Wholewheat Burger Buns

Burgers are my favorite. That paired with some coke is a blissful Friday night meal for me. This time when we thought of burger night I decided to make it homemade ~ homemade in the sense everything from scratch right from the patty to the burger buns. Well, then because its me and because its homemade, I thought of making it healthy and sneak in some wholewheat flour and then because I am too ambitious I decided to make whole wheat burger buns with just a tad bit of flour. The only thing that I would like to add add here is that flatten the balls to a disc so that the buns dont rise like a big football.

Adapted from KingArthurFlour Prep time: 15 mins; Bake time: 18 mins; Makes - 4 buns ~*What U Need*~ Water - 3/4 cup Olive oil - 1 tbsp Sugar - 3/4 tsp Salt - 1/2 tsp Instant yeast - 1 tsp Whole wheat flour - 1 cup Vital wheat gluten - 1 tbsp Bread flour - 1/2 cup Egg wash - to brush buns before baking Sesame seeds - to sprinkle How I Made it: Sprinkle yeast onto warm water with the sugar. Allow to become frothy for 10 mins. Add the remaining ingredients and form a dough. Knead for 5-10 mins. Allow to rise until doubled for 1 hour. Divide dough into 4 pieces and smoothen each into a ball. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and allow to double again for 45 mins. Brush with eggs or milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 15 - 18 minutes until tops are golden brown.

Serve as desired!!!

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Cracked Wheat & Oats bread

Ever since the winter winds set in, I have been cranking up the oven every bit that I can. Like for baking our daily breads. These days whenever I bake breads for breakfast, I try to incorporate as much whole grains as I can. Take this bread for example, its got whole wheat, cracked wheat, oats and ground flaxseed. Its wholesomeness in a single loaf but it is no less in texture. Its soft, its moist and its homemade. The bread flour is important here cos thats what gives the bread structure and body. But if you donot have access to bread flour then you could replace it with all purpose flour with a tablespoon of vital gluten added to it.

~*What U Need*~ Bread flour - 1 cup Whole wheat flour - 1 cup Cracked wheat - 1/2 cup Oats - 1 cup Ground flaxseed - 1/4 cup Vital gluten - 1 tbsp Instant yeast - 1.5 tsp Sugar - 1 tsp Bread flour - 2 tbsp cooked in 1 cup water and cooled Egg - 1 Salt - 1 tsp How I Made it: Warm the water and add the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast, add the cracked wheat, mix and set aside for 20 mins. The mixture would have risen slightly after 20 mins. Add the rest of the ingredients and using the dough hook of your standing mixer, knead for 5-10 mins. Allow the dough to rise for 45 mins to 1 hour. Once doubled, deflate and form a loaf and place in a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Brush top with milk and bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 10 min and then at 350F for 25 mins. Cool completely.

Slice and serve with jam or peanut butter or spread of choice.

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Whole wheat Breadsticks

I just can't stop talking about the weather here. It was snowing non stop last week and the temperature was so low the actual feel plummeted down to -21C. Well actually its better than yesterday. With the weather so cold, I had to take a a day off for pappu. I had to calm him down with some activity and so finally we ended up making straw necklaces. It was a great passtime and it really helped in hand and eye co-ordination for the kid.

Now lets talk winter food. We have been making a lot of soups lately and I make some sort of homemade whole wheat buns to go with it. I made these breadsticks for a change and it was a winner. Pappu totally loved it, he simply soaked it in some garlic butter and devoured it.

~*What U Need*~ Warm water - 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Olive oil - 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp Sugar - 1 tsp Garlic powder - 1 1/2 tsp Salt - 3/4 tsp Dried basil - 1/4 tsp Bread flour - 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour - 1 cup Vital wheat gluten - 1 tbsp Instant yeast - 1 tsp Butter - to brush the sticks How I Made it: Sprinkle the yeast and sugar on the water and allow to activate for 10 mins. Take the flour, cheese, garlic powder, salt, basil and olive oil in a bowl, add the yeast water and knead or 10 mins. Cover and let rise for 45 mins to 1 hour. Once doubled, divide into 8-10 portions. Shape each into a ball; roll into a rope. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Brush warm breadsticks with butter.

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Almond wreath

I should have been born in Paris or somewhere in Italy cos I love pasta and breads and petit fours and gelato. I could eat bread and sandwiches 24/7 and never crave Indian food. I could bake breads all day long and never go weak on the knees. I could smell the aroma of freshly baked bread for all eternity and still want to bake more. That is how much I love the art of baking. There is something about baking that calms your nerves. That contentment you get when you see the loaf rise as you peep through the oven door is boundless.

