Breads

Wholemeal and Honey Bread Rolls

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dry yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

¼ cup orange juice

60g unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons honey

3 cup wholemeal flour

1¼ teaspoons salt

? cup instant mashed potato flakes or ¼ cup potato flour

¼ cup powdered milk

Method

Dissolve yeast in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes until the mixture has begin to bubble.

Combine the dissolved yeast with the remainder of the water, add remaining ingredients. Using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, knead for 7 minutes to a smooth dough. If you are mixing by hand, mix to a smooth ball.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow to stand until dough has almost doubled. This could take up to two hours.

Line a flat baking try with baking paper. Punch down dough and transfer to a floured work surface. Divide dough into about 20 balls and place on tray. Cover the tray with a tea towel and allow to sit for two hours. Rolls will become puffy.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Bake the rolls for 15 minutes, cover loosely with foil and bake a further 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the rolls from the oven, and allow to sit for 3 or 4 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a rack. Handle rolls carefully as they will be delicate at this stage.

Muffins – Harry’s Supersoft Muffins

Ingredients 

¾ cup powdered milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

15g olive oil

¾ cup hot water

1 tablespoon dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar, extra

½ cup warm water

320g bread flour

butter to grease frypan

Method 

Combine powdered milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and melted butter, stir and set aside to cool.

Combine yeast, ½ teaspoon sugar, extra, and ½ cup warm water, set aside for 10 minutes until mixture becomes frothy.

Add frothy yeast mixture to powdered milk mixture, then add flour and stir to combine. With an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix on medium for about 5 minutes; or mix by hand. Dough will be very sticky.

Cover and stand for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Grease a frypan and heat to low heat. Place muffin rings, if you have them, into the pan and drop spoonfuls of the batter into the rings about 20cm thick. Cook slowly for a few minutes and turn and cook the other side. Muffins will become quite brown. Remove the rings and set aside to cool.

Cut and toast the finished muffins and top with your favourite topping.

Chilli Cheese Bread

Ingredients

500g self raising flour

1 packet brown onion soup powder

1 large onion finely chopped

1 red chilli finely chopped

500ml buttermilk

2 cups cheddar cheese grated

60ml mixed herbs

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Mix all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a greased or oiled loaf tin and bake for one hour. Allow to cool before removing from tin.

Pizza Dough – Harry’s recipe

Ingredients

3 teaspoons dry yeast

3 teaspoons sugar

3 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

250ml lukewarm water

425g bakers flour

Method

Add yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil and water to a large bowl and stir to combine.

Fold through flour until just combined, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes or until a smooth ball forms.

Place dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap. Set aside in a warm draught free place for 60 to 90 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Turn dough out on a floured surface and punch the dough to remove excess air.

Divide dough into 4 dough balls and set aside until required.

If you are using an electric mixer with a dough hook; mix ingredients except flour on low speed for about 6 to 10 minutes, then add flour and mix for a further 10 minutes.

Buttermilk Rusks

Ingredients

1½ kg self raising flour

3 tablespoons lemon juice

500g butter

3 eggs

500ml buttermilk

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons oil

pinch of salt

Method

Rub the flour and margarine together. Whisk other ingredients together and add the mixture to the flour mix and kneed. Bake at 180°C until brown and cooked. Cut into fingers and dry in oven at 100C overnight.

Super Soft Hot Cross Buns – Harry B

This is another recipe in the collection of Harry B. The buns are the tastiest and softest that you will ever find.

Ingredients for the Starter

1 medium egg, beaten

55 g plain bread flour

100 ml warm water

20g fresh yeast, or 3 level teaspoons dried active yeast

1 teaspoon caster sugar

Method for Starter

Whisk egg, add remaining ingredients, mix well, and allow to stand in a warm place for 1 hour. We understand that overnight is ok too but we haven’t tried that. Use a fairly large bowl because the starter expands to about a litre or more.

Ingredients for the Dough

455g plain bread flour, plus extra for kneading

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons mixed spice, more if you like spicy

½ cup peel

85g caster sugar

85g butter, melted

120 ml milk, plus a dash more for brushing

175g dried fruit

The Crosses

¼ cup cold water

½ cup plain flour

The Glaze

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon boiling water

Method

Soak fruit for 20 minutes in a cup of boiling water and drain well.

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt and spice; add the sugar, then add the melted butter and milk. Mix until smooth, then add the starter. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the fruit. Mix until fruit is distributed evenly throughout the dough.

Allow dough to sit for an hour. Knead again and allow to sit for another hour.

Turn out the dough, knock out the air, and separate into 16 even balls about the size of a billiard ball. Place balls into a greased 20cm square pan, cover and allow to sit another hour.

Mix the plain flour and water together to make a smooth paste. Place mixture in a piping bag and pipe a cross onto the top of each bun.

Preheat oven to 220C.

Bake buns for 10 minutes then reduce temperature to 180C and bake a further 20 minutes.

To glaze buns. Dissolve caster sugar in boiling water and brush tops of buns while they are still hot.

Try some of the other buns

Banana Bread

Ingredients

125g butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

4 ripe bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon salt

Method

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add sifted dry ingredients and fold into mixture. Peel, and mash the bananas well, then add to the mixture.  Pour mixture into a greased loaf tin and bake at 180C for 1 hour or until skewer comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 3 minutes, then turn it out onto a clean tea towel, and wrap loaf until cold. When cold, wrap it in foil, and leave to ripen for a day. This improves the flavour.  Slice and butter before serving.

Wheat-Free Gluten-Free Pizza Base

Ingredients for Gluten Free Flour

200g besan flour

200g potato flour

150g arrowroot

100g fine rice flour

Method

Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Tossing in a large plastic bag works well, or if you have an electric mixer, mix on low speed for about 5 minutes.

If you do not plan to use the mixture right away, store in a container that allows some air to enter. Do not store in a sealed plastic container.

Pizza Base Ingredients

500ml warm water

65ml olive oil

2 tablespoons gelatine

2 tablespoons bread improver

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons dried yeast

500g of gluten free flour (above)

Method

Grease a pizza tray with olive oil.

Place the liquids in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. If you are using an electric mixer, mix for one minute. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Beat or knead for another minute, then allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Roll dough into thin circles the size of the pizza tray, and top with your favourite filling.

Bake at 200C (400F) on a middle shelf for 10 to 15 minutes.

Tip If you want to freeze the pizza bases, lay flat on baking paper and seal in a plastic bag.

French Baguettes

Poolish

½ cup cold water

1 cup bread flour

1/8 teaspoon instant yeast

Dough

the poolish

3½ cups bread flour

1 cup lukewarm water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon dry yeast

Method

Mix the poolish ingredients till smooth, cover, and allow to stand at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the poolish with the remaining ingredients and knead for about 6 to 8 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 3 hours. Drop the hook on the dough to deflate and allow to stand for a further 1 hour, and again after 2 hours.

Form the dough into 2 long rolls and cover with a dam cloth. Allow to stand for 2 hours. Carefully slash tops of loaves with a sharp knife.

Preheat oven to 220C (425F)

Spray loaves with fine mist of water, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the centre of the oven. At the end of the baking time, check the bottoms of the loaves and turn and bake a further 3 or 4 minutes if necessary. Turn off the oven and allow baguettes to cool completely before removing.

