Whole Wheat Focaccia

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I am trying out a lot of whole wheat baking for my little family. I did not get around to take pictures of most of it, but from now onward I promise you that I will try to keep a record of recipe and pictures to share with you all. I really enjoyed baking this bread and sharing with my family.They even commented that this tastes better than this classic Focaccia I often bake.The lil guy was keeping on coming back to kitchen to snack on this. I must tell you that he is such a picky eater when it comes to cakes and bakes !

Whole Wheat Flaxmeal Banana Bread

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Whenever I have some over ripe bananas,I bake banana bread or if I cannot make the bread immediately, I store them in ziploc bags in my freezer,until they are pulled out and squished into a banana bread batter. Sometimes, I wait patiently for bananas to go over ripe,so that I can make banana bread. Now you got it, I love baking and eating banana bread !

I have tried several different variations of the classic banana bread. But I haven't posted them all here, except this strawberry-banana-nut bread.I share only the best with you, because you deserve only the best ! This bread recipe is a keeper and I recommend you all try this. And for the health nuts,there is no better way to bake a moist banana bread as healthy and tasty as this.Flax-meal makes this bread super moist even when it has only half the quantity butter in it,compared to the original.

Everyone in my family,including my lil monster loves banana and banana bread.

Herbed Focaccia

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"Mamma Mamma,I broke my hair". Little M was trying to grab my attention by pulling my trousers and I looked down saying "oh, it's ok! How did you break the hair? What happened?" Lil M looked at me confused as if he was wondering why his mother was not taking him seriously. He persisted and explained how he pulled his hair. But what made my jaw drop is when he said " I need to see a doctor". "What!" I thought in my head, but trying hard hard not to crack up said, "It's ok buddy!. You don't need to see a doctor if you broke a hair. It is fine". He looked evern more perplexed with my calm and dolefully said "Ok, so can I have a Bandaid then?" This time I couldn't stop laughing out loud. Now, you help me understand, am I dealing with a dumb or a smart boy at home?

Stories apart, today I want to share the recipe for a focaccia. A simple and easy method,which I have been following successfully at home. Are you intimidated about yeast/yeast breads? If yes, then this is a perfect recipe to start with. You could never go wrong with a Focaccia recipe,like this. I have tried it several times and it always turned out perfect.

The texture is great and the taste is wonderful !

Ingredients:

Lukewarm water- 1 3/4 cups,divided
Sugar- 1 tsp
Active dry yeast- 2 tsp
Bread flour- 3 cups
A P flour- 3/4 cup
Salt- 2 tsp
extra virgin olive oil- 1 Tbsp

For Olive Oil topping:

Warm Olive oil- 3 Tbsp
Optional herbs/spices:(You can combine your favorites)
Freshly ground black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Dried oregano- 2 tsp
Dried basil- 1 tsp
Dried sage
Fresh Rosemary- 2 Tbsp (1 tsp if dried)
Garlic powder- 1 tsp

Method:


1.Take 1/4 cup of lukewarm water and mix yeast and sugar and set aside for a couple of minutes or until its frothy.
2.In the bowl of your electric mixer - mix the flour, and salt together.
3.Add to it a tablespoon of oil and mix again.
4.Start pouring in the rest of the lukewarm water into the dough and start mixing.
5. Follow it with frothy yeast and continue mixing the dough.
6.Slowly add the rest of the water and mix until the dough comes together and leave the sides of the bowl.
7.Continue kneading for 5-6 minutes or until the kneading is done. (you can test this by pushing down the dough with your finer and if it is done, the dough will bounce back).
8.The dough shouldn't be too tight. It is better if it's on the stickier side.
9.Take out the dough from the bowl and make a smooth ball out of it.Spoon over some olive oil to coat the dough ball and the bottom of the bowl.Cover this and keep in a warm place to rise to double. This may take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
19.Take out the dough from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured work surface.
20.Prepare a baking pan by greasing and place the dough in it and flatten the dough till it is about an inch thick.
21.Cover it and let it rest for 30-40 minutes.
22.Preheat the oven at 400 degree F.
23.Make the herb oil by warming the oil in a microwave safe bowl/to be on a safer side, keep in a thick bottom pan that is small and warming the oil. If you are using a microwave, be very careful, do not burn yourself or the oil :-) Keep the oil for 15 seconds and check and keep another 15 seconds until it is warm enough.
24.Mix the herbs in the warm oil and mix well.
25.When the dough is ready, risen double, dimple it with your finger tips and brush with this herb oil.
26.Bake on the center rack of the oven for 18-20 minutes or until it is slightly browned on top.
27.Cool on a wire rack before you slice it.

