EGGNOG CINNAMON ROLLS

                                           
                                                                             

One of the reasons we partner with Red Star Yeast is because they have great recipes. This recipe for Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls is on their website, and has been modified to show how we used our EZ DOH mixer to do nearly everything in our EZ DOH container.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE DOUGH:

2 cups eggnog
6 TBSP granulated sugar
2 TSP salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 egg slightly beaten
1 package (2 1/4 TSP, 1/4 oz, 7 grams) Red Star Active Dry Yeast
1/4 TSP ground nutmeg
6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

FOR THE FILLING:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 TSP ground cinnamon

FOR THE ICING:

6 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP Bourbon (we substituted rum extract)
1 TBSP eggnog

INSTRUCTIONS:

FOR THE DOUGH:

Place eggnog in a saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a boil.

Combine the sugar, the salt, and the butter in your EZ DOH container, then pour the hot eggnog over it and let it cool to 110-115 degrees F.

Add egg and yeast to the cooled mixture, and mix well with wooden spoon or dough whisk.

Add the nutmeg and flour, and hand-crank the dough thoroughly for at least 4 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Remove the dough from the container and lightly grease the EZ DOH container to minimize sticking, then shape the dough into a ball and place back in the container. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise until it doubles in size (will take at least an hour).

Grease and set aside a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Punch the dough down, place on a well-floured surface, and roll it out into a 10 x 14 inch rectangle. Brush with the melted butter (filling ingredient).

Combine the other filling ingredients (sugar and cinnamon) in a small bowl, and then sprinkle the mixture over the buttered dough.

Starting at either of the long sides of your rectangle, roll the dough up, then when it's all rolled up pinch the seam to seal.

Using a serrated knife (we used a sewing thread), cut the dough into 2 inch thick slices, and place them (so you can see the swirls staring up) in the greased pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rise one more time (until doubled in size), which should take an hour.

                                                                       

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  NOTE: While the rolls are baking is a good time to prepare the icing (see below).

After the rolls have risen the second time, bake until golden brown (about 25 minutes). Let cool for 5 minutes. Spread the icing on the rolls and enjoy while still warm.

FOR THE ICING:

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. If too thin add more powdered sugar, and if too thick then add more eggnog.

NOTE: Original recipe created by Sweet Recipes.

                                                                       

EGGNOG CINNAMON ROLLS

Making sandwich rolls from scratch in one hour is child's play!

                                                                       

Young and inexperienced bakers can follow this quick and fun recipe to make great sandwich rolls from scratch for your leftover turkey on Thanksgiving (or any time you need rolls for hamburgers or dinner or snacking). Our EZ DOH mixer makes the job neater and faster, both from a preparation and cleaning standpoint. The ingredients needed to make 8-12 sandwich rolls are pretty basic:

DOUGH INGREDIENTS:

3 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose unbleached flour
1 and 1/8 cup of warm water
2 packages of rapid rise yeast
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of sugar (less also works fine)
1 TSP salt
1 egg lightly beaten

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

1 egg yolk beaten with 2 TBSP of milk for an egg wash
1 TSP salt
1/2 TSP pepper
1 TSP sesame seeds
1 TSP poppy seeds
**NOTE: The seeds are optional, use these or whatever type you like (or no seeds at all).

DIRECTIONS:

Pour the warm water and yeast into the EZ DOH container and stir to dissolve the yeast. Let that rest one minute, then add in one cup of the flour, followed by the rest of the dough ingredients (including the remaining 2 and 1/2 cups of flour). Then use the EZ DOH hand mixing attachment to combine and mix the ingredients for 2 or 3 minutes (by then your dough should be slightly sticky and all ingredients mixed thoroughly). See our website video if you need any help.

Now, lightly flour a clean and dry flat surface (counter top is fine) and remove the dough from the container and place it on the floured surface. Turn and gently knead the dough several times in order to smooth it and form a uniform shape. If you lightly flour your hands it will keep the dough from sticking. Divide the dough evenly to make 8 large rolls (or make 12 medium sized rolls), and then hand roll these (again, flour your hands to prevent sticking) into a round shape and place them on a greased baking pan. Cover gently with a clean tea towel and let the dough rise for 10 minutes. Now, pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

While the oven is warming, separate the yolk from the egg white and mix the yolk with the 2 TBSP of milk to form your egg wash. After the dough has risen for 10 (or more) minutes, remove the towel and gently brush the egg wash on top of each roll (the egg wash helps the rolls brown evenly and allow your salt, pepper, and seeds to stay in place). Sprinkle each roll by hand with the salt, pepper, and seeds. Then place the cooking sheet in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
If you have a cooking thermometer, the rolls are done when the temperature inside the rolls reaches 190 degrees.