Baked Muffins – English Muffins

These wonderful English muffins are not cooked on a griddle, but baked in an oven. The texture is finer than a traditional muffin but the taste is amazing.

Ingredients

1 cup lukewarm milk

1 7g sachet dry yeast

1 tablespoons sugar

2 ½ cups plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons melted butter

cornmeal or semolina to coat the muffins

Method

Combine lukewarm milk, sugar, and yeast in a bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes to become frothy. Place flour, salt, baking powder, melted butter, and frothy milk mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix at medium speed. The dough will become reasonably smooth. Cover, and allow to stand in a warm place. Dough will become puffy.

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal or semolina. Grease muffin rings if you are going to use them.

Roll dough onto a floured work surface and cut rounds slightly smaller than the muffin rings, 10cm, and about 1cm high. Place a greased baking sheet on top of the muffins rings – this will keep the tops flat. If you are not using muffin rings do not place a baking tray on top of the muffins. Allow to rise for 1 hour or up to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet, and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove muffins from the oven, and transfer to a wire rack. Remove rings.

Makes 12 muffins.

Hot Cross Buns – Harry B

This is the best recipe for hot cross buns that you will ever find. The texture is light and fluffy and the taste is spicy as a good bun should be.

When you are working with yeast the time it takes for the dough to rise will vary according the temperature of the room. In warm weather it will take from 90 minutes to 2 hours, but in cooler weather it might take 3 hours.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups warm full cream milk

2 teaspoons (1 sachet 7g) dried yeast

¼ cup caster sugar

60g butter, melted

1 egg

600g bread flour

1 teaspoon bread improver (optional but recommended)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons mixed spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cup sultanas

½ cup currants

1 tablespoon mixed peel

The crosses

¼ cup cold water

½ cup plain flour

The Glaze

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon boiling water

Method

Preheat oven to 200C

Place the milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a bowl. Stand in a warm place for 5 or 10 minutes until mixture becomes frothy.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, place bread flour, spices, and remaining sugar; add fruit and mix for 30 seconds to combine. Add yeast mixture, egg, and melted butter. Mix for about 2 minutes, add salt, and mix for a further 8 minutes.

Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover, and allow to stand in a warm place for 2 hours. Dough should double in this time. (see note above)

Knead dough for a few minutes and roll into balls about the size of a billiard ball. Grease a 20cm square pan. Arrange so that dough balls are almost touching. Allow to stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Mix the plain flour and water together to make a smooth paste. Place mixture in a piping bag and pipe a cross onto the top of each bun. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180C and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

To glaze buns. Dissolve caster sugar in boiling water and brush tops of buns while they are still hot.

Boiled Bagel

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups cold water

½ teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups plain flour

½ cup wholemeal flour

Method

Mix water, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix until it forms a dough ball. Knead dough for 10 minutes.

Measure 100 grams per bagel and form into rings. Place bagel rings on greased baking sheet. Allow to rise for 40-50 min.Boil bagel rings one minute on each side. Place on wire rack to allow water to drip off (about 5 minutes) Place boiled bagel on greased baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 180C (350F) or until golden brown.

Italian Ciabatta – Harry B

from Harry B … Breadsmith

Poolish

1 1/3 cups water

1 teaspoon dry active yeast

2 cups unbleached flour

Poolish Method

The poolish should be made the night before, or 14-18 hours in advance.

Combine ingredients and mix with an electric mixer on low for 3 minutes. The mixture should be wet. Cover and leave overnight. Mixture should be bubbly.

Final dough ingredients:

poolish

2 cups water

5 cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons dry active yeast

2 teaspoons salt

Method

Combine poolish, water, and flour. Mix with an electric mixer onlow until smooth. Add the yeast, and mix for 4 minutes. Add the salt and mix a further 8 minutes. The dough will be rather wet.

Cover and allow dough to rise. After one hour, punch and fold the dough down, knocking as much of the air from it as possible. You may want to use flour on your hands or sprinkle some on the dough, because it will be sticky. Repeat this process again, letting it rise for another hour, then punching it down again.

Allow dough to rise for the third time but do not punch down. Divide dough into two flat loaves, or several rolls or bread sticks.

Place on a greased baking sheet or floured baking stone, and bake at 220C 425F for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the dough puffs up like a pillow.

Easy Hot Cross Buns

This recipe makes a dough that is easy to shape, and makes spicy soft fruity buns with a decorative cross on top.

Ingredients for dough

¼ cup apple juice

½ cup mixed dried fruit

½ cup raisins or sultanas

1 ¼ cups scalded milk, room temperature

3 eggs

¼ cup soft butter

2 teaspoons instant yeast

¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 ¾ teaspoons salt

4 ½ cups Bread Flour

Topping

1 small egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk

The cross

extra flour mixed with ¼ cup cold water

Method

Grease a 24cm square baking pan.

Mix the apple juice with the dried fruit and place in a small saucepan. Boil, and allow to cool.

Mix remaining dough ingredients, except fruit, until dough is soft and elastic. Add fruit and mix. Cover, and allow dough to sit for an hour until dough has increased in size.

With greased hands, divide into balls about the size of a billiard ball. Place in baking tray, cover and allow to sit for 1 hour. Balls should be just touching each other.

Heat oven to 190C (375F) Brush tops with topping mixture and pipe a cross on each bun with piping mixture. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients

2 cups of plain flour

1 sachet yeast (7g)

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

¾ cup water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method

Mix ingredients together and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Allow to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour then roll out. Place dough on a pizza tray and press into the edges. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then top with your favourite topping. Cook for about 20 minutes in a 200C (400F) oven.

English Muffins (Harry’s Muffins)

Quote from Wiki “History

An old English nursery rhyme, “The Muffin Man”, describes a door-to-door purveyor of muffins. The rhyme was known at the time of Jane Austen in the early 19th century, and a muffin man is mentioned at one point in her novel Persuasion. The muffins sold at this period were made of yeasted dough and baked on a hot griddle.

The etymology of the name is from moofin first used in 1703, derived from the Low German Muffen, the plural of Muffe meaning a small cake, or possibly with some connection to the Old French moufflet meaning soft as said of bread.[1]

Muffins may well originate as far back as the 10th century, yet the muffin became a fashionable bread during the 18th century. By the beginning of the 19th century, there were dozens of muffin factories in existence, and the “muffin man” was a common sight.

Muffins are a quick-baking bread and have become a tea-table staple. They are usually split, toasted, buttered and then eaten with a savoury or sweet topping such as honey”

Starter Ingredients

2 cups warm water

2 cups plain flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon yeast

Starter Method

Mix ingredients together, cover with a damp cloth and let stand at room temperature overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Sponge Ingredients

1 teaspoon yeast

¾ cup warm water

2 cups of starter (save the rest for later)

¾ cup scalded milk, cooled to room temperature

1 cup unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

Sponge Method

Mix ingredients together, cover, and allow to sit for 1 hour.

Dough Ingredients

Sponge mixture

Remaining starter

5 cups (approximately) unbleached flour

¼ cup honey

1 tablespoon salt

4 tablespoons dry milk powder (can be omitted)

2 tablespoons polenta (cornmeal)

Dough

Mix ingredients together, either with an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, or by hand. It is a very sticky dough and difficult by hand.

