Apple Butter Bread

This is a super short post to share a great bread machine recipe with you all. I couldn't snag very many decent pics because it is very overcast and the natural light available is pretty much NIL. Yes, I have artificial lighting but I had no desire to haul it out today and set it up.

I had some apple butter left over from a recent recipe and wanted to test it out in a yeast bread. What a great baking ingredient . Turned out beautifully. What I love most about the recipe is the fact that it is all made in the breadmaker. No kneading for me and as my arthritis is flaring lately that is a good thing !

The loaf rose up perfectly and has a superb sweet taste. This is amazing toasted and slathered with , you guessed it, some more apple butter . I would also think this would be incredible as sandwich bread with roasted pork. Can you imagine that ?! I can.

An easy and delicious recipe that puts to good use the sweet flavors of apple butter

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

1 cup water at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup apple butter
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast

MAKE IT

ADD the following ingredients, in the order above, to your bread machine
SET breadmaker to 1.5 lb regular white bread loaf setting

YUM !

Also seen here:

Sticky Chocolate Cinnamon Buns

Glorious chocolate cinnamon buns! The secret to these decadent treats is the addition of chocolate chips and a layer of caramel sauce lurking underneath as they bake. During the baking process, some of the chocolate chips melt into the caramel sauce. When you flip the buns over after baking you have an incredible chocolate cinnamon bun glazed in a rich and creamy chocolate, caramel sauce.

I started out with my basic sticky bun dough recipe which is made in the bread machine. The cinnamon bun filling ingredients stay the same too but with the addition of 1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The biggest change though is the caramel sauce. Made easily in a saucepan and then poured into the baking pan, it serves as the sticky topping to these sweet and delicious buns. For a special dessert treat, top them with whipped cream and a cherry or shaved chocolate. Beyond good!





LET'S GET STARTED

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

A bread maker with a dough setting
9X13" baking dish

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

1 large egg at room temperature
1 1/4 cups warm water (80F or 27C)
3 1/2 teaspoons oil (plain vegetable oil works best. I used Becel)
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups white bread flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (I use the type marked for bread maker use)

THE FILLING

1/2 cup unsalted melted butter
1/4 cup fine white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

CARAMEL SAUCE

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoons cream or milk

MAKE IT

GREASE baking dish (I melt 2 tablespoons of butter for this and brush it all over the inside of the dish)

IN YOUR BREAD MAKER, ADD all dough ingredients in the exact order as listed above.
SELECT Dough course and press Start

WHILE DOUGH IS RISING, combine all caramel sauce ingredients in a small saucepan
BRING TO A BOIL over medium heat and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring continously
POUR INTO prepared baking pan and ensure it covers all areas of the bottom of the pan

ONCE the dough course is complete, liberally sprinkle a work surface with flour
PLACE dough on work surface and roll out to a large rectangle (12" x 16")

Filling Ingredients: BRUSH melted butter on dough leaving 1/2 " edge on all sides
COMBINE sugars and cinnamon together in a bowl, sprinkle all over buttered area
TOP with chocolate chips
STARTING with longest side, ROLL up dough tightly to form a log
WITH SHARP KNIFE, cut rolls in 1 1/2" slices
PLACE rolls in baking dish over caramel sauce
COVER with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm area for 30 minutes
PREHEAT oven to 350F
REMOVE towel and BAKE in oven for 25 minutes.

ALLOW buns to rest in baking dish at room temperature on cooling rack for 5 minutes
INVERT buns onto a plate

DIG IN !

Also seen here:

Raisin Bran Loaf

The next best thing to a raisin bran muffin. This bread is made in your bread maker and filled to the brim with goodness: all-bran cereal, wheat bran and whole wheat flour. Molasses adds richness, color and that taste that brings anything labeled "raisin bran" truly alive.

This bread is super quick to put together even though it has a tad longer ingredient list than usual. Within a few hours you will have a lovely loaf to enjoy. This one is great toasted but also would be fantastic as a basis for your next french toast breakfast.

If you don't have wheat bran handy simply swap it out with oat bran. I tend to have oat bran on standby all the time as it is one of my favorite hot cereals. I used dark raisins in this recipe but you could also use golden raisins or any other small dried fruit and exchange it in the recipe at a 1:1 ratio.

