Dakota Bread

While visiting my sister in law Milly this last month, she introduce me to Dakota bread.  My favorite bread ever!  We got it at Great American Harvest.  After I got home I located one one hour away from my home and rushed over, only to find they were out of Dakota bread.  Bummer.  So then I became obsessed with getting that bread.  Thank goodness I found a recipe that makes a pretty good facsimile of that bread.  I have made two batches so far and thought it isn't as good, it still satisfies my cravings.

I found the recipe here.

The second time I made it I used loaf pans.  Didn't like that shape as much.

Diana

Really Good Basic Bread

Shout out to Roxana from Roxana's Home Baking for her fantastic and easy basic sandwich bread recipe!  I tried it yesterday and loved the results.

 It is just as she describes and delicious to boot.  The only thing I did different is that I brushed the top of the finished loaf with melted butter cuz I like a soft crust.

The texture is lovely with small air pockets so you sandwich will hold up well.  Definitely give this a try.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tsp active Red Star dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
   
• 3 cups (360 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup (56 grams) melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup (30 - 40 grams) all purpose flour

Instructions

1. In a bowl add the water, yeast and teaspoon of sugar. Stir to combine and leave at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes until doubled in volume.
2. In a mixing bowl sift the 3 cups of flour and make a well in the middle.
3. Pour the yeast mixture, add the egg, sugar, salt and melted butter.
4. With the dough hook on start mixing adding the milk and slowly adding the remaining flour until the dough forms a soft and elastic ball.
5. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
6. When the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into a log. Place it into a 9X5 greased baking pan, cover and let rest again at room temperature for another 30 minutes.
7. In the meantime, heat the oven to 375F.
8. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes until golden brown and the smell of fresh bread takes over your kitchen.
9. Leave to cool slightly in the pan before removing it and completely before slicing it. 

Diana

Wheat Bread.....Finally

Yum.  I have been trying for years to make a fluffy whole wheat bread from scratch that didn't look like a brick.  My friend Mary from Windy Meadows Farm had a link to a new (to me) blog that had a one rise recipe for wheat bread that I hoped would work for me.

The bread turned out beautiful and doesn't look at all like a brick!  Here is the link to Life in a Little Red Farmhouse and her great recipe.  Good luck!

English Muffin Bread And A Secret

I am going to tell you all something shameful......something I am a little embarrassed to admit.....something I have never told anyone before......I make this bread in the microwave.  I know, I know, who does that!!!!  But before you shake your head and tsk tsk this post, let me explain.  This recipe was given to me by a wonderful cook, someone I trust and admire.  A sweet little old lady even!  This recipe is easy AND you will have fresh homemade bread in your tummy in one hour, start to finish, AND you will like it, I promise!  There is no kneading, no shaping and only one rising.  Since you will be toasting the slices, this pale bread (microwaved baked goods don't brown) won't freak you out.  It makes two large loaves and tastes great!

English Muffin Bread

5 cups flour

2 packages yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup water

2 cups milk

cornmeal

Combine 3 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar, salt and soda.  Heat liquids to 125 degrees or until very warm.  Add liquid to dry mixture.  Mix well.  Stir in remaining 2 cups flour to make stiff batter.  Spoon into two greased glass bread pans and sprinkle cornmeal on top of each loaf.  Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.  Microwave each loaf separately on high for 6 minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes in pan.  Slice. toast and serve warm with butter.  You will want to store the bread in the refrigerator. 

I hope you will give this recipe a try and let me know how it works out for your family.

Diana 



Artisan No Knead Bread

Crusty Artisan No Knead Bread.  This was a recipe I knew I would have to try when I found it at Simply So Good! 

It was easy to make but I did have to add more water (she says it takes 1 1/2 cups) to get the right shaggy texture.  And my loaf was already pretty dark when I took off the lid after 30 minutes so I only cooked it an additional 10 minutes.

This is what it looked like when I took it out of the oven.  I had added about 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese to the dough in the beginning.  I think a bit of it stuck to the pot  so I had to pry the loaf up to get it out but no big deal.

