Quick Challah Muffin Spirals

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I caught the recipe for these rolls while visiting my youngest daughter in Connecticut. It was was developed for the Associated Press by Alison Ladman and when I saw the color of the rolls I knew I had to give them a try. I've just transferred them to my freezer where they will stay until Thanksgiving Day. I am going to recommend these rolls, but it is with a caution. They are not that all easy to make. The soft dough is very sticky and it is hard to resist the usual solution of adding more flour to make it more manageable. Too much flour will make these rolls heavy and you will be disappointed. My solution was to let my mixer do the work, and I can honestly tell you these rolls were not touched by human hands until they had to be shaped. The finished rolls have a wonderful texture and eggy taste that many of you will find toothsome, but if you are a beginning baker or short on patience, you might want to try this recipe instead. If you love challah, throw caution to the wind and give these babies a try. Here is how they are made.

Quick Challah Muffin Spirals...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Alison Ladman and The Associated Press

Ingredients:
Muffins
2/3 cup warm water
4 whole eggs, room temperature
3 egg yolks, room temperature
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons instant yeast
4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Egg Wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
1) Combine water, 4 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks, oil, honey, salt, baking powder, yeast and 4-1/2 cups of flour in bowl of an electric stand mixer. Mix on low speed for six to eight minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough should be very soft and slightly sticky. If it feels too sticky, add remaining flour 2 tablespoons at a time.
2) Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
3) Dump dough out onto counter and divide into 16 even pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch long snake.
4) Spray 2 muffin tins with cooking spray. Spiral one dough snake into each muffin cup. Cover muffin tin loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise again in a warm place for another 45 minutes, or until puffy.
5) After dough has risen for 30 minutes, heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
6) To prepare egg wash, in a small bowl beat together egg and water until frothy. Brush gently over spirals, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool. Yield: 16 muffins.

      

                                                    Older Posts

                  One Year Ago Today:                                                          Two Years Ago Today:

  Rack of Pork with Morel Mushroom Sauce                                           Moroccan Carrot Salad                  

         Three Years Ago Today:                                                           Four Years Ago Today: 

     Thanksgiving November 2010                                                    Oven Baked Scrambled Eggs

Make Your Own Brown and Serve Rolls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Back in the day, if you did not make your own bread, rolls like these were the only game in town. Nowadays, choices for bread and rolls abound, and the brown n' serve rolls, once so frequently served with special meals, are rapidly disappearing from our holiday tables. I suspect their demise began with tubed biscuits and rolls and was further hastened by the presence of the microwave and its quick ability to warm and refresh bakery goods. I had never made twice baked rolls and this seemed as good a time as any to give them a try. Hey, if men can climb mountains simply because they are there, cooks certainly should be given the same prerogative when it comes to untried techniques and recipes. For good or ill, the day for brown n' serve rolls had arrived in my kitchen. The recipe I decided to use as my guide came from Taste of Home magazine.  It was simple and straightforward and I found that rolls made with it were perfectly acceptable. Acceptable, however, is not great. I found these rolls to be heavier than most I've made in the past, but I like the twice baked technique described in the recipe and will probably test it with some of my other favorite dinner rolls. If you are looking for a sturdy dinner roll, I think you'll find this recipe useful and I suspect you'll also find the twice-baked technique it illustrates interesting. Here is how the rolls are made.

Brown and Serve Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon + 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 cup warm 2% milk
1/2 cup shortening
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
5 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and let stand for 5 minutes. Add milk, shortening, salt, 1 cup flour and remaining sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough.
2) Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
3) Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into two pieces. Cover second with plastic wrap. Divide remaining piece into 12 pieces. Shape into balls. Place 2-inches apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 20 minutes.
4) To serve immediately, bake at 375 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
5) To freeze for later use, partially bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes. Allow to cool., then freeze. To use frozen rolls: Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 2 dozen rolls.