So let's get BAKING!

I use this brand of cereal.

It is excellent in this recipe.


A fresh and golden loaf

RECIPE:
*source recipe: 250 Best Canadian Bread Machine Baking Recipes
Makes 1.5 lb loaf


WHAT YOU NEED

1 1/4 cups water at room temperature
1/4 cup skim milk powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon of molasses (not blackstrap)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (neutral flavor only)
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups white bread flour
1/2 cup bran cereal
1/4 cup wheat bran
3/4 cup raisins
1 1/4 teaspoon bread machine yeast

MAKE IT

ADD all ingredients into your bread maker pan in the order above except raisins
ADD raisins to dispenser container on your bread machine. If you don't have a dispenser then go ahead and add the raisins with the rest of the ingredients
SELECT WHOLE WHEAT cycle
SELECT EXTRAS if you have an extras dispenser for the raisins
SELECT 1.5 lb loaf and MEDIUM crust setting
PRESS START and let the bread maker do all the work

ENJOY !

Maple Ice Cream with Sweet Pastry

What greater way to celebrate Canada Day than by indulging in two of Canada's most prized possessions - Maple Syrup and what some refer to as BeaverTails! I absolutely ADORE both of these sweet heavenly treats. I figure why not put the two together for a true "fireworks" dessert.

For trademark purposes, let me clarify:  the pastry recipe found here is based on one in the book: 250 Best Canadian Bread Machine: Baking Recipes and does NOT reflect the official trademarked recipe for BeaverTails.  To be safe, from this point forward I will refer to the used recipe here as one for "Sweet Pastry".

If memory serves me correctly, I had my first real BeaverTail in the mid 90s while skating along the canal in my home town of Ottawa, Canada. Actually I was born near Ottawa in the province of Quebec. As I cannot speak a word of French I figure labeling Ottawa as my hometown just simplifies things and saves me explaining yet again why I, a "Quebecer", cannot speak the language. But I can speak the language of love and what comes to my lips when I think of love is a golden, fried and sweet beaver tail topped generously with cinnamon sugar. Pair that with a hot chocolate in the middle of February and I am yours ! Pair it with maple ice cream in the summer and hey, I can be anything you want me to be, baby.

Anyway, back to BeaverTails. In case you are not aware, Ottawa is home to the worlds largest skating rink known as the Rideau Canal. For me, the best part of the winter season isn't exactly the canal itself but rather the little food kiosks they open up along its frozen edges. Once I don my skates, I immediately head for the BeaverTails Hut. In fact, that is the only reason I will ever drag my butt down to the canal in the freezing cold with my feet jammed into a pair of ice cube skates. Such is my love of the BeaverTail.

These indulgences shouldn't end when the snow melts. We shouldn't sit back and pine away for the cold tundra to arrive again before we can sink our teeth into our favorite pastry treat. Let's enjoy such sweet pastries all year long!

During a hot, sweltering summer day nothing beats the taste of a fresh sweet pastry topped with cool and creamy maple syrup ice cream. Close your eyes and try to imagine it. Bet you can't. You have to taste it! In this case your imagination simply isn't going to do it justice. To taste it means to make it so let's get started.

Ok but wait, before we dive in I need to moan about the ice cream too. OMG! It is sooooo creamy and rich. The maple syrup gives it an incredibly sweet , almost caramely (ok not a word but so suiting) flavor. Super on its own or even with added pecans but beautifully highlighted atop a beaver tail. I am not sure if I will ever be able to go back to eating ice cream from a cone ever again.

To get started, give yourself 2 days of time from start to finish. You will want to prepare the ice cream custard the day before and let it rest in the fridge overnight. Bright and early the next day spoon it into your ice cream maker and freeze accordingly to manufacturer's instructions. Later that day it is time to fire up the bread maker. We will use it to make your sweet pastry dough. Have a candy/oil thermometer handy too because you will need to keep your oil for deep frying hovering around 350F for perfectly golden fried dough. So are you ready? Great, let's go !





RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

ICE CREAM
*adjusted source recipe: Maple Pecan Ice Cream, Joy of Baking

3/4 cup pure maple syrup. I use President's Choice 100% Maple Syrup but any good grade one will do
2 cups half-and-half cream
5 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons fine granulated sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream (35-40% butterfat )

SWEET PASTRY
*adjust source recipe: 250 Best Canadian Bread Machine: Baking Recipes

1 cup of milk at room temperature
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
3 1/4 cups bread flour
3/4 teaspoon bread machine yeast

SWEET PASTRY TOPPING

1/2 cup fine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon (Saigon variety is great for extra kick!)
Combine both in a bowl and have a spoon handy for sprinkling

MAKE IT

ICE CREAM

IN SMALL SAUCEPAN, over med/high heat, combine maple syrup and half-and-half
STIR continuously until near scalding (mixture will begin to foam)
REMOVE from heat
IN LARGE STEEL BOWL, with electric hand mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar 2 minutes high speed
SLOWLY pour hot syrup mixture into egg yolks adding only a little bit at a time and whisking after each addition
PLACE bowl over a large saucepan filled partially with simmering hot water. Do not let the bowl touch the water
WHISK custard continuously until thickened and coats the back of the spoon. This can take approx. 15 minutes or longer. Do not let it get so hot it starts to boil
REMOVE from heat, stir in heavy cream and cover with cling film.
LET STAND at room temperature for 1 hour
PLACE in fridge, still covered, and let sit overnight
NEXT DAY, scoop custard into ice cream maker and freezing accordingly to manufacturer's instructions.

SWEET PASTRY

ADD all ingredients in the order above to your bread maker's bread pan
SET to dough cycle, press START , sit back and relax
WHEN cycle ends, place dough onto lightly floured surface and cover with a bowl for 15 minutes
IN LARGE DUTCH OVEN, heat 2"-3" of canola oil to 350F
LINE two cookie sheets with paper towel and set aside
UNCOVER dough and separate into 10 pieces
WITH YOUR FINGERS, stretch the dough into 8"x 6" ovals
PLACE one oval into hot oil and submerse with steel tongs
FLIP after 45 seconds and hold down again for 30 seconds
REMOVE with tongs and place on paper towel lined baking sheets
IMMEDIATELY sprinkled generously with cinnamon sugar mixture
REPEAT until you have made 10 beaver tails

TOP THE SWEET PASTRIES
with scoops of maple ice cream, grab a napkin, a spoon and DIG IN !

Also seen here:

Cloverleaf Rolls

These lovely rolls were served at our recent family Father's Day dinner. Though I slaved over Chicken Marsala, roasted vegetables and light and fluffy mashed potatoes, it was these little rolls that stole the show !

The best part: no manual kneading required. The dough is made in the bread maker! All you need to do is divide it after it has risen and form into balls. The balls are then placed, 3 at a time, into muffin cups, then let to rise again for 45 minutes before popping into the oven.

These sweet and fluffy pull-apart rolls are perfect to serve with any meal and taste incredible topped with fresh creamy butter. If you have not eaten a cloverleaf roll before then you have no idea what you are missing!

SO LET'S BEGIN !

Here they are perfectly risen
and ready for baking

Brush with melted butter right after
taking the baked rolls out of the oven

RECIPE:
*source recipe: 250 Best Canadian Bread Machine Baking Recipes

WHAT YOU NEED

Your beloved bread maker !
1 1/3 cups of milk at room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
3 1/4 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoon bread machine yeast
butter for glazing

MAKE IT

COMBINE all ingredients into the pan of your bread maker
WHEN ADDING THE BUTTER, break apart into small pieces with your fingers
SELECT Dough Cycle
PRESS Start
WHEN cycles has finished, remove dough onto a lightly floured work surface
COVER with large bowl
LET REST 10-15 minutes
SPRAY muffin tin (one that makes 12 regular sized muffins) with baking spray
ON FLOURED WORK SURFACE, divide dough into 12 equal portions
ROLL each portion into 3 same-sized balls
PLACE in muffin cups
COVER with cloth and let rise 45 minutes
PREHEAT oven to 375F
BAKE 15-20 minutes until rolls sound hollow when tapped
MELT 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter and brush across warm rolls
REMOVE rolls from tin and serve.

ENJOY!

Also seen here: