100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Ring

Only 5.5 months until the wedding! I miss blogging and the wonderful community of foodies I've found online, but sadly I have not been able to post very much lately because I've been so busy planning and organizing. I've still been baking, but the photos I've taken of the baked goods have not made it from my camera to my computer nor to this blog yet. Thanks to you all for continuing to follow me despite my erratic posting as of late.

If you know me, you know how much I love baking sweet yeast breads, but these are exactly the kinds of treats that I should be avoiding with only a few months until the wedding and 15 lbs to lose. That's why I'm thrilled that I found this recipe (adapted from Cooks Illustrated). It is 100% whole wheat and a great way to enjoy cinnamon buns with a little less guilt. There is not a trace of all purpose flour and yet they are surprisingly light, fluffy and moist. The honey in the dough gives the bread a light sweetness that marries perfectly with the cinnamon sugar filling.

I love this shaping method which makes for a lovely flower-like presentation. The method is very similar to cinnamon buns except that instead of cutting it into individual slices, you curve the log into a circle and join the ends. Then you make cuts every inch or so along the ring, cutting only three quarters of the way through, so they are still joined along the inner ring. It's even easier than traditional cinnamon buns, and so much prettier!



100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Ring
adapted from Cooks Illustrated | Serves 16

Dough
1 1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3-4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp salt

Filling
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts/pecans

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp milk

1. Put the butter, honey and milk in a bowl and heat it for about 1 minute in microwave or until lukewarm. Add the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes or until slightly foamy. Add the beaten egg to the yeast mixture.


2. Mix 3 cups flour and the salt in a large bowl then add the yeast mixture to the flour. Using a rubber spatula, mix until everything is combined and comes together into a ball. You may have to adjust the flour or add some water -- the dough should be tacky, but not sticky. Use as little flour as possible so your dough is not tough.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Put in a well oiled bowl and cover. Let rise for approx 1 1/2 hours (until almost doubled in size).

4. After dough has risen, gently punch it down then roll out into a large rectangle approximately 1/2" thick. Spread with softened butter then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins and nuts. Roll up into a log lengthwise. Holding both ends of the log, curve the log into a circle then pinch the ends together to seal. Place the ring on a baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make slices around the outer edge of the ring approximately 1" apart but do not cut all the way through the ring (the slices should all still be joined). Turn each slice slightly to the side so the slices are fanned out evenly.

5. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for about an hour. Bake at 350ºF for approximately 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

6. Glaze: Combine the glaze ingredients until smooth and to the desired consistency. Drizzle over the cinnamon ring.

Cocoa-Nana Swirled Bread

For this week's TWD rewind, I made this bread because I had two overripe bananas in my freezer waiting to be turned into something delicious. (However, next time I will use 3 bananas or add some milk or yogurt because it wasn't quite as moist as I like it).

I chose to do a marbled version of this chocolate banana bread because it's prettier and because I was skeptical of the cocoa-banana combo. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. It tasted wonderful. The cocoa part isn't overpowering and it actually complements the banana part wonderfully. Because I made quite a few adaptations to the recipe, I have included it below with my changes. The original is on page 46 of Dorie's book: Baking.



Coco-Nana Swirled Bread
1 loaf | Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

2 1/2 cups flour, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 2 cups flour, salt, baking soda and powder.
2. Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, mixing well after each then add bananas, vanilla and buttermilk. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
3. Scoop 1/2 the batter into a separate bowl. Add 1/2 cup cocoa powder to one bowl of batter. Add 1/2 cup of flour to the other bowl and mix each by hand just to incorporate. Do not over mix.
4. Scoop batter into greased 9x5 inch pan, alternating spoons of white and chocolate batter. Run a thin knife through the batter in the pan a few times to marble. Bake for 60-75 minutes rotating halfway through (you may need to cover with foil if browning too quickly).

Caramel Apple Sticky Buns

There are a few more hours left to enter my Giveaway for a digital food scale, cookbook and holiday spreaders. Click over there to enter up until 11:59 PM PST Sunday, December 5, 2010.

These delicious, ooey gooey sticky buns are made with a delicious potato dough from on of my favorite recipe books. I was lucky enough to find the The Fannie Farmer Baking Book for $6.99 at Half Price Books when I last visited. This book is no longer in print but it should definitely be brought back. It is huge - no fancy pictures, only simple illustrations - but does it ever have a wealth of recipes for almost anything you ever wanted to bake, as well as interesting historical background. Information on baking techniques is clear and allows which allows for flexibility in altering recipes to suit your needs. It is the Joy of Cooking's equivalent in the baking domain.



If you can find one near you, Half Price Books is a great place to find cookbook gems and to trade in books for cash. It has become a "must visit" place every time I take a trip down to the States. I also found The Fannie Farmer Cookbook: Anniversary Edition for a steal. These buns are a combination of my favorite flavors: caramel, apples, cinnamon, pecans and sweet yeast bread. They are buttery and pillow-soft with a little crunch from the apple and a crisp-chewy texture around the edges from the baked caramel. Despite their sweet-sounding name, the buns were not overly rich. The dough contains 1/2 cup of mashed potato and uses the potato-water which makes it an excellent keeper. It stays nice and soft for longer than most other yeast doughs.




