Category Archives: Bread

Simple Amish White Bread

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PREP TIME: 5 MCOOK TIME: 30 MTOTAL TIME: 35 M

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast (2 packets)
  • 2 1/2 cup warm water (110° to 120°)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 6-7 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter. I microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time until it is mostly melted.  I recommend covering with a paper towel to avoid messes.  Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer add sugar and water.  Sprinkle yeast over top and swirl with spoon or fingers to combine.  Allow the yeast to sit for about 5-10 minutes while the it blooms and becomes aromatic.
  3. Add melted butter, 4 cups flour, and salt.  Mix on low, using the dough hook, until smooth.  Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time until a soft dough ball forms (I use the entire 7 cups).  Turn the mixer to medium and knead for 5 minutes. When it is ready, your ball of dough should be tacky, not sticky. When you touch the dough and pull your fingers away the dough should not stick to your fingers. If it is sticky, add a little more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it becomes tacky.
  4. Turn the dough onto a floured board; knead about 10 turns. To knead dough: fold it in half, gently press the dough away from you with the heel of your hand and then turn the dough. Repeat. When you are finished kneading your dough should be smooth and elastic. 
  5. Shape dough into a smooth ball so it will rise properly: fold the sides of the dough over into the middle of the dough. Flip the dough over. Cup your hands along the right and left sides of the dough and pull it toward you. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat. After about 10 times you will have a nice smooth dough.
  6. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat butter in the microwave until butter is melted.  Place the dough into the bowl with the butter, flipping once to grease the top. Make sure the smooth side of the ball is on top for the rise. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and a towel over the top and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  7. Punch dough down and divide into two loaves. 
  8. Shape the bread for the bread pans: Place dough on a lightly floured countertop. Pat one of the divided doughs into an oval. Fold the top third of the dough and fold it into the middle of the dough. Use the heel of your hand to press the top layer into the bottom layer. Repeat with the bottom third of the dough. Like you are folding a letter. Fold the dough in half. Pull the ends of the dough down and tuck under like a package to make a smooth dough.
  9. Place each dough in a greased 9-in. x 5-in loaf pan. Press the dough down flat in the bread pan, using your flat hand to help it rise evenly. 
  10. Preheat oven to 350°F.   
  11. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.  
  12. Place bread on the center rack. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. You can turn in out onto a plate and thump the bottom of the bread if it sounds hollow it is done.
  13. Allow the bread to cool in the bread pan, on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
  14. Remove the bread from the pans and brush with the remaining butter.
  15. Let the bread cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting or you may smoosh the bread loaf. I can never wait, but it is best if you can. 

 DONNA’S NOTES

  1. Bread flour will achieve the highest possible rise and a chewier crumb, all-purpose is more common to have on hand. You can use either.
  2. You can make this recipe without a stand mixer.  Add water, yeast, and sugar to a large bowl.  Once the yeast blooms stir in the butter, salt and the flour using a wooden spoon. Turn dough out onto a floured countertop and knead for 10-12 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky and holds its shape (when you poke it, it springs back).  Proceed with remaining instructions.
  3. If bread starts to brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil.  
  4. For hamburger buns, grease a cookie sheet. Divide dough and roll into balls.  Gently press on dough balls with the palm of your hand (creating a bun shape).  
  5. 4-Ingredient Amish White Bread will stay fresh for 4-5 days at room temperature. It’s still safe to eat after that time, but it will most likely be stale by then. To store the bread after slicing, place it in a paper bag. Be sure to remove as much air as possible before tightly closing up the bag. You can also freeze this bread for later use. I recommend slicing it before freezing. You can freeze for up to 6 months.

Parmesan Crusted Hawaiian Rolls

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PREP : 10 MIN COOK : 5 MIN TOTAL : 15 MIN SERVINGS: 8  CAL:  213

INGREDIENTS

  • 10 ounces Hawaiian Sweet Slider Buns 9 bun package
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¾ teaspoon Fines Herbes *see note
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Heat oven to 350°F and adjust oven rack to middle position.
  • In a medium bowl, combine butter, mayonnaise, Parmesan, Fines Herbes and salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
  • Spread the butter/mayo mixture over the cut-side of each half of each bun, and place the buns cut-side up on a large rimmed baking sheet.
  • Bake 7 minutes at 350°F and rotate the baking sheet.
  • Set the oven to broil and cook the buns 1-2 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown and bubbly. Watch closely – the buns can burn easily.
  • Remove from the oven and cool 1 minute.
  • Serve hot and…
  • Enjoy!

NOTES

Fines Herbes is a blend of dried herbs: chervil, parsley, chives & tarragon.

Ligurian Focaccia via Samin Nosrat

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INGREDIENTS

For the dough:

  • 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons honey
  • 5 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan and finishing
  • Flaky salt, for finishing

For the brine:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup lukewarm water

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together water, yeast, and honey to dissolve. In a very large bowl, whisk flour and salt together to combine and then add yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated, then scrape the sides of the bowl clean and cover with plastic wrap. Leave out at room temperature to ferment for 12 to 14 hours until at least doubled in volume.
  2. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons oil evenly onto a 18-by-13 inch rimmed baking sheet. When dough is ready, use a spatula or your hand to release it from the sides of the bowl and fold it onto itself gently, then pour out onto pan. Pour an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil over dough and gently spread across. Gently stretch the dough to the edge of the sheet by placing your hands underneath and pulling outward.  The dough will shrink a bit, so repeat stretching once or twice over the course of 30 minutes to ensure dough remains stretched.
  3. Dimple the dough by pressing the pads of your first three fingers in at an angle.  Make the brine by stirring together salt and water until salt is dissolved. Pour the brine over the dough to fill dimples. Set the focaccia aside to rise for 45 minutes until the dough is light and bubbly.
  4. Thirty minutes into this final proof, adjust rack to center position and a second rack to the upper position. Preheat oven to 450°F. If you have a baking stone, place it on the center rack. Otherwise, invert another sturdy baking sheet and place on that rack. Allow to preheat with the oven until very hot, before proceeding with baking.
  5. Sprinkle focaccia with flaky salt. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes directly on top of stone or inverted baking sheet until bottom crust is crisp and golden brown when checked with a metal spatula. To finish browning top crust, move focaccia to upper rack and bake for 5 to 7 minutes more.
  6. Remove from oven and brush or douse with 2 to 3 tablespoons oil over the whole surface (don’t worry if the olive pools in pockets, it will absorb as it sits). Let cool for 5 minutes, then release focaccia from pan with metal spatula and transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.  

RECIPE NOTES

Storage: To store, wrap in parchment and then keep in an airtight bag or container to preserve texture. Gently toast or reheat any leftover focaccia before serving. Alternatively, wrap tightly to freeze, then defrost and reheat before serving.