Bread

adapted from Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups (500g) bread flour
• 2 teaspoons (6g) instant dry yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/3 cups (300ml) warm water
• 3/4 cup (105g) additional bread flour for kneading in
• 1 egg mixed with a drop of water for wash
• 1 cup honey, barley malt, or cane syrup added to boiling water, optional (while not necessary, adding the sweetener gives a chewier texture)

Toppings:

• caraway seeds
• minced garlic
• poppy seeds
• dried onions
• sesame seeds.
• coarse salt

Making the Bagel Dough

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl on medium/low speed.

Slowly add the warm water. Stir in just enough water for your dough to form a ball and clean the bottom of the bowl.

Knead the dough on medium/low speed for roughly 10 minutes. While it is kneading slowly incorporate the extra 3/4 cup of flour until your dough is smooth and elastic, forming a firm but stiff dough.

Lightly oil a large bowl turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl tightly. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size.

Once doubled, punch the dough down and carefully divide the dough into 8 pieces (roughly 115g/4 oz each).

Shaping the Bagels

Shape each piece into a smooth, round ball. Take a dough ball, and press it gently against the countertop moving your hand and the ball in a circular motion pulling the dough into itself while reducing the pressure on top of the dough slightly until a perfect dough ball forms. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Gently press your finger into the center of each dough ball to form a ring. Stretch the ring to about 1/2 the diameter of the bagel (around 1 1/2 inches) and place on a lined cookie sheet. Repeat the same step with the remaining dough.

Once more, repeat the process of shaping the bagels as they might have sprung back into shape.

After shaping the dough rounds and placing them on the cookie sheet, cover with cling wrap and a towel and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Cooking the Bagels

Preheat your oven to 425ºF (210ºC) and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Carefully place the bagels one by one into the water. Boil as many as you are comfortable with boiling. Let them boil there for 2 minutes, and then flip them over to boil for another 2 minutes.

Remove bagels and place them back on your lined cookie sheet. Egg wash one by one and top with your favorite toppings..

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Storing Bagels

For best results, leave them in an airtight container overnight at room temperature.

Fruit

• 300gr mixed dried fruits (currants, raisins, cranberries, candied lemon and orange peel, dried cherries, or any combination)
• 6 tablespoons brandy

Dough

• 1 1/2 tbsp rapid-rise yeast
• 5 ounces 98°F milk
• 50gr (1/4 cup) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Fiori Di Sicilia extract
• 500gr (4 cups) bread flour
• 5gr salt
• 5 large eggs
• 255gr unsalted butter, at room temperature

Place dried fruits in bowl, add liquor, cover and keep at room temp overnight.

Mix sugar with barely warm milk. Add yeast and set aside.

Mix flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add yeast mixture and mix to combine.

Add the eggs. Mix on medium speed until the dough begins to smooth out.

Cut the softened butter into 1 tbsp chunks and add the butter a few pieces at a time, mixing it in fully before adding more. Total mixing time will be about 10 minutes – maybe a bit more. It should be glossy and satiny. It will be sticky.

Butter a large bowl and scrape dough into it. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The following morning, strain the soaking fruit.

Place dough on a lightly floured counter and spread out into a rectangular shape.

Place half of the fruit onto half of the spread-out dough. Fold the dough over the fruit and fold over, again. Pat out, again, add the remaining fruit, fold several times and then form into a ball.

Butter a 7″ panettone mold or paper.

Add the dough ball, lightly cover, and allow to rise for about 3 hours – or until the dough is rising above the rim.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 300° F and bake for an additional 45 to 55 minutes.

Cool completely before slicing.

adapted from Andrew Zimmern

• 2 cups warm water
• 3 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Poppy seeds and sesame seeds, optional

In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the warm water with the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the flour with the salt and sugar into a food processor bowl. Add the butter and process until it is mixed in well. Place into a stand mixer.

Add the yeast water and another 1 1/2 cups of water and mix on low until dough starts coming together. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Form a ball and transfer to a large buttered bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450°. Punch down the dough and scrape it onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Gently shape the dough into 4 rounds and transfer to a large baking sheet. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let stand in a warm place until nearly doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

Brush the rounds with the egg wash and sprinkle poppy seeds or sesame seeds, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until well browned and firm. Let the loaves cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

adapted from the NY Times

• 6 cups/815 grams bread flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons/55 grams unsalted butter (2 tablespoons softened, 2 tablespoons melted), plus more for the bowl and pan
• 1/4 cup/60 milliliters honey
• 2 cups/480 milliliters beer, such as pale ale
• 1 3/4 cup/200 grams shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, preferably white

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine bread flour, yeast, salt, 2 tablespoons softened butter, honey and beer. Mix on low speed for 4 minutes. The dough should come together around the dough hook. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix for 2 minutes more, occasionally stopping to scrape the dough from the hook. Add 1 cup/115 grams of the Cheddar cheese and mix until incorporated, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until nearly double in size, about 1 hour.

Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 even pieces. Gently round each piece of dough into a ball, and place into the prepared pan. (The rolls may not touch now, but they will fill in the gaps when they rise and bake.)

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 35 to 45 minutes, until they look visibly puffy. Toward the end of rise time, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the rolls with 2 tablespoons melted butter, and top each roll with 1 tablespoon of the remaining white Cheddar, being careful to keep the cheese away from the edges of the pan.