Caramel Apple Sticky Buns

Potato Sweet Dough
adapted from The Fannie Farmer Baking Book

1 1/4 cup warm potato cooking water (or milk)
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm mashed potato
1/3 cup butter, softened
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose or mixture of a.p. and bread flour)

Caramel-Apple Filling
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup caramel sauce (bought or homemade)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl) mix the yeast with the warm warm water and let dissolve, about five minutes. Add the sugar and salt and stir to combine. Then add the potato and butter, mixing to combine fully.

2. Using the dough hook, add 3 cups of the flour to the mixing bowl with the liquid ingredients. Mix dough on slow speed, adding flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should not stick to the bottom of the mixing bowl. If desired, you can do the final bit of kneading by hand. Put the dough in a large, greased bowl, cover and let rise until double in bulk (approx. 1 hr).

3. Combine apples, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and let sit to marinade while dough rises.

4. After dough has risen, punch down the dough, remove from bowl, and roll into a large rectangle 1/2" thick. Spread softened butter evenly over the dough and sprinkle with apple-cinnamon mixture. Drizzle caramel sauce evenly over the dough then roll up into a log and cut into buns. Place in a 9 x 13" baking pan. Cover and put in a warm place.

5. Let rise until almost doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for another 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown and no longer "doughy". Cool in pan for 10 minutes then loosen the edges with a spatula and invert onto serving tray. Drizzle with extra caramel sauce (if desired) and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Pumpkin Pecan Braid

This pretty braid gets a head-start from the use of Pillsbury Crescents. It's one of those recipes where the end product is more impressive than the effort required to produce it. The crescents have a fragrant pumpkin filling and tender pecans. We enjoyed it both fresh from the oven as well as for breakfast the next morning. Once cooled, they are easy to transport hold their shape nicely when sliced.

If you had the time and the inclination you could make your own dough from scratch or try this Copycat recipe for Pillsbury Crescents.

On the topic of Clone or Almost Famous recipes, I want to remind you lovely bloggers about my cook-along club which started last month: The Copycat Club. It features clones of famous favorites in a monthly round-up. I will be doing the next one on the 7th of November, so please send me any blog posts - old or new - to be included. I will post a pic of your creation with a link to your blog in the round-up post. Click Here to view October 2010's round-up. There were some great recipes posted! I also just got my copy of More of America's Most Wanted Recipes and I'm excited to try some of the P.F. Chang dishes and the Cheesecake Factory pastas!

Pumpkin Pecan Braid
Pillsbury

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1/2cup powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and egg yolk. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans.

2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; firmly press edges and perforations to seal. Press to form 13x7-inch rectangle. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet. Press to form 13x7-inch rectangle. Spread filling in 3 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of dough rectangle to within 1 inch of ends.

3. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough rectangle just to edge of filling. Fold strips at an angle across filling, overlapping ends and alternating from side to side. Beat egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over dough.

4. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Combine powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl to drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the braid and sprinkle with chopped pecans before serving.

Lemon Pull-Apart Loaf

This recipe has been bookmarked for the past few months in my copy of Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker. I adore making yeast bread because it is so versatile. It's the closest thing to adult play-doh! I am always game for trying new shaping methods, so this loaf practically jumped off the page, screaming to be made. Pull-apart loaves are so much fun. No knife needed; the thin layers separate easily and quite frankly, it's pretty addictive!





It is a beautiful, stunning loaf filled with bright and sunny lemon flavor. The loaf is made up of thin layers of sweet bread, sprinkled with aromatic lemon sugar, baked in a loaf pan. The bread is fluffy, sweet, soft, and saturated with citrus. You’re able to peel off a layer, no knifes or messy rips needed. If it couldn’t get better, a tangy cream cheese icing gets spread over the cooling cake, melting into the ridges, cooling into a sweet, stick mess. It’s incredible.

Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Loaf
1 9x5" loaf | adapted from Baking for All Occasions

Sweet Yeast Dough
Approx 2 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (2 1/2 fluid ounces) milk
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) water
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Lemon Sugar Filling
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (4 lemons)
2 ounces unsalted butter, very soft

Tangy Cream Cheese Icing
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup (1 1/4 ounces) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Sweet Yeast Dough: Mix two cups flour, the sugar, yeast, and salt in a medium bowl with a rubber spatula. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or in the microwave, combine the milk and the butter and heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the water, and let rest a minute until just warm. Stir in the vanilla extract.

2. Pour the milk and melted butter into the flour and mix with a rubber spatula until the flour is evenly moistened. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

3. Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stop the mixer, add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour, and resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Add 2 more tablespoons flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.

4. Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough gently until smooth and no longer sticky, about one minute. Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of flour only if the dough is too sticky to work with. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size. An indentation made with your finger should keep its shape.

