The Magic of Bread

I was thinking yesterday about making bread. Since I got my breadmaker back together I’ve been able to bake a lot more than I was doing for a while. It’s really amazing you know, to make your own bread. You pull out all these weird ingredients, stuff them into a little box that mixes them into a ball and sortof pounds them into submission and then they start to grow. If you let the dough go too long it overflows and makes a mess. If you pull it too soon, the resulting bread will be awfully hard. You dump out the dough and shape it and let it rise, making rolls or loaves or whatever, and then bake it. From something that not only doesn’t look edible, but you probably wouldn’t touch on a bet and smells like something that the dog shouldn’t have, you end up with something that’s tasty and pretty good for you. Every loaf is different. It’s not just in the way you spice them, but the way you shape them and the characteristics of the pans that they rise in and even the difference of a minute in the baking makes a pasty-looking or golden, or really brown loaf.

Who says there’s no magic in the world?

Something about this time of year just cries out for bread: good new bread, either still warm from the oven or toasted with a little real butter. (…preferably churned by hand, but how many of us have 7-year-old twins to shake it up! ) These don’t go all the way through the cycle, because they are too heavy. Use the dough setting. If you have a mixer with dough hooks you can use these same recipes, just let rise in a warm place after the first mixing/kneading. Note – Letting your bread “raise” usually means doubling in volume. “Done” is usually golden brown and springy and hollow-sounding when you tap the bottom. Any of these recipes can be divided into 18-36 small pieces for rolls or to roll around cheese cubes, ham chunks, or mini-sausages. If you’re going to “stuff” them do it before the second “rise”, except for the kolacki recipe.

Note – Since I wrote this article Tempus has taken over making the bread, because he’s *so* much better at it! As soon as I can get him to cough it up I’ll add his recipe for Seed Bread.

Shawnee Bread Dance Song

She created us, and so we dance.
She smiles down upon our dance.
She grows happily because we dance.
We are her grandchildren, and so we dance.
Our dance is our best prayer to her.
She laughs in happiness because we dance.
We are her children, and we must dance.
If we were to ever forget, she would weep.
She would never cease her weeping.
She is the mother to whom we dance.
If only insect tracks marked our dancing grounds, she would forget us too, and we would die.
She is the goddess who dances through us.
We are her children, and we must dance.
She created us, and so we dance.

Recipes

Breadmaker Bread Recipe – standard that I use
 Spray oil
 ½ Cup milk
 ½ Cup water
o Or sub ½ cup powdered dry milk and 1 cup water for the above.
 1 egg
 3 tablespoons sugar
 1 ½t active dry yeast
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 2 tbsp dry herbs
 3 cups flour

  1. Coat bowl of breadmaker with spray oil
  2. Add ingredients to bowl, liquids then dry, ending with the flour.
  3. Run breadmaker on dough setting.
  4. Turn out on floured board and form. (two Esbat loaves or 24 stuffed lunch rolls)
  5. Let rise ½ hour or until doubled in size.
  6. Bake ½ hour or so (more for loaves, less for rolls) until golden brown.
  7. You can cover with grated cheese before baking, but you need to watch carefully for doneness.

Plain Jane Bread – breadmaker recipe – a sweeter version, makes perfect rolls.
 Spray oil
 1 ¼ cups warm water
 1 ¼ teaspoons yeast
 1 egg
 2 tbsp oil
 ¼ cup sugar
 ½ cup powdered milk
 ½ tsp salt
 Up to 2 tablespoons spices
 3 ½ cups white flour

  1. Spray bucket with oil.
  2. Add ingredients in order.
  3. Use dough setting
  4. Turn dough out on floured board and knead in more flour if too wet.
  5. Divide into 3 parts and let rise in piepans until doubled in size.
  6. Sprinkle with seeds or cheese.
  7. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Sweet Dough (Vanocka, houska or other holiday bread)
 Spray oil
 1 ¼ cups warm water
 1 ¼ teaspoons yeast
 1 egg
 2 tbsp oil
 ¼ cup sugar
 ½ cup powdered milk
 ½ tsp salt
 1 tablespoon spices
 1 cup raisins, craisins, or other chopped dried fruit
 3 ½ cups white flour