      

                                                    Older Posts

                  One Year Ago Today:                                                     Two Years Ago Today:

         Lemon and Sour Cherry Tea Cake                                               Butterscotch Budino
                  

               Three Years Ago Today:                                                     Four Years Ago Today: 

                      Cheese Straws                                                                Sugar Crusted Nut Bread

Hawaiian Dinner Rolls + Overnight Sliders

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Football fever is running hot in my neck of the woods and food is a must for those who watch the games from the comfort of their own homes. I always serve something while we watch the game, but this week I wanted to breakaway from standard football fare and serve something that had a surprise value. I've been eyeing a recipe for sliders that are assembled the night before they are baked and I thought today's game would be the perfect time to give them a try. I did, however, run into a problem while assembling the ingredients needed to make them. Our local markets had no dinner-sized Hawaiian rolls, so I had to make my own. I used a recipe that I found on La Petite Brioche and several hours later I had the rolls I needed to proceed. The rolls, which are easy to make,  are similar  to  King's Hawaiian Rolls but they are a bit less sweet. There are no tricks to making them, save for the need for patience. The rolls are slow-risers, but if you want light and fluffy rolls you have to make sure they  double in size before proceeding with the next steps. These rolls are really versatile.  I'm including the slider recipe I used today, but these would also make a great base for pulled pork,  and, if drizzled with a confectioners' sugar glaze, I think they'd make wonderful breakfast sweet rolls. First things first. Here is the recipe for the rolls. The recipe for the sliders will follow that.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by La Petite Brioche

Ingredients:
6-7 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups pineapple juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes yeast or 4-1/2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup butter (one stick) melted

Directions:
1) Beat eggs. Add pineapple juice, sugar, salt, ginger, vanilla, and butter.
2) Place 3 cups of flour in a large bowl. Stir in egg mixture until well-combined. Sprinkle in yeast, one packet at a time, and mix. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and mix in. If dough is sticky and difficult to handle, add more flour. Dough should be slightly tacky, but not wet. Knead dough for 5 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. Place dough in a greased bowl and set aside to rise until doubled in size (about 1-1/2 hours).
2) Punch dough down and either divide into three equal parts for bread loaves or 24 balls for dinner rolls. Place in greased loaf pans or shape into rolls. Cover and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. Be patient. These rolls are slow risers, but it is important to let them double in size before baking.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4) Bake for 25-30 minutes or golden brown. Brush tops with melted butter. Serve warm.Yield: 24 dinner rolls or 12 sandwich buns.

Following Photo and Recipe Courtesy of KING'S HAWAIIAN

King's Mini Baked Ham Sandwiches
Ingredients:
1 pound deli ham shaved
1 pound swiss cheese thinly sliced
1-1/2 sticks butter
1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons minced onion dried
12 Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls

Directions:
1) Melt butter and mix in mustard, sauce and onion.
2) Cut rolls in half, horizontally (keeping all top and bottom halves separately in tact).
3) In a 9 x 13-inch pan, place bottom half of rolls and cover with ham and cheese.
4) Cover ham and cheese stacks with top half of rolls.
5) Drizzle butter mixture over top of rolls, making sure onion is evenly distributed.
6) Refrigerate over night.
7) Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes and, once finished, separate for serving. Yield: 12 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Slow-Cooker Weeknight Chili

Two Years Ago Today: Cranberry Mousse

Three Years Ago Today: Plum and Tomato Chutney

Four Years Ago Today: Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Bubble Top Brioche

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have been loyal to Julia Child's recipe for brioche for several decades now. It is delicious and dependable but it needs more attention than some of the other recipes that have found favor in recent years. I've been flirting with Dorie Greenspan's recipe for a while now, and because we have a special dinner planned for Saturday night, as well as a brunch on Sunday, I thought I could use Dorie's much simpler recipe to make rolls for both occasions. I made a triple batch of her bubble top brioche today and I couldn't be more pleased with the results. I started the rolls yesterday because they require an overnight chill, but other waiting for that interim rise, these are easiest fancy rolls I've ever made. You'll need a stand mixer to beat the dough, but the mixer literally does all the work and, save for killing the yeast, it would be hard to spoil these rolls. If you start with ingredients that are at room temperature and slowly incorporate the butter into the dough, you can't go wrong. The dough does not have a pleasant hand. It is shaggy and difficult to work with when it is not cold. That long chill is an absolute necessity for shaping the brioche. The recipe states that it makes a dozen rolls. You should be aware that those 12 rolls are voluptuous and will spill into each other as they bake. If you are a fussbudget and want perfectly formed and contained buns, aim for 16 rather than 12 buns per batch. Appearances aside, this is a terrific recipe and I hope you'll give it a try. The brioche freeze well and I know that any of you who make them will be delighted. Here's the recipe.

