Bread recipe Archives - 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on June 6, 2012

Have you ever made something and been incredibly proud and shocked that you made it? This is how I felt when I made this bread. I would walk up to people at work, show them my breakfast and say, “Can you believe I made this, because I can’t!”

My cinnamon raisin bread adventure (yeah, there is a such a thing!) began when I decided I wanted to make something homemade for my Mom for Mothers Day. I saw this recipe for on Tidy Moms Blog in a posting about ideas for Mothers Day gift. Once I saw the bread, I knew it would be perfect because my mom absolutely loves cinnamon raisin bread. The great thing about this recipe is that it made two loaves, so I was able to eat and share a loaf of my own. Then I put the other loaf away in the freezer to bring the following weekend when I was visiting my mom. Both times, the bread was delicious!!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Author: K

Recipe type: Bread

Ingredients

Bread:
1 cup raisins
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1 tablespoon of active dry yeast
1 cup 2% milk
¼ unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
5½ cups of all purpose flour
Filling:
½ cup granulated white sugar
1½ tablespoons cinnamon
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Soak 1 cup of raisins in hot water for about 10 minutes allowing raisins to plump. Drain
In the bowl of a stand mixer add in 1 cup of warm water and yeast. Stir gently and let sit for ten minutes. Stir until yeast is dissolved.
Mix in milk, melted butter and salt into yeast mixture.
Add in 5½ cups of flour to mixture and stir until mixed in. Switch to dough hook and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth. If the dough is still sticky add in more flour.
With mixer on low gradually add in the raisins. You may need to mix the raisins in by hand to get them to stick into the dough.
With the dough still in the bowl, cover with a towel and let rest for 1 hour in a draft free area (such as the microwave, turned off.)
After the hour, divide dough into two even balls.
Grease 2 loaf pans.
Working with one dough ball at a time, spread the dough out 8-10 inches wide, 18-20 inches long.
Brush the flattened dough with egg wash, except about ½ inch around the edges.
Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle dough with half the mixture.
Roll up the dough tightly and press seams together. Place in loaf pan seam side down.
Repeat the process with other dough ball.
Let the loaves rest for 30 minutes. Spread a small amount of egg wash on the top of the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Once the dough has risen until the dough is mounded over the top slightly, bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and makes a hollow noise when knocked on.
Let cool, slice and serve
Makes great sandwich bread or toast

Source- Adapted from Will Cook for Smiles originally adapted from The Kitchn

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on April 14, 2012

I wanted to learn how to make French bread the other day so that I could serve it with dinner that night. Come to find out, most authentic French breads take a long time to make, sometimes even having to sit overnight. I then realized I should have thought of this the night before so I could have started it by now. Not accepting defeat, I looked further into making French bread and found a few relatively quick “French” breads to make. Now, I wouldn’t go serving this French bread to a French citizen proclaiming that you have made their native bread. Since the bread only takes a little over two hours to make, it might not be what I consider authentic “French” bread. But, it is totally okay with me because it was still delicious fresh bread that I could make and serve within a day!

As soon as it came out of the oven, my boyfriend and I devoured a good part of the bread. I whipped up some fresh tomato bruschetta (which I will give you my recipe for tomorrow) and we ate it with the warm French bread. I have made this bread a couple of more times, each time being even better than the last. I swear one day I will make the 24 hour versions of French bread, but for now in my busy life I am loving the quick one!

Quick French Bread

Author: K

Recipe type: Bread

Prep time: 1 hour 40 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 2 hours

Serves: 12

A quicker version of making French Bread

Ingredients

1 package of dry yeast (2¼ tsp.)
1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
3 cups of bread flour (or about 12.75 oz.)
1 tsp. salt
Cooking spray
1 tbsp. water
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Instructions

Place warm water into a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let yeast dissolve for 5 minutes.
Measure out the bread flour by weighing with a scale or spooning into a measurement cup and scraping the top off with a knife. Put flour and salt into a food processor with a dough attachment and pulse 2-3 times until combined (I also tried using a stand mixer to make this recipe and it worked out fine).
With food processor or mixer on, slowly add the yeast into the flour mixture. Mix until dough forms a ball. Continue to mix for 1 more minute. Take dough out of food processor/mixer and place on a lightly floured surface. Lightly knead 4-5 times.
Coat a large bowl with cooking spray and place ball of dough in bowl, turning to coat with cooking spray. Cover dough and let rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Placing dough in a warm draft free place is key. *To test if bread is finished rising, push dough in the center with fingers, if the indentation stays the dough is done rising.
Take dough out of bowl and punch dough down and shape into a 12x8 inch rectangle. Working with the 12 inch side, roll the dough up pressing firmly to prevent air pockets. Pinch the dough to seal the seams of the dough. Roll the dough slightly to lengthen the shape and place seam down on a baking sheet.
Cover the dough and let rest for 30 minutes or until double in size.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Uncover the dough and with a sharp knife make three 3 inch slashes on top of the bread, equal distances apart. Combine the tablespoon of water and egg white. Brush the mixture on the bread with a pastry brush, making sure the exposed dough gets brushed with the egg white mixture.
Place the bread on a baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. The loaf should sound hollow when tapped. Best eaten within the first few days

