Tag: yeast bread

World’s Best Challah

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WORLD’S BEST CHALLAH BREAD

This is the classic Thanksgiving recipe — it comes originally from the New York Times Bread and Soup cook book
Course: Breads, Muffins & Quickbreads
Cuisine: Jewish
Keyword: baking, bread, holiday

Ingredients

  • 5 1/2 –6 1/2 cups bread flour unsifted
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 package dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • Pinch powdered saffron if threads, crumble well
  • 1 cups warm water 120–130° F.
  • 4 Eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon cold water
  • 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Instructions

  • Combine 1 1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a mixer.
  • Mix in the softened butter.
  • Stir the saffron into the warm water until it dissolves.
  • Add a little at a time to the flour mixture and blend thoroughly. (If using saffron threads, use a fine sieve to filter out the saffron.)
  • Beat for two minutes at medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally.
  • Separate the yolk and white of 1 egg.
  • Blend the single egg white and the other three whole eggs into the batter.
  • Reserve and refrigerate the single egg yolk.
  • Stir 1/2 cup of flour into the batter and beat at medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
  • 1/2 cup at a time, blend in enough additional flour to make a soft dough (4 to 5 cups total).
  • Knead the dough on a lightly floured board (or in the mixer, with a kneading hook) for twelve minutes, or until it is soft and elastic (the longer you knead the dough, the more dense and cake-like the bread will be).
  • Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it once to grease the top.
  • Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk (approximately 1 hour).
  • Flour a pastry board lightly and set the dough on it.
  • Divide the dough into three equal portions.
  • Roll each of these portions into a rope approximately 15 inches long.
  • Braid the lengths together tightly, using the fingers to pinch the ropes together at the ends.
  • Place the braided loaf on a greased baking sheet.
  • Mix the reserved egg yolk with 1 teaspoon cold water and brush the tops of the loaves with this mixture.
  • Sprinkle liberally with poppy seeds, and let the loaf rise until doubled in bulk in a warm, draft-free place (approximately 1 hour).
  • Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.

Kabocha Squash Yeast Rolls

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Kabocha Squash Yeast Rolls

Great pull-apart rolls!
Course: Breads, Muffins & Quickbreads
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread, rolls

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cubed winter squash (kabocha or other hard squash)
  • 1 cup scalded milk
  • 2 .25 ounce packages active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water 110 degrees F/45 degrees C
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small saucepan, cover squash cubes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash.
  • In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine 5 cups flour, sugar and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture, shortening, squash and milk. Mix well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  • Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces and form into rounds. Place the rounds in a lightly greased 13×9 inch baking pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
  • Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.