yeast bread

Poolish:

• In a medium bowl, stir together bread flour, the water, all-purpose flour, and yeast. Get everything moist. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 14 to 16 hours. Don’t stir. Just let it do its thing for half a day.

Dough:

• Place the poolish in the large bowl of a stand mixer, paddle attachment on. Add the 1 cup water, oil, and yeast. Follow that up with the two flours and salt. Beat for a few minutes.
• Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at medium speed until dough gathers around dough hook and begins to pull away from sides of bowl, 8 to 10 minutes. Pry it off the hook a few times, too, to make sure everything is well kneaded.
• Oil a large bowl. Dump the dough into that, pivoting the dough around to coat the whole surface with oil. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Let rise in a warm (75ish degrees), draft-free place. After 30 minutes, knead dough using a greased or floured hand to take turns folding all four sides over the middle.
• Let rise another 30 minutes. Fold again. Set the timer for another 30 minutes.
• Near the end of that rise, line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Lightly flour a level surface. Turn out dough, then pat it out into a thick 12×6 rectangle. Use fingertips or a butter knife to lightly demarcate the dough into 3-inch squares, then use the bench knife to slice them apart.
• Set the 8 portions spaced out on prepared pan. Pick up each and gently stretch as needed to even out the sides, tucking excess dough underneath.
• Cover with plastic wrap or a floured towel to let rise in a draft-free spot for another 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, until puffed. The dough should hold an indentation if poked with a finger.
• Preheat oven at 425 degrees.
• Remove cover from rolls. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 18 minutes. An instant-read thermometer plunged into the center of one from the side should read 205 degrees at minimum.
• Let cool somewhat before eating fresh, or reheat at meal time. Store in a sealed container up to 5 days. They can also be frozen as long as a couple months.

OM NOM NOM!

• In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups bread flour along with the yeast and salt.
• Either use a small saucepan on the stove or a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave to warm up the milk and butter to reach 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit. Add milk-butter to the dry ingredients and beat in. Add sugar. Add the eggs one at a time.
• Stir in the seasoning and garlic powder. Gradually mix in the remaining flour (and more, if needed) until the dough is soft and only a bit sticky.
• Use a mixer with a dough hook or knead by hand on a floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes, until it is elastic and smooth.
• Grease a bowl and place dough inside, turning to coat with oil. Cover and place where it can rise until doubled, about an hour.
• Grease a 13×9 pan and set out a food scale. Measure entirety of dough and divide the amount by 24. Pull off equal portions of bowl and shape into tight round balls, the seam underneath, and line up in prepared pan.
• Cover and place in a warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour.
• Preheat oven at 375. Remove cover from rolls. Brush on the olive oil or melted butter. Sprinkle additional seasoning on top followed by the shredded cheese.
• Bake rolls for 14 to 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature. Rolls are fantastic to freeze and pull out later.

OM NOM NOM!

• Add ingredients to the bread machine bucket in the order specified by the manufacturer; it is usually wet ingredients first. Set machine on Dough mode and begin. Monitor the dough as it begins mixing, adding a touch more milk if it is lumpy or flour if it is too loose. Dough should come together smoothly.
• After the cycle ends, apply nonstick spray to the loaf pan.
• Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape, folding and tucking the dough to tighten what will become the top. Place dough in pan. Set in a warm place to rise, such as on a counter, a cabinet, or in an oven on proofing mode.
• After about 45 minutes to an hour, the dough should rise about 2 inches over the rim of the pan. If it is in the warm oven, remove from there. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Bake bread about 20 minutes. Cover with shaped foil to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake for about another 20 minutes. Bread should sound hollow when tapped, and if tested with a digital thermometer, over 190 degrees inside.
• Immediately tip loaf from pan, carefully setting upright on a cooling rack. Brush on the softened butter.
• Let cool for at least an hour before slicing. Bread will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, and can also be frozen for several months either whole or in slices.

OM NOM NOM!

• Add ingredients to the bread machine bucket in the order specified by the manufacturer; it is usually wet ingredients first. Set machine on Dough mode and begin. Monitor the dough as it begins mixing, adding a touch more milk if it is lumpy or flour if it is too loose. Dough should come together smoothly.
• After the cycle ends, prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough by 8.
• Shape each piece, folding and tucking the dough while elongating it, creating a tightened top. Place each bun slightly spaced out on pan; baker’s choice as to if they touch or not after rising. After all of the buns are shaped, place in a warm place to rise, such as on a counter, a cabinet, or in an oven on proofing mode.
• After about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, the buns should look rounded and puffy. If pan is in the oven, remove from there. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Bake bread about 21 to 25 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Bread should sound hollow when tapped, and if tested with a digital thermometer, over 190 degrees inside.
• Cool on pan or rack for at least an hour before eating. Slice bun from the side or top to insert the bratwurst and other toppings.
• Buns will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, and can also be frozen for several months.