It was the same feeling with this bread too. Me and the huss love the Almond ring danish from Trader Joe's. The mild almond flavor that runs through every bite is heaven in a plate. Well I am not a danish specialist and that much butter usually intimidates me. So I thought of incorporating just the flavor in our daily bread. The almond flavor is just right and you get it in every bite. Its not as rich as the store bought one but its something for nothing.

~*What U Need*~ Whole milk - 6 tbsp, warm Instant yeast - 3/4 tsp Water - 1/4 cup Sugar - 1/2 tbsp Egg - 1/2 of an egg Salt - 3/4 tsp Unbleached all purpose flour - 2 cups Melted butter - 2 tbsp For the filling Almonds - 1/4 cup Egg - remaining half Almond extract - 1/8 - 1/4 tsp Sugar - 4 tbsp Butter - 2 tbsp How I Made it: Warm milk and water to 115F. Remove from heat and add the yeast and sugar. Mix and set aside for 10 mins. The mixture should have frothed. Take the flour in the bowl of your electric mixer and add the yeast water. egg and salt. Mix till everything is moistened, add the butter and knead with the dough hook for 5-8 mins. The dough should be smooth, but tacky. Oil the mixer bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in the bowl for 1 hour. Mix the filling ingredients and set aside. Once the dough has doubled in size, take it on a floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Gently spread a thin layer of the filling over the dough, grate butter on top leaving the dough bare around the edges. Now starting on one of the long edges, roll the dough into a long cylinder. Use a large knife to cut the dough down the middle, length wise, and open it up to expose the layers inside. Then alternate crossing the pieces over each other to create a braid. Shape into a ring and move on to a parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 F and allow the bread wreath to rise for 45 minutes. Bake for 22-30 minutes, until brown and crispy on top. Cool completely.

Serve with some milk.

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Rye Bread | Bread Recipes

Rye flour has got its own health benefits. Rye is a good source of fiber, promotes weight loss, lowers diabetic risk, promotes gastrointestinal health and has many more benefits. The taste of rye bread is something you hate totally or love with all your heart. Adding rye flour to your bread dough gives it a a sourdough kinda taste in the end product, a taste which you will fall for or you will run away from. Luckily, the huss and me and even pappu have taken a liking for the bread right from first bite. The first time I made rye bread, I didn't know what went wrong but the bread was dense, and hard, there was no significant oven spring and the bread was a total disaster. I have been experimenting ever since and this recipe from King Arthur bread is a keeper. Perfect crust, fluffy crumb and not an overpowering rye flavor. Since this was a trial, I halved the recipe but feel free to try the original recipe, you can never go wrong.

~*What U Need*~ Warm water - 1/2cup Rye flour - 1/2 cup Sugar - 2 tsp Instant yeast - 1 1/8 tsp Yogurt - 1/4 cup Salt - 3/4 tsp Unbleached all purpose four - 1 cup + 6 tbsp Vital wheat gluten - 1 1/2 tbsp How I Made it: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the water, sugar, rye flour and yeast, mixing to form a soft batter. Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, mix and knead the dough until smooth. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let it rise for 45-60 mins. Gently deflate the dough, knead it briefly, and shape it into an oval loaf. Place them on a lightly greased parchment-lined baking sheet. Let rise until puffy for 45 mins. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slash with a knife. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven, and transfer them to a rack. While still warm, brush with melted butter, if desired.

Serve with spread of choice!!!

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Honey Oat Bread

So I bake our daily bread. So I am addicted to freshly baked bread. So I eat an extra slice of bread when I make them at home. Cos I know what exactly made their way into the bread. While it is mostly whole wheat with add-ins like nuts and dried fruits, I occasionally make the white variety too. That usually happens when I crave for something soft, fluffy and light like this honey oats bread. The mild sweetness from the honey makes this bread perfect for sandwiches with pestos or nutella, pestos being the current favorite.