Place dough in a lightly greased bowl to rise 1 hour. Turn dough out onto surface sprinkled with polenta (cornmeal). You want good coverage so it won’t stick. Pat the dough down to about 1.5cm (¾ inch) high. Sprinkle a little polenta (cornmeal) on top. Using a biscuit cutter 8cm to 10cm (3 ½ to 4 inches) in diameter. Place muffins on a baking sheet that has been lightly oiled and sprinkled with polenta (cornmeal). Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Cook muffins in a dry non stick pan or heavy skillet on a medium low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes each side checking regularly. Muffins should sound hollow when tapped with a finger.

Remove muffins when cooked and cool on a wire rack.

Note:

Using less flour will make a more runny dough, and this will make a muffin with bigger pockets and spongy texture. You would need to use muffin rings and spoon the mixture into the rings.

Ginger Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

4 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons ginger

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup molasses

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup raisins

Method

Preheat oven to 190C (375F)

Mix ingredients together until smooth. Grease muffin rings and fill each to halfway. Allow to stand for five minutes before baking. Bake for 20 minutes at 190C.

Pinenut Olive Oil Bread

Ingredients

1 ½ cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup white sugar

½ cup pine nuts

¼ cup thyme

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 eggs

¾ cup riesling or apple juice

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Toast pine nut in a dry pan and aside to cool slightly.

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with butter.

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, thyme, lemon zest, and toasted pine nuts. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, wine, and olive oil. Stir into the dry ingredients.

Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan, and level the top.

Bake 55 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a rack.

Italian Bread

This is a standard Italian Bread recipe. It’s similar to breads of France. You can substitute up to 20% whole wheat flour and still produce a successful loaf.

Ingredients for poolish

200g bread flour (7 oz)

200g water (7 oz)

½ teaspoon dry yeast

Method for poolish

Mix ingredients into a slurry in a small bowl, cover, and allow to stand for 2 to 3 hours; or overnight, on a bench top.

Ingredients

poolish (above)

480g water (17 oz)

890g bread flour (31oz)

1 tablespoon dry yeast

1 tablespoon salt

½ cup powdered milk

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon malt syrup, or use sugar

Method

Place the poolish and all other ingredients, except salt and flour, into the mixer bowl. Add half the flour and mix for two minutes. Switch to the dough hook, add the rest of the flour and mix for two minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 25 minutes. Add the salt and knead for 8 minutes. Allow to ferment for 2 hours. Drop dough hook on dough and mix for a few seconds. Allow to sit for 30 minutes then repeat the drop hook procedure. Allow to sit for 30 minutes and turn dough out onto bench top. Shape into two even sized loaves, cover and allow to sit for 50 minutes.

Slash tops of loaves with a sharp knife.

Bake at 220C (425 F) for 20 minutes, turn and finish baking. For a deeper crust, turn off the oven and leave the bread in the cooling oven for 5 or 10 minutes.

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients

crusty ciabatta or french bread

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tomato, halved

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1kg peeled, rough chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper

Method

Cut bread into 1cm slices. Toast until edges are crisp and brown. Remove from heat and roughly rub with garlic. Brush or drizzle with oil and rub with open side of tomato. Set aside.

Heat oil in non-stick pan over low heat and cook garlic for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, vinegar and vanilla. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, add the basil, and cook for another minute.

Place topping on each slice and serve warm.

Quick English Muffins

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sugar

3 cups flour

3 ½ teaspoons baking powder (or use self raising flour)

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup milk

¼ cup butter, softened

Method

Sift together flour and baking powder, rub in butter, add salt, sugar and olive oil.

Add milk, mix to a soft dough and knead for 10 minutes.

Roll out to 1cm thick and form balls. Flatten balls to 10cm diameter.

Oven bake for 10 minutes at 230C (450F)

English Muffins

These are particularly tasty muffins and a bit of a project when you have some time.

Poolish Ingredients

285g bread flour

285g water

½ teaspoon dry yeast

Poolish Method

Combine all three ingredients and allow to sit on a bench top for 6 hours. Provide a large enough bowl for poolish to expand.

Muffin Ingredients

poolish (above)

540g bread flour

95g milk

4g dry yeast

1 egg

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup warm water

2 ½ tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon malt extract (optional)

cornmeal to coat, or use fine polenta

Method

Using an electric mixer with dough hook, mix all ingredients except the salt for a minute or two. Allow rest for 20 minutes. Add salt and mix for 5 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky. Cover, and leave to ferment in the mixer bowl for 40 minutes. Drop hook onto dough and turn on mixer for a couple of seconds. Leave the dough to ferment again for 30 minutes. Repeat drop hook step again and leave to ferment for 20 minutes.

Remove from the bowl and place on the counter. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes, then divide into 110 gram pieces. Do not overwork the dough.

Round the doughs into balls and let them rest for 5 minutes. Take each ball and gently flatten to finish about 10cm diameter.

Place cornmeal or polenta in a shallow bowl and press in the doughs, turning once or twice to assure that you have cornmeal on both sides. Keep the dough flat as they will puff up when cooked. Thick dough might not cook through. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before cooking.

Cook muffins on a flat non-stick surface or a greased pan. Heat should be medium and not too hot. Cook for about 7 minutes on each side checking that the muffins are not getting burned. Lower the heat if muffins are cooking too quickly.

Muffins break open easily when cold. Serve toasted. Muffins freeze well too.

Popovers

Eggs, milk, flour and butter. Everyday ingredients for a wonderful treat.

Ingredients

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 ½ cups warm milk

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups plain flour

3 tablespoons melted butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 230C (450°F). The temperature is critical. Position a rack on a lower shelf. Use a standard 12-cup metal muffin tin. Grease the pan thoroughly, covering the whole top surface. Whisk together thoroughly the eggs, milk, and salt. Add the flour, and beat with a wire whisk till frothy; there shouldn’t be any large lumps in the batter, but smaller lumps are OK.

Stir in the melted butter, combining quickly. Pour the batter into the muffin cups to ¾ full. Bake the popovers for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180C (350°F), and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until a deep, golden brown. (A baking sheet on the top shelf will deflect the heat and stop the popovers from browning too quickly)

Pierce the top of each popover to release steam and help prevent sogginess. Slip them out of the pan, and serve.

If you want the popovers to hold their shape longer, bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Ciabatta – Italian Bread

From alt.bread.recipes

Sponge:

1 ½ cups bread flour

1 cup water

¼ teaspoon active dry yeast

Mix together the ingredients and let them rest overnight in a covered bowl at room temp.

Dough:

Take Sponge and add:

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 ½ cups bread flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ cup water

1/8 cup olive oil

Method

Make this very wet dough in the bread machine. It should be between a batter and a runny dough. Shape into 2 ciabatta; long, rough ovals about 4 x 10-inches.

Oil a baking sheet. Let rise until light and bubbly, Bake in a pre-heated 450F (230C) oven spraying with water once or twice during baking. Bake 25 minutes, then cool in turned off oven with door cracked open. Dust with flour.

Ciabatta 3

From alt.bread.recipes

Ingredients for sponge

1 ½ cups bread flour

1 cup water

¼ teaspoon active dry yeast

Method for sponge

Mix the sponge ingredients in a small bowl or in the pan of your bread machine until well combined. Let the sponge rest overnight, covered, or for up to 15 hours.

Ingredients for Dough:

sponge (from above)

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1 ½ cups bread flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk

¼ to ½ cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

Electric mixer method:

Place all of the dough ingredients into the bowl of your mixer, and beat it at medium speed, using the flat beater, for 5 to 8 minutes. The dough will never completely clear the sides of the bowl, though it will begin to acquire some shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours. It will get very puffy.

