Mama Hen

Portuguese Sweet Bread

1. Place raisins in a bowl, pour in orange juice, and set aside.
2. In a your mixer, combine 1/4 c water, yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar.  Let sit until bubbly, about 8 minutes. 
3. Add the rest of the water, sugar, milk powder, wheat flour, and 1 1/2 c of the bread flour.  Beat on medium speed with dough hook for 2 minutes, until a thick, smooth batter is made.
4. Turn mixer down to low, and gradually add the 3 eggs, butter and salt.  Mix thoroughly.
   
5. Gradually add the remaining flour about 1/2 c at a time, as needed to create a soft, but not sticky dough.  Mix with the hook about 10 minutes, until smooth and soft.
6. Remove dough to an oiled mixing bowl, turning to coat the dough.  Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until doubled.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Take the raisins, and drain out any juice that hasn't been absorbed.  Lightly dust the raisins with some flour.  This makes them much easier to work into the dough.  Pat out the dough into a rather flat shape, and lay raisins on top.  Fold over the dough, covering the raisins, and gently knead the raisins into the dough.  (This is the hardest part of making the dough!)  Be patient.
8. Prepare two baking stones or sheets...grease and flour, or brush with "pan ease" mixture.  Then take two sheets of parchment paper or wax paper, and thoroughly brush one side of each.
9. Divide the dough in half.
10. Take one half, and divide into three equal parts.  Take each section and roll them out into a long "roll" about 18 inches long.  Braid the three logs together, and lay onto the baking stone/sheet.  Tucking ends under.  Cover loaf with the prepared parchment paper, and then with a light kitchen towel.  Repeat with the other half.
11. Allow dough to rise for about 1 hour.
12. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
13. While the oven is heating, gently brush one of the loaves with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle with raw/demerara sugar.
14. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the loaf is beautifully golden brown and sounds slightly hollow when tapped. (Bake the first loaf you prepared, first.)
15. Repeat brushing, sprinkling, and baking with the second loaf.

Pumpernickel Bread

1. Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer with dough hook.  Allow to mix for 14 minutes.  Remove to a large, oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise about 1 hour.
2. Remove dough to a floured surface, and divide in half.  Form two oblong loaves, and place onto a lightly greased baking sheet, or stone. 
   
3. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Beat an egg white in a small bowl.  With a very sharp knife, slash 3-4 times across top of loaf.  Brush with egg white.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. 
   
7. Removed to a cooling rack.

Swiss Onion Bread

First, take 1 cup of lukewarm water, mix in yeast and sugar, and set aside to proof.  About 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.



In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and mustard. Stir together and form a "well" in the middle of the mixture.

Pour in the yeast mixture, and with your hands, mix in just enough flour from the sides to form a batter consistency.



Take some of the flour from the sides, and dust it over the top of the "batter."  This will keep it from drying and forming a skin.  Cover with a damp towel and let it foam for 20 minutes.


Pour in remaining cup of water.  Now with a spoon or your hand, mix in enough of the flour to form a soft, but not sticky dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  At first it will be messy and lumpy.  You will knead the dough for about 10 minutes.  You will have extra flour left in the bowl.  Just use that to flour your surface and hands as needed.



After about 10 minutes of kneading, the dough will be smooth and elastic.

Wash, dry and then oil your mixing bowl.  Place ball of dough into bowl and turn to coat.  Cover it again with your damp cloth (I use a thin kitchen towel) and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

In the meantime, take your onion, and cut off about 4 or 5 thin slices, separating the rings.  The rest of the onion will be chopped finely.
In a small skillet, heat the oil and saute the onions until golden.
Set them aside to cool.  Then grate and cube your cheese.
When the dough is risen, turn it out again onto a lightly floured surface, and roll or pat it into a rectangle, about 10 x 15 inches.  Mix 1/2 c of the grated and all of the cubed cheese and sprinkle over dough.  (Be sure to reserve about 1/4 c grated Swiss)

Followed by the onions...

Tightly roll the dough up from the short side, and pinch closed.

Place the roll, seam-side down, onto an oiled stone or cookie sheet, tucking the ends under.   Cover again with damp cloth, and allow to rise for an hour or so, until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

 Brush with a little milk.


Carefully sprinkle the remaining Swiss over the top of the bread

Bake for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, take the onion slice/rings and blanch them by boiling them in a little water for 1 minute, then drain.

After the 20 minutes, carefully arrange the blanched onions on the top of the loaf...

Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped and is golden brown.
Remove to a cooling rack, and cool for about 10 minutes.  Serve warm....


Enjoy!

French Bread & Stromboli

Cinnamon Doughnut Muffins

Pumpkin Bread (3 loaves)

The Recipe:

3 c sugar
1 c oil
4 eggs
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1 standard can solid packed pumpkin
1/4 c water
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
3 c flour
1 - 1 1/2 c nuts (chopped pecans or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350º

Cream together spices, eggs, sugar and oil.  Mix in water and pumpkin. In another bowl, combine salt, baking soda and flour.  Add to the pumpkin misture and mix well. Stir in nuts.

Pour batter evenly into 3 greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool on a cooling rack 10 minutes.  Carefully remove from pans, and allow to cool.  Serve warm or cool.  Hint: Give a loaf, freeze a loaf, eat a loaf!

Cinnamon Rolls - using basic bread recipe

1. Prepare this dough as you would for making bread, but after the first rise, instead of forming 2 loaves, roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 12 x 9 inches.
2. Grease a 13x9 inch pan and set aside.
3. Brush the dough with melted butter.
4. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the dough. Sprinkle with nuts.
   
5. Roll the dough up tightly, starting at the short end. Pinch the edge together to seal it closed.  Turn it over and lay it seal side down.
6. You will cut this roll into 12 slices.  The easiest way to do this, is take a piece or ordinary sewing thread, about 18 or so inches long.  Slide the thread under the roll, bring the end of the threads together on top and cross like you are about to start tying it closed, but PULL tight.  The thread will slice right through the dough and make a perfect slice.  Lay all the slices into the prepared baking pan.
7. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until indentation remains when you touch it with your finger.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Carefully remove from a pan and cool slightly.

My Bread Recipe & "Pan-Ease"