◄ Househusband is busy at making breads and no time to reveal the recipes' details... if you like any of Househusband's recipes, please just leave him a comment...... ►

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

French Breads (II) --- something different


another batch of French Breads....

this time a tried something different....

based on the French Bread recipe,

I changed the ratios of some ingredients a little bit....

(1) I cut down the yeast to 1 teaspoon.

(2) I increased the yogurt to 3/4 cup

(3) I brushed the breads, every 10 minutes, with butter (melted) while I baking them.


Actually the result wasn't bad. The bread tasted, quote "elastic, and very rich" (my wife, my daughter and friends who had it), even I reduced the yeast. I think because the yogurt did its work!

my personal opinion, I liked them both!!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

"Mountain" Breads



Ingredients:

Dough
1. all purpose flour 4 and 1/2 cups
2. quick rise yeast 3 teaspoons
3. eggs 4 (large)
4. sugar 4 tablespoons and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
5. salt 1/2 teaspoon
6. butter (or shortening) 1/3 cup
7. warm milk 1 cup
8. "boiled-milk-dough" a few
9. plain yogurt 1/2 cup



Egg Wash:
1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons milk well blended.




Preparation:
1. First of all,we have to prepare (item 8) a night before.
Use a mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup of all purpose flour, then boil (by microwave) 150ml of milk. Blend the boiling milk into the flour until it becomes sticky dough. Seal it and keep in the fridge overnight.

2. warm up the milk a little bit and add in yeast, stir till it melts in milk.

3. In a big mix bowl, put flour, sugar, maple sugar, salt in and slowly pour in "yeast+milk" mixture (keep kneading while pouring in), then pour in the slightly-beaten-egg, add butter and plain yogurt. Keeping kneading until the dough becomes soft and smooth (adjust by adding cold milk or flour for making perfect dough). I knead the all wheat flour dough for 15 minutes.

4. Put the dough in lightly floured container and cover it by wet cloth. Let it rise for 90 minutes (double the size).

5. Take the risen dough out and lay on the lightly floured working surface and punch the dough down to let the air out.

6. Divide the dough into 2 shares. Then divide each share into 3 shares.

7. Take first 3 shares roll (by rolling pin) into long tongue shapes and roll back like a "hay-bale". Place them in a lightly greased 9"x5" baking pan. (or, actually you can just easily shape them into 3 balls like the whole wheat breads)

8. Take other 3 shares roll into long string shapes and braid them. Place the braid in a lightly greased 9"x5" baking pan.




9. Let them rise for another 60 minutes. (be sure to keep them in moisture environment, like in the oven, put a cup of hot water aside.)



10. Brush the dough surface by egg-wash (I spread some sesames on the braied one), then place the pans on the middle rack of a preheated (350 degrees F) oven and bake for 40~45 minutes. (in case the breads get burned, you can cover them by foil at the last 15 minutes or so)






PS 1. Why are they called Mountain Breads?



PS 2. How would I know my bread is successful?

When you press your bread down, and if it bounces back right away....
Congratulations!!


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread




Ingredients:

Dough
1. all purpose whole wheat flour 4 and 1/2 cups
2. quick rise yeast 3 teaspoons
3. eggs 3 (large)
4. sugar 4 tablespoons and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
5. salt 1/2 teaspoon
6. butter (or shortening) 1/3 cup
7. warm milk 1 cup
8. "boiled-milk-dough" a few
9. plain yogurt 1/2 cup
10. quick oatmeal 1 cup


Egg Wash:
1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons milk well blended.



Preparation:
1. First of all,we have to prepare (item 8) a night before.
Use a mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup of all purpose flour, then boil (by microwave) 150ml of milk. Blend the boiling milk into the flour until it becomes sticky dough. Seal it and keep in the fridge overnight.

2. warm up the milk a little bit and add in yeast, stir till it melts in milk.

3. In a big mix bowl, put flour, sugar, maple sugar, salt in and slowly pour in "yeast+milk" mixture (keep kneading while pouring in), then pour in the slightly-beaten-egg, add butter, oatmeal, and plain yogurt. Keeping kneading until the dough becomes soft and smooth (adjust by adding cold milk or flour for making perfect dough). I knead the all wheat flour dough for 15 minutes.

4. Put the dough in lightly floured container and cover it by wet cloth. Let it rise for 90 minutes (double the size).

5. Take the risen dough out and lay on the lightly floured working surface and punch the dough down to let the air out.

6. Divide the dough into 6 shares. And roll up each share of dough and shape into a "ball".

7. Lightly grease two 9"x5" deep baking pans. An place 3 "balls" of dough in each pan.

8. Let them rise for another 60 minutes. (be sure to keep them in moisture environment, like in the oven, put a cup of hot water aside.)

9. Brush the dough surface by egg-wash, then place the pan on the middle rack of a preheated (350 degrees F) oven and bake for 40~45 minutes. (in case the breads get burned, you can cover them by foil at the last 15 minutes or so)


Monday, December 7, 2009

Maple Syrup Cranberry Pecan Cinnamon Rolls






Ingredients:

Dough
1. all purpose flour 3 cups
2. quick rise yeast 2 and 1/4 teaspoons
3. eggs 2 (large)
4. sugar 5~6 tablespoon
5. salt 1/4 teaspoon
6. butter (or shortening) 1/4 cup
7. warm milk 1 cup
8. "boiled-milk-dough" a few
9. plain yogurt 1/3 cup


Filling:

1. butter 2 tablespoons (melted)
2. brown sugar 5 tablespoons
3. cinnamon powder 2 teaspoons (if you like cinnamon, you can add more)
4. pecan 1 cup, chopped
5. cranberry 1 cup
6. maple syrup 1/2 cup

In a small container, blend (2) and (3) together. Use another container to mix (4)~(6) together.


Egg Wash:
1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons milk well blended.



Preparation:
1. First of all,we have to prepare (item 8) a night before.
Use a mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, then boil (by microwave) 110~120ml of milk. Blend the boiling milk into the flour until it becomes sticky dough. Seal it and keep in the fridge overnight.

2. warm up the milk a little bit and add in yeast, stir till it melts in milk.

3. In a big mix bowl, put flour, sugar, salt in and slowly pour in "yeast+milk" mixture (keep kneading while pouring in), then pour in the slightly-beaten-egg, add butter, and plain yogurt. Keeping kneading until the dough becomes soft and smooth (adjust by adding cold milk or flour for making perfect dough). Usually I knead the dough for 12 minutes.

4. Put the dough in lightly floured container and cover it by wet cloth. Let it rise for 90 minutes (double the size).

5. Take the risen dough out and lay on the lightly floured working surface and punch the dough down to let the air out.

6. Follow the following 4 steps to make the rolls.


7. Face the cut sides down and place them on a
lightly greased 13"x9" deep baking pan.

8. Let they rise for another 60 minutes. (be sure to keep them in moisture environment, like in the oven, put a cup of hot water aside.)

9. Brush the rolls by egg-wash, then place the pan on the middle rack of a preheated (375 degrees F) oven and bake for 20~25 minutes. (in case the breads get burned, you can cover them by foil at the last 5 minutes or so)





PS.

you can bake the roll by large tray, too.

Just evenly lay the rolls on the lightly greased tray (leave spaces between each roll). Then the rolls are different than you bake them in th
e deep pan.

Braided Bread






Saturday, December 5, 2009

Melon Buns - you would never want to miss this



crispy outside; soft, moist and elastic inside....














these kind melon shells taste different, sort of like the crispy "scone".

Tuesday, December 1, 2009