Bake the rolls until golden brown, and the cheese on top is melted and browned 22 to 28 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

adapted from King Arthur Flour website

• 3 1/4 cups (390g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
• 1 cup (113g) King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 teaspoons (12g) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 3/4 cups (397g) cool water
• 3/4 cup (85g) dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup (85g) golden raisins
• 1 cup (113g) coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix the flours, salt, yeast, and water in a large bowl. Stir, then use your hands to bring the sticky dough together, making sure to incorporate all of the flour.

Work in the fruits and nuts.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature overnight, or for at least 8 hours; it’ll become bubbly and rise quite a bit, so use a large bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and form it into a log or round loaf to fit your 14″ to 15″ long lidded stoneware baker; 9″ x 12″ oval deep casserole dish with cover; or 9″ to 10″ round lidded baking crock.

Place the dough in the lightly greased pan, smooth side up.

Cover and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, until it’s become puffy. It should rise noticeably, but it’s not a real high-riser.

Using a sharp knife or lame, slash the bread in a crosshatch pattern. Place the lid on the pan, and put the bread in the cold oven. Set the oven temperature to 450°F, and put the bread into the oven.

Bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes (start the timer when you place the bread into the cold oven). Remove the lid and continue to bake for another 5 to 15 minutes, until it’s deep brown in color, and a digital thermometer inserted into the center registers about 205°F.

Remove the bread from the oven, turn it out onto a rack, and cool completely before slicing.

Store the bread, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

• 380 g (2 3/4 cups) bread flour
• 3 gr (1 tsp) active dry yeast
• 190 ml 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 65 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 30 g (2 tbsp) butter, melted and cooled
• 7 gr (1 tsp) salt
• olive oil, sesame seeds, grated cheese

Place everything in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined – about 3 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes.

Increase speed to medium and mix for another 5 minutes. Cover bowl and let rise for an hour at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

Divide dough into 16 pieces, each weighing about 40g. Roll each piece into a thick pencil shape about 10″ long. Brush with olive oil and roll in cheese or sesame seeds.

Place on sheet pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden and crisp rotating pans halfway through. Cool and enjoy!

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 pgk dry yeast
• 2 tbsp aleppo pepper
• 1 cup tomato juice and pulp from 3 or so fresh tomatoes
• 4 cups flour
• 3 tbsp softened butter
• 1 tsp salt

Place yeast and warm water in mixing bowl. Let proof about 5 minutes.

Add juice, salt, 3 cups flour, and aleppo pepper. With dough hook, mix well, adding softened butter a bit at a time to make a soft but not too sticky dough. Mix for about 10 minutes.

Turn dough out to a floured surface and knead briefly.

Roll into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled.

Punch down and form into a round or oblong loaf. Place on a well-floured or corn meal-covered bread peel – if using a baking stone – or onto a floured or corn meal-covered sheet pan and let rise again, until doubled. Make a slit across the top about a half-inch deep.

Place into a 350°F oven and bake about 45-55 minutes.

This bread requires a starter to be made the day before making the bread, so do plan accordingly!

Day One:

• 2 cups bread flour
• 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water

Mix well and knead to form a shaggy dough. Cover and leave out on the counter overnight.

Day Two:

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 1/3 cups warm water

Mix in bowl of stand mixer – or, by hand.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

After resting, add

• 2 teaspoons salt

Next, add the dough from the night before.

Turn the mixer on low and knead for a few minutes, ensuring that everything is mixed together well. Continue mixing for about 5 minutes.

Cover and let the dough rise for an hour at room temperature.

After an hour, gently fold one side of the dough to the other, fold the top to the bottom, and flip it over in the bowl. You are NOT punching down the dough, but rather gently folding it upon itself.

Recover and repeat this process twice more for a total of 3 hours rising.

Lightly flour your counter and turn the dough out. Lightly dust the dough and cut in half for two loaves. Shape each piece into a rectangle and then gently roll the dough into a log shape. Place the seam side down, and tuck the ends underneath.

Transfer the loaf or loaves onto a baking sheet onto which you previously sprinkled with cornmeal.

Cover loosely and let rise one hour.

Preheat your oven to 500°F. When risen, cut a 1/2″ deep slit lengthwise in the loaf, stopping and starting 2″ from ends of the loaf.

Bake for 15 minutes at 500°F.

Lower heat to 400°F and bake for another 30 minutes until the bread is a deep golden brown.

• 1 1/8 cups (255g) lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons (28g) apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup (106g) pumpernickel or rye flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons (43g) dark corn syrup or molasses
• 1 tablespoon (14g) brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons (18g) black cocoa
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee powder
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon rye berries
• 1 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 1/2 cups (298g) bread flour, divided

Place in the large bowl, reserving 1 cup (4 1/4 ounces, 121g) of the bread flour.

Mix to make a thick batter-like dough.

It may still be somewhat sticky to the touch. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

After the first rise, shape the dough into an oblong loaf. Place in a greased standard loaf tin, with greased plastic cover, and up until almost doubled, about 60 to 90 minutes.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375 ° F. When the dough has almost doubled, brush or spray the top with water, dust with pumpernickel or rye flour, and score (slash) the top.

Bake the bread for 35 minutes, until it sounds hollow when you thump the bottom.

Remove the loaf from the oven and cool it on a rack before slicing.