Bubble Top Brioche...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Dorie Greenspan and Epicurious

Ingredients:
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup warm whole milk
3 teaspoons active dry yeast (measured from two 1/4-ounce envelopes)brioche.
2-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)

Directions:
1) Combine 1/4 cup warm water and warm milk in bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Sprinkle yeast over liquids and stir to moisten evenly. Let stand until yeast dissolves, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
2) Add flour and salt to yeast mixture. Blend at medium-low speed until shaggy lumps form, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in sugar. Increase mixer speed to medium; beat until dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.
3) Reduce speed to low. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until blended after each addition, about 4 minutes (dough will be soft and silky). Increase speed to medium-high and beat until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and climbs paddle, 8 to 9 minutes. Trust me, it will do this butyou'll have to be patient.
4) Lightly butter a large bowl. Scrape dough into bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
5) Gently deflate dough by lifting around edges, then letting dough fall back into bowl, turning bowl and repeating as needed. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill, deflating dough in same way every 30 minutes until dough stops rising, about 2 hours. Chill overnight. (At this point, use the dough to make 12 brioches, or 6 brioches and 1 tart, or 2 tarts.)
6) Butter 12 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces; cut each piece into thirds. Roll each small piece between palms into ball. Place 3 balls in each prepared cup (dough will fill cup).
7) Place muffin pan in warm draft-free area; lay sheet of waxed paper over. Let dough rise until light and almost doubled (dough will rise 1/2 inch to 1 inch above top rim of muffin cups), 50 to 60 minutes.
8) Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Place muffin pan on rimmed baking sheet. Gently brush egg glaze over risen dough, being careful that glaze does not drip between dough and pan (which can prevent full expansion in oven).
9) Bake brioches until golden brown, covering with foil if browning too quickly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Cool 10 minutes. Remove brioches from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 12 rolls.






One Year Ago Today: Baked Brocolli and Sausage Fritatta
















Two Years Ago Today: House Special Mac N' Cheese with Brocolli














Three Years Ago Today: Yucatan-Style Chicken, Lime and Orzo Soup

Orange Cinnamon Sweet Rolls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These sweet rolls are a wonderful addition to a holiday breakfast or brunch. The recipe, which comes from Gourmet magazine, has been around for a while, and a substantial number of people have actually made the rolls and reviewed the recipe. You can read their comments, here. The reviews are mixed, but there are more favorable than negative comments and these rolls are good enough to try, as long as you are aware of pitfalls that might be encountered when you actually go to make them. Some feel the rolls are heavy. In a perfect world, flour would be weighed and this complaint would disappear, but until that happens, I think it's fair to assume that dense breads are the result of too much flour being used to make them. Over the years, I have consistently used the fluff, spoon and level technique for all my baked goods, so I've pretty much overcome dense and heavy breads. I hasten to add I have other problems, but that one has been put to rest. The dough used to make these rolls is tacky but it is workable and it can be formed after it has risen. Many feel the rolls aren't sweet enough. I love barely sweet sweet things, but I make it a point to drizzle half the rolls with a glaze to please those who have a more demanding sweet tooth. Some also feel the rolls need more spice. I honestly think that more cinnamon and orange zest would be too much of a good thing and I would especially caution against the use of too much orange zest. I think a tablespoon is fine, but it is important to grate only the rind. The white pith is bitter and can spoil the rolls. I think these are glorious to look at and I love the navel that is cut into the formed rolls. I personally think these are delicious and I hope that those of you who try them will like them as much as I do. Here's how they are made.