Prep time: 10+10 mins; Cooking time: 50 mins; Makes 1 9×5-inch loaf Adapted from here ~*What U Need*~ All purpose flour - 3 cups Old fashioned oats - 3/4 cup Instant yeast - 2 1/4 tsp Salt - 1 1/2 tsp Milk - 1 cup Water - 1/4 cup Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp Honey - 1/4 cup Warm Honey and oats for topping How I Made it: In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt. In a saucepan, warm the milk with the butter to 115F. Once the butter is melted, stir water and honey. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing with a dough hook until it just comes together to form a dough. Knead in the mixer for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is still very wet and sticky after 5 minutes of kneading, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is barely tacky. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1/2 to 1 hour. Once doubled, place the dough on a clean, dry work surface. With your fingers, flatten the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Tightly roll the dough, tucking the ends as needed, into a loaf. Place the shaped dough into a 9×5-inch loaf pan, cover with a clean dry towel, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1/2 to 1 hour.Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 C). Place an empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bring 2 cups of water to a boil. When the loaf is doubled again, brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats. Place the bread in the oven and pour the boiling water into the empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.

Serve spread with butter and honey or a generous amount of cookie butter like me!!!

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Eggless Chocolate Bread Rolls | HBC

Atlast I am done with July month's home bakers challenge. This month's challenge was hosted by Gayathri of Gayathri's cookspot, a talented home baker. Gayathri selected bread as the theme and her selection ranged from dinner rolls to pinwheels to soft bread rolls. I first thought of choosing the dinner rolls and pairing it up with homemade pav bhaji for dinner but then I was not feeling well last week and the plans took a backseat.

Finally yesterday I made these chocolate bread rolls for breakfast. These rolls are totally addictive, soft, pillowy and oozing chocolate with every bite. I stuffed some of the rolls with chocolate and the remaining with nutella. We totally loved the ones with the nutella. Even pappu had his share without any complaints. He loved playing 'finding chocolate' with every bite.

~*What U Need*~ For the bread: Bread flour - 120 g/ 1 cup Cake flour - 30 g / 1/4 cup Sugar - 1 tbsp Salt - 1/2 tsp Milk - 5 gms / 1 tsp Warm Water - 80 ml Instant yeast - 3/4 tsp / 2 gms Butter - 1 tbsp Filling: Chocolate chips/ nutella How I Made it: Add all ingredients, except the butter, into a bowl and mix until a dough forms. Add the butter to the bowl and knead the dough with your hands until the dough is not sticky anymore. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm spot for one hour. After the dough has proved, deflate the dough on a floured surface. Cut the dough into equal pieces ( I made four). Roll each into an oval shape, big enough for your chocolate. Place the chocolate almost on the edge of one side, cut the remaining dough in to strips, fold over and tuck underneath. Place on a lined baking tray. Cover your rolls loosely with plastic wrap and let rest in warm spot for the second fermentation round about 45 minutes. Preheat your over to 175 °C or 350 °F. Bake these rolls ± 14 minutes or until golden brown. ** Notes: ** Before eating, heat up 10 seconds in the microwave for runny chocolate and softer bread. ** I read the instructions wrong and baked the rolls for 30 mins covering it with foil from the 20th minute. Thats why my bread is more brown.

Serve warm!!!

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Honey Wheat Oatmeal Bread

I am obsessed, well that happens most of the times~ lets talk about that later. Today its breads. I am totally obsessed with home baked breads. I know that its not a good season for baking but who cares when you get a good loaf of bread after all that sweat. I mostly like to include whole wheat flour in our daily breads but this time there is an additional health factor in the form of oats. The honey, the oats and the whole wheat flour gives a unique taste to this bread which makes it great for sandwiches. BTW, don't fret if you donot have quick cooking oats on hand. Give the rolled oats a quick pulse in the blender and there you have the quick cooking version.

~*What U Need*~ Instant yeast- 1 1/2 tsp Honey - 1/4 cup Olive oil - 2 tbsp Warm water - 1 1/8 cups Salt - 1/2 tbsp Unbleached all purpose flour - 1 cup + 6 tbsp Whole wheat flour - 2 cups Quick cooking oats - 1/2 cup Vital wheat gluten - 2 1/2 tbsp Egg - half of an egg How I Made it: Add the yeast to the warm water and mix. Set aside till frothy for 10 mins. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the olive oil, honey and the yeast water. Add the 2 cups wheat flour, gluten and oats and salt to this mixture and mix well in low speed. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg and one cup of all purpose flour. Blend on low until the egg is incorporated then beat on medium for 2 more minutes. Add flour by 1 tbsp and mix until it's smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover and allow to rise for 1 hour or until double in size. Punch the dough down and turn onto a floured surface. Shape into a loaf. Place in greased 9x5 inch loaf pan covered with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for another hour. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Remove bread from pan and brush with melted butter, allow to completely cool on cooling rack.

Serve toasted with butter/jam!!!

