Soft & Chewy Pretzel Rolls

Happy Monday everybody!  We hope you had an excellent Easter holiday!  I made these beauties the other afternoon to go with the pasta dinner I had planned for that evening.  They turned out fantastic and will be a staple at our home from now on!!!  I think next time, I will make them smaller and more like a breadstick!  Can't wait!

For the dough:
2 1/2 cups milk, slightly warmed
1 (1/4oz) packet active dry yeast(2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup water slightly warmed
6 cups all purpose flour(start with 6 cups and add more as needed)
1 teaspoon salt


Pour warmed milk and yeast into a medium bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together.  Add the canola oil and warmed water to the yeast mixture.  Now pour the yeast mixture into the flour/salt mixture and begin to knead with your hands in the bowl.  This is where you can start to add more flour if the dough is to wet to handle.  The dough should be stiff and only slightly tacky, but won't stick to your hands.  Knead it in the bowl until it is mostly smooth.  Now, cover the bowl with tinfoil and allow it to rise for 1 hour in a slightly warm place.


Once the dough has risen for an hour, uncover it and punch it down and knead it for one minute.  Now cut your dough into as many pieces as you would like.  I was able to get 19 generous sized rolls.  Roll the pieces of dough into the shape you would prefer.  I did a "mini loaf" shape but rounds would work great too!  Place the shaped rolls on a greased surface to rise for 15 minutes.


While your rolls are rising, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and start your roll bath.
For the bath:
7 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons baking soda


In a large pot, bring the water, salt and baking soda to a rolling boil.  Drop 3-4 rolls into the water and let them "poach" for 1 minute.  Try and keep them submerged as much as possible.  Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out and place on well-greased cookie sheets.  Using a serrated knife, cut shallow lines across the rolls and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.  Then into the oven for 20-25 minutes until rich and brown.

Recipe found at une-bonne-vie.blogspot.com
Modifications by Kara
Images by Kara  

Donut Bread Pudding

This dessert came about after I was left with two dozen glazed donuts (that were two days old and not really enjoyable to eat anymore). Why was I left with two dozen stale glazed donuts? Long story short, I ordered them for my parents Halloween party and completely forgot to pick them up on our way out of town heading down to the party. I'm totally lame.


So, here I was with two dozen stale donuts the day after the party. What to do? I quickly remembered a recipe on a Sweetapolita (her cakes will bring you to your knees!) in which she made a bread pudding using Krispy Kreme glazed donuts! She got the recipe from Food and Wine, so I knew it had to be a goodie-- even if it seemed so wrong to make already rich and custardy bread pudding out of donuts!


The finished product tastes like traditional bread pudding, but with a donut quality going on. It's absolutely delicious! Especially topped with the custard sauce, melted raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream. The original recipe serves it plain with an espresso whipped cream, but I think it needs the hit of the custard and fruit sauce. I hope you enjoy! I've halved the recipe for you here, cause two dozen makes ALOT. :)


Recipe (9x13 pan):


1 dozen glazed donuts, cut into sixths (if you are using Krispy Kreme donuts increase this amount to 18 donuts, as their glazed donuts are smaller than average)
1 quart heavy whipping cream, divided (use two cups in the bread pudding save the reaming two cups for the whipped cream)
2 cups whole milk
10 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment and spread donut pieces over the parchment. Bake for 30 minutes until the donut pieces are dry and hard to the touch. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.


In a large bowl whisk together (I used a hand mixer for a thorough mixing), 2 cups heavy cream, milk, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Add the donut pieces and let soak for about an hour. Stir and fold mixture every 15ish minutes to make sure all donuts get soaked and softened.


Butter a 9x13 baking dish. Gently spoon and pour the donut mixture into the prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 30 minutes longer until bread pudding is set and the top is thoroughly browned. After this time, you can broil the top for three minutes if needed. Remove bread pudding from oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the whipped cream and sauces.


Recipe for Whipped Cream:


Remaining 2 cups heavy whipping cream from above
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping tablespoon white sugar


Whip until semi-soft.


Recipe for Creme Anglaise (Custard Sauce):


1 cup half and half cream
1/2 cup white sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter


In a saucepan over medium heat, combine half and half, 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla.  


