Bread Recipes & Ideas
Page 17
How Much Would You Pay a Professional to Babysit Your Sourdough Starter?
If you’ve ever lovingly raised a sourdough starter of your own, you know that it’s not something you can just leave sitting around untouched. Sourdough starters need TLC to prosper over time, and will die — yes, literally — without proper pampering. So what are you to do if you’ve got a starter bubbling away, but you’re itching to travel too? Why, hire a sitter, of course!
Apr 1, 2016
Proof Your Bread Dough in the Microwave
The microwave isn’t typically an appliance associated with making homemade bread. And while we won’t be using it for baking bread any time soon, it just might be your ticket to speeding up the proofing process. While professional bakers typically turn to proof boxes or dough proofers to create a warm, humid environment to encourage fermentation of the dough in yeast breads, that isn’t exactly an option for home cooks.
Mar 8, 2016
These Coffee Doughnuts Are a Breakfast Miracle
Fact: Dunking a sugary doughnut into a creamy cup of coffee is a sublime way to start the morning. That’s why these coffee cream-filled doughnuts are so ingenious; you can have your coffee and your doughnuts in one delicious package. This recipe requires some time and patience (read: the dough needs to rest overnight), so plan accordingly. Everything here is made from scratch, from the brioche dough to the coffee pastry cream.
Mar 4, 2016
Make Ginger Butter and Put It on Everything
My motto in life? Give me toast, or give me death. That’s a bit of stretch, but not too far given I’m very fond of the stuff and eat a slice of it every morning. Mostly I’m a swipe of Kerrygold kind of girl. Definitely an add a sprinkle of salt before taking a bite kind of girl, but now, I’m a don’t forget the ginger kind of girl. Because ginger has made my butter better. I keep my butter out so it’s soft enough to spread over toast on a moment’s notice.
Feb 24, 2016
This Is Probably the Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Make
Spaghetti and meatballs are great, but hands down the best part of any Italian meal is the garlic bread. This version, affectionally dubbed “OMG Garlic Bread,” has lemon zest, fresh basil, and Parmesan. It’s probably the best garlic bread you’ll ever make. The heart and soul of this recipe is the chunky garlic paste, which calls for a whole head of garlic, a whole stick of butter, Parmesan, fresh basil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes.
Feb 22, 2016
What Happened to My Sourdough Starter?
Q: Day 1: I mixed 4 ounces of bread flour with 4 ounces of water in a small mixing bowl, covered it loosely with plastic, and set it in a place where the temperature was about 75°F. Day 2: After 24 hours, there was definite activity (bubbles) and I gave it a feeding of another 4 ounces of flour and 4 ounces of water. Day 3: More bubble activity and another feeding. Day 4: I checked it in the morning and all yeast activity had stopped.
Jan 28, 2016
The Weird Green Bread from “The Force Awakens” Is 100% Edible
Even if you haven’t seen the “The Force Awakens”yet — who are you? — you’re pretty safe to keep reading. What follows is spoiler-free coverage that can only add to the magic of the franchise. In the beginning of the film, after hours and hours of tireless scavenging, Rey receives but a quarter-portion of rations as her reward. She’s incredulous but accepting of the tiny green puck because, really, what should she have expected?
Jan 20, 2016
How Do I Prevent Overbrowning on Bread and Rolls?
Q: I always have trouble with my rolls and bread browning on the top, but not on the bottom. Any helpful hints? Sent by Glenda Editor: High up on the list of reasons why this might be happening is you’re baking at a too-high temperature. Absolutely, the temperature the recipe calls for is the correct place to start, but you have to factor in how your particular oven performs. Does it run hot? Are there hot spots? Answer those questions with an oven thermometer.
Dec 18, 2015
The Science Behind Yeast and How It Makes Bread Rise
Yeast — whether from packets, jars, or cakes sold at stores, or even from a starter you’ve prepared at home — is essential to bread making. And yes, it is alive, even if it is sold dried. Yeasts are small, single-celled organisms that feed off of simple sugars, breaking them down into carbon dioxide, alcohol (ethanol, specifically), flavor molecules, and energy. The process is referred to as fermentation.
