Cherry Bread

from Martha Meade

When I was going through my grandmother's recipes, I really wanted to try this recipe! It looked so good to me. The recipe said, “‘Best surprise we’ve ever had!’ your family will say, when you pack cream cheese sandwiches made with Cherry Bread in their lunches. Nice to serve with salad luncheons too!” Well, I finally made it and while I haven't had it with cream cheese, I have to say, it's good! Kind of cake-y! YUM! 

1 cup pitted, canned red cherries (well drained and chopped) [I used fresh cherries that I pitted and quartered.]

1 tbsp lemon juice [I didn't have any, so I skipped this step.]

¼ cup butter

⅔ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2½ cups sifted flour

3 tsp baking powder

1½ tsp salt 

½ cup milk

1. Mix the cherries and lemon juice.
2. Let stand while preparing batter.
3. In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Add the egg.
5. Beat until well mixed.
6. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
7. Add half the milk to the creamed butter mixture.
8. Add half the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture.
9. Add the remaining milk to the creamed butter mixture.
10. Add the remaining flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture.
11. Stir until the batter is smooth.
12. Blend in the chopped cherries.
13. Place the batter into a greased and floured 9x5x3-inch bread loaf pan.
14. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes.
15. Let stand overnight before slicing. 

Babka

From Bernard Clayton

I love Babka and thought I would try this one. It was very good, but it took nearly the whole day and I don't feel the raisins, nuts, or poppy seeds added a whole lot. 

sponge

2 cup bread flour

4½ tsp yeast

½ cup nonfat dry milk

1¼ cup hot water (120°-130°)

dough

½ cup sugar

1tsp salt

¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2½ cup bread flour, approximately

½ cup butter, softened

filling

1½ cup almond paste

almond paste

1½ cup whole blanched almonds

1½ cups sifted powdered sugar

1egg white

1tsp almond extract

¼ tsp salt

1 cup bittersweet chocolate, melted

1cup raisins, plumped in brandy

1 cup slivered almonds or broken walnuts

topping

½ cup butter, melted

2 tbsp poppy seeds

2 medium loaf pans (8"-x-4"), greased and lined with waxed or parchment paper

1. First make the paste for the filling by grinding the almonds, a portion at a time, in a food processor or blender.
2. Combine with the powdered sugar, egg white, almond extract, and salt. Work into a stiff paste. Refrigerate in an airtight container or plastic bag. The paste must be thoroughly chilled before it can be rolled under your palms-about 2 hours.
3. Make the sponge by string together the sponge ingredients with a wooden spoon for 1 or 2 minutes.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave at room temperature to allow the sponge to form and ferment, about 2 hours. The sponge will double in bulk.
5. Remove the towel and stir down the sponge.
6. Measure in the sugar, salt, cardamom, and vanilla. Stir vigorously to blend.
7. Add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating each into the batter, which will begin to pull away in sheets as it is beaten-this is desirable.
8. Add 1½ cups flour to the mixture and beat with a wooden spoon or flat beater until it has been absorbed into the batterlike dough.
9. Drop in the butter, a small portion at a time, beating until it is mixed into the dough. (This is a little challenging.)
10. Add flour, ¼ cup at a time, to form a dough that is quite soft yet elastic. It will have had enough flour when it can be turned from the bowl and be pushed or worked without sticking to your hands or the work surface. Sprinkle lightly with flour, if necessary. The soft almost rubbery texture is unlike most bread doughs.
11. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with a towel, and put aside to double in volume, about 1½ hours.
12. Punch down the dough and turn it onto the floured work surface.
13. Divide the dough into 2 pieces. With your hands and a rolling pin, form each dough piece into an 8"-x-14" rectangle, ¼" thick. Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes before continuing.
14. Spread each rectangle first with half the almond paste and then with half the melted chocolate.
15. Sprinkle on the raisins and nuts.
16. Lightly press these into the dough with the palms of your hands or the rolling pin.
17. Roll up the dough, lengthwise, as for a jelly roll. Pinch the seams tightly to secure. Put the seams under and with the rolling pin roll each length of dough 2 or 3 times, lightly.
18. Twist each length of dough 6 or 8 turns, and allow the twist to rest for a few moments to adjust to its new shape.
19. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle generously with poppy seeds.
20. Cover the loaves with wax or parchment paper and put aside to rise to slightly less than double in volume, about 1 hour.
21. Preheat the oven to 350° 20 minutes before baking.
22. Bake until each twist is a deep brown, about 45 minutes.
23. Halfway through baking, open the oven and turn the pans around to equalize the heat. If the crusts seem to be browning too quickly, cover with a length of foil or brown sack paper.
24. Remove the loaves from the pans with care for they are fragile while still warm. Allow to cool before cutting.