In a small bowl whisk together egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth.


When cream mixture comes just to a boil, remove from heat. Whisk a small amount of hot cream into the egg yolk mixture. Then slowly pour the egg yolk mixture into the remaining hot cream, rapidly whisking while doing so. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring often until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and stir in butter. You can serve this sauce hot or cold.


For the Raspberry sauce:


In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt a 1/2 cup of good quality raspberry jam (we used a seedless variety) or any other fruit you prefer. Cook and stir until jam is liquified. This will take only a few short minutes.


Assembling the dessert:


Using a spoon, scoop bread pudding and top it with a good drizzle of the melted jam and custard sauce. Don't douse it. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and serve.


My sincerest apologies for not having a proper picture to share with you of the finished dessert. By the time we ate this, it was dark and we were all eating this right up and enjoying the moment. 


images by Briana

Apple Spice Buttermilk Muffins

I had been brewing up these muffins in my head for a week now and finally made them yesterday. I was trying my hardest to not get my hopes as I was making the batter, because I've had my fair share of experiences when you get so hyped on a recipe and you imagine in your head how it should taste and then the end result is a big disappointment. WhaaWhaa. While the muffins baked my kitchen smelled of warm autumn spices. I love that part of baking and cooking: the smells! The muffins were delicious, better than what I had imagined in my head, even! I'll surely be making these muffins again and again. Eat them warm with a slathering of butter. Enjoy!

Recipe (yields 12 standard muffins):


1 Granny Smith apple (medium to large size), washed, cored and coarsely grated
1 cup sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon plus two pinches salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted until light brown over low heat
brown sugar for sprinkling on each muffin top


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with liners (I used parchment squares) or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.


Whisk together sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Take washed and cored apple and coarsely grate directly into the bowl with flour mixture. Make sure the juices from the apple make it in the bowl as well. Toss to coat.


In a small pot, melt butter over low heat until brown. Set aside. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla in a small bowl.


Pour slightly cooled brown butter over the flour/apple mixture and stir once to help it cool. Make sure to use a rubber scraper to get all the butter out of the pot. Gently fold in the buttermilk mixture in until just combined; do not overmix.


Divide batter into muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Top each with a sprinkling of brown sugar (1/2ish teaspoon). Bake until muffins are browned around edges and spring back when touched, 16-18 minutes. Let muffins cool slightly, about 5 minutes, before taking them out of tin. Serve warm. 

all images by Briana

Kneaders Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Yesterday I was in a festive kind of a mood!  It was cold and rainy out.  So the kids and I stayed cozy inside, got out the Halloween decor and did some Fall baking!  I can say that I'm finally starting to embrace the Fall and I hope I have a lot more days like yesterday.  It was just, FUN!  Watching Ace and Ind's faces smile from ear to ear as I put out all of the spooky things!  All the while the sweet aroma of pumpkin bread baking filling the home!  I found a recipe from Burnt Apple that claimed to be the Kneaders pumpkin bread recipe!  Plus, of all the recipes I looked at, it was the only one that called for BUTTER instead of veg oil!  HELLO, NO CONTEST!  Butter will win every time!  The finished bread was dense, moist and flavorful!  And it went FAST!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees


3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or make your own here)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup butter softened
4 whole eggs
1-30 oz can or 2-15 oz cans of pure pumpkin such as Libby's
2/3 cup water
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside.  Cream the sugar and butter until combined well.  Add the eggs to the sug/butter mixture one at a time, mixing after each egg.  Add and mix in the mashed pumpkin.  Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the water.  Fold in the chocolate chips.


