Breads Archives - The Midnight Baker

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 23:00:14 +0000

Cinnamon raisin English muffins are so easy to make that you’ll never buy them again.

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins: Nothing Beats Homemade

Cinnamon raisin English muffins are really easy to make! Many people have raised eyebrows about this, but it’s true! In fact, it’s one of the simplest things to make.

It’s also a very popular flavor. I think it’s right up there with the traditional English muffins. It’s one of my favorite flavors in the muffins, bread and bagels.

The cinnamon will color the dough, but don’t let that worry you. The results are totally delicious.

It Starts With A Starter

These cinnamon raisin English muffins begins with a starter. Technically it’s a “sour dough” but as with any sour dough breads, the flavor intensity is based on how long the starter sits.

With this recipe, if you’re in a hurry, it only has to sit for an hour. If you let it sit for 3 days, you’ll get a more intense flavor. I generally let my starter sit for 24 hours. As with any yeast dough, there’s a time investment for raising so even though the recipe is as easy as can be, there’s waiting time involved. However, the really great thing about this recipe is the dough can be put in the fridge to raise in there–for up to 3 days–so you can get a head start. It also means you can make them fresh when you need or want them.

Raisins

If you’re anything like me, you have raisins on hand that you bought some time ago. Even though I keep them in an air-tight container, they always seem to get dry.

So what I do is soak them in some warm water for about 15 minutes to plump them up, then drain them well and use them. I’d even recommend doing that regardless of the age of the raisins in this recipe. It’ll keep them juicy.

The Recipe

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Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

Nothing beats homemade

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Rising Time & Starter3 30

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cinnamon raisin english muffins, homemade english muffins, sourdough english muffins

Servings: 12

Calories: 232kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

Starter:

3/4 cup bread flour Strong flour in UK
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/2 tsp yeast the dry kind not fresh

Muffin Dough:

1 cup lukewarm milk NOT skim milk
1 tsp yeast instant or active dry
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs unsalted butter melted
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup raisins
1-2 tbs ground cinnamon
3-3 1/4 cups bread flour strong flour in UK
Cornmeal
1 tsp butter for the griddle

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix the starter ingredients in a medium bowl (because it bubbles up). Cover and keep at room temperature for 12-36 hours. The longer it sits, the better the muffins will taste.
Using a stand mixer, combine the milk, yeast and the starter. Beat well so the starter is well incorporated into the milk.
Add the sugar, cinnamon, raisins, butter and salt. Add the flour, beginning with the lowest amount called for. Switch to the dough hook and knead for 8 minutes, adding additional flour so that the dough is soft yet not sticky. It should feel slightly tacky but not stick to your fingers nor the bowl.
Place dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, cover and let rise in the fridge overnight or up to 3 days.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and shape into a round disk. With a large knife, cut 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth round ball.
Sprinkle some of the cornmeal on a large baking sheet. Place the balls about 2-inches/5 cm apart. Sprinkle the tops of the balls with cornmeal as well. Let rise until puffy--for cool dough this will take about 1 1/2-2 hours.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease the skillet or griddle with the butter (I use a tissue to distribute the butter then use the buttery tissue to grease the griddle for the next batches).
Working in batches (probably about 3-4 muffins depending on the size of your pan/griddle. Don't crowd the pan) cook the muffins for 5-6 minutes on one side until they're golden brown.
Flip the muffins and cook for 5-6 minutes on the other side, gently pressing the muffins down with a wide spatula to flatten slightly.
For extra insurance that the muffins are fully cooked, you can put them in a pre-heated 350F/180C oven for 5-8 minutes.

Nutrition

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Jalapeño Pillows

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 23:00:16 +0000

Jalapeño pillows are biscuits with a surprise inside! Easy snack!

Jalapeño Pillows Are So Easy

There’s a nice creamy surprise in the middle of these jalapeño pillows! Yep, a creamy, cheesy and zippy pepper filling!

I’ll admit I’ve been on a jalapeño kick lately. It’s one of my favorite hot peppers. Jalapeños have some heat but they’re not overly hot. I like to taste the pepper too instead of just the heat. Probably why it’s one of my favorites. When I grew them in my hydroponic garden, I used to let them get red ripe. If you grow them, let them get fully ripe; the taste is indescribably delicious.

