Orange Currant Scones

Scones are typically served with strawberry jam and clotted cream, but these Irish Orange Currant scones have a lovely schmear of Marmalade Butter and I'm here for it! 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup currants

1 orange, zested and juiced

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsps baking powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cold butter

3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk with 2 tsps vinegar added)

1 egg

Marmalade Butter:

8 tbsps soft butter

2 tbsps orange marmalade

2 tsps liquid honey 

Zest the orange into a bowl with the currants. Juice the orange and add water enough to measure 1 cup with the juice. Bring the juice/water to a boil in a small saucepan then pour over the currants and orange zest. Let soak for 30 minutes. Strain and set in fridge to cool. 

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together. Grate the cold butter over the dry mixture and stir to thoroughly coat all the butter. Fold in the cooled and drained currants.

Whisk milk and egg together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the milk/egg in. Using a wooden spoon, mix to combine to a shaggy ball.

On a floured surface knead just until it comes together. Don't over-handle or the butter will start to melt and you don't want that. The bits of butter are what will give you the flaky scone layers.

Press, using your hands, to make a rectangle that's about 2/3" thick. Flour counter and hands and fold the dough in half, make a quarter turn and press out to 2/3" thick again, repeating the fold and turn 2 or 3 times. Flour a 2" round cutter. Press straight down, don't twist, again to preserve those precious flaky layers.

Lift the cut scones and place then nearly touching each other on a parchment lined baking sheet. Gather the cuttings, press together and form the rest of the scones. You should end up with 10-12 scones. Chill in fridge for 15 minutes.

Brush tops with milk and bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes. 

Let cool 5 minutes.

While waiting for them to cool combine the marmalade butter ingredients so you'll be ready to slather it on!

Of course you can stick with tradition and have them with strawberry jam but....

Adapted from: Irish Soda Bread Scones thelemonapron.com

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Easy Crusty Buns

Crusty on the outside, chewy inside, ridiculously easy to make. And no knead! No way you say? Way, check it out!!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups warm water (110°F)

1 tbsp butter, melted (optional)

Combine the flour, yeast and salt then add the water. The dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave on the counter for 4 hours for the dough to puff up.

After 4 hours turn the dough out onto a well-floured counter. Using a scraper, fold the dough over on itself 12 times. Using only as much as 2 tbsp flour to keep the dough from sticking. Note: you can add a little dry basil and parmesan to the flour while folding. 

Cut the dough into 6 pieces. Pull and fold each piece over to form a ball. Tucking the seam underneath, place ball doughs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with a dish towel on the counter for 40 minutes. The dough will not double this time.

Bake in a preheated 450°F oven for 25-30 minutes.

Melt butter and brush on the warm rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.

Then enjoy six beautiful crusty rolls!

Adapted from jennycancook.com

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Cheese Stuffed Sausage Buns

This might be a knife-and-fork kind of sandwich.

Buns, baked to perfection, then filled with cheese stuffed Italian sausages and tomato sauce. Or you can skip the bun and serve these cheesy sausages with a side of fried onions and peppers!

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups warm water (110-115°F)

2 1/4 tsps rapid rise yeast

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 1/2 tsps olive oil

4 cups flour

Egg wash:

1 egg

1 tbsp water

1 lb (500 g) Italian sausages

1 cup tomato sauce

your favourite block cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, jalapeño Monterey Jack)

oregano, basil, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley

Start with the buns... mix the warm water, yeast and sugar together in a mixer bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and leave for 10 minutes. Combine the flour and salt. Once the yeast has activated add the olive oil, then add the flour in 2-3 additions. Knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place with no drafts for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Punch down dough and turn out onto a work surface. Cut into 4 equal portions and form into loaves. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper long enough to make 3 creases in it. Place the loaves on the parchment with the creases between each loaf to keep them separate as shown below. Cover with a damp cloth and again let rise until doubled. Brush with egg wash then make a long cut down the center with a razor blade. Put 2 cups of water in a pan in the bottom of the oven. 

Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes.

While the buns bake prepare the sausages. Cut the sausages lengthwise through the middle but not all the way through. Insert a chunk of cheese (you could use cheese string sticks) and bring the sausage meat over to cover. Pinch together. Spoon some tomato sauce into the bottom of an 8 X 8" pan and place the sausages on top.

Drizzle the rest of the sauce on top and sprinkle with oregano, basil and parmesan.

Once the buns are done turn up the oven temperature to 400°F and bake the sausages for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Slice the buns in half down the middle, but not right through, and fill with stuffed sausages topped with fresh parsley. And you can use any leftover sauce for dipping.

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Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls

Yes really, they're baked in the slow cooker and there's no proofing time (aka rise time) required. And what's especially good about baking in the slow cooker is that it frees up the oven for other things. Also (if the weather ever warms up this spring!!) you can bake these rolls without heating up the house!