5. Meanwhile, make the lemon sugar filling. Mix the sugar and lemon zest. It’ll draw out the citrus oils and make the sugar sandy and fragrant.

6. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough with your hand. Flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 20″ x 12″ rectangle. The more accurate you are, the prettier the loaf will be and the better it will fit in the pan. Use a rubber spatula or pastry brush to spread the butter evenly and liberally over the dough.

7. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough crosswise in five strips, each about 12″ by 4″. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon sugar over the first buttered rectangle. Top it with a second rectangle, sprinkling that one with 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon sugar as well. Continue to top with rectangles and sprinkle, so you have a stack of five 12″ by 4″ rectangles, all buttered and topped with lemon sugar.

8. Slice this new stack crosswise, through all five layers, into 6 equal rectangles (each should be 4″ by 2″) Carefully transfer these strips of dough into the loaf pan, cut edges up, side by side. You might have some extra room around the edges but the bread will rise and expand during baking. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30 to 50 minutes. When you gently press the dough with your finger, the indentation should stay.

9. Bake the loaf until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Test with a cake tester to make sure it's done, and covering the top with foil if it's browning too quickly. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.

10. While cake is cooling, make the cream cheese icing. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth, then add the milk and lemon juice. Stir until creamy and smooth.

11. Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan to release. Flip the loaf over onto a cooling rack, then flip onto another rack so that it’s right side up. Spread the top of the warm cake with the cream cheese icing, using a pastry brush to fill in all the cracks. Put a pan or waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Serve warm or at room temperature. You can also cut the cake with a knife, but wait for it to cool if you plan to do so.

TWD: Oatmeal Breakfast Bread

Oh. My. Goodness. I am in LOVE with this bread.

Despite its modest and understated name, this bread is AMAZINGLY yummy. It was soft, moist, full or flavor and smelled wonderful while baking. Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves were a perfect medley of flavors to complement the classic pairing of apple and oatmeal.

I was pleasantly surprised at how pretty the sliced loaf looked. The diced, dried apricots had plumped up and stood out like glittery orange jewels. I used plain yogurt instead of buttermilk. For the topping I omitted the brown sugar and just sprinkled and lightly pressed in a handful of toasted walnuts on top.



The recipe was selected by Natalie of Oven Love for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick. Find the recipe at her blog or in Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Onion Buns

The filling in these buns is to die for. Sweet caramelly onions combined with the crunch of poppyseeds and the tanginess of ranch dressing. They were even delicious eaten a day later. I personally like to pop them in the microwave for 15 seconds before eating just to warm them through, make the filling all melty and yummy and give the bread that fresh-baked softness.

The recipe received 5 stars from several reviewers on the Pillsbury website and I would give it 6 stars if I could. The original recipe makes a braided loaf of bread with the onion filling running through it; It is called theOnion Lover's Twist. However, I find that a basket full of buns is friendlier and less hassle than dealing with slicing a loaf at serving time.



Onion Buns
16 buns | adapted from Pillsbury

Bread
2 - 2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 egg

Filling
1/4 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 - 1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon cajun spice or paprika
1/2 cup ranch dressing

DIRECTIONS
1. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, 1 cup white flour, sugar, salt and yeast; mix well. In small saucepan, heat water, milk and 1/4 cup margarine until very warm (120 to 130°F.). Add warm liquid and egg to flour mixture; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.

2. By hand, stir in remaining 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups flour to form a soft dough. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place until doubled (45-60 minutes).

3. Grease muffin sheet. Melt 1/4 cup margarine in small saucepan and cook onions on low until translucent. Cool then stir in remaining filling ingredients. Set aside.

4. Stir down dough to remove all air bubbles. On floured surface, toss dough until no longer sticky. Roll dough into large rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or dough cutter, cut rectangle into 3 long strips then cut across the width into 5 strips = you will have 15 pieces.

5. Spread 1 heaping tsp onion mixture over each square. Bring edges of together to enclose filling; pinch edges and ends to seal. Place seam side down in greased muffin tins. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 25 to 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

6. Brush tops generously with ranch dressing then sprinkle with poppy seeds (optional but adds a nice touch). Bake 27 to 35 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool fully on wire rack.

TWD: Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Cinnamon and sugar. Those words are like poetry to my ears. I can't think of a better marriage of flavors so I was really looking forward to this week's TWD selected by Susan of Food.Baby.





The sweet dough is based on Dorie Greenspan's recipe but the filling is inspired by Martha Stewart. I chose Martha's filling because she says to brush with egg before sprinkling with sugar in order to keep the filling from falling out. It worked better than previously when I brushed with butter, but I think next time I will mix the raisins directly into the dough and do a plain cinnamon sugar swirl. Martha's filling calls for 3/4 cup sugar whereas Dorie's uses only 2 tablespoons. Sugar is good! If you're gonna eat cinnamon bread you might as well indulge all the way, right? I included the recipe because of the filling changes I made.

