Yeast Breads: Butternhorn Crescents

Sometimes you want something that is sort of like a croissant but doesn't take all day to make. In that case, you might want to try your hand at making butternhorn crescents. They sort of look like croissants and they do taste like butter. But be warned, because they are not as flaky and tender as croissants. They do take a fraction of the time to make, however.


Ingredients


1 cup milk
1 egg
¼ cup butter or margarine
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
¼ cup butter or margarine


Preparation


Place all ingredients into a non-metal bowl except for the last ¼-cup of butter. Mix with your hands until a loose dough forms. Turn this dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until your dough becomes smooth and elastic. This will take 5-10 minutes.


Place the dough in a oiled bowl, one that isn't made of metal, and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside in a warm location until the dough has doubled in size. This will take about an hour. Uncover and punch the dough down to remove the air bubbles. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.


Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a large circle. A thinner circle will give you more croissants, but don't make your dough so thin that it tears. Take your time rolling out the dough, giving it a few minutes to relax if it is too stiff. I like to roll my circle out to about 15 inches across. When you've done that, smear the final ¼-cup of butter on your circle of dough, covering the entire surface.


Cut the dough into triangles. I usually make 16 smaller butterhorns, but you can cut them into fewer if you want larger crescents. Roll up the triangles to form little crescents. Curve them a little if you like. Place your crescents on a prepared baking sheet and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size. This time, it will take about 30 to 45 minutes.


Preheat oven to 375°F. Uncover crescents and bake for 20 minutes, until the crescents are lightly browned. Remove from pan immediately and cool on a wire rack.


These crescents can be stored for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Caramel Crunch Bagels

These sweet bagels are flavored with a caramel syrup that you make yourself. The crunch comes from granola cereal and chopped walnuts. Caramel crunch bagels are perfect for a Sunday morning brunch, especially with a sweet cream cheese spread.


Ingredients


½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup butter (do no substitute margarine)
3 tbsp dark corn syrup
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
½ cup granola cereal
½ cup walnuts, chopped
2 tbsp honey


Preparation


Before you make the bagels, you have to make the syrup that will flavor the bagels. In a small saucepan, combine powdered sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, let boil for 1 minute while stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Set aside for the moment. The syrup needs to cool at least 5 minutes.


Place yeast, flour, salt, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Add water and mix. Carefully add syrup, granola, and walnuts. Mix until you have a loose dough. Turn the loose dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until you have a dough that is soft and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Set aside to rise in a warm location until dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down the dough to remove the air bubbles. Shape into 12 bagels either by hand or using a bagel cutter. Place shaped bagels on a prepared baking sheet. Cover and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Fill a small saucepan with water and add honey. Bring to a boil. One at a time, boil bagels for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The longer you boil them the chewier they'll be. Place boiled bagels back on the baking sheet.


Bake for 22 minutes, until bagels are browned. Remove immediately from baking sheet and cool on wire racks.


These bagels will keep for up to 4 days if stored in an airtight container.

Yeast Bread: Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Cinnamon raisin bagels are a classic, and with good reason. They're delicious and hearty and make a great breakfast. Throw one in your bag for a snack at work, or enjoy one as a late night snack.


If you really enjoy cinnamon, you can increase the cinnamon in this recipe to as much as 1 tbsp. But don't add more than that or the cinnamon will be overwhelming. You can also reduce to raisins to as little as ½ cup, if you desire.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
2 tbsp honey


Preparation


Place all ingredients except honey and raisins in a large bowl and mix until you have a loose dough. Turn the loose dough out onto a lightly floured surface and add raisins. Knead until dough becomes smooth and elastic. This should take about 5 minutes.


Lightly oil a nonmetal bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with a damp towel and place in a warm location to rise until doubled in size. This will take about an hour, but may take a little longer depending on the heat and humidity.


Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Shape into 12 bagels, either by hand or with a bagel cutter. Place shaped bagels on a prepared baking sheet. Cover and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Fill a small pot with water. Add honey and bring to a boil. Boil bagels, one at a time, for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The longer you boil them, the chewier they'll be. Place boiled bagels back on the baking sheet.


