Bread Machines For Dummies (27 page)

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Authors: Glenna Vance,Tom Lacalamita

BOOK: Bread Machines For Dummies
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I
n this chapter, we give you some great seasonal recipes — one for every month of the year, in fact. We hope you don't mind that all these recipes cater to those with a sweet tooth.

Before You Begin

You need to become accustomed to using the Basic Danish Dough before trying the recipes in this chapter. It's the kind of dough that you'll want to use when you are making dinner rolls, coffee cakes, and sweet rolls. Maybe you will be in a fine restaurant or a bakery and find an idea from their specialty breads. Chances are pretty good that you'll be able to copy the idea using this versatile dough. This dough is easy to prepare in your bread machine and easy to work with. Best of all, it can be made, refrigerated, and used up to three days later.

Basic Danish Dough

Preparation time:
10 minutes

Approximate cycle time:
20 minutes

Yield:
Approximately 12 rolls or 1 1/2-pound bread

2 eggs, large

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups bread flour

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 Have all ingredients at room temperature.

2 Place in the bread machine.

3 Select the Dough
or Manual
setting.

4 When the kneading is complete, stop the machine. You do not want the dough to rise in the machine.

5 Remove the dough, and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or a large self-sealing plastic bag.

6 Refrigerate for at least eight hours.

7 Punch the dough down approximately one hour after you put it in the refrigerator; repeat again in about two hours. When the dough has completely chilled, it will continue to rise very slowly. If you are keeping it longer than eight hours, punch it down at least once a day, and maybe twice.

Per serving:
Calories 170; Protein 6g; Carbohydrates 27g; Dietary fiber less than 1g; Total fat 5g; Saturated fat 3g; Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 310mg.

The Seasonal Recipes

After you've mastered the Basic Danish Dough, you can try the rest of the recipes in this chapter.

Cooks sometimes talk about putting “love” in their recipes, especially when referring to the kinds of comfort foods that families often share. The recipes in this chapter certainly fall in the category of comfort food. After all, what's more comforting than warm cinnamon buns or applesauce donuts? Maybe that love people refer to is actually something as simple as sugar (and the desire to make sweet treats for one's loved ones, of course).

So a word of caution: With everything from elephant ears to coffee cake on the following pages, if you have a sweet tooth, you'll have a hard time resisting the concoctions in this chapter. Even if sweets aren't on your list of favorite things, we're sure that you'll find these recipes delicious.

January — Frosted Cinnamon Buns

Tom likes to start off the new year on a sweet note with these delicious sticky buns. Because most of us like to sleep in on the first day of the new year, you can do as he does and prepare the dough the day before, chilling in the refrigerator for at least eight hours. Remove the dough before going to bed and let it rise, still covered, in an unlit oven during the night. Simply punch the dough down when you get up, shape it, and let it rise for a second time as the oven preheats. Then wait and watch as the rest of the family gets lifted out of bed by the rich aroma of cinnamon and spice.

Preparation time:
20 minutes

Approximate rising time:
2 hours

Baking time:
25 to 30 minutes

Yield:
Approximately 12 rolls

Use 1 recipe Basic Danish Dough

Add 1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (do not add this to the dough)

1 Pat or roll dough into a flat rectangle.

2 Roll out the dough to approximately a 17-x-13-inch rectangle (about 1/4-inch thick).

3 Spread the unsalted butter to within 1 inch of the edges of the dough.

4 Sprinkle the dough with the filling (see the following recipe).

5 Beginning with the short side, roll the dough into a 13-inch-long log.

6 Cut the log into 12 buns.

7 Place the buns in either two greased 9-inch cake pans or a greased 9-x-13-inch pan.

8 Cover and let rise for approximately two hours or until indentation remains when lightly touched.

9 Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.

10 Cool the buns on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then add frosting (see the following recipe).

When the buns are rising in the pan, you can tell that they are ready to pop in the oven by lightly pushing one finger into the side of one roll to make a slight indentation. If the indentation remains, the rolls are oven ready. If the dough moves back out, you need to let them rise more.

Variation: In place of the melted butter, you can brush the dough with 1 slightly beaten egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. Some bakers think the egg adds to the tenderness of the dough.

