yeast bread

To make the tangzhong:

• Combine the starter ingredients in a small saucepan on low heat. Whisk until no lumps remain and continue to beat until it's thick and the whisk leaves no lines across the bottom of the pan; this takes 3 to 5 minutes. Pour it into a cup and set it aside to cool to room temperature.

To make the dough:

• Combine the remaining dough ingredients and add the tangzhong. Continue to knead by hand, mixer, or bread machine until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Add more milk or flour if necessary to achieve the right texture.
• Shape the dough into a ball and set it in a lightly greased covered bowl for about 60 to 90 minutes. It should be puffy, not necessarily doubled in size.
• Prepare a small cake pan by lining the bottom with a cut round of parchment paper. Use nonstick spray on the base of the pan so the parchment stays in place, then spray the top of the paper and the sides of the pan.
• Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place them in the pan. Cover it with plastic wrap and let the rolls rest for 30 minutes to an hour; keep an eye on them in case they rise fast!
• Preheat the oven at 350-degrees. Gently brush the rolls with milk or an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon water).
• Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are golden brown on top. To check for doneness, use a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the middle roll to see if it is at least 190°F. If the rolls must cook longer, cover them with foil if they are very brown.
• Remove rolls from the oven. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
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If making with a stand mixer

• Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into your mixer; use the standard paddle attachment. Add 6 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon instant yeast. Mix on low for 30 seconds or so. (If using active yeast, let it sit for about five minutes to get frothy.)
• Add 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 cups of the flour; put dough hook on mixer. Turn mixer to low and add the rest of the flour, 1 cup at a time as the mixer runs. The flour is adequate when the dough pulls itself away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn mixer to medium speed and let it knead for 5 minutes.
• Remove bowl from stand and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

If making with a bread machine

• Place ingredients in machine in specified order. In many, that means liquids first. Add in brown sugar, melted butter, salt, 4 1/2 cups flour, and yeast.
• Set machine on a basic dough cycle. Monitor as it starts mixing and add more dough as needed to produce a soft, non-tacky dough; this will likely be 1/4 to 1/2 cup more. Let machine complete dough cycle and rise.

Now, regardless of how you start the dough

• Rub counter space with butter or apply cooking spray, and likewise prepare two rimmed cookie sheets. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the dough into eight equal portions. Let dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• While the dough is resting, pour 12 cups of water into a large pot; bring to a boil. Pour in 3/4 cup baking soda; it will get very frothy. Turn down the heat if necessary, keeping the water to a low boil.
• Preheat oven at 425-degrees.
• Return to the dough and roll each piece into a long rope. Cut each rope into little chunks about 2 inches wide.
• Carefully drop the chunks into the boiling water. Let them boil for 1 minute. Do a dozen or so at a time.
• Use a strainer or slotted spoon to remove dough pieces from the boiling water. Place pieces on the prepped cookie sheets. Continue until all the bites have had their bath.
• Brush the beaten egg over the top of each dough piece and then sprinkle a bit of salt over the tops.
• Bake the bites for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown. They cook fast, so keep an eye on them.
• Let pans cool at least 10 minutes before you begin to indulge. Pretzels bites taste best eaten within a day, but can also be kept frozen for a few weeks and they thaw quickly. Eat at room temperature or slightly warmed.

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• In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, spices, sugar, ginger, salt, and yeast.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the pumpkin, eggs and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Continue to stir until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for 2 minutes; let it rest for 15 minutes. Knead for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until it's smooth. Add the raisins and candied ginger, and continue kneading just until they're incorporated.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until about doubled.
• Lightly grease a surface and turn out the dough onto it. Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch log.
• Place three logs together on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Braid them together, making sure to pinch together the ends or tuck them underneath. Repeat the process with the other three logs on another baking sheet. Lightly cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise another hour. They should be puffy, not necessarily doubled in size.
• Bake the loaves in a preheated 375-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned. A cake tester inserted in the center should come out clean. Brush butter over the loaves to give them a nice shine.
• Let the braids cool on a wire rack. Serve them warm or at room temperature. Loaves can also be frozen for later enjoyment.
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If making by hand

• Mix all ingredients together and knead until soft. Place the dough in a bowl and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise 45 minutes to 1 hour; knead down again. Let rise another 45 minutes to 1 hour.

If making in a bread machine

• Add ingredients in the order specified. That often means the liquids first. Set the machine on dough cycle and start; this should run for about 2 hours.
• Prepare a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan by greasing lightly with butter. When the dough is done, lightly flour a mat or flat surface. Gently flatten the dough with hands. It's so soft, a rolling pin isn't necessary. Use a biscuit cutter or other round shape to cut out rolls. Place them spaced out a bit on the pan; it should produce 12 to 15 rolls, depending on the cutter. Lightly cover pan with plastic wrap and let it sit for an hour, or until rolls have doubled in size.
• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Bake the rolls for 10 to 15 minutes, watching them for desired brownness. Let cool a few minutes before serving.
• Completely cooled rolls can be frozen in gallon freezer bags for several months. Sealed rolls will keep well at room temperature for at least 6 days.
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• If you're using a bread machine, add the ingredients in the recommended order and run on dough cycle or full bread mode. I prefer to do dough cycle and bake in the oven.
• If you're using a stand mixer, blend water and sour cream. In a separate bowl, combine bread flour, brown sugar, gluten, salt, and yeast. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and knead with a dough hook.

Either method: Keep an eye on the texture. If it's wet or too tacky, add more flour. If it's too lumpy or thick, splash in a tiny bit more water as needed.

• Let dough rise until it has doubled, 1-2 hours. Grease or non-stick spray a bread pan.
• Lightly grease a surface and dump your dough onto it. With your greased hands, form the dough into a loaf shape by gently folding. Set in the pan--or glop it in, and smooth it out (that's still a professional method, I think). Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or a shower cap.
• Let dough rise in a warm spot until it's crested to desired height, 30-60 minutes. Watch it.
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
• Bake bread for 20 minutes. Cover the top with foil to prevent heavy browning, then bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. When it's done, it'll sound hollow when tapped.
• Remove bread from oven and hold it over a rack so it will gently drop out; use a spatula to carefully loosen it, if needed. If you want, you can brushed the top with some butter to soften the crust and give it a shine.
• Let the bread cool at least 45 minutes before cutting. Also, you can let it cool completely and then wrap it several layers of plastic wrap before placing it in the freezer. Keeps well in freezer up to one month.

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• Mix and knead the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a smooth, slightly sticky dough. If you're making by hand, allow the dough to rise in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for about 1 hour, until doubled. In bread machine, let the full dough cycle run through.
• Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
• Divide the dough into as many buns as you want. About 8 to 10 will work for sandwich size, while about 12 can be done at about slider size. Shape each piece into a smooth ball.
• Place the balls on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes.
• While that's happening, preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare the water bath for the stovetop. Bring the water, salt, and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.
• Gently lower several dough balls at a time into the water bath. Cook for 30 seconds, flip over, and cook for 30 seconds longer. Using a slotted spoon, return the buns to the baking sheet.
• Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut half-inch deep crosses into the center of each bun. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake the buns for 20 to 24 minutes (lower time for smaller rolls/buns), or until they're brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.

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