Orange Cinnamon Sweet Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons warm water + 2 teaspoons water at room temperature, divided use
1 (1/4-ounce) package or 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar, divided use
5 to 5-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh orange zest
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup warm milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until tepid, + butter for greasing bowl
4 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes, or submerged in a bowl of warm water (105°F) 5 minutes, divided use

Directions:
1) Stir together warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar in bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, whisk 4 cups flour with zest, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
3) Add milk, vanilla, butter, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to yeast. Mix at medium speed until combined. Beat in 3 eggs, 1 at a time, then add flour mixture and mix until combined well.
4) Replace paddle attachment with dough hook attachment and mix at medium-low speed, adding more flour (1 to 1 1/2 cups), 1/4 cup at a time, until a smooth but slightly sticky dough forms, about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a work surface and knead by hand until smooth and elastic (dough will remain slightly sticky), about 3 minutes. Form dough into a ball and transfer to a large buttered bowl, turning dough to coat with butter. Cover bowl with kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
5) Line a 17- by 14-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
6) Turn dough onto work surface and knead several times to remove air. Cut dough into 12 equal pieces. Cup your hand over 1 piece and, using your thumb and pinkie to keep ball inside your cupped hand, push dough with heel of your hand against work surface while rolling in a circular motion (clockwise or counterclockwise) to form a smooth ball. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, arranging balls 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/4 hours.
7) Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together remaining egg with remaining 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Cut a 1-inch X (1/4 inch deep) in top of each roll with kitchen shears. Brush rolls lightly with egg wash and bake until golden and rolls sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer rolls to a rack and cool, at least 15 minutes. Yield: 12 rolls.

Cooks' note:
Rolls can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then kept in sealed plastic bags or a large airtight container at room temperature. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven 10 minutes.

One Year Ago Today: Old-World Christmas Cookie Collection

Two Years Ago Today: Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

Three Years Ago Today: Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail

Cheese and Cornmeal Batter Buns

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These buns are a nice accompaniment to the heavier soups of fall and winter. They are easy to make and they freeze well, so there's no reason to be put off by the quantity of buns the recipe produces. The recipe comes from the test kitchen of Better Homes and Gardens magazine and I've used it for years. I like the buns well enough to share the recipe with you. While they are made with yeast, the buns qualify as a batter bread because the dough used to form them is beaten rather than kneaded. I think those of you try this recipe will be pleased with the results. The buns are moist and delicious and perfect to serve with a bowl of steaming tomato soup. I hope you'll give the recipe a try. Here's how the buns are made.

Cheese and Cornmeal Batter Buns...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Ingredients:
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1-3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 beaten egg
4 ounces sliced sharp American cheese, chopped
1/2 cup cornmeal

Directions:
1) Combine 2 cups of flour and yeast in a large mixing bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, shortening, and salt just until warm (120 degree F to 130 degree F) and shortening is almost melted. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; add egg.
2) Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in cheese, cornmeal, and remaining flour. Spoon batter into a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (50 to 60 minutes).
3) Generously grease twenty-four 2-1/2-inch nonstick muffin cups. Stir dough down. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (30 to 40 minutes).
4) Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Serve warm or cool rolls on wire racks. Makes 24 rolls.

One Year Ago Today: Julia Child's Curried Turkey Soup

Two Years Ago Today: Alu Ki Tikki (Potato Patties)

Three Years Ago Today: Anadama Rolls

Cornmeal Burger Buns + Party Food for Girls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Earlier in the week, I alluded to being up to my elbows in bread dough. A double recipe of these burger buns was the culprit. Our neighborhood block party was last weekend and I was asked to make my Ultimate Cheater's Pulled Pork for the occasion. The pork is a crock-pot recipe and requires almost no work to make, so I decided to pair it with homemade burger buns that I had been wanting to test. The rolls contained cornmeal and I thought they would be a perfect foil for the smoky flavor of the pork butt. I have some good news and some bad news to report regarding the buns. On the upside, they are delicious, particularly with barbecue type fillings, however, the downside is that the dough used to make them is an absolute bear to work with. The proportion of liquid to dry ingredients given in the original recipe is way out of whack and produced a sticky mass that is most kindly described as a hot mess. I had to increase the amount of flour I used by almost 2 cups to produce a soft dough that could be kneaded. It was frustrating. If you make a lot of bread, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. If you are a new bread maker, run for the hills. This is not a recipe for beginners. While I loved the flavor of these buns, I'll not be making them again. The next time I need burger buns, I'll throw a half cup of cornmeal into the proven recipe for Moomie buns and see what happens.

