Cranberry Walnut Rye Bread

This rye bread has become a favorite in my family. It’s a hearty, sweet bread that is good for breakfast or for snacking on.

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Cranberry Walnut Rye Bread
Adapted from Pastry Love

Yield: 1 loaf

• 210 g water, at body temperature
• 3 g active dry yeast
• 70 g unsulfured molasses OR honey OR maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon flavorless vegetable oil, such as canola
• 225 g bread flour
• 70 g rye flour OR whole wheat flour if you’re out of rye flour
• 55 g whole wheat flour OR rye flour
• 45 g fine cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup walnut halves
• All-purpose flour, for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal, for sprinkling

1. In a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, combine water,  molasses, oil, and yeast.  Mix until yeast has dissolved.
2. Add bread flour, rye flour, whole wheat flour (if using), cornmeal, cocoa powder, and salt.  Stir until all the flour is incorporated and the dough comes together into a shaggy mess.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot for 10 minutes to hydrate the flour.
4. Flour a work surface, turn out the dough onto it, and knead for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is soft and somewhat tacky.  It will look rough, but it will smooth out while proofing.
5. On the counter, mix together the cranberries and walnuts.  Flatten the dough into a rough oblong and press about half of the cranberry-walnut mix into the top with your hands.  Pick up the dough and press the bottom onto the remaining cranberry-walnut mix.  Gather and press the dough back into a ball.
6. Put dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm place for 1 hour.
7. Lift the edges of the dough and fold them into the middle.  Flip over the dough, cover, and let sit for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cornmeal.  Set aside.
9. Now shape the dough into a boule: Bring the edges of the dough into the center, flip it over so the seam faces down, and round the dough against the work surface. Use the friction of the work surface to help shape the boule by cupping the dough in your hands and pressing down slightly as you push the boule outward counterclockwise. As you push round and round, the dough will start to gather and smooth out. Try to work quickly, or the dough will stick to your hands.
10. Place boule on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle some flour on top to keep the plastic wrap from sticking.
11. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof in a warm place for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, or until the boule has grown a little and is a bit jiggly when you poke it.
12. In the meantime, center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400°F.
13. Dip the blade of a sharp paring knife in water to keep it from dragging and slash an “X” about 1/2″ deep all the way over the top of the boule (a little like you would for soda bread, but don’t cut as deep).
14. Bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, or until the bread is burnished brown on top and sounds hollow when you thump the bottom.  It will not rise much.
15. Cool bread directly on a wire rack.  Cool completely before you slice and serve.
16. Bread can be stored in a paper bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.  Toast to refresh.

Multigrain English Muffins

If you’re like me and bought random flours to experiment with, you can use your spelt flour in these multigrain English muffins!  They’re pretty time consuming, so they’re more of a fun weekend project.

 

Multigrain English Muffins
Adapted from Pastry Love

Yield: 10 large English muffins

For the poolish:

• 1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
• Pinch of active dry yeast
• ½ cup (120 g) water, at room temperature

For the dough:

• ¾ cup (180 g) fat-free buttermilk OR ¼ cup plain yogurt+1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (180 g) water, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups (210 g) bread flour
• 1 cup (145 g) whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (140 g) spelt flour
• ½ cup (50 g) rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons (40 g) sugar
• 1 tablespoon (9 g) active dry yeast
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 4 pieces
• Cornmeal, for sprinkling

 

Day 1: Make the poolish around 6 pm:

1. At least 16 hours before you plan to make the English muffins, put all-purpose flour, yeast, and water in a bowl or a lidded container (such as a 7-cup Rubbermaid box) that is big enough for the mixture to double in size.
2. Using a wooden spoon, stir ingredients together.
3. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight. The poolish is ready to use when it has doubled in size and gas bubbles cover the top.
4. At this point, you can refrigerate it for up to 1 day. If you refrigerate it, bring it back to room temperature before using.

Day 2: Make the English muffins, starting around 10 am:

