Jackie Corser: Pass the bread, please

The Monroe News
·4 min read
Corser
Corser

With the fall season upon us and the weather changing quickly, today is a great time to talk about comfort foods - specifically the versatile flavors of bread you can add to so many dishes.

This is the time of year to experiment with these easy bread selections that can be featured at any meal with butters, jellies, or simply plain. Each year my creative juices are flowing with ideas and new combinations of breads that I can serve throughout the colder months. These yeasty beauties can easily be served with soups, chili’s, appetizers, or as a side with a multitude of meals.

Let’s get started! Here are a variety of recipes that have been tried and true in my family and present well for all gatherings and easily made by the home cook.

Bread is more than just the finished crust. It’s all of what goes intomaking a great loaf of bread– giving it life, and making it taste even better.

And with this I could not agree more!

Jacqueline Iannazzo-Corser is a contributing writer to The Monroe News, writing about food and recipes. She is a chef, co-owner of Public House, Culinary Specialist at the Opportunity Center at the Arthur Lesow Community Center, and an adjunct professor of culinary arts at Monroe County Community College. She can be reached at dunbar221@yahoo.com.

Pull Apart Bubble Bread-Maple

Serves 15 to 20

Ingredients:

  • 1 large egg, room temperature

  • 1 large egg yolk- room temperature

  • 1/3 cup butter- melted

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1 cup warm 2% milk

  • ¼ oz. of 1 pack of active dry yeast

  • 1/4 cup warm water

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour

The bread glaze:

  • 1 cup of packed brown sugar

  • 2/3 cup of maple syrup

  • 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons butter - melted

  • 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

Directions:

  • In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

  • Add the milk, butter, sugar, egg, egg yolk, salt and 3 cups flour.

  • Using a mixer beat on the medium speed. When adding the flour, slowly add to form a firm dough mix.

  • Beat for 3 to 5 minutes as needed.

  • Place the dough onto a floured surface. Knead the mixture until smooth and elastic, approximately 6-8 minutes.

  • Place in a greased bowl then turn the dough once to grease the top.

  • Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, approximately 1 hour.

  • Start the glaze by placing the syrup and butter together and bringing to a boil.

  • Cook and stir for 3 minutes, then set aside.

  • Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 20 pieces.

  • Shape each into a roll.

  • In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

  • Place melted butter in a separate small bowl.

  • Dip buns in butter, then coat in brown sugar mixture.

  • Place 8 rolls in a greased 10-in. Bundt pan; and then drizzle with 1/3 cup syrup.

  • Top the rolls with any remaining syrup and brown sugar mixture.

  • Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

  • Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

  • Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

Note: The pull-apart bread pairs well with a beef dishes. I have also served this bread with a breakfast selection of eggs, ham and bacon.

***

Easy Monkey Bread

Serves 14 to 16

Ingredients:

2 medium Granny Smith apples- peeled and chopped3 tubes of refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing (12.4 oz.)5 packets of instant spiced cider mix (0.74 ounce each)2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts6 tablespoons butter --melted

  • Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350°.

  • Combine cider packets together.

  • Separate cinnamon rolls and cut each roll into quarters. Place icing aside.

  • Add to cider mixture then toss to coat.

  • Arrange a third of the dough pieces into a well-greased 10-inch Bundt pan.

  • Top with half of the apples and half of the pecans. Continue to layer.

  • Top with remaining dough.

  • Mix melted butter, cinnamon and icing from 1 container until blended.

  • Drizzle over top of rolls.

  • Bake until golden brown, 45-50 minutes.

  • If needed, cover top loosely with foil during the last 5 minutes to prevent over-cooked top.

  • Immediately invert monkey bread onto a serving plate; keep pan inverted 10 minutes, allowing bread to release.

  • Remove from pan.

  • Microwave remaining icing, uncovered, until softened, about 10 seconds.

  • Drizzle over monkey bread.

  • Serve warm.

Note: Delicious when served on a buffet and alone with fruit salad or soup.

***

Pumpkin-Cranberry Bread

Makes two loaves

Ingredients:

  • 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

  • 3 cups sugar

  • 4 large eggs - room temperature

  • 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 can (15 oz.) of solid-pack pumpkin

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1/2 cup canola oil

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (If frozen thaw)

  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.

  • In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin and oil

  • Then stir the mixture into the dry ingredients until moistened.

  • Fold in cranberries and walnuts.

  • Spoon into two greased 9x5-in. loaf pans.

  • Bake at 350 degrees for 75-80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  • Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans

  • Place on wire rack to cool completely.

Note: Be inventive by adding other fruits - dry or fresh - such as apples, and different nut varieties. Just watch the water content of a fresh fruit.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Jackie Corser: Pass the bread, please