Dinner Rolls with Sun-dried Tomatoes

Dinner Rolls with Sun-dried Tomatoes

I really love to bake bread. I love the feeling of the soft bouncy dough. The sweet smell of fresh baked bread makes me think of my mom. She baked the best birthday rolls/buns and a great whole milk bread (sødmælksbrød), sadly the recipe are lost forever, but I can still remember the smell.   

Making bread can be a daunting project, but with a little preparation it's surely manageable. This recipe is fairly straight forward. The stand mixer is doing all the hard work. These rolls can be changed up. Add your favorite herbs, leave out the sun-dried tomatoes or add some chopped olives. The options are endless.

Ingredients:

• 50 g live yeast or 4 teaspoons dry yeast 
• ½ teaspoon sugar - if using dry yeast
• 600 ml warm water (when using live yeast, not hotter than 38℃)
• 900 g bread flour (save 25-50 g to mix with the sun-dried tomato)
• 1 teaspoon (7 g) salt
• 1 tablespoon flat-leaved parsley, minced
• 60 g sun-dried tomatoes, minced
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

Sprinkles:

• Egg wash
• coarse salt
• puppy seeds
• sunflower seeds   

Directions: 

In a large bowl (the one for the stand mixer) dissolve (live yeast) sprinkle (dry yeast) over the warm water. If using dry yeast, add ½ teaspoon sugar, this will help to wake up the yeast. Let stand for about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, and stir until just combined. Let the dough rest for about 20-30 minutes. This lets the flour absorb all the water completely, and helps activate the natural enzymes in the flour, and improves the gluten development in the dough.

Chop/mince the tomatoes and parsley and mix it with the reserved flour.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the dough and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until elastic, add more flour if the dough gets to sticky. 

Let the dough rise for about 60 minutes or until doubled in size. 

Pour the dough unto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in 16-18 balls. Place the balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet ½-1-inch apart in a circle pattern. The balls will grow into each other while rising and baking. This will give the rolls the soft sides.

Let the rolls rise for another 30-40 minutes, until the rolls are “grown” together. 

Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃). Place a baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven. Place 2 very wet kitchen towels on the baking sheets. This will fill the oven with steam, while heating.

Brush the rolls with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt, puppy seeds and or sunflower seeds. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until deep golden brown.

Let the rolls cool on a wire rack. 

Serve the rolls with dinner.

Enjoy!

St. Lucia Buns

St. Lucia buns

December 13th is Saint Lucia day.

St. Lucia buns aka lussekatter aka lucia breads, is a classic Swedish bun. Served on St. Lucia Day, december 13. in celebration of the light coming back. Young girls dressed in a white dress and a red sash (as the symbol of martyrdom) carrying a candle in their hands. One girl (the Lucia bride) wears a crown or wreath of candles on her head, all of them singing the Lucia song.

These St. Lucia buns are light, sweet with a nice saffron taste. I have to make these again soon. These buns reminds me of my moms version of birthday buns, a recipe lost forever.

Makes 24 lussekatter.

Ingredients:

• 300 g (1¼ cup) milk 
• 25 g live yeast or 2 teaspoons dry yeast
• 100 g (½ cup) sugar
• 1 teaspoon saffron
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 100 g butter, room temperature
• 500 g  (5¼ cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 egg + some for egg wash

Directions:

Put the saffron in a mortar and pestles with about a tablespoon of sugar, and pulverize the saffron-sugar.  In a saucepan heat the milk, saffron-sugar together until  the sugar dissolves and the milk warm to the touch, but not hot. 

Disolve the yeast in the warm milk, and add the rest of the milk. 

Add  the milk-mixture to the bowl of a stand-up mixer and mix in butter, egg, sugar, salt and most of the flour. Save some flour for the shaping of the Lucia buns.

Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about 40 minutes until almost doubled  in size.

Pour the dough onto a flour dusted workspace and divide into 24 small balls. Roll the balls out into snakes, about 14 inches long. Then curl the ends in opposite directions, forming an "S" with spirals at each end. Place the buns on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and repeat. Cover the buns and place in a warm spot to rise until the dough shapes double in size, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 440°F (225°C). Brush the buns with some egg wash (beaten egg). Place raisins in the centers of the "S" spirals. Bake the Lucia buns  for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the buns are light golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool covered by a kitchen towel for 5 minutes before eating.

Serve the buns warm with cold butter.

Enjoy!

Ebelskiver with Pear and Blue Cheese

Ebelskiver with Pear and Blue Cheese

Today is the first day in Advent, meaning the first of four Sundays before Christmas. In my house we start the christmas decorating on December 1st, or the 1st of Advent, which ever comes first. I might sneak in some christmas things earlier, but who is to judge me ;) On the 4 Sundays before christmas we gather with frinds and family to eat ebelskiver/æbleskiver and drink mulled wine/gløgg. This year I wanted to change it a bit with some savory ebelskiver filled with pear and blue cheese. And they are really good as a hors d’Oeuvre or snack with a glass of good red wine.

Makes about 15 ebelskiver.