1. Measure out the buttermilk OR yogurt+milk and butter. Let them come to room temperature.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine poolish, buttermilk OR yogurt+milk, and water.
3. Mix on low speed for a few seconds.
4. Add bread flour, whole wheat flour, spelt flour, oats, sugar, yeast, and salt.
5. Mix on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, scraping once or twice to make sure no flour or oats remain in the bottom of the bowl.
6. When the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time.
7. Continue to mix for 1-2 minutes, or until the butter is completely incorporated.
8. Coat a large bowl with butter, oil, or baking spray and place dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap or a lint-free kitchen towel and let rest in a warm spot for 45 minutes.
9. Fold dough by pulling up the far edge of the dough and folding it into the center. Repeat with the bottom, right, and left edges.  Flip dough over in bowl.  It should be a smooth, round ball.
10. Cover and let rest for 45 minutes.
11. Repeat dough folding and flip dough over again.
12. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
13. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal. Set aside.
14. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. It will be very sticky.  If it’s too hard to handle, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
15. Flour your hands and shape each piece into a ball.
16. Place balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2-3 inches between balls.
17. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal and press firmly to flatten and stretch each ball into a 1-inch-thick disk.
18. Cover with plastic wrap or a lint-free kitchen towel and let sit at warm room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate for 4 hours. When muffins are done proofing, they should have doubled in size.  If you poke the dough with your finger, the indentation will fill back in slowly about 80% of the way.  If they are not done proofing, leave them at room temperature for up to 1 more hour.
19. Heat a cast-iron griddle or skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°
20. Using a spatula, carefully transfer muffins to the griddle or skillet, leaving 2-3 inches between them if you have space. Work in batches if you need to.  Griddle for 4-5 minutes per side, until golden-brown.  They will puff up a little as they cook.  Because I only have a 10-inch skillet, I had to cook the muffins 2 at a time and put them fairly close to each other.  Since the dough is very soft prior to cooking, I found it best to stagger the cooking so that 1 muffin would be on its 2^nd side (and hence stiffer and easier to move around) when I put in the second muffin.
21. Transfer muffins back to the baking sheets as you finish cooking them.
22. Once they’re all done, bake for 10-15 minutes, rotating the sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through. I found that the muffins didn’t change color significantly while baking.  If you have an instant-read thermometer, the center should be 205°F.
23. Cool completely on a wire rack and let them sit overnight. If you eat them fresh, they’ll taste doughy.

Day 3: Eat!

1. Split English muffins, toast, top, and enjoy.
2. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Just thaw, split, and toast them.

Rye Bread

This delicious rye bread is dense and sweet, with pops of flavor from the caraway seeds.  It takes about 5 1/2 hours from start to finish, meaning that if you start in the morning, you can eat it with dinner.

 

Rye Bread
Adapted from Pastry Love

Yield: 1 loaf

• 210 g water, at body temperature
• 55 g unsulfured molasses
• 1 tablespoon flavorless vegetable oil, such as canola
• 3 g active dry yeast
• 225 g bread flour
• 70 g rye flour
• 55 g whole wheat flour OR rye flour
• 45 g fine cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• All-purpose flour, for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal, for sprinkling

 

1. In a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, combine water,  molasses, oil, and yeast.  Mix until yeast has dissolved.
2. Add bread flour, rye flour, whole wheat flour (if using), cornmeal, cocoa powder, caraway seeds, and salt.  Stir until all the flour is incorporated and the dough comes together into a shaggy mess.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot for 10 minutes to hydrate the flour.
4. Flour a work surface, turn out the dough onto it, and knead for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is soft and somewhat tacky.  It will look rough, but it will smooth out while proofing.
5. Put dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. Lift the edges of the dough and fold them into the middle.  Flip over the dough, cover, and let sit for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cornmeal.  Set aside.
8. Now shape the dough into a boule: Bring the edges of the dough into the center, flip it over so the seam faces down, and round the dough against the work surface. Use the friction of the work surface to help shape the boule by cupping the dough in your hands and pressing down slightly as you push the boule outward counterclockwise. As you push round and round, the dough will start to gather and smooth out. Try to work quickly, or the dough will stick to your hands.
9. Place boule on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle some flour on top to keep the plastic wrap from sticking.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof in a warm place for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, or until the boule has grown a little and is a bit jiggly when you poke it.
11. In the meantime, center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400°F.
12. Dip the blade of a sharp paring knife in water to keep it from dragging and slash a an “X” about 1/2″ deep in the middle of the boule.
13. Bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, or until the bread is burnished brown on top and sounds hollow when you thump the bottom.  It will not rise much.
14. Cool bread directly on a wire rack.  Cool completely before you slice and serve.
15. Bread can be stored in a paper bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.  Toast to refresh.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

My best friend and her mom sent me Flour Bakery’s Pastry Love cookbook, and I just had to try the honey whole wheat bread recipe.  It’s the tastiest whole wheat bread I’ve had, and probably the only kind I’m happy to eat without any kind of accompaniment whatsoever!

Baking Note:

• I halved the original recipe to make only 1 loaf of bread, which involved some rounding of ingredients.
• The bread takes two days and, including all the wait times, requires 7-8 hours on the second day, so you should definitely plan ahead.

 

Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Adapted from Pastry Love

Yield: 1 loaf 

For the soaker:

• 170 g whole wheat flour
• 120 g milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

For the biga:

• 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 175 g bread flour
• 120 g water, at room temperature

For the dough:

• 38 g whole wheat flour
• 42 g honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 g active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal, for dusting the baking sheet

 

Day 1: Make the soaker and biga.

To make the soaker:

1. In a medium bowl or container (such as a 7-cup Rubbermaid box), combine flour, milk, and salt with a wooden spoon or your hands. It will look like a loose, rough dough.
2. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid.
3. Let sit at warm room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight.

