Nannys Brown Bread Food

THE BEST FOCACCIA

Steps:

• For the dough: Whisk together the flour, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook on low speed, stir in the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, mixing until the flour is completely moistened. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Add the salt and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. (The dough will tighten up, then begin to relax. After 5 minutes it will be very wet and stick to the bottom of the mixer but not the sides.)
• Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil around the bottom and sides of a large mixing bowl (big enough to hold at least double the volume of the dough). Using a scraper or spatula, transfer the dough to the bowl, flipping once to coat completely with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Pour the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil into the bottom of an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Use your hands to evenly distribute the oil along the bottom and up the sides. Scrape the dough into the baking sheet, flattening it slightly with your hands. Flip the dough once and gently stretch it to fit into an even layer in the baking sheet. (The dough may not stretch to the edges at this point. If it starts to pull back, let rest 10 minutes and re-stretch, making sure to pull from the center as well as the edges to get an even thickness.) Use your fingertips to make dimples over the surface of the focaccia, pressing firmly but not so hard you make holes in the dough.
• For the brine and finish: Dissolve the kosher salt in 1/3 cup warm water. Drizzle over the surface of the focaccia, letting it pool in the dimples. Cover loosely with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let sit in a warm place for 45 minutes to relax and rise again.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through, until the focaccia is deep golden brown on the top and bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Drizzle with the olive oil and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to remove the focaccia to a wire rack to cool completely.

NANNY'S SWEET WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• Put milk in medium size sauce pan, bring to a gentle simmer.
• Add beaten egg, blending continuously with whisk.
• Add sugar; continue to whisk.
• Mix flour with water. Add slowly to mixture, still whisking.
• Stir mixture till it becomes thick, but still "pourable.".
• Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon.
• Serve warm, ladled over individual cake slices. (I recommend my Grandmothers cake, Recipe #360999).

NANNY'S CURRANT COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add egg and vanilla.
• In separate bowl sift together 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture. It will be probably be fairly sticky.
• Using food processor or blender (or chopper) chop up the currants. You will know it's ready when it appears to be just a large sticky ball. Chop walnuts into very fine pieces. and then add both to mixture and mix well.
• Add remaining flour as needed to the batter to make a stiffer consistency for rolling the cookies. (might be easier to put flour on surface and knead into batter).
• Pat down with hands into disc, and then roll out for use with cookie cutters until about 1/4" thick, flouring surfaces and roller. Decorate as desired.
• bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes.

NANNY'S DINNER ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine yeast and 1/2 cup lukewarm water, and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour into large bowl.
• Add lukewarm milk, sugar and salt, and mix.
• Add in eggs and shortening and mix until well blended.
• Add 3 1/2 cups of flour and mix thoroughly. Then add 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix.
• On counter ( or pastry mat) put 1 cup of flour down, and put dough on top. If needed, add in remaining flour. Knead until fully incorporated. dough should be soft, if you add too much flour it will feel tough.
• Wash bowl and grease with shortening. Add dough and cover with towel.
• Let rise 1 to 2 hours. Punch dough and turn over. Let rise again for 30 minutes.
• Butter 2 9" pie cake pans or 9x13 pan.
• Roll out dough into large rectangle until the dough is about 3/4-1 inch thick. (doesn't need to be perfect rectangle).
• Cut dough into 1-1 1/2 inch squares. Pinch each piece to make rounded top. (think blowing a bubble with gum. Hold in two hands and push out middle with thumbs. Pinch ends together, and it should make a shape resembling a ball-rounded on top). Add to pan(s) until pan is full, making sure they touch each other.
• Cover with towel and let rise 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350, and bake about 30 minutes, until golden brown on top.

NANNY'S BANANA-NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Cream together butter & sugar.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Mix in sifted flour, salt, and baking soda.
• Beat in mashed bananas.
• Add nuts if desired.
• Pour into prepared loaf pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 70 minutes.
• After baking, while still warm, pour 1 tablespoons of melted butter over top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

BROWN LOAF

Steps:

• Mix your choice of brown flour with the white, the yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Put in the butter and rub it into the flour. Stir in the seeds if using. Make a dip in the centre of the flour and pour in almost 300ml hand warm (cool rather than hot) water, with a round-bladed knife. Then mix in enough of the remaining water and a bit more if needed, to gather up any dry bits in the bottom of the bowl and until the mixture comes together as a soft, not too sticky, dough. Gather it into a ball with your hands.
• Put the dough on to a very lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 mins until it feels smooth and elastic, only adding the minimum of extra flour if necessary to prevent the dough sticking. Place the ball of dough on a lightly floured work surface. Cover with an upturned, clean, large glass bowl and leave for 45 mins-1 hr or until doubled in size and feels light and springy. Timing will depend on the warmth of the room.
• Knock back the dough by lightly kneading just 3-4 times. You only want to knock out any large air bubbles, so too much handling now will lose the dough's lightness. Shape into a ball. Cover with the glass bowl and leave for 15 mins.
• Now shape to make a tin loaf Grease a 1.2-litre capacity loaf tin (about 23 x 13 x 5.5cm) and line the base with baking parchment. Using your knuckles, flatten the dough into a rectangle about 25 x 19cm. Fold both shorter ends into the centre like an envelope, make a ¼ turn, then flatten again into the same size and roll up very tightly, starting from one of the short ends. Roll the top of the dough in extra seeds and place in the tin with the join underneath, pressing the seeds gently into the dough. Cover with a clean tea towel. Leave for 40-45 mins, or until risen about 5cm above the top of the tin.
• Put a roasting tin in the bottom of the oven 20 mins before ready to bake and heat oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Put the risen bread in the oven, carefully pour about 250ml cold water into the roasting tin (this will hiss and create a burst of steam to give you a crisp crust), then lower the heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake for about 30 mins or until golden, covering with foil for the last 5 mins if starting to brown too quickly. Leave in the tin for 2-3 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack. If you tap the underneath of the baked loaf if should be firm and sound hollow.