Pour into 3 large greased bread pans and bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 (mine took 65) minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  


Tips:  Even though this recipe is awesome as is and I'm more than confident sharing it, I want to add my own touch!  So next time I make it, which will probably be next week.  I'm going to substitute evaporated milk for the water, I will use 1 cup of softened butter instead of 2/3 cup and I'm going to try baking it at 350 for 45-50 minutes.  My reasons?  Because I love the flavor of canned milk, you can never have enough butter and I'm impatient!:)  Enjoy!


image by Kara

Banana Cheesecake Swirl Muffins

Hi everybody!  Hope your weekend was excellent!  Ours was spent a little under the weather.  But that didn't stop us from making all of the important rounds for the amazing Fathers and Grandpas in our lives!  I even managed to get dinner on the table for my sweet husband.  Sure, it wasn't until 9:30 pm but hey, it got done and at this time of year it's still sort of light outside so dinner at 9:30 pm is okay at our house!:)  Anyway, I'm really excited about sharing an absolutely incredible muffin recipe with you today!  I was looking at the over ripe bananas sitting on my counter Saturday night and remembered I had cream cheese sitting in my fridge!  The wheels started turning and I decided a banana/cream cheese muffin needed to be on the docket for Father's Day breakfast!  Well, this muffin exceeded good.  They were melt in your mouth, buttery, sweet, delicious!  I ended up taking several over to my parents and they were gone quick!  My brother Jas had to hide one and Mom didn't even get to try one!  I found a simple banana muffin recipe online and modified it slightly!  Then I whipped up an easy cheesecake batter to swirl into the muffin batter!  If you are in the mood for muffins, you guys have got to try these!!!!!  I promise they will not disappoint! 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Ingredients for muffin batter:
Mix together:
4 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
Add and mix in thoroughly:
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour


Prepare your muffin tin by spraying with cooking spray or using muffin papers.
Fill prepared muffin tin 3/4 full each with batter.  Set aside.


Ingredients for cheesecake batter:
Mix together thoroughly:
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg


Now dollop a heaping tablespoon full of the cheesecake batter on top of the muffin batter in each tin.  Then using a butter knife, swirl the two batters together slightly. (Not mixing together)  Then into the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes!  Let the muffins cool for about 10 minutes and then turn out on a cooling rack.  Enjoy!!!!  We sure did!
Recipe yields 15 muffins.


image by Kara
  

Chocolate Banana Muffins

A few weeks ago our good friends brought over some very tasty muffins!  She modified the recipe to make them healthier and they were soooo good!  She was kind enough to give me the original recipe with her healthy modifications in parenthesis to the side of each ingredient!  Who wouldn't love a chocolatey banana muffin for breakfast???  Especially if you can get you're whole wheat and flaxseed in there!;)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
The breakdown:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (whole wheat flour)
1 cup granulated sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 medium ripe bananas
1/3 cup vegetable oil (grape seed oil)
1 egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
(1-2 tablespoons flaxseed)


In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients.  In a small bowl, combine bananas, oil and egg.  Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in the large bowl just until combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes!  Recipe makes about 1-2 dozen.


Image by my good friend Breanna

Peanut Butter & Jelly Monkey Bread

I found a great recipe over at Picky Palate that I just had to try!  Sweet, gooey, delicious and way easy!  We love PB&J as well as any yummy warm bread so this recipe was sure to please!  And it did!  I followed her easy instructions to a tee and it is amazing!  Thanks Picky Palate for the creative take on traditional monkey bread!

 

My Little Monkey eating some monkey bread!

images by Kara

Sweet Cream Banana Bread with a Caramelized Sugar Crust

I have a handful of recipes that I use over and over again and never tire of. This is one of them. It is beyond good, in fact, I have never tasted a banana bread that compares. It’s buttery, it’s tender, and has the most amazing caramelized sugar crust that you will love when you take a bite.

Kar’ adapted this banana bread recipe from one they made at The Scottsdale Culinary Institute (where she went to school):

1 cube softened butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups cake flour (or 1 3/4 cup regular flour)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed very well

Cream together butter and sugars. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, soda, and salt. Be sure not to over mix, as it will result in a heavier bread. Fold in cream and banana.

Pam loaf pan (standard size). Take about a 1/3 cup of Sugar In The Raw or use brown sugar (this sugar is not listed in the recipe above) if that’s all you have. Press the sugar to the bottom and sides of your pan. The Pam helps it adhere, but don’t give yourself a headache if a lot of it slides to the bottom- it’s normal. Pour in your batter and smooth the top.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. If a toothpick comes out clean, it’s done.

Posted by Piglet (Bri)