The bread looks beautiful.  The texture was a surprise.  Very similar to sourdough bread---a little chewy but not dense at all!  The crust is lovely, crispy but very thin.  Be sure and check out her detailed tutorial and bread variations.

Diana

Sourdough Bread in Ohio

I grew up in California and lived on SF style sourdough bread.  After moving to the Midwest I noticed it is not a stable at bakeries here,  I guess it hasn't really caught on.  I have been trying to make my own for a while and FINALLY had some success.  Really sour sourdough!I bought a live culture from King Arthur Flour.  It arrived a few days ago, and after feeding it, I started the two day process of making bread.   This bread takes a little planning ahead.  all the "resting" time is necessary to develop that truly sour flavor.  And notice that there is no yeast in this bread!

Check out this loaf!  And it was so crusty and sour.  I used KAF's tip for getting a good crust (heat a cast iron skillet in the oven while preheating oven for one hour.  Put loaves in and add a pitcher full of hot water to the skillet.  Quickly shut oven door.  Instant steam oven).  Did I mention how delicious this bread is?  This recipe came with the starter and isn't available on their site. 

Extra Sour Sourdough

1cup fed starter

5cups flour

2 1/2 cups warm water

1/2 tsp salt

Pour the starter into a large non metal mixing bowl and add the warm water and 3 cups of flour.  Beat well and cover with plastic wrap.  Set bowl aside in cool room (65 to 70 degrees F) for 4 hours.  Then refrigerate overnight or for about 12 hours. 

Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and salt.  Knead until dough is soft and smooth. (I hand kneaded the dough, slowly adding the salt and flour.  It took quite a while to incorporate the flour into the dough so be prepared for a work out).  Place dough in a greased bowl, turn and cover with plastic wrap and rest until puffy but not necessarily double, about 5 hours. 

Divide dough in half and shape each half into an oval loaf.  Place on a parchment covered or greased cooking sheet, cover and let rise until doubled, about 2-3 hours (mine took 3 hours and wasn't quite doubled).

When there is about one hour left of rising time, preheat oven to 425 and use above mentioned tip for creating a steam oven. 

Slash tops of each loaf with sharp knife and bake until loaves are a golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Your kitchen will start smelling wonderful about now.  Remove from oven and let cool on rack.  Try to wait til the loaves cool off a little before tearing into them but I will understand if you can't wait.

Diana

Baguettes

How did I not know my husband's favorite bread was baguettes!  I was preparing to make some sourdough when he said that he LOVED baguettes more than any other bread.  I had no clue.....thank goodness for King Arthur's recipe.

I had to mix the starter for them the night before (which still gave me time to make some sourdough bread which is MY favorite bread) and made his bread yesterday morning.  Funny thing though, I ate most of the loaf we broke open......I had to put the remaining two loaves in the freezer to save them for later.  Diana

Beerocks

We use to get these in Fresno at a little shop.  I have never seen them anywhere else but I did learn to make them myself.  They are so good.  Even my kids use to like them.  I don't think they knew they had cabbage in them!  These little gems are a great grab and go lunch or snack.

 This recipe makes about 18 rocks so I freeze the ones we don't eat right away. 

Beerocks

Prepare a batch of bread dough (homemade or frozen) that will make 2 loaves.  Allow to rise until double.  Set aside.

1 lb ground beef

1 small head of shredded cabbage

1 medium onion chopped

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp sage

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp celery seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

Simmer all of the above ingredients (except dough) in a saucepan for 2o minutes.  Remove from heat and  drain in a colander, pressing gently to remove as much moisture as possible.  Allow to cool.

Pinch off a ball of dough about the size of a golf ball.  Roll out until it is about a six inch circle.  Take  1/3 cup of filling and place in the center of the circle.  Close by folding and crimping edges to seal.  They should look like a roll now.  Place seam side down on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake in a 359 oven for 20 minutes.  Serve with mustard!

Diana