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours until at least doubled in size. After the dough has doubled, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Flatten the dough slightly into a rectangle. Sprinkle the baking powder over the dough, fold up the edges of the dough sealing the baking powder and knead the dough for a few minutes to incorporate the baking powder. Cut the dough in half.

With one half of the dough, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 18 inches by 12 inches, fold into thirds along the long edge so that you end up with a rectangle that is about 6 inches by 12 inches. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches by 12 inches again. Lightly dampen the surface of the dough with water and tightly roll up the dough on the long edge into a log. Pinch the edge to seal. Cut the log into 12 pieces and place each one on a piece of wax paper. Place in a steamer about 1-2 inches apart.

Repeat rolling and shaping with the other half of the dough. Let the buns rise, covered, for 30-40 minutes until they are at least 1.5 times their original size.

When ready to steam, heat water in a pot and steam the buns in a single layer in batches for 15 minutes on high heat. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and lift the lid slightly leaving a small gap. Let the buns sit for another 2-3 minutes before removing them from the steamer to serve.

To reheat, steam the buns over high heat for 5 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds. They can also be frozen and reheated as desired.

For a visual of how to shape the mantou, check out this youtube video: Chinese steamed bun

Potato Dinner Rolls

These are seriously the fluffiest rolls ever and that is no exaggeration. I've made rolls a few times, but there's just something about the mashed potato in these that makes them suuuuper soft. If you need a dinner roll recipe, this is the one to try.

 

I first made these this past Thanksgiving and made them again around Christmas because they're just that good. Besides being superbly tasty, these are also pretty easy to put together because you can make the dough the day before, let it rise overnight in the fridge, and then bake them the next day. An overnight rise should also contribute to better overall flavor in the rolls. The recipe is meant to be no-knead, but I make it in a stand mixer and knead it a bit anyways so that it's soft, but still has some texture. It's up to you to decide how to make it, but as with most bread, it's better to err on the side of less flour so your bread doesn't come out too dense. 

To make the rolls all in one day, follow the directions over at Completely Delicious.

Potato Dinner Rolls

Recipe adapted from Red Star Yeast via Completely Delicious

Makes 18 rolls

1/2 cup (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup water
1 cup whole milk
1 cup (213 g) mashed potato
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt (1/2 tsp fine salt)
2 large eggs
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (2 packages, 14 g)
5 - 6 1/2 cups (600-780 g) bread flour
Egg wash, for brushing before baking
Honey butter, for brushing after

Heat milk and butter over medium low heat in a small saucepan until the butter is melted, add water, set aside to cool until it reaches 110-115 deg F.

In the bowl of a standing mixer with a dough hook, mix the milk mixture with the mashed potato. Add the sugar, salt, and eggs. Mix until combined. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture. Add the flour slowly, 1 cup at a time. (I used about 700 g) Knead on medium speed for 5 min.

Sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough and with the help of a rubber spatula, gather the dough into a slightly sticky ball and place in a well-oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. After one hour in the fridge, punch down the dough and let it continue to rise in the fridge overnight.

The next day, at least an hour before you want to bake the rolls, take the dough out of the fridge to warm up. Shape the dough into 18 rolls and place in a baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place such as a slightly warm oven for 30-45 minutes until the rolls have doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Brush with egg wash and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Melt some honey butter as the rolls are baking. When the rolls come out, brush with honey butter. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

What I've Been Looking For - The Baguette

It's taken me quite a few tries to finally find a baguette recipe that is pretty close to those you get at a bakery. Leave it to the bakers over at King Arthur to come up with a recipe for the best at home baguette I've tried thus far. It has the holes and chewiness I've been looking for along with the flavor that results from a long rise. Although the ingredients are extremely simple, what you end up with is complex in taste and well worth the effort. I've had this recipe bookmarked for several months and can't believe I've waited this long to try it out. This makes great toast, sandwich bread, and of course is amazing right out of the oven.

I recommend watching the videos on the site to learn how to shape your baguettes because they also offer some great tips on ensuring you get the best end product. After a few times, I still haven't really gotten the hang of shaping baguettes yet. However, no matter how it looks, it will still taste amazing if properly risen. Compared to my other bread recipes, this dough is much softer and stickier. The higher moisture content actually contributes to creating those holes you want, so don't be tempted to add too much flour to this dough if it feels sticky. Just sprinkle a light dusting of flour on the outside and it should be easy enough to handle.


Sprinkled with parmesan before baking

If you've been looking for an at home baguette that rivals most bakeries, give this a try. It's actually much easier than you might think. The process is long, but it's mostly just time spent waiting for it to rise. I'm also excited to try the stuffed version next time.

