Raisin Swirl Bread

Happy 2011 everyone!

With the new year off to a (pretty) good start, I realize I have a few recipes I absolutely need to share from my time baking at home. The first is this delicious loaf of sweet bread.

I definitely do not consider myself a cinnamon person, in fact I leave it out of nearly every recipe that makes mention of it, except when absolutely necessary for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread. However, when I got a hankering for yeast I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and make something new. That's where Dorie Greenspan's Raisin Swirl Bread came in. I had the intention of baking the loaf for my neighbors, but when I pulled it out of the oven I immediately knew it was essential that I perform a taste-teste.

Like any recipe by Dorie, the bread came out perfectly. A soft crumb on the inside with a beautiful golden crust and lovely thick swirl of raisins and cinnamon-cocoa sugar.

As suggested by Dorie, the raisin-cinnamon flavors of the bread are even more delicious once the bread has been cooled, sliced and toasted! So go on and make yourself a fantastic Raisin Swirl Bread, and wake up to a perfect on-the-go breakfast!

Raisin Swirl Bread Recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking, From My Home to Yours

For the Bread

• 1 pack active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus a pinch
• 1 1/4 cups just warm to the touch whole milk
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 3/4 to 4 cups flour

For the Swirl 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup moist, plump raisins (I used golden) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to a spreadable consistency

To make the bread: Put the yeast in a small bowl, toss in the pinch of sugar, and stir in 1/4 cup of the warm milk. Let rest for 3 minutes, then stir–the yeast may not have dissolved completely and it may not have bubbled, but it should be soft. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 cup milk, the butter and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and mix on low speed for a minute or two. Add the salt, egg and vanilla, if you are using it, as well as the zest and the nutmeg, if you’re using them, and mix for a minute. In all likelihood, the mixture will look unpleasantly curdly (it will look even worse when you add the yeast). Add the yeast mixture and beat on medium-low speed for 1 minute more. Turn the mixer off and add 2 3/4 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed just until you work the flour into the liquids–you’ll have a sticky mix. If you’ve got a dough hook, switch to it now. Add another 1 cup flour, increase the mixer speed to medium, and beat the dough or a couple of minutes. If the dough does not come together and almost clean the sides of the bowl, add up to 1/4 cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep the mixer speed at a medium and knead the dough for about 3 minutes, or until it is smooth and has a lovely buttery sheen. The dough will be very soft, much too soft to knead by hand. Butter a large bowl, turn the dough into the bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Put the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, wrap it and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm enough to be rolled easily. (At this point, you can instead refrigerate the dough overnight if that is more convenient.)

To make the swirl and shape the loaf: Butter a 9-x-5 inch loaf pan. Whisk together the sugar,cinnamon and cocoa, if you’re using it. Check that the raisins are nice and moist; if they’re not, steam them for a minute, then dry them well. Put the dough on a large work surface lightly dusted with flour, lightly dust the top of the dough and roll the dough into a rectangle about 12 x 18 inches. Gently smear 2 tablespoons of the butter over the surface of the dough–this is most easily done with your fingers. Sprinkle over the sugar mixture and scatter over the raisins. Starting from a short side of the dough, roll the dough up jelly-roll fashion, making sure to roll the dough snugly. Fit the dough into the buttered pan, seam side down, and tuck the ends under the loaf. Cover the pan loosely with wax paper and set in a warm place; let the dough rise until it comes just a little above the edge of the pan, about 45 minutes.

Getting Ready to Bake: When the dough has almost fully risen, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butte and brush the top of the loaf with the butter. Put the pan on the baking sheet and bake the bread for about 20 minutes. Cover loosely with a foil tent and bake for another 25 minutes or so, until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when the bottom of the pan is tapped. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then unmold. Invert the bread and cool to room temperature right up on the rack.

Happy Baking!

Jessica

Final Post for a While

Hi everyone!

Sorry for not giving you any kind of closure! Since I am officially back at school now, and kitchen-less, my baking adventures are much more limited. When I have the (rare) opportunity to whip something up I will try to update, but for now it's back to the books and the sheet music!

Thanks for following and I hope you'll be hearing from me soon!

As always, happy baking!

Jessica

Healthy Homemade Pumpkin Bread!

I had the most wonderful weekend, going to the beach with some friends and relaxing in the sun, exploring the tide pools, but it's all felt very autumn-like. Hence, (yep, I'm fancy- I say hence) my craving for pumpkin did not fade. Actually- it's kind of become an unsatisfied yearning... But anyways I wanted to prove myself worthy of saying I had made real pumpkin bread the old-fashioned way (I'm usually not a strong believer in mixes)so I picked out a recipe and I can assure you- it smells exactly like thanksgiving in my house right now. Even though I usuay pass on the cinnamon too, the way it mingles with the pumpkin literally makes it irresistible.

So if any of you out there are feeling the Fall vibes as the leaves start a-changin', try this recipe and I'm sure you'll be delighted. :-)

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
(from Stephanie Gallagher)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup low-fat or nonfat buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves together in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin puree, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg and oil together. Add dry ingredients to wet, stirring just until moistened (overmixing will cause the bread tobecome too tough). Add chocolate chips.
3. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Happy Baking!

Jessica

Hearty Celery Soup

When the autumn leaves start falling, what better recipe to cook up than homemade soup? Something about it's simplicity and heartiness just makes me fall in love. I had tons of celery in the fridge and wanted to make something that could easily be stored for future meals, and knowing that I had potatoes and onions left from earlier in the week too, made me think soup.

So here is a delicious and really simple recipe for a pureed celery soup that is certain to warm you right up on one of these cool September nights!

(Photo courtesy of The Daily Green)

Pureed Celery Soup

(from About.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound celery
• 1 medium potato
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 peeled clove of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash and cut celery into ½ - 1 inch thick pieces. (To cook evenly)
2. Wash and peel the potato, cutting it into the same size pieces as the celery.
3. In a large soup pot, heat the butter over a low-to-medium heat.
4. Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the onion is slightly translucent.
5. Add the wine and cook for another few minutes. (Until the wine has reduce by half)
6. Add the vegetable stock and the potato, increasing the heat to medium-high and bringing to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the celery and potatoes are soft enough that they can easily be pierced with a knife.
7. Remove from heat and purée in a blender, working in batches if necessary.
8. Return puréed soup to pot and bring to a simmer again.
9. Season to taste with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Yields six 8-oz. servings of soup.

Happy Cooking!

Jessica

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

With the leaves starting to fall these days and the cold windy weather we had all day, I wanted to make something comforting and simple.

And, weirdly enough I've had pumpkin on the brain this whole week. I finally got myself to Whole Foods and bought canned pumpkin! Mmm, I was so excited to see it on the shelves again. However, I sinfully bought a boxed mix for the pumpkin bread. BUT, I added real pumpkin! And chocolate chips :-) Either way, this deliciously moist and spicy bread definitely hit the spot.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

(from a mix)

Ingredients:

• 1 package pumpkin bread mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned organic pumpkin
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the dry mix with 2 eggs and pumpkin. Stir until smooth and fold in chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and a knife stuck in the center comes out clean.

I hope you're enjoying the tell-tale signs of fall approaching!

Happy Baking!

Jessica