About Bread Essentials. Recipes: Sour Cream Cranberry Rye Bread and Mexican "Hogan" Bread

Bread:
A Guide To Ingredients

About Bread Flour
     Pompadour Au Chocolat and Whole Wheat Herb Onion Bread
About Yeast
     Oatmeal Wheat Bread and Sweet Lemon Bread
Other Bread Essentials
     Sour Cream Cranberry Rye Bread and Mexican "Hogan" Bread
About Making Bread
     Bo-Pol Bread and Poppy Seed Bread
Bread Making Tips
     Orangy-Anise Honey-Wheat Bread and Jay's Favorite Bread

Other Bread Essentials

Liquid added to a flour mixture turns to steam and helps create texture. Water yields a crusty loaf with a fairly dense crumb while milk gives bread a rich and tender crumb and a softer crust.

Sugar is the ingredient that activates the yeast to make the dough rise. It also adds flavor, increases tenderness and helps the crust brown. Granulated sugar is generally used, but molasses, brown sugar and honey may also be used. Be careful not to add too much sugar as it can retard gluten development. A good rule of thumb is 2 teaspoons of sugar per 2 cups of flour.

Salt regulates the growth of the yeast. Salt-free bread rises quickly, while too much salt can reduce or destroy yeast action. It also enhances the flavor of bread and contributes to a finer texture.

Butter or shortening makes the dough stretch easily and makes the bread tender. It also contributes to flavor and aids in giving bread a longer shelf life.

Eggs aid in gluten development and provide extra nutrients to bread doughs. They also add flavor and golden color desired in sweet doughs.

Sour Cream Cranberry Rye Bread

Ideal sandwich bread for leftover turkey.

4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups rye flour
1/3 cup powdered milk
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 cup molasses
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)

Place 3 cups all-purpose flour, rye flour, powdered milk, allspice, cloves, and salt in bowl. Attach bowl and dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and mix 30 seconds. Combine sour cream, cranberry sauce, and molasses and add to bowl. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Turn to speed 2 and gradually add yeast mixture. Mix 2 minutes. Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes longer.

Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in a greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about one hour.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Yield: 2 loaves.

Mexican "Hogan" Bread

A Taste of the Southwest.

3 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1 jar (2 oz.) diced pimientos, drained
1 jar (4 oz.) diced green chilies, drained
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup shredded American cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup creamed corn
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup cornmeal
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed bowl. Add sugar and stir; let stand 5 minutes. Add salt, butter, pimientos, chilies, onions, cheese, egg, corn, and honey. Attach bowl and dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and mix 1 minute. Add cornmeal and 4 cups flour. Turn to speed 2 and mix 2 minutes. Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes longer.

Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and divide in thirds. Shape each third into a slightly flattened ball and place on greased baking sheets. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Cut 2 slashes with a sharp knife in a cross pattern on top of each loaf. Sprinkle with cornmeal and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Remove from baking sheets immediately and cool on wire racks.

Yield: 3 loaves.

Provided by KitchenAid

All About Bread

This page originally published as a FoodDay article in 1997.