Classic Baguette
Recipe from King Arthur Flour
Makes 3 medium baguettes or 2 larger ones

Starter - Make the night before
1/2 cup cool water
1 cup bread flour
1/16 tsp active dry yeast

Mix the water with the yeast and let sit for about 5 minutes to activate. Then mix in the flour forming a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place overnight.

Dough
All the starter
1-1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tsp dry active yeast
3 - 3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix the warm water with the yeast and let sit for a few minutes to activate. Add all the starter and mix on medium for a minute or so to incorporate the starter. Add the flour gradually and mix on medium low speed until it comes together. Add the salt, then mix for another 5-10 minutes so that the dough is properly kneaded.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and let rise for three hours in a warm place, turning it gently every hour.

After three hours, lightly punch down the dough to eliminate any large gas bubbles, then divide the dough and preshape into a flat oval-like shape. Let rest for 15 minutes. Shape your dough into baguettes by folding the oval lengthwise, sealing the fold with the palm of your hand, then repeating the process, and rolling it out a bit into a log.

Let your baguettes rise another 1 1/2 hours covered with a cloth or oiled plastic wrap. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 425-450 degrees F. Slash your loaves and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and hollow sounding.

You can spritz with water for a crunchier crust, but I like the texture without spritzing. The baguettes keep well for a few days or freeze them and reheat when needed.

After the 3 hour rise

A Sweet Sourdough - Part 2

Since the last post on a honey wheat bread made with sourdough starter, I've been looking for other honey wheat bread recipes made with sourdough starter. While the last one is a great honey wheat option for both sweet and savory applications, personally I prefer a honey wheat bread that is much more sweet with a stronger wheat flavor. Since I couldn't really find any recipes that fit what I was looking for, I decided to come up with my own.



I was pretty happy with the outcome. It's sweet, but not overly so and has the stronger wheat flavor I want in a wheat bread. It's good if you have a starter that you need to use. If not, just make honey wheat bread without sourdough starter. Although this will probably be my go to honey wheat bread recipe for now, I don't think I'll ever stop trying out new recipes. Molasses, cocoa powder, and coffee are some of the many add ins and swap outs that would be great in this recipe.


Sweet Honey Wheat Sourdough Bread
Daydreamel Original
Makes one small loaf

1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
1/2 cup warm milk/water
1/3 cup honey
2/3 cup liquid sourdough starter
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups bread flour

Mix the yeast and the milk in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Let sit for 2 minutes. Add the starter and the honey. On low speed, mix in the whole wheat flour, then the salt, and finally the bread flour until well combined. Knead for 8-10 minutes adding more flour as necessary.

Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size. Punch down the dough and shape into a loaf.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and let rise for another 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake for 35 minutes until it sounds hollow. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread

I was scrolling through my bookmarked recipes and since I've been on a bread making high lately and I happened to have a package of pepperoni in my fridge(I intended to make pizza), this one caught my eye. It's really as good as Gaby from What's Gaby Cooking says in her original post and well worth the effort. It's fun for both kids and adults to pull off the pieces of bread and with a name like Monkey Bread, who wouldn't love it? I can't wait to see what other types of monkey bread I can make. Since this bread dough is not too salty, it would likely also work well in a sweet monkey bread with maybe cinnamon sugar, fruit preserves, or chocolate.

I made some substitutions to this recipe such as replacing the butter with olive oil for both ease and nutritional value and it was delicious. In most cases, I find that replacing butter with oil works just fine and doesn't sacrifice much in terms of taste, especially when there's cheese to make up for it. It doesn't work in the case of pie crust or cookies, but it does work in most savory applications such as mac and cheese and bread. If the pepperoni you're using in this recipe is oily, you may want to cook it over a low heat to remove some of the oil before you use it. Also try to use a lower sodium pepperoni if you can as it can be a bit salty when baked. If you make this for your next party or get together, kids or not, it will definitely be a hit.

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread
Adapted from What's Gaby Cooking

2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp fine salt
2 cups bread flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup parmesan or asiago cheese, grated
1/2 cup pepperoni slices, cut up
1 tsp dried oregano (I used a mix of dried Italian herbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used granulated garlic)
2 large pinches of salt

Mix the yeast, sugar, and water in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 5 minutes to activate. If it doesn't become frothy, try again with new yeast.

Add the flours gradually to the bowl and mix with a dough hook on low-medium speed. Mix in the salt, then knead for 8-10 minutes in the mixer until the dough starts to pull away from the sides. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let rise for about an hour or doubled in size.

