Winter is my favorite time of the year. There is something enchanting about evergreens and snow, just a slight dusting will do. The fragrance of fires burning in the fireplace is wonderful. Winter is a calm season to me. The plants are asleep waiting on their spring entrance, but right now the world is quiet.
The sunsets are brilliant in the winter. My favorite is the bright peach and coral colors that are the perfect backdrop to barren trees, creating a painting-like image. Winter is the time where I stay inside and sew, quilt, or stitch on one of my samplers.
Winter is the perfect time to start a new project. I never want to stop learning and trying new things. Many of you have seen our new publication Bake from Scratch. I am totally enamored with this magazine as I love to bake.
I want to learn how to make bread from scratch. And then homemade cinnamon rolls! This magazine has given me the courage to try making dough. I don’t know why, but working with yeast has always made me feel really inadequate, but now I am ready!
My son Brian Hart Hoffman is the editor, and he bakes all these delicious breads. So I am rising (no pun intended) to the challenge of learning to bake yeast breads. That is my new project.
What is it that you have always wanted to learn but have pushed aside? Let’s do it! I will keep you posted on my progress!
Happy New Year, again. Let’s do something new!
- 2 cups (287 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (169 grams) light rye flour
- 1 cup warm whole milk (85˚)
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon (7 grams) caraway seeds
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) active dry yeast
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine all-purpose flour, rye flour, warmed milk, molasses, butter, caraway seeds, salt, and yeast until moistened. Let stand for 20 minutes to let the rye absorb some liquid and begin to relax a bit. Knead for about 8 minutes in the mixer, or 12 minutes by hand. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75˚) until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
- 2. Turn out risen dough onto a lightly floured surface, and deflate it to remove excess air. Pull the four corners of the dough into the center, and roll gently with palms to form a loaf. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan or Pullman pan with cooking spray. Place loaf in pan. Cover and proof in a warm, draft-free place (75˚) until doubled in size, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- 3. Preheat oven to 375˚. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush over risen loaf, and sprinkle with more caraway seeds, if desired. Using a sharp knife or lame, make 4 large slashes across top of loaf. Bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190˚, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Comments 19
Your rye bread recipe is just the thing I need, Phyllis. It is hard to find store-bought bread which stands up to grilling, much less, bread pudding or old fashioned milk toast. Thank you for always giving us such useful, beautiful things to think about and to do. If I can find it, I want to send you an old fashioned dinner roll recipe from Sally Johnson, the artist, whose cook, Alzadia, made them from her own enviable recipe treasury.
I’d love for the recipe to be shared with all of us. Thanks in advance.
Winter is a quiet season, and in a home with seven children quiet is a rare treasure reserved for late nights and early mornings. Thank you for the recipe. I look forward to trying it.
Baking bread is a true joy and the eating of it is not bad! Don’t let yeast intimidate you; you will love the results of your victory! Try the Sally Lund bread recipe – a personal favorite.
I love winter too. Since we are Midwesterners at heart (and we have lived in coastal California since 89) I miss the snow and evergreen you so beautifully explained.
Therefore, after taking down Christmas decorations …. The winter ones do up!! Our house is transformed into a secret winter wonderland. Snow shoes over the sitting room door, white sparkly rainseer and a wire pine “Snow” sign on the fireplace mantle in the dining room along with other snowmen and sleds spaced around the house. …… The perfect atmosphere for the “baking from scratch” you suggest.
Now don’t get me wrong…. The Pacific Ocean outside is beautiful…. And I’m not complaining…. But you have painted for me the quiet and beauty of winter. Thanks as always!!
Grandma Yaya
I think you hit a bulylese there fellas!
I feel like I’ve been entertained and edified. Who knew there could be so many terms for choking Kojak? I have to say I’ve never witnessed anyone shaking hands with the underemployed in public, but if I had I think I would have laughed. I went to tons of nude beaches when I lived in Italy and it was far less creepy there; The only time I ever got creeped out was when I ran into some American tourists…
108 – The people who don’t have the money can’t get zero down loans to buy and the people who still have money are waiting for the bottom before they jump in. I have no confidence in my ability to call a bottom. I was looking for a YOY stability in the price decline or some stability in the %foreclosure increase in Alt+A or Prime. Assuming this stability occurs within the next 2 quarters, what indicators would you leverage to determine whether that stability is simply a breather before the next leg down?
Purchased this to reinstate my damaged AC adapter for my laptop. It functions just as it should. Other than a plaque as well as a actuality which it doesn’t get as prohibited as my Dell adapter – it is uncelebrated from my bureau AC adapter. Note: Make certain we sequence a scold adapter. (I’ve review a lot of reviews from people who do not sequence a right adapter as well as afterwards protest when it doesn’t work)Rating:
Well put, sir, well put. I’ll certainly make note of that.
I am always failing at my attempts with baking with yeast. I am lucky enough to have a husband that excels at it. I too want to learn and pie crusts are also on that list.
Oh and needlepunch is my new craft to try
I can just imagine the lovely scent of that baking bread (and then eating it too)!
Also, I love your description of winter; what a lovely picture your words painted.
You’re the grtetesa! JMHO
Both boys have at least one or more silver Gorham ornaments from me as well as silver plate if sterling was not available, Not sure if they are engravable but I believe the first 2 were snowflakes. Also pewter or silverplate celtic ones from celtic attic.
Just adore it, Bev She has just the cutest, sweetest face I have ever seen. your colouring and colour co-ordination is amazing and that bling just looks like little bubbles- so apt!AliceH
Whats up very cool website!! Man .. Beautiful .. Superb .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally…I’m happy to search out a lot of useful info right here within the post, we’d like work out extra techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
That insight’s perfect for what I need. Thanks!
Love the new magazine!want to try the 1234 cake,yum!