Let's Bake | Chow

With a significant change in the weather - fall is officially here!! I'm so glad we finally said goodbye to the near 100 degree days and welcomed the warm sun and cool breeze's of fall. The past week I've turned of my ac and have just had doors and windows open. It's such a great feeling to have lots of fresh air and natural light in my home. I wish it would stay like this all of the time!! Well with holidays quickly approaching I figured I would start looking up some new yummy fall baking recipes. I will be making some of these in the next weeks or so at a fall baking party so I will let you know which ones are my favorite! XO, Erica

Honey Butter Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

YIELD: 8 to 10 hearty rolls

 

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

 

COOK TIME: 16 minutes

TOTAL TIME: about 2 hours, mostly downtime for rising

INGREDIENTS:

Dough
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (bread flour may be substituted; rolls will be firmer and chewier rather than softer and fluffier; you may only need 2 cups bread flour)
2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce packet, I use Red Star Platinum)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin  pie spice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste

Honey Butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
Tip: Combine equal parts softened butter (not melted) and honey, and whisk together until fluffy and combined for serving with the rolls

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dough - Add milk to a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup, or microwave-safe bowl.
2. Add butter and heat on high power to melt butter, about 45 seconds. Stir until butter has melted smoothly into the milk.
3. Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and whisk to combine.
4. Return measuring cup to microwave and heat for about 15 seconds to warm mixture up. This will help to activate the yeast; set aside briefly.
5. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or large mixing bowl for hand kneading, add the remaining dough ingredients, thorough optional salt.
6. Pour wet pumpkin-milk mixture over the dry ingredients.
7. Turn mixer to low speed, and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, or until dough is smooth and has come together. This is not a sticky dough and if your dough is sticky, tacky, or gloppy, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is no longer sticky. I doubt you will need to add any, because I could have made this recipe with 2 cups flour, but went up to 2 1/4. Don't over-flour your dough because it creates rolls that are dense and heavy.
8. Turn dough out into a mixing bowl that's been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Flip dough over once so both sides are lightly greased, and cover bowl with plasticwrap.
9. Place bowl in a warm, draft-free environment until dough has nearly doubled in bulk, about 45 to 60 minutes. Do not go by time elapsed on the clock. Wait until dough has nearly doubled in size, and if it takes longer than an hour, that's fine.
10. Punch dough down and turn it out onto a nonstick surface. I spray my counter with cooking spray and don't even need to add flour.
11. Divide dough into 8 to 12 equally-sized portions, rolling each portion into a ball. I made 8 rolls and they were very generously sized. I would aim for 9 to 10 rolls. They may look skimp now but don't worry, they rise and swell very nicely.
12. Place dough balls into a foil-lined and cooking sprayed 9-inch square pan. If you would like to use an overnight or make-ahead option, after you get the rolls into the pan and covered with foil, place pan in fridge. When ready to bake, pick up with the next step below, making sure to allow the dough to come to room temp and rise nicely; it could take longer than the 45 minutes indicated below since dough is coming right out of a cold fridge.
13. Cover pan with a sheet of foil, place pan in a warm, draft-free environment until dough has nearly doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. In the last minutes of rising, preheat oven to 375F.
14. Honey Butter - Melt butter in small microwave-safe bowl, about 45 seconds on high power.
15. Add the honey and stir to combine.
16. Before baking, generously brush dough with honey butter; reserve any extra and brush it on after baking.
17. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until puffed, golden, domed, cooked through, and when tapped, the rolls should sound hollow. Allow rolls to cool in pan until they're cool enough to handle before serving. Rolls will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days. Heat in microwave for 5 to 10 seconds as necessary to recreate the just-baked taste and to soften. Finished (baked) rolls will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 6 months. I have not tried freezing this dough in the unbaked state but you could likely freeze it after step 12 and upon thawing, pick up with step 13; however I haven't tried. Nor have I tried doubling the recipe, but I imagine that would be fine. Bake in a 9x13 pan or similar.

Coconut Almond Muffins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, plus more for topping if desired
• 1/4 cup natural almond butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 large egg white
• 1/4 cup honey, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk, unsweetened

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oat flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger powder and coconut flakes until well combined. Set aside.
3. Place the almond butter into a large, microwave safe bowl and microwave until it begins to soften. Add in the apple sauce, vanilla and almond extracts, apple cider vinegar, egg white, honey and vanilla almond milk. Stir until well combined.
4. Stir the oat mixture into the almond butter mixture until just moistened.
5. Fill the prepared muffins tin and sprinkle with coconut flakes, if desired. Bake until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 17-20 minutes.
6. Let the muffins slightly cool in the pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

Prep time: 20 mins     Cook time: 30 mins     Total time: 50 mins     Serves: 12

Ingredients

• ¾ cup milk
• ⅓ cup margarine or butter, softened
• 3¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package of instant yeast - 2 tsps
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup water

Filling

• 1 cup strawberry jam (+/-)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups sliced strawberries

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1-2 tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until warm. Mix in the butter until melted. Let cool to lukewarm.
2. In a large bowl combine 2¼ cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix well.
3. Stir in egg and ¼ cup of water. Mix well. Now stir in the milk mixture until dough forms.
4. Stir in another cup of flour. When dough comes together flip onto a lightly floured surface and need until smooth.
5. Return the dough ball to the bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Roll out dough into a 15x10 inch rectangle. Spread the strawberry jam all over the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Then evenly cover with the chopped strawberries.
7. Roll up the dough and pinch the seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls.
8. Place rolls cut side up in a greased 11x13 baking dish. Cover and let rise until doubled (30 mins). While waiting preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Glaze

1. Mix the powdered sugar and cinnamon with 1 tbsp of milk. Stir until glaze forms. You may need to add up to another tablespoon of milk for desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over finished rolls.