Bread Recipes

Triple-Fruit Scones

Dried cranberries and apricots, as well as orange rind, give these scones a sweet, tart flavor. But you can mix and match any dried fruits to create your own fruit scone.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled stick margarine or butter
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries (such as Craisins)
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in apricots and cranberries. Combine buttermilk, orange rind, egg, and egg white; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Roll dough into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 8 (3-inch) squares using a dull knife or a dough scraper. Cut each square into 2 triangles; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar; bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Makes 16 servings

Hazelnut-Fig Quick Bread

Sprinkling nuts on top of the batter before it bakes, rather than mixing them in, helps concentrate the nut flavor.

1/3 cup hazelnuts
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, stirring once. Turn nuts out onto a towel. Roll up towel; rub off skins. Chop nuts.

Bring orange juice to a boil; pour over figs in a bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Combine sugar, oil, rind, egg, and egg white; stir well with a whisk. Stir into fig mixture.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add fig mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spoon batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes 12 servings

Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes in syrup, drained and mashed
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Melted butter

Combine yeast and 1/4 cup warm water in a glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes. Stir together sweet potatoes and butter, blending well. Stir in sugar and salt; add yeast mixture, stirring until smooth.

Combine flour and baking powder; gradually stir into potato mixture, until well blended. Lightly knead until dough holds together.

Shape dough into a ball; place in a buttered mixing bowl. Brush top with melted butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 2 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough, and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 2-inch round cutter, and place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden. Makes 34 biscuits

Butter Rolls

1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, divided
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon water
Sesame or poppy seeds

Stir together yeast and 1/4 cup water in a 1-cup measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes. Pulse 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until blended. Add yeast mixture, 1 egg, and milk; pulse until blended.(Pulsing prevents mixture from overheating, which would kill yeast.) Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until combined. Gradually add enough of remaining flour until dough is no longer sticky. (Dough should be smooth.)

Place dough in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down, and divide into fourths; shape each portion into 6 (1-inch) balls. Place on a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour. Stir together remaining egg and 1 tablespoon water; brush over rolls, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Freeze up to 3 months, if desired.

Note: Rolls may also be prepared with a heavy-duty mixer. Makes 2 dozen

Potato and Onion Flat Bread

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced into circles
1 russet potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon whole rosemary needles
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cornmeal for the skillet
1 package (about 1 pound) refrigerated pizza dough

Heat oven to 450°. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the onion to a bowl. Add the potato, rosemary, salt, and pepper and toss; set aside.

Wipe out skillet, turn it upside down, and sprinkle the bottom with the cornmeal. Place the dough on a work surface. With your hands or a rolling pin, gently shape the dough into a round the same size as the skillet.

Place the dough on the bottom of the skillet. Arrange the potato mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Slice into wedges. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Mississippi Hush Puppies

1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk or beer
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
Vegetable oil

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture. Combine egg and next 4 ingredients, stirring well; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven or large saucepan; heat to 375°. Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into hot oil, and fry in batches 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels; serve immediately. Makes 1 1/2 dozen

Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (about 19 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons butter, melted, cooled, and divided
Cooking spray
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Place raisins in a small bowl, and cover with very hot tap water. Let stand 10 minutes; drain well. Heat milk over low heat in a small, heavy saucepan to between 100° and 110°; remove from heat. Combine warm milk, brown sugar, and yeast in a large bowl, stirring until yeast dissolves. Let stand 5 minutes.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 4 cups flour, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Add egg substitute and 1 tablespoon butter to milk mixture; stir well with a whisk until combined. Add to flour mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Knead in raisins.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Brush a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon butter.

Roll dough into a 14 x 7-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; lightly coat surface of dough with cooking spray. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over dough; lightly recoat with cooking spray.

Cover dough with plastic wrap; press to help sugar mixture adhere. Remove and discard plastic wrap. Roll up rectangle tightly, starting with a short edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Place roll, seam side down, into prepared pan. Cover and let rise 40 minutes or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover loaf; carefully remove exposed raisins, and gently brush dough with egg white. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until loaf is browned on bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf

Spicy Peppercorn and Pecorino Breadsticks

With black and red pepper, these breadsticks pack some heat. If you don't have semolina, you can use cornmeal.

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/3 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons ground semolina

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add 1/2 cup flour to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk. Let stand 30 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups flour, olive oil, black pepper, salt, and red pepper; stir until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); cover and let rest 10 minutes. Knead in half of cheese; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Knead in remaining cheese.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down. Roll dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.

