Table of contents for Bread 2016 in Bake from Scratch

Bake from Scratch has completed its first trip around the sun. The excitement, love, and support from our community of home bakers has been energizing and exhilarating. Bread baking has been a major part of each issue, and your enthusiasm for these recipes has been evident in your beautiful photos posted with #thebakefeed. This collection of bread recipes includes some of our favorites, as well as 18 new recipes we can’t wait for you to bake—and I’ve got to say, it’s the best thing since sliced bread (pun intended!). From our crash course in sourdough to easy biscuits and glorious dinner rolls that will upgrade your bread basket, we hope this issue will be your go-to source for baking artisan bread at home. Happy baking! Follow us for daily baking…

Yeast. It’s the seemingly magical ingredient that takes a bowl of water, flour, and salt from simple ingredients to a fluffy ball of beautiful dough ready to be kneaded, shaped, and baked into mouthwatering bread. It gives dough the lift, flavor, and airiness that make fresh baked bread so irresistible. The tricky part? Yeast is a living organism, a fungus, that comes in multiple forms and needs proper care to produce the carbon dioxide needed to make bread rise. TYPES OF YEAST Sourdough Starter Many people overlook the sourdough starter as a form of yeast. In reality, this mixture of flour and water that is allowed to ferment naturally is the oldest known form. A live culture of yeast lives in the flour and water mixture you create, feed, and…

Cutting Biscuits: When cutting biscuits, push the cutter into the dough using a straight up-anddown motion. Twisting the cutter in the dough will cause biscuits to come out lopsided. Pat Dough Out with Your Fingertips Instead of Using a Rolling Pin: Unless making laminated dough, never use a rolling pin. Basic dough is already stiff and using a rolling pin will toughen it even more. Rolling also makes your biscuits flatter. Snapping Butter: Snap butter with your fingertips to break it up and mix into flour to get the best consistency for biscuit dough. A food processor will work if you are in a hurry, but it is best to use your fingers. The small pieces of butter aerate the dough to make the biscuits rise. Before snapping, make sure…

BASIC FOCACCIA DOUGH Makes 1 (14x12-inch) loaf Focaccia is one of those classic recipes you need to add to your repertoire—especially when you realize how straightforward it is, and how simple it is to customize. 2¾ cups (380 grams) bread flour 1 cup (192 grams) semolina flour 2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (17 grams) active dry yeast 1¼ teaspoon (7.5 grams) kosher salt ¼ cup (54 grams) olive oil 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, beat bread flour, semolina flour, and 2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (360 grams) water at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Sprinkle yeast on top of dough, and let stand for 10 minutes. 2. Add salt, and beat at low…

FIG, WALNUT, GOAT CHEESE, AND THYME SCONES WITH THYME GLAZE Makes 8 Scones: 2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon (12 grams) baking powder 2 teaspoons (12 grams) kosher salt 5 tablespoons (75 grams) cold unsalted butter 6 ounces goat cheese ¾ cup chopped dried figs ½ cup (65 grams) chopped toasted walnuts 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon heavy whipping cream, divided 1 large egg Thyme Syrup: ¼ cup (46 grams) granulated sugar ¼ cup water 4 sprigs fresh thyme Thyme Glaze: ½ cup (72 grams) confectioners’ sugar 2 tablespoons Thyme Syrup For scones: 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Lightly flour an 8-inch round cake pan. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In the work bowl of…

POTATO ROLLS Makes 24 Everyone at the table will be reaching for one of these tender, fluffy rolls that pair well with almost any dish. 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 tablespoon (14 grams) active dry yeast ½ cup (105 grams) sugar, divided 6 to 6½ cups (840 to 910 grams) all-purpose flour, divided ¼ cup (58 grams) unsalted butter, softened 2 tablespoons (36 grams) kosher salt 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 large eggs Melted butter Flaked sea salt 1. In a large saucepan, bring potatoes and water to cover to a boil over medium-high heat; cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups liquid. Press potato through a potato ricer, and let cool completely. 2. In the bowl of a…