Plymouth Bread

This bread comes from Bernard Clayton. It caught my eye because it has both molasses and cornmeal. It is delicious! It came out with a perfect crusty crust and a delectable soft center. I sliced it when it was still warm and the butter that melted on it as I spread it on was a perfect complement to the bread. He says it freezes well, but I don't imagine ever wanting to freeze. It's too yummy not to eat right away!

2½ cup water

½ cup yellow cornmeal

2 tbsp butter

½ cup molasses

2 tsp salt

2¼ tsp yeast

4-5 cup bread or all-purpose flour, approximately

1 tbsp milk (optional)

1. In a saucepan bring the water to a boil and very slowly pour the cornmeal into it, stirring all the while. This is important to keep the mixture smooth and free of troublesome and unattractive small balls of congealed meal. Boil over a medium heat for 5 minutes. 
2. Remove the pan from the burner, and add the butter, molasses, and salt. Put aside to cool.
3. Pour the cooled cornmeal mixture into a mixing or mixer bowl. Add the yeast and blend for a minute. Gradually add 2 cups flour and beat. Stir in additional flour with the spoon, and then by hand, until a rough mass is formed. If slack or sticky, add up to ¼ cup more flour and work it into the dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead.
4. Place the ball of dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and leave at room temperature until it doubles in volume, about 1 hour.
5. Punch down the dough. Knead briefly to press out the air bubbles, and divide into 2 pieces. Press each piece into a flattened oval, fold in half, pinch the seam, plump into shape, and place in the pans.
6. Cover the loaves and let rise until doubled in volume, 45 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350° 20 minutes before baking.
8. Bake until the loaves are nicely browned, and tapping the bottom crust yields a hard, hollow sound, about 1 hour.
9. Remove the bread from the oven. A brush of milk across the crust will give the loaves a nice soft glaze. 

German Sour Cream Twists

from Bernard Clayton

This recipe sounded delicious and it is! I really enjoy this recipe. I didn't use as much sugar as the recipe calls for but it's so good. It's flavorful and flaky. 

3½-4 cup all-purpose flour, approximately

1 tsp salt

2¼ tsp yeast

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1 egg, room temperature

2 egg yolks, room temperature

½ cup butter, room temperature

½ cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla

sugar

1. Measure 2 cups flour into a mixing or mixer bowl and add the salt and yeast. Stir to blend.
2. In a saucepan heat to lukewarm and stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolks, butter, and shortening. Add the vanilla.
3. Form a well in the flour and pour in the liquid to make a thick batter. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon.
4. Add flour, ¼ cup at a time, to form a rough, shaggy mass that can be lifted to the work surface to knead. Knead for 5 minutes. Add sprinkles of flour if the dough is wet with oil.
5. The dough is so buttery that there is no need to grease the bowl beforehand. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with a towel, and set aside to double in bulk, 1½ hours.
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a ball.
7. Liberally sprinkle sugar on the work surface and on the ball of dough.
8. Roll out the dough to an 18" length, occasionally sprinkling on sugar.
9. Fold the dough in half lengthwise and then into quarters. Roll out the dough again into a rectangle 18" long. Sprinkle with sugar.
10. With a pizza cutter or knife held against a yardstick, cut the rectangle into lengths 1" wide by 4" long for the larger twist. Twist each piece and place 1" apart on the prepared baking sheets.
11. Cover the twists with a towel and set aside to become puffy and raised, about 1 hour.
12. Preheat the oven to 375° about 20 minutes before baking.
13. Uncover the twists and sprinkle liberally with sugar. Place in the oven and bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
14. Immediately lift the twists from the baking sheet with a spatula, otherwise the sugared bottoms will stick and never part from the pan in whole pieces. Place on a metal rack to cool.

Maple Syrup-Graham Bread

This bread comes from Bernard Clayton. I so love maple syrup bread so when I saw this I had to try it. I was a little surprised it was a quick bread, but that's okay! I did halve the original recipe. I find that two loaves of quick bread is often a little too much to have in the house if it's just the two of us. 