  1. Spray bucket with oil.
  2. Add ingredients in order.
  3. Use dough setting
  4. Turn dough out on floured board and knead in more flour if too wet.
  5. Divide into 3 parts and let rise in piepans until doubled in size
  6. Sprinkle with sugar or grated nutmeg.
  7. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Parmesan, Cheese and Ham Bread Recipe – a “lunch roll” recipe
 Spray oil
 1 egg
 ½ cup powdered dry milk
 1 cup water for the above.
 3 tablespoons sugar
 1 ½t active dry yeast
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 ½ cup grated parmesan
 ½ cup grated cheddar (or a stronger flavored cheese like swiss or port wine)
 1 cup ham, or ham lunch meat, chopped fine
 3 cups flour

  1. Coat bowl of breadmaker with spray oil
  2. Add ingredients to bowl, liquids then dry, ending with the flour.
  3. Run breadmaker on dough setting.
  4. Turn out on floured board.
  5. Cut dough into 4 pieces, knead each piece separately and divide each into 6 rolls, tucking in stray ham bits as you go.
  6. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet and spray with oil.
  7. Let rise until double in size.
  8. Bake 15 minutes or so until golden brown.

Bread with sundried tomatoes – bread machine
 1 egg
 ½ cup milk powder
 1 cup water
 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
 11/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 1/8 oz sun-dried tomatoes
 10 chopped garlic cloves
 ¼ cup parmesan
 ½ tsp basil (chopped fresh is best)
 3 cups flour

  1. Coat bowl of breadmaker with spray oil.
  2. Add ingredients in order to bowl.
  3. Run breadmaker on dough.
  4. Turn out on floured board and form. (two Esbat loaves or 24 stuffed lunch rolls)
  5. Let rise ½ hour.
  6. Bake ½ hour or so (more for loaves, less for rolls) until golden brown.
  7. You can cover with grated cheese before baking, but you need to watch carefully for doneness. It’s actually better to wait until they’re done and then sprinkle them with cheese, slipping them back into the over to melt the cheese, but not burn….

Loren’s basic bread loaf recipe for a 2 pound breadmaker

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1/4 cup plain sugar
  • 1 Tbsp salt (approx or less)
  • 2 1/2 tspn yeast
  • 1 Tbsp bacon fat (or less to taste)
  • 4 Cups Unbleached cheap white flour

Mix it all together until it resembles bread dough, let it rise a couple times, somewhere warm, like in an oven at 125, until it looks like something that should be cooked, then scorch it at 350 degrees for about half an hour until it appears edible. Modify these directions as needed to make it work.

[Anja’s translation: He uses a bread maker on dough cycle, so dump stuff into the bucket and turn the thing on. Check it after about 10 minutes (this depends on your breadmaker, during the 2nd mixing…..) to make sure the flour is all “in”. When the cycle ends, shape it and let rise in a 125 oven for 15-30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. ]

Variations

  • Rye/Caraway – (Also Barley, Oat bread, Pea bread) – Replace 2 cups of the white flour with rye and add 1 1/2TBSP caraway seed. This dough usually takes additional water. Check after the first “rumpus” of the bread maker (on mine, after 10 minutes)
  • Seed bread – Add ½ cup of “seeds”, usually a mixture of millet, flax and sunflower for us, but your mileage may vary.
  • Italian Seasoning Bread – Add one packet of 4 seasons Italian Salad Dressing mix, plus 1 TBSP minced garlic.
  • Olive/Caper – Add 1 can of olives, drained, ½ that of capers – bread comes out flat.
  • Sesame – Add ½ cup of sesame seeds. Brush with butter and sprinkle with seeds

Note – Both of the rolls can be done in a breadmaker, if the yeast/water/sugar is allowed to proof for 10 minutes before starting. Extra rising time may be required.

Barley bread rolls – Regular bread recipe, but with all the flour replaced with barley flour.