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
adapted from Dorie and Martha | Makes 1 - 9x5" Loaf

Dough:
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar, plus a pinch more
1 1/4 cups warm milk (110-120 degrees F)
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of nutmeg
3 3/4 to 4 cups flour

Filling:
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp water
1 cup moist raisins

Directions:
1.Put the yeast in a small bowl, add a pinch of sugar and 1/4 cup of the warm milk, stir it together and let it rest for 3 minutes. It should foam.
2. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the rest of the 1 cup milk, the butter and the 1/4 cup sugar. Mix on low speed until combined, then add the dry ingredients. Mix on low for another minute. Add the yeast mixture and mix one minute more.
3. With the mixer off, add 2 3/4 cups flour and begin mixing again on low until the flour is just worked in. Switch to the dough hook and with the mixer on speed setting 2 beat the dough for a few minutes. The dough should begin coming together off the sides of the bowl. If it doesn't, then add up to 1/4 cup flour one tablespoon at a time until it does. Knead for 3 minutes more until smooth, shiny and very soft.
4. In a large buttered bowl, turn out the dough and cover tightly with cling wrap. In a warm place, allow the dough to double in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Once fully risen, turn the dough out onto a large piece of cling wrap and wrap tightly before either refrigerating overnight or freezing for 30 minutes.
5. Filling: Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Stir in th1 1 tbsp water and mix well. Remove dough from the refrigerator/freezer and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a 12x18" rectangle. Brush 1/2 the beaten egg onto dough then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture and spread the raisins in an even layer, gently pressing them into the dough. Reserve leftover egg wash for step 6. Roll the dough snugly, beginning with a short end. Pinch the seam shut. Place the dough seam-side down in a greased loaf pan and tuck the ends under.
6. Cover and allow to rise for another 45 minutes or so. Once the dough is risen, brush the top with remaining egg wash, place on a baking sheet and put on the center rack in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then tent with foil and continue to bake for about another 25 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Twirly Seeded Everything Rolls

A rich, buttery, soft Parker House Roll gets dressed up with peppers, bacon, jalapeno, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and sharp cheddar cheese. I loaded these with so much filling, they were like meal in and of themselves. Grab-n-go picnic kinda food and comfort food at the same time. The crunch of the seeds worked well with the soft crumb of the bread.

My latest obsession is with classics like the Joy of Cooking, Better Homes and Gardens and Betty Crocker. My grandma is an awesome cook/baker and has a ton of knowledge and tons of traditional recipes - none of them written down though. She also has always lived really far away so I've never had a chance to cook alongside her to learn from her. I hope that by the time I get a chance, it is not too late. Perhaps that is where my fascination with old cookbooks comes from - a link to a generations past. It's a neat feeling when you think about making something in your own kitchen following the same instructions others did decades before you were even born. Then feeling like you are a part of baking history by taking that old recipe and putting a modern twist on it.



Twirly Seeded Everything Rolls
Makes 12 | Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Dough:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
3 tablespoons warm water (105º - 115º F)
1 cup warm milk (105º - 115º F)
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter or milk for brushing

Filling:
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar, divided
1 cup cooked bacon/ham/sliced deli meat, cut small
1/2 red pepper, small dice
1 jalapeno, no seeds/ribs, very small dice

1. Combine yeast and warm water in a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the warm milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and salt. Mix by hand, or on low speed, for 1 minute.

3. Gradually stir in the bread flour, and then add the all-purpose flour until the dough is moist but not sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook of your mixer on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn it over once to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

5. Set aside 1/2 cup cheddar. Toss remaining filling ingredients together to mix (except for mayo). Roll the dough out into a large rectangle about 1/4" thick. Spread mayo evenly over dough then sprinkle with filling. Roll up tightly and seal the seam. Cut into 12 pieces using a serrated knife.

6. Arrange several inches apart on baking sheet (you don't want them to touch after they rise). Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

7. Preheat the oven to 400F. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter or milk. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Halfway through baking sprinkle with 1/2 cup reserved cheddar cheese.

Orange Cranberry Sticky Breakfast Rolls

This recipe came about when I found a can of whole berry cranberry sauce that needed to be used. I must have bought it before I learned to make my own.

If you like marmalade you will like these. The orange juice, rind and sugar carmellize into a sticky topping. The cranberries are plump AND moist.

Orange Cranberry Sticky Breakfast Rolls
Makes 2 dozen

3 tablespoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 cup butter, diced
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups scalded milk
2 egg, lightly beaten
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons orange zest

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp orange zest

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Combine the diced butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the hot milk, and mix to dissolve the butter. Let stand until lukewarm.
2. Mix the yeast, eggs, 2 tbsp zest and flour into the milk mixture to form a sticky dough. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
3. Remove dough from the refrigerator 2 to 2 1/2 hours before baking. Divide the dough into halves. Roll each half out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick rectangle.
4. Make filling while dough is rising: Mix the cranberry sauce, sugar and 1 tbsp zest in a sauce pan. Simmer to combine flavors and dissolve sugar and thicken slightly. Spread cooled filling over the dough. Roll up the dough along the long edge. Cut the rolls into one inch slices and place in a greased pan. Let rise until doubled in bulk.
5.Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Hot Cross Buns

Happy Easter everyone! We have 4 day weekend ahead! All the more time and excuse to bake. I'm so excited! These buns were a kick-off to my long weekend. There's nothing

According to the Oxford Companion to Food, marking a cross on the bun is of ancient origin and bread is often associated with religious offerings. The Egyptians offered small round cakes, marked with a representation of the horns of an ox, to the goddess of the moon. The Saxons ate buns marked with a cross in honour of the goddess of light, Eostre, whose name was transferred to Easter. Today, the cross on the bun is associated with Christianity and signifies the crucifixion.