ABM Method: (Automatic Bread Machine)

Place all of the ingredients into the pan of bread machine, program machine for Manual or Dough, and press Start. Examine the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the second kneading cycle, it should be very tacky, but should be holding its shape somewhat. Adjust the dough’s consistency with additional flour or water, as necessary. Allow the machine to complete its cycle.

Transfer the dough to a well-oiled work surface. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet, and your hands. using a bench knife or your fingers, divide the dough in half. Handling the dough gently, stretch it into a log about 10 inches long, and place it on the baking sheet. Flatten the log with your fingers until it’s about 10 inches long and 4 to 5 inches wide. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 1 hour; it’ll become quite puffy.

Oil your fingers, and gently poke deep holes all over the dough. Re-oil the plastic wrap, re-cover the dough and allow it to rise for an additional hour. Dust the dough very lightly with flour. Bake it in a preheated 425°F (220C) oven, throwing four or five ice cubes on the floor of the oven as you put the bread in. Allow the ciabatta to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it’s golden brown.

Turn off the oven, remove the ciabatta from the baking sheet, and return it to the oven, propping the oven door open a couple of inches with a folded-over potholder. Allow the ciabatta to cool completely in the oven, this will give it a very crisp crust.

Yield: 2 ciabatta, about 4 large servings each.

Ciabatta Bread 2

From alt.bread.recipes

Ingredients for sponge

1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast

2 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F -)

1/3 cup water, room temperature

1 cup bread flour

Ingredients for bread

½ teaspoon active dry yeast

2 tablespoons warm milk

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2/3 cup water, room temperature

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups bread flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt

To Make Sponge:

In a small bowl stir together 1/8-teaspoon of the yeast and the warm water and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In a bowl stir together yeast mixture, 1/3-cup of the room-temperature water, and 1 cup of the bread flour and stir 4 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sponge stand at cool room temperature for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. The sponge will look very dry, this is normal.

To Make Bread:

In a small bowl stir together yeast, sugar, and milk and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with dough hook blend together milk mixture, sponge, water, oil, and flour at low speed until flour is just moistened and beat dough at medium speed 3 minutes. Add salt and beat 8 minutes more. Dough should leave the sides of the bowl. If it does not, add flour a tablespoon at a time. Scrape dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough will be sticky and full of air bubbles.) Have ready a rimless baking sheet and 2 well-floured 12 x 6-inch sheets of parchment paper. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface and cut in half. Transfer each half to a parchment sheet and form into an irregular oval about 9 inches long. Dimple loaves with floured fingers and dust tops with flour. Cover loaves with a dampened kitchen towel. Let loaves rise at room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

At least 45 minutes before baking ciabatta, put a baking stone or 4 to 6 unglazed “quarry” tiles arranged close together on oven rack in lowest position in oven and pre-heat oven to 425F (220 degrees C). Transfer 1 loaf on its parchment to baking sheet with a long side of loaf parallel to far edge of baking sheet. Line up far edge of baking sheet with far edge of stone or tiles, and tilt baking sheet to slide loaf with parchment onto back half of stone or tiles. Transfer remaining loaf to front half of stone or tiles in a similar manner. Bake ciabatta loaves 20 minutes, or until pale golden. With a large spatula transfer loaves to a rack to cool.   Makes 2 – 10-inch long oval loaves.

Hamburger Rolls

Ingredients

1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 cups bread flour

½ teaspoon citric acid

3 tablespoons dry milk powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 ½ teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons active dry yeast

Method

Ingredients to be at room temperature.

Add yeast, and half the sugar, to the warm water.  Allow to stand and become frothy. Add frothy yeast mixture to other ingredients and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adjust water or flour to suit.

Divide dough into 8 equal sections, form each into a ball and place on lightly greased large baking sheet. Flatten each one into shape. Cover with cloth and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour to 90 minutes.

Bake in preheated 190C (375F) oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on cake rack.

Makes 8 rolls

English Muffins – Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Ingredients

½ cup non-fat powdered milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon shortening

1 cup hot water

1 envelope dry yeast

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

non-stick vegetable spray

Special equipment: electric griddle, 3-inch metal rings, see Cook’s Note*

Directions

In a bowl combine the powdered milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of salt, shortening, and hot water, stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Let cool. In a separate bowl combine the yeast and 1/8 teaspoon of sugar in 1/3 cup of warm water and rest until yeast has dissolved. Add this to the dry milk mixture. Add the sifted flour and beat thoroughly with wooden spoon. Cover the bowl and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Preheat the griddle to 300 degrees F.

Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt to mixture and beat thoroughly. Place metal rings onto the griddle and coat lightly with vegetable spray. Using #20 ice cream scoop, place 2 scoops into each ring and cover with a pot lid or cookie sheet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and flip rings using tongs. Cover with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack, remove rings and cool. Split with fork and serve.

*Cook’s Note: Small tuna cans with tops and bottoms removed work well for metal rings.

English Muffins

Ingredients

225ml milk, slightly warm

50ml water, slightly warm

1 sachet dried yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

450g plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

55g lard

Method

Place the warm milk and warm water into a small basin or jug, add the sugar and the yeast, mix lightly and leave in a warm place for about 15 minutes. The mixture will begin to foam. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and stir. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix all the ingredients together until a soft dough is formed; if the dough feels dry, add a little more water a small amount at a time, if too wet add a little more flour.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. 1 hour or more.

Once risen, transfer to a work surface and roll out to 1cm thick. Cut 7cm rounds. Place the muffins on a greased baking sheet and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

Grease a heavy-based frying pan or griddle with a little lard, heat until hot but not burning. Add a few muffins, lower the heat and cook for 7 minutes on each side. Repeat until all the dough is used up.

Crusty Italian Bread

Ingredients

1 sachet (7g) active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 ¼ cups warm water

3 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

extra bread flour for dusting

Method

Combine yeast, water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 cup of flour in mixing bowl. Allow to rest for 10 minutes until the yeast starts bubbling.

Add the remaining flour, sugar and salt and mix until the flour is incorporated. Add the olive oil and knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth.

Coat the dough all over with olive oil and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or and place in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in volume — 45 minutes to an hour or more, depending on temperature.

Punch down the dough, roll into desired loaf shape, cover with plastic again and allow to rise until doubled in volume.

Place a tray of water in the oven and pre-heat to 220C. Turn down to 200 when you put the bread in. Bake 20-30 minutes, depending on shape of loaves. Bread is finished when it makes a hollow sound when you tap on the bottom.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 egg

½ cup mayonnaise

3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)

1 ½ cups plain flour

¾ cup sugar

½ cup walnuts

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon salt

Method

Heat oven to 180C. ?Beat egg, mayonnaise, and bananas in a large bowl until well blended. ?Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. ?Then add to banana mixture and stir to combine. ?Pour into a 20cm loaf pan. ?Bake 1 hour or until inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to sit in pan 10 minutes, and then remove and transfer to a wire rack, allow to cool completely.

Swiss Egg Bread

makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

2 packages active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

¼ cup butter, softened

2 beaten eggs

750g bread flour

Method

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Allow to sit for 10 or 15 minutes. Pour scalded milk over the butter, salt and sugar; stir until the butter melts.  Cool until lukewarm.  Add dissolved yeast and beaten eggs, and beat in the first few cups of flour.  Mix well, then gradually add remaining flour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth This is not a stiff dough nor a soft dough, but nicely pliable.