Anyway, I’d overbought the peppers and wanted to use the last couple that I had in the fridge. I found this on the Pillsbury site and they sounded good.

Creamy Filling

The creamy filling in the center is very much like a jalapeño popper filling. Of course you can do any variation you want so long as it is a cream cheese and shredded cheese base.

For example cream cheese, shredded mozzarella and either some sausage or pepperoni would make them into a pizza-like snack. The sky is the limit and use your imagination. As my mum would have said, “It’s all good food.”

Biscuits

The original recipe called for refrigerated large flaky biscuits–their brand of course. However, I’m sure your own homemade biscuits would work fine.

At first I tried to use the frozen ones thawed. That didn’t work so I broke down and bought the ones in the can. I might add that I was and still am apprehensive about opening those cans. I am relieved to know I’m hardly alone in that feeling. But I steeled myself and came through it fine. I have to admit it’s the easiest way to go using the ones in the can. So, if you’re like a lot of us, just concentrate on how darn easy they are to use.

The Recipe

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Jalapeño Pillows

Easy and delicious snack

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: biscuit recipes, filled biscuits, jalapeño biscuits

Servings: 8

Calories: 299kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

16.3 oz can large refrigerated biscuits 8 count
1 egg
1 tsp water
1 tbs pretzel salt optional

Filling:

4 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sharp cheddar shredded
3 tbs diced jalapeños
1 clove garlic finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Mix all filling ingredients; set aside.
Beat egg with the water and set aside.
Roll each biscuit to a 1/8-inch thickness. Place about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center. Bring the dough up around the filling and seal well. Place seam side down on prepared baking sheet.
Brush egg wash on top of each biscuit. Sprinkle with pretzel salt if desired.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Nutrition

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Slow Cooker Herb Bread

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 28 May 2022 23:00:51 +0000

Slow cooker herb bread gives you fresh bread without turning on your oven.

Don’t Heat The Kitchen–Slow Cooker Herb Bread

You don’t have to give up having freshly baked bread in the summer months! Stay cool and use your slow cooker to bake a nice loaf of bread.

Yes, you can bake in your crock pot. My sister has baked in hers for years. When she told me she did, I have to admit I was in disbelief. That is until I tried it myself using her go-to banana bread recipe. After I tried it, I was a total believer.

Herbs

This slow cooker bread lends itself to many herb flavors.

I used chives because I like them and they were growing in my garden profusely. The bread didn’t have a strong chive flavor because I always go easy with herb flavorings. However, I will add more the next time since the flavor was too subtle.

If you want to use herbs such as basil, rosemary or thyme, I’d advise going lightly with those the first time you make this. They are rather strongly flavored herbs and too much can really spoil the flavor–turning something nice to something that tastes medicinal.

If you find you want a more prominent flavor, then by all means add a bit more herb the next time you make it.

Browning

Where the bottom of the bread will brown, the top will not. If the pale shade doesn’t bother you, then you’re set to go.

For my taste, I like a little browning for eye appeal. What I did was brush the top with a bit of olive oil and pop it. under the broiler for a couple of minutes. That did the trick–at least for my taste.

This bread has a nice moist texture that would be great made as dinner rolls. You could divide the dough into individual rolls and “bake” them like that. Personally, I’d stick to using a smaller slow cooker if you’re going to make this into rolls. A 5 quart round cooker would be the perfect size.

The Recipe

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Slow Cooker Herb Bread

Great recipe for summer bread--no oven required

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baking bread in a slow cooker, baking in a slow cooker, easy herb bread recipe

Servings: 8

Calories: 252kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp rapid yeast
2 1/2 cups bread strong flour or all-purpose (plain) flour
2 tbs honey
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 tbs chopped fresh chives thyme or rosemary

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Let it stand 5 minutes and if bubbles form, the yeast is active.
Using a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the yeast mixture and the remaining ingredients until a soft dough forms. Let the machine knead for about 5 more minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. This may be kneaded by hand if you don't have a stand mixer.
Line a slow cooker (I used a round 4 qt) with parchment paper. Form the dough into a ball and place in the lined slow cooker.
Set the cooker to high and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours. The bread is done if it makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.
As the top won't be brown, you can pop it under a hot broiler for a few minutes to brown the top.

Nutrition

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Glazed Raised Donuts

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 00:00:23 +0000

These glazed raised donuts are delicious! As close to Krispy Creme as you can get.

