I have been making bread for so many years that it is natural to me to substitute ingredients and flours  without much thought.  I know what certain things will add as far as texture and flavor and it is a comfortable relationship I have with bread…no suprises anymore..just old friends that know what to expect from eachother.

With Marc being sick I am trying to get as much nutrition in him as possible so I have been making flour mixtures when I make bread… Freshly ground whole wheat berries, oat groats,  brown rice, lentils, sun flower seeds, flax….and the list goes on.  The magic that happens when the yeast starts reacting with the honey or sugar is amazing, miraculous, but always predictable.

These rolls are perfect for autumn’s chilly weather.  They go with soups and stews and made into a loaf  the dough makes a great sandwich.  Because of the combination the bread is high in B vitamins, fiber, protien and omega-3s…best of all, it is filling and it tastes really good.

This may rise a little slower than you are used to.  Give it plenty of time because the flavor develops as it rises.  Feel free to experiment with ingredients…pumpkin seeds have plenty of zinc, add walnuts, dried fruit… grind up brown rice, lentils, or whatever in your blender..Just make sure that you have a ratio of about 2:1 wheat flour to other ingredients for best texture.

Rustic Whole Grain Rolls

•  4 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup melted butter, or light organic oil
• 1/2 cup honey, brown sugar, or sugar…or a combination
• 3 cups oatmeal
• 5 or more cups whole wheat  flour, preferably Montana white freshly ground
• 2 cups organic white flour
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice, ground in the blender
• 1 teaspoon salt
•  3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup flax seeds
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel, optional
• Dried fruit as desired up to 1 cup

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sweetener in 1/2 cup warm water. In a large bowl, mix remaining 3 1/2 cups warm water, sweetener, and butter or oil . Mix well. Add yeast mixture and stir.
2. Gradually add 5 cups whole wheat flour beating well after each addition. Add the flax, orange peel, dried fruit,  and sunflower seeds, stir well.
3. Let stand for 30 minutes, until mixture is very light. Stir in salt and the rest of the flours until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Knead 10 to 15 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Put into a greased bowl and cover, let rise in the oven with light on until doubled, about 1 hour or more.
5. Punch down and shape into 18 round balls. Brush the tops with melted butter.  Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
6. . Bake at 400 degrees F  25-35 minutes.When you put the rolls in the preheated oven throw a cup of water on the oven floor and shut the door quickly.  This creates steam that gives the crust a nice, old world texture.  After the first 15 minutes toss in another cup of water.

Images:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Back in the day Mrs. Cleaver and her contemporaries were very likely to serve dinner with a plate of rolls hot from the oven.  And those rolls were likely to be cloverleafs.

These are an easy roll to make and most people really like them because the shape is so…home. There is just something about these light, buttery rolls that makes you think of chilly days,  pot roast, and apple pie.

Make them with white flour, wheat, or a combination…but DO make them.  They freeze really well so make a bunch of them and have them whenever you need some comfort food.

Cloverleaf Rolls

• 2  packages yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1/2 cup sugar or honey
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter melted (this is not a typo)

In a bowl dissolve the  yeast in the warm water. Allow to foam up.

Beat in milk, sugar, egg, butter and salt.  Add 2 cups of flour and beat until smooth. 

Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and  knead until smooth about 6-8 minutes.  Put the dough in a greased bowl. grease the top and cover it.  

Allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour, or until doubled.  This will take about an hour.

Punch dough down. Roll into 90 equal sized balls.  Dip the balls in the remaining melted butter and place three  in greased muffin cups.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees  for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with butter or honey butter.

Makes 30.

Images:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Yes, these rolls look like bunnies! This vintage recipe is perfect for the kids table! Arrange these adorable bread bunnies in a basket and use as a centerpiece to keep the kids eating!

This recipe is from a 1959 vintage holiday cookbook. Look at that picture! LOL! You gotta love those Mrs Cleaver type moms that went the extra mile to make holidays special! These are really not difficult. Give them a try. You can easily make them ahead and freeze them until the big day.

1 package yeast

1/4 c water, lukewarm

1 c milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm

1/2 c butter melted in the hot milk

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp salt

5-5 1/2 c flour

2 eggs, room temperature, beaten

1/4 c orange juice, lukewarm

2 Tbs grated orange peel

Dissolve yeast in water.

Blend milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Make sure that the mixture is lukewarm. Stir in 2 cups of the flour.

Add eggs, beat well. Stir in yeast, orange juice, and peel. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Knead dough 10 minutes, or until elastic, on a floured surface. Place in a greased bowl, turn to grease top, cover and allow to rise until double. About 2 hours.

Punch down, cover, and allow to rest 10 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Cut dough in strips about 1/2 inch wide and roll between hands to smooth.

You can make these into two kinds of bunnies.

For twist bunnies (the one in the center, looks like it is sitting upright):

For each bunny you will need a 14 inch strip of dough. On a lightly greased cookie sheet lap one end of the strip over the other to form a loop. Now, bring the end that is underneath up over the top end, letting each end extend to the sides to form ears. Pat tips of ears to make a point.

Roll a small ball of dough and put it on the bottom loop for a tail. Let rise until double.

For “Grazing” Bunnies :

For each bunny you will need a 10 inch piece of dough for the body and a 5 inch strip for the head.

On a lightly greased cookie sheet make a loose swirl for the body with the longer strip, and one for the head with the smaller strip. Place the head close to the body. To add the ears pinch off 1 1/2 inch strips of dough and roll to form ears. Place next to the head. Use a little bit of dough to make a small ball for the tail. Allow to double.

The second rise will take from 45-60 minutes. Bake at 375 for 12 -15 minutes. Frost while warm with sugar glaze. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Sugar Glaze

To 2 1/2 c confectioners sugar add 1/4 c hot water and 1 tsp butter. Stir until blended.

Use this to brush over warm rolls.

(c)2008 Marye Audet for b5 media Baking Delights http://bakingdelights.com

Post from: Baking Delights