Bake boiled bagels for 22 minutes, until bagels are browned. Remove immediately from baking sheet and cool on wire racks.


These bagels will keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Sun-Dried Tomato Bagels

Sun-dried tomatoes enhance almost any dish, and they can certainly enhance your bagels. These bagels are great for breakfast, but I really like them for dinner. Especially if we're making burgers. Sun-dried tomato bagels make excellent burger buns.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey
1 egg, lightly beaten


Preparation


These are as easy to make as any other bagels. Start by throwing all ingredients into a large bowl except the honey and the egg. Those you'll need later. Mix the ingredients you have in the bowl until a loose dough forms. Turn this dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until you have a dough that is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes.


Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough to remove all air bubbles. Shape dough into bagels either using a bagel cutter or by hand. You should have 12 bagels when you're done. Place these on a prepared baking sheet and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.


Heat the oven to 375°F. Fill a small pot with water and add the honey. Bring to a boil. Boil bagels, one at a time, for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The longer you boil them, the chewier they'll be. Place boiled bagels back onto the prepared baking sheet and brush with beaten egg.


Bake bagels for 22 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove immediately from baking sheet and cool on wire racks.


These bagels will keep for up to 5 days if you store them in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: French Toast Bagels

There's nothing like French toast, but it's messy to make. If you're looking for a similar taste but with less mess, consider making your own French toast bagels. These are soft and sweet with a maple, cinnamon flavor that is just perfect for breakfast. Consider making multiple batches. They'll disappear quickly.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
 1 cup water
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup maple syrup
 2 tbsp honey
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon


Preparation


Place yeast, flour, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Toss is mix. Add water, 1 egg, vanilla, and maple syrup. Blend until a loose dough forms. Turn this dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a dough that is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Set aside to rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Shape into bagels either using a bagel cutter or by dividing the dough into 12 equal pieces and shaping them one at a time. Place bagels on prepared baking sheet. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Fill a bowl with water and add honey. Bring to a boil. One at a time, boil bagels for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The longer you boil them the chewier they'll become. Place boiled bagels back on prepared baking sheet. Brush bagels with beaten egg. Combine sugar and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of bagels.


Bake bagels for 22 minutes, until bagels are browned. Remove from baking sheet immediately and cool on wire racks.


These bagels will keep for up to 5 days if you store them in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Asiago Bagels

Asiago is one of my favorite cheeses. It's tart like parmesan, but packs much more flavor. These bagels have asiago in the dough and sprinkled on top, so they pack double the punch. Serve them with chive-flavored cream cheese or a fried egg for a delicious breakfast.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
¾ asiago cheese, grated and divided
 2 tbsp honey
1 egg, lightly beaten


Preparation


Start by placing the yeast, flour, salt, brown sugar, and water into a large bowl. Mix until you have a loose dough, then turn that dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Add ½ cup asiago cheese and knead until a soft and elastic dough forms. This will take about 5 minutes.


Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Shape into bagels either using a bagel cutter or by dividing the dough into 12 equal pieces and shaping them into bagels. Place on a prepared baking sheet and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Fill a small pot with water and add honey. Bring to a boil. One at a time, boil bagels for 30 seconds to 2 minutes each. The longer you boil them, the chewier they'll be. Place boiled bagels back on the prepared baking sheet.


Brush with egg, then sprinkle with remaining asiago cheese. Bake for 22 minutes, until bagels are golden brown. Remove from baking sheet immediately and cool on wire racks.


These bagels will keep for up to 4 days if stored in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Basic Pretzels

There's nothing simple or basic about a pretzel, except in how they're made. A soft pretzel is easier to make than you think, and they're delicious fresh from the oven. This basic recipe gives you a place to start, but don't be afraid to get creative. And don't skip the baking soda bath. It's what makes a pretzel a pretzel.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp quick rise or bread machine yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
3 tbsp baking soda
1 egg, slightly beaten
coarse salt (optional)


Preparation


Start by combining yeast and flour in a large bowl. Toss to blend. Add butter, sugar, salt, and water. Mix until a soft dough forms. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until a soft and elastic dough forms. This will take about 5 minutes. Do not over knead the dough.


Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Uncover and punch down dough to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Take one piece of dough and roll it out into a long rope. 12 inches will give you a pretzels much like the picture. Roll it longer if you want a large and thinner pretzel, shorter if you want something fatter. A fatter pretzel makes a good bun for burgers, by the way.


Form the rope into a pretzel shape and press ends together to seal. Place the pretzels on a prepared baking sheet and cover. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat oven to 375°F.


Fill a medium-sized pot with water and add the baking soda. Bring to a boil. One at a time, boil the bagels in the baking soda bath for 30 seconds per side. When flipping the pretzels, be gentle. I use silicone tongs, but  you can use a slotted spoon as well. Just be gentle. Place boiled pretzels back on the baking sheet.


Brush the tops of the pretzels with the beaten egg, then sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt, if desired. bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until pretzels are a deep brown. Remove from baking sheets immediately and cool on wire racks.


Pretzels will keep for 5 days if you store them in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Chocolate Chip Bagels

Everyone loves chocolate chips. so putting them in bagels is bound to be popular. They're certainly one of my favorites. It's no more difficult to make these than it is to make plain bagels, so have some fun and indulge your sweet tooth.


You can use any type of chocolate chips you like. I use milk chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet, dark, or even white chocolate.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
½ cup chocolate chips
 2 tbsp honey
1 egg, lightly beaten


Preparation


There's no need to dissolve the yeast, so place yeast, flour, salt, brown sugar, and water in a large bowl and mix until you have a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Add chocolate chips and knead the dough until it is soft and elastic. The chocolate chips should be evenly distributed throughout the dough. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely. Set in a warm location to rise until doubled in size. This will take about an hour.


Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Shape the dough into bagels either by rolling out the dough and using a bagel cutter or dividing the dough into 12 pieces and shaping those pieces into bagels by hand. Either method works. Place your shaped bagels on a prepared baking sheet and cover. Set aside.


Heat oven to 375°F. Fill a small pot with water and add honey. Bring to a boil. Uncover bagels and boil them, one at a time, for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The longer you boil them the chewier the finished bagels will be. Place the boiled bagels back on the baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the bagels with the beaten egg.


Bake for 22 minutes, until bagels are golden brown. Remove immediately from baking tray and cool on wire racks. These bagels can be kept for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Blueberry Swirl Bagels

Bagels are delicious, especially when combined with the tart flavor of blueberries. The swirl pattern is created by gently kneading the blueberries into the dough after the first rising. If you add the blueberries at the beginning, you could end up with a bit of a mess on your hands. Make sure your blueberries are frozen or they'll be crushed during the kneading process.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
½ cup frozen blueberries
 2 tbsp honey
1 egg, lightly beaten


Preparation


Place yeast and flour in a large bowl. Toss to mix. Add salt and brown sugar. Toss again. Add water and mix until you have a loose dough. Turn this dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a soft and elastic dough, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down the dough to remove air bubbles. Press dough into a rough circle on a lightly floured surface. Place blueberries in the center of the circle. Gently knead the dough, folding the dough over the blueberries. Don't press too hard. Even frozen blueberries will crush if you aren't gentle. Allow the juice to swirl through the dough as you distribute the blueberries as evenly as possible.


When you're finished, shape your bagels. You can do this either by using a bagel cutter or dividing the dough into 12 equal pieces and shaping them by hand. To do this, roll the pieces of dough into balls. Pick up one ball and press your fingers through the center of it. Stretch the hole you just made until you have something resembling a standard bagel. Place these on a prepared baking sheet and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Fill a small pot with water and add honey to it. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. One at a time, boil your unbaked bagels for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The longer you boil them, the chewier they will be. Once they're boiled, place them back on the prepared baking sheet. Brush bagels with the beaten egg, then bake for 22 minutes,


Remove baked bagels from baking sheet immediately and cool on wire racks. These bagels will keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container. Do not store in the fridge.