Glazed Raised Donuts: A Real Treat

You’ve bought these at the supermarket and at those famous donut shops and loved them. Did you know they’re easy enough to make at home? They’re fun to make too.

Since they are fun to make, if you have kiddos, let them help you! Kids love playing with dough and the funny thing is, the more you “play” with it, the better the end product will be. When first mixed, the dough is a bit on the sticky side. While you may be reluctant to handle it because your hands will get some dough on them, I never met a kid who wouldn’t look forward to that…

Finally, what can be better than something you make where you know the ingredients that make it up–ones you can pronounce.

The Yeast Dough

As mentioned above, the dough initially is a tad sticky. That’s because it’s a sweet yeast dough.

Of course you can do this by machine, but since this is a small-batch recipe, you may not want to haul out that big stand mixer. Again, it’s your choice, but with these sweet doughs, I prefer to do it by hand to make sure the texture is just right,

The dough’s texture is quite soft and as I said, sticky in the beginning. However, when you begin to work the dough by kneading and adding small amounts of flour, the dough becomes less sticky. It should have a smooth and silky texture.

As with any yeast concoction, there’s a time investment. Most yeast doughs can be risen in the fridge so I’d take advantage of that if you don’t have time to complete the task in the same day. Just remember to let the dough come to room temperature before you start rolling and cutting.

Don’t Have A Donut Cutter?

Don’t buy one! You simply don’t need it.

I used a biscuit cutter that was about 2.5-inches/5-cm in diameter and managed the hole with a soda bottle cap. If you want to make twists, then you need no utensils. Just take about a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll it into a rope about 8-inches/20-cm long, fold in half and twist the ends together.

I glazed these but they’re also good rolled in cinnamon sugar. Surprisingly, they’re good keepers. While they won’t be as good as the day you made them, the next day they’re almost as good. The dough is also good, minus the hole, for making jelly donuts.

Just double the ingredients to make a larger batch. I got about a dozen out of the small-batch recipe

The Recipe

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Glazed Raised Donuts (small batch)

Simple but delicious

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Rising Time2

Total Time2 20

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: krispy creme copycat, raised donuts, yeast donuts

Servings: 12

Calories: 182kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast 1 envelope
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tbs milk
2 1/2 tbs vegetable shortening
1 egg
2 tbs sugar
pinch of salt
2-2 1/2 cups flour
oil for frying

Glaze:

1 cup confectioner's icing sugar, sifted
1-2 tbs water
1/2 tsp vanilla

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place yeast in the 1/4 cup of warm water, add the 1 tsp sugar, stir and let it stand for about 5 minutes until foamy.
Heat milk and shortening in a small saucepan. Let stand until it's lukewarm.
Mix sugar, salt and the egg in a large bowl. Stir in the cooled milk mixture and the pinch of salt. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Add the yeast mixture and 1 cup of the flour. Mix until a soft batter forms.
Add enough remaining flour until you get a soft dough consistency. The amount of flour is variable in different weather conditions. You may need more flour than stated. The dough should be pretty soft and slightly sticky--it's texture you're aiming for.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth--the dough will be sticky.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise until double--about 1 1/2 hours.
Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a donut or biscuit cutter (I used a large biscuit cutter and a soda bottle cap for the middle hole) cut out the donuts and place them on a floured piece of parchment. Let rise until light--about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1-2 inches of oil in a large deep skillet until it's 325-350F/160-180F. Fry donuts until golden brown on each side. I flip them with wooden chopsticks. Don't crowd the pan--fry in shifts. Drain on paper towels.
Mix glaze ingredients and drizzle over warm donuts.
Makes about a dozen medium donuts.

Nutrition

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Pesto Cheese Pinwheels

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 00:00:25 +0000

Want a quick snack for the big game? Pesto cheese pinwheels are just what you need!

Pesto Pinwheels: Easy Snack

Ever get a snack attack and want something savory and quick? How about no real work?

Well here you have it. These pesto pinwheels use all no-work no-hassle ingredients. That’s because they’re all prepared!

The beauty of these is you can change up the cheeses and even substitute things like pizza sauce if you have no prepared pesto on hand. Since pizza dough is a common ingredient for many other things, it’s not unusual to have a tube of the refrigerated kind right in your fridge.

How About That Super Bowl?