Black bread rolls – Same as the Caraway Rye, but all the wheat is replaced with dark rye flour. This recipe does not rise very well, but it makes fantastic rolls!

Dark Pumpernickel Rye Bread – This is delicious. The name of the bread dates to the 1400’s in Westphalia. The problem is that there are no recipes or even lists of ingredients. Of the various recipes we tried, this is the only one that came out moist and slightly sweet. Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

Small (1 lb. bread machine)

  • 1¼ cups bread flour
  • ⅔ cups medium rye flour
  • 4 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1½ tsp RED STAR Active Dry Yeast
  • ½ cup, plus 1 Tbsp brewed coffee (cooled to 120-130°F, warm but not too hot to touch)
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp dark molasses

Medium (1½ lb. bread machine)

  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 cup medium rye flour
  • 5 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1½ tsp sugar
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • ¾ tsp onion powder
  • 1 package (2¼ tsp, ¼oz, 7g) RED STAR Active Dry Yeast
  • ¾ cup, plus 2 Tbsp brewed coffee (cooled to 120-130°F, warm but not too hot to touch)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp dark molasses

Large (2 lb. bread machine)

  • 2⅔ cups bread flour
  • 1⅓ cups medium rye flour
  • 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp RED STAR Active Dry Yeast
  • 1 cup, plus 1 Tbsp brewed coffee (cooled to 120-130°F, warm but not too hot to touch)
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbsp dark molasses

Bread Machine Method

  1. Have all ingredients at room temperature. Place ingredients in a pan in the order recommended by manufacturer. Select BASIC or White Bread cycle and MEDIUM or NORMAL crust. Check dough consistency after 5 minutes of kneading. The dough should be in a soft, tacky ball. If it is dry and stiff, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too wet and sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.

Rising, Shaping and Baking

  1. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe, about 1 hour. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; punch down to remove air bubbles. On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a round loaf. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet or in 8-inch layer cake pan. Cover; let rise in warm place until indentation remains after touching (about 30 minutes). Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Optional: Combine ¼ cup water and ½ teaspoon cornstarch; heat to boiling. Five minutes before the loaf is finished baking, remove from oven and brush top with cornstarch glaze. Sprinkle with caraway seeds, if desired. Return to oven and bake approximately five more minutes until glaze is glossy and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan; cool before slicing.
  2.  
  3. *You can substitute Instant (fast-rising) yeast in place of Active Dry Yeast. When using Instant Yeast, expect your dough to rise faster. Always let your dough rise until ripe. Traditional methods: use equal amounts; Bread Machine: use ½ tsp Instant Yeast OR ¾ tsp Active Dry Yeast per cup of flour in your recipe. Visit our Lessons in Yeast & Baking for more information.

Recipe featured at Food Wanderings.

Kolač dough for the bread Machine – Anja’s version based on Babička’s kolački. (Czech recipe, this usually makes a pastry, rather like a danish.

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cups warm water
  • 2 pkg active dry yeast (total of 5 tsp)
  • 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 5 cups sifted flour (measure after sifting!)

Put into bread maker and use dough cycle.

To make kolački…Divide into 16 pieces to make large kolač or 32 pieces for kolački. Place on a buttered cookie sheet, punch centers down with a spoon and fill with mak, tvarog/smirkase, povidla, apricot filling, or any kind of jam. (Recipes under Babovka, below) Let rise 10 minutes and then bake at 350.

To make bread bunnies – Cut finished dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into an oval. Dip raisins in egg and add for eyes (often will not stay!) or push in whole cloves. Snip with scissors to define ears and legs if desired. Bake at 350 until done.

Dough can be shaped in other ways and various dried fruits and nuts added to make vanočka and other seasonal breads.

Annenka Babovka (Poppyseed Ring)

  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp white sugar

In a glass mixing cup nuke milk in 15 second bursts until warm. Add yeast and sugar, stir until mixed, then pour into breadmaker bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup white sugar

Again, zap in the nuker, this time in 1 minute increments until the butter is melted. Stir well, then add to breadmaker bowl.

