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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Hot Dog Milk Bread Rolls

OMG guys, these rolls are the fluffiest! Milk bread with a savory twist!

Ingredients:

Tangzhong:

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup water

Milk bread dough:

3 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsps instant yeast

1 egg

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp milk

tangzhong, slightly cooled

4 tbsps butter, melted and slightly cooled

Green onion and hot dog filling:

8 green onions, sliced

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp salt

4 beef hot dogs, sliced 1/4" thick

1 tsp honey

Egg wash:

1 egg 

1 tbsp milk

2 tsps sesame seeds

2 tbsps hot water

2 tbsps sugar

Note:  When making the tangzhong and the milk bread dough both the water and milk are at room temperature. They are not warmed as would be expected when using yeast.

Also note:  The original recipe called for 3 hot dogs. I used 4 this time but would try 5 the next time.

Starting with the tangzhong, whisk the flour and water together in a small saucepan. Heat on medium low until thickened enough to see a line when a spoon is drawn through it, about 4 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cool slightly.

In a large mixer bowl  combine the flour, sugar and yeast for the milk bread dough. Whisk the egg and milk together and add to the flour, then add the tangzhong and mix on low. Stream in the melted butter and knead on medium low for 10-15 minutes. Oil your hands, take the dough and form it into a tight ball by pulling the sides underneath itself. Oil a bowl and the ball of dough and place it in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.  I like to put the oven on for 1 minute, any temperature, then turn it off. That's where I put the bowl for a little warm spot out of drafts.

While the dough rises, prepare the filling. In a small pan heat the vegetable and sesame oils to medium low. Add the green onion and cook just to soften not brown. Add salt and remove to a bowl. Then on medium heat add the hot dog slices and brown for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the honey.

Once the dough is double in size (this ⬇️ looks more than doubled!), use floured hands to punch it down.

Roll the dough to approximately 18 X 9". Spoon the green onion and all it's oil evenly, brushing the oil on the dough. Distribute the hot dog slices. From the long side, roll up firmly and pinch the seam.

Cut with a serrated knife into 12 equal pieces and place in a parchment lined 13 X 9" baking dish.

Cover with a damp dishtowel or plastic wrap for 45 minutes to double. This time it can sit out on the counter.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the egg and milk together for the egg wash and once the rolls have risen brush all over and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 30-33 minutes.

As soon as they come out of the oven, combine the hot water and sugar to make a simple syrup and brush onto the hot rolls.

They really are the fluffiest!

Adapted from: momentsofsugar.com

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Cheese and Rosemary Pretzels

Is there anything better than fresh rolls warm from the oven?  Maybe just these tender and chewy soft pretzels. And you won't need any weird ingredients like lye to go searching high and low for. You should find everything you need in your pantry and fridge.

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 1/2 cups water, at 110-115°F

2 1/4 tsps rapid rise yeast

1 1/2 tbsps sugar

1 3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsps fresh chopped rosemary

4 1/4 cups all purpose flour

6 tbsps butter, at room temperature

Filling:

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup parmesan

Boiling liquid:

10 cups water

3/4 cup baking soda

Egg wash:

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp water

Toppings:

sesame seeds

coarse salt

In a large mixer bowl combine the warm water with the sugar, salt and yeast and leave to activate about 10 minutes. Once foamy add the flour, rosemary and butter and knead using the dough hook for 12 minutes. Cover and place bowl in a warm area of the house for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. I like to put the bowl in the microwave or oven away from any drafts. Combine the mozzarella and parmesan and place in the freezer.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Divide the dough into 8 equal balls, then roll each into a 16" long rope. Roll each rope out to about 4" wide and 16" long. As you can see the 4" thing was a little loosey goosey here but it worked! Take the cheese from the freezer and distribute 2 tablespoons of filling along the length of the dough.

Tightly roll the dough back into a rope, making sure the cheese is covered and pinching all the edges together.

To form the pretzel take a rope, hold it by the ends to form a "U" shape. Then cross the ends over, to form the praying hands of a pretzel, and pinch the ends to the bottom of the pretzel. Place each pretzel on the lined sheet until they are all formed.

Heat the water and baking soda to boiling in a large pot. Place one pretzel at a time into the water for 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and return to the lined baking sheet. Boiling the pretzels in this brine gives them their distinctive colour and crispy, chewy texture. 

Once all the pretzels have been boiled, brush with egg wash

and top with sesame seeds and/or coarse salt. I just went with sesame seeds for this batch.

Bake at 425°F for 16-18 minutes then cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Love that little bit of cheese oozing out!

Now admire what you just baked!!

Adapted from: bakerbynature.com

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

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

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!