Let rise in lightly greased bowl until doubled.  (Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.)

Punch dough down when doubled.  This recipe makes two loaves.  Form into 6 equal ropes and braid 3 ropes and place on a baking sheet, then braid the other 3 ropes and place beside the first loaf.

Bake in a pre-heated 200C oven on a middle shelf for 40 minutes.

If you wish to glaze the loaves beat 1 egg yolk plus one tablespoon water. Brush onto loaf before baking

Cinnamon Buns

These are the nicest cinnamon buns you will ever make. The recipe here makes a lot of bread so you might like to halve the quantities.

Dough:

1 cup warm water

2 satchels dry yeast, 7 g each

¾ cup sugar

1 cup milk, lukewarm

¾ cup butter, softened

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons salt

7 to 8 cups plain flour, or more as needed

Filling: 1 cup butter, melted

1 ¾ cups sugar

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 ½ cups chopped walnuts, optional

1 ½ cups raisins, optional

Glaze ½ cup butter, melted

4 cups icing sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

¼ to ½ cups hot water

Method for dough: Combine warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in cup. ?Stir. Set aside. In large bowl, combine milk, remaining ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup butter, eggs and salt. Stir well. Add yeast mixture. Add 3 ½ ?cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour until ?dough is slightly stiff. (Note: it will be sticky.) Turn out onto ?well-floured surface. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes, adding just enough ?flour to keep dough from sticking.

Place in a buttered glass or plastic bowl to rise. ?Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from drafts, for 1 to 1 ½ hours, ?or until doubled in volume. Punch down dough. Let rest for 5 minutes. ?Roll out onto lightly floured surface into 15- by 20-inch rectangle.

To make filling: Spread ½ cup melted butter on dough. In small bowl, ?combine 1 ½ cups sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle ?with walnuts and raisins. Roll up, jellyroll style. Pinch edges to ?seal. Cut into 12 or 18 slices.

To let buns rise: If making 12 buns, use remaining ½ cup butter to ?coat bottoms of 30cm x 20cm baking pan and 20cm square baking pan. ?If making 18 buns, use two 22cm x 20 pans. Sprinkle pans with ?remaining ¼ cup sugar. Place slices close together in pans. (Note: ?At this point, you can cover and refrigerate overnight; bring back to ?room temperature before baking.) Cover. Let rise in warm place for 45 ?minutes, or until dough is doubled in volume.

To bake buns: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, ?or until buns are nicely browned. Let cool slightly before glazing.

Glaze: In medium bowl, combine melted butter, confectioners’ ?sugar and vanilla. Add hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you ?have spreadable glaze. Spread over buns. Serve. (Otherwise, sprinkle ?buns with icing sugar.)

Makes 12 to 18 large buns.

Jason’s Quick Coccodrillo Ciabatta Bread

This recipe was originally posted on usenet in the great alt.bread.recipes group by Jason Molina.

500g bread flour

475g (~2 cups) water

2 tsp. yeast

15g salt

Variation (Semolina)

350g bread flour

150g semolina flour

475-485g (~2cups) water

2tsp. yeast

15g salt

In Kitchen Aid style mixer: Mix all ingredients roughly till combined with paddle, let it rest for 10 minutes.

With the paddle (I prefer the hook to prevent the dough from crawling into the guts of the mixer), beat the living hell out of the batter, it will start out like pancake batter but in anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes it will set up and work like a very sticky dough. if it starts climbing too soon, then switch to the hook. You’ll know it’s done when it separates from the side of the bowl and starts to climb up your hook/paddle and just coming off the bottom of the bowl. I mean this literally about the climbing, i once didn’t pay attention and it climbed up my paddle into the greasy inner workings of the mixer. It was not pretty! Anyway, it will definitely pass the windowpane test.

Place into a well oiled container and let it triple! it must triple! For me this takes about 2.5 hours

Empty on to a floured counter (scrape if you must, however you gotta get the gloop out), cut into 3 or 4 pieces. Spray with oil and dust with lots o’ flour. Let them proof for about 45 minutes, which gives you enough time to crank that oven up to 500F (260C).

After 45 minutes or so the loaves should be puffy and wobbly, now it’s iron fist, velvet glove time. Pick up and stretch into your final ciabatta shape (~10″ oblong rectangle) and flip them upside down (this redistributes the bubbles, so you get even bubbles throughout), and onto parchment or a heavily floured peel. Try to do it in one motion and be gentle, it might look like you’ve ruined them completely, but the oven spring is immense on these things.

Bake at 500F until they are 205F in the center (about 15-20 minutes), rotating 180 degrees half way through. Some people like to turn the oven down to 450F after 10 minutes, but whatever floats your boat. I usually bake in 2 batches.

Garlic Herb Bread

Ingredients

1 french stick

90g butter

2 cloves garlic, crushed

a sprinkling of dried herbs, parsley, oregano, or mixed herbs

Method

Mix butter, garlic, and herbs together. Slice bread into thick slices and butter each slice on both sides with butter mixture. Put bread back together and wrap in silver foil. Bake for 10 minutes at 180C, then open top of silver foil and bake a further 5 minutes.

Can be made a day ahead, can also be frozen.

Stollen – Germany

Ingredients

1 quantity of Rich Cream Dough

½ cup currants

¾ cup blanched almonds, chopped

½ cup sultanas

¼ cup mixed peel

sifted icing sugar

Method

Knead fruit and almonds into dough. Roll into an oval about 24cm long. Measure an off centre line, and fold the smaller side over the larger side. Leave in a warm place to double in size. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 180C. Cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Rich Cream Dough

Ingredients

3 teaspoons dried yeast (3 x sachets 7g)

¼ cup warm water

1 cup cream

3 egg yolks

¼ cup evaporated milk

3 ¼ cups plain flour

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

softened butter, extra

Method

Dissolve yeast in warm water, add cream, egg yolks, and milk. Cover, and stand in a warm place.

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add sugar, cut in butter, and mix well to combine. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough. Cover tightly with film and refrigerate overnight.

Dough can be kept refrigerated for 4 or 5 days.

Savarin

Ingredients

½ teaspoon dried yeast

4 tablespoons warm water

4 tablespoons warm milk

250g plain flour

60g sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

60g butter, softened

Method

A mixer with a dough hook is a handy tool for this recipe, though it is done very well by hand also.

Add milk to water and sprinkle yeast over the surface. Allow to sit in a warm place for about 10 minutes.

Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl, add sugar and mix in. Beat eggs with vanilla and add to yeast mixture. Stir a little, then add to flour mixture. Mix well by hand. Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough, cover, and allow to double in size. Punch down and beat again until dough leaves the side of the bowl.

Place in a deep cake tin or savarin mould. Cover, and allow to stand until batter has risen to almost the top of the tin (about 45 minutes)

Bake at 200C for about 10 minutes, then a further 25 to 30 minutes at 180C.

Allow to cool a little then turn out onto a wire rack.

Prick the bottom of the cake and pour on syrup. Keep spooning the syrup that comes out of the cake back into the cake.

Syrup

300ml water

250g sugar

½ cup dark rum

Boil sugar and water together until sugar has dissolved, then add rum.

