Chewy Italian Rolls From Kaf Food

CHEWY ITALIAN ROLLS FROM KAF

Steps:

• BIGA:.
• Mix all ingredients until well blended.
• Cover bowl and let rest at room temperature for 12 to 20 hours, until very bubbly.
• DOUGH:.
• Mis biga with remaining ingredients for 2 to 4 minutes, using an electric mixer set on slow speed.
• Increase mixer speed to medium, and mix for about 4 minutes; the dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
• Add additional water or flour if necessary.
• Let dough rise in greased, covered bowl, for 1 to 2 hours, until very puffy.
• Turn dough out onto well floured surface, and shape it into a 6"x12" square.
• Using a bench knife or pizza wheel, cut out eight 3" square rolls.
• Place rolls, floured side up onto parchment paper.
• Cover rolls and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until puffy.
• Place a baking stone in the top third of oven, and preheat oven to 450.
• Bake the rolls for 13 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and cool on rack.

KAF CHOCOLATE CASSATA CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE:.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, baking powder, espresso powder, and cocoa to make a sandy, somewhat clumpy mixture. Don't worry; the eggs will smooth things out.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl midway through this process.
• Add half the flour to the bowl, beating at low speed to combine.
• Add all of the milk, beating at low speed to combine.
• Add the remaining flour, beating gently just until the batter is smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake the cake for about 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top may look a tiny bit damp; that's OK. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the center will register 210°F to 215°F, while just under the top will register about 198°F to 200°F.
• Remove the cake from the oven, loosen the edges, wait 10 minutes, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.
• Store completely cooled cake well wrapped, at room temperature, until ready to fill and frost.
• FILLING:.
• Stir together the ricotta, sugar, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Frosting:.
• Sift the cocoa, confectioners' sugar, and espresso powder into a bowl.
• Bring the cream to a simmer on the stove or in the microwave, and whisk into the cocoa mixture. At first the mixture will look grainy; continue whisking for a minute. You'll see the lumps disappear as the sugar dissolves and the cocoa hydrates.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Place the butter, salt, and sifted confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl.
• Beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
• With the mixer running on low speed, add the cocoa mixture a spoonful at a time until it's all incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then beat at medium speed for 1 minute.
• Assemble Cake:.
• Split the cake in thirds lengthwise, to make 3 layers. Brush the cut side of each layer with simple syrup or vanilla syrup; this will help keep the cake moist.
• Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread with half the ricotta filling. Top with the second layer, and spread with the remaining filling. Place the third layer on top.
• Ice the cake - top and sides - with the frosting.
• Serve immediately; or refrigerate, well-wrapped, until ready to serve, preferably not longer than 24 hours. Cut in crosswise slices to serve.

CARAMELIZED ONION SOURDOUGH BISCUITS FROM KAF

Steps:

• Combine butter, onion and sugar in pan over medum-low heat.
• Cook onion, covered for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes; they should be nicely caramelized.
• Transfer onions to a bowl to cool to room termperature, then refrigerate until well chilled at least 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Grease or line baking sheet with parchment.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• Work butter into flour until mixture is unevenly crumbly.
• Toss in chives and caramelized onions.
• Cut in starter until dough becomes cohesive.
• Trun dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use a bench knife or bowl scraper to fold over on itself five or six times, until it comes together.
• Pat into a 1" thick disk.
• Use a sharp 2 1/2" biscuit cutter to cut rounds.
• Pat the scraps together and cut additional biscuits.
• Bake biscuits for 15-18 minutes until they're just turning golden.
• Remove from oven and serve warm.
• TIP: Brush biscuits with butter before baking if desired for extra color and flavor. You can brush them again once they come out of the oven for over the top richness.+.

ITALIAN HERB ROLLS

Steps:

• Set bread machine on dough setting and let mix and rise once.
• Shape and form into rolls.
• Bake 25-30 min at 350°F.