Yeast breads: Everything Bagels

Everything bagels are a common bagel that many people seem to enjoy. The secret to these is in the topping. You have to have a little of everything, which is why they're called everything bagels. If you're making them for yourself, and there's an ingredient you don't like, you can leave it out. For example, I don't like dried onion. When I make these for myself, I leave it out of the topping.


Ingredients


For the Bagels
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey


For the Topping
1 egg
2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tbsp dried garlic flakes
1 tbsp coarse sea salt


Preparation


First, you must make the bagels. The actual bagel is the same as a plain bagel. Since we're using bread machine or quick rise yeast, there's no need to dissolve it. You can start making your dough right away. All of the bagel ingredients except for the honey should be placed in a large bowl. Mix them together with your hands until you have a loose dough. Turn this loose dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a soft and elastic dough, about 5 to 10 minutes.


Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. Shape your bagels, either by rolling out the dough and using a bagel cutter or dividing the dough into 12 pieces and shaping those pieces into bagels. Either shaping method is acceptable.


Place the shaped bagels on a prepared baking sheet. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Fill a small pot with water and add honey. Bring to a boil on the stovetop. Boil bagels, one at a time, for at least 30 seconds, but not more than 2 minutes. The longer you boil them, the chewier they will be. Place boiled bagels back on the prepared baking sheet.


Preheat oven to 375°F. Now it's time to top the bagels. Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat it lightly. In a shallow dish, combine the rest of the topping ingredients so you have a poppy seed mixture. Make sure they are well mixed, and that the dish is large enough to dip the tops of the bagels into.


Using a pastry brush, brush egg over the top of one bagel. Immediately place the bagel, top down, into the poppy seed mixture. Move the bagel around a bit to make sure the top of it will be fully covered. Place covered bagel back on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining bagels.


Bake bagels for 20 minutes, until they are nicely browned. Remove from baking sheet immediately and cool on wire racks.


This recipe makes approximately 12 bagels. They will keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Variety Bagels

There's a lot you can do with an excellent bagel dough. You can leave them plain or top them with sesame or poppy seeds. They're not difficult, but they do take a little work. But if you have a free afternoon, you'll be enjoying fresh bagels in no time.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey
1 egg
sesame seeds (optional)
poppy seeds (optional)


Preparation


Place flour and yeast in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add salt, brown sugar, and water. Combine until you have a loose dough, then turn this dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until you have a dough that is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes.


Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in size. This will take at least an hour. When the dough has sufficiently rise, punch down to remove all air bubbles. Roll out dough on a floured surface until dough is no thinner than ¼-inch. Closer to ½-inch is better. Use a bagel or doughnut cutter to cut out your bagels.


Alternatively, you can divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a bagel by hand. Do this by forming a ball with one piece of dough, then press your fingers through the center of the ball and stretch until you have a bagel-shape. It doesn't matter which shaping method you use.


Place your shaped bagels on a prepared baking tray. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes. In the meantime, fill a small pot with water and add the honey. Bring to a boil. Heat oven to 375°F. Place bagels, one at a time, in the pot and allow to boil for at least 30 second, but no more than 2 minutes. The longer they boil, the chewier they will be.


Remove bagels from the water with a slotted spoon and place them back on the baking tray. When all bagels have been boiled, crack the egg into a small bowl and lightly beat it. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg over the bagels. If desired, sprinkle bagels with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. I typically do a few of each.


Bake bagels for 20 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan immediately and cool on wire racks.


This recipe makes 10 to 12 bagels.

Yeast Breads: Basic Focaccia

This delicate Italian bread is typically round and flat and topped with rosemary and olive oil. There are endless opportunities to customize focaccia bread, but this basic version is a good place to start. Focaccia bread makes excellent sandwiches, especially grilled sandwiches.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 egg
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried rosemary, crushed


Preparation


Place yeast and flour in a large bowl. Mix well, then add sugar and salt. Mix well again. Add water, butter, and egg. Mix until a loose dough forms. Turn this dough out onto a floured surface and knead until you have a sough that is soft and elastic. This will take about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a clean, nonmetal bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp towel.


Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size. This will take about an hour. Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Grease a large cookie sheet. Place dough on the cookie sheet and roll or press into a 12-inch circle. Cover loosely and allow to rise until light and doubled in size, about 30 minutes.


Heat oven to 400°F. Uncover dough and use your finger to poke holes in the dough that are about ½-inch deep and 1-inch apart. Drizzle the 4 tbsp of olive oil over the dough. Sprinkle with rosemary. Bake dough for 20 minutes, until dough is browned and sounds hollow when tapped.


This bread will keep for up to 4 days if your store it in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Traditional English Muffins

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to make English muffins, this isn't it. True, traditional English muffins take at least a day to make. They're not difficult, but they do take a little patience. remember to start making them the day before you want to eat them. These delicious English muffins can't be rushed.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
2 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup cornmeal


Preparation


Heat milk over low heat in a small saucepan until it is simmering. Remove from heat and add butter and honey. Stir until honey and butter and melted and everything is well blended. Poor into a glass or plastic bowl. Allow to cool until lukewarm, about 10 to 15 minutes. When mixture is no longer hot, sprinkle yeast on top. Stir and allow to sit for 10 minutes or until bubbly.


When the yeast mixture is frothy, add flour and mix until well combined. Dough will be wet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit on the counter overnight. You want the mixture to rise and fall in upon itself, and this will take at least 8 hours. Don't rush it. Wait until the dough collapses to proceed.


When the dough is ready, stir in salt. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Drop each portion into the cornmeal and turn to coat. Allow these to sit in the cornmeal for 10 minutes.


Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Lower heat is better. Place the English muffins gently into the skillet. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes per side. The English muffins will not sizzle while they cook because of the low heat. That is normal and expected. They must cook slowly or they'll burn while the insides are still uncooked.


When the first side is browned, turn English muffins and cook for a further 10 to 20 minutes. When they are fully cooked, remove from heat and allow to cool.


Split muffins, toast, and top with whatever toppings you desire.


This recipe makes 8 English muffins.

Yeast Breads: Easy English Muffins

There are two types of English muffins in the world: the traditional kind and the easy kind. The traditional kind takes a full day to make. The dough must rise and fall in order to create the little air bubbles that makes an English muffin an English muffin.


But that's a little too fussy for some people, and it takes at least 24 hours to properly accomplished. If you want something that is like an English muffin but takes far less time, try this easier method. It uses baking powder to create the air bubbles. The taste won't be quite the same, as traditional English muffins are slightly sour, but they'll be close.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 eg
1 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup cornmeal (optional)


Preparation


These are actual easier to make than you might think. Start by placing all ingredients except cornmeal in a large bowl. Mix until a loose dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover.


Set dough aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. Roll dough out on a floured surface until the dough is about ½-inch thick. It should be of a uniform thickness. Use a biscuit or cookie cutter to cut 3-inch circles out of the dough. If you don't have a cutter, use a glass. Reroll any dough scraps to cut more English muffins.


Lay the circles of dough in a bed of cornmeal, if desired. Otherwise, place on an ungreased baking sheet or even a cutting board. It doesn't really matter. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.


Heat a skillet over medium-low heat, not any higher. Lower is better in this case. Add the English muffins to the pan. They will not really sizzle when you lay them down because of the low heat. This is okay. They're still cooking, they're just cooking slowly. They will, in fact, take 10 to 20 minutes per side. Check after 10 minutes. English muffins should be a gentle golden brown or a little darker. If they're not browned, they're not cooked.


Flip when the first side is cooked, then cook for another 10 minutes. If browned, remove from pan. If not, continue cooking until both sides are properly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.


Split English muffins, toast, and top with butter, jam, cream, or whatever topping you like.


This recipe makes 8 to 10 English muffins.