Rich Cream Dough

Ingredients

3 teaspoons dried yeast (3 x sachets 7g)

¼ cup warm water

1 cup cream

3 egg yolks

¼ cup evaporated milk

3 ¼ cups plain flour

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

softened butter, extra

Method

Dissolve yeast in warm water, add cream, egg yolks, and milk. Cover, and stand in a warm place.

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add sugar, cut in butter, and mix well to combine. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough. Cover tightly with film and refrigerate overnight.

Dough can be kept refrigerated for 4 or 5 days.

Panettone – Italy

Ingredients

1 quantity of Rich Cream Dough (recipe below)

½ cup sultanas

½ cup candied peel

2 tablespoons melted butter

icing sugar

Method

Knead fruit into dough, divide into 2 smooth balls. Place into round 20cm cake pans and cut a deep cross across the surface of each. Brush with melted butter.

Stand in warm place for 1 hour, then bake for 45 minutes at 180C. Brush again with butter and sift with icing sugar.

Rich Cream Dough

Ingredients

3 teaspoons dried yeast (3 x sachets 7g)

¼ cup warm water

1 cup cream

3 egg yolks

¼ cup evaporated milk

3 ¼ cups plain flour

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

softened butter, extra

Method

Dissolve yeast in warm water, add cream, egg yolks, and milk. Cover, and stand in a warm place.

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add sugar, cut in butter, and mix well to combine. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough. Cover tightly with film and refrigerate overnight.

Dough can be kept refrigerated for 4 or 5 days.

Marmalade Pikelets

Ingredients

1 egg,

1 tablespoon marmalade

½ cup milk

1 cup plain flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon melted butter

4 teaspoon baking powder

Method

Beat egg and half the milk together and stir in marmalade. Sift flour and salt, add to egg mixture, then add remainder of milk and whisk together. Stir in butter, and fold in baking powder. Allow to sit for a few minutes.

Lightly greasy frying pan, drop spoonfuls onto hot pan. First side is done when bubbles form on the surface. Turn and brown the other side. Serve with butter.

Fruit Filled Pastry – Italy

Ingredients

½ quantity Rich Cream Dough

250g dried apricots or pitted prunes

½ cup sugar

1 cup water

1 egg white

¼ cup almonds, chopped

extra sugar

Method

Simmer prunes or apricots in water until soft. Drain, puree in a blender until smooth. Allow to cool.

Roll dough into 4 pieces each 20cm x 9cm. Spread with filling and sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Roll in cylinder shapes starting from the short end.

Stand until pastry has risen then bake for 15 minutes at 180C.

Brush with icing sugar mixed with a little water while hot.

Rich Cream Dough

Ingredients

3 teaspoons dried yeast (3 x sachets 7g)

¼ cup warm water

1 cup cream

3 egg yolks

¼ cup evaporated milk

3 ¼ cups plain flour

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

softened butter, extra

Method

Dissolve yeast in warm water, add cream, egg yolks, and milk. Cover, and stand in a warm place.

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add sugar, cut in butter, and mix well to combine. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough. Cover tightly with film and refrigerate overnight.

Dough can be kept refrigerated for 4 or 5 days.

Almond Buns

Ingredients

a quantity of rich cream dough

Almond Filling

2 cups almond slithers

¼ cup butter

2 tablespoons milk

1 410g can condensed milk

¼ cup raisins

icing

Method

Combine all ingredients, except raisins, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add raisins and allow to cool.

Roll dough to a rectangle 40cm x 30cm. Spread with filling and roll up from the short side to form a log shape and seal the ends.

Cut into 15 even slices and place on a baking tray. Allow to rise until doubled then bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 180C. Drizzle with icing while hot.

Rich Cream Dough

Ingredients

3 teaspoons dried yeast (3 x sachets 7g)

¼ cup warm water

1 cup cream

3 egg yolks

¼ cup evaporated milk

3 ¼ cups plain flour

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

softened butter, extra

Method

Dissolve yeast in warm water, add cream, egg yolks, and milk. Cover, and stand in a warm place.

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add sugar, cut in butter, and mix well to combine. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough. Cover tightly with film and refrigerate overnight.

Dough can be kept refrigerated for 4 or 5 days.

Coffee Scrolls – Chelsea Buns

Ingredients

280g plain flour

¼ teaspoon salt

30g butter

½ teaspoon dried yeast

150ml warm milk

30g sultanas sultanas

30g mixed peel

½ teaspoon alspice

30g sugar

30g caster sugar

milk or beaten egg to glaze

Method

Combine yeast with warm milk and a small amount of the sugar and allow to sit for 10 minutes to begin to work.

Rub butter into flour and salt and add the yeast mixture and beat well. Cover and set aside until mixture doubles in size. Knead dough lightly and roll to a square of about 25cm. Sprinkle with sugar, allspice, and fruit and roll into a log shape. Cut log into 6 or 7 pieces. Lay pieces flat on a greased baking pan. Allow to stand until pieces have doubled in size. Brush with milk or egg glaze, then bake at 210C for 20 minutes or until golden on top.

Scrolls can be iced with coffee icing or sprinkled with caster sugar.

Crumpets

Ingredients

1 x 7g sachet dried yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup water

3 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon bread improver

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 cup warm water

Method

Heat milk, sugar, and water to lukewarm and add yeast. Cover, and allow to sit for around 10 minutes so yeast can begin to work.

Stir in flour gradually, mixing well. Cover and stand in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size.

Dissolve salt and bicarbonate of soda in extra water and add to flour mixture a little at a time making sure that it is well combined. Cover and stand for 30 minutes.

Heat a heavy based frying pan to moderate temperature. Grease crumpet rings. Add mixture to crumpet rings to almost full. Cook until top has begun to form bubbles, about 5 minutes. Remove rings and turn crumpets to cook the other side. Place crumpets on a wire rack to cool.

Toast and serve with butter or your favourite topping.

Pizza Dough 2

Ingredients

1 teaspoon dry yeast

teaspoon sugar

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 ¼ cups warm water

3 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

Method

In a small bowl add yeast, warm water and sugar. Allow sit for 5 minutes until yeast becomes frothy. Place olive oil and flour in the bowl of an electric mixer and using a dough hook, mix until roughly blended. Add yeast mixture and salt, and mix until dough becomes a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 or 2 hours until doubled.

Roll out to desired thickness and size and top with topping of your choice.

Rieska Bread – Finland

Ingredients

2 cups rye or barley flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

Method

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix to form a firm dough. Grease a flat baking tray and place dough in the centre and flatten out to about 10 to 12 cm thick.

Prick surface, and bake at 230C for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Pizza Dough 3

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups lukewarm water

½ teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons dry yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

100g semolina

400g strong flour

2 teaspoons salt

Method

In the bowl of an electric mixer place the water, the sugar, and the yeast. All ow to sit for 10 minutes. Add half the flours, mix until well combined. Add the remaining flour and using a dough hook, mix until a ball starts to form. If dough is too dry add some water, if it is too wet, add some flour.

Knead the dough for about 7 or 8 minutes or so. Divide into 4 balls and coat each ball with oil and place on a tray and cover with plastic wrap. Don’t allow the balls to touch. Stand in a warm place for 2 hours and balls should double in size.

