Baking for Dummies Read online

  2 cups simmering water

  1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

  2 tablespoons butter

  1 package active dry yeast

  1/2 cup warm water (not above 115 degrees)

  3/4 cup honey or maple syrup

  5 to 7 cups flour

  2 teaspoons salt

  1Combine the water, oatmeal, and butter in a small bowl and let stand until it’s cool to the touch, about 30 minutes.

  2In a small bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, and honey or maple syrup. Stir to dissolve and let stand for about 5 minutes (the water should be foamy).

  3Measure 5 cups of the flour and the salt into a mixing bowl. Add the oatmeal and yeast mixture and stir, adding more flour if necessary, until the mixture forms a kneadable dough (add up to 2 cups additional flour, if necessary).

  4Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding more flour if the dough gets sticky, until the dough is smooth and elastic and springs back when you touch it, about 10 minutes.

  5Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

  6Grease two 9-x-5-inch loaf pans. Punch down the dough and knead it again for about 1 minute. Divide the dough in half and shape into two loaves. Place them in the prepared pans, cover, and let rise until the dough barely reaches the edges of the pans, about 30 minutes.

  7Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the bread until it’s browned and crusty, about 35 minutes. Cool the bread on wire racks.

  Per serving: Calories 112 (From Fat 10); Fat 1g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 2mg; Sodium 146mg; Carbohydrate 23g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g.

  Jeff’s Potato Bread

  Mashed potatoes in bread? Yesiree! This substantial bread, inspired by a real baker named Jeff, is much like the person it was named for: tender yet dense and a little flaky.

  Preparation time: 35 minutes, plus 1 1/2 hours for rising

  Baking time: 35 to 45 minutes

  Yield: 2 loaves (about 24 servings)

  1 package active dry yeast

  1/2 cup lukewarm water (not above 115 degrees)

  1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar

  1 cup milk, warmed (not above 115 degrees)

  1 cup warm mashed potatoes (instant is okay)

  1/2 cup shortening, melted and cooled

  2 eggs, beaten

  2 teaspoons salt

  6 to 7 cups bread flour

  1Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and let stand for about 10 minutes.

  2In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk with the mashed potatoes and shortening. Add the beaten eggs to the potato mixture. Add the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the 1/2 cup sugar and the salt to the mixture. Mix in enough flour to make a kneadable dough.

  3Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic, adding additional flour if the dough gets sticky, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover, and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

  4Grease two 9-x-5-inch loaf pans. Punch down the dough and knead it again for about 1 minute on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half and shape it into two loaves. Place the loaves in the prepared pans, cover, and let rise until the dough barely reaches the tops of the pans, about 30 minutes.

  5Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread until it’s browned and crusty, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on wire racks.

  Per serving: Calories 150 (From Fat 39); Fat 4g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 171mg; Carbohydrate 24g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 4g.

  Rolls

  In this section, you can find recipes for a variety of rolls, from basic dinner rolls to sticky-sweet cardamom rolls. Yum!

  Molly’s Sweet Cardamom Rolls

  Cardamom, a spice often used in Scandinavian and East Indian cooking, has a wonderful taste reminiscent of spicy oranges. This recipe was inspired by a cardamom bread my Great-Aunt Molly used to make.

  Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus 2 hours for rising

  Baking time: 15 to 20 minutes

  Yield: 3 dozen rolls

  2 packages active dry yeast

  1/4 cup lukewarm water

  2 cups sugar

  2 cups milk, slightly warmed

  1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes

  5 eggs, slightly beaten

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

  9 to 10 cups flour

  1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled

  1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

  1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  Additional melted butter or beaten eggs, if desired

  1Grease two 13-x-9-inch glass baking dishes.

  2Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Add l/4 cup of the sugar. Let stand for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the yeast mixture to the warm milk in a large, warm bowl. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar, potato flakes, eggs, salt, 1 teaspoon of the cardamom, and half the flour (the dough will be very loose). Cover and let stand until doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes.

  3Add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, and 1/2 cup of the butter. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled again, about 1 hour.

  4In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cardamom.

  5Sprinkle your work surface lightly with flour. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 12 x 18 and 1/4 inch thick. Brush with some of the remaining melted butter; sprinkle with 2 1/2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture. Fold the dough over and cut it into twelve 1-inch thick strips. Take one end of the strip in each hand and twist. Then take each twisted strip and twist it around so that it looks like a round sticky bun.

