Today's Confectionately Yours Segment

Hi!!!  Today's segment was a repeat from April.  Scroll on down & you will find those bread machine rolls!!!  Happy Baking...

Confectionately Yours,


Sue

Bread Of Life

I love my bread machine.  It is a real timesaver for me, and a treat to bring big, soft, warm homemade rolls to my table.  It is so easy that I make this bread at least twice a week.

I tried making my own bread years ago and had little success. I needed someone more experienced than I to show me.   I gave it up for a time and pursued other more successful baking endeavors, but I just couldn’t shake the desire to conquer the art of breadmaking.

I notice an increase in sales of bread machines for Christmas.  What do you get for the Mom who has everything….a bread machine!!  I also notice these items turning up frequently at garage sales and thrift stores because they take up room, and are not utilized.

One thing I have discovered is that the bread machine works better for me as a "preparer" of dough, rather than a baker of the bread.  

The ingredients are place in the machine in a specific manner-first liquids, then dry ingredients.  

The bread machine mixes, kneads, and allows the dough to relax in a timed manner. 

Yeast breads must have a resting time because kneading the dough activates the glutens in the flour making it hard to knead. 

Gluten is a protein that gives bread dough its elastic quality.  

As the yeast, a live organism, multiplies, it releases carbon dioxide gases making the bread rise.  Bread flour has a higher gluten content making it better for breads than all purpose flour.

I have also found that using instant yeast, rather than the packets of regular yeast, yield dough that rises faster.

I love that the scriptures are referred to as the Bread of Life.  They nourish and sustain us.  My bread  recipe will nourish for a time, but God’s word will last an eternity!!  Feast on it!!

BREAD MACHINE ROLLS

(My "go-to" recipe for yeast bread)

1 egg+enough warm water to measure 1-2/3 c.
3 T. olive oil

4-1/2 c. bread flour
2-1/2 tsp. rapid rise yeast (I use Saf-Instant)
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. sugar

Place egg in measuring cup and add enough warm water to bring total amount to 

1-2/3 cup. Pour into bread machine pa

 Add rest of ingredients in order given. 

Set 

machine to dough setting. This cycle should run about 80 minutes. When cycle is 

complete, remove dough. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. It should be 

smooth, elastic, and easy to shape.

If handled too much the gluten will activate and 

make the dough tough to manipulate. If difficult to shape, allow to rest 5 minutes for 

the gluten to relax. 

Roll dough into long tube shape and cut 24 pieces for rolls or 16

pieces for sandwich buns. Roll dough into an oval shape for deli style rolls or round 

for hamburger buns. 

Place dough on greased cookie sheet. Spray with nonstick baking 

spray and cover lightly with plastic wrap. 

Place in a warm draft free place and allow to 

"proof" or rise for 45 minutes or until doubled. Preheat oven to 350° and bake rolls 

for 8-10 minutes until very light brown. 

Brush with melted butter immediately after 

removing from oven. This will soften the surface of the rolls. Store in airtight

container when completely cool.--You may refrigerate dough after shaping and let it 

"cold rise" in the refrigerator overnight (up to 16 hours). 

Remove from fridge and 

allow rolls to come to room temp while oven preheats.-

 

preheat to 350° and continue as directed above. Remove plastic wrap before baking.

Note: Try not to be intimidated by yeast breads. I had some failures early on when I 

didn't know what the dough was supposed to look like when risen or what was 

"doubled." I didn't attempt bread again until the bread machine came along. It kneads 

evenly & the instant yeasts of today make the most of our limited kitchen time and yield great results.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Pleasant Words

Pleasant Words are a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul, & health to the body!!

When I was growing up, my mother cooked dinner every night.  At the end of the meal, my father always addressed her and said, “I enjoyed my supper.” 

It was a phrase that all of us kids echoed, but it wasn’t something required of us.  It was simply learning good manners by example. Oddly enough, I found myself saying these same words as an adult when I was visiting my parent’s home.  It just felt natural to do that.

My husband of 31 years, had a phrase that he repeated every day we were together.  He decided early on in our marriage that he couldn’t read my mind, so he would say to me, “Is there anything I can do for you?”

These few words gave me such comfort.  It told me he cared about the load I carried running our household, and he was willing to share that load, but preferred to do what I felt needed to be done.  It meant he cared about my needs, whether it be a cup of tea, or a load of laundry started.

Those words made me feel nurtured then.  Now that I am widowed, they leave a pleasant memory-Sweetness to the soul and health to the body like the scriptures say.

I often find myself repeating those words to my children and my friends, especially when they are struggling.  I guess just knowing someone would like to lighten the load is comforting.

No food is more comforting than homemade bread.  Since I have shared my roll recipe on a previous segment, I will gladly add the honey butter recipe that takes it over the top.  I made the mistake of taking this combo to work so often that showing up without them leads to mutiny by the staff. 

Start with ½ c. softened butter.  Add 3 T. honey and mix in.  Drizzle a little extra honey on the top. Serve at room temp.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Here is the roll recipe so you don't have to search for it.



BREAD MACHINE ROLLS
(My "go-to" recipe for yeast bread)
1 egg + warm water
3 T. olive oil
4-1/2 c. bread flour
2-1/2 tsp. rapid rise yeast (I use Saf-Instant brand)
1-1/2 tsp. salt 
1/3 c. sugar

Place egg in measuring cup and add enough warm water to bring total amount to 1-2/3 cup. 

Pour into bread machine pan. Add rest of ingredients in order given. Set machine to dough setting. This cycle should run about 80 minutes. 

When cycle is complete, remove dough. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. It should be smooth, elastic, and easy to shape. If handled too much the gluten will activate and
make the dough tough to manipulate. If difficult to shape, allow to rest 5 minutes for the gluten to relax. 

Roll dough into long tube shape and cut 24 pieces for rolls or 16
pieces for sandwich buns. Roll dough into an oval shape for deli style rolls or round or hamburger buns. 

Place dough on greased cookie sheet. Spray with nonstick baking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm draft free place and allow to "proof" or rise for 45 minutes or until doubled. 

Preheat oven to 350° and bake rolls for 13-17 minutes until light brown. Brush with melted butter immediately after
removing from oven. This will soften the surface of the rolls. Store in airtight container when completely cool.

--You may refrigerate dough after shaping and let it "cold rise" in the refrigerator overnight (up to 16 hours). Remove from fridge and allow rolls to come to room temp while oven preheats.

--Dough may also be frozen after shaping. When completely frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to use dough, preheat oven to 200°, then turn oven OFF when it reaches set temp. Place rolls on greased cookie sheet, spray with nonstick spray, cover with plastic wrap and place in the warm oven to rise for 60-85 minutes or until doubled. 

Remove from oven, then preheat to 350° and continue as directed above. Remove plastic wrap before baking. (I use this oven method for my initial proofing also-it takes about 30 minutes for dough fresh from the machine to rise.)

Note: Try not to be intimidated by yeast breads. I had some failures early on when I didn't know what the dough was supposed to look like when risen or what was
"doubled." I didn't attempt bread again until the bread machine came along. It kneads evenly & the instant yeasts of today make the most of our limited kitchen time and
yield great results.