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Bready or Not: Soft Breadsticks from the Bread Machine

Posted by on May 11, 2022 in Blog, Bready or Not, cheese galore, yeast bread | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Soft Breadsticks from the Bread Machine

Soft Breadsticks are so very cozy and comforting. They are even better when they are easy to make from-scratch at home, thanks to a bread machine.

Bready or Not: Soft Breadsticks from the Bread Machine

These are truly classic breadsticks. Doughy. Buttery. Just a touch of cheese on top.

Bready or Not: Soft Breadsticks from the Bread Machine

Season these however you want. Italian seasoning is great; I have Penzey’s pizza seasoning around, and I found it delicious in this recipe.

Bready or Not: Soft Breadsticks from the Bread Machine

Sometimes I try to be precise with bread recipes when it comes to the baking stage–I pull out my food scale and weigh each round to get equal rolls. Not so here. I just wanted things that were, generally, in stick form.

Bready or Not: Soft Breadsticks from the Bread Machine

If you have any leftovers, the sticks do keep well for two days at room temp, or you can freeze them for later. Just wrap them in foil to reheat in an oven or toaster oven.

Modified from the fantastic cookbook Making Artisan Breads in the Bread Machine by Michelle Anderson, available at Amazon, Bookshop, and other stores. [affiliate links]

Bready or Not: Soft Breadsticks from the Bread Machine

If you love pillowy, soft breadsticks, this is the recipe for you! They mix up easily in the bread machine.
Course: Appetizer, Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cheese, yeast bread
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • large baking sheet
  • parchment paper
  • pastry brush

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (100-110 F degrees)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon dry Italian seasoning or pizza seasoning
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 3 3/4 cups bread flour plus more for the work surface
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Grana Padano

Instructions

  • Follow ingredient order for your bread machine; for most, that means liquids first. Place water, oil, sugar, seasoning, and salt in the bread machine bucket. Add the flour and the yeast. Start the machine on DOUGH cycle.
  • Check on the dough as it mixes, if possible, and add a touch more liquid or flour as necessary. Dough should be soft and plush.
  • Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Once the dough cycle is done, transfer the dough to a clean, floured work surface. If equal breadsticks are desired, use a food scale to weigh the dough and divide–or simply pat out the dough and use a pizza cutter or bench knife to slice the bread into stick form. Transfer them to the baking sheet. Cover them with plastic wrap or a towel and let them rise for another 45 minutes to an hour, until nicely puffed.
  • Preheat oven at 350-degrees.
  • Bake time will vary dependent on their size. If about 12 breadsticks are on the sheet, bake for about 12 minutes. Pull out of oven briefly to brush on melted butter. Sprinkle cheese all over top. Place breadsticks back in oven to bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until sticks are more golden and cheese is melted.
  • Eat breadsticks warm. Store any leftovers in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. They can also be frozen for later enjoyment.

OM NOM NOM!

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    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    Posted by on May 4, 2022 in biscoff spread, Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, bundt, cake, chocolate, yeast bread | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    This Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche is stunning in appearance and taste, so be warned: there are more pictures than usual for this post, including some process photos.

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    When I set out to rewrite the original recipe, featured in the January/February 2019 issue of Bake from Scratch, I knew this bread would be time-consuming. Intimidating, even.

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    The braiding process, shown here, had me worried to start, but that turned out to not be so bad after all.

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    What ended up being the most tedious aspect was all the necessary dishwashing between the various stages! This recipe would be a great time to have some helpful assistants around.

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    The original recipe used special black cocoa paired with peanut butter. I went with normal baking cocoa (Penzey’s), which is less dramatic in color but great with flavor, and my stalwart baking favorite, cookie butter.

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    Despite my evangelizing, some people are always meeting cookie butter for the first time. It’s found in jars near the nut butters in stores. Trader Joe’s carries it under the name Speculoos. The other major brand is Biscoff. It tastes like spice cookies pureed in oil, because that’s exactly what it is.

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    It’s also incredible to bake with because it can even make cookies taste inherently more cookie-like. Here, when it’s used with chocolate, cocoa, and fresh bread, it’s truly amazing.

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    During baking, I found the exposed swirls of cookie butter actually caramelized, creating a wonderful crunch in the same bite as tender enriched bread. That, along with chocolate?

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    Oh wow. Oh wow.