If you’re having a Super Bowl party with guests or if it’s just the family watching, snacks are always in order. Have you ever run out of tidbits to eat? I know I have so I rely on recipes such as this where I can get them up and out in less than 30 minutes.

I’ve done a lot of entertaining in my day and there’s nothing worse than running out of food. I’ve had guests who’ve been overzealous in their eating so I make sure I’m always prepared with recipes like these pesto pinwheels or even something totally prepared that I keep in my freezer. It’s terribly embarrassing to run out of stuff. It happened to me once when I was not prepared so I make sure I have things on hand,

So even if you’re not hosting a party but you get midnight snack attacks where you want something savory, this really fills the bill. And the leftovers? They reheat very well in the microwave or air fryer.

Pizza Dough

If you don’t happen to have the ready-made stuff on hand, pizza dough is pretty easy to make from scratch.

However, if you have a tube of crescent roll dough, that can stand in nicely. They will, of course, have a different texture but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. They’ll be a lot richer tasting.

The Recipe

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Pesto Pinwheels

For those last-minute snack attacks.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy super bowl snacks, pizza dough appetizers, snacks with pesto

Servings: 8

Calories: 239kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
1/2 cup pesto
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Lightly spray a 8 or 8-inch square pan with non-stick spray.
Roll out pizza dough to a 16 x 8-inch rectangle.
Spread pesto on top of pizza dough, leaving 1-inch/2.5 cm on one long end plain.
Sprinkle with the cheeses and roll up from the long end opposite the plain end. Cut into 16 rolls (a serrated knife works best) and place 4 across and 4 down in the prepared pan.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

For EU/UK--don't use larger than a 23 cm square pan. I'm not sure of your standard sizing but I'm basing it on 9-inches square.

Nutrition

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Challah Knot Rolls

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 00:00:02 +0000

Challah knot rolls are great dinner or sandwich rolls.

Delicious Challah Knot Rolls

I just love challah. Since it’s so versatile, who wouldn’t. So extending it to rolls makes perfect sense.

This is the bread that makes the absolute best French toast since it has an egg base. However, it doesn’t stop there. Made into rolls, it’s perfect for dinner rolls. The taste is so wonderful, I often cut out any butter when I eat them.

Challah knots also make wonderful sandwich rolls since they have “moxie” and can stand up to many highly flavored sandwich filling. They also resist falling apart which matters with sandwiches.

Time Investment As Always

With yeast dough, there’s no getting away from the time investment you have to make. Most yeast-based products are pretty easy to make but you have to factor in the length of time it needs to rise. For really optimal results, giving the dough two rises before shaping and rising again gives very good texture and taste. However, with more modern yeasts and recipes that use them, only require one rise before shaping.

With this challah dough, it will require at least three hours to rise. That’s because it’s a pretty heavy and dense dough. What I’ve taken to doing is letting it rise in the refrigerator overnight. This will, of course, result in a slower rise, but that’s pretty incidental. Because of the slower raising time, the texture will be better

And while we’re on the subject of the dough, you will need a sturdy stand mixer for it. Hand-held mixers are not up to this. Just an FYI but I also let the machine knead the dough and just give it a few turns by hand before I put in the bowl to rise. Actually, the more you abuse the dough, the better it will be so if you want to hand knead and slap it around a bit, that’ll be really good. Take all your aggressions out on the dough; wonderful therapy!

Shaping, Etc.

I’ll state upfront that I’m not a wonderful shaper. I did not inherit my mother’s amazing skills at shaping breads so my knots look mediocre at best. What I do is just tie a knot in the rope and tuck then ends under. Just don’t be intimidated if they’re not perfect.

If you serve these as dinner rolls you can always melt a little butter and garlic and brush that over the top when they come out of the oven.