Hot cross buns are round, rich, slightly sweet and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and/or cloves. They also include dried fruit such as currants, raisins, mixed peel and/or candied fruit but more modern version sometimes include chocolate or dried cranberries and other add-ins.

The cross can be put on the bun a few different ways such as marking it with narrow strips of pastry or with a thick paste made of flour and water before baking. The cross can also be piped on after baking with a simple icing made of icing sugar and milk.

The recipe I used is from Anna Olson and it makes a nice, soft dough that can be made in a mixer, with beaters or by hand. I used my mixer since i doubled the batch to give away to friends and co-workers.



Hot Cross Buns
Makes 12 | Anna Olson

Buns:
1 tablespoon instant dry active yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups milk, room temperature
1 large egg
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup raisins
1/3 cup diced candied orange peel
1/4 cup candied cherries
1/4 cup diced candied pineapple

Crosses:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup water

Hot Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Icing:
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk

1. Buns
In a mixer fitted with the hook attachment or with hand mixer with the dough attachments combine yeast, sugar and milk. Alternatively mix by hand in large bowl. Stir in egg. Add flour, spices, salt and melted butter. Once ingredients are blended add raisins and candied fruits.

With mixer, knead for 5 minutes on low speed or mix for 8 minutes by hand (a large wooden spoon works best). Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, turn out dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece gently to shape in a ball and place in a 10-inch greased springform pan. Cover pan with a tea towel and let rest 20 minutes.

2. Crosses
For crosses, blend flour and water until smooth and spoon into piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe crosses on top of each bun. Alternatively, instead of using a batter, cut an X on the top of each bun with a sharp knife.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake for 35 minutes, until buns are a deep brown colour.

3. Hot Glaze
While buns are still hot, prepare glaze. Heat sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Poke holes in buns with a skewer and brush warm glaze over buns, allowing glaze to soak in.

4. Icing
For icing, combine icing sugar and milk and whisk until smooth. Drizzle crosses over buns. If piping the crosses with batter, adding the icing is optional.

Fluffy Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

It was such a treat eating thest hot from the oven. Warm, sweet, tender rolls oozing with buttery-nutty-cinnamonny goodness. The recipe for these delightfully soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls comes from the blog Coleen's Recipes.

The high liquid content of these makes them a little tricky (aka. sticky!) to work with but you don't really need to knead these so it's not so bad. These yummy rolls are well worth the stickiness. If you are knead-a-phobic, these are for you. However, even if you love kneading bread, you should still try these :)

1. The dough is light and fluffy, not "bready"
2. There is no kneading
3. They have the texture of a good donut
4. Covered, they stay keep for 2-3 days
5. They freeze beautifully

Fluffy Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls
Makes 12

2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp active dry yeast or 1 pkg.
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (divided)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Filling (combine first 4 ingredients)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of table salt
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter, softened

1. Mix the buttermilk, vegetable oil and sugar in a saucepan and heat on the stove until lukewarm (105-110 degrees). Remove from heat then stir in dry yeast. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes to let the yeast bloom.

2. Add 4 (of the 4 1/2 cups) of flour to the buttermilk mixture and stir well (no need to knead, just mix well). Dough at this stage will be extremely sticky and more like a thick batter. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for an hour.

3. In a small, separate bowl, mix the final 1/2 cup of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. After the sticky dough has rested/raised for an hour, stir it down and add this final half cup flour mixture. Mix until well incorporated - this just takes a minute.

4. Turn batter (which will still be quite soft and sticky) out onto WELL-floured counter and roll the dough around a few times, coating the surface with flour so it is not so sticky. Roll (or pat) dough out into a rectangle that is about 1/2" thick. Spread dough surface with 2 tablespoons butter then evenly spread on the filling ingredients and top with nuts (pat the nuts into the sugar a little). Roll up, jellyroll style, keeping it as tight as you can. Pinch the seam shut tightly. Cut into 1 1/2" slices and lay them, cut side down, in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.

5. Bake in pre-heated 375 degree F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and sound hollow when you tap on them. Drizzle with a simple icing sugar/milk glaze while still warm.