Cornmeal Burger Buns...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
4-3/4 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 6 cups of flour)
3 eggs

Directions:
1) Combine milk, butter, cornmeal, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Cook and stir until butter is melted. Cool to about 110 to 115 degrees F.
2) In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 3 cups flour and milk mixture; beat until blended. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be slightly sticky). Turn onto a heavily floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
2) Punch dough down; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into four portions; divide each portion into six pieces. With lightly floured hands, shape into buns. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 dozen buns.




Party Food For Girls was written by Arantxa Zecchini with some help from her mother, Alessandra who has been a good friend to me and One Perfect Bite. The book has just been published and a copy of it will be given away on her mother's blog, Alessandra Zecchini, which you can find here. Stop by and leave a comment for the opportunity to win a copy of this lovely book.









One Year Ago Today: Plum Tart with Streusel Topping















Two Years Ago Today: Margarita Shrimp Salad for Sandwiches and Wraps










You might also enjoy these recipes:
Brioche Hamburger Buns - Lisa is Cooking
Best Hamburger Buns - Anna's Table
Easy Homemade Hamburger Rolls - Cinnamon, Spice and Everything Nice
Chipotle Hambuger Buns - Confections of a Foodie Bride
Hamburger Buns - The Farmer's Wife

Brioche du Carême - Hot Cross Buns

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If I may, I'd like to have a word or two with those wonderful souls who have been following One Perfect Bite from its very hesitant beginnings. Initially, there were just four of you, two of whom were family. That is painfully true. Those four kept each other company for the longest time, but when that first Easter rolled around the ranks had swollen to a hundred or so, and I was comfortable posting recipes for seasonal foods that I thought my readers might enjoy. That April I featured a recipe for hot cross buns that I had been asked to post. Unfortunately, it was not the recipe my readers wanted to see. It was too involved for those who didn't have the leisure the retirement kitchen afforded, and, while it's taken a while, I've finally found one that will better suit those with less time on their hands. We've been featuring French recipes this week and while searching for foods that might be part of the French Easter celebration, I came across a recipe for hot cross buns, or brioche du carême. I'm told the buns are not standard fare in France, but that they can be found in the boulangeries of Alsace-Lorraine, probably because of the German influence in the region. The word carême means Lent and the Lenten buns made in France are nearly identical to their English counterpart, the hot cross buns which are eaten on Good Friday by the British. While I prefer the original recipe I posted for hot cross buns, I must admit this one is delicious as well. I hope you will like this easier version. Here's the recipe.

Brioche du Carême - Hot Cross Buns ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Kitchen Garden in France and Bella Online

Ingredients:
Dough
1/4 cup water - at room temperature or slightly above
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
3-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped, mixed candied fruit
Glaze
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
Icing
1/2 cup Confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons water water

Directions:
1) Mix yeast, 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and other spices in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix milk and water together. Combine dry ingredients mixture, liquid ingredients, and butter in a large bowl. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes at medium speed. Add egg and beat 1 more minute. Stir in raisins, fruit, and enough of remaining flour to make a firm dough. Knead dough on a floured surface for about 5 to 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Use additional flour if necessary. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn over to grease other side of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place. After about 15 minutes, test dough to see if it has risen sufficiently and is ready to be shaped. To test, gently stick two fingers into risen dough up to your second knuckle. Remove fingers. If indentations remain, dough is ready.
2) Divide dough into 12 pieces. Shape pieces into balls and place them 3 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light brown on top. Remove from oven. Place baking sheet full of buns on a wire rack to cool. Prepare glaze, then spread it over the warm buns. Let buns continue to cool on baking sheet. When completely cool, fill a cake decorating bag, fitted with a round tip, with icing. Pipe an icing cross on each bun. Yield: 1 dozen buns.