Preheat oven to 450°. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon semolina onto each of 2 baking sheets. Cut dough in half lengthwise to form 2 (12 x 4-inch) rectangles. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 12 (1-inch-wide) strips. Working with 1 strip at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), gently roll each strip into a 15-inch-long rope.

Place rope on prepared pan, and repeat procedure with remaining strips, placing 12 on each pan. Cover and let dough rise 20 minutes. Uncover dough; bake each pan at 450° for 12 minutes. Remove breadsticks from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Makes 24 servings

Cracklin' Cornbread

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cracklings

Place butter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, and heat in a 425° oven 4 minutes. Combine cornmeal and flour in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

Stir together buttermilk, eggs, and cracklings; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Pour over melted butter in hot skillet. Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Note - 1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (12 to 15 slices) may be sustituted for cracklings.

Grannie's Cracklin' Cakes: Prepare batter as directed above; stir in 1/4 cup butter, melted. Heat a large skillet coated with vegetable cooking spray over medium-high heat. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter for each cake into skillet; cook, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Makes 8 to 10 servings

Orange Rolls

1 (1/4-oz.) envelope active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water (100º to 110º)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 cup bread flour
Honey Topping
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)
Fresh Orange Glaze

Combine first 3 ingredients in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment until creamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and salt, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, milk, and lemon juice, beating until blended. Stir in yeast mixture.

Combine 4 1/2 cups bread flour and nutmeg. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed 2 minutes or until well blended.

Turn dough out onto a surface floured with about 1/4 cup bread flour; knead for 5 minutes, adding additional bread flour as needed. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl, turning to grease top of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Divide 1 dough half into 12 equal pieces; shape each piece, rolling between hands, into a 7- to 8-inch-long rope. Wrap each rope into a coil, firmly pinching end to seal. Place rolls in a lightly greased 10-inch round cake pan. Repeat procedure with remaining dough half. Drizzle half of Honey Topping evenly over each pan of rolls.

Let rise, uncovered, in a warm place 1 hour or until doubled in size. Top evenly with pecans, if desired. Bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes or until rolls are lightly browned. Cool rolls 2 minutes in pans. Spoon half of Fresh Orange Glaze evenly over each pan of warm rolls, and serve immediately. Makes 24 servings

Honey Topping

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
2 egg whites

Stir together powdered sugar and remaining ingredients until smooth. Makes 1 1/3 cups

Fresh Orange Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Beat powdered sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add remaining ingredients, and beat until smooth. Makes 3/4 cup

Herb Focaccia

1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated French bread dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Unroll dough into a 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan, and flatten slightly. Press handle of a wooden spoon into dough to make indentions at 1-inch intervals; drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and remaining ingredients.

Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut bread into rectangles, and serve warm with marinara sauce, if desired. Makes 8 servings

Lemon Tea Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons lemon rind, divided
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Beat softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon rind. Spoon batter into greased and floured 8- x 4-inch loafpan.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth; spoon evenly over top of bread, letting excess drip down sides. Stir together remaining 1 tablespoon lemon rind and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; sprinkle on top of bread.

Lemon-Almond Tea Bread: Stir 1/2 teaspoon almond extract into batter. Proceed as directed. Makes 1 (8-inch) loaf

Chocolate Chip Mandelbread

2 cups sugar, divided
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add oil and next 4 ingredients; beat until blended. Stir in mini-morsels.

Divide dough in half; shape each portion into a 10- x 3-inch log on lightly greased baking sheets. (Dough will be sticky. Shape dough with floured hands, if necessary.)

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; cut diagonally into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over slices. Bake 5 more minutes; cool completely on wire racks. Makes 36 servings

Pitas

A pizza stone yields puffier bread. If you don't have one, use the back of a heavy jelly roll pan to bake these. After it has risen, you can keep the dough refrigerated for three days.Rating:

1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 3/4 cups bread flour
Cooking spray

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon whole wheat flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 1 cup whole wheat flour to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 2 hours (batter will be bubbly).

Stir in salt and oil. Lightly spoon bread flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add bread flour, stirring with a spoon. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky). Coat the inside of a large zip-top plastic bag with cooking spray; add dough. Seal and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.

Place pizza stone on the bottom rack in oven. Preheat oven to 500°. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; shape into 12-inch log. Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), shape each portion into a ball. Cover; let rest 1 hour.