Dec 15, 2015
Garlic Bread Is the Best Vessel for a Meatball Sub
A bowl of spaghetti and meatballs with a side of garlic bread is the epitome of comfort food. If you’re looking to combine all the best elements of this classic Italian meal, I’ve got just the sandwich for you. Yes, these meatball subs are made with garlic bread rolls. You brush garlic-infused butter on the outside and inside of some fresh rolls, and bake them in the oven until they’re slightly crisp and golden-brown.
Dec 14, 2015
Will a Hotter Oven Give You More Magnificent Muffin Tops?
No matter what type of muffin I’m eating — pumpkin, banana-nut, corn, blueberry — the very best part is the rounded muffin top. The taller, the better. There’s no difference in taste, and the base of the muffin is just fine, but the top is definitely the best part. And there’s the sweet sense of satisfaction that comes with plucking off the muffin top before moving on to the bottom of the muffin.
Nov 10, 2015
Have We Been Buttering Our Toast All Wrong?
We may have been making one of the easiest breakfasts in the world the wrong way all these years. Raquel Pelzel, author of the new book Toast, recommends buttering your bread before you put it in the toaster. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But the more you consider pre-buttering your toast, the more it starts to make sense.
Nov 10, 2015
5 Quick and Tasty Ways to Stuff a Crescent Roll for Breakfast
We love them for dinner, but Pillsbury Crescent Rolls make for a convenient handheld breakfast as well. At the startling pop of the tube, I know that in no more than 10 minutes I’ll be pulling a tray of buttery, flaky rolls from the oven. With as few as three everyday ingredients, you’re on the way to a quick and delicious breakfast. Here are five smart, sweet, and savory ways to use store-bought crescent roll dough for your on-the-go morning meal.
Nov 6, 2015
This Loaf of Bagel Bread Is a Dream Come True
I love a good bagel — one that’s thick, but not too thick, and chewy, but not too chewy — so I was very excited when I saw this bagel bread. The prospect of slicing into a warm loaf of sesame-studded bagel bread and slathering it with cream cheese was enough to convince me to pull out my stand mixer. Want the recipe? Right this way. The fun part about making this bread is you don’t actually have to shape the dough into perfectly round bagels.
Oct 15, 2015
You’ll Fall for These Pumpkin Twists with Maple Cream
Guys, I think I’m in love — with a recipe. These festive pumpkin twists are sure to put you in the fall spirit. They’re buttery, flaky, and filled with warm pumpkin pie spices — and don’t even get me started on the maple cream dipping sauce. This recipe comes together easily, thanks to some frozen sheets of puff pastry and a can of pumpkin purée. You mix the pumpkin with brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, then spread it on layers of puff pastry.
Oct 7, 2015
Put Avocado in Your Next Loaf of Bread
I know, I know — you’ve heard enough about avocado toast. But this is different; this is a recipe for avocado bread — as in, avocado baked into a loaf of bread. Things just got real. Similar to banana bread, this loaf is moist and delicious. It has all the regular players of traditional banana bread — flour, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla — but you swap mashed avocado for the banana and add a teaspoon of fresh lime juice for extra color.
Oct 2, 2015
Why Won’t Muffins Rise in My New Gas Oven?
Q: I have a fail-safe muffin batter recipe I have always used with much success in my electric oven. I have now installed a gas oven, and while it has been perfect for browning dishes like mac and cheese, the muffins are not as impressive. They do not rise as much as when they bake in the electric oven (they are about 20 percent smaller). They don’t have that classic crunchy outer shell that you would expect in a muffin, they take longer to bake, and they don’t brown.
Sep 25, 2015
At What Point Can I Pause Bread Making?
Q: Is it okay to set aside bread dough before the last rise, and then come back to the process? Since time can be so precious for a lot of us, I find that if I could halt my bread making and then continue it later, I might make more of it. I don’t always have the four hours or so to devote in one block of time. Sent by Barbara Editor: My favorite shortcut is to let the first rise occur overnight in the refrigerator, rather than on the counter.