 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 egg, room temperature

¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature

¼ cup sour cream, room temperature

½ cup + 2½ tbsp maple syrup

1 loaf pan, greased, lined with greased wax paper

1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
2. In a large mixing bowl blend together the white flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Stir in the whole-wheat flour.
4. In a small bowl beat the eggs and blend in the buttermilk, sour cream, and maple syrup.
5. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well.
6. Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans.
7. Place the pans in the oven and bake until the loaves test (and look) done, about 1 hour. A metal skewer or cake testing pin inserted in the center of a loaf will come out dry if the loaf is done.
8. Remove the bread from the oven. Turn the pans on their sides and gently tug on the paper to pull the loaves out. Allow the loaves to cool before slicing.
9. There is a pleasant sweetness about this bread, especially when simply sliced and spread with sweet butter. Good, too, served with fruit.

Pain Noir

This bread comes to be from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads. I love chocolate bread so I had to try this one! It has a really good taste especially paired with a cheese. I've tried both cheddar and Camembert and found them both delicious. However, it didn't rise much at all. I'm not sure if that's normal or not.

¼ cup cornmeal

½ cup boiling water

⅓ cup cold water

1 package dry yeast

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

½ tablespoon butter

½ cup molasses

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

⅓ cup instant potatoes flakes

⅔ cup whole-wheat flour

½ cup rye flour

½ cup all-purpose flour (sort of)

1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

coarse salt (optional)

1. Stir the cornmeal into a pan containing the boiling water. 
2. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth. 
3. Add the cold water gradually, stirring constantly. 
4. When the mixture has cooled somewhat (110°), stir in the yeast.
5.  In a small saucepan over very low heat melt together the chocolate and butter., allowing it to cool to lukewarm.
6. In a large mixing bowl combine the cornmeal and chocolate mixtures and add the molasses, salt, caraway, and mashed potatoes. 
7. Beat together with a heavy spoon or in an electric mixer for 2 or 3 minutes, until smooth.
8.  Add the whole-wheat flour and stir or beat for 2 minutes. 
9. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside to rest for 1 hour while the dough ferments. 
10. Add the rye flour. Stir to form a shaggy ball of dough that can be lifted to the work surface. 
11. Use a dough blade to turn, fold, and knead the dough, because it is very sticky to work, for 8 minutes.
12. Add liberal sprinkles of white flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface and your hands. It will gradually become elastic even though sticky. 
13. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat the ball, cover with a towel, and put aside in a warm place to double in volume, about 75 minutes. 
14. Turn back the towel, punch down the dough, re-cover, and let it rest for 15 minutes. 
15. Turn the dough onto the work surface and shape into a round loaf. 
16. Place the loaf on a baking sheet prepared with cornmeal. 
17. Cover and let rise until almost double in volume, about 45 minutes. 
18. Preheat the oven to 375° 20 minutes before baking. 
19. Brush the loaf with the egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse salt. 
20. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake for 35 minutes more, or until the loaf tests done. It will sound hollow when the bottom crust is tapped with a forefinger.   
21. Place the loaf on a metal rack to cool before slicing. 
22. Excellent served with cheeses.

War Bread

This bread comes from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads. According to Clayton this bread had been "a farmhouse loaf in New England kitchens for more than 150 years." This makes me think it was a bread from before the Civil War. At any rate I quite like it!! I like the hit of cornmeal in the bread. I'm actually thinking I'll try it again in the future but with less white flour.
 

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon butter

⅓ cup molasses

1 tablespoon salt

3 cups boiling water

1 package dry yeast

5 to 6 cups bread or all-purpose flour, approximately

1. In a large bowl combine the rolled oats, cornmeal, whole wheat, shortening, molasses, and salt.
2. Pour in the boiling water, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool to 120°-130°.
3. Sprinkle the yeast on the batter, and blend.
4. Stir in the white flour, ½ cup at a time, first with the spoon and then by hand. The dough will be somewhat heavy and dense and will not have the elasticity of white dough. Nevertheless, the dough will form a shaggy mass that cleans the sides of the bowl.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with the rhythmic motion of push-turn-fold until the dough has become smooth. Sprinkle on more flour if the dough continues to stick to the work surface or your fingertips.
6. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a towel.
7. Put in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
8. Punch down the dough and knead for 30 seconds to press out the bubbles.
9. Divide the dough into 3 pieces.
10. Shape into balls, and let them rest on the work surface for 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Form each loaf by pressing a piece of dough into a flat oval, roughly the length of the baking pan.
12. Fold each oval in half, pinch the seam tightly to seal, tuck under the ends, and place in the pan, seam down.
13. Cover the loaves with a towel and leave until the center of the dough has risen to an inch above the edge of the pan, 50 minutes.
14. Preheat the oven to 350° 20 minutes before baking.
15. Bake the loaves in the oven until they are nicely browned and test done, about 1 hour.
16. Remove the bread from the oven and turn from the pans. Place on a metal rack to cool.