  6Place the bun in the prepared baking dishes. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough; you should fit three rows of six with sides of the rolls touching. Let them rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

  7Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the tops of the rolls with any remaining melted butter or beaten egg, if desired. Sprinkle the rolls with any remaining sugar mixture before baking. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

  Per serving: Calories 236 (From Fat 59); Fat 7g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 84mg; Carbohydrate 40g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 5g.

  No-Fail Rolls

  These are very sturdy rolls — easy to put together and hard to mess up. If you’re looking for a delicious roll recipe but feel intimidated by yeast breads, try these.

  Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour and 20 minutes for rising

  Baking time: 10 to 15 minutes

  Yield: 2 to 3 dozen rolls

  1 package active dry yeast

  1 cup warm water (not above 115 degrees)

  2 eggs, beaten

  1/3 cup sugar

  1 teaspoon salt

  1/3 cup oil or melted shortening

  3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

  1In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Mix in the eggs, sugar, salt, and oil. Mix in the flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir well until a kneadable dough is formed. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface, about 10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

  2Punch the center of the dough to let the air out. Form the dough into 24 to 36 rolls by pinching off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut and rolling them lightly on a floured surface. Place them about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.

  3While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

  4Bake the rolls until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

  Per serving: Calories 116 (From
Fat 34); Fat 4g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 18mg; Sodium 103mg; Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g.

  Crescent Rolls

  These rolls are great to make for a party because they’re fancy looking. If you have children, they’ll love to help you roll the crescents into their shapes.

  Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 1 hour and 40 minutes for rising

  Baking time: 12 minutes

  Yield: 3 dozen rolls

  1 package active dry yeast

  1/4 cup lukewarm water (not above 115 degrees)

  1 cup milk

  1/2 cup sugar

  1 teaspoon salt

  1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces

  5 to 6 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

  2 eggs

  6 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing the dough

  1Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to proof, until the surface becomes a little frothy. (For more on proofing, see the sidebar “Oh yeah? Proof it!” earlier in this chapter.)

  2While the yeast is proofing, warm the milk (do not boil) in a 2-quart saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the milk into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup butter. Cool the mixture to lukewarm, about 3 minutes. Add about 1 1/2 cups of the flour to the milk to make a thick batter. Mix well. Add the yeast mixture and eggs to the flour mixture and stir well. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.

  3Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

  4When the dough has finished rising, punch it down and knead it for about 1 minute more. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes (this makes it easier to roll out the dough).

  5Roll each piece into a 12-inch circle. If you find that the dough is shrinking and won’t hold the shape you roll it into, let the dough rest for 5 minutes more. Brush the dough lightly with melted butter and cut it into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Roll up tightly, beginning at the wide end. Seal the points firmly.

  6Place the rolls on greased baking sheets, with points underneath, about 2 inches apart. Curve to form crescents; cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

  7Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the crescents lightly with the melted butter. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

  Per serving: Calories 117 (From Fat 36); Fat 4g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 21mg; Sodium 72mg; Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g.

  Fluffy Dinner Rolls

  Don’t be intimidated by making risen bread; this dough is very forgiving. Just remember that the water you use should be only slightly warmer than your body temperature. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter before baking them for a very tender crust.

  Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 1 1/2 hours for rising

  Baking time: 30 to 40 minutes

  Yield: About 2 dozen

  6 to 7 cups flour

  6 tablespoons sugar

  1 1/4 teaspoons salt

  1 package active dry yeast

  2 1/4 cups warm water (not above 115 degrees)

  3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  1In a large mixing bowl, combine 6 cups of the flour, 5 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt.

  2In a medium-sized mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in the warm water. Let stand for about 5 minutes until the top gets a bit foamy. Stir in the vegetable oil. Slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and mix until it’s thoroughly incorporated.

  3Remove the dough from the bowl and knead, adding the remaining cup of flour if the dough gets sticky, and kneading until the dough is smooth and satiny and springs back when you touch it, about 10 minutes.

  4Place the dough in a large buttered bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

  5Punch down the dough and knead it for about 1 more minute. Pinch off enough dough to make a 1 1/2-inch ball. Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a greased 13-x-9-inch baking pan. Repeat with the remaining dough until you have about 24 balls. They can touch each other in the pan and fit snugly against the sides. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

  6Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls for about 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and fluffy.