Jul 24, 2015
5 Extra-Easy Ways to Make Pizza in the Toaster Oven
I’ve always wanted to hug the person who invented the toaster oven. I often use it multiple times a day, from toasting slices of bread for breakfast to baking cookies for dessert. One of my favorite toaster oven uses is for quick pizzas — especially in the summer, when I don’t want to heat up the whole kitchen by turning on the regular oven. To make things even easier, I also skip the pizza dough. Here are five other pizza bases you can use in the toaster oven instead!
Jul 8, 2015
Satisfy Your Sweet and Savory Tooth with Olive Oil Zucchini Bread
Putting zucchini in baked goods is nothing new, but sometimes I come across a recipe — like this zucchini bread — that stops me in my tracks. It relies on simple ingredients, but its execution is brilliant. If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert to impress guests, look no further. This recipe really capitalizes on the whole sweet-savory thing.
Jun 25, 2015
Do You Know What Gluten Actually Is?
Gluten is a word in action these days, popping up on labels at the grocery store, in the news, and all over the Internet. Many of us have even chosen to eliminate gluten from our diets — but I have to ask: Do you really know what gluten is? Here’s a guide to the science of gluten and what that little word actually means. A bread dough that is just mixed, and that you haven’t kneaded at all, looks completely different after you’ve slaved over it for 10 minutes.
Jun 24, 2015
Is the Time for Kneading Bread Dough the Same by Hand as with a Stand Mixer?
Q: If a bread recipe calls to knead by hand for 10 minutes, but you’re using a stand mixer, how long do you run it for? Still 10 minutes? Sent by Melissa Editor: Kneading the dough just enough is such a crucial part of bread making, which is maybe why I’ve always stuck with making no-knead bread. The real key is not to rely on time, but to know what to look for to tell that the dough is ready.
Jun 1, 2015
Why Is My Sourdough Bread So Dense?
Q: I’d like my sourdough bread to rise more and be less dense. Wanting no other additives, I mix 4 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup sourdough starter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 2 cups water. The resulting dough is very sticky. I mix just long enough to combine, let it rise about eight hours. Then I pour it into the bread pan, tap (as opposed to punch) it down just a little, and leave it for one hour in the oven preheated to 200°F and turned off.
Apr 23, 2015
The Best Place to Store Leftover Bread
Among the constant food staples in my kitchen is bread. You’ll rarely find me without a hearty loaf of multigrain (homemade, on really good weeks), and a fresh baguette. But, as much as I love carbs, it’s sometimes tough to eat my way through without facing stale slices or dry heels. Though I’d like to use the stale leftovers for croutons or bread crumbs, there’s never quite enough to make a worthwhile amount, or other times it doesn’t fit into my cooking plans.
Apr 21, 2015
A Better Way to Heat Up Tortillas
Everyone knows a taco is best when it’s wrapped in a warm, soft tortilla. I like to heat mine so they’re even a little crispy around the edges. But what’s the best to achieve this? Let me show you the wrong way — and the right way. Now, first off, I acknowledge that you can always warm a stack of tortillas in the microwave or a low oven, wrapped in a damp towel. → Warm ’em up: Warm It Up!
Mar 18, 2015
5 Easy Ways to Make Banana Bread Even More Awesome
The secret to great banana bread is having a reliable, classic, go-to recipe. You make it as is for a basic favorite that everyone loves, or — with a few simple additions — you can transform that classic recipe into something new and amazing. Here are five easy ways to take your favorite classic banana bread recipe and make it even more awesome! Normally, I’d tell you that the only way to make banana bread is with super ripe bananas, freckled with brown spots.
Feb 9, 2015
The Fastest Way to Cut Bread for Stuffing
As much as I love eating stuffing or dressing on Thanksgiving, I find the whole process of cutting up a big loaf of bread for it quite tedious, especially when there are so many other cooking tasks vying for my time and attention. Here’s a way I’ve found that helps speed up the process a bit! I used to cut up the loaf of bread crosswise into slices like you would for sandwiches, then cut each of the slices into little cubes.
