Ger-Nis INTERNATIONAL, LLC

Winter Bread Baking with Herbal Staples for Warmth

They say that baking is a soulful experience, and in the winter when we begin to turn inward seeking more warmth and comfort, a soulful experience in the home and in the kitchen leads us closer to ourselves. Adding fresh herbs to this experience can make it even more euphoric. The smell of fresh baked goods captures the essence of soulfulness as the scent of herbs lofts through our homes and becomes a winter aromatherapy. Herbs add an entirely new level of color, flavor and texture to our baked goods. Dough captures the aroma and flavor of fresh herbs extremely well because the essence of the herbs bakes into the dough and the dough becomes infused with the essence of the fresh herbs. The combinations and variations for herbs and baking are pretty much endless. With a few key tips on bread baking, your kitchen will be filled with herbal aromas and transformed into the location of your own soulful experience. Winter baking never “felt” so good!

Bread Baking Tips

• Dough rises best in warm, high, humid temperatures. In the winter time, temperature is extremely important. Your kitchen needs to be warm and humid. It is a good idea to have the oven on with the door open a crack and the temperature set to about 275°.  Put a big bowl of water in the oven and it will add a little more humidity to the area.
• In order to ensure the best texture and consistency of fresh baked bread the oven should be pre-heated and hot before placing the bread in the oven to be baked. Bread likes to be blasted with high heat so we recommend preheating the oven for at least half an hour to forty five minutes before baking.
• Add the flour a little at a time and mix batter as you add. This gives the gluten a better chance to develop.
• Make sure the bread is rising in warm, not humid temperatures. The bread needs to rise at a low temperature over a 1-2 hour period or whatever the recipe calls for.
• You may pre-make the dough and refrigerate it overnight after the fist rising. Make sure the dough can breathe and do not put in a plastic bag.
• If you want your breads to have a glassy sheen on the top, you can make a steam bath for the first 15-20 minutes of baking. Put a metal pan full of hot water underneath the bread when you place it in the hot oven. Make sure the water is hot and take the pan out after the first 15 minutes of baking.
• To make crusty free form loaves and crispy breads, a baking stone is highly recommended. The baking stone simply absorbs moisture to make the dough crisp and crusty without burning.

Here is some of our favorite winter herbal bread baking recipes.

Winter Herbal Soup Sticks
Makes about 24 breadsticks

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon honey
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped fine
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon coarse salt mixed with 2 teaspoons flax seeds

In a small bowl, gently whisk together the yeast, 1 cup lukewarm water and honey. Let the mixture stand until frothy, about 7 minutes. In a large mixing bowl combine and mix flour, salt and fresh herbs. Add yeast mixture and stir well until dough is well mixed. Add olive oil and again mix well. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead about 7 minutes sprinkling more flour as needed if dough is sticky and kneading until dough is elastic in texture. Place dough in a lightly oiled ceramic bowl, dampen a kitchen towel in warm water and use the towel to cover the bowl. Let dough rise until double in size, usually about 1½ hours.

Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Separate dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece using hands to work the surface and roll into 6-9 inch long pieces, like a rope. Place rolled dough sticks on a greased baking sheet, spaced about an inch apart. Cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with coarse salt and flax seed mixture if desired and place in a 350° oven that has been preheated for about an hour. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool.

Cranberry Sage Walnut Rolls
Makes about 24 rolls

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon dark molasses or honey
2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons salt
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup fresh sage, chopped fine
¼ cup walnuts, chopped fine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg white  plus 2 tablespoons water for shiny tops

In a small bowl, gently whisk together the yeast, ¼ cup lukewarm water and molasses. Let the mixture stand until frothy, about 7 minutes. In a large mixing bowl combine the flours, salt, cranberries, sage and walnuts. Mix well. Combine the two mixtures and mix well, adding the olive oil in the end. When the dough is well mixed, turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 7-8 minutes or until texture is elastic. Place dough in a lightly oiled ceramic bowl, dampen a kitchen towel in warm water and use the towel to cover the bowl. Let dough rise until double in size, usually about 1½ hours. Punch the dough down and again turn onto lightly floured surface and knead  a few minutes. Divide dough into 24 evenly shaped balls and place on lightly greased baking pan. Allow to rise another 30 minutes.  Mix egg white and 2 tablespoons water and use it to brush tops of rolls. Bake rolls for about 20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown in a 450° oven that has been preheated for at least an hour.