    Bready or Not: Braided Cocoa and Cookie Butter Brioche

    This braided loaf, baked in a large tube pan, is an absolute show stopper with its swirled layers of cocoa and creamy cookie butter! It’s as delicious as it looks, too. This recipe is fairly straightforward, but be warned, it requires a lot of dishwashing!
    Course: Bread, Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: bundt cake, chocolate, cookie butter, yeast bread
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • stand mixer
    • food scale
    • Rolling Pin
    • uneven spatula
    • bench knife
    • pastry brush

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup warm milk (105-110-degrees F)
    • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) melted
    • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, divided
    • 4 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more if needed
    • 1/4 cup white sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
    • 3/4 cup plus 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar divided
    • 2/3 cup creamy cookie butter
    • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
    • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate melted
    • 1/3 cup cocoa powder sifted
    • 1 large egg white
    • 1 Tablespoon water

    Instructions

    • In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, stir together warm milk and yeast, letting it stand about 5 minutes to get foamy.
    • Mix in the eggs, 1 stick melted butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Follow up with the flour, sugar, and salt, beating until combined. Switch to the dough hook and beat for about 4 minutes, until smooth.
    • Use nonstick spray on a large bowl. Lightly flour a flat surface and turn out the dough to form it into a round. Place it in a bowl, rotating it to grease the entire surface. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour, until it doubles in size.
    • Clean everything and return to the stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar with the cookie butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 3 Tablespoons melted butter, until smooth. Transfer the mixture to another bowl. set aside.
    • Clean the mixer and paddle attachment again. Beat the final stick of softened butter, the melted chocolate, cocoa, remaining 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, and last 1 teaspoon vanilla, until smooth. Set aside.
    • Lightly flour a flat surface again. Punch down the dough and turn it onto the surface. Use a food scale to divide the dough in half. Stash one half back in the bowl for now, covered to prevent drying. Roll the other half into a 20 by 9 rectangle. Use an uneven spatula to spread the cookie butter filling onto the dough, up to 1/2-inch of the edges all the way around. Starting on a long side, tightly roll up the dough, pinching the seam to seal. Set aside with the seam faced down.
    • Roll out the other dough in the same way, this time spreading on the chocolate-cocoa filling. Roll it up as well, placing the two dough rolls side by side. Use a bench knife to cut each roll in half, lengthwise. With the multi-layered middles facing up, twine the strips together.
    • Apply nonstick spray on tube pan. Lift braid into the pan and tug it to form a complete circle, tucking the ends beneath. Cover the bread and let it rise in a warm spot until it’s puffed, about 30 minutes.
    • Preheat oven 350-degrees.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and water. Brush the top of the dough, touching the cookie butter strands first, then the chocolate; this will prevent the chocolate from smearing too much.
    • Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes, covering the bread with foil halfway through to prevent too much browning. When done, the top should be golden and an instant-read thermometer should be above 190-degrees.
    • Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Turn out onto a plate, then tip it back onto a rack to completely cool, top-up.
    • The bread is best eaten within a day, but it can also be sliced up and frozen in pieces. It'll thaw later and taste beautifully fresh! Eat at room temperature or slightly warmed.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not: Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

      Posted by on Apr 27, 2022 in Blog, Bready or Not, cake, cheese galore, lemon | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

      This Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting isn’t fancy. It’s a 9×13 cake cut in half and stacked. It has curves and straight edges. It also tastes amazing.

      Bready or Not: Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

      This is also an ideal cake for lemon-lovers. Two lemons are zested and juiced, their flavor infusing both the batter and frosting.

      Bready or Not: Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

      The cream cheese frosting here is an absolute classic, too. This is a recipe where you definitely want to lick the beaters and the bowl afterward!

      Bready or Not: Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

      I actually debated whether or not to post the cake on Bready or Not because it is so basic. After a lot of thought, though, I realized that simplicity is one of the perks.

      Bready or Not: Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

      It may not win awards for looks, sure. But does it taste good? YES.

      Bready or Not: Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

      Modified from Food & Wine Magazine January 2021.

      Bready or Not: Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

      This cake is rustic and simple–a 9×13 cake, cut in half and stacked–with cream cheese frosting through the middle and all around the sides. There’s lemon juice and zest flavoring it throughout, making this an ideal treat for lemon-lovers. Modified from Food & Wine Magazine January 2021.
      Course: Dessert
      Keyword: cake, cream cheese, lemon
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • 9×13 pan
      • uneven spatula
      • cooling rack
      • chopstick or skewer
      • hand mixer
      • parchment paper

      Ingredients

      Lemon Cake

      • 1 3/4 cups white sugar
      • 2 large lemons zested and juiced, to use for cake and frosting
      • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
      • 4 large eggs room temperature
      • 1 cup milk
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
      • 3 cups all-purpose flour
      • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
      • 3 Tablespoons honey

      Cream Cheese Frosting

      • 8 ounces cream cheese (1 box) softened
      • pinch fine sea salt
      • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (half stick) softened
      • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

      Instructions

      Make the lemon cake

      • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
      • Mix together the white sugar and 1 Tablespoon of the lemon zest; reserve remaining zest for the frosting. Using fingertips, for about a minute rub zest into sugar to deploy the inherent oils. Whisk in the olive oil followed by the eggs. Add the milk, vanilla, and salt. Keep beating until the sugar is dissolved.
      • Beat in the flour and baking powder until just combined, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Pour batter into the cake pan.
      • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Let cake cool in pan about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and 3 Tablespoons of the lemon juice until smooth.
      • Invert the cake onto a large cooling rack. Stab cake all over with chopstick or skewer. Set a cookie sheet beneath the rack. Drizzle or brush the honey-lemon mix all over the cake. Let cool for about an hour.