Nov 19, 2014
How To Make Pull-Apart Cheese Bread
This right here — this cheese-stuffed loaf — this is how you guarantee that any party you throw will be a smashing success. Cheese and bread are already a first-rate combination, of course, but this particular delivery method is just brilliant. I dare anyone standing in the vicinity to resist pulling off cheesy bite after cheesy bite. Dinner can burn and the power can go out, and everyone will still be perfectly content. Want to know how this party insurance can be yours?
Nov 4, 2014
Autumn Kitchen Welcoming Winter
We’re deep into autumn right now. The move from bright to dark has begun, a yearly non-negotiable event that has a profound influence on our lives. The extent that we can shift with it will become the measure of our contentment and happiness. Often we feel a contraction from the loss of sunshine.
Oct 26, 2014
10 Smart Ways to Get More Life Out of Your Stale Bread
Sometimes I buy a baguette or a loaf of sourdough, brioche, or ciabatta, and for one reason or another, it doesn’t get finished. I always have good intentions of storing the extras in the freezer for later. But all too often I forget and a day or two later I have a loaf of stale bread on my hands. If you find yourself in the same position, instead of tossing it, try these great ways to get more life out of your stale bread.
Aug 25, 2014
How Can I Make My Homemade Bread Less Dense?
Q: I’m new to the bread baking business and am thoroughly enjoying the experience. However I seem unable to avoid a heavy dense loaf, even though I stick strictly to various recipes I’ve tried. Any suggestions as to how to achieve a lighter, less dense end result would be greatly appreciated. Sent by Chris Editor: Readers, do you have any tips or recipes to share that will help make lighter loaves of bread?
Jul 29, 2014
Martin Falardeau on the Essentials of Bread-Baking for Beginners
So you want to make bread at home. Now what? Trying to break into bread baking can be a daunting task: it’s an entirely different language from cooking. What kind of loaf should you begin with? Do you use a bread cloche or a Dutch oven? Martin Falardeau is a Montreal-based bread baker and the owner of Le Pain dans Les Voiles, the winner of many international prizes for his bread.
May 15, 2014
Help! Why Won’t My Bread Rise?
Q: I was very excited to find your homemade sandwich bread recipe, especially the version that uses a portion of whole wheat flour! The first time, my loaves only rose a little bit in the bowl and then not at all in the pans. I read some tips and tried kneading more and warming my oven to let the bread rise while sitting in the stove for the second set of loaves. They rose much better in the bowl but again not much (if at all) in the pans!
May 14, 2014
Mary Ting Hyatt On What Makes The Perfect Bagel
This week I’ve been sharing the wonder that is Bagelsaurus, Boston’s mini bagel bakery run by Mary Ting Hyatt. So far we’ve seen her bagel-making process and learned about a great, non-scary home alternative to lye. Today we’re going back to basics with a simple question: what makes a great bagel?
May 9, 2014
Expert Bagel Maker Confirms: You Don’t Need Lye To Make a Good Bagel
Yesterday I introduced you to Mary Ting Hyatt of Bagelsaurus and her seriously delicious bagels. At one point in her bagel making process, I observed her dip a pretzel bagel into a lye solution, and I had to ask: is lye really necessary for bagels? I think lye is kind of scary to deal with at home, so what’s a home bagel maker to do? What does lye do, and why it is sometimes used to make bagels?
May 8, 2014
Rye Matzoh and Beyond: 9 Varieties of Matzoh to Suit Every Taste
Matzoh, the flat, unleavened bread eaten during the holiday of Passover, is one of the most distinctive Jewish foods. Made from nothing more than flour (typically wheat, but also barley, spelt, rye, or oat) and water, it represents the simple bread the Israelites took with them when they left slavery in Ancient Egypt. When most people think of matzoh, they envision flat, square crackers dotted with fork prick-like perforations. They also tend to think, “boring.
Apr 8, 2014
How Do I Keep Shaped Bread Dough from Sticking to the Countertop?
