Best Bread Food

BEST BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with the butter.
• Toast the bread cubes on a baking sheet until they start to dry and harden, about 20 minutes. Set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Whisk together the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl. Add the bread to the bowl and stir until completely coated. Cover and let soak for about 30 minutes, pushing the bread down occasionally so that all the cubes are soaked. Meanwhile, pour hot water over the raisins, if using, and soak for 10 minutes. Once plumped, drain the raisins, add to the bowl of bread and gently toss.
• Pour the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake until the custard is set and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, salt, yeast, and warm water.
• Stir in the softened butter or margarine, whichever using.
• Sift in one cup of flour at a time until you have a dough that can be easily kneaded by hand without sticking to your hands.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is soft and not sticky.
• Lightly grease a medium-sized bowl with olive oil and flip dough over so that the top is also greased.
• Cover with a clean kitchen towel or wrap paper and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place.
• Grease a large baking sheet and sprinkle it with coarse cornmeal, if desired.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured table, and divide into two equal parts.
• Roll each dough half into an approximately 15 x 9-inch rectangle.
• Roll the dough tightly along the 15-inch side, pinch the seams, and taper the ends of each loaf with your hands at a 45-degree angle.
• Place the loaves on the prepared baking sheet and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F. Make 3 deep diagonal slashes on each loaf.
• Bake the bread for 20 minutes.
• Lightly beat the egg white and cold water in a small bowl to create an egg wash . This step is key for a traditional Italian bread.
• Remove the loaves from the oven and brush with the egg wash.
• Return the loaves to the oven for another 5 minutes.
• Serve bread warm or cold and enjoy.

BEST BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• DOUGH BY HAND: Mix water, yeast and sugar. Set aside.
• Mix ALL of the pudding mix with the milk.
• Add melted butter, egg and salt. Mix well. For really soft rolls, don't use the egg; for cinnamon rolls, the egg is a must -- otherwise they flatten out (but they're still tasty!).
• Add yeast mixture. Mix, then knead in flour until dough is smooth.
• Set in a warm place for 1 hour, then punch it down. Let it rise again for another 45 minutes.
• DOUGH IN 2LB BREAD MACHINE: Put the ingredients in the machine in the order listed above. Use the DOUGH setting.
• DO NOT COOK A LOAF OF THIS IN THE BREAD MACHINE! It is a very airy bread, and it will probably ruin your bread machine! (Lesson learned the hard way -- ).
• TO MAKE DINNER ROLLS: Form the dough into 1.5 to 2 inch balls, and place 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden on top.
• TO MAKE KOLACHES: Form the dough into 1.5 to 2 inch balls. Put mini-sausage and cheese on top, then pull the dough around and wrap it up as best you can. Place 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet. Bake as for DINNER ROLLS.
• CINNAMON ROLLS: Roll dough to 0.25 inch thick rectangle on a floured surface. Mix 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/3 cup cinnamon and 1 cup sugar; spread evenly (as best you can) over the surface of the dough.
• Roll up tightly, starting from a long side. Slice at 1 to 2 inch intervals. Place slices on a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. (Pour a little melted butter over each one to make the rolls extra moist!).
• Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove them as soon as they turn golden. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

BEST BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Remove odd pots and pans from oven.
• Preheat oven to 350º / 180º.
• Cream together butter and sugar.
• Add eggs and crushed bananas.
• Combine well.
• Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla.
• Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.
• Bake at 350º / 180º for 55 minutes.
• Keeps well, refrigerated.