Remove the rolls from the pan (if they are sticking to the cooking pan, use a spatula to loosen them) and place them on a cooling rack so they can cool down enough to eat.

This recipe works due to the ingredients (including the extra yeast). They won't be as chewy as rolls that have gone through a more intensive process, but they will taste great and the faster process allows young people to quickly see and taste the results of their efforts.

Making sandwich rolls from scratch in one hour is child's play!

Cherry Buns

There are a number of recipes for 'sweet cherry' buns (using a yeast dough that yields a light and fluffy texture). This bun is based upon Eastern European recipes that featured either fruit or sweet cheese that were placed on top of the dough before baking. This particular recipe uses Bing cherries which are readily available at this time of year, but any type of sweet cherry will work.

Dough Ingredients:

1 cup warm whole milk (no warmer than 105 degrees)
3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (divided)
1/2 TBSP active dry yeast
4 TBSP granulated sugar (divided)
1 egg (room temperature)
1 TBSP melted butter
3/4 TSP salt
1 egg (for egg wash just prior to baking.....whisk with 1 TBSP water)

Filling Ingredients:

1 pound of pitted Bing cherries (weight after they are pitted)
1/4 cup of granulated sugar

Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 TBSP granulated sugar
4 TBSP of cold, diced butter

**If you want a sweeter topping, substitute any simple icing recipe (powdered sugar and water)


Baking Steps:

Using your EZ DOH mixer makes the job (and the clean-up) easier. Pour the warm milk into your EZ DOH container, add the yeast, mix it lightly with the milk, and let it sit for 6 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of the flour and 2 TBSP of the sugar and mix/knead thoroughly (it should only take 1-2 minutes) in your EZ DOH mixer.
Remove the mixing attachment and allow to rise for 35 minutes at room temperature (or place in a 100 degree oven for 20 minutes).

Add in the egg, 2 TBSP of the sugar, the melted butter and the salt, along with one cup of the flour. Re-attach your dough hook assembly and mix thoroughly (again, about 1-2 minutes). Then keep adding the rest of the flour (you may not need all of it) and mixing thoroughly. STOP adding flour when the dough is thoroughly mixed and does not stick to the inside wall of your EZ DOH container.
Now, to get the right texture in your buns, continue to slowly turn the hand-crank for another 10-15 minutes. This extra work will help produce a lighter texture.

Cover your EZ DOH with cloth or plastic and let rise in a 100 degree oven for 1 hour. The dough should double or even triple in size. While it's rising, you should remove the pits and stems from the cherries.

Empty the dough from the container onto a floured surface and divide the dough into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.

Butter or coat 2 cooking pans (8" round or 9" x 13"), and evenly space 8 dough rolls in each pan. Make a depression in the middle of each piece by pressing down (with clean fingers or a small drinking glass), and then place your cherries in each depression. Use your remaining sugar to coat the cherries (about 1/2 TSP per dough ball). Then let everything rise one last time for 20 minutes in a 100 degree (do not need to cover). They won't rise much but will become puffy.

While they're rising, make your topping (or make icing). Place 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour in a medium mixing bowl, along with 1 TBSP of sugar and the butter, and mix (you can use a pastry cutter or your hands) until you get small crumbs to form.

Prepare your egg wash (mixing the 2nd egg with 1 TBSP of water).

Remove the pans from the oven, and then pre-heat the oven for 360 degrees. Brush all of the bun dough with your egg wash, and then sprinkle the tops with your topping crumbs (if you use icing, you won't apply that until after everything has baked). Then bake both pans at 360 degrees for 20-22 minutes, which is when your tops should become golden brown. You can use a thermometer to check that the buns are done (190 degrees internal temperature). You do not have to remove them from the pans, and can cut and serve them directly from the pans. Enjoy them plain or eat with butter.

Note: While I adapted this recipe from our local newspaper, during my research of similar recipes I found an excellent one at www.natashaskitchen.com and was so impressed by that website that I wanted to mention it here because I learned a lot from it.

Cherry Buns

Quick and Easy Hamburger/Hot Dog Buns

Here's an easy way to make your own buns quickly - and you can easily customize these buns to make them even better - for your summer hamburgers (or any other sandwich).

Here's the basic recipe, along with some easy options.