Q: Thank you so much for posting the recipe for you Beginner Sourdough Loaf. I have tried twice to make the recipe — both times attempting to make it as a round artisan loaf using my (pre-heated) cast iron enamelware, but Houston, I have a big problem. After the bread has risen the second time, I cannot seem to get it off of the cutting board! The first time I used a wooden cutting board and the second time I used a plastic cutting board.
Mar 31, 2014
10 Recipes That Defined the 1980s
This week we’re talking about the recipes that defined a decade, like the Lipton onion dip of the 60s and the popularity of quiche in the 70s. Today we tackle the 1980s. Beyond incredible dance music and neon outfits, the 80s offered up some new and sometimes surprising developments, including the rise of nouvelle cuisine and the beginning of the reign of Lean Cuisine meals. But of course, no matter what you were eating you had to wash it all down with a wine cooler.
Feb 26, 2014
Recipe for Rosh Hashanah: Apple Butter Challah
I have never met a challah I did not like. There is simply something magical about the puffed, egg-enriched loaves that sit at the center of many Jewish holiday meals and that make an extravagant base for French toast. And yet as a kid, I would count down the days to Rosh Hashanah when my mom would bring home challah baked specially for the holiday.
Sep 3, 2013
Baking Recipe: Seeded Whole Wheat Overnight Bread
Lately I’ve been spending weekends in a house upstate that I’m sharing with my friends Hilary and Al. Deciding to share the house with them was a no-brainer: lovely people, great style, a kind and gentle son for Ursula to hang out with, fabulous British accents, and a killer house. What I didn’t know until arriving for our first weekend was that Al makes bread every Friday night for toast on Saturday morning. I totally scored.
Jun 13, 2013
5 Tips for Making Healthier Banana Bread
It’s true that when the weather turns warmer, I don’t bake as often. But when you live in Seattle, that tends to be a slow, evolving process with many people here insisting that summer doesn’t actually start until after July 4th. In other words: we’ve got some baking days left in us yet! I’ve been experimenting with wholesome quick breads for breakfast and had great luck turning oil-laden, sweet recipes into healthier morning options.
May 31, 2013
8 Ways to Eat a Loaf of Bread for Dinner
Remember when everyone could eat bread? With more and more people avoiding gluten, bread has become a guilty pleasure at the dinner table, even for those of us who can tolerate it just fine. My deepest sympathies to those with gluten intolerance, who may want to look away while I take a moment to appreciate warm, soft, chewy, crusty, wonderful bread and all the ways you can turn a day-old loaf of it into a full meal.
Mar 22, 2013
Tip: The Best & Quickest Way to Warm Up Pita Bread
I always keep a bag of whole wheat pita rounds in the freezer for last minute lunches; they can be stuffed with salad, eaten with hummus and vegetables, or even topped with avocado and egg. But how to transform a rock-hard piece of frozen pita into a soft, warm pocket? Here’s a method that is fast and foolproof. On a gas stove, turn the flame on medium-low and place the frozen pita directly on the burner.
Mar 15, 2013
The Secret To Making Really Great 100-Percent Whole Grain Bread
As we’ve said before, it’s hard to make a 100 percent whole grain bread that doesn’t end up dense and heavy. That’s why it’s suggested to mix in all-purpose flour with your whole grain flour. (Emma does a 50:50 blend.) But Mark Bittman set out to make a delicious 100 percent whole grain bread, to find a recipe that brought out the best of whole grains.
Feb 7, 2013
Active Dry & Instant Yeast: Best Tips for Working with Yeast
As Cambria can attestActive dry yeast and instant (or rapid-rise) yeast are the two most common yeasts available to us as home bakers. The two yeasts can be used interchangeably in recipes, but active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water before using while instant yeast can be mixed right into the dough.Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer baking with active dry yeast.
Nov 14, 2012
Sweet Twist on a Classic: Dark Chocolate & Coconut Popovers
Whoa. Whoa. Just when I thought my love for those eggy, airy little bread puffs — popovers — couldn’t grow any deeper, along comes a dark chocolate chocolate version.This recipe is from Susan, who blogs at Doughmesstic. We know Susan from way back when; she was a winner in our long-ago pie contest of 2008! (See her winning entry here.)This popover idea is equally brilliant and deserving of awards.
