Pilgrim’s Bread

November 27, 2019November 27, 2019Leave a comment

Of course, these have to be paired with Crescent Rolls–I’ll have to post the recipe later–or my kids might revolt.

When I came across this recipe in the Farm Journal’s Homemade Breads book last year, it seemed like an absolute no-brainer for Thanksgiving dinner. I reworked it a little. I made the dough into rolls rather than a loaf, and added a bit more water and molasses. Then, to show off the whole grains inside, I sprinkled seeds on the top. I was super happy. I don’t know that guests really even eat the bread at Thanksgiving dinner, after being saturated with potatoes and the like, but the rolls are always the best the next day when you get to stuff bits of turkey and cranberry sauce in them. And what’s really great on Friday is that all the work is done.

Pigrim’s Bread

2 1/4 c. water (might need up to 1/4 c. more)
1/3 c. honey
3 T. molasses
2/3 c. corn meal
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 c. stirred whole-wheat flour
1 c. stirred rye flour
2 packages dry yeast (4 1/2 t.)
2 t. sugar
1/2 c. warm water
2 1/2 t. salt
3 1/4 – 4 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 T. mixed seeds (sesame, pumpkin, chia) to sprinkle
1 egg white, mixed with 1 t. water and lightly beaten

In a 2-qt. saucepan over high heat, bring 2 1/4 c. water, honey, and molasses to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. With wire whisk, gradually beat in corn meal until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens, and 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in oil. Let stand to cool until warm (105-115 degrees).

In a small bowl, stir together the whole wheat and rye flours.

In a large bowl of a standing mixer, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over 1/2 c. warm water; stir until dissolved. Add salt, corn meal mixture, 1/2 c. whole wheat flour mixture and 1 c. all-purpose flour. Using mixer at low speed, beat until well blended. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes.

Stir in remaining whole wheat flour mixture and enough additional all-purpose flour to make a soft dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Place in a large, greased bowl and let rise 1 hour.

Punch down. Divide into 18 pieces. Shape each roll (I did knots–long snake and then tie) and place on a baking sheet. Rise again for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After the second rise, brush with a beaten egg white, and then sprinkle with seeds. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

My cute daughter holding the basket of goods.

Harvest Grain Rolls

November 23, 2015May 13, 20162 Comments

Version 2
So, now that this huge baking week is upon us, I’m looking around thinking, where are all my favorite recipes? Why are they not all on my blog! Why am I not organized!!! Last night, I combed through past pictures, seeing these pies and rolls that I’ve made, and connecting the dots to the recipes they belong to. My hope is to get them all on this fantastic, searchable space, before Wednesday, but if I get even one or two more on here before Thanksgiving, that will help my efforts (and maybe pass along some ideas to you!) next year.

The story of this roll is that I usually like to do a couple of different kinds of rolls, just for fun (I get a whole morning just to make rolls! What fun! I never get to do that except on Thanksgiving morning!), for Thanksgiving dinner, and this is one I usually serve along with a crusty roll and a soft, buttery roll (here are two I like: a crescent and pull-apart). I think they all compliment each other quite well. This recipe comes from the King Arthur Flour website, although, unlike their website but not to disparage the quality of their ingredients, I am not specifying that you should use KAF products exclusively 🙂 NOTE: this will probably not be the most popular roll at the dinner table, but it will be very appreciated when it comes to leftover turkey the next day, when we are all wishing we had eaten a few less white starchy foods the day before. And they are very yummy.

Harvest Grain Rolls

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. whole flax meal (I just whiz my flax around in my blender)
2 1/2 t. instant yeast
1 1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. canola oil or melted butter
1 large egg yolk, white reserved for topping
3 T. honey
1/4 c. orange juice*
3/4 to 7/8 c. lukewarm water**
*Orange juice won’t add its own flavor to the rolls, but will mellow any potential bitterness in the whole wheat.
**Use the greater amount of liquid in winter or in drier climates; the lesser amount in summer, or in a humid environment.

TOPPING

1 large egg white, reserved from dough, whisked with 2 T. cold water
rolled oats and/or flax seeds, for topping

Combine all of the ingredients, and mix until cohesive. Cover the bowl, and let the dough rest for 20 minutes, to give the whole grains a chance to absorb some of the liquid. Then knead — by hand, stand mixer, or bread machine — to make a smooth, soft, elastic dough.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, or in an 8-cup measure (so you can track its progress as it rises), and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until it’s risen noticeably. It won’t necessarily double in bulk.
Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 12 pieces (about 70g each). Shape each piece into a round ball; use your fingers to pull and flatten each ball into a circle about 3″ across.
Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about 90 minutes, until noticeably puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brush the buns with the egg white/water mixture. Sprinkle with oats and/or flax seeds.
Bake the buns for 21 to 25 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.
Wrap completely cooled buns airtight, and store at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
Yield: 12 buns.

The Thanksgiving Roll Round-up

November 25, 2014Leave a comment

I usually make 2-3 kinds of rolls for Thanksgiving dinner: a crusty roll, a dried fruit, slightly sweet roll, and a soft buttery dinner roll. If you need any ideas for your own baking, here are some really great rolls.

Chewy Italian Rolls
A non-fat, start-the-night before, yummy bread, especially good for the end of meal plate cleaning 🙂

KAFs Photo!

Golden Pull-Apart Buns
These rolls have a great light texture, but not nearly as much butter as many other rolls of the same character have. This roll is great!

Crescent Rolls
This is the best roll. Sooo delicious and the best crumb. It also rivals pies in terms of the amount of butter, but it’s definitely worth it!

I hope this picture gives an idea of the great texture this roll has

BA Poppyseed Buttermilk Bun
I love that this roll is made with cream, not butter, so it seems faster to make up. Bakes beautifully, but, like the roll before, not really the lightest calorie option! I also left off the poppyseeds in this photo, but they are also a beautiful addition.

Crusty European Roll
Another great nonfat, crusty roll from King Arthur Flour (as is this picture), that you have to start the night before, but is a lovely addition to the sweeter, more bodied options!