  Per serving: Calories 143 (From Fat 18); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 122mg; Carbohydrate 27g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 4g.

  Sesame-Topped Rolls

  Little knots kissed with sesame seeds, these rolls make a great addition to any dinner. If you desire, pinch off slightly larger pieces of dough and make sandwich buns instead.

  Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 1 to 2 hours for rising

  Baking time: 20 minutes

  Yield: 4 dozen rolls

  1 package active dry yeast (do not use rapid rise yeast)

  1 cup warm water (not above 115 degrees)

  1 cup warm milk

  7 to 8 cups bread flour

  1 tablespoon salt

  1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  2 eggs, beaten

  1/3 cup sugar

  1/3 cup shortening, at room temperature

  Melted butter or beaten egg for brushing

  Sesame seeds for garnish

  1In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and warm milk. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir 3 cups of the flour, the salt, and the ginger into the yeast mixture. Beat well; let stand covered for 20 minutes (it will be foamy).

  2Add the beaten eggs, sugar, shortening, and the remaining flour, mixing to make a kneadable dough (the dough will be somewhat soft). Knead the dough on a floured surface, adding a little more flour if it becomes sticky, until it’s smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a large buttered bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

  3Punch down the dough, turn it onto a floured board, and knead it for 1 minute. Put it back in the bowl and let it rise a second time, about 40 minutes. Punch down the dough again, turn it out onto the floured board, and knead it again for about 1 minute.

  4Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two baking sheets.

  5Pinch off pieces of dough slightly larger than a walnut. Roll out each piece into a rope, 6 or 7 inches long, and tie it into a loose knot; place the ropes on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter or beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 20 minutes.

  6Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

  Per serving: Calories 102 (From Fat 22); Fat 3g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 152mg; Carbohydrate 16g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g.

  Chapter 14

  Savory Baked Goods

  In This Chapter

  Making soufflés that rise to the sky

  Turning out chicken potpies just like Grandma’s

  Creating custom-made pizzas and calzones

  Recipes in This Chapter

  Cheese Soufflé

  Chicken Potpie

  Potato-Beef Potpie

  Make-Your-Own Pizza Dough

  Calzones

  Broccoli and Cheese Quiche with Potato Crust

  When most people think of baked goods, cakes and pies generally come to mind. However, savory baked goods offer a host of options for the baker. Soufflés, potpies, and pizza are a perfect start into savory baking — they’re comfort foods for some, and long-standing favorites for others. What’s great about all the recipes in this chapter is that they’re basic templates for a grander foray into savories. You can enhance many of the recipes by adding whatever ingredients are your favorites. (I make a few suggestions in the recipes where appropriate, to get you starte
d.)

  Soufflés

  If you’ve never made a soufflé, you should try it at least once. It isn’t hard — I promise! The only special equipment you need is a straight-sided soufflé pan and an electric beater to whip up the egg whites. I used to think that it took some major talent to make a soufflé. Then I practiced a few times and made several mistakes, and now the soufflé always comes out great. I soon discovered that the soufflé is a forgiving dish — plus, it’s impressive for company and inexpensive to make.

  Soufflé, in French, means “to blow,” which explains how soufflés “rise.” The egg whites capture air, and that air expands when it’s heated. The straight sides of the pan allow the soufflé to rise straight up and be quite an impressive sight. If the bubbles grow too much, the soufflé can collapse on itself (the walls of the bubbles will break down and not hold its shape), but that rarely happens. However, every soufflé will deflate after it’s taken out of the oven. It won’t happen immediately, but if it sits out for 10 to 15 minutes, it will deflate — but it still tastes good!

  In France, they say that people wait for the soufflé, but the soufflé waits for no one. This is true, so be sure that everyone is assembled around the table before taking your soufflé from the oven.

  You can hold a prepared soufflé up to 2 hours in the refrigerator before you bake it.

  Be sure to grease the dish well or half your dish will be ruined because it will stick to the sides of the pan. You can use flour or bread crumbs to dust the inside of the soufflé dish for extra protection against sticking. One last thing: When you stir in the egg yolks and cheese, the mixture will be a little lumpy because the cheese won’t melt entirely. That’s okay. You want it that way.