To make the biga:

1. In a medium bowl or container (such as a 7-cup Rubbermaid box), sprinkle yeast over water.
2. Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a loose dough and all the flour is mixed in. It will be soft and sticky.
3. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid.
4. Let sit at warm room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight.

 

Day 2: Start in the morning, because the entire process will take 7-8 hours, including all the wait times.

1. Take the soaker and biga out of the fridge and put them on the counter for 2 hours to bring them back to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, combine the soaker, biga, whole wheat flour, honey, olive oil, yeast, and salt. The soaker will be stiff, so it’s easiest to use your hands to mix it evenly into the other ingredients.
   OR
   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the soaker, biga, whole wheat flour, honey, olive oil, yeast, and salt on low speed until fully combined.

3. If kneading by hand, flour a work surface, turn out the dough (which will be very sticky), and knead until fully elastic, about 5 minutes. To knead, pick up the dough, sort of whack it against the work surface so the end sticks, pull it gently back towards you to stretch it, then fold it in half over itself.  Give it a quarter turn and repeat.  The dough will break apart at first, but it will come together into one mass as you knead.  Try to work quickly, or the dough will stick to your fingers a lot.
   OR
   With the stand mixer, knead for 2 minutes on medium speed.
4. Cover dough with plastic wrap, or just turn the bowl upside down over the dough.
5. Let dough rest and proof at warm room temperature for 2-3 hours, or until it has nearly doubled in size.
6. Fold the edges of the dough into the center, then turn dough over and repeat.
7. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
8. Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal and set aside.
9. Now shape the dough into a boule: Bring the edges of the dough into the center, flip it over so the seam faces down, and round the dough against the work surface.  Use the friction of the work surface to help shape the boule by cupping the dough in your hands and pressing down slightly as you push the boule outward counterclockwise.  As you push round and round, the dough will start to gather and smooth out.  Try to work quickly, or the dough will stick to your hands.
10. Place the boule on the baking sheet and sprinkle some flour (I used more whole wheat flour) on top to keep the plastic wrap from sticking.
11. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the loaf has grown a little and is a bit jiggly when you poke it.
12. After an hour, center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400°F (this will add about 20 minutes to the proofing time).
13. While oven is preheating, use a sharp paring knife or razor to slash the loaf decoratively. Dip the blade in water to keep it from dragging.  Use the tip and length of the blade, and use quick, sure movements that focus most of the pressure on the tip.  You can either make four slashes in a square to form a little hat in the middle of the bread, or make one slash down the middle of the bread and a few slashes diagonally on either side, meeting in the middle like a star.
14. Bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, or until the bread is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when you thump the bottom.
15. Cool bread directly on a wire rack.

Corn Muffins

These corn muffins have a fun texture, what with the coarse cornmeal and the corn kernels throughout.  They’re not too sweet, so they make the perfect breakfast or snack.

 

Corn Muffins
From Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours

Yield: 12 muffins

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk OR 1/3 cup plain yogurt+2/3 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 tablespoons corn oil OR other vegetable oil, such as canola
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 – 1 1/3 cups corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned (in which case they should be drained and patted dry)

 

 

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400°F.  Butter or spray the 12 muffin molds in a regular-size muffin tin, or line with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg (if using).
3. In a large glass measuring cup with a spout or in another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg, and yolk until well blended.
4. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough – the batter will be lumpy and that’s just the way it should be.
5. Stir in corn kernels.
6. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
7. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
8. Cool muffins in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan.  They are great warm or at room temperature.
9. The muffins are best eaten the day they are made. If you want to keep them, it’s best to wrap them airtight and pop them into the freezer, where they’ll keep for about 2 months.  Re-warm in a 350°F oven, or split and toast them.

Great Grains Muffins

To me, these muffins are the perfect breakfast or snack food.  They’re not very sweet and have a great texture from the oats, cornmeal, and dried fruit.  As a bonus, the tops are nice and crunchy.

 

Great Grains Muffins
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours

Yield: 12 muffins

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 tablespoons – 1/4 cup sugar, depending on how sweet you want them
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk OR 1/2 cup plain yogurt+1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4-1 cup quartered moist, plump prunes, other dried fruits (cut up as necessary) and/or chopped nuts (optional)

 

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400ºF. Butter or spray a regular-size 12-mold muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.  Place muffin pan on a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk OR yogurt+milk, maple syrup, eggs, and melted butter.
4. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough – if the batter is a bit lumpy, that’s fine.
5. Stir in the fruit and/or nuts, if using.
6. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups.  It will basically fill each muffin cup.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
8. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully lift each muffin out of its mold and onto the rack to cool.  They taste best the day they’re made, but you can split and toast them the following day.  To keep them longer, wrap them airtight and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.  Rewarm in the oven at 350ºF, or split and toast them.