GRANDMA'S EASY POTATO ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix and knead together all ingredients in bread machine (or in mixer).
• If mixing by hand, let dough rise about 90 minutes (or follow your bread machine's dough cycle).
• Your dough might not have risen exactly double.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and divide it into 16 pieces.
• Round each piece into a smooth ball.
• Place the balls in a 9x 13 pan, or 2 9 inch round pans, or separately on cookie sheet.
• Cover the pan and let the rolls rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat the oven to 325.
• Bake the rolls for 30 minutes (tenting lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning).
• Rolls should be golden brown when done. Brush with additional melted butter.
• Let cool slightly and turn out on a rack to cool.

BELGIAN-STYLE YEAST WAFFLES FROM KAF

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, leaving room for expansion; the mixture will bubble and grow.
• Stir to combine; it's OK if the mixture isn't perfectly smooth.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour; the mixture will begin to bubble. You can cook the waffles at this point, or refrigerate the batter overnight to cook waffles the next day.
• Preheat your waffle iron. Spray with non-stick vegetable oil spray, and pour 2/3 to 3/4 cup batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturer) onto the center of the iron. Close the lid and bake for the recommended amount of time, until the waffle is golden brown. It takes us 5 to 6 minutes, using our 7" Belgian-style (deep-pocket) waffle iron.
• Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200°F oven. Serve with berries and whipped cream, if desired.

HEAVENLY HEALTHY BANANA BREAD FROM KAF

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" or 9" x 5" loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, baking soda, salt, and bananas, beating until well combined. The mixture will be fairly smooth, with some scattered small chunks of banana.
• Beat in the honey and eggs.
• Add the flour, then the walnuts, stirring until smooth.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Bake the bread for 50 minutes, then gently lay a piece of aluminum foil across the top, to prevent over-browning. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the bread from the oven; a long toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean.
• Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes; then remove it from the pan, and set it on a rack to cool completely.
• Tip:.
• For banana-pineapple bread, drain a 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple in juice, saving the juice for another use (or to drink). Place the pineapple in a double layer of paper towels, and wring it until it's as dry as can be. Substitute it for one of the bananas in the recipe; you may need to increase the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.

HAWAIIAN BUNS FROM KAF

Steps:

• Sponge: In the bowl of your stand mixer or the bucket of your bread machine, combine the sponge ingredients. Allow the sponge to rest for 15 minutes.
• Add the pineapple juice, butter, brown sugar, eggs and yolk, and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
• Whisk together the remaining flour, potato flour, and salt before adding to the liquid ingredients.
• Mix and knead until the dough is cohesive and smooth; it'll be very sticky at first. If you're using a stand mixer, beat with the flat beater for about 3 minutes at medium-high speed; then scrape the dough into the center of the bowl, switch to the dough hook, and knead for about 5 minutes at medium speed. It may have formed a very soft ball, but will probably still be sticking to the bottom of the bowl. If you're using a bread machine, simply let it go through its entire cycle. If you find the dough isn't coming together, add a tablespoon or two of flour.
• Lightly grease the mixing bowl or a large (8-cup) measure; round the dough into a ball, and place it in the bowl or measure. Cover, and let rise until very puffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If you're using a bread machine and the dough hasn't doubled in size when the cycle is complete, simply let it rest in the machine for another 30 to 60 minutes.
• Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
• Gently deflate the dough. Divide it into 16 equal pieces, by dividing in half, then in halves again, etc. Round each piece into a smooth ball. Space the buns in the pan.
• Tent the dough gently with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in the pan for 1 hour, until it's nicely puffy. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Mix the reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon cold water, and brush some onto the surface of the rolls; this will give them a satiny crust.
• Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 190°F on a digital thermometer.
• Remove the rolls from the oven, and after a few minutes, turn them out onto a cooling rack.
• Serve warm. Store leftovers, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
• Yield: 16 buns.
• Chat with a baker.
• Tips from the bakers.
• Sweet breads can be agonizingly slow risers. Why? Because sugar attracts water, and when it's in bread dough, it pulls water away from yeast - leaving the yeast thirsty and unable to grow. If you're using regular yeast not formulated for sweet dough, you may find the rising time for these rolls will be longer by 30 minutes or more for each rise.
• This is a very wet dough, and can be tricky to handle. If you're having difficulty, we suggest lightly oiling your hands and counter before attempting to roll out the buns.
• If you want to use fresh pineapple juice: microwave the juice for 2 minutes until it reaches 200°F and allow to cool to lukewarm before using. The process of heating will kill any enzymes in the juice, which would otherwise destroy the gluten.
• To make hamburger-sized buns, prepare the dough according to the recipe instructions, and after the rise divide it into six equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball, and place them into the lightly-greased wells of a hamburger bun pan, flattening them gently. Let the buns rise for an hour, until they fill the wells and are nicely puffy, then brush the rolls with the egg wash, and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes until they're a deep golden brown.