Sending this bread to Yeastspotting.

Notes:

1.You could use any pizza recipe to make this bread.
2.The herb toppings is up to your imagination. You could use any combo of your choice.
3.You could add more olive oil on the top if you wish.

Adapted from : Flavored breads by Mark Miller and Andrew Maclauchlan
and Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart
Contributor: Namitha

Challah

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I had a fantastic weekend with friends. I hope you had a good time as well. Isn’t spring about new birth and hope of wonderful things to come? And so is a get together for a baby shower! That was the high point of my weekend. My friend, the mother-to-be, was glowing and happy to see us all gather in her honor.  We played games, ate a lot of food and generally had a good time.

  Some of the games were a little distressing because it made me painfully aware how inept I am.  For  example the game - of unscrambling words.  One of the words to unscramble was ‘emtipan’ and I kept thinking that must be ‘emit pan’ confusing the meaning to that of ‘slop jar.’ Yeah, I know! Strange indeed are the patterns of my brain! But finally, when I was told it meant ‘nap time’ I could only put up my hands in defeat, shake my head and hang it low.  But not for long.  There were these adorable children! Just cute enough you could eat them.  Delicious kinds! They kept running and playing around the room. Oh boy, how they make my insides turn into mush with their dimpled smiles and outrageous pranks. Had a real good time with them children!  That made everything else seem trivial.

Let’s get to the more important reason we are all here, the recipe - Challah. A Jewish bread that is delicious! Some of you may disagree because it has a pronounced taste of egg. But as for me, I love it. It is also very pretty to simply lay it out on your table, and see your guests gush out in surprise. And when you tell them you baked it - priceless!

Ingredients:
Water – 1 cup
Yeast - 1 packet active dry yeast
Sugar – 1/4 cup + 1 tspn
Eggs – 3
Bread Flour – 3 ½ - 4 cups
Salt – 1 ½ tspn
Oil – ¼ cup + 2 Tbspn

Method:
1. Take a big bowl in which you can knead the dough. Pour 1 cup of warm (110 D F) and add the yeast and about 1 tspn of the sugar. Stir and let it stand. It will froth in about 5 – 10 minutes.
2. Add salt and the remaining sugar to 3 1/2 cups of flour and set aside.
3. Beat the egg lightly and reserve about 2 tbspn to brush the bread later.
4. Add the beaten eggs and oil into the bowl, mix well and add the flour, sugar and salt mixture.
5. Using the hook of your hand blender or stand mixer, beat the bread until it leaves the sides of the pan and come together. This should take about 5 to 6 minutes.
6. Dust a clean surface with flour and slide over the dough. Knead until you get a smooth and supple dough
7. Cover and set aside to rise for about 2 hours.
8. Once it has doubled in size, punch down and tucking in the edges make a round smooth dough.
9. Cut them evenly into 6 pieces.
10. Roll them using a little flour if you need to make long strands.
11. Lay all the six strands side by side and join one end, seal and tuck in.
12. Now you braid and tuck the other end.
13. Brush the bread with egg and lay it on a cookie sheet covered to rise. For about 1/2 an hour to 1.
14. Once it doubles brush them with another coating of the egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake at 375 D F for 35 – 40 minutes.
15. To test if the bread is done knock over the bread and it should sound hollow.
To learn how to braid the bread see a video here.

Contributor: Sunitha

Peter Reinhart's Buttermilk White Bread

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White bread always reminds me of freshly-baked breads in bakeries, back in my hometown, Kottayam. I think most families have their own favorite bakeries, where they pick up their goodies. Like white breads, rusk and cup cakes were some of our favorites which we always brought. Talking about which, I remember vendors carrying baked buns and dilkhush in bamboo baskets, and selling them door-to-door. My granny would buy us children whatever we point at! You know, the things most parents would stir away from. Grandparents are like that! They are here to pamper grand kids and spoil them! Right? I wouldn’t have it any other way.