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Whole Wheat Bread | 50-50 Wheat Bread

Breads are a staple at any house and ours is no exception. I make bread twice a week and I mostly prefer wholewheat. Occasionally I make the white sandwich bread but that happens only when the huss wants french toast which is once in a blue moon. Since I am a novice when it comes to bread baking I just don't too much risks and by risk I mean subbing the entire amount of all purpose flour in a recipe for whole wheat flour. As of now I have started with half of the amount and it works. It is not so dense, it is fluffy and it holds the shape brilliantly. The recipe that I have given makes one loaf but you could easily double it. The 6 tbsp will become 3/4 cup when you double it.

Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 30-40 mins; Makes: one 9x5 loaf ~*What U Need*~ Instant yeast - 3/4 tsp Warm water - 1/2 cup Whole milk - 1/2 cup Honey - 2 tbsp Canola oil - 1 tbsp Unbleached all purpose flour - 1 cup + 6 tbsp Whole wheat flour - 1 cup + 6 tbsp Salt - 1/2 tbsp Vital gluten - 2 tbsp How I Made it: Pour the water into the bowl of a standing mixer and sprinkle the yeast over top. Allow to stand for 10 mins till frothy. Stir in the milk, honey, and oil. Add the flours and stir to combine. Add in the salt and vital wheat gluten and stir to form a dough. Allow this stand for 20 minutes to give the flour time to absorb the liquid. Using the dough hook attachment on a standing mixer, knead the dough for 8-9 minutes. If the dough is sticky add flour by the tablespoon till no longer sticky. Place this in a bowl that has been oiled well and allow to double for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Once doubled, knock down the dough and knead for 15 seconds. Shape into a loaf and place in a 9x5 loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Allow to rise for another 30-45 mins. Heat the oven to 425°F. Reduce temperature to 375F and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.

Serve with jam or butter!!!

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Whole wheat bread with molasses | Molasses whole wheat bread

Last week was one of the most happiest days of my life. My sweet lil pappu turned '2'. It was extra special for us cos this is the fist time that we celebrated it together. Yes, Mr.A missed pappu's first birthday and so he was all high this time. And so I took that extra effort to make it special for him too.

I just can't believe that my chubby-cheeks is all grown up and naughty than ever. He is such a beauty to look at and he imitates everything that we say and you will need a thousand eyes to take in his face gestures and reactions. I can go on and on about my munchkins but lets keep that for another post. Since his birthday was on a weekday, we kept it simple by having a smash cake followed by a temple visit and then a baby's day out. We planned a small party with a few close friends on the same Friday and that took a toll on me. Lots of planning, loads of shopping and tons of prepping and not to forget the sleepless nights, planning a birthday party is really a backbreaking job... The weekend was spent in time to recover with hours of sleeping and having leftovers for lunch and dinner. I will do a detailed post on how I planned the party with pictures of pappu's cakes.

Coming back to routine life is really taking time for me. I have been idle for the past three days and kitchen visits are more for snacking. Baking is sure gonna take a backseat atleast for this month as the whole family is in a sugar coma after all that cakes, cupcakes and more cakes. I am thinking about more of bread baking and you are sure gonna see some in this space in the coming weeks. So lets talk bread, or wheat bread or 100% whole wheat bread. Its been my long time wish to try a 100% whole wheat bread and this recipe is a keeper. The whole wheat flour makes this bread wholesome and healthy and the molasses adds a subtle sweetness. This bread is perfect for sandwiches and makes great toasts too...

Adapted from Bread Machine manual by Breadman Pro ~*What U Need*~ Water - 1 1/4 cups (luke warm) Sugar - 1 tbsp Olive Oil - 2 1/2 tbsp Molasses - 2 1/2 tbsp Salt - 1 1/2 tsp Whole Wheat Flour - 3 3/4 cups Vital Wheat gluten - 2 1/2 tbsp Instant dry yeast - 2 tsp How I Made it: In a saucepan, add the water and sugar, sprinkle the yeast and set aside for 10 mins. In your stand mixer, add the yeast water, olive oil, molasses and salt. Mix well. Add the whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten and knead till it comes together. Knead for 5-6 mins till it becomes smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and place it in a warm place to double about 1 - 1.5 hours. Once doubled, punch down and roll into a loaf and place in an oiled 9x5 inch loaf pan for second rise. After 30 -45 mins it would have doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn down the temperature to 325 F and bake for additional 15 - 20 minutes or until nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool completely on the wire rack.

Enjoy with nutella or jam or use in sandwiches.

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