Oct 19, 2012
5 Tips for Making Better Sandwich Bread
Have you caught the baking bug? I have several friends who have vowed to start baking their own bread this fall, and as a longtime home baker myself, this is an endeavor that I wholeheartedly support. Whether you’re getting ready to bake your first loaf or whether you’re coming back to it after a summer away, here are a few tips to help you bake the best sandwich bread ever.
Sep 18, 2012
Sandwich Recipe: French Dip Au Jus
Up until recently, I just assumed “the art of sandwich making” was better left to the professionals. I don’t mean the basics — like ham and cheese on white or a PB&J — but the more ornate ones, like French dips, Cubans, and spicy Italians. I guess I figured that perhaps a deli had access to top-secret restaurant ingredients, or at the very least better-quality meats and toppings.
Sep 17, 2012
Whole Grain, Whole Wheat, Multigrain: What’s the Difference?
We all know we should be consuming more whole grains and fewer products made from refined grains, but that doesn’t make the bread aisle any less confusing. Is multigrain the same as whole grain? And where does whole wheat fit in? Here’s a quick guide to these three common, sometimes confusing terms. • Whole grain means that all parts of the grain are used, including the nutritious germ and bran.
Sep 12, 2012
Injera: Ethiopia’s Traditional Bread in Pictures and Words
If pictures aren’t enough to get me excited about trying a new food, then a good story certainly is. That’s the situation right now with injera, a crepe-thin bread that is a staple in Ethiopian cuisine. The book Cutting for Stone describes it like this: “The mark of a native is that your fingers are never stained by the curry; you use the injera as your tongs, as a barrier, while you pick up a piece of chicken or beef sopped in the sauce.” Mmmm.
Aug 23, 2012
Baking Bread: The Best Flour For Baguettes, Sourdough, and More!
I don’t bake very much in the summer, and I’m guessing the same might be true with you. (When it’s hot out, the last thing you want to gear up is your oven!) But the two things I do find myself baking are pies and loaves of bread, the latter of which is a staple all year-round. But when reaching for those trusty ingredients, what type of flour do you turn to?People study bread-baking techniques for years, and I am the first to admit I’m far from an expert.
Jul 16, 2012
Why Did My Sandwich Bread Fall Apart?
Q: I’ve recently started dabbling in bread making and froze some leftover loaves of white bread. When I cut a slice from a thawed loaf this morning, I couldn’t get a decent slice. It crumbled apart! Any idea what I did wrong?When I baked the loaves originally, I opened a new jar of yeast and warmed my flour like my grandma recommended, and my bread doubled like crazy. I baked the loafs and they formed beautiful mushroom tops.
May 3, 2012
Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs & Warm Bread Salad
By now it’s probably safe to assume that you’ve heard of the famous Zuni Roast Chicken. Considering the viral nature of the food blogging world, who hasn’t?! I’ve tried it and it’s fabulous, but I’m not going to lie: I just don’t always have the time to put that much effort into dinner. (Please tell me I’m not the only one.) And while their chicken truly is a show-stopper, it’s the bread salad that really leaves me hankering for more.
Apr 16, 2012
Recipe: Cheddar & Chive Guinness Bread
How many Irish ingredients can you mix into a recipe in the spirit of Saint Patrick’s day without seeming totally absurd? I may have crossed the line with this recipe for Cheddar and Chive Guinness Bread, but the good news is, it’s not green and you don’t need anything particularly Irish to make it work. Beer bread is one of the simplest quick breads to make. If you wanted to be really rogue you could dump every single ingredient into the loaf pan itself, mix, bake and eat.
Mar 15, 2012
Freezer-Friendly Scones: Freeze Unbaked Dough, Bake When Needed!
I first encountered the idea of frozen scones on vacation in Michigan. The Lake Street Market in Boyne City, MI sells rolls of their delicious apple walnut scones (and about a million other varieties) already frozen. What better for a summer lake house than a few scones in the freezer, just waiting to bake up and lure you to the breakfast table?