I have tried several bread recipes, some of them are posted on this site. But I have never tried baking white bread, so far. We (my family and I) do not like the usual store-brought white bread. Then again, when you bake them, it is a different story. This is why I started searching for a white bread recipe, and yet not the usual, but something different, something special! Bingo! I found it in the recipe I am sharing with you today. The butter, buttermilk and egg that goes into this recipe gives the bread a die-for-it flavor nobody can resist. I saw this recipe was recommended by many other sites when I decided to give it a go myself. I would not talk about the recipe to you unless everyone in my family loved it. Great recipe!

I made buns using half the dough and they came out great as well !




Serve it with your favorite spread or with soup






Ingredients:

Bread flour- 4 cups +1/4 cup if necessary
Salt- 1 1/2 tsp
Sugar- 3 Tbsp
Active dry yeast- 2 tsp (approx 1 packet)
Butter- 1/4 cup at room temperature
Buttermilk- 1 1/2 cup
Egg,slightly beaten,optional,for brushing on top- 1

Method:

1.Stir together the 4 cups of flour,salt,sugar and yeast using a spatula or your mixer.(yes,you don't have to dissolve the yeast in anything)
2.Add the softened butter,buttermilk and lightly beaten egg and mix well, till the dough comes together.
3.Knead well for 6-7 minutes using your kitchenaid.
4.If you are using hands, then transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead well for at least 10 minutes.(the dough is a little bit on harder side )
5.Spray or coat with oil and cover the dough. Keep in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
6.Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and divide the dough into 2 equal parts, if you are making bread and cover with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes.(I divided one part into 6 and made some buns too)
7.Divide the dough into 12 equal parts if you are making buns .
8.Shape them and cover with a towel and let rise for about 90 minutes or until doubled.
9.Meanwhile preheat the oven at 350 degree F, if you are making bread,400 for rolls and 450 for buns.
10.Give an egg wash, using an egg beaten lightly with some water or use some milk, just like me, to brush on the top.
11.You could use sesame or poppy seeds to sprinkle on the top.
12.Bake the bread loaves for about 35-40 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.Bake the buns for about 15 minutes
13.Cool on a wire rack.Serve with the spread of your choice


Sending this for Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast
and Foodpaltette series Brown at Torview










Contributor: Namitha
Recipe Courtesy:Mainly from here.But basically it's from The Bread Baker's Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart.

Pumpkin Bread

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Pumpkin bread is a fall season favorite, and I have been meaning to share it with you for a while.  Soon after making the Pumpkin Pie for Thanks-giving,  I baked this bread.  It is lightly sweetened, making it perfect for breakfast and spicy enough to make it interesting as an evening snack.

   Christmas weekend kept me busy hopping from one get together to another, and I had a full- house of wonderful friends even the day before.  It has been a great year as far as celebrations go and I have no reason to complain.  It’s all good.

   Well! maybe I should not have said that quite so fast.  With both my children home when I am not partying, I am dancing to a different tune-theirs!  When I am not cooking, I am trying to act as mediator in the millionth fight they get into.  Then comes cleaning, and my laundry basket always seem ominous.  One of these days, I fear it will take on a life of its own and crawl up to me demanding attention. 

   While I struggle with the nuisances of daily life, I hope you stay warm and have a fantastic day!



I just love the color of it :-)



This is so easy peasy and tatsy !




Ingredients:

Canned pumpkin puree- 1 cup
Olive oil- 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1 cup
Eggs- 2
Sour cream- 1/3 cup
Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Flour-1 1/2 cup
Chopped walnuts- 1/2 cup
Nutmeg Powder- 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon Powder- 1 tsp
Cloves powdered- 1/4 tsp

Method:

1.Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and the spices in a large mixing bowl.
2.Preheat the oven at 350 degree F and grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
3.Mix the pumpkin puree, oil, sugar, eggs and sour cream using a hand blender.
4.Fold in the flour mixture alternating with the nuts and pour into the prepared loaf pan.
5.Bake for ~45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
6.Cool on a wire rack.


