These chilly winter weekends are the perfect time to try making your own bread. True, good loaves of bread are easy to buy … but consider giving breadmaking at least one go-around. It’s such a satisfying and simple process. The gratification is amazing, starting with the magical doubling of the yeast dough, the seductive aroma of the bread as it bakes and, finally, the payoff, the supreme pleasure of savoring the still-warm bread right from your oven.
The food processor makes fast work of mixing and kneading bread dough, completing the process in less than 2 minutes. A mixer fitted with a dough hook takes about 6 to 8 minutes and hand-kneading takes the longest, about 10 minutes. The rest is as easy as this basic recipe for a free-form whole wheat bread, baked on a baking sheet. No special bread pans are required. It’s a soft-textured, light whole-wheat dough, versatile for sandwiches and breakfast toast (try the fresh raspberry butter for a welcome brightness), as well as for the variation for sticky whole wheat rolls.
Whole wheat bread
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Rising time: about 2 hours
Yield: 18 servings
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons warm water (105 to 115 degrees on instant-reading thermometer)
1 1/2 cups each: whole wheat flour, bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir yeast and honey into warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Combine flours and salt in processor or mixer bowl. Add yeast mixture and oil slowly with machine running; mix until dough is moist, not wet. (Adjust with small amounts of water or flour to make dough moist.) Knead dough until supple and stretchable, about 1 minute more in processor, about 6-8 minutes in mixer.
3. Transfer to large plastic bag. Squeeze out air; seal top, leaving room inside for dough to expand. Place bag in bowl; let rise in warm spot (an oven preheated for 1 minute, then turned off is perfect) until doubled.
4. Punch dough down, shape into smooth ball; place on greased baking sheet. Cover loaf with lightly oiled plastic wrap (to avoid sticking). Let rise again until doubled again, about 1 hour. Remove plastic.
5. Bake until bread is browned and sounds hollow when rapped on bottom, about 30 minutes. Immediately remove from pan; cool on wire rack.
Nutritional information per serving:
85 calories; 17% of calories from fat; 2 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 130 mg sodium; 2 g fiber
Fresh raspberry butter
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
1 cup raspberries
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juic
1. Combine raspberries, sugar and water in small pot. Heat to boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook, uncovered, until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Press raspberries through fine sieve to remove seeds.
2. Place syrup in mini-processor or mixing bowl. Add butter and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Taste; adjust lemon juice. Transfer butter to small ramekins. Chill. Can be refrigerated, covered airtight, up to 3 days or frozen up to 1 month. To serve, soften butter at room temperature until spreadable.
Nutritional information per serving:
119 calories; 84% of calories from fat; 11 g fat; 7 g saturated fat; 31 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 2 mg sodium; 1 g fiber
Whole wheat pecan rolls
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Rising time: about 1 hour
Baking time: about 35 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
Topping:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
Dough and filling:
1 whole wheat bread dough (see above), after first rising
3 tablespoons each: unsalted butter, melted; light brown sugar
1/2 cup each: coarsely chopped pecans, currants
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. For topping, combine butter, sugar and water in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat to boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour mixture into 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, tipping to spread evenly; set aside.
2. For dough, turn onto floured board after first rising. Roll into 20-by-6-inch oblong spiral.
3. For filling, brush dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle sugar, pecans and currants evenly over dough. Use fingers to lightly press these ingredients in place. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Press firmly into roll starting with long side. Cut into 10 equal pieces, each about 2 inches wide.
4. Put rolls, cut side down, into topping, leaving small space between each. Brush tops with remaining butter; cover lightly with oiled plastic wrap. Let rolls rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour; remove plastic wrap. Place pie plate on jelly roll pan to catch any syrup.
5. Bake until browned, about 30 minutes. Carefully invert hot rolls on cookie sheet, brushing any pan syrup onto rolls. Put buns back in oven; bake 5 minutes more. Cool at least 15 minutes before eating. Rolls are best served day they are baked.
Nutritional information per serving:
425 calories; 40% of calories from fat; 20 g fat; 9 g saturated fat; 34 mg cholesterol; 60 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 247 mg sodium; 4 g fiber
Nutritionals by Jodie Shield