KAISER ROLLS FROM KING ARTHUR FLOUR

Steps:

• Manual Method:.
• In a large bowl, or the bowl of your electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients, stirring till the dough forms a cohesive mass and begins to clear the sides of the bowl.
• Knead the dough for 5 minutes, then allow it to rest for 10 minutes (which gives the dough a chance to absorb the liquid, and the gluten in the flour a chance to relax.)
• Knead the dough for an additional 5 minutes, or until it's smooth and supple.
• The dough should be quite stiff, but not at all "gnarly;" adjust its consistency with additional flour or water, as necessary.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or dough-rising bucket, cover the bowl or bucket, and allow the dough to rise till it's noticeably puffy, about 1 hour.
• Bread Machine Method:.
• Place all of the ingredients into the pan of your machine, program the machine for manual or dough, and press start.
• About 10 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle, examine the dough's consistency; it should be quite stiff, but not at all "gnarly;" adjust it consistency with additional flour or water, as necessary.
• Allow the machine to complete its cycle.
• Shaping:.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into six equal pieces.
• Shape the pieces into round balls, and place them on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
• Working with one ball of dough at a time, center your kaiser stamp over the dough.
• Press down frimly, cutting to the bottom but not all the way through the dough. This is important; if you don't cut deeply enough, the shape disappears as the roll bakes; if you cut too deeply (all the way through), the roll will form "petals" as it rises and look like a daisy, not a kaiser roll. Practice makes perfect!
• Repeat with the remaining rolls.
• Place the rolls cut-side down (yes-cut-side down--this helps them retain their shape) onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Cover the rolls, and allow them to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they've almost doubled in volume.
• Turn the rolls cut-side up.
• Dip tops in milk and coat with poppy or sesame seeds, if desired.
• Bake the rolls in a preheated 425°F oven vor 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're golden brown.
• Remove them from the oven, and cool on a wire rack.

CINNAMON STAR BREAD FROM KAF

Steps:

• To make the dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients and mix and knead - by hand, mixer, or bread machine - to make a soft, smooth dough.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 60 minutes, until it's nearly doubled in bulk.
• Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, cover the balls, and allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
• On a lightly greased or floured work surface, roll one piece of dough into a 10" circle. Place the circle on a piece of parchment, brush a thin coat of beaten egg on the surface, then evenly sprinkle with 1/3 of the cinnamon-sugar, leaving 1/4" of bare dough around the perimeter.
• Roll out a second circle the same size as the first, and place it on top of the filling-covered circle. Repeat the layering process - egg, cinnamon sugar, dough circle - leaving the top circle bare.
• Place a 2 1/2" to 3" round cutter in the center of the dough circle as a guide. With a bench knife or sharp knife, cut the circle into 16 equal strips, from the cutter to the edge, through all the layers.
• Using two hands, pick up two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice so that the top side is facing up again. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough so that you end up with eight pairs of strips.
• Pinch the pairs of strips together to create a star-like shape with eight points. Remove the cutter.
• Transfer the star on the parchment to a baking sheet. Cover the star and let it rise until it becomes noticeably puffy, about 45 minutes.
• While the star is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Brush the star with a thin coat of the beaten egg. Bake it for 12 to 15 minutes, until it's nicely golden with dark brown cinnamon streaks; the center should register 200°F on a digital thermometer.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
• Yield: one star loaf, about 8 to 12 servings.