Chewy Chocolate Twists

These yummy little twists feature a ribbon of chocolate filling studded with melty chocolate chips. They're just the right shape and size for easy snacking. The white sugar (instead of brown sugar) gives the filling a nice 'chew' to it as it caramelizes in the oven. Another yummy recipe from Marcy Goldman of Better Baking. This woman is quickly becoming my hero with her awesome recipes. She calls this one "Chewy Chocolate Sticks" and also uses raisins in the recipe.

This is my first time using this shaping method and I will definetely be using it again. It elevated a regular cinnamon bun-style bread into an elegant pastry. I often find that when you pair chocolate with bread the chocolate taste gets a little lost but not with these twists! It came though loud and clear - a great companion to the buttery, soft bread.



Chewy Chocolate Twists
adapted from Marcy Goldman | Makes 24

1 recipe (using approx 4 cups flour) bread dough or sweet dough

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Combine all the filling ingredients except for the butter. After the first rise, roll out dough into a large rectangle about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Spread softened butter evenly over dough then sprinkle evenly with filling. Roll up as though you were making cinnamon buns.

2. Instead of leaving it in the classic bun shape, slice the dough into buns then take each piece, flatten it slightly and give it a few twists before placing it on the pan. Space them a few inches apart as they will rise and expand. As you twist them, they will want to unroll a bit, but be persistant! Cover loosely with a towel and let rise 30 minutes (or up to 45 for lighter, puffier twists. I personally like them denser and chewier).

3. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool fully then store airtight.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl

This is my first recipe from the well known book - Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, probably most famous for the "Baked Brownie" (which I have not tried yet but is on my list. After making this recipe - a classic sour cream cake with a twist - I'm eager to see what else these boys from Baked have up their sleeves, so you will likely be seeing more recipes from this book soon. The addition of cocoa to the cinnamon swirl was an unexpected yet very welcome deviation from the classic.

The cake was really moist and easy to transport too. Beware, it makes a huge cake! It's baked in a 9x13 pan but it rises so high that the end product is about 3 inches tall. I managed to cut 24 good sized servings.



Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl
9 x 13 pan | Adapted from the Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Crumb Topping
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chunks (Original recipe calls for pecans)
6 tablespoons cold butter

Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp cinnamon

Cake
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
16 ounces sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Crumb Topping: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until mixture looks like pebbly sand. Mix in the chocolate chunks. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl: Mix ingredients in small bowl.

3. Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×13" glass baking pan. (Glass works better as the cake edges brown too quickly with metal). Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Scrape down bowl and add sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl as needed.
Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl before each addition and beating only until each addition is just incorporated. Do not overmix.

4. Pour 1/3 of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread batter evenly in pan. Sprinkle half of the chocolate cinnamon swirl mixture over batter, covering the entire surface of the batter. Spoon another 1/3 of batter over the swirl mixture and spread it evenly. Top with remaining swirl mixture, then the remaining 1/3 batter, and spread the batter evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the batter.

5. Bake in the center of the oven for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cover with foil if browning too quickly. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Caramel Apple Sticky Buns

This sweet-but-not-too-sweet bun is perfect for breakfast. The recipe is an adaptation of Pioneer Woman's version. They're like the love child of an apple pie and a cinnamon bun. Don't be put off making these due to making your own caramel for the topping. It's easy! The apples cook up tenderly in the oven, drenched in caramel, and make a beautiful and tasty topping when the pan is inverted after baking.


Filling the pan with caramel and topping ingredients


Rising in the pan - look at that gooey goodness!

Caramel Apple Sticky Buns
M2 - 9" Pans (24 small rolls) | Adapted from PW

ROLLS:
2 cups Whole Milk
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cups Canola Oil
1 package (2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
4 1/2 cups Flour, Divided
2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 teaspoons (scant) Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoons (heaping) Baking Powder
3/4 cups Melted Butter
4 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon

CARAMEL TOPPING:
1 stick Salted Butter
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Corn Syrup
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
1 apple, Peeled And Finely Diced
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Dough: Heat milk, oil, and 1/2 cup sugar until warm (do not boil.) Allow to cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle in yeast and 4 cups flour. Stir gently and cover with a tea towel, allowing it to rise for 1 hour. After 1 hour, add remaining flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Caramel topping: Add 1 stick butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream. Melt over low heat until totally combined then boil for a few seconds before removing from heat. Set aside.
3. Assembly: Roll out half the dough into a large rectangle. Pour on half the melted butter, half the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, and half the cinnamon. Roll into a long roll, then slice into rolls. Spray 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Pour in half the caramel topping. Sprinkle diced apple and pecans over the top, then arrange sliced rolls all over the pan. Repeat with other half. Rise for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, covered in foil for the first 15 minutes. Rolls should be golden brown. Invert immediately on a serving plate. Cool slightly and drizzle with a simple glaze (milk & icing sugar) before serving.

Lemon Pound Cake

This lemon cake is a little more involved than your usual quick bread. It's unique because it uses whole lemon sections for little bursts of flavor and for extra moistness it gets bathed in a soaking syrup and re-baked. The recipe is from Bill Yosses, coauthor of the book Desserts For Dummies and the White House Executive Pastry Chef.