Ingredients:

Two (2) packets of quick-rise yeast (The extra yeast allows you to "speed up" the process.)
1 and 1/8 cups of warm water
1/3 cup olive oil
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 tsp salt
1/8 cup of sugar
3 and 1/2 cups of flour

Optional Topping:

Egg wash: 1 egg mixed with one TBSP of water
Seeds: sesame or any seeds you like. The egg wash will help the seeds adhere to the buns.

Pour the water and the yeast into your EZ DOH container. Mix to dissolve the yeast. Let it rest for one minute. Add 1 cup of flour and use the hand crank for 20 seconds to do an initial mixing, then add in all of the remaining ingredients and start mixing/kneading by turning the hand crank. The dough will want to stick to the dough hook, so take your time and reverse the turn direction as needed, and mix/knead everything for about 4 minutes.

Empty the dough from the container onto a lightly floured surface, and knead the dough by hand a few times to prepare it for cutting into pieces. Divide the dough as you like (this recipe makes anywhere from 8-12 hamburger rolls depending on size). We divided our dough into 10 pieces that each weighed about 3 1/4 ounces. Weighing each piece enables you to keep the sizes uniform so each bun is fully cooked in the same amount of time.

Roll each piece of dough into your desired shape (flour on your hands will keep the dough from sticking) and then place each piece on a greased baking sheet, or use parchment paper. Cover the buns with a clean tea towel for 15 minutes to allow them to rise. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

After the buns have risen for 15 minutes, brush the top of each roll with the egg wash (see below for more egg wash information), and then add any seed toppings that you like. Then place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes. When they are golden brown (they are "officially" done when they reach an internal temperature of 190 degrees), remove from oven and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes.

Egg Wash:

Using an egg wash will not only help seeds stick to the top of the bun, but the different egg wash ingredients below will yield these different results:

• One whole egg with 1 TBSP milk will enhance the color and shine of each top.
• One whole egg with 1 TBSP water will not only increase the color and shine, but will soften the top.
• One egg white (no yolk) with 1 TBSP water will produce a firmer crust and extra shine.

Please feel free to contact us at info@ezdoh.com with your questions or comments.

Quick and Easy Hamburger/Hot Dog Buns

Resurrection Rolls for Easter

                                                                 

   

They look like regular rolls, but when you open up the roll you'll find a surprise - the "tomb" is empty! As you form the rolls, you put a symbolic marshmallow in the "tomb" of dough. The marshmallow melts during the baking so that when you open the "tomb" after the rolls have cooled, you see an empty space where the marshmallow was placed.

Resurrection Rolls are a great family recipe and are another good opportunity to involve your kids in the process while teaching them a lesson about the true meaning of Easter.

Lots of Resurrection Roll recipes you'll find on the Internet use pre-packaged dough, but making real dough is easy (not to mention healthier and tastier) with the EZ DOH,  and allows for more learning and interaction.

All of the Resurrection Roll recipes produce a sweet roll - that's what you get when you feature a marshmallow and cinnamon in the recipe! 

Ingredients

For the dough:

This recipe makes 16 rolls. If that's too much for you, just cut the recipe in half.

1 cup of warm water

1 package of instant yeast

3 1/4 cups of flour

2 TBSP of melted butter

1/8 cup of sugar

1 TSP salt

1 large egg

For the filling:

1 marshmallow for each roll

3 TBSP melted butter

1 TSP cinnamon

3 TSP sugar

Directions

Combine the water and yeast in the EZ DOH container and stir to dissolve the yeast. Let sit for at least 1 minute. Add in all the other dough ingredients and hand crank the mixture for about 3 minutes to produce a smooth dough. Scrape the sides of the container as necessary while mixing the ingredients to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.

Empty the dough onto a lightly floured surface and either spray some cooking oil into the EZ DOH container or use olive oil to coat the inside of the container to keep the dough from sticking it rises. Place the dough back into the container, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm area until it doubles in size (usually takes 2-3 hours).

After the dough has risen, remove the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 16 equal size pieces. Weighing is the most precise way to do this, and will help all rolls cook evenly.

Then roll/flatten each piece to get it ready for the "centerpiece marshmallow." Roll each marshmallow in the melted butter, then in the sugar/cinnamon mix to coat it.

Now, you must "seal the tomb" - wrap the dough around each marshmallow and pinch the dough together tightly to avoid leaks during the baking process. If you have trouble doing this, your marshmallows may be too large, so you can cut them down to size as needed.