WHAT YOU NEED » A scale (highly recommended to measure both flour and water, but measuring cups will do in a pinch). » A 2-quart container (glass or plastic) with a lid. » Flour. We use all-purpose, unbleached flour, but whole wheat also adds a nice depth of flavor to your final product. » Water. We use tap water, but if your water at home is highly chlorinated, you can measure your water the night before using, and let it sit on the counter overnight to allow the chlorine to dissipate. If your water simply tastes bad, or you are worried about it affecting the quality of your breads, try filtered or bottled water. HOW TO MAKE IT DAY 1 HERE WE GO! ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (123 grams)…

rye sandwich bread Makes 1 (9x5-inch) loaf We love this loaf because of its unbeatable texture, deep rye flavor, and versatility. It can be baked in a standard loaf pan, a Pullman pan, or hand-shaped into a rustic bâtarde or boule. This kind of versatility makes a perfect starter loaf for the timid baker! 2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour 1 cup (102 grams) light rye flour 1 cup warm whole milk (85°) ¼ cup (87 grams) molasses 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter 1 tablespoon (8 grams) caraway seeds 2 teaspoons (12 grams) kosher salt 2 teaspoons (6 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 allpurpose flour, rye flour, warmed milk,…

baguette These classic long loaves might seem intimidating. And they do take quite a bit of time (upward of 10 hours). But they aren’t technically difficult. For most of the time, the dough is left alone, letting the starter, flour, yeast, and water silently work their magic. The secret to success? Don’t mess with the dough too much. Over mixing or overworking will give you a flat, dense loaf. SOURDOUGH BAGUETTE Makes 6 (16–inch) baguettes 5 cups (700 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour 1½ cups (292 grams) warm water (105° to 110°) 1 cup (226 grams) sourdough starter 1 tablespoon (18 grams) kosher salt 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar 2 teaspoons (6 grams) active dry yeast Semolina flour (for finishing) STEP 1: MIX THE DOUGH In the bowl of a…

REMEMBER THE BREAD MACHINE CRAZE OF THE 1990S? That little “modern marvel” did all the work for you, yielding predictable, symmetrical loaves. And while the bread was always good, I believe that the true romance of baking comes from getting your hands dirty. That’s why I adore this recipe for Dutch Oven Bread. For beginners, it’s the perfect stepping stone into the world of yeast baking. If you’ve been baking for years, it’s a step back in time to when bread was rustic and purposely imperfect. There are many layers of flavor hidden within this recipe’s four simple ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast. But the real magic comes from the castiron Dutch oven, the perfect vessel for baking bread. It acts like an oven-withinthe-oven, maintaining a high and steady…

“JE VOUDRAIS UNE BAGUETTE BIEN CUIT, ” THE FRENCH SAY WHEN ORDERING A BAGUETTE WITH A DARKER, CRISPIER CRUST. From the first time he heard it, the phrase resonated with Zachary Golper. “When waiting in line at the boulangerie, I started to listen to the French who were asking for the same thing as me,” says Zachary, who spent several months studying under a third-generation pâtissier in the Loire Valley early in his career. “I thought, ‘Ah, bien cuit. Well done. That’s how you say it.’ I just loved the sound of it. It fits the way I bake.” Today, when “artisan” is a term used frequently and sometimes loosely, Zachary is someone who truly epitomizes what it means to be a master of his trade, and you can taste…

CHRIS BOLES Fire & Flour | Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota Founder, Head Baker Chris Boles likes to talk bread. He’s making a name for himself in the baking industry by hosting Bread Drops to share his knowledge and product throughout the Twin Cities. Chris’ Bread Drops last an hour or two at various times and locations (including local breweries, restaurants, coffee houses, and farmers’ markets), and serve to not only sell his naturally leavened, wild yeast breads, but to educate the public about heritage wheat and natural fermentation. Chris makes four breads, all by hand and all of which go through an extended fermentation process (anywhere from 8 to 15 hours) to give them more depth of flavor. SIGNATURE BREAD: Daily Bread, Chris’ most robust loaf with a high…

CINNAMON SWIRL MUFFINS WITH PECANS Makes 8 If a cinnamon roll and a coffee cake had a seismic collision, the result would be this muffin. Perfect in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up, these flavor-packed muffins will not disappoint. 2½ cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder 1 teaspoon (6 grams) baking soda ½ teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter 1¼ cups (300 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk ½ cup (56 grams) finely chopped pecans, divided ⅓ cup (70 grams) granulated sugar 2 teaspoons (4 grams) cinnamon 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line 8 jumbo muffin cups with parchment or paper liners, or coat well with cooking spray. 2.…