Ingredients:

Ebleskiver:

• 125 g all-purpose flour
• 65 g butter (salted and melted)
• 190 ml milk (1,6 cups)
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Filling:

• 1 pear
• blue cheese
• 5 pecans

Directions:

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Whisk whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Mix milk with flour and baking powder till there's no lumps. Add the melted butter, egg yolks and salt. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes. Gently fold in the egg whites, do not over mix the batter, but you don't want spots of egg whites in the batter. Heat the ebelskive pan. Fill the holes about ¾. As soon as the batter starts to bubble around the edge, turn* the ebelskiver halfway. Place a pea-sized piece of cheese and a few dices of pear + a sprinkle of chopped pecans into the batter, so it disappears. Add a little bit more batter to the ebelskiver. Turn the ebelskiver all the way, so you end up with a perfect ball. Continue cooking for a few minutes, turning the ball to keep it from burning. * I use a knitting needle to turn the ebelskiver, but you can also use a fork. Serve the ebelskiver hot too warm with a drizzle of honey and a nice glass of wine.

Enjoy!

Bagels

Bagels

Living in the US, I had to try making bagels. I have been somewhat reluctant because you need to boil bagels before baking. But after makings these, I will definitely  be making bagels again. It was well worth the effort. 

I have to thank Bettina from the Danish baking group on Facebook, she inspired my to give bagels a try.

Ingredients:

• 400 ml warm water + 50 ml
• 50 g live yeast, or 4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 20 g salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 200 g whole wheat flour
• 500 g all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup, for the boiling water
• 1 beaten egg white + a splash water, for the glaze
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal, for the pans

Toppings:

• sesame seeds
• poppy seeds

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 400 ml warm water and yeast. If using dry yeast add a sprinkle of sugar  and leave to sit for about 10 minutes until the yeast begins to blossom.

Add honey and both flours and mix it for about 3 minutes on low speed. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes so the flours get hydrated. Add the salt and the rest of the water and knead dough on low for about 8 minutes. Cover the mixer bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough to rise for 1 hour.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and punch down. With a bench scraper or knife divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 100 g a piece. Shape each piece into a ball, and allow them to rest for 3-4 minutes.

Spray a piece of parchment paper with oil, and sprinkle cornmeal all over it. Preheat the oven to 450℉ (230℃).

Poke a hole through the center of each ball to create a bagel shape. Holding the dough with both index fingers in the hole, rotate the dough with your hands, gradually stretching it to create a hole about 2 inches in diameter. Place the bagels on the cornmeal, and let them rise for about 10 minutes covered with a clean kitchen towel.

Bring water and maple syrup to a low boil. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and set a side.

Gently lift bagels, one at a time, and lower into the simmering water. Do not do more than 2 or 3 at a time, so you don't lower the water temperature to much. Cook the bagels for 60 seconds on each side, give or take, then flip them over in the water using a slotted spoon, and cook for another 60 seconds. Lift bagels out with the slotted spoon, and place on the baking sheets. Repeat until all the bagels are boiled.

Brush the bagels with the foam from beaten egg wash, and sprinkle with the toppings.

Bake the bagels for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Let the bagels cool completely on a wire rack. 

Serve Bagels with your favorite cheese or use the bagels for a sandwich.

Enjoy!

This post has been submitted to YeastSpotting

Baked Spinach Omelette Roulade with Goat Cheese

Baked Spinach Omelette Roulade with Goat Cheese

In my family we really like these baked omelettes, or “madpandekager" as we call them in danish. They are easy to make and you can fill them with whatever you like. I had been craving goat cheese for a few days, so I had to try a simple filling for the omelette, but I knew I needed to add some meat to the mix, to satisfy my husbands tastebuds. The crispy prosciutto did the trick, and it added some texture to the meal as well. 

Next time, I'll add some more vegetables to the roulade. 

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

Omelette:

• 4 eggs
• 125 g all-purpose flour
• 400 g non-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 360 g fresh baby spinach

Filling:

• 100 g Philadelphia light plain or with onions and chives
• 1 handful kalamati olives, pitted
• 3 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, julienned
• 1 red onion in balsamic
• 150 g goat cheese
• 8-10 thin slices prosciutto

Direction:

Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).

In a very large pot heat a little olive oil sauté the spinach. Cook it for about 2 minutes, until all the spinach is wilted. Let the spinach cool for at few minutes.

Whisk together the rest of the omelet ingredients. Blend the batter with the spinach until smooth and green.

Line a large jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving an over hang of about 1 inch at each end. Grease the parchment paper. (I learned the hard way, that you can't use multiple sheets of parchment paper. You'll just end up with the parchment paper baked into the omelette.) 

Pour in egg mixture. Gently place it in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove, allow to cool for a few minutes. Flip the omelette onto another parchment paper, so it's upside down.

Using the same jelly roll pan and parchment paper, place the prosciutto on the pan and put them into the oven for 10-12 minutes to crisp up.

Dollop on the cream cheese and spread it evenly. Sprinkle on the filling, leaving about an inch with no filling. Place the prosciutto on top. Gently roll up length ways, pulling back the parchment paper as you go.

Slice in to 6-8 slices. Serve warm or room temperature, with a simple salad on the side. 

The omelette is great for lunch or dinner, just serve a simple salad on the side. It is very easy to change it up. It works great with fresh spinach, red pepper and smoked salmon. Or with taco-seasoned ground beef, jalapeño, tomato and corn. But why not serv it with yesterdays leftovers?

Enjoy!