The Recipe

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Challah Knots

Challah makes the perfect rolls

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Raising Time3 25

Course: breads, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: challah knot rolls, challah recipe, egg dinner rolls

Servings: 12

Calories: 257kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1½ tbs dry active yeast
1 tsp sugar
1¼ cups lukewarm water
5 cups unbleached bread or all-purpose flour
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ tbs salt
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 egg beaten (for the egg wash)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small bowl, place yeast, 1 tsp sugar and lukewarm water. Allow to sit for around 10 minutes until it becomes foamy on top.
In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together 1½ cups flour, salt and sugar. After the water-yeast mixture has become foamy, add to flour mixture along with oil. Mix thoroughly.
Add another cup of flour and 2 eggs and mix until smooth. Switch to the dough hook attachment if you are using a stand mixer.
Add another 1½- 2 cups of flour, mix thoroughly, then remove from bowl and place on a floured surface if kneading by hand or switch to the dough hook for machine kneading.
Knead remaining ½ cup flour into dough, continuing to knead for around 5 minutes (or however long your hands will last). Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut dough into 2.5-3 oz pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and then form a knot by just tying it, tucking the under end underneath.
Allow challah rolls to rise another 20-25 minutes.
In a small bowl beat 1 large egg. Brush egg wash liberally over challah.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven.

Nutrition

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Bavarian Cream Biscuits

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 00:00:55 +0000

Whip up a batch of these Bavarian cream biscuits and surprise the family!

Bavarian Cream Biscuits?

Yep, that’s right! I know it may sound strange, but consider that many people are using refrigerated biscuits to make “donuts” in their air fryers. Not for nothing, those air-fried” donuts taste pretty darned good too.

Why not carry that principle further and apply it to filled donuts. I admit that the biscuit itself is nowhere near the taste nor the texture of filled raised-yeast donuts. However, that doesn’t mean that they won’t taste very good–they do. And what’s good about these is that they should be eaten the same day you make them.

Unlike their yeast cousins, biscuits don’t keep as well.

Creamy Filling

This filling is rich and creamy. It’s delicious too, but of course you know that already.

I tend to use heavy or whipping cream for this type of concoction. Not only for taste but for texture. Light cream or half and half could probably be substituted, however, I can’t vouch for the texture as it may be too runny to be a good filling. Milk would definitely be out here because your end product wouldn’t be much like a pastry filling; it’d be exactly like it’s intended purpose–a pudding.

Chocolate Frosting

I give my favorite quickie chocolate ganache recipe for this and I highly recommend it. Reason for that is that it’s very easy, tastes delicious and it produces the right consistency for this use.

You can always use your favorite recipe for chocolate frosting. The caveat is it must be thin enough so that it drizzles. Another option is to use canned frosting and microwaving it so it becomes runny. However that frosting will lose it’s gloss where my quick ganache will not–so make a tad extra so you can lick out the bowl with the excess. It’s glorious.

The Recipe

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Bavarian Cream Biscuits

Simple yet delicious

Prep Time5

Cook Time0

Biscuit Bake Time20

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bavarian cream donuts, desserts using biscuits, donuts from biscuits

Servings: 8

Calories: 304kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

8 large biscuits refrigerated, frozen or your own
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix 1/2 of the box

Frosting:

1 cup chocolate chips
2-3 tbs cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small bowl, beat the cream and the pudding mix with an electric mixer until it's thick. Cover and refrigerate.
Bake biscuits as per package direction or your own recipe. Allow biscuits to cool.
When ready to fill the biscuits, let the filling stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Place filling in a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip (you can also use a plastic freezer bag with a corner cut out).
Insert the tip into the side of each biscuit and squeeze about 2 tablespoons of the filling into the center.
For the frosting, combine the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of cream in a small bowl and microwave on high for 15 seconds. Stir until smooth. The frosting should be of drizzling consistency; add additional cream if necessary to achieve this texture.
Swirl tops of the biscuits in the frosting.

Nutrition

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Cheese Twists

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 00:02:18 +0000

These easy cheese twists are perfect snacks for your holiday get-togethers or any other time.

Use Leftover Pie Crust For Cheese Twists

Got any leftover pie crusts? Here’s one of the easiest snacks you’ll ever make.

The pie crust can be leftover scraps of your own recipe or those pre-rolled refrigerated ones that many of us find so convenient.

Since my store had the refrigerated ones on special for the recent Thanksgiving holiday, I bought the requisite two that the special required. They keep well so I figured why not.

If you did like I did and bought more than you actually needed, here’s a good way to use them before you forget about them entirely. Or if you are like my mother and save scraps of your own homemade pie crust, this is an excellent way to. use them.

The Best Cheese

For these cheese twists, the best cheese to use–in my opinion–is a good cheddar cheese. In these I used a mild variety and they were excellent.

Another good choice is Swiss cheese. The mild and nutty flavor is also perfect.