Yeast Breads: Cornmeal Breadsticks

These tasty breadsticks have a great texture and flavor. Serve them at your next family dinner or just make them for the kids. They're good for all ages and will go quickly, so make extra.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
2½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 cup water
cornmeal
butter, melted
parsley


Preparation


Place yeast, flour, cornmeal, and sugar in a large bowl. Toss lightly. Add salt, butter, and water. Blend until you have a loose dough. Turn this loose dough out onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a slightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Sprinkle a little cornmeal on a prepared baking tray. Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope that is about 4 or 5 inches long. Place these ropes onto the prepared baking tray that you sprinkled with cornmeal.


Cover breadsticks with a towel and set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size. This time, the rise cycle will take 30 to 45 minutes. Check your breadsticks after 30 minutes, but don't rush them. They need to truly rise to be light and fluffy.


Preheat oven to 375°F. Uncover breadsticks and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and brush immediately with melted butter sprinkle with parsley.


Serve immediately or allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Yeast Breads: Croissants

Croissants are easier to make than you think, but they do take a while to make. One full day is needed, at the very least. so start early, or make them the day before they're actually needed.


Ingredients


1 cup water
3 cups flour
2 tbsp dry milk
3 tbsp sugar
¾ tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
¾ cup butter, cold and thin sliced
¼ cup butter, melted
warm water
1 egg, lightly beaten


Preparation


Place the first 7 ingredients in a large, nonmetal bowl and mix until you have a loose dough. Turn this loose dough out onto a slightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. This will take 5 to 10 minutes. Oil the bowl you mixed the dough in so the dough won't stick. Place the dough in the bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size. This rise cycle will take at least 60 minutes.


Uncover dough and punch it down to remove all the air bubbles. Cover once again and place dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. When the dough is chilled, remove it from the fridge and roll out into a 15x12-inch rectangle. Cover ⅔ of the dough with the sliced butter, starting from a 12-inch side. You should have a 12x10-inch area covered in butter, with one 5-inch strip uncovered. Fold over the unbuttered portion so it's now on top of half of the buttered portion. Fold over again. You should have a piece of dough that now measures 12x5-inches. Seal the ends of this dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


Remove from the fridge and roll, butter, and fold again. Return to the fridge for 30 minutes. Continue to do this until you've rolled it and folded it 4 separate times. After the fourth time, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but up to 8 hours. I tend to do this overnight.


When the dough is sufficiently chilled, remove the dough from the fridge and roll it into a large circle. Thinner is better, but not so thin the dough tears. Now you must slice the dough as you would a pizza, into triangles. How many triangles you cut the dough into is up to you. I usually make 12 or 16 smaller croissants, but you can do 8 or even 6 larger croissants, if you like.


Butter the triangles, then stretch them a little to even them out. Roll the triangles up to form croissants, curve a little, and place on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with warm water. Cover and allow to rise for at least 1 hour, until doubled in size.


Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover croissants and brush very lightly with egg. Bake for 20 minutes, until croissants are browned. Serve warm or cold, as desired.


These croissants can be placed in an airtight container for up to 4 days once they've cooled.

Yeast Breads: Baked Potato Rolls

The use of mashed potato flakes makes these rolls tender and delicate. The sour cream and chives gives them a deliciously light flavor. Serve them at your next dinner party or make ahead and use them as hamburger buns at your next barbeque.


Ingredients


2½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup mashed potato flakes
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp dried chives
1 tsp salt
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
1 cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
1 egg


Preparation


These rolls are no more difficult than any other rolls. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until you have a loose dough. Turn this loose dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm location until light and doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Uncover dough and punch it down to remove all air bubbles. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with baking spray to prevent sticking. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place into pan. Repeat with remain pieces of dough. Cover once again and let rise until doubled in size. This time it will take about 45 minutes for the rolls to be ready.


Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove immediately from pan and cool on wire racks.


These rolls will keep for up to 5 days if kept in an airtight container. Stale rolls make excellent bread crumbs.

