AN APPETIZING Breadbasket - Recipe

Ebony, Oct, 2000 by Charlotte Lyons

Everyone can appreciate the goodness of homemade breads, rolls and biscuits. There are very few things that can compare to the aroma of bread baking in the

oven and the anticipation of biting into it. Whether it is fancy bread or just a plain biscuit, making it yourself is rewarding.

On these pages, there is a collection of sensational bread recipes awaiting your discovery. Try them. Your family and friends will love you for it.

Honey Whole-Wheat Bread

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115
  degrees)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon salt
1 3/4 cups warm water
3 cups whole-wheat flour
3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
  Butter or margarine

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in large mixing bowl. Stir in honey, shortening, salt, 1 3/4 cups warm water and the whole-wheat flour. Beat until smooth. Mix enough all-purpose flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased-side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.) Punch down dough; divide into halves. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into rectangle, 18x9 inches. Fold crosswise into thirds, overlapping the two sides. Roll up tightly, beginning at one of the open ends. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge firmly to seal. Press each end with side of hand to seal; fold ends under loaf. Place loaves seam-sides down in two greased baking pans, 9x5x3 or 8 1/4x4 1/4x2 1/2 inches. Brush with butter; sprinkle with whole-wheat flour or crushed oats if desired. Let rise until double, about 1 hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.

Yields 2 loaves

Orange. Cranberry Muffins

1 cup chopped fresh or frozen
  cranberries
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup orange juice
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cranberries, orange rind and 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl; set aside. Stir together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in orange juice and egg just until moistened. Gently stir in cranberry mixture. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined, 12-cup muffin pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for five minutes; remove from pan. Dip top of each muffin into 1/4 cup melted butter, then 1/4 cup sugar. Serve warm.

Yields 1 dozen muffins

Sweet Potato Bread

2/3 cup shortening
2 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 16-ounce can sweet potatoes
  or yams, drained
2/3 cup milk
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy in large mixer bowl. Stir in eggs, sweet potatoes and milk. Blend in flour, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange rind. Stir in pecans. Pour into pans. Bake 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Yields 2 loaves

Cheese Biscuits

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shredded cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut shortening, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt with pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in cheese and buttermilk until dough leaves side of bowl (dough will be soft and sticky). Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 times. Roll or pat 1/2-inch thick. Cut with floured, 2 1/2-inch round cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Yields about 1 dozen biscuits

Brioche

1 package regular or quick-acting
  active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115
  degrees)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
1 egg white
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Dissolve yeast in warm water in 4-quart bowl. Add sugar, salt, five eggs, the egg white, butter and two cups of the flour (do not use self-rising flour). Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed for 10 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Scrape dough from the side of the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour. Stir down dough by beating 25 strokes. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours. Grease two 4-cup brioche pans or two 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowls. Stir down dough. (Dough will be very soft and slightly sticky.) Divide dough into halves; refrigerate one half. Shape 1/4 of the remaining dough into a cone shape with lightly floured hands. Shape remaining dough into flattened round, about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Place flattened round in pan, patting to fit. Make indentation, about 2 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches deep, in center of dough; place cone-shaped dough, pointed-side down, in indentation. Repeat with refrigerated dough. Cover and let rise in warm lace until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water slightly and brush over top of dough. (Do not allow egg yolk mixture to accumulate around edges of pans.) Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove immediately.