Notes

Source- Adapted from Cooking Light’s Cooking Light Complete Cookbook

Nutrition Information

Calories: 127 Fat: 0.7 Carbohydrates: 25.1 Fiber: .2 Protein: 4.6 Cholesterol: 0

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on January 17, 2012

I read this on a couple of blogs a few months back and I have been wanting to make this bread since. After forgetting to get a loaf of bread at the grocery store this weekend, I decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to try out some homemade wheat bread. It was really easy to put together even though I did have to knead the dough by hand for part of the time. My mixer had an accident a few weeks ago and by accident I mean it tried to leap off my counter to it’s death. You ask, how does a Kitchenaid mixer jump off a counter? Well, this is a very good question. While making pizza dough, I walked away from my mixer and because the dough was unbalanced it caused the mixer to rock itself off the counter. It made a really loud noise causing my boyfriend to run into the room to see what happened to me. Since this sad, sad moment, my mixer has been a little out of sorts. Tip to everyone: push your mixer far back on the counter and if you are kneading dough, don’t walk away from your mixer!

Back on topic, you should really try making this bread (it is possible without a stand mixer!) I have been enjoying it all week for breakfast, and put the other half in the freezer.

Pin It
Light Honey Wheat Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups (11.25 oz.) bread flour
1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz.) whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons powdered milk
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or shortening, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature

Directions:
In the bowl of mixer combine both flours, salt, powdered milk and yeast with paddle attachment. Add in the butter, honey, and water. Mix on low until combined, add it small amount of water if flour is still sitting on the bottom of the bowl. Change mixer to dough hook and mix on medium speed for about 6 minutes (or knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes). The dough should registers between 77-81 degrees, and not feel sticky (it should feel slightly tacky.)

Take a large bowl and lightly oil. Place the dough ball in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, it should rise to twice it’s size. Once the dough is ready, place on a lightly floured surface. Work into a 9×5 inch rectangular. Start to roll the dough length wise, pinching the crease each turn to keep it together. After the dough is completely rolled up, roll back and fourth to smooth out crease, the dough should be about 9 inches in length. Place the rolled dough in a 9×5 inch lightly oiled bread pan. Mist dough with cooking spray and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Leave in bread pan and allow to rise for 90 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 when there is ten minutes left of the bread rising. Make sure oven rack is in the center of the oven. Once the dough has risen above the top of the pan. Place bread pan on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Turn pan around 180 degrees and continue to bake for 15-30 minutes. When the bread is done the center should register 190 degrees with a meat thermometer and make a hollow noise when knocked on. Take bread out of pan and place on cooling rack. After 1-2 hours, cut bread into half inch slices. Should make around 16 slices. Each piece is 3 Pointsplus.

Source- adapted from Cook Like a Champion Pin It
Enjoy!

-K

Posted by Meaghan Barry on January 5, 2011

Edited from earlier post- sorry for any confusion!

Baby T and I have headed to my parents’ house early for the Christmas holiday so his nanna and grandpa could spend some quality time with him. Husband M will be joining us later this week- presumably well rested after a few baby-free night! Last night, my mom, sister M, and I enjoyed a ladies night in meal- soup, salad, and delicious artisan bread! The bread was so crusty and tasty- I loved it.

My mom’s decorator had shared this no-knead artisan bread with her and had told her how easy it was to make. After a little more research and experimenting, my mom has come up with the following recipe:

No-Knead Artisan Bread:

Ingredients:
-1/4 tsp yeast
-1 and a 1/2 cup warm water
-3 cups flour
-1 and 1/2 tsp salt

Combine the yeast and warm water. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Add the yeast and water mixture to the flour mixture and combine. Cover with a dish towel and leave in bowl. Place the bowl in the oven (not on) or a warm place for 6-12 hours.

Take bowl out and preheat oven to 425 degrees, as well as an enamel cast iron steel pan (such as Le Creuset). Once hot, toss in a small amount of flour to coat the pan then quickly throw in the dough. Toss a little extra flour on top of the dough.

Re-cover dough immediately with the pot cover and put in oven. Leave cover on for 30-40 minutes depending on how crispy you would like the bread (the less you keep the cover on, the more crispy it will be. Bake for a total of 45 minutes. Remove the pan from oven, take bread out of pan, and put bread on cooling rack. Wait 30 minutes before slicing. Delicious served with olive oil!

I will definitely be trying this out at my house soon. This is one of those recipes that could easily be made on a work day as well if you did the first few steps in the morning and allowed the bread to rise while you were at work. I am looking forward to a week of delicious meals and hope to share some additional recipes soon!

-m