Recipe Adapted from:Easiest and best Coffee cakes and Quick breads-Renny Darling
Contributor: Namitha

Sweet Pretzels

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  The first time I had pretzels, it was the hard-baked miniatures.  They are the most tasteless, almost chalk-like things I have ever tasted!  It felt like someone cooked it with the sole purpose of keeping one's mouth busy, and not for taste at all.  Obviously, I never liked it and still don’t.   However, the minute I bit into a spongy, sweet, plump pretzel sold on a cart in the middle of a shopping mall in Antioch, Tennessee, I was hooked. Instant love!  

 




This morning when I decided to skip breakfast, I had no clue the thought of saying no to food could trigger a furious desire to eat.  In short, I succumbed to my carnal self and baked some spongy pretzels just like the one on the cart I had on a rainy, summer afternoon.  Maybe it was not raining, but I am just saying.  The whole pretzel experience was so good that my mind has automatically started associating it with my other favorite feature, the rain.   Breakfast ended up being quite good this morning.  The aroma of baking bread filled the room so much it was almost tangible.  It’s pure pleasure to delve into spongy, moist pretzels, and wash it down with a hot cuppa!  Now I have enough zing to get out and burn some of it off on the treadmill. 




  The recipe for the pretzels is from the Swedish Cakes and Cookies book, but I have changed some of their tedious measurements.  When I tried to convert the dl to cups, I found they were a little off.  Hence, I have made my own corrections, and the pretzels came out well.

While I sweat it out on the treadmill I hope you have a pleasant experience with baking in your kitchen. Ciao!



Ingredients:

Butter - 7 Tbspn
Milk   - 300 ml (1 cup is 250 ml)
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Salt    - 1/4 tspn
Active Dry Yeast - 1 Satchel ( 2 1/4 tspn)
All purpose Flour - 3 1/2 cups
Egg - 1 Beaten for brushing

Method:
1. Melt butter on low heat in a sauce pan and add milk when melted and turn off the heat when the mixture is luke warm (115 D F)
2. Add the sugar and yeast and whisk until the yeast is dissolved
3. Add half of the flour and stir with a spatula to combine
4. Add the remaining flour and knead
5. Slide it onto a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 16 parts
6. Roll each part in the palm of your hand as long as you can and shape into pretzels
7. Make sure there is enough space in between the twist and let is rise for 30 -45 minutes
8. Brush egg and bake in a preheated oven for 5 - 8 minutes or until golden brown on top

Oven Temperature: 475 D F
Convection: 425 D F

Contributor: Sunitha

Cinnamon Rolls-Frosting

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   We had posted the recipe (click here) for cinnamon roll sometimes back, however, the recipe for  frosting was not given.  Therefore please use the one I am sharing today because it's absolutely sweet :) and that's just the way I like my rolls.  You could also use cream cheese frosting which goes well with cinnamon rolls.  We will have a recipe for the same updated soon. 

   Other than eating delicious cinnamon rolls, parenting continues to keep me occupied. That requires all hands on deck, you will agree!  Weather wise, aren't the colors of autumn fading away from the scenery?  Maybe it's time to bring in some daffodil or hyacinth bulb and start watching them grow and herald spring. Let's try and forget the cold days and jump right on to pleasant thoughts, what do you say?  Have a good one!



Here is a glimpse of the cinnamon rolls right out of the oven



We love having them for breakfast, or as a snack with evening tea.  It's simply great as a mid day snack with coffee too. Now, you watch out for that waistline, I cannot be blamed for not warning. :) 



Ingredients:

Confectioner's sugar- 1 1/2 cup
Milk- ~1/4 cup
Butter- 2 Tbsp
Pure Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp

Method:

1.Mix everything together well using a hand blender and spoon it onto the cinnamon rolls.(add more milk if the consistency is too thick and a little more sugar if it is too runny)The best way is to add a tablespoon of milk at a time and continue mixing.




Contributor: Namitha

Italian Breadsticks/Grissini

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We have been talking a lot about fall and 'IT' is here! We hope all of you living in America are enjoying the beautiful fall colors, and the cool weather. The leaves look so pretty, but the wind is blowing them off so quickly that I hate it. Soon the trees will be all bare, and the snow will cover them. I don't even want to think about that right now. For the time being, let's talk about warm, toasty Italian bread sticks.