Filling

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup golden raisins

1 Mix the filling ingredients together.

Frosting

1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/4 cups confectionery sugar, sifted

1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 While the buns bake, beat the frosting ingredients in a medium bowl with an electric beater until smooth.

2 Spoon the glaze evenly over the warm buns.

Per serving:
Calories 300; Protein 7g; Carbohydrates 51g; Dietary fiber 2g; Total fat 9g; Saturated fat 3.5g; Cholesterol 55mg; Sodium 320mg.

February — Glazed Cherry Heart

Here's a Valentine from the kitchen. Some bakers express their love with cookies and cakes, but you can use this idea for a special coffee cake. We added the dried sweet cherries because they are red, they taste good, and — one more reason — George Washington cut down his father's cherry tree, remember? He did not tell a lie, and neither will we. The almond extract, nutmeg, and cardamom blended into the dough make this an extraordinary coffee cake.

Preparation time:
30 minutes

Approximate rising time:
2 hours

Baking time:
20 to 25 minutes

Yield:
1 cake

Use 1 recipe Basic Danish Dough

Add the following:

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Glaze

1 egg, extra large

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon water

Filling

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup ground walnuts or pecans

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2/3 cup dried sweet cherries

1 On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-x-18-inch rectangle (about 1/2-inch thick).

2 Wisk together the glaze ingredients with a fork.

3 Brush the dough with half the glaze mixture.

4 Combine the filling ingredients and sprinkle the filling over the dough.

5 Starting with wide side, roll the dough tightly and pinch the seams and ends.

6 Place the dough on a greased baking sheet, seam side up.

7 Fold the roll in half (on top of itself), sealing the ends together.

8 With scissors, cut from the folded end down to the center of the roll to within 1 inch of the other end.

9 Make a heart by turning the cut halves out with the cut side up.

10 Cover and let rise for about two hours or until an indentation remains after lightly touching side of the dough.

11 Brush the remaining glaze on the dough heart.

12 Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Variation: Grated orange peel can be substituted for the almond extract. Grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon can be substituted for the cardamom.

Per serving:
Calories 230; Protein 8g; Carbohydrates 34g; Dietary fiber 2g; Total fat 8g; Saturated fat 3g; Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 310mg.

March — Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns were sold in the streets of London on Good Friday. You probably already know that and didn't know you knew. Remember the nursery rhyme, “One-a-penny, two-a-penny, hot cross buns,” from the beckoning chant of the peddler?

From the bakeries of England to your home, we present to you the American version of Hot Cross Buns for a traditional Easter morning breakfast.

Preparation time:
30 minutes

Approximate rising time:
2 hours

Baking time:
10 to 12 minutes

Yield:
12 buns

Use 1 recipe Basic Danish Dough

Add the following:

1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/3 cup raisins or currants

Frosting

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk

Glaze

1 extra large egg white

1 teaspoon water

1 On a lightly floured work surface, cut the dough into three equal parts and then cut each part into four pieces. (Lightly sprinkle the dough with flour if it is too sticky to handle.)

2 Shape each piece into a smooth ball.

3 Place balls on a lightly greased 13-x-9-x-1-inch baking pan, with sides barely touching.

4 Cover and let rise until an indentation remains after lightly touching the side of one bun, approximately two hours.

5 Beat together the glaze ingredients with a fork and brush on buns.

6 Bake in a preheated oven at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly golden.

7 Mix together the frosting ingredients and set aside.

8 Remove the buns from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

9 When the buns are cool, pipe a cross of frosting on each bun.

You can form the dough pieces into balls in several different ways. Any method takes practice to perfect. Here are three ways:

You can hold the ball in one hand and with the other hand, pinch a small section between your thumb and first two fingers. Gently stretch out the dough, pulling it down toward the center of the bottom of the ball. Turn the ball, and continue until you have rounded the top and tucked in the bottom.

You can roll the dough into a ball between the palms of both hands like you would if you have a chunk of modeling clay.

You can place the ball of dough on the work surface, cup your hand over the dough, and rotate the ball with your hand.

Per serving:
Calories 220; Protein 6g; Carbohydrates 39g; Dietary fiber 1g; Total fat 5g; Saturated fat 3g; Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 320mg.

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