Bubble Loaf!

I've been wanting cinnamon rolls, but not the work it takes to make them. Bubble loaf is the closest approximation. Most people know this cinnamon-sugar sweet bread as Monkey Bread, but here in the Tatertot household, that term is verboten. Luke has a preternatural hatred of all things simian passed down through generations of his family.

This is not good for you. If you become an addict, I am not to blame, for you took it upon yourself to make and eat it.

I've made it before, but it took a lot of work, so I went with using the bread machine this time. It took about the same amount of time, but not nearly so much work.

Again, I am a cheater when it comes to bread making, but normal bread techniques apply.

Bubble Loaf
(375* 20-25 mins.
serves ?)

Dough:
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3 cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp. yeast

Delicious coating:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Place dough ingredients in bread machine and set for the dough cycle. When the cycle ends, remove the dough from the pan to a lightly floured surface and knead 10-12 times. Cut dough into 1" pieces. Combine the brown sugar and melted butter in a bowl and coat all of the individual dough pieces with it, dropping each piece into a Bundt or tube pan evenly. Preheat the oven and lightly cover the dough-filled pan with plastic wrap and rise in a warm place (I put it on top of the preheating stove) for about half an hour or until it has risen to the top of the pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 mins.

When the loaf is done, allow it to cool slightly before turning it out onto a plate and allowing people to devour it. Some people also put a confectioner's sugar glaze on it, but I think it's just fine as is.

New and Improved Sub Rolls!

I have a tendency to overcommit myself to the kitchen on weekends and when I have other things to do, I try to cram all of my projects into one day. This past Saturday, we went to Schaumberg for a giant mall/Ikea trip and I came home with some really snazzy woodland creature cookie cutters. Moose, anyone?

Anyway, with Saturday a cooking wash, I went nuts on Sunday. I made pizza sauce, cookies, rhubarb compote, raspberry jam and the bagels I mention below. By the end of the day (we even had a dinner guest for whom I made the cookies), I was pooped and may have to reevaluate just how crazy I am willing to go in the name of culinary exploration.

Back to the business at hand, I have been doing a lot more with bread lately and experimenting with what I can easily make at home and what I might want to stick with buying. So far, homemade wins almost all of the time given the right recipe and my having time. This past week alone, I have made honey whole wheat sandwich buns, bagels and now these beauties. I wasn't completely satisfied with the previous recipe I'd made since they turned out to be a bit salty. Sure, they have their applications, but I think these may be a superior all purpose roll for hot dogs, subs and, shaped differently, burgers. The recipe does require more ingredients, but nothing you can't find in a local supermarket. I found it in one of my bread machine books, this one by Beth Hensperger. We made some lovely meatball subs with them for dinner and they are a perfectly flavorful complement.

As previously stated, I am a cheater, but normal bread making rules apply.

Hamburger Buns and Hot Dog Rolls
(375* for 15-22 mins. - makes 8)

1 cup water
1 large egg
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
2 Tbsp. instant potato flakes
1 Tbsp. gluten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 tsp. yeast

Toss everything together in the bread pan and set for the dough cycle. When cycle ends, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 8 equal(ish) pieces. Shape as desired (6 in. oblongs for long rolls or tight rounds for burgers). Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet or, if you've run out of parchment, a buttered one sprinkled with cornmeal. Flatten each piece by pressing with your palm. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 mins., preheating the oven during this time and running off to play Plants vs. Zombies.

Before placing them in the oven, glaze them with 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 Tbsp. water. If desired, sprinkle glazed rolls with 1 1/2 Tbsp. sesame seeds or poppy seeds.

Bake for 15 to 22 mins., depending on size, until lightly browned. Remove baked rolls from baking sheet with a spatula and cool completely on a wire rack.

Sub Rolls

I decided last week that I was going to try making my own sub rolls. I had been pretty unhappy with the ones offered at the grocery store of late. They tend to be pale, gummy things that essentially taste like a really huge cotton ball. Usually when making bread, I just toss all my ingredients into the bread machine and let it work its magic. But, this project was going to require me to get my hands a little dirty. Granted I allowed the machine to make the dough for me, but the shaping and second rise were up to me. They turned out incredibly well. Well enough for me to make a second batch the next day and double it! They are crusty and flavorful, well worth the time it took. Better yet, it only takes 4 ingredients!

While I am a cheater, standard bread making rules will easily apply with regards to kneading, rising and punching down.

Sub Rolls
(makes 4-8" rolls)

3 cups bread flour
1 cup water
2 tsp. salt
1 T. yeast

Toss all ingredients into bread pan and set for the dough cycle. When the cycle completes, remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide evenly into 4 parts and roll into 4 8' inch oblongs. Place the oblongs about 2-3" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place the baking sheet in a draft free place for about an hour (I use my oven). 20 minutes prior to the end of the rising, remove the baking sheet and preheat the oven to 450*. When the oven comes to temperature, remove the kitchen towel and put the rolls in to bake for 5 minutes, either spritzing the oven with a spray bottle or tossing in a couple of ice cubes. After 5 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 400* and spritz/ice cube again, this time baking for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Edited to add: As it turns out, these are actually a bit salty for any application other than a cheesesteak. I have found a better, lighter roll with less salt that suffices beautifully.