The Italian bread sticks (aka Grissini) originated in Turin, Italy according to Wikipedia. They are usually served as an appetizer in restaurants. I don't mind them having any time , either as a snack, or with a cup of coffee.

I didn't have the patience to make them into perfect ropes, but they still look pretty !



They could be served as an appetizer with a soup of your choice or enjoy them with a cuppa/ as it is :-)



Here is a glimpse from my kitchen.Hope this gives you an idea about rolling, cutting and making the sticks !



Ingredients:

All purpose Flour- 2 to 21/4 cups
Salt- 11/2 tsp
Olive oil- 2 Tbsp
Active Dry yeast- 2 1/4 tsp/one packet
Sugar- 1 Tbsp(divided)
Mixed dried Herbs(I used a mixture of oregano, marjarom, basil and parsley)- 2 tsp
Milk- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp for brushing
Warm water- 1/4 cup

Method:

1.Mix half of the sugar and yeast in the warm water and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
2.In a large mixing bowl, combine flour(start with 2 cups),salt,rest of the sugar,dried herbs and olive oil.
3.Make a well in the middle and add the milk and the yeast mixture.Mix everything well.
4.Knead the dough for a few minutes using your stand mixer or hands.Add more flour,if necessary to make a smooth dough.
5.After kneading for another 4-5 minutes, shape the dough into a ball,cover and keep it for an hour in a warm place so that it will double in size.
6.After the dough becomes double,divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
7.Preheat the oven at 425 degree F.  Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that is slightly greased.
8.Roll out each part of the dough into a 12 inch long and 4-5 inch wide rectangle.
9.Divide this rectangle into 4 equal parts and roll up it lengthwise to make a stick.
10.Keep it on the greased parchment paper and let sit covered for 10-15 minutes. Brush with milk or with slightly beaten egg.
11.Bake for about 15 minutes or until it starts turning golden brown.
12.Cool on a wire rack and enjoy with a cuppa.




Notes:

1.Instead of adding the dried herbs in the dough, you could use them to make a topping for this bread sticks.After brushing with milk just sprinkle them on top.
2.You could also use sesame seeds to sprinkle on top.
3.The egg wash gives a nicer and better color for the bread sticks, but I prefer to use milk/oil.
4.This makes 16 bread sticks.

Inspired by: Home made breads by Better Homes and Gardens, 1960 edition
Contributor: Namitha

Croissants

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Hope you had a sun-shining, pleasant-weather weekend in your neck of the woods. Here, the scrumptious weather continues with bright light, and a cool breeze keeping the edge off the heat. There were also plenty of croissants filled with pineapple and chocolate to enjoy. Did you say you had a better weekend????



This is kind of my first attempt at taking step by step pictures. I cannot say I enjoyed this much, but hopefully it is helpful to understand the cutting and rolling of croissants.  There is spoon filling at the broad end of the triangle; roll-tucking in the center, while simultaneously keeping the tapered-end stretched.  This helps, give several layers as possible for the finished croissants.



To make chocolate filled pastry, cut the dough in rectangles and roll


Let it sit for about 10 minutes so that the dough rises a little, give an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.  Do not leave pineapple pieces on the baking sheet while baking (like you see in the picture) because this might burn while in the oven.  I sprinkled some while photographing for effect, though, I doubt that was very successful.


Aha! baked goodies, crisp on the outside with buttery layers inside.



Enjoy for breakfast with milk, or every time you spot them on your counter top, grab one and pop'em in your mouth like I do.  No wonder the needle on my weighing scale keeps tipping to the wrong side.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

All purpose flour bleached and enriched - 2 1/4 to begin.  )Keep plenty in store because you will need to work the dough while rolling)
Water - 3/4 cup
Eggs - 1 (beat and divide in two )
Yeast -  1 1/4 tspn
Salt - 1/2 tspn
Sugar - 2 1/2 Tspn
Butter - 1 1/2 stick (divide into six parts)

Filling:
1. I use cheese, jalapeno, chocolate and even pineapples.  You can use filling of your choice.
I have used chocolate chips, if you have small stick that will work better while rolling
For the pineapple filling I have used canned pineapple chopped fine and sprinkled with sugar

Method:
1. Mix yeast, 1/2 tspn sugar in 1/4 cup of luke warm water (110D F) and wait till the yeast froths
2. Take all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and make a well in the center
3. Add 1/2 the egg,( and retain the remaining for egg wash), water and yeast and using a spatula mix
4. Leave the dough in the refrigerator for 15 mintues
5. Dust your counter top with dough and drop the sticky dough in.
6. Knead the dough to make it supple and roll out into a rectangle
7. Spread one part of the butter and fold like a book. (Check this video for more help)
8. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes
9. Continue rolling out the dough in rectangle, spreading butter and folding like a book until you exhaust the butter.  This makes sure you have incorporated the butter evenly and have flaky layers
10. You may refrigerate the dough overnight and bake them the next day or after resting 15 minutes
11.  Roll, cut, shape croissants and give an egg wash as mentioned earlier and bake at 400 D F for 10 - 15 minutes

Contributor: Sunitha

Calzone

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Calzone is a baked turnover served with marinara sauce at its side. It is of Italian origin, but you may improvise by changing its filling. Today, I have kept the filling as true to Italian as possible. However, I will definitely try an Indian puff filling later. In short, there is no end to the variations you can concoct.

We enjoyed this as an evening snack yesterday, but it was quite filling. So much so that we didn't eat any dinner. Therefore, enjoy it as a one pot meal or snack but either ways you will not be disappointed. It's delicious.

On a different note:

Today is festive because of a pretty little girl,
she was born on this day a few years back.
Her stories and spirit she lends this blog.
She is Nami's daughter, I wish her a very happy birthday!

M- God Bless!



Pizza Base:

I have used the recipe from our blog given here. This will make 8 Calzones.
1. Leave the pizza dough to rise to double in size, approximately 2 hours and go on to make the filling



Filling:
Chicken Breast - 1 big
Onion - 1 medium size
Tomato - 1
Garlic - 4 cloves
Peas - 1/2 cup
Capsicum - 1/4 to 1/2
Green Chilis - 3 nos (optional)
Seasoning - a generous dash
( Mrs. Dash Extra spicy seasoning)
Antipasto - 1/2 cup (this was a mixture of cured artichoke, black and green olives and bell pepper)
Olive Oil - 1 Tbspn
Cheese - 1/2 cup (mix of parmesan, Asiago and Romano)
Egg white - of 1 egg



Method:
1. Clean and chop chicken into tiny pieces
2. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and saute, followed by garlic
3. Once the onions have become translucent add the chicken pieces and saute till it turns white
4. Add chopped tomato, seasoning, peas and salt about 1/4 tspn and saute
5. Keep the vessel covered and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken has cooked through
6. Add the capsicum stir in and cook for a minute and add the antipasto and stir in and remove from heat

Preparing Calzone

1. Once the dough rises, which takes about 2 hours, punch it down and divide into 8 equal parts
2. Roll each part into discs as much as you can roll out. About 1/4-1/2 inch thickness
3. Spoon in the filling, sprinkle over 1 Tbspn of cheese on one half of the disc.
4. Lightly apply water to the edge of the disc
5. Lift the other half over to cover the filling and edges of the disc meet. With a fork seal the calzone
6. Beat an egg white and using a pasty brush do an egg wash over the calzone
7. Bake in a pre heated over for 360 D F for 10 minutes or until the calzone is golden brown on top


Serve with marinara sauce as dinner or enjoy like you would a savory snack.

Contributor: Sunitha

Cinnamon Rolls

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  Whirl wind romance with cinnamon rolls.  Pretty, sweet swirls with cinnamony goodness a delight in your mouth and to the eyes.  The aroma wafting while it bakes puts all candles from the store to shame.  



 I have to confess though that kneading the gooey dough for a good 30 minutes was no joke.  To begin with  I measured the quantity of dough all wrong.  I use a light flour 'White Lily.'  If you are not using bread flour and this one they remember to read the fine print.  It says, add 1 cup and 2 tbspn to equal 1 cup of all purpose flour.  Bah! not being careful with the measurement made me waste a lot of time.  It took my brains 30 of kneading the gooey dough before realizing the folly.  The very wet dough I was working with proved too much for my shoulders.   However, once I got the proportions all fixed it worked like a charm.



  Like in all relationships misunderstanding once worked out everything falls in place.  The cinnamon rolls out of the oven was perfect.  I was tearing at it in delight as soon as it was cool.  They are great as an evening snack with tea or breakfast with a strong cup of Nescafe.



Ingredients:
1. Bread Flour (or all purpose flour which is bleached and enriched) - 2 1/2 - 3 cups
2. Sugar      - 1/4 cup
3. Salt         - 1/4 tspn
4. Vanilla Essence - 1 tspn
5. Eggs - 1

6. Milk   - 1/2 cup
7. Butter 1/4 cup
8. Yeast - 2 tspn dry active
9. Water - 2 Tbspn (warm at 110 DF)
10. Sugar - 1 pinch

Method:

1.  Take ingredients 8, 9 and 10  and mix and set aside till yeast froths
2. Mix ingredients 1 to 3 in a bowl large enough to knead the dough. (Use only 2 1/4 cup to begin with and as needed add the remaining flour)
3. Mix all the wet ingredients 4 to 7
4. Make a well in the flour and pour the wet ingredients
5. Add the frothy yeast
6. Start stirring in with a spatula slowly incorporating the wet and dry ingredients
7.The dough will be sticky but will come together to make a smooth dough with kneading
8. After 10 minutes of kneading in the bowl lightly flour a surface and working a little flour in if gooey knead the dough until you have a smooth dough
9. Place in the bowl cover with damp cloth or cling sheet and set aside for the dough to double in size

Cinnamon Filling
Brown Sugar - 1/4 cup packed
Cinnamon Powder - 1 1/2 tspn
Butter                    - 3 Tbspn melted

Rolling:
1. Once the dough has doubled (it takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours) punch down the dough and roll it out into a rectangle shape.
2. Brush the melted butter on and add the mixed sugar and cinnamon powder evenly
3. Roll and pinch the top
4. Using serated knife cut 1 inch pieces and place in a 9 inch or any tin dish
5. Keep it covered to rise and the rolls should stick to each other
6. Bake at 350 D F for 15 -20 minutes or until golden brown

Entering this for Champa's Bake off Event. To find more click here.

Contributor: Sunitha

Garlic Mozarella Bread

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   So howz it going?

    Sun shiny weather with cool breeze, it's delicious.  Hope you are enjoying yourself as much as I.

    Talking about today's cooking; on my regular grocery shopping this weekend I decided to bring home one of these long French Breads.  Do you like the way they are displayed in the store.  I love it.  They are displayed outside the bakery section in large baskets or tubs with the bread sticking out like dry stick arrangement as in decor.  Quite fancy, I would say.  However, the size which is so appealing to look at puts me off from buying since it's too much for two people.  This weekend though I had a case of 'butter knees'.  Yeah! they gave way and the next thing I know I had grabbed one and dumped it in the cart.  I did not even look at Vi to see if he approved.  I walked on. He is very sweet never disapproves ;) but I knew it was a risky choice.  Nobody approves wasted food in my house.

    Now that I am home and my knees are back to its bony self and quite sturdy I am quite at loss to what to do with all the bread.  I have decided to tackle it slice by slice.  Therefore, here is a simple, quick and smart recipe for a snack which can also be a nice accompaniment with soups or salads.  A no brainer! 



You will need:
French Bread - 1/2 inch thick slices 8
Cheese          - Mozarella
Parmesan, Asiago  and Romano - I have a box with the three mixed which I use for topping salads and soups so you could just use Parmesan or any other cheese you like or simply do with only mozarella
Oregano         - to taste
Garlic             - 2 cloves chopped fine and gently crushed
Butter             - gobs of it



Method:
1. Slather butter on both sides of the slices and set on a baking sheet
2. Sprinkle oregano and garlic equally on all pieces
3. Spoon over cheese of your taste or liking
4. Top them all with mozarella.  I like to add quite a bit to make it nice and cheesy.
5. Bake in a pre heated oven at 400 D F for 6 to 7 minutes or until cheese has melted and turns a golden brown.
 

Contributor: Sunitha