After the first rise, punch dough down and portion out the dough into balls about an inch in diameter. Combine the olive oil, cheese, pepperoni, dried herbs, garlic, and salt in a bowl. Mix the dough balls in this mixture and arrange them in a large bundt pan. Let rise for another 40 minutes or so.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, bake the bread for 30 minutes until it is golden brown. Serve with pizza sauce or on its own.

A Sweet Sourdough Bread

As you may know, I've been on the search for a good honey wheat bread. Since my first post on bread, I've made several loaves of honey wheat bread, each with a different recipe. While I have yet to find one that replicates the one in Berkeley that first made me fall in love with honey wheat bread, this one has been my favorite thus far and I was really surprised at how much I liked it.

What's interesting about this honey wheat bread is that it uses sourdough starter, but with the amount of honey in this recipe, it doesn't taste like sourdough bread. It just tastes like a nice slightly sweet honey wheat bread. It is great toasted and buttered and is not too sweet to use in both sweet and savory applications. I thought the ratio of whole wheat flour to bread flour was also perfect since the bread had a nice light whole wheat flavor without sacrificing texture. Those that don't like whole wheat bread in my family also liked it. For more whole wheat flavor, you can also easily replace some of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. I also liked the fact that I could use my sourdough starter in it to produce a loaf with the depth of flavor that a starter provides but is not sour. For an everyday honey wheat bread for those that don't really like wheat bread, this would be my choice assuming you have a starter to use or you could just make one the night before for usage the next day.

Although you can easily make bread without a starter, I've found that I really prefer the taste of bread made with starter. I've also realized that I much prefer bread shaped into a loaf and baked on a sheet pan rather than in a loaf pan because the texture is much lighter. The resulting shape is more difficult for sandwich making, but that's something I'm willing to give up.

Light Honey Wheat Sourdough(Not really) Bread
Adapted from JulieK at allrecipes.com
Makes 1 large loaf or 2 medium sized loaves

1 1/3 cups liquid sourdough starter
1 cup warm water(warm but not too hot to touch)
1 tbsp vegetable oil/butter
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
3/4 tsp fine salt(double the amount of coarse salt)
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 - 4 1/2 cups bread flour

Mix the yeast with the water in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 5 minutes to activate.  Add in the honey, starter, and oil.

With a dough hook, mix in the whole wheat flour and salt, then the bread flour. Knead in the machine 8-10 minutes until dough comes together into a ball and is not too sticky. Add more or use less flour as necessary. Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size in a warm place.

After the first rise, punch dough down and shape into a large loaf or 2 smaller loaves on a sheet pan, Let rise another 1 1/2 hours. Slash the loaves.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes or until it sounds hollow when thumped.

Yeast Starters and Bread



Fluffy Sourdough

Last week, I decided to start making bread. I had intended to do so several months ago, so I already had the necessary ingredients. Days passed, then months, and I just never felt like I had enough time or had the energy to start. Every time I scrolled through my log of recipes deciding which I should try next, I always went with something simpler and less time consuming. However, I knew that the economy-size package of yeast I purchased would eventually go bad and so, I needed to start making a dent in it pretty soon. In one of these recipe scrolling moods a few days ago, uninspired by the many desserts on my list, I looked to the bread recipes on my list, but none of them really felt like the right place to start.

For a while now, i've been wanting to make my own honey wheat bread. I love the Honey Wheat Bread at Cafe Intermezzo in Berkeley, but it's not exactly a short trip there just to buy the bread. It also seems that since I first tried this place a couple years ago, they have reduced the sweetness in the bread which was what I loved about it in the first place. Unlike typical whole wheat bread, their bread has great wheat flavor, but it is as soft and fluffy as white bread. After many unsuccessful attempts to track down a similar-tasting supermarket honey wheat bread, I just gave up altogether and hoped that I would somehow be able to recreate it in my own kitchen so I could have it whenever I wanted. Although this was the bread initially on my mind, a little internet research led me down a different path.

Last year around the time of the release of the Tartine Bread cookbook and the promo video with Chad Robertson, I was fascinated by the process of making artisan yeast bread. The idea of a starter, the preservation of it, and the intricacies of bread making intrigued me.After the proper internet research and recipe gathering, I was less daunted by the process of it all. As a native San Franciscan and sourdough lover, I thought it only right that I should attempt to raise a sourdough starter and try my hand at making sourdough bread.

From my research, I knew that it would take about two weeks for my starter to sour.  However, before it does sour, the starter can be used in the same recipes to produce delicious white bread. As of this post, my bread has not begun to sour yet, but with each loaf, I can tell that the flavors are getting more complex and slowly moving towards that sourdough flavor.I have already made several loaves of bread from this starter since I first mixed it up a few days ago from a wheat bread to an apricot and ginger loaf. As it turns out, starter is amazingly versatile and once you get the hang of how bread should feel, it's actually very easy and can be used to make a variety of breads. First, the mixing and growth of the starter.