Yeast Breads: Parmesan Pan Rolls

These buns have a unique shaping method that makes them very pretty in the pan. It also makes them incredibly easy to make. Press into the pan, slice, and bake. Serve these at a brunch and all your guests will be impressed.


Ingredients


For the Dough
1½ cups water
1 cup rolled oats
3 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
4 cups all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
2½ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
1 egg


For the Topping
6 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder


Preparation


This dough is easy enough to prepare, simply place all dough ingredients in a large bowl and mix until a loose and slightly sticky dough forms. Turn this dough out onto a floured surface and knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough. This should take about 5 minutes.


Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise in a warm location. The dough must double in size, so give it a full hour to do so. Punch the dough down to remove the air bubbles and spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with baking spray to prevent sticking. A lasagna pan works particularly well in this instance.


Press the dough into the pan, making sure it fills all the corners. If you're having trouble getting the dough to relax into the corners, let the dough sit for 10 minutes. This will relax the dough, allowing it to press into the pan.


Take a sharp knife or spatula and cut the dough in the pan into buns. Cut at a diagonal in both directions, forming diamond-shaped buns. Try to press straight down with the knife or spatula, don't drag it though the dough. When the dough has been sliced, cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rise until doubled in size again. This time it will take about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough and take up your knife or spatula. Go over the slices you made earlier, being careful to press straight down and not drag the blade through the dough. Combine all topping ingredients and spread evenly over the rolls. Bake for 25 minutes, until rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.


If you're going to serve these rolls immediately, you can leave them in the pan for presentation. Otherwise you'll have to remove them from the pan and cool completely on wire racks.


These rolls will keep for up to 4 days if stored in an airtight container. They never last that long in my house.

Yeast Breads: Sweet Honey Rolls

A honey glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness to these tasty buns. You'll need to reserve one egg white to add to the glaze, so separate one egg before you get started.


Ingredients


For the Dough
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
1 egg
1 egg yolk


For the Glaze
⅓ cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp honey
1 egg white


Preparation


These rolls are easier to make than you might think. Place all dough ingredients in a large bowl and blend until a loose dough forms. Turn this dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is soft and elastic. This should take about 5 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Allow to rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with baking spray to prevent sticking. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a smooth-topped ball and place into the baking pan. Repeat with remaining rolls, spacing them evenly in the pan.


Using a whisk, blend all glaze ingredients together until you have a smooth glaze. Drizzle half of this glaze over the rolls. Set glaze aside. Cover rolls with a damp towel and place in a warm location to rise for a second time. They need to double in size once again, so leave them be for about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover rolls and drizzle with the remaining glaze. Bake for 25 minutes, until rolls are browned and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire racks.


These buns will keep for up to 5 days if kept in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Cormeal Batter Rolls

These cornmeal rolls are tender and moist. They're also incredibly easy to make. Batter breads don't have to be kneaded, so you can simply mix, pour, and bake in the pan they rise in. These rolls are baked in a muffin pan, making it all the easier.


For a little variety, try topping these rolls with sesame or poppy seeds just before baking. They'll come out delicious.


Ingredients


2 cups all purpose flour
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
½ cup cornmeal
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
4 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
sesame or poppy seeds (optional)


Preparation


With no kneading necessary, you can whip up this bread quickly enough. Place all ingredients except sesame or poppy seeds in a large bowl. Blend with a wooden spoon until you have a wet batter. The batter should be fairly smooth. Cover batter with a tea towel and set aside to rise in a warm location. The dough may take a little while to rise, so be prepared to wait up to 90 minutes for the dough to double in size.


Stir the batter to remove any air bubbles. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Divide the batter equally between 12 muffin cups. Set muffin pan aside in a warm location, allowing batter to rise once more. This time the rise cycle will take about 60 minutes. You want the rolls to double in size, but you don't want them to overflow the muffin pan, so keep an eye on the rolls.


Heat oven to 375°F. Bake rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from muffin pan immediately and cool on wire racks.


This recipe makes 12 rolls. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days if stored in an airtight container.