Browsing Tag

bread

Simple Focaccia Bread

Who doesn’t love freshly made Focaccia bread? Served fresh with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil or sliced to make your favourite sandwich, this recipe won’t disappoint.

Simple Focaccia Bread

Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/3 Warm Water
  • 2 tsp Honey
  • 1 package Active-Dry Instant Yeast
  • 3 1/2 cup All-purpose FLour
  • 1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil plus more for drizzling
  • 2 tsp Flaky Sea Salt plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary

Instructions
 

  • In a medium-large bowl, warm water warm, honey and active-dry yeast. Give the yeast a quick stir to mix it in with the water. Then let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
  • Next, combine flour, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Using a sturdy wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, mix until all of the flour is well incorporated.
  • Once combined, remove dough from the mixing bowl and use your hands to shape it into a ball. Grease the mixing bowl with olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel.  Place in a warm location and let the dough rise for 45-60 minutes, or until it has nearly doubled in size.
  • After the dough has risen for the first time. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and split it in two. Roll each piece of dough out into a circle until that the dough is about 1/2-inch thick.  Cover the dough again with the damp towel, and let the dough continue to rise for another 20 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer the dough to a circular baking pan.  Use your fingers to poke deep dents all through the surface of the dough. 
  • Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil evenly all over the top of the dough, and sprinkle evenly with the fresh rosemary needles and sea salt.
  • Bake for 20-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Slice, and serve warm.

Challah Bread

With Rosh Hashana right around the corner what better way to bring in the New Year then baking some Challah bread. Unlike the straight Challah braid prepared weekly for Shabbat dinners, Challah for Rosh Hashanah is formed into a ring. This symbolizes the cyclical nature of one year drawing to a close and another beginning. To learn more about what Rosh Hashana is all about– you can check out this quick video here.

Challah bread

I started baking Challah bread in my early teens and since then I have enjoyed baking it in a number of shapes and sizes for countless occasions. If you enjoy french toast I highly suggest swapping out traditional bread for Challah, it’s a complete game-changer.

Challah Bread

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp Dry Active Yeast
  • 2 1/2 cup Warm Water 625mL
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 8 cups All-purpose flour unbleached
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Beat in honey, vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and salt.
  • Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
  • Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto a floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky.
  • Divide each half into thirds and roll into a long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from the middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together.
  • Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with a towel and let rise for about one hour.
  • Preheat oven to 375F
  • Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
  • Bake at 375F for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.

Deep Dish Pizza

We all love a good thin crust pizza but sometimes you just need a deep dish crust that will satisfy those carb-loving desires. The recipe below makes one pizza but I usually double the recipe so that we have plenty of leftovers for the following day.

Deep Dish Pizza

Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/3 Warm Water
  • 2 tsp Honey
  • 1 package Instant Yeast
  • 3 1/2 cup All-purpose FLour
  • 1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 cup Tomato Paste
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tsp Flaky Sea Salt 
  • Favoutie pizza toppings

Instructions
 

  • In a medium-large bowl, warm water warm and active-dry yeast. Give the yeast a quick stir to mix it in with the water. Then let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
  • Next, combine flour, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Using a sturdy wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, mix until all of the flour is well incorporated.
  • Once combined, remove dough from the mixing bowl and use your hands to shape it into a ball. Grease the mixing bowl with olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel.  Place in a warm location and let the dough rise for 45-60 minutes, or until it has nearly doubled in size.
  • After the dough has risen for the first time. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangular until that the dough is about 1/2-inch thick and place on a parchment covered baking pan. Cover the dough again with the damp towel, and let the dough continue to rise for another 20 minutes.
  • Preheat oven until 400F.
  • Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil evenly all over the top of the dough, and sprinkle evenly the dried oregano, red pepper flakes, sea salt and tomato paste.
  • Top with your favourite pizza toppings and toss in the oven for 25 minutes until fully baked.

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Who knew Gluten-free Banana Bread could taste so moist and delicious! The original recipe came from an old family friend. Pre-warning though.. before taking on baking this tasty bread you may have to make a trip out to grab some of the ingredients,  since the flour combination is something that you may not have on hand.

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 37 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Ripe Bananas mashed
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/3 cup Coconut Oil melted
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Coconut Sugar
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup Rice Flour
  • 1/2 cup Corn Flour
  • 1/2 cup Almond Meal
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • 3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Mix mashed bananas, eggs, coconut oil (melted), vanilla, brown sugar, and coconut sugar in a bowl.
  • In another bowl mix rice, corn, and almond meal flour. Add in baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • In a medium sized bowl stir in dry mix to wet mix, stir to good consistency. Add in the chocolate chips (optional). Then pour in baking pan, cook for 37 mins.