One Year Ago Today: Frittata with Spring Herbs and Leeks














Two Years Ago Today: White Chocolate Truffles








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Easter Bread with Colored Eggs - Italian Food Forever
Kulich, A Russian Easter Bread - The Winter Guest
Tsoureki Sweet Easter Bread - Culinary Flavors
Braided Easter Bread - Moogie and Pap
Easter Bread - Bobbini's Kitchen
Ciambellone Italian Easter Bread - One Perfect Bite
Kozunak Bulgarian Sweet Easter Bread - Annie's Art Book
Hot Cross Buns - The Cottage Kitchen
Orange Hot Cross Buns - Karen Cooks
Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns - The Baking Beauties

PDG Cinnamon Rolls

PDG Cinnamon Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Susan Loomis, Cook's Illustrated and Cinnamon Roll Recipes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Here, as promised, is my version of the cinnamon rolls that I spoke about last week. I'm immediately put off by anything that purports to be the best of kind, so I've decided to use an acronym to describe them and will leave the translation and ultimate grading to you. There is nothing original here. The rolls are cobbled together from various recipes and only slight changes have been made to the source from which the elements were stripped. The dough used to make the rolls is the creation of Susan Loomis. The spice mixture that fills them comes from Cook's Illustrated and the icing that crowns them is a clone of the one that's drizzled over Cinnabons. The rolls are meant to be a study in wretched excess, and if you make and sample them, I think you'll agree I've met my goal. The rolls take time to make but only because they rise so slowly. They are actually quite easy to assemble. I make the rolls the night before I plan to serve them and then rewarm and ice them just before they are put on the table. You'll notice I've shaped the rolls in two ways. One, of course, is the standard shape usually associated with the rolls. The other is a flattened form that resembles a baker's sweet roll or Danish. The flattened version is identical to the bun save for its shape and the time it takes to bake. The rolls stay fresh for up to two days if they are well-wrapped. They, of course, taste better when warm and just iced. Leftover rolls will be almost as good as new, if reheated in a microwave for about 15 seconds before serving. The rolls are perfect for a holiday breakfast or brunch. Here's the composite of recipes used to make them.

Ingredients:
Dough
1 cup whole milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon table salt
Filling
1/3 cup softened unsalted butter
1/3 cup golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Icing
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Directions:
1) To make dough: Scald milk over medium-high heat. Pour it into large bowl of an electric mixer. Add butter and stir until butter has melted. Set aside until mixture is lukewarm. Stir yeast and sugar into milk. Add 1 cup flour and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add salt and 1 more cup of flour. Mix vigorously until dough is smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes on medium speed. Add reserved 2-1/2 cups flour and mix just until incorporated. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Continue kneading by hand until it is smooth. Place dough in a bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
2) To make filling: Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
3) To assemble rolls: Grease a 13 X 9-inch baking pan. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll dough with a rolling pin into an evenly shaped 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Brush dough liberally with softened butter. Sprinkle with an even layer of cinnamon sugar, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one of the long sides. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Roll, beginning with long side of rectangle. Use finger tips to pinch dough as you roll, sealing edges firmly to form a seam. Cut into 12 pieces using a serrated knife or dental floss and arrange in pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in size, about 4 hours. 8) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 9) Bake rolls in center of oven until they are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Invert rolls onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
4) To make icing: Mix all ingredients until smooth, adding more milk as required for drizzling.
5) To ice: Reinvert rolls and place rack over parchment or wax paper to catch drips. Drizzle icing over rolls with spoon. Cut or pull apart to separate. Serve warm. Yield: 12 rolls.

Cook's Note: To make thinner rolls proceed as above, but press sliced rolls into disc shapes and place on 2 lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes - The Recipe Girl
Bon Ton Bakery Cinnamon Bread - Eat Me Delicious
Cinnamon Crescent Rolls - Jane Deere
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing - Never Enough Thyme
Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Icing - The Royal Cook
Pretty Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls - Cooking with Libby
Cocoa Cinnamon Swirl Rolls - Sweet Sensations
Cinnamon Rolls - The Saucy Kitchen
Lighter Everyday Cinnamon Rolls - Baking Bites
Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls - The Sweet's Life
Alton Brown's Overnight Cinnamon Rolls - The Culinary Chronicles
Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Cake - The Bake-Off Flunkie
Maple Glazed Cinnamon Buns - Pennies On A Platter
Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls - Sweet Sensations
Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake - Plain Chicken
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls - The Domestic Mama and the Village Cook
Brioche Cinnamon Rolls - Sweetest Kitchen