Roll each ball into a 6-inch circle. Place 3 circles on pizza stone. Bake at 500° for 5 minutes. Transfer pitas to top rack; bake an additional 2 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes 6 servings

Cheese Garlic Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose baking mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Stir together first 3 ingredients until soft dough forms. Stir vigorously 30 seconds. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir together butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits. Makes 10 to 12 biscuits

Sally Lunn Bread

2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
Blackberry Butter (optional)

Combine yeast and 1/2 cup warm water in a 1-cup measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes. Heat milk and next 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Cool to 100° to 110°.

Beat yeast mixture, milk mixture, and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, beating at lowest speed until blended. (Mixture will be a very sticky, soft dough.)

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk. Stir dough down; cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until dough is doubled in bulk.

Stir dough down, and spoon into a well-greased, 10-inch Bundt pan or tube pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until dough is doubled in bulk.

Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into center of bread comes out clean. Remove from pan immediately. Serve bread with Blackberry Butter, honey, molasses, or jelly, if desired.

Blackberry Butter: Stir 2 to 3 tablespoons seedless blackberry jam into 1/2 cup softened butter. Makes 12 to 16 servings

Prosciutto-and-Provolone-Stuffed Focaccia

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups warm fat-free milk (105° to 115°)
3 1/4 cups bread flour, divided
1 cup semolina or pasta flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
4 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese, divided
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, divided
1/4 cup minced fresh chives

Dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Stir in 3 cups bread flour, semolina, oil, and salt to yeast mixture to form a stiff dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining bread flour, one tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down; roll into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Place 2 ounces cheese down the center of the short length of dough; top with 2 ounces prosciutto and 2 tablespoons chives.

Fold one short end of dough over filling. Place 2 ounces cheese, 2 ounces prosciutto, and 2 tablespoons chives on top of fold. Fold remaining short end over filling, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover focaccia, and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 375°. Uncover dough. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack. Cut loaf crosswise into 10 slices. Makes 10 servings

Orange-Date Muffins

1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

Stir together buttermilk and soda until blended. Beat 1 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add brown sugar, beating well. Stir in buttermilk mixture, eggs, and next 5 ingredients until blended. Spoon batter into greased muffin pans filling two-thirds full.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks. Stir together powdered sugar, orange juice, and melted butter until smooth; drizzle glaze evenly over muffins.

Note: Batter may be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. Makes 1 1/2 dozen

Strawberry-Pecan Rolls

Dough
1 3/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon yeast
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 egg

Filling
8 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
2/3 cup strawberry preserves, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Garnish
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In medium saucepan, combine 1 3/4 cups milk, salt, oil and honey. Heat over medium heat until warm (118°F. to 120°F.). Place in large bowl. Stir in yeast and 2 cups of the flour. Cover; let stand 10 minutes.

Stir in egg and 2 cups of the flour, adding additional 1/2 cup flour if dough is very sticky. Turn out onto floured surface; knead 6 to 8 minutes or until smooth. Cover; let stand 30 to 40 minutes or until risen by half.

Spray 15x11-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Punch dough down to deflate; turn out onto floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover each half; let stand 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 400°. Roll out half of the dough into 15x10-inch rectangle. Spread 4 tablespoons of the butter over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Spread with 1/3 cup of the strawberry preserves. In small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over preserves.

Starting at long edge, roll dough; pinch edges to seal. Gently cut into 12 pieces; place, cut side down, in pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover; let stand 30 minutes. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of the milk and almond extract at low speed until smooth, adding additional 1 tablespoon milk, if needed. Drizzle over cooled rolls; sprinkle with pecans. Makes 24 rolls

Sugared Rosemary-Lemon Loaf

1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 eggs
1/4 cup light olive oil
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350°. Spray 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine raisins, milk and rosemary in small saucepan over medium heat; simmer gently 2 minutes. Cool.

Whisk 3/4 cup of the sugar, eggs and oil in medium bowl. Combine flour, baking powder, 1 tablespoon of the lemon peel and salt in medium bowl; stir into egg mixture until batter is smooth. Stir in milk mixture until smooth. Pour batter into pan.

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons lemon peel; sprinkle over batter. Bake 45 to 48 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Makes 12 servings

Challah Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus up to 3/4 cup for kneading
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1 cup warm water, about 110 degrees
1/3 cup honey
2 whole large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)

Whisk the flour, sugar, and yeast together in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Whisk the water and honey with 1 whole egg, all the yolks, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl and pour into the well. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon to make a soft, shaggy, moist dough.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand, adding up to 3/4 cup more flour as needed, until the dough is soft and supple, about 8 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.