You do want a cheese that doesn’t “string.” Once cooled, a stringing cheese would only be a dense and rubbery glob, so the best thing to do–if you are not sure these will be eaten immediately–is to bypass such cheeses as mozzarella and those like it.

Why The Cayenne?

You actually use so little cayenne or hot sauce that it’s barely noticeable. What it does is enhance the flavor of the cheese much like chili powder does for chocolate (try this–Aldi sells it). If you like stuff hot and piquant, then use more.

On the other hand if you can’t tolerate any for dietary reasons or you feel uncomfortable using it, leave it out. They are perfectly delicious anyway.

The Recipe

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Cheese Twists

The easiest cheese snack ever

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese twists, Christmas parties, cocktail party food, using leftover pie crusts

Servings: 8 varies--I got 16 twists

Calories: 259kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 refrigerated pie crusts or your own scraps/recipe
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg beaten
Pinch of cayenne or 1-2 drops hot sauce
Coarse salt
Paprika

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Beat egg and cayenne; set aside
Unroll pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Brush entire circles of crust with the egg mixture (reserve a bit for brushing the twists). Distribute cheese evenly over half of each crust.
Fold the ends without cheese over the sides with cheese forming a semi circle and press or roll getting out any air bubbles and that the cheese adheres to the dough.
Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut into 1-inch/2.5 cm strips and form twists by holding the ends and twisting in opposite direction. Place on prepared pan and brush with remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle with coarse salt (if desired) and paprika.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

I got 16 twists and nutrition info is based on 2 cheese twists per person.

Nutrition

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Ukrainian Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 00:00:54 +0000

Ukrainian garlic herb dinner rolls are perfect for your holiday table.

Ukrainian Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls

These rolls wear many hats. Since they’re easy to make, you can change up flavors pretty easily.

Keeping with tradition, dill is the preferred herb here. It’s immensely popular in this part of the world so using it would be quite authentic.

However, I know a few people who really don’t care for it and changing it to something everyone likes presents no real problem. Basil would be an excellent choice instead of dill. Parsley is pretty much neutral with most folks so even just using only that wouldn’t affect the quality.

Easy Yeast Dough

The dough for these rolls is pretty easy. As with any yeast dough, there’s always the time investment of waiting for it to rise.

It will take about an hour for it to rise and with all yeast doughs, it must have a warm and draft-free place to rise. Since I live in a pretty old house, it can be drafty at times so I found a way to insure success with rising dough.

What I do is use my oven. If you have an older stove with a standing pilot light, then it’s the perfect temperature. Just set your covered bowl in it and Bob’s your uncle so they say.

However, now most gas stoves have electronic ignition and this method is also great if you have an electric stove or dual-fuel range as I have. You turn on your oven to 400F/200C then as soon as it ignites, shut it off. Then put your covered bowl with the dough in the oven and shut the door. Using a bowl filled with hot water on the rack below the dough also aids with rising because it creates a bit of humidity. I don’t find this necessary, but you may want to try it.

The Herb Oil

I would suggest making this before you start making the dough–it’s not really necessary, but nice.

The reason is that the longer the oil steeps, the better it tastes

The Recipe

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Ukrainian Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls

Easy and delicious dinner rolls worthy of your holiday table

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Raising Time2

Course: breads, Side Dish

Cuisine: Ukrainian

Keyword: Christmas recipe, dinner rolls, thanksgiving side dish recipes, yeast rolls

Servings: 9

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

Dough:

1 cup milk lukewarm
2 1/4 tsp yeast 1 packet
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs oil
3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 egg beaten

Garlic Herb Oil:

3 tbs olive oil
1 large clove garlic finely minced
1 tbs fresh dill chopped
2 tbs parsley chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pour the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached or a large bowl is hand mixing/kneading. Add the sugar to the milk then sprinkle the yeast on the tops. Whisk the mixture and allow it to proof for 5-10 minutes. The mixture should appear foamy if yeast is active.
When you see the yeast is active, add the oil, flour and salt. Start at low speed with the dough hook on the mixer. When a ball starts to form (you may need a bit of additional flour), increase speed to medium and knead for 6-8 minutes on the machine, or 10-12 minutes kneading by hand. Dough should be soft and elastic yet not sticky.
Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk; 1-1 1/2 hours.
After dough has doubled, punch it down to remove the air. Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Shape each into a ball and place 3 across, 3 down in a 9 x 9-inch greased square pan. Metal is preferred here. Cover and let rise until puffy--about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F/180C and make the herb oil.
Mix all herb oil ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
When rolls are puffy, brush with the beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes; until they are a deep golden color.
Brush with the herb oil as soon as they are removed from the oven. Let them sit about 15 minutes to cool slightly before serving.

