Table of contents for Bread 2018 in Bake from Scratch

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN DRAWN TO BREAD-BAKING. It offers a unique sensory experience unlike any other baked good—from kneading the dough to inhaling its heavenly aroma filling the kitchen as it bakes to tearing off and tasting the first piece of a still-warm loaf fresh from the oven. In celebration of this ancient craft, we assembled our all-star sweet and savory bread recipes into one special issue. With over 100 pages of bread inspiration, stunning photography, and unbeatable recipes, this issue is packed with a variety of yeast breads and quick breads to revamp your breadbasket. It’s the ultimate guide for the home baker passionate about bread from scratch. With ingredient and procedure breakdowns, helpful professional tips from our test kitchen, and step-by-step visual tutorials, we walk you through every aspect…

BANANAS FOSTER MONKEY BREADS Makes 9 Everyone loves monkey bread. Everyone also loves bananas Foster, a decadent dessert created at New Orleans’ Brennan’s Restaurant in the early 1950s. We simply put two and two together. The result? This magic mess. ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter1 cup (220 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar½ cup (120 grams) heavy whipping cream, warmed2 tablespoons (30 grams) bourbon⅛ teaspoon kosher salt4 ripe bananas (493 grams), slicedBasic Pull-Apart Bread Dough (recipe below)¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar1½ teaspoons (3 grams) ground cinnamon 1. Spray 9 wells of 2 (6-cup) jumbo muffin pans with cooking spray. 2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is amber colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and…

PAIN AU LEVAIN Makes 2 loaves Made with the dependable workhorse of the kitchen, the Dutch oven, this sourdough boule is a humble but mighty loaf that will bring rustic charm to your spread. Leaven: ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (200 grams) water (60°F/15°C)1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (24 grams) sourdough culture1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon (199 grams) bread flour Dough: 3½ cups plus 1 teaspoon (800 grams) warm water (80°F/27°C), divided5¾ cups plus 2½ tablespoons (750 grams) bread flour*1¾ cups plus 3 tablespoons (252 grams) whole wheat flour*2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (21 grams) kosher salt Buckwheat flour, for dusting 1. For leaven: In a large bowl, stir together ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (200 grams) water and sourdough culture. Add flour, and stir thoroughly by hand until smooth…

STRAWBERRY CUCUMBER BREAD Makes 1 (9x5-inch) loaf Ripe strawberries and fresh cucumbers are stirred into the batter to create a bread that’s light enough for a morning snack but sweet enough to be an afternoon treat. ½ cup (160 grams) strawberry preserves1 tablespoon (8 grams) cornstarch1 tablespoon (15 grams) fresh lemon juice½ cup (113 grams) clarified butter, softened1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar2 large eggs (100 grams)1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract¼ teaspoon (1 gram) almond extract2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt2 cups (250 grams) grated and well-drained cucumber½ cup (57 grams) chopped walnuts½ cup (85 grams) sliced fresh strawberries, divided 1. In a small saucepan, cook strawberry preserves, cornstarch, and lemon juice over medium…

PANE DI PASQUA Makes 1 (12-inch) wreath or 8 individual twists Literally translated from Italian as "Easter Bread," this sweet bread with its iconic brightly colored eggs (we used blue) can be found well beyond the borders of Italy as a symbol of the Easter season. 3 cups (720 grams) boiling water½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) liquid royal blue food coloring1 tablespoon (15 grams) distilled white vinegar5 to 8 large eggs (280 to 448 grams), in shellSweet Bread Dough (recipe follows)1 teaspoon (5 grams) whole milk1 large egg (50 grams), lightly beaten 1. Place a wire rack on top of a sheet tray lined with paper towels. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups (720 grams) boiling water and food coloring. Stir in vinegar. Gently lower eggs (5 [280…

HERB AND CHEESE MONKEY BREAD Makes 1 (10-inch) loaf The term “monkey bread” was first used in Southern California in the 1940s. Most commonly known as “pull-apart bread,” it refers to a rich bread formed into separate pieces of yeast dough. This version is a savory twist on the classically sweet crowd-pleaser with four different flavors all baked into the same loaf. Your crew can pick around to eat their favorite or mix and match bites of all of them. 2 cups (480 grams) warm water (105°F/40°C to 110°F/43°C)¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar4½ teaspoons (14 grams) active dry yeast5 cups (625 grams) all-purpose flour1 tablespoon (9 grams) kosher salt1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, melted and divided½ cup (24 grams) chopped green onion¼ cup (8 grams) chopped fresh parsley3…

COCONUT BUNS Makes 12 Recipe by Ben Mims Forget cinnamon—these buns are the best breakfast treat around. Enriched with coconut milk and oil in the dough and filled with a sweetened, toasted coconut butter, this recipe is for the serious coconut lover. Make the dough and assemble buns the night before you plan to bake them for breakfast. Their flavor deepens with a long, slow rise in the refrigerator, but if you don’t have the spare hours to wait, you can let them rise at room temperature for an hour and a half. 1¼ cups (300 grams) warm unsweetened canned coconut milk (120°F/49°C to 130°F/54°C)⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar2 tablespoons (28 grams) unrefined coconut oil, melted1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt1 large egg (50 grams), lightly beaten4 cups (500…

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS Makes 10 Our recipe for pillowy Buttermilk Biscuits creates a fine-crumbed and crisp-crusted biscuit that would be a treasured addition to any dinner table, Southern or otherwise. 3½ cups (438 grams) all-purpose flour1½ cups (187 grams) cake flour¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar3½ tablespoons (52.5 grams) baking powder4 teaspoons (12 grams) kosher salt1½ cups (340 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed2 cups (480 grams) whole buttermilk, chilled2 tablespoons (28 grams) salted butter, melted 1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Gradually add cold buttermilk, stirring just until combined. 3. Turn out dough onto a heavily floured surface, and roll to 1-inch thickness. Using…

TRADITIONAL LARGE SOFT PRETZELS Makes 8 From street fairs to football games, soft, doughy pretzels are everywhere. But you don’t need a street vendor or concession stand to get your fix. With only seven ingredients and a short proof time, they’re easy to make at home. Pretzel Dough (recipe follows)¼ cup (60 grams) baking soda1 large egg (50 grams), lightly beaten3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, meltedKosher salt or desired toppings (recipes on page 76) 1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. 2. Turn out Pretzel Dough, and divide into 8 equal pieces (about 5 ounces each). Starting from the center and working outward, roll each piece into a log (2½ to 3 feet long and ¾ inch in…