Cheddar Chive Apple Puffs
Makes 12 puffs

**Although we normally recommend making dough from scratch, this recipe calls for already prepared puff pastry.

2 Fuji apples, cut into small cubes
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup fresh chives, chopped fine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 package or 2 sheets, puff pastry, thawed
2 egg whites mixed with 2 tablespoons water

In a mixing bowl mix the apples, cheddar, salt, pepper and chives. To assemble the puffs, cut puff pastry into 12 squares. Add a few tablespoons of the apple mixture to each square and fold pastry in a triangular shape. Press down on the edges to seal. Place puffs on a greased cookie sheet and brush with egg white mixture. Place in a 375° oven that has been preheated for 30 minutes and then bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool.

Rosemary Focaccia
Serves 4-6

1 package active dry yeast
1½ cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt (1 teaspoon reserved for top)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup fresh rosemary, chopped fine (2 tablespoons reserved for top)
Extra flour for kneading

In a small bowl, gently whisk together the yeast, 1 cup lukewarm water and the sugar. Let the mixture stand until frothy, about 7 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and stir well until dough is well mixed. Add olive oil and again mix well. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead about 7 minutes sprinkling more flour as needed if dough is sticky. Place dough in a lightly oiled ceramic bowl, dampen a kitchen towel in warm water and use the towel to cover the bowl. Let dough rise until double in size, usually about 1½ hours. Punch the dough down and again turn onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough into two sections for easier kneading and rolling. Knead each section of dough for a few minutes until texture is elastic. Grease two medium baking trays. Roll dough out until it is about ¾ inch thick and set in baking pans. Cover with warm kitchen towels and let rise again for about an hour. Sprinkle salt and rosemary over the tops and with an oiled finger; push little indentations about ½ inch deep and about one and a half inches apart all over focaccia. Place rolls in a 450° oven that has been preheated for at least an hour and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Take out of oven and cool.

Herbal Wheat Bread
Makes 1 loaf

1 package active dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked pepper
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
¼ cup flax seeds
Extra unbleached flour for kneading

In a small bowl, gently whisk together the yeast, ¼ cup lukewarm water and the honey. Let the mixture stand until frothy, about 7 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt and pepper and mix well. In the middle of the large bowl make a little well and add the yeast mixture. Stir in a little of the flour mixture until a creamy paste is made. Sprinkle the remaining water around the outskirts of the bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon adding flour into the well little by little. Add the oil and mix well. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes or until semi smooth, sprinkling with flour if mixture is sticky. Place dough in a lightly oiled ceramic bowl, dampen a kitchen towel in warm water and use the towel to cover the bowl. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size or approximately 2 hours.

“Punch” the dough down and knead again on a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times. Shape the dough in the size you prefer and let rise again another half hour.

Bake in preheated 450° oven for about 30 minutes. Cool for about an hour.

Parmesan Thyme Biscuits
Makes 1 dozen biscuits

2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup fresh thyme, chopped fine
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 cup buttermilk
Unbleached flour for kneading

Combine flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, thyme and parmesan in a large mixing bowl, mix well. Cut in the butter and mix well until mixture resembles a course meal. Add the buttermilk and mix until a soft dough forms. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead gently until the dough is soft and pliable, this usually takes a few minutes. Roll out dough until it is about 1 inch thick. Cut the dough in rounds or the shape of your preference and set on a greased cookie sheet. Place the biscuits in a 45o° oven that has been preheated for thirty minutes and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cinnamon Orange Basil Sweet Rolls
Makes 12 large rolls

1 package active dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon honey
5 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped fine
1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
1 stick butter melted
½ cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
½ stick butter, melted
2 teaspoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Pinch of salt

In a medium mixing bowl, gently whisk together the yeast, ¼ cup lukewarm water and the honey. Let the mixture stand until frothy, about 7 minutes. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, salt, zest and basil. Use a mixer to add milk, butter, vanilla and sugar to the yeast mixture. When it is mixed well, mix in the eggs and mix well again. Add the flour mixture a little at a time until combined well and dough is forming yet slightly sticky. Knead with hands using a floured surface until dough is elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a warm towel. Let rise in a warm draft free location for about 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.

Knead the dough again on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes. Divide dough in 12 equal pieces, form each piece into a smooth ball and arrange balls on a lightly greased baking sheet. Let rise again in a draft free location for about an hour. Place in an oven that has been preheated at 400° for at least 45 minutes. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Take rolls out of oven. Whisk together all ingredients for the glaze until they are smooth and creamy. Drizzle glaze over the warm rolls and let stand for another 20 minutes.