Nutrition

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Rich Jelly Donuts

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 18 Sep 2021 23:00:11 +0000

Love rich jelly donuts? Make them at home; they’re easy.

Rich Jelly Donuts

There’s jelly donuts and awesome jelly donuts.

These rich jelly donuts fall into the latter category. Most standard grocery store bakery donuts either come in completely done and are just thawed. That’s the way most bakeries do them nowadays. More old-school store bakeries buy the pre-formed dough then thaw, proof, fry and fill. I know that scoop well because for a short time years ago, I worked in a local supermarket bakery. My basic function was making all the donuts.

Now, the ones you make from scratch at home are far better. The reason is you’re making a great-tasting rich yeast dough for the donuts themselves and a good quality jelly or jam is far superior to the commercial stuff which rarely contains any fruit.

The Dough

My recipe for the dough is a pretty rich sweet dough. If you have a favorite sweet dough recipe, then use your favorite.

As with any yeast dough, there’s a time investment for the raising. Early fall is actually great weather for dough to come out at it’s very best. Sweet doughs take a bit more time to rise than regular bread doughs so keep this in mind when budgeting your time.

Now when it comes to frying the dough, I will warn you that they can get quite dark due to the sugar content. However, golden brown doesn’t mean they’re “done.” You will need to let then get pretty dark but not burned so keep an eye on them as they can go very quickly to burning. To check for doneness, the best way to do this (without destroying a donut) is to use an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature should be 190F/88C.

Filling

Use any jam or jelly flavor you like. Anything will work.

You don’t need fancy professional equipment either. I just cut a slit in the side and used a regular tea spoon to get the jam in.

You could also fill with some creme patisserie if your passion is Bavarian or Boston cream donuts. I’d forgo the spoon in this case and use a pastry bag since it’d be less messy. And if you don’t want to bother making creme patisserie, cheap and cheerful instant vanilla pudding will do, but keep in mind it will separate if you plan to store the donuts for more than a day.

The Recipe

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Rich Jelly Donuts

Much better than store-bought

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Total Raising Time1 40

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade jelly donuts, rich jelly donuts

Servings: 6

Calories: 431kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 1/4 tsp dry yeast 1 envelope
1 cup whole milk
2 egg yolks beaten well
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbs unsalted butter melted
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour
Oil for frying
Sugar for dusting
1/2 cup jam or jelly for filling

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Scald milk in a small saucepan--scalding is when you see bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. The temp is about 180F/82C/. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
Place the lukewarm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let this stand for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the flour, mix together and let this stand for 20-30 minutes--till it gets nice and bubbly.
Next add the melted butter, sugar and salt and mix. Add the beaten egg yolks. Switch to the dough hook and add only enough of the remaining flour to get a soft, moist but not sticky dough. Knead for 2 minutes. If the dough appears sticky, add another tablespoon of flour. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled--about 90 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Roll out dough to 1/2-inch/1.25 cm thickness. Cut using a 3-incb/3.75-cm biscuit or tart cutter. A drinking glass of the same diameter works just as well.
Place the dough rounds on the prepared sheet. Cover with a cloth or paper towel (you don't want the dough getting damp, hence the cloth. Let rise for 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep skillet to 360F/182C. If you have a deep-fat fryer, that works very well because it will maintain the proper temperature.
Carefully add the dough to the hot fat--don't crowd the pan, work in shifts. In a 12-inch skillet, I fried 3 at a time.
Fry until the side in the oil is a very deep brown (but not burned), then flip them over and fry to the same color--hint--I use wooden chopsticks for this.
Remove to a cooling rack to drain and while they're still hot, roll them in sugar. Then let them cool completely.
When the donuts are cool, use a sharp knife and cut a small slit in the side of each donut. You can use a pastry bag to fill them using the plain round tip, filling with about 1 tablespoon of the jam.

Nutrition

The post Rich Jelly Donuts appeared first on The Midnight Baker.