  • 2 eggs, messed up (don’t need to beat, just get ‘em mixed…)

Add to breadmaker bowl, then one at a time add the next set of ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch ground mace (two hard shakes from tin)
  • 1 pinch ground ginger (1 hard shake from spice jar)
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  1. Set breadmaker to dough cycle and let ‘er rip. Check after the first “rumpus” to make sure the flour is incorporated into the dough, and after the 2nd to make sure the dough isn’t too wet. (You can add up to 2 tablespoons of flour if it is.)
  2. When the dough cycle is finished, cover the bowl and put in the fridge to cool, or if you need to do another batch, place dough in a large lightly buttered bowl and cover. Allow to thoroughly cool, at least 2 hours.

To form the cakes:

  • 42 ounces (?) poppyseed filling, tvarog, apricot filling, etc. (1 can filling makes 3)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  1. Butter and flour your mini-bundt pans.
  2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in 6.
  3. Roll out on floured board like a jellyroll, large and oblong, about 6 x 12 inches.
  4. Spread filling over each piece of dough, then roll up each piece (along the long side) and pinch the ends together (the short ends) to form a circle.
  5. Press rings down to flatten.
  6. Brush or drizzle melted butter on top of the rings, cover and let rise in a warm place for l l/2 hours, or until doubled in size. (Mine only rose 1/3… in 4 hours…)
  7. Then preheat oven to 350F.
  8. Pour a thin line of honey on the top of the ring, then pour more butter over. Add crushed nuts, if you wish.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees F for an hour or until the top is starting to get *really* brown. Check at 50 minutes.
  10. Run a knife around both outside and around the center column and tip out onto a plate. Sides should be a gold/orange color, obviously cooked.
  11. Let cool and store air-tight.

Note: You can purchase poppyseed filling and apricot filling. 2 cups of fluffed up Tvarog should be mixed with 1/2 cups of brown sugar (or if your cheese is dry, ½ cup honey) and a handful of golden raisins with whatever spices you prefer (I used lots of nutmeg and a little cardamom, plus candied ginger). Other traditional fillings are mak (poppyseed), cherry (sour pie cherry) and tvarog mixed with dried cherries that have been plumped in rum or brandy.

Fillings for Kolacki a Babovki

Povidla – Prune filling – Need 3 batches – 1st 1/5, 2nd by 1/15, 3rd by 2/5

  • 1 pound of pitted prunes
  • Water
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp mace

Method

  1. Put prunes in crockpot.
  2. Cover with water (don’t float them, just cover)
  3. Turn onto low and cook 4 hours.
  4. Add spices and butter and stir well.
  5. Check for doneness. Prunes are done when they mash with a fork when set on a plate. If not done, cook another hour and try again. Repeat until soft.

Note – This same method works for sour cherry filling and apricot filling (which is OoP as far as I can tell.)

Tvarog filling – Cheese filling – Mix well

  • 1 batch tvarog (elsewhere in book)
  • 1/2 cup light honey
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • Pinch mace
  • 1 tsp nutmeg

Mix well and let stand overnight, but no longer than 48 hours (with no salt it can sour on you)

Mak – Poppyseed filling

  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 ½ cups poppyseed
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Grind poppyseed and re-measure to be sure you have enough.
  • Give the butter a chance to melt and the milk to warm, then add the rest except for the vanilla and cook until it thickens up.

Add vanilla, stir well and put by to cool.

Cherry Filling for Babovka and Kolacky

  • 5 cans sour pie cherries, drained (reserve juice for cherry tea)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp tapioca
  • 1 stick butter
  • Microwave, 2 minutes on high. Stir.
  • Microwave, 2 minutes on high. Stir, let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Repeat 2, until tapioca and sugar are melted. (usually 2-3 repeats)
  • Fridge at least overnight.

Makes 2 24 oz boxes of filling, plus some extra.

Page Created 3/4/21 and published 3/6/21 (C)M. Bartlett
Article (C)2011 M. Bartlett
Last update 3/6/21