      Frosting

      • Combine cream cheese, salt, the rest of the lemon zest, and a Tablespoon of lemon juice; use rest of juice otherwise. With a hand mixer, beat on medium-high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and beat until pale and fluffy, about a minute.
      • Reduce the speed and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar. Once it’s all in, increase the speed to high and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
      • Transfer the cake to a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Use an uneven spatula to spread 1 1/2 cups frosting all over the top of the cake. Place cake in fridge to chill for 15-30 minutes. Once frosting has hardened. Slice in half crosswise and stack the halves. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of cake, getting all of the odd angles, nooks, and crannies.
      • Refrigerate cake, uncovered, at least 30 minutes before serving. For longer than that, cover with plastic wrap; it’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, and can also be frozen in individual slices. Serve cake right from fridge.

      OM NOM NOM!

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        Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Blondies (Redux)

        Posted by on Apr 20, 2022 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Blondies (Redux)

        I first shared this recipe for Snickerdoodle Blondies back in 2015, so it’s time for a re-bake and repost, with shiny new pictures of these delicious things!

        Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Blondies (Redux)

        These are thick, soft, and chewy bars, packed with snickerdoodle flavor. The top is crowed with cinnamon and sugar.

        Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Blondies (Redux)

        Oh yes, and through the tender crumb are sporadic caramel chips–or cinnamon chips. This recipe is fantastic using either, or both. They add extra oomph without being overkill.

        Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Blondies (Redux)

        The recipe makes a big 9×13 pan, so this is a good recipe to feed a crowd!

        Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Blondies (Redux)

        Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Blondies (Redux)

        These soft, chewy Snickerdoodle Blondies are everything a person loves about Snickerdoodles, in deluxe form!
        Course: Dessert, Snack
        Cuisine: American
        Keyword: bars, snickerdoodle
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • 9×13 pan
        • aluminum foil

        Ingredients

        Blondies

        • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
        • 2 cups brown sugar packed
        • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
        • 2 large eggs room temperature
        • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
        • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
        • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
        • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
        • 2 teaspoons baking powder
        • 10 ounces caramel chips or cinnamon chips

        Topping

        • 2 Tablespoons white sugar
        • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

        Instructions

        • Prepare a 9×13 pan by lining it with aluminum foil and applying nonstick spray. Preheat oven at 350-degrees.
        • In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time.
        • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry mix into the wet bowl. Once everything is mixed, add the bag of caramel or cinnamon chips.
        • Evenly spread the dough into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mix over the dough.
        • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Use the foil to lift out the contents and cut into bars. Store at room temperature. They will keep well for a few days if kept sealed.

        OM NOM NOM!

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          Bready or Not Original: Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls

          Posted by on Apr 13, 2022 in alcohol, Blog, Bready or Not, yeast bread | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls

          Your home bread machine makes delicious carbs super-easy with these Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls!

          Bready or Not: Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls

          First things first: the type of beer. You could try this with any number of beers, but I suggest a darker one. I’ve tried this with Kiltlifter (a major local beer in Arizona) and also Guinness. Guinness definitely created rolls that were darker with a deeper flavor. I have not tried this with a nonalcoholic beer.

          Bready or Not: Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls

          Really, choose a beer that will go well with the meal. Don’t worry about alcohol amounts in the final product, either. It’ll burn off in the baking process. Also, you don’t have to like beer to like these rolls. I do not like beer (seriously, I really do not like beer) but I do enjoy the hoppy flavor it imbues in this bread!

          Bready or Not: Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls

          A food scale will be an immense help in creating like-sized rolls. I’ve used this recipe to make medium-sized rolls, good for a butter-lacquered side dish, as well as big rolls suitable for BBQ-sauce shredded pork or other heaped-on fixings.

          Bready or Not: Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls

          The rolls are fantastic fresh and will keep fine for a few days, and they are great to freeze. If you freeze them soon after they come out from the oven, they will taste just that fresh when you later thaw them!

