Breads | Fake Ginger

Easter Bread

April 6, 2012 in breads

We got our eggs dyed yesterday. I was trying to wait until this weekend but we had a snowstorm early in the week that forced up to stay inside for a few days. I was desperate for something, anything to entertain the kidlets. So unless I get real brave this weekend and take them to an egg hunt, we’re done with Easter activities. And that makes me sad.

Luckily, I do have this bread to enjoy while I wait for the actual day. If you like hot cross buns, you will LOVE this. It doesn’t have the spice or the sweet glaze that hot cross buns have but it’s full of lemon zest and dried fruit and it makes for a great presentation since it’s braided. The orange marmalade is perfect on top and you must not skip it!

One year ago: Honey Chicken
Two years ago: Broccoli Salad
Three years ago: Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Easter Bread

adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

1 envelope (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

¾ cup warm water

3 eggs

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup vegetable or canola oil

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons lemon zest

4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup raisins

1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water

orange marmalade, for serving

Instructions

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Let stand until foamy. Add eggs, sugar, oil, salt, lemon zest, and 4 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Sprinkle the raisins over top; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl, turning to make sure all sides are greased. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; turn out onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each piece into a 20-inch rope. Braid the ropes together; pinch ends to seal. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350F. Brush the risen dough with the beaten egg mixture. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting. Serve with orange marmalade.

http://fakeginger.com/2012/04/06/easter-bread/

Tags: bread, dried fruit, yeast
4 Comments »

Hot Cross Buns

March 26, 2012 in breads, spon

Easter is probably my favorite holiday (after Mardi Gras, obviously). I don’t know why – maybe it’s all the bright colored eggs or the fun baskets I get to make these days. I just love it.

Another great thing about Easter? Hot Cross Buns! Slightly sweet, yeast rolls studded with currants (or dried fruit of choice) and lots of cinnamon. And as if that’s not enough, they’re brushed with a deliciously sweet glaze. Hot Cross Buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday so make sure you save this recipe for next week!

The recipe is very easy and the dough can even be made in your bread machine if you’re pressed for time. For the glaze, I brushed it over the buns and then thickened it up with more powdered sugar to make the crosses. So simple and so delicious!

Hot Cross Buns

from Red Star Yeast

Ingredients

For the buns:

½ cup water

½ cup milk

¼ butter, room temperature

1 egg, room temperature

3½ cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

¾ cup dried currants

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

3 to 4 teaspoons water

Instructions

To make the dough using a bread machine:

Have liquid ingredients at 80F and all other ingredients at room temperature. Place ingredients in pan in the order specified in your owner’s manual. Select dough/manual cycle. Currants can be added 5 minutes before the end of the last kneading. Do not use the delay timer. Take dough out after kneading cycle is complete. Follow Shaping, Rising and Baking directions below. TIP: Check dough consistency after 5 minutes of kneading. The dough should be in a soft, tacky ball. If it is dry and stiff, add water, ½ to 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too wet and sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.

To make using a hand-held mixer:

Combine yeast, 1 cup flour, and other dry ingredients, except currants. Combine water and milk; heat to 120to 130F.
Combine dry mixture, liquid ingredients, and butter in mixing bowl on low speed. Beat 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Add egg; beat 1 minute. By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a firm dough. Knead on floured surface 5 to 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Add additional flour if necessary. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe.

To make using a stand mixer:

Combine yeast, 1 cup flour, and other dry ingredients, except currants. Combine water and milk; heat to 120to 130F.
Combine dry mixture, liquid ingredients, and butter in mixing bowl with paddle or beaters for 4 minutes on medium speed. Add egg; beat 1 minute. Gradually add remaining flour and knead with dough hook(s) 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe.

To make using a food processor:

Put dry mixture in processing bowl with steel blade. While motor is running, add butter, egg, and liquid ingredients. Process until mixed. Continue processing, adding remaining flour until dough forms a ball. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe.
Shaping, rising, and baking:
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; punch down to remove air bubbles. Divide into 3 parts. Divide each third into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place on greased cookie sheet, sides touching. Cover; let rise until indentation remains after touching. Combine 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water; brush buns. Bake in preheated 375F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets; cool. Frost with glaze.

To make the glaze:

Whisk together sugar, vanilla, and water until you get your desired consistency.

http://fakeginger.com/2012/03/26/hot-cross-buns-2/

The post sponsored by Red Star Yeast. All opinions are my own.

Tags: bread, dried fruit, easter, holiday, yeast
9 Comments »

Tomato Herb Focaccia

March 21, 2012 in breads

I have a mile long list of things that I want/need to accomplish during this deployment and at the top of my list is “BAKE MORE OFTEN”. And to go along with that: “blog more often”.