OM NOM NOM!

• Most bread machines call for adding liquids to the bucket first. Therefore, place the starter and water inside. Use fingertips to whisk them together. Add sugar and salt, followed by the flour and yeast. Start the machine on dough mixing mode.
• Monitor the dough as it mixes. If it seems especially lumpy, drizzle in some extra water until the texture smooths out.
• Once the dough is done, measure it on a food scale to divide in half. Sprinkle extra flour on a clean work surface. Press dough out to a flat rectangle, about 10 inches long, then fold inward as if folding a sheet to go in an envelope. Pinch the seam together while gently elongating bread. Place seam underneath. Set loaf on parchment paper. Repeat with other half of dough.
• Let rise in a warm spot in the kitchen or in an oven on proof mode for an hour or so, until loaves look doubled. If loaves were in warm oven, remove them so the oven can preheat at 400 degrees. On a lower oven rack, place something like a metal cake pan that is an inch or two in depth so that it can heat as well.
• Once the oven is preheated, use a French lame or knife to slash the top of the loaf so that it can vent while baking. Being VERY careful to not overfill or get scalded by steam, pour water into the hot pan in the oven. Immediately place the risen loaves on the rack above and close the oven (and don’t open it again until the bread looks done!).
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until loaves are golden and sound hollow when tapped. A check with a food thermometer should find an interior temperature over 190 degrees.
• Let loaves cool at least 30 minutes before slicing in. Bread will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen right after cooling, and will keep well for up to a month there.

OM NOM NOM!

• Place ingredients in recommended order for bread machine, usually liquid first: water, milk, egg, butter, flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Start dough cycle, and let it mix and complete the first rise.
• Prepare a baking sheet or sheets with parchment paper.
• Once that is done, remove dough and divide in half using food scale. Roll each half into a 12-inch round. Divide the 1/4 cup butter in half and spread over each round. Use a knife or pizza cutter to slice each round into 12 wedges. Starting at the wide end, roll up each triangle gently but tightly to form a crescent roll. Place each roll, narrow side down, on the baking sheet.
• Cover pan with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm spot for an hour. Meanwhile, start preheating oven at 400 degrees.
• Once rolls are risen after the hour, bake for 10 to 15 minutes, switching pan position in oven, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
• Cool rolls can also be frozen for later enjoyment; thaw them at room temperature then heat wrapped in aluminum foil at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.

OM NOM NOM!

• In a large bowl, whisk together the dry dough ingredients: flour, brown sugar, salt, yeast and nutmeg. Dig a well in the center.
• In a small saucepan, gently bring to medium heat the wet dough ingredients: buttermilk/soured milk, apple butter, and butter. Stir until the butter is melted and an instant-read thermometer is over 100-degrees. (Don’t go over 120 or the heat may kill the yeast.)
• Pour the saucepan contents into the well in the flour. Use a big spoon to stir until combined.
• Heavily flour a clean surface. Turn out the dough onto it and knead until the mixture is elastic and only mildly tacky, about 8 to 10 minutes. Flour hands and surface more if necessary.
• Apply nonstick spray inside a medium bowl. Place dough inside, turning to grease all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put nonstick spray in a round cake pan.
• In a small bowl, stir together the first three filling ingredients: cinnamon, ginger, and brown sugar.
• Punch down the dough and let it rest about 5 minutes. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface again and roll into a 14×8-inch rectangle. Spread the 2 Tablespoon softened butter over the dough, leaving a bare 1/2-inch frame around the edge. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the butter, forming a thick layer. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of pecan pieces on top.
• Roll up the dough, long-ways, and pinch the seam to seal it. Rock and roll the dough tube, stretching it out, evenly extending the length to 15 inches. Arrange it so the seam is on the side facing you.
• Use kitchen shears or a knife to cut the log in half lengthwise, but leave it connected by an inch at one end. Turn the cut sides to face upward. Carefully twine them together in a simple braid, bringing the uncut end around to tuck underneath, forming a braided circlet. Place inside cake pan with the cut sides facing up. Cover again to rise in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Place bread in hot oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes; an instant-read thermometer plunged into the middle should be over 190 degrees. If it’s looking very brown near the end, cover it with foil for the rest of the bake.
• Cool for about 20 minutes as the glaze is made.
• Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, butter and salt. Dribble over warm bread so that the glaze cascades along the ridges. Sprinkle pecan pieces over the top.
• Serve immediately. Any leftovers are best if warmed briefly in the microwave or oven.

OM NOM NOM!