My shameful confession: I used bottled lemon juice for part of this recipe! Yes, the stuff in the lemon-shaped plastic container. It still tasted great though!



Lemon Pound Cake
2- 9" x 5" loaves | Bill Yosses via Martha Stewart

FOR THE CAKE
4 whole lemons
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 large eggs
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE SOAKING SYRUP
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup granulated sugar

FOR THE GLAZE
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two loaf pans and line with parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet; set aside.

2. Grate zest from lemons; set aside. Remove white pith from lemons. Hold one lemon over a bowl, and cut between the membranes into sections, allowing sections and any juice to fall into bowl. Squeeze juice from membrane. Repeat with remaining 3 lemons.

3.Sift flour, sugar, and baking powder into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Begin mixing on low speed, then add heavy cream. Increase speed to medium, and beat in eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition, then beat in butter. Add lemon segments, juice, and grated zest. Beat for about 30 seconds to combine and break up lemons a bit. Transfer to prepared pans.

4.Bake for 25 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut an incision lengthwise down middle of each cake (scoring the cake). Return to oven and bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes more depending on the pans. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Do not turn off oven.

5.Make soaking syrup: In a small saucepan, combine lemon juice and sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

6.Unmold cakes and transfer to a large baking dish. Pour soaking syrup over cakes, and very gently squeeze the cakes to help syrup absorb. Carefully turn cakes upside down in syrup, and squeeze a bit more. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack, and place in oven for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool. Do not turn off oven.

7.Make glaze: In a small saucepan, combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar dissolves and forms a thick glaze, about 1 minute. Pour over cakes, and return to oven for 30 seconds to set glaze. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes before slicing.

Sundried Tomato Cheese Rolls

These buns freeze great and are wonderful to adapt by adding bacon, veggies, changing the dressing/cheese/spices, whatever you can dream up. They cna easily be portable meals and are also a great way to use up last night's leftover mashed potatoes.

Lately it seems that I've been really into experimenting with different additions to dough, for example: No-yeast Cottage Cheese Dough for tangy and quick Orange Rolls or Rice "Foccacia" Bread made with leftover rice.

Today I'm adding potatoes! According to King Arthur Flour, potato in the dough gives bread a soft, moist, creamy texture; the starch in the potato attracts and holds liquid, meaning breads baked with potato will not only be soft and moist initially, but will stay that way longer. So tender and fluffy when baked and a dream to roll out and shape. The recipe was very heavily adapted from Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen



Sundried Tomato Cheese Rolls
20 rolls (or 2-9" pizzas) | dough adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Deep-Dish Potato Dough
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
8 to 10 oz. russet potato, peeled, cooked and grated (about 2 cups, or use 1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes)
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, approximately
1 3/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp for coating pan (or use oil from sundried tomato can)

Filling for Spirals
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp mixed garlic powder/onion powder/basil/oregano or whatever spices you like
1 cup drained sundried tomatoed, diced
1/2 cup ranch dressing (or jalapeno ranch)
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (optional)

1. In mixer bowl combine yeast, sugar and water and let stand 5 minutes, until foamy. Stir in 6 tbsp olive oil. Using dough hook, add in 2 cups flour, all the potato, and salt. Gradually add in more flour as needed until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. Transfer to a lightly oiled medium bowl, turn to coat with oil. Cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.

2. Now you can either use the dough to make spirals like I did or for pizza.

Spirals: Oil the bottom of an 11 x 16 inch pan with 2 tbsp oil. It seems like a lot of oil, but the oil is what browns the crust. Reserve 1/2 cup cheese. Toss remaining grated cheese with spices and jalapeno if using. Deflate and roll dough to about 1/4" thick. Spread ranch evenly over dough and sprinkle with cheese mixture. Roll up jelly roll style and cut into 20 even pieces using a sharp serrated knife. Place in prepared pan. Cover and let rise overnight in fridge or at room temperature for about 45 minutes or until almost doubled. Sprinkle tops with reserved cheese before baking. Bake at 425 degrees F on middle rack for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown and dough is cooked through. I like using a glass baking dish so I can see the bottom of the buns. Cool slightly before serving.

Pizza: Oil the bottom of two 9" deep-dish pizza pans with remaining 1 tbsp each of oil. Gently punch down dough, pat each half into a 10-inch round and transfer to the pan. Pull it into the edges and up the sides of the pan to form a 1" lip. If dough resists, let it sit for 10 minutes, covered, to relax. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 30 minutes, until about doubled.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Uncover and pierce dough surface generously with a fork. Bake until the crust is dry and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add desired toppings and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes. Move the pizza to the top rack and bake until the cheese is golden brown in spots, about 5 minutes longer.