So here we go. 9 months of baking!

Bread has always been my favorite thing to bake, y’all know that. But it’s even more important to me these days because yeast doesn’t disappoint me at our crazy high elevation like baking powder or soda does. I’ve been saving this recipe for yummy tomatoes but I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to make it.

Focaccia is probably my favorite bread because of it’s crisp exterior and almost airy inside. I just love it! But putting tomatoes and cheese on top of that focaccia crust that I love so much just sent it over the edge. It was definitely one of my favorites.

The day after I made it, I sliced a piece in half and turned the tomato half upside down to make a sandwich (does that make sense?) and then grilled it on the panini press. Best sandwich of my life.

Three years ago: Rye Pecan Rolls

Tomato Herb Focaccia

adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon each dried oregano, thyme and rosemary, crushed

½ teaspoon dried basil

pinch of pepper

2 to 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, sugar, garlic, dried herbs, pepper and 1-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, sticky dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Punch dough down. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into a 13-in. x 9-in. rectangle; place on parchment paper covered baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Drizzle the remaining oil over the dough; use your fingertips to press dimples into the dough while spreading the oil around. Top with tomatoes and cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

http://fakeginger.com/2012/03/21/tomato-herb-focaccia/

This post submitted to YeastSpotting.

Tags: bread, tomato
15 Comments »

Cheesy Breadsticks

January 18, 2012 in breads

I was never really a pizza person until we moved to Colorado. We spent a month in a hotel and then another week in our house without our belongings so we ate a lot of pizza and I came to love breadsticks (and stuffed crust pizza but we’re talking breadsticks right now). I suggest ordering pizza these days just so I can get breadsticks.

I saw this recipe and needed to make it ASAP. Ridiculously good. They taste just like the kind of breadsticks you would get at a pizza place and they’re so simple! And cheaper than ordering out because I’m almost positive you have all the ingredients already in your kitchen.

Cheesy Breadsticks

adapted from Lauren's Latest

Ingredients

1 unbaked pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)

2 tablespoons salted butter

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F. Stretch pizza dough to fit 12-inch pizza pan or a regular sheet pan. (Use cornmeal to work with dough if it’s sticky.)
Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add garlic and cook just for a few seconds, until fragrant.
Use a pastry brush to brush the butter over the dough. Sprinkle the cheeses over top.
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Let cool slightly before cutting.

http://fakeginger.com/2012/01/18/cheesy-breadsticks/

This post linked to I’m Lovin It and Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Tags: bread, cheese
15 Comments »

Rosemary Cheddar Cheese Bread

January 11, 2012 in breads

I know, I know… you’re on a diet and I’m talking about bread for the second time this week.

I can’t help it! It’s just all I want to make right now. If I could get away with it I would be serving nothing but fresh bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

This bread called to me, not just because it’s layered but because the layers are 2 very different kinds of bread. The bottom layer is a very wheat-y rosemary and the top is a white batter with tons of cheese. I had no idea how they were going to work together.

We adored this bread! Absolutely adored it. The wheat batter’s crust got so crisp like wheat breads tend to do and the cheese batter was fluffy and amazing. It was the best of both worlds! It was good with butter, without, toasted, not toasted. Seriously, make this bread.

Rosemary Cheddar Cheese Bread

from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

Ingredients

For the Rosemary Whole Wheat Batter:

1 large egg

1¼ cups (10 ounces) milk

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups (10½ ounces) whole wheat flour

For the Cheddar Cheese Batter:

1 large egg

1 cup (8 ounces) milk

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups (8½ ounces) all-purpose flour

1¼ cups (5 ounces) cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans.

For the rosemary batter:

Beat the egg and add the milk and the melted butter. Stir well. In a separate bowl, mix together the baking powder, rosemary, salt, and flour. Add the egg mixture and stir just until combined. Put half of the batter into each of the 2 prepared pans. (The batter is thick – use a spoon to complete cover the bottom of the pan.)

For the cheese batter:

Beat the egg and add the milk and the melted butter. Stir well. In a separate bowl, mix together the baking powder, salt, cayenne, black pepper, and flour. Stir in the cheese, then the egg mixture, stirring until just combined.
Pout half of the cheddar batter into each pan on top of the rosemary batter. (The batter is stick so you will likely need to use a spoon to smooth it out.)
Bake the loaves for 50 to 60 minutes, or until nicely browned and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the middle of a loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

http://fakeginger.com/2012/01/11/rosemary-cheddar-cheese-bread/