One of our favorite classes is bread baking day. The aroma of the baking bread seems to bring every one in the building to the kitchen. Bread of all kinds transcends all boundaries of cultures and people.
Wherever God may place us there will always be some form of bread to share together. Today we prepared several types and flavors of bread to see how easy it is to make bread from scratch using different combinations of ingredients and cooking methods.
And yes, it is delicious !
Slap your Brains out Biscuits
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 pkg dry yeast
Mix and set aside for 5 minutes
4 1/2 cup flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
Sift together, make a well and add
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
Add the yeast mixture. Mix well.
You can make drop biscuits or pat out dough on a floured surface to 1/2” thick.
Cut with biscuit cutter. Bake on a greased pan or parchment lined pan
at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Watch for the golden brown top and bottom.
New York Style Calzones
Dough
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp active dry yeast
About 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil for coating
Filling
6 oz thinly sliced Genoa or other salami
3/4 pound mozzarella, coarsely grated
Place the water in a bowl and stir in the yeast. Add 2 cups of the flour and stir to make a smooth batter. Sprinkle on the salt and stir it in., Add another 1 1/2 cups flour and stir and fold to incorporate. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, incorporating more flour as necessary, about 5 minutes.
Oil a clean bowl with about a tablespoon of olive oil, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover and set aside to rise until doubled. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 6 equal pieces. Set aside, loosely covered. Cut the salami slices in half, then mix with the grated cheese. Divide the filling into 6 equal piles and set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, begin rolling our 2 pieces of dough. The dough will be elastic and spring back, so alternate between the 2 until each is rolled out to a thin round about 8 inches in diameter and 1/4” thick. Place a pile of filling in the middle of one half of each round, making sure there is a clean 1/2” rim of dough, then fold the dough over to make a half moon shape. Pinch the edges of the dough together and then fold the edge back up over the seam and pinch again, to make a secure doubled seam.
Place the calzones on a surface dusted with flour and cover loosely. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough and let rise covered for 30 minutes.
Place a baking stone. on the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Cut 2 or 3 short slashes in the top of each calzone.Transfer the calzones to the baking stone and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes, then serve.
Sundried Tomato Parmasean Focaccia
Cheddar Jalapeno Focaccia
Focaccia Bread
"A wonderful, quick alternative to garlic bread.
Lots of herbs and lots of flavor!" Original recipe yield: 2 focaccia.
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella
* In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil
and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
*When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface,
and knead until smooth and elastic.
*Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil.
Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
*Punch dough down. Divide in half. Place on greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
Pat into a 1/2 inch thick circle. Brush top with olive oil.
Scatter with favorite toppings. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Buttery Crescent Rolls
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 c warm water (110-115)
1/2 c warm milk
1/2 c butter softened
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp salt
4 to 4 1/2 c all purpose flour
Additional butter melted
In large mixing bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, egg, salt and 2 cups flour. Blend well with a whisk. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic about 6-8 min.
Place in greased bowl, turn over and let rise, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Turn onto a floured surface, divide in half. Roll each portion into a 12" circle. Cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end and place pointed end down 2" apart on greased or parchment lined baking sheets. Curve edges to form crescents. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 min. Bake at 375° for about 14 min or till golden brown. Brush with melted butter. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Makes: 2 dozen
Cowboy Bread
"Similar to pita breads, this is a round fried bread which supposedly traces its
origins back to the great American West." yield: 8 pieces of bread.
1/2 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cold milk
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cups all-purpose flour
1. In a large bowl, stir together the water, milk, and sugar.
Sprinkle the yeast over the top, and let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve.
2. Stir the egg and butter into the yeast mixture, t
hen stir in the salt, nutmeg, and 2 cups of the flour.
Mix until everything is well blended. Mix in remaining flour,
1/2 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for 10 minutes (no cheating!).
Place dough into a greased bowl, and let rise until doubled in size.
3. Divide the dough into 8 balls, and let rest for another 20 minutes.
Roll each ball out to 8 to 10 inches in diameter.
(We will make these smaller today, about 6” or pancake size.)
4. Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
Dry fry each of the pieces of bread fro 30 to 60 seconds on each side,
or until light to medium brown spots appear. Keep covered with a cloth,
or in a paper sack to retain heat. Serve warm with favorite butter or soup and chili.
Sharing and sampling the breads