Roll out to desired to thickness and diameter and top with a topping of your choice.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients

1 x 7g sachet dried yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

150ml warm water

½ teaspoon salt

250g plain flour

Method

Dissolve yeast in water and add sugar. Place in a warm area for 15 minutes. Sift flour and salt and place half into an electric mixer. Add yeast mixture and beat for about 2 minutes. Add remaining flour and mix until smooth. This is best done with a dough hook fitted to the mixer.

Cover and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Knead dough and spread over the base of an oiled pizza tray.

Cover with desired topping and bake at 190C for 20 minutes

Light Wholemeal Bread

Ingredients

2 cups milk, lukewarm

500g wholemeal flour

2 teaspoons salt

3 cups strong white flour

3 teaspoons gluten

3 sachets dried yeast, 7g each

1 tablespoon raw sugar

¼ cup warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons wheatgerm

Method

Sift wholemeal flour 3 times into a large bowl and set aside. In another bowl, add 3 cups of the sifted wholemeal flour, plain flour, and gluten.

In a small bowl add yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes until frothy, then add the milk and oil and stir to combine. Add wheatgerm and flours, withholding 1 cup for kneading. Knead for 15 minutes, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place.

Punch down and place dough in baking tins. Cover and allow to sit a little longer then bake for 45 minutes at 190C

This recipe works well using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

3 sachets dry yeast, 3 x 7g sachets

90g sugar

300ml warm milk

500g plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon mixed spice

60g butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

60g sultanas

60g currants

30g mixed peel

Method

In a small bowl, combine yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and half a cup of the warm milk. Set aside for 20 minutes or until frothy.

Sift flour with salt and spices, add yeast mixture, remaining sugar, milk, melted butter, and beaten egg. Mix in the fruit and knead until dough is dry to touch.

Shape into 12 buns and place close together on a greased baking pan with side around 20cm or more. Cover and allow to rise. Dough will become springy.

Bake at 200C for 15 to 20 minutes.

The Crosses

2 tablespoons plain flour mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water. Pipe onto buns with an icing bag, or a plastic bag with a small hole cut in one corner.

The Glaze

Mix together 2 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup water. Heat in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Brush onto buns while buns are still hot.

French Sticks or French Rolls

Ingredients

3 x 7 g packets dried yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm water

1 cup plain flour

2 ½ cups warm water

1 tablespoon salt

1 kg strong flour

sesame seeds

Method

Cream yeast and sugar and dissolve in warm water. Add 1 cup plain flour, mix well, cover, and leave for 6 hours. Place ¾ of the strong flour in a bowl and make a well. Add the yeast mixture and form into a dough adding more flour as required. Knead on a floured surface. Cover and leave in a warm place to double in size.

Punch down and knead for 5 minutes. Divide into long rolls or round rolls and place on warmed greased baking trays. Make diagonal slashes on the loaves and sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Brush with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds or flour.

Place a pan of boiling water in the bottom of the oven, bake for 20 minutes at 230C.

The boiling water will create moisture to improve crustiness.

Wholegrain Bread

Ingredients

3, 7g sachets dried yeast

2 teaspoons brown sugar

½ cup warm water

750g wholemeal flour

1 cup powdered milk

½ cup wheatgerm

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons bran

1 cup mixed whole grain

1 tablespoon treacle

2 cups warm water

Method

Dissolve yeast and sugar in ½ warm water. Cover and set aside and allow to go frothy. Mix flour, wheatgerm, powdered milk, whole grain, bran, and salt in a large bowl. Mix treacle with two cups warm water. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, then the treacle mixture. Cover basin with a cloth and stand in a warm place until dough has doubled.

Turn out onto a floured surface until dough until it is elastic and not sticky.

Shape into rolls or loaves. If making a loaf grease loaf tins and fill to ¾ high. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 220C. Load should feel hollow on the bottom when tapped.

Wholemeal Fruit Loaf

Ingredients

3, 7g sachets dried yeast

2 teaspoons brown sugar

½ cup warm water

750g wholemeal flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons wheatgerm

1 tablespoon treacle

2 cups warm water

1 cup of mixed fruit

1 tablespoon mixed spice

½ cup brown sugar

Method

Dissolve yeast and sugar in ½ warm water. Cover and set aside and allow to go frothy. Mix flour, wheatgerm, and salt in a large bowl. Mix treacle with two cups warm water. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, then the treacle mixture. Cover basin with a cloth and stand in a warm place until dough has doubled.

Turn out onto a floured surface until dough until it is elastic and not sticky. Flatten dough and sprinkle with mixed fruit, extra sugar, and mixed spice.

Shape into rolls or loaves. If making a loaf grease loaf tins and fill to ¾ high. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 220C. Load should feel hollow on the bottom when tapped.

Wholemeal Bread

Ingredients

3, 7g sachets dried yeast

2 teaspoons brown sugar

½ cup warm water

750g wholemeal flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons wheatgerm

1 tablespoon treacle

2 cups warm water

Method

Dissolve yeast and sugar in ½ warm water. Cover and set aside and allow to go frothy. Mix flour, wheatgerm, and salt in a large bowl. Mix treacle with two cups warm water. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, then the treacle mixture. Cover basin with a cloth and stand in a warm place until dough has doubled.

Turn out onto a floured surface until dough until it is elastic and not sticky.

Shape into rolls or loaves. If making a loaf grease loaf tins and fill to ¾ high. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 220C. Load should feel hollow on the bottom when tapped.

Cinnamon Bread

Ingredients

7g (1 sachet) active dry yeast

3 tablespoons of warm water

1 cup milk, slightly warmed

5 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter

3 tablespoons of sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon of salt

3 ½ cups strong flour (bread flour)

Raisin Mix

½ cup raisins

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze

1 egg

Pinch of salt

Method

Mix yeast and water in a small bowl and let stand for ten or 15 minutes until yeast becomes frothy.

Place remaining ingredients, except for the flour, into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, and add yeast mixture. Mix for 1 minute on low speed. Gradually add 3 ½ cups of flour, and only add the other ½ cup, a bit at a time, if needed to form a firm dough. Dough should form a firm ball and not stick to the sides of the bowl.

Knead for about 10 minutes by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and rub over oil coat. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in volume.

While the dough is rising place raisins in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover by 1/2 inch and bring to a boil. Drain well and let cool.

Stir together sugar and cinnamon.

Grease a 20cm loaf pan. Punch down dough and roll into an 20cm x 45cm about 1cm thick. Brush the surface of the dough with 1½ teaspoons of melted butter. Sprinkle all but 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon mixture over the dough and spread the raisins evenly over the surface. Starting from one 8” side, roll up the dough and pinch the seam and ends closed. Place seam side down in the pan. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 180C. Whisk egg and salt together and gently brush over the top of the loaf. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the remaining cinnamon mixture. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and the bottom of the sounds hollow when tapped, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove loaf from the pan onto a cooling rack. While the bread is still hot, brush the top with: 2 teaspoons of melted butter. Let cool completely before slicing.

Almond Bread

Ingredients

4 egg whites

125g caster sugar

125g plain flour

125g whole unbleached almonds

Method

Beat egg whites until peaks form, add sugar and beat well. Fold in flour and almonds. Spoon into a greased loaf tin and cook for 30 minutes at 180C. Allow to cool and wrap in aluminium foil and store for 5 days.

Slice very thinly and toast at 180C until brown and crisp.

Store in an airtight tin.

Garlic Bread

Ingredients

Bread

Butter

Garlic

Oregano

Salt, optional

Method

For this recipe we are using a french stick but any bread will be just as good.

