Whole Wheat Bread

There is nothing like the fresh smell of homemade bread baking in the oven! So let’s get started!!

Start with grinding your whole wheat I used about 12-13 cups of wheat berries to have enough wheat to make this recipe!

In your bread mixer combine:
2/3 cup oil (I use 1/3 each of olive and safflower oil)
2/3 cup honey
1 tab. sea salt
5 cups warm water

With mixer on med speed, add to it:
About 8 cups of  wheat flour
3 tab. yeast
Vitamin C powder (this is optional, but it’s a natural preservative, so it helps to add it)

Let rest for about 5 minutes. Mixture will begin to look bubbly (like pictured above). This helps to “activate” the yeast.

While mixer is running, add:
2 tab lemon juice (this is also optional but  helps to enhance the natural gluten in the wheat)
About 10-11 cups of wheat flour

Note: Depending on the humidity of the day and how fresh ground your wheat is and how exact your measurement of water is, the amount of wheat flour you need will vary a little. The rule of thumb I learned was to add the wheat a little at a time until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl (like pictured above).

When you’ve added the remainder of your wheat flour, kneed the dough for 2-3 minutes on med/high speed, or the “kneed” setting on your mixer.

Depending on your size pan, divide dough into 5 or 6 sections ( I used a large bread pan so I did 5). Tuck the sides of each section of dough under and pinch together at the bottom. Place in a greased bread pan. Cover (I use plastic wrap, but you can also use paper towels) and let rise for a half hour, or until about double in size.

Gently remove cover and carefully (so that bread does not fall) place in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for about 30 minutes (if your oven bakes really hot, you may want to check them a few minutes early).

Remove from pans and let cool on a wire wrack. I like to brush the tops with butter before they are cooled, as this keeps the top crust nice and moist. Enjoy!!

This recipe was part of the recipes I post on the Grain Mill Challenge

French Bread

This is the best French Bread Recipe I've EVER tried. And I've tried quite a few. Plus, it's super easy, you just need to allow time for rising...

INGREDIENTS:

   2 ¼ c. warm water
   2 T. sugar
   1 Tbsp yeast
   1 Tbsp salt
   2 Tbsp oil
   5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 375 degrees

Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this proof—or sit for a few minutes until it bubbles.

Add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well.

 Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too stick – but be careful not to add too much flour. Knead for a few minutes.

Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds) and then allow to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a 9×13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal. 

 Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with second part of dough. 

With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an angle on the top of each. 

Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes. Brush entire surface with egg wash (one egg beaten slightly with 1 Tbsp of water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Note: I do not brush mine with egg. I brush it with water. I also put a pan of ice on the bottom shelf of my oven while the bread of cooking. This give it a more crust outside while keeping the inside light and moist.

Cinnamon Rolls

I got this recipe off a site called The Pioneer Woman. These have become a family favorite and by far, the best cinnamon roll recipe I've ever tried in my life (and I've tried a bunch). This makes a ton of rolls, and you can even put the dough in the refrigerator so that you can have fresh hot rolls for breakfast the next morning! 

Ingredients

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
• _____
• MAPLE FROSTING:
• 1 bag Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Melted Butter
• 1/4 cup Brewed Coffee
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt

Let's get started...Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

 For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Takes about 45 mins to and hour. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in 2 packages Active Dry Yeast (2 Tabs).

Let this sit for a minute so the yeast gets all warm and moist. It will start to "proof" and get bubbly.

 Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the towel and add 1 more cup of flour…1 heaping teaspoon baking powder…And 1 "scant" (less than a full) teaspoon baking soda and 1 heaping tablespoon of salt. Kneed  well.

 Use the dough right away, (if you do this I would let it rise for an hour in the refrigerator before hand to make it easier to work with.) or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl.

 To assemble the rolls....

Sprinkle surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle.

 Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin. Rectangle should increase in both width and length as you roll it out.

To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly.

Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter…

 …followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine.

 When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.

Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. 

Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into 9 inch round cake pans (or disposable foil cake pans) and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.) Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20-30 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake on 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown. 

 While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.

 Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor.

If you would like a printable copy, you can get it by clicking HERE...

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites w/ Cheese Sauce

I found the recipe for these on the Two Peas and Their Pod website. They are perfect for any kind of party or just for fun plus they just taste sooo good!!!

Soft Pretzels:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda (I added a lot less...like 1/4 cup instead of 3/4)
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

For the cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:
Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes (till it begins to bubble).

Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.


Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.


Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

While dough rises:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each.

Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites.

Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching.

Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt.


Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.


To make the cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.



*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar.


For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don't measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*