Mar 7, 2012
Smart Tip: A Better Way to Make Breadcrumbs in the Food Processor
Turning dried-out bread scraps into homemade bread crumbs is a simple way to minimize waste, but pulsing bread chunks in the food processor can be a messy chore. Melissa Clark discovered an ingenious way to easily transform stale bread into mounds of bread crumbs without the usual overheating processor or gunked-up blade:Use the grater attachment! She dries out slices of day-old bread in a 300°F oven, then pushes them through the feeder tube on her food processor.
Feb 27, 2012
Recipe: Cheese-Stuffed Bread Sticks
Fair warning: You should only make these bread sticks when surrounded by plenty of people to help you eat them. Otherwise, there is a very serious danger of proceeding directly from the last bite of one bread stick to the first bite of the next. Especially if there’s a little bowl of tomato sauce for dipping and no one to stop you. I embarked on this mission of stuffing cheese inside bread thinking this would be easy-peasy. Wrap cheese in dough, bake, devour. Repeat.
Feb 3, 2012
Outside the Box: 5 Sweet & Savory Ways to Eat Panettone
Tall, golden loaves of panettone are everywhere this time of year. Traditionally eaten around Christmas and New Year’s, this fruit-studded sweet bread can be enjoyed plain or simply toasted — but it doesn’t have to be. How about crisp-custardy panettone french toast or even a savory panettone panzanella with pancetta and brussels sprouts? • Panettone Bread Pudding at BBC Good Food: Fluffy panettone bakes into a beautiful, flavorful bread pudding.
Dec 16, 2011
A Home Bread Proofer: The Brød & Taylor Folding Proofer Product Review
Get deep enough into bread baking and you’ll eventually run into one of the biggest home baking X-factors: temperature control. Pro bakers have special proofing cupboards to keep the environmental temperature steady while doughs and starters do their thing. We home bakers make do with warm ovens, radiators, and all other manner of improvised set-ups. This new small-sized, folding proofer from Brød & Taylor helps bridge the gap.I admit that I was skeptical about this proofer.
Nov 30, 2011
Recipe: Double-Garlic Herb Garlic Bread
Some days you just have to go all out. Maybe you have soft cheeses and crackers before dinner, open a bottle of good wine, make spaghetti and meatballs and then decide that garlic bread is also important. When you can’t stop thinking about garlic bread, this is the recipe for you.There are two important things to remember when making garlic bread. First, use a good baguette that you like. I’m not a fan of using squishy white sandwich bread.
Oct 14, 2011
Bread Baking Clinic: Under-Kneading & Over-Kneading
After talking about that Goldilocks ideal of kneaded dough that’s “just right,” it’s worthwhile to spend some time looking at the other ends of the spectrum. Knowing when you’re under-kneading or over-kneading, and correcting for it, can mean the difference between a bummer loaf of bread and a fantastic one.First of all, it’s important to understand that kneading is not quite the same exact science that other aspects of baking can be.
Oct 4, 2011
Advice for Baking No-Knead Bread in a Convection Oven?
Q: I just made No-Knead Bread and wondered if you had any suggestions about doing it in a convection oven. We live fulltime in an RV and that’s my only resource for baking. I had to bake it for an additional 30 minutes longer after the lid was removed in order for it to brown. The bread is very crusty and delicious. In fact, it reminds me of old country rustic bread. Perhaps this is just the way convection ovens work?Sent by VickieEditor: Readers, do you use a convection oven?
Sep 14, 2011
How Do You Store Your Bread?
I live alone, so it can take me a good week to go through a loaf of bread. Keeping it fresh can be a challenge. I usually buy unsliced bread, so freezing it is not a practical option and plastic bags only seem to encourage limpness and mold. After struggling with this issue for quite some time, I recently discovered a method to store my bread right there on my kitchen counter that couldn’t be simpler. It requires no additional purchases or fancy equipment. Read on for my solution!
Aug 5, 2011
Why Were My Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins So Bitter?