Rice "Foccacia" Bread

If you're looking for another way to use up leftover rice, look no further! I love when baking mistakes turn into surprise successes like this one. I Googled recipes using bread and came across this one from a food blog. It was supposed to be for loaves, not foccacia, but when I was making the dough it seemed really sticky. I thought I would have to throw the whole thing out until I remembered that foccacia bread is a high-hydration dough. I added a bunch of dried herbs and patted it out onto a well olive-oiled baking sheet since there was no way I could shape it into a loaf. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Success! This recipe is a keeper! You would never guess there's rice in it and it wasn't heavy in the least. The best part is you can use whatever rice you have. Brown, White, Wild or even a pilaf like I did.

Rice "Foccacia" Bread
Adapted from My Diverse Kitchen

3 tbsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (105-110 degrees F)
3 tbsp sugar
3 cups cooked rice (I used brown rice pilaf)
1 tsp salt
4 cups bread flour (or as needed for a sticky dough)
2 tbsp herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, your choice)

Add the sugar and yeast to the warm milk, stir well and let stand 3-5 minutes.

Put the rice, about half the flour and the yeast mixture in the food processor. Process until it comes together. Keep adding flour a little at a time till the dough is a sticky ball. This is a high-hydration dough so it will be quite sticky. Place in a greased bowl, cover and allow to double in size. Punch down the dough and place on a rimmed baking sheet oiled with olive oil. (It helps if you put olive oil on your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to you). Pat the dough out into a square approximately 3/4" thick. Using your fingertips, dimple the top of the foccacia all over. Let rise again for about an hour.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Fast Orange Rolls (No Yeast)

No yeast required! The dough comes together in seconds in the food processor.
Perfect for a quick morning fix when you just don't have the patience to wait for yeast to rise. These rolls get their tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture from the pureed cottage cheese and buttermilk. The filling/frosting is heavenly. I was tempted to call these sunshine rolls because of their bright color from the flecks of orange zest.

Fast Orange Rolls (No Yeast)
Makes 12 | Adapted from Beth Hensperger

Cottage Cheese Dough:
1 cup cottage cheese, well drained
1/3 cup buttermilk (or 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp vinegar)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

Filling/Frosting:
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
zest of one orange
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp fresh orange juice

Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9" springform pan.

Make the dough:
In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and pulse in short bursts just until the dough clumps together (don’t overprocess). The dough will be soft and moist. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with floured hands 4 or 5 times until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12"x15" rectangle.

Make the filling/frosting:
Blend the filling/frosting ingredients and beat until creamy. Spread 1/2 mixture evenly over dough.

Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Set the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan; they should fill the pan and touch slightly, but don’t worry if there are small gaps.

Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 28 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a spatula around the inside edge of the pan and remove the springform ring. Transfer the rolls to a serving plate and spread remaining filling/frosting on top.

Cinnamon Walnut Monkey Bread

Oh, the infamous monkey bread. Little balls of buttery, sticky, gooey, cinnamon covered goodness baked into a beautiful Bundt. What could be fun-ner? I have also heard this bread being called "bubble bread" or "pull-apart bread".

Be creative! Add in chocolate chips or switch the type of nuts if you like. Some people add a package of vanilla pudding mix to the cinnamon sugar mixture for a more caramelly flavor. You could even add chopped apples and top with caramel sauce instead of icing. In the picture below you can see the stages of done-ness from raw to baked to invernted and finally iced.



I used a dough recipe for "Wondrous Bread" AKA. Copycat Wonder Bread (from my new cookbook by Marcy Goldman of Better Baking.com). The copycat Pizza Hut Pan Pizza Crust which I was really impressed by also came from this book. I can't put my finger on why exactly, but this book struck a chord with me and Marcy Goldman had won my trust early on. This book covers every category of baking, even fried doughs like Beavertails and Doughnuts. Not many pictures in this book, but I didn't miss them at all. She knows her stuff and her recipes are solid, tried, tested and true. I've never been a member of betterbaking.com so I don't know how the book compares to the website, but as a stand-alone, the book is amazing. The recipes range from simple (brownies) to complex (puff pastry) Her experience as a commercial baker shines through as she translates her knowledge into pieces suitable for homr baking. I found this book to be a quick favorite amongst my many baking books.

Cinnamon Walnut Monkey Bread
Makes 1 Bundt | Dough recipe from BetterBaking.com

Dough:
1 1/3 cups warm water
4 1/2 tsp instant yeast
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
5 tbsp butter, melted
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-2 cups bread flour

Filling:
3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup light-brown sugar

Icing:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2-3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 tbsp of sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add in melted butter, remaining sugar, salt and the all purpose flour. Mix it in by hand or using a dough hook until it forms a soft mass, adding bread flour as needed to form a soft dough, not too much flour! Let rise, covered, in a warm place for 30-45 minutes until almost doubled.

2. Make coating: Put melted butter in a bowl. In another bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar and half the walnuts into a well greased and floured Bundt pan. On the counter, gently deflate dough and divide into 1/2" pieces. Roll into balls. Dip balls in butter, then roll in cinnamon mixture. Layer them in the prepared Bundt pan. Sprinkle remaining walnuts over the dough balls halfway through the layering. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes in pan then invert. Cool 20 minutes while you make the icing: In small bowl, combine icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over slightly cooled bread.