After each roll is prepared, place them on a sheet of parchment paper on top of a cooking tray with raised edges (to catch/contain any leaks). Then cover lightly with plastic wrap and place the tray in the refrigerator so they can rise overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator and allow everything to warm up to room temperature, then bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Remove from oven and place the rolls on a cooling rack. When they have cooled enough to handle them, you can open them to witness the empty space inside and enjoy your sweet Resurrection Rolls.

Happy Easter!                                                

                                                                 

Resurrection Rolls for Easter

Hot Cross Buns for Easter

                                                                     

These buns are a traditional Easter favorite, but they are so easy to make and so delicious that they are a welcome treat at any time. This recipe will make 12 buns.

Ingredients

Dough:

1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup milk (room temperature)
1 packet Red Star Yeast (this is 7 grams or 1/4 ounce)
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 Tbsp softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 Tsp salt
2 eggs
1 Tsp cinnamon (or less if you don't care for cinnamon)
3/4 cup currants (or use raisins)

Wash:

1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp water

Icing:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Tbsp milk

Directions

Combine water and yeast in container and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute.

Add milk and mix for 10 seconds. Add in one cup of flour and mix, then add the other 2 cups of flour along with all the other dough ingredients, and mix for about 3 minutes or until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth and soft.

Remove the dough from the container and place on a lightly floured surface. Either spray the inside of the container with cooking spray, or rub with olive oil to prevent sticking, then smooth your dough and put it in the container to rise. Cover the container and place in a warm spot until it doubles in size.

After the dough has risen, punch it down, remove it from the container and let it rest for 10 minutes. Shape into 12 balls and place into a greased cooking pan (we used an 8 inch by 12 inch pan). If you weigh each ball to keep them the same size, they'll cook more evenly. Cover the pan and let the balls rise again.

Mix the egg yolk and water, and then brush onto the tops of each bun. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Once the internal temperature of the buns is 190 degrees, they are done. Remove them from the pan and allow them to cool on a baking rack. Mix the icing ingredients and place in a small sandwich bag with a hole cut into a corner so it works as a decorating bag. When the buns have cooled, use your icing bag to form crosses on each bun. These buns have a great texture due to the milk, butter and eggs in the recipe.

                                                                       

Hot Cross Buns for Easter

Crusty Loaf with Only 4 Ingredients

Only four ingredients make this crusty bread with a 'springy' interior.

It's amazing how this recipe and process can make such good bread, but it does. We doubled the recipe and froze one loaf for later. The double batch was quick and easy in our EZ DOH mixer because we used our new, stronger stainless steel dough hook which is now available for purchase on our website.

Ingredients (for one 1.5 pound loaf):

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 5/8 cup of water (yes, this is a very loose dough)
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (don't worry, it will rise enough)
1 3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place the flour, salt and yeast into the EZ DOH container and use the dough hook to combine. Add the water and mix for 3-4 minutes in the EZ DOH to create a wet, sticky dough mixture. As necessary during the mixing, use a plastic scraper to incorporate any flour that sticks to the inner walls of the container. Then, remove the mixing unit, cover the container with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise right in the EZ DOH container at room temperature for 12-18 hours. When it's ready, the dough will have bubbles on its top surface.

Now things begin to get messy! Empty the container onto a floured surface and sprinkle more flour on the dough, then use a spatula or large scraper to turn the dough over onto itself a few times, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow this dough to rest for 15 minutes.

Uncover the dough, add more flour and, working quickly, gather the dough, shaping it into a loose ball. Place it on a sheet of parchment paper that has been generously coated with cornmeal. Dust it again with more flour, and lightly cover with a smooth towel that has been coated with flour and let the dough rise for 2 hours.

Preheat a cast iron pot (dutch oven) in the oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes (ours is 8 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep). Remove the towel from the dough, slide your hand under the parchment paper, and turn over the dough to put it into the preheated pot. Don't worry if you can't turn the dough over because it's too loose. It will turn out fine as long as one way or another you get this dough into the hot pot - but don't burn yourself!

Bake at 450 degrees with the cover on the pot for 30 minutes, then remove the pot cover and allow it to bake for about 15-20 minutes more. When it's browned on top it is done (or pop a thermometer into the loaf - it's done when the inside is 190 degrees). Set the pot to cool on a rack for 10 minutes.

Then, just turn the pot onto its side, and with a little help your finished loaf should release and pop out.

We've made this bread several times now but we are still surprised at how such a loose dough, with just a little yeast and no kneading, can "rise to the occasion" and produce a hefty crust with soft and chewy interior and great texture.

Crusty Loaf with Only 4 Ingredients