I am fighting a painfully frustrating war with my two year old son when it comes to eating breakfast. I feel like I have tried everything under the sun with virtually no successes. I win the occasional battle and think to myself, "okay, now we are finally on to something", … [Read more...]
Sunflower Seed Batard made with Sourdough
I think that most people who follow my site will agree that I really like making breads above all other things. I can't seem to help it. There is no other baked good that requires as much nurturing and understanding as a loaf of bread. It is unique in the fact that it really is … [Read more...]
Biscotti Picanti
I came across this recipe while searching for some different kinds of yeast breads to teach at one of my classes. I was looking for something that would have a very distinctive flavor and that would utilize some different techniques. This recipe has both of those and the spices … [Read more...]
Homemade Hamburger Buns
Summer is unofficially here again! I love that I live in New England and get to enjoy four distinct seasons. The start of a new season always gets me excited. I don't think I could ever live without the changing seasons, because when the seasons change so do the menu options. … [Read more...]
Country Sourdough Boule with Chocolate
I'll be honest, this bread turned out pretty amazing on the first try, which rarely happens when I am creating a brand new recipe, but I guess we all get lucky sometimes. The only thing I really changed from my first attempt was to add a little more chocolate. I only put about 4 … [Read more...]
Pane Siciliano (Semolina Bread)
I have made Pane Siciliano or Semolina Bread many, many times before, because I love its nutty flavor and beautifully golden interior crumb. A few months ago I was planning for my next session of baking classes and was trying to think of recipes that were not your everyday … [Read more...]
Creating your own Levain
I think breads that are leavened with a wild yeast have a much more complex flavor profile than breads that just use commercial yeast. You also get a bread that is entirely unique to you. This is because a levain that is from my home will be different than the one in yours, … [Read more...]
Whole Wheat Boule
Ingredients: 200 grams of refreshed levain or pre-ferment* 350 grams whole wheat flour 150 grams unbleached all-purpose flour 400 grams room temperature water 10 grams of salt 100 grams raisins Place the water and levain or pre-ferment into a large bowl and … [Read more...]
Pumpkin Doughnuts
It is October which just screams pumpkin to me. I will say though, that after Thanksgiving hits I am pretty much pumpkin free for the next 9-10 months. Since I made my own pumpkin puree this year I have an abundance of the stuff in the freezer so, I have been looking for all … [Read more...]
Apple and Sweet Cheese Bread
I love bread, I love apples...oh and I love cheese danish! So, this apple and sweet cheese bread is all encompassing for me. It is a nice enriched sweet dough with sauteed cinnamon apples and rich cheese danish filling. There are a lot of parts to it, but it is worth the extra … [Read more...]
Raisin Walnut Levain with Spelt
This bread has a thick chewy crust with a silky interior crumb. I really like the spelt flour, because it adds a nuttiness to the finished loaf and compliments the walnuts and raisins nicely. Sometimes this loaf rises really slowly, especially if your levain isn't quite as … [Read more...]
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
A couple months ago I was searching around the internet for interesting local things that were happening around me, when I stumbled across the website of Brod and Taylor. They are a company in the final stages of product development for a home bread proofing box. I thought it … [Read more...]
Semolina Filone
This recipe is adapted from Artisan Baking by Maggie Glezer. I have made some tweaks to this recipe that make it work better for me, but I would definitely recommend Maggie's book. It is filled with beautiful pictures, great stories and amazing recipes. This dough is really … [Read more...]
Country Wheat Hearth Bread
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to stumble across a local store that grinds their own wheat flour. The sign above the flour said "yes, it really does taste better", and I couldn't agree more. I am not a huge fan of whole wheat flour, because most time I find it to be a … [Read more...]
Kaiser Roll Recipe
With the Fourth of July holiday almost upon us I was thinking of what things I would like to make and bring to the family picnics. So I thought, what would be better than bringing your own homemade rolls for burgers and sandwiches? It is something a bit unexpected, yet sure to be … [Read more...]
Raspberry Cheese Danish
This past Father's Day I thought it would be nice to bring my father some danish to enjoy before his golf match. Who can resist flaky pastry filled with creamy cheese filling and a touch of raspberry? This recipe is a very similar dough to my apricot danish recipe, but slightly … [Read more...]
Rustic French Bread made with Levain
This is my mainstay bread. It is always in my freezer ready for an impromptu dinner party or just an accompaniment to Wednesday night's pasta dinner. I just pull it out of the freezer and place it in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes with the foil on, then remove the foil and … [Read more...]
Raisin Rye Sourdough Bread
This past weekend I was dreaming of a bread that I had at a local restaurant a while back. It was a hearty sandwich bread studded with raisins with a hint of cinnamon in the background. I had it as toast with my breakfast, and it held up really well to a thick layer of butter and … [Read more...]
Deli Rye Bread
This recipe is adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Bread Bible. This was the first bread baking book that was ever purchased for me, and it was and still is a great go to guide for me. I appreciate her dedication to getting her recipes so exact that they are almost … [Read more...]
English Muffins
My husband loves these English muffins, so I try to always have some around. These are slightly different than the store versions because they are not sweetened and when you toast them up they retain a wonderful crunch on the bottom. If you like your English muffins to be … [Read more...]
Traditional Bagels
Ingredients: 2 cups (16 oz) warm water 1 ¼ tsp. instant yeast 2 TB malt syrup or sugar 1 TB vegetable oil 7 cups (32 oz) bread flour 1 TB salt Toppings of choice 1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer place the water, yeast, and malt syrup. … [Read more...]
Cheese Filled Babka
This babka is very different from my Easter babka. The Polish style that I make for Easter is laced with raisins, but this babka is a richer butter dough that is filled with a creamy cheese filling. When you cut into this loaf you will see the swirl of thick cheese filling … [Read more...]
Saltless Tuscan Bread
Biga Pre-Ferment Ingredients: ¾ cup (5.8 oz, 165 g) water 1 tsp (.2 oz, 5 g) instant yeast 1 ¾ plus 2 TB (9.7 oz, 275 g) unbleached all-purpose flour Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until all the water has been absorbed. The dough will be very … [Read more...]
Challah Bread
Ingredients: 5 tsp instant or active dry yeast (2 pkgs) 1 cup (8 oz) warm water ½ cup (4 oz) sugar 3 large eggs 4 ½ - 5 cups (22 ½ - 25 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tsp salt ½ cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature In a large bowl dissolve … [Read more...]