In the past few weeks, social media has been flooded with pictures of sourdough loaves and “quarantine cookies.” Thousands of people have turned to baking as a way to invite some comfort, distraction, and joy into their lives. We love seeing so many people get back in the kitchen and hope everyone will continue to build on their baking skills. Whether you’re a professional pastry chef or just picked up a whisk, we invite you to roll up your sleeves and put your new skills with these five recipes. Don’t forget to post a picture of your homemade pretzels or gooey cinnamon rolls and tag @chef_lynn_michelle!
Bagels
You don’t have to be anywhere near New York City to enjoy warm, chewy bagels. Once you master the basic recipe, try adding your own mix-ins and toppings like raisins, poppy seeds, or “everything” seasoning.
Bagels
Ingredients
- 4 cups high-gluten flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp barley malt syrup or powder
- 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
- 3 tbsp cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt and malt in the bowl of a standing mixer with a dough hook attachment. Add yeast and water, and mix at the lowest speed until the dough looks scrappy, like shreds beginning to come together, for about 4 min. Increase to speed 2, and continue mixing until the dough is smooth and cohesive, 8 to 10 min.
- Turn dough on work surface, dividing into 8 portions, about 4 oz each. Roll dough into smooth balls and cover with a towel or plastic wrap to rest for 5 min.
- Form dough balls into dough rings, place on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap and rest overnight (12 to 18 hrs).
- About 20 min before baking, remove dough rings from the refrigerator. Adjust the oven rack to center position and heat to 450 degrees. Fill a large soup kettle with 3 in depth of water, and bring to a rapid boil. To test the proofing of the dough rings, fill a large bowl with cool water. Drop a dough ring into the bowl; it should float it immediately to the surface (and if not, retest every 5 min).
- Working 4 at a time, drop dough rings into the boiling water, stirring and submerging the loops with a Chinese skimmer or slotted spoon until very slightly puffed, 30 to 35 sec. Remove rings from water; transfer to wire rack, bottom side down, to drain.
- Transfer boiled rings, rough side down, to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 14 min. Use tongs to transfer to wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- To 3 oz of cream cheese, add 1 can of blueberry pie filling.
- To 3 oz of cream cheese, add Mrs. Grass veggie dip mix, and 2-3 oz of club soda.
- To 3 oz of cream cheese, add 3 TBSP of Tones Garlic Herb Spice Mix and 2-3 oz of club soda.
- To 3 oz of cream cheese add 1/4 cup of dried onions and 3-5 oz of club soda.
Cinnamon Rolls
Nothing will bring your family to the table faster than the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls in the morning. If you want to get the prep work out of the way, these rolls can be left in the refrigerator overnight before they rise for a second time and bake the next morning.
Pretzels
Soft pretzels take less than an hour to make (and less than a minute to eat)! Brush melted butter over the crust and top with flakey sea salt for a gourmet twist (get it?) to this classic baked treat.
Banana Bread
Banana bread is a family-favorite recipe for a reason: it’s easy to make, stays moist for days, and is delicious at any hour. Get your kids in on the fun by having them measure ingredients of help out with the mixing.
Sourdough is an artisanal bread that’s deceptively simple to make. In fact, basic sourdough is made with only five ingredients: yeast, flour, water, oil, and salt. Serve it plain with a pad of butter, or use it to make avocado toast, bruschetta, sandwiches, and more.