Sourdough Starter
Adapted from Esther Nelson on Allrecipes.com

2 cups of all purpose flour
2 cups warm water
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with a whisk until smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature in a draft free area for 8 to 12 hours. You can start to bake white bread with it at this point. Leave it at room temperature for 4-8 days feeding it at least every day for faster growth or in the refrigerator for slower growth feeding every two days or so. Don't expose the starter to temperatures that are too hot as the yeast will die. If you are unable to feed the starter for a while, store it in the freezer and take it out when you can begin taking care of it again. The starter should be a creamy white. If you see any pink or yellow growth, throw the starter out and begin again. If you have a liquid at the top, that is the alcohol from the fermentation, just mix it back into your starter before using or feeding. The starter should have the consistency of pancake batter.


Feeding the starter:
For the first few days, feed it more frequently to encourage growth by adding  at least 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of warm water to the starter each day and whisking it in to incorporate air. You may remove some of the starter each time before you feed it if you like or just leave it.

However, you will need to refresh the starter every few days by removing a cup or so(either use it or discard it) leaving at least a quarter cup behind when feeding. In feeding it after the initial period, replace whatever you take out with at least a half cup each of flour and warm water(always in equal amounts) and whisk until smooth. You can add more or less flour and water depending on how much you want to end up with for baking.

After each feeding, wait at least 6-8 hours before using it again to give the starter time to grow. If your starter is in the refrigerator, take it out the night before you plan to use it to thaw.

Artisan Style Sourdough Bread
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, makes one loaf

1 1/2 cups of sourdough starter
2 cups of bread flour, more for kneading
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

In a mixer with a dough hook, mix flour gradually into the starter with the salt and sugar. Mix for 8 to 10 minutes until dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Remove dough from mixer and knead a few times into a smooth ball. Place into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1.5 hours until doubled. I preheat my oven for a few minutes, turn it off, then place the bowl in there to rise.

After the dough has risen, punch dough down. Shape into a loaf, then place onto a baking sheet or baking stone and let rise for another hour or until doubled. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, slash loaf and place your baking sheet or stone with the loaf into the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes until bread sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom. Let it rest about 30 minutes before serving.

For apricot and ginger bread, add in 1/4 cup of chopped dried apricots and 1/4 of chopped candied ginger when mixing dough. You can also add in many other things such as nuts or other dried fruits and cheese.

Loaf is topped with shredded Comte before baking

Fluffy Sourdough Bread
Makes two loaves
Adapted from Donna on allrecipes.com(San Francisco Sourdough Bread)

2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/2 cups starter
4 3/4 cups bread flour
1 cup warm milk
3 tbsp sugar
3 tsp coarse salt
2 tbsp softened butter

Combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook. Add milk and butter. Mix in starter, then gradually add the remaining flour. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Then turn out onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Place in an oiled bowl and allow to rise for at least one hour in a warm place.

After the first rise, punch dough down, shape into loaves, then place on a baking sheet to rise for another hour. After it has risen a second time, bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes until it sounds hollow when thumped. Let it rest about 30 minutes before serving.

You can brush with egg for a golden brown crust and top with cheese as I have done here. The cheese and egg can weigh the bread down slightly, so that it is not as airy.

You can use all purpose flour to make your bread, but it won't have the chew of bread made with bread flour. Other types of flour can be substituted as well in varying amounts according to your taste. I have also used cream, nonfat milk, and coconut milk as substitutes for milk in these recipes, so anything will work although I've read that fat and sugar do contribute to the softness of the bread, so take that into account when making substitutions. Spritz the loaf with water or brush with egg wash for a thicker crust. Add different things to your bread for different flavors such as instant coffee granules, cocoa powder, matcha green tea powder, different extracts, etc.

I have also made an all wheat bread using this starter, but will not share that here because it is not the Honey Wheat recipe I am after. This is what it looked like.

9/28
It has now been about two weeks and I still have my starter. I've been feeding it about every two days and have been making a loaf of bread with what I take out. A few days ago, I almost killed my starter by overheating it, but was able to save it with additional yeast, flour, and water. However, the sourness has somewhat disappeared on account of the heat and it will take some time to redevelop the flavor. With the additional yeast, my starter has been doing really well, rising and falling throughout the day very easily.

I've been playing around with the dough and even with the same recipe, the bread never comes out exactly the same. Depending on the pan or stone I bake the bread on/in, the temperature during the day, or how I treat the dough, the bread comes out differently each time. I think it's good to be adventurous in bread making as with anything else in life. Figure out what you like best and play around until you have something you like.