          Bready or Not: Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls

          Bready or Not Original: Bread Machine Beer Bread Rolls

          Beer works along with dry yeast to add loft, texture, and depth of flavor in these soft, delicious rolls. Divide the recipe however you wish–you can divide by 11 to get medium-sized rolls for a supper side dish, or by 6 to get rolls big enough for hearty sandwiches.
          Course: Bread
          Keyword: alcohol, bread machine, yeast bread
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • bread machine
          • food thermometer
          • food scale

          Ingredients

          • 12 ounces dark beer such as Kiltlifter or Guinness
          • 1/2 cup water
          • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
          • 4 to 4 1/2 cups bread flour plus more for dusting
          • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast

          Instructions

          • This may be a travesty for some, but place the beer and water in a large microwave-safe dish. Give the liquid a brief zap in the microwave to raise the temperature to 100 to 110-degrees. Place in the pan of the bread machine. Add the salt, 4 cups bread flour, and yeast. Start the machine on the dough setting.
          • Check on the dough as it begins mixing. If your bread machine allows, as the cycle is on-going, add more flour if the dough looks too loose, or add a touch more water if it is too dense and lumpy.
          • When the cycle is done, weight the dough and do the math to divide into rolls of desired size. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough with the help of the food scale, shaping and smoothing each piece into a roll. Set spaced out on sheet.
          • Cover dough balls with plastic wrap or towels and set in a place to rise, 30 minutes to an hour.
          • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Remove cover from dough and baking sheet. For medium rolls, bake for around 24 minutes; for larger rolls, bake for about 28 minutes. Check for doneness by tapping rolls and listening for a hollow sound, or plunge the food thermometer into a discreet place to verify the temperature in the middle if above 190-degrees.
          • Cool at least 20 minutes before eating. Rolls will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, and can also be frozen to enjoy much later.

          OM NOM NOM!

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            Bready or Not: Triple-Marble Pound Cake

            Posted by on Apr 6, 2022 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, cake, chocolate | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Triple-Marble Pound Cake

            The Triple-Marble Pound Cake is tender, soft, and has three incredible complementary flavors combined in one cake. It’s not hard to make, either, though it does dirty a few extra dishes.

            Bready or Not: Triple-Marble Pound Cake

            Oh yes, and it’s pretty, too. The interior reminds me of a calico cat!

            Bready or Not: Triple-Marble Pound Cake

            Something I really like about this recipe is that it is no-frills. The flavors are all built into the dough itself. There’s no need for frosting or glaze. The end result is a nice, tidy slice. You can throw it in a sandwich bag or some plastic wrap, and this is great as a to-go snack of treat. It might get crushed, but it won’t melt (and that is always a concern in Arizona!).

            Bready or Not: Triple-Marble Pound Cake

            The cake keeps well, too. Store it sealed at room temperature for up to four days. It’s also fantastic to freeze in slices to enjoy later.

            Bready or Not: Triple-Marble Pound Cake

            Greatly modified from Bake from Scratch Sep/Oct 2020.

            Bready or Not: Triple-Marble Pound Cake

            This pound cake is marbled with three colorful flavors: chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. The texture is tender but still durable, making this a great cake to slice and take as a snack on the go!
            Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
            Keyword: cake, caramel, chocolate, loaf cake
            Author: Beth Cato

            Equipment

            • 9×5 loaf pan
            • parchment paper
            • food scale

            Ingredients

            • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 and a half sticks) softened
            • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
            • 3 large eggs room temperature
            • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
            • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
            • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
            • 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream
            • 1/4 cup jarred caramel or dulce de leche
            • 1/3 cup dark chocolate melted and cooled slightly
            • 1 Tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
            • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

            Instructions

            • Preheat oven at 300-degrees. Cut a piece of parchment to fit like a sling inside the pan, extending up both long sides. Apply butter or nonstick spray in the pan, then set the parchment inside and spray it again.
            • Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
            • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients in with the wet, adding in the yogurt/sour cream as well.
            • Either by using a food scale or by eyeballing, divide the dough into three roughly equal portions.
            • If the caramel/dulce de leche is stiff, microwave briefly in a microwave-safe bowl to make it looser. Mix that into one portion of dough.
            • Add the cocoa powder with the melted chocolate, and fold that into a second portion of dough until the color is even throughout.
            • To the third portion, mix in the vanilla to completely incorporate.
            • Set a tablespoon with each portion. Scoop vanilla and chocolate to form a checkerboard-like formation in the bottom of the loaf pan. Add scoops of caramel dough sporadically over top. Tap pan to settle the dough. Repeat, mixing up the pattern so that different colors are near each other, tapping the pan on occasion. Once all of the dough is in the pan, use a butter knife to gently swirl for an extra marbling effect on the top. Tap pan again to level and work out bubbles.
            • Bake for 1 hour 40 minutes. Check the middle with a toothpick. If it’s still wet, bake longer, checking every few minutes for doneness. Once it passes the test, let cool on stove top for 10 minutes, then use the parchment sling to lift the loaf onto a rack to cool completely.
            • Cake can be served warm or at room temperature. It will keep for up to 4 days in a sealed container. It can also be frozen in slices for later enjoyment.

            OM NOM NOM!

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