Brush a large bowl with oil and turn dough around in bowl to coat lightly. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead briefly to release excess air, re-shape into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Line 2 baking sheet pans with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half. Lightly dust hands with flour and roll each portion of dough into a 30-inch-long log. (If dough resists, then cover and let rest for 5 or 10 minutes before shaping).

Spiral each length of dough around itself to form a coiled round loaf on the prepared pans. Lightly stretch the end of the coil and moisten it with water; gently press the end into the side of the round to seal the coil into a loaf. Press down on the loaves gently, cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until doubled, about 1 hour.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Beat the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water and brush loaves evenly with it; sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.

Put the loaves in the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 400 degrees, and bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the crown registers 190 degrees, about 30 to 35 minutes. Makes 2 round loaves

Banana-Cranberry Sticky Buns

Dough
2 tsp quick-acting yeast
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tbsp unsalted butter – room temperature
2 egg whites
1/4 cup skim milk powder
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose or bread flour

Filling
6 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)

Sticky Bottom
4 tbsp unsalted butter + 1 teaspoon for pan
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

Sugar Glaze
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

To Assemble: In a large bowl mash the bananas with the butter to form a very soft, ever-so-slightly liquid paste. Combine the yeast with this and let stand at room temperature, allowing the yeast to dissolve (about 5 minutes). Add the egg whites, skim milk powder, brown sugar, salt and flours and stir with a wooden spoon until a rough mass forms.

Scrape it all together with a bench scraper and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Knead until it is smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary, about 5 minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky.

Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot (on top of the fridge works really well) until it doubles in size – about 1 ½ hours.

Make the filling: in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a 14- by 9-inch rectangle.

Brush the surface of the dough with the melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar combination and the dried cranberries or raisins. Beginning at the long side, roll jellyroll style. Pinch to seal seam and set aside, covered in a warm spot while you make the sticky bottom.

Lightly butter the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. In a small saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar and cook, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the mixture into the pan.

Cut the buns into 12 pieces, about 1 ½ inches wide and arrange, cut side up in the pan with the sugar-butter mixture. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 30 to 45 minutes (or over night in the fridge) or until doubled in volume.

Bake in a preheated, 350 oven for 25 – 35 minutes, or until caramel is bubbling and tops are slightly browned. Meanwhile, make glaze: in a small bowl, stir together the confectioner’s sugar, cream and vanilla until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly. When the rolls come out of the oven, allow them to cool slightly and then drizzle with the glaze while they are still warm. Pull apart and serve warm. Makes 12 buns

Applesauce Coffee Cake

For Loaf
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 x whole large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 2/3 cup pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger

For Streusel
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan. For loaf, whisk vegetable oil, brown sugar, sugar, whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth. Stir in applesauce. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and ginger and stir gently into applesauce mixture.

For streusel, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter and walnut pieces and toss to coat. Spoon half of the applesauce batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with half of the streusel.

Top with remaining batter and sprinkle remaining streusel to finish. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool loaf for 20 minutes, before turning out on a rack to cool completely. Makes 12 servings

Jumbo Applesauce Muffins: Prepare the Applesauce Streusel Loaf as above, except spoon batter into 6 greased jumbo muffin tins and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Let muffins cool for 20 minutes before turning out.

Walnut and Rosemary Loaves

2 cups warm milk (100° to 110°)
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages dry yeast (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add yeast, stirring with a whisk; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 15 minutes.

Add 2 1/2 cups flour, walnuts, rosemary, and 1 egg, stirring with a whisk. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), adding enough of remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Lightly press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)

Preheat oven to 400°. Punch dough down; turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half, shaping each portion into a round. Place loaves on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Combine 1 tablespoon milk and 1 egg, stirring with a whisk; brush over loaves. Make 3 diagonal cuts 1/4-inch deep across top of each loaf using a sharp knife.

Place loaves in oven; reduce oven temperature to 375°, and bake 40 minutes or until bottom of each loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let stand 20 minutes before slicing. Makes 2 loaves

Blueberry Biscuits

1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pat blueberries dry with paper towels; set aside. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until crumbly.

Whisk together egg and buttermilk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 3 or 4 times. Pat or roll dough to 3/4-inch thickness; cut with a 2 3/4-inch round cutter, and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Stir together butter, 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon; brush mixture over warm biscuits.

Note: Recipe can be doubled. Store biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks in freezer. Makes 8 biscuits