Q:  I recently tried to make lemon poppy seed muffins. The batter tasted good, but after baking the muffins they left a very bitter aftertaste and were inedible. Were my poppy seeds bad? I used the McCormick’s poppy seeds (had in the cabinent) — there was no mention on the container of when they would go bad.Sent by MaggieEditor: Readers, has anyone ever experienced something similar? Would poppy seeds have the ability to throw the taste of a whole batch of muffins off?
Apr 26, 2011
Quick Tip: How To Get A Domed Muffin Top Every Time
Everyone knows that the best part of the muffin is the top, right? This is why it’s doubly disappointing when a batch of muffins emerges with barely-peaked little domes. We thought maybe it’s not enough batter in the cup or expired baking soda. But Shirley O. Corriher, author of Bakewise, says its something else entirely.According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat.
Apr 4, 2011
Help! My No-Knead Bread Stuck To the Pan
Q: I cooked Mark Bittman’s no-knead bread in my Dutch oven this weekend. The problem is that the bottom of the bread stuck to the Dutch oven and I cannot remove the leftover bread that’s sticking in the bottom of my Dutch oven.Do you have any suggestion on how to clean it and what I should do next time I bake the bread so it doesn’t happen again?Sent by MarionEditor: Marion, it sounds to us like your Dutch oven wasn’t hot enough before adding the dough.
Mar 8, 2011
Why Does My No-Knead Bread Turn Out Flat?
Q: I’ve become completely smitten with no-knead bread recently because it’s so hassle-free to make, but I’m having trouble creating round boules. Even with variations to the recipe, all my loaves seem to flatten in the oven and I’m left with a 3-inch thick disk of bread instead of a lofty boule!Any tips on how to create lovely round no-knead loaves instead of these flat creations?
Mar 2, 2011
Can I Make Bread Without a Stand Mixer?
Q:  It seems like most bread recipes require a KitchenAid mixer outfitted with a paddle or bread hook to make bread.Can The Kitchn provide recipes or guidance on making bread without appliances? Thanks!Sent by IlonaEditor: Ilona, that’s too bad that so many recipes assume that you’re using a stand mixer. Bread can easily be made without appliances — it’s such an ancient, elemental food, and people have been making it without mixers for thousands of years.
Feb 25, 2011
How To Mail Homemade Bread
Look at this beautiful loaf of homemade bread our friend Tim sent all the way from New York to Los Angeles! Even though it had traveled a bit from his oven to our doorstep, it had a surprisingly fresh aroma, texture, and flavor. Mailing bread wasn’t something we thought possible, but the delicious loaves we have received from Tim prove that it can be done.
Nov 24, 2010
Chili and Cornbread: A Cool-Weather Meal in a Jar
Summer is behind us, but that doesn’t mean the end of eating outdoors — or the end of packing food in jars for waste-free, portable meals. This chili and cornbread combo in a jar looks like the perfect meal for a cozy autumn picnic.To make these, you just fill the bottom of the jar with your favorite chili and top it with a scoop of cornbread batter. The jars go into the oven, heating up the chili and baking the cornbread into a golden cap on top.
Nov 1, 2010
Should I Remove the Crusts Before Making Bread Crumbs?
Q: When people talk about making their own bread crumbs, I always see that the crusts must be removed.Why? What would happen if I didn’t remove them?Sent by SaraEditor: Sara, I actually almost never remove the crust. My guess is that many guides suggest this because they are directing you to make finely-textured and soft fresh bread crumbs. Using only the inner part of the bread will give you fine, soft, white bread crumbs without any harsh dry bits.
Sep 29, 2010
Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson with Eric Wolfinger Book Review 2010
I live in San Francisco. There are many, many reasons why being able to write that last sentence makes me happy but one of the primary ones is that San Francisco is home to a place called Tartine Bakery. Tartine has an international reputation for their croissants and scones and fruit-filled bread pudding, but there’s one thing they sell that pretty much only the locals know about. Hint: It’s on the cover of the book pictured above. Tartine Bread from 4SP Films on Vimeo.
Sep 29, 2010