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 cup milk
2  1/4 tsps quick rise or instant yeast
2 tbsps honey
2 tbsps sugar
2 tbsps melted butter
2 tsps salt
1 tbsp melted butter

Buttery topping:
1 tbsp melted butter
coarse salt (optional)

Warm milk in the microwave 1 minute on high or until the temperature reaches 105-115° F. Then pour the milk in the mixer bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top, cover with a dish towel or pot lid and wait 10-15 minutes. Once the yeast starts to bubble add the flour, honey, sugar, 2 tbsps melted butter and 2 tsps salt. Using the dough hook on medium speed (or by hand) knead 5-6 minutes until a ball forms.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut into 12 equal pieces.

Form into balls by pulling the pointed parts underneath and place them in a parchment lined slow cooker. Brush with 1 tbsp melted butter.

Place a paper towel under the lid to absorb any condensation, cover and cook on high for 1  1/2 hours. No peeking!

Once baked use the parchment paper to lift the buns out of the slow cooker.

They are ready right now but if you want them a little golden place the parchment and buns on a baking sheet. Brush with 1 tbsp melted butter again, sprinkle a little sea salt if you like on top, and broil 1-2 minutes.

Makes 12 pull-apart dinner rolls.

Original recipe from: livingsweetmoments.com

Hot Cross Buns

I always look forward to Hot Cross Buns at Easter time and this is the first time I have ever made them myself. But really these spicy little buns can be made anytime of the year.  Change up the raisins if you have to (my daughters don't like them) but I think juicy raisins really are the best!

Ingredients:
2 1/4 tsps yeast
3 tbsps warm water (105 - 115°F)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 3/4 cup flour
1 cup raisins (candied fruit, dried cranberries, chopped dates)
1 tsp flour
1 tbsp orange or lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice

Flour paste:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup water
2 tbsps sugar

Glaze:
2 tbsps warm milk
2 tbsps sugar

In a large mixing bowl sprinkle yeast over warm water. Stand for 5-10 minutes.

Microwave the milk, butter, sugar and salt 1 - 1 1/2 minutes just to melt the butter. Cool slightly.
Whisk a tablespoon or two of the warm mixture into the egg then whisk egg and milk mixture together. Make sure the milk is cool enough as to not cook the egg! Now add the yeast. 

Combine 3 1/2 cups flour, spices and zest then add to the wet ingredients in 2 or 3 additions. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes away from the bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup flour only if needed.
Toss the raisins (or in this case dates) with 1 tsp flour and add to the dough. 

Knead or use dough hook on mixer for about 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°F then turn it off. This makes for a nice warm draft-free place to proof the dough. Form it into a ball and sit in a greased bowl. Cover with a dish towel and leave it in the oven for 2 hours.

Once it has risen up like this ↓ punch down the middle.

Then divide into 12 even(ish) pieces.

Gently tuck any corners under to form a ball and place in a greased 13 X 9" baking dish.

Ok, here's where it got a little tricky...the flour paste.
Mix 1 cup flour with 1/2 cup water and 2 tbsps sugar. I wasn't sure what consistency the paste needed to be, but I knew it had to be kind of thick to keep it's shape once on the buns. So this is how I started  out but it was a little too thick and I had to add a couple tbsps more of water.

Once you are happy with your flour paste scoop it into a piping bag and make the crosses on the buns. Cover and let rise another 20 minutes.

At this point the buns may be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, but I baked these ones right away.

Bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes.

Mix warm milk and sugar together and brush the glaze on while the buns are still warm.

It's such a simple glaze but it's gorgeous!

Happy Easter!

Sixty Minute Rolls

In literally sixty minutes you can have bakery-worthy buns on the table!

I used to make these every other week or so, then for some reason I stopped making them. Last night I decide to pull this recipe out again and, WOW... why haven't I been making these!?! My daughter said they were like store bought. Then she said, no because store bought is not as good as home baked. Bakery made...that's what they're like!

(Thanks to my friend, Dianna, for giving me this recipe many moons ago!)

Ingredients:
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour
3 tbsps sugar
1 tsp salt
2 pkgs dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsps)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine

In a large bowl mix 1  1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast. Combine milk, water and butter in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until thermometer reads 120° - 130°F. Butter doesn't need to fully melt.

Pour the milk into the large bowl with flour mixture, combine well. Gradually add 1/2 cups of flour until it makes a soft dough. I used just the 3 1/2 cups. Beat 4-5 minutes or knead if you like.

Place in a oiled bowl, turning to grease all of the dough. Cover and sit bowl in a pan of hot tap water for 15 minutes.

That's all the time it needs to rise.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Tuck in edges to form a ball and sit in a greased muffin tin. Cover and let rise 15 minutes.

You can bake them as a ball but I like to snip an X into the top with scissors. You can snip almost halfway through.

Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes

Then let them rest 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.

Ready for a big slab of butter!

And if you're not careful they'll be gone in 60 minutes!