Slice bread stick into 2cm slices but don’t cut the bread all the way through.

Soften butter a little and add garlic, oregano, and a sprinkling of salt No salt is ok too. Spread butter mix between the slices of bread. Wrap in silver foil, and bake at 180C for about 15 minutes. Open top of silver foil to expose bread and bake another 5 minutes until top starts to brown.

Flatbread

Ingredients

2 cups Plain flour

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp dried yeast

1½ cups warm milk

2 tsp olive oil

Method

Combine all ingredients except the olive oil and mix until it becomes a dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Put the olive oil into a large bowl then add dough and cover completely in the oil. Leave for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Divide into 4 inch circles 5mm thick. Cook on a BBQ or heavy skillet. Serve with dips

Boston Bun 2

Ingredients

1 cup (220g) sugar (or sugar substitute)

½ cup mashed potato

1 cup (250ml) milk

1 cup (155g) sultanas

2 cups (250g) self-raising flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon mixed spice

The Icing

185g icing sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

30g melted butter

3 teaspoons desiccated coconut

Method

Cream sugar and potato in a bowl and add sultanas.

Sift flour and spices and alternately add flour and milk to sugar mixture.

Pour into cake tin and bake in moderate oven 40-50 minutes.

Cool and ice if desired.

Easy Bran Loaf

Ingredients

1 cup bran

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter, melted

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup wholemeal self raising flour

1 tablespoon golden syrup

1 cup dried apricots, chopped finely

Method

Mix all ingredients, except flour, together and allow to sit for several hours. Sift flour and add to mixture.

Bake 190C for 50 to 60 minutes. Test with a skewer.

Barm Brack

Ingredients

500g mixed dried fruit

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup black tea, cold

2 cups self raising flour

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

Soak fruit with sugar overnight in the tea. Add flour, bicarbonate of soda, and egg to fruit mixture. Mix carefully to not break up the fruit.

Grease a 20cm loaf tin and line with baking paper. Pour in mixture and bake for 90 minutes at 150C. Bake on a middle shelf.

Test with a skewer. If skewer comes out clean the loaf is done.

Wholemeal Honey Scone

Ingredients

250g wholemeal flour

2 tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk, warmed

Method

Mix honey and warm milk. Combine milk mixture with flour and mix to a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly. The scones will be lighter if the dough is less handled. Flatten out dough to 1 cm using the heel of your hand. Cut out circles with a scone cutter. Place scones nearly touching on a baking tray.

Bake at 220C for 8 to 10 minutes

Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1 medium egg, beaten

¼ cup cooked pumpkin, mashed

¼ cup milk

1½ cups self raising flour

Method

Preheat oven to 200C

Beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg, pumpkin and milk. Beat well.

And add flour, make into a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly.

Press out a rectangle and cut into 12 squares. Place on nonstick pan and bake about 20 minutes.

Plain Scone

Ingredients

250g self raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk

Method

Sift flour, salt, and powdered milk. Cut butter into flour and rub in lightly with fingertips. Add milk and mix to a soft dough.

Knead lightly and roll out to 1cm thick. (less handling will make for a lighter scone) Cut circles with a scone cutter.

Place scones on a tray and bake at 220C for about 8 to 10 minutes

Naan Bread

Ingredients

1 teaspoon dried active yeast
1 teaspoon brown sugar
200g plain flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoon natural yoghurt
2 tablespoon milk

Method

Mix 1 teaspoon of dried yeast with 1 tablespoon of warm water and a teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl and set aside and allow to go frothy

Mix 200g of plain flour, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of baking powder in a large bowl. Mix wellAdd 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt, 2 tablespoons of milk and the yeast mixture

Knead the dough for about 5 or 6 minutes

Dampen a tea towel or small cloth, and use it to cover the mixing bowl. Leave it in a warm place to rise. This should take 10 to 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius

When the dough is ready, it will be springy. Divide the dough into 4 equally sized balls. Roll each into a long oval shape, about half a centimetre thick.Place the ovals of dough onto a greased tray, and then in the centre of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. When they’re ready, they should be light golden, soft and crumbly.

Peanut Butter Bread

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter

Method

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add eggs, milk and peanut butter. Beat well and add to dry ingredients.

Grease a 20cm loaf tin, pour in mixture. Bake at 180C for 1 hour on middle shelf.

Irish Potato Bread

Ingredients

2 cups mashed potato
½ cup warm water
1tablespoon dry yeast
2tbs sugar
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup milk with large spoon of yoghurt added
3 ½ cups plain flour
½ tbs salt

Method

Place yeast and water in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of sugar and set aside for 20 minutes.Combine potato, olive oil, and milk mixture.Place flour salt and remainder of sugar in another bowl.Add the yeast mixture to the potato mixture then add that to the flour.

Kneed for 10 minutes until it becomes a soft dough.Leave for an hour until it doubles in size then knead again for a few minutes.

Bake in a large pan at 180C for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.Can also be used for rolls

Hot Cross Tea Bread

Ingredients

200ml milk
1 tsp caster sugar
7g sachet dry active yeast
400g strong flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
50g brown sugar
175g mixed dried fruit
50g unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until lukewarm. Combine the caster sugar, yeast and 100g flour with the warm milk in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 25 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface.

Grease an 18cm springform cake pan. In the mixer bowl, sift together the cinnamon, nutmeg, remaining flour and 1 teaspoon salt, brown sugar and dried fruit, then add the yeast mixture, cooled melted butter and egg. Knead for 5-6 minutes or until you have a smooth dough.

Shape the dough into a round and place in the cake pan. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes. The dough should rise to just above the rim of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

For the cross decoration, combine the plain flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Pipe onto bun.Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and cooked through. Cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack.

Meanwhile, to make a glaze, place the 2 tablespoons caster sugar in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons water and simmer for 1 minute or until the sugar dissolves. Brush the glaze over the bun, then serve warm with butter.

Date Scones

Ingredients

250g self raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk
½ cup chopped dates

Method

Rub butter into flour with fingers, add milk and dates, and mix to a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly. The scones will be lighter if the dough is less handled. Flatten out dough to 1 cm using the heel of your hand. Stamp out circles with a scone cutter. Place scones nearly touching on a baking tray.

Bake at 220C for 8 to 10 minutes

Hot Cross Buns

Curry Scones

Ingredients

250g self raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon curry powder

Method

Sift flour and curry powder. Rub butter into flour mixture with fingers, add milk and mix to a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly. The scones will be lighter if the dough is less handled. Flatten out dough to 1 cm using the heel of your hand. Stamp out circles with a scone cutter. Place scones nearly touching on a baking tray.

Bake at 220C for 8 to 10 minutes

Bread Rolls

Ingredients

3 cups (450g) strong plain flour
½ tsp salt
40g butter
1 cup (250ml) warm milk
1 tbs (14g/2 sachets) dried yeast
2 tsp caster sugar
plain flour, to dust

Method

Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add butter and rub until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Combine milk, yeast and sugar in a jug; set aside for 5 minutes or until frothy.

Add to flour mixture; stir to combine.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

Brush a large bowl with oil. Place dough in bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead for 2 minutes or until smooth. Divide dough into eight even portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Place on lightly floured oven tray.

Set aside for 10 minutes to rise. Lightly brush rolls with a little water and dust with extra flour. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C; bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on base.