The tastiest little buns this side of the Mississippi

Easy Homemade Buns

Remember about 13 or 14 years ago when everyone and their dog shunned even the thought of allowing a morsel of bread past their lips?  Well, a bandwagoner I am not so I never really got on board with this whole bread = bad thing.  I mean, come on!  Bread is AMAZING!  Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand that cutting out bread might very well lead to miraculous weight loss for some and there are a whole ton of people out there who literally can’t stomach the stuff due to allergies and sensitivities but, oh man, it is a pretty fantastic thing. 

Making bread yourself does take a little bit of time but it is as easy as anything!  Half of the process feels like you're a kid again playing with modelling clay and the rest is pretty much just waiting.  Even if it was more difficult, it would be totally worth it just to have your house basking in the heavenly smell of fresh bread as it bakes in your oven.

Here is my tried and true recipe for buns.  Feel free to divide the dough into 12 to make perfect burger-sized buns or 24 for the tastiest little dinner rolls you ever did eat!

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Easy Homemade Buns

Makes 12 burger buns or 24 dinner rolls

¾ cup milk
¼ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup cold water
4 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus some for shaping the buns*
2 ¼ tsp (1 package) quick-rise dry yeast
7 tsp sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
1 egg
egg wash (one egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk or water)
2 tbsp sesame and/or poppy seeds, optional

In a small pot over medium heat, heat the milk and butter until all of the butter is melted and the mixture is quite warm but not yet simmering.

Meanwhile, combine 2 cups of flour with the yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Set aside.

Once the milk mixture is hot, remove it from the heat and pour in the cold water to bring the temperature down a bit.  This will help ensure that the yeast is activated without killing it with too much heat.

Pour the liquid into the flour mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon.  Stir in the remaining 2 cups of flour and begin to knead either with your hands or the dough hook attachment for your stand mixer.  The dough should be a bit tacky but if it seems too sticky, add a bit more flour while kneading.  The dough should be smooth and ready after about 6 minutes of kneading in your stand mixer or 8 minutes by hand.

Form the dough into a ball and plop into a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft free place for 30 – 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces for burger buns or 24 for dinner rolls and shape into smooth little buns… it was really difficult not to laugh after typing “smooth little buns”…

Place the buns on a greased cookie sheet leaving a few inches in between each and cover with the clean kitchen towel.  Pop the cookie sheet back into that warm, draft free spot and allow to rise for 25 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400F and prepare your egg wash. 

Once risen, brush each bun with some egg wash and, if you fancy, sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds.  Bake burger sized buns for 13 – 16 minutes and dinner rolls for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden all the way around.

Allow the buns to cool slightly on a wire rack before diving in for the cook’s taste test (aka the saddest looking bun)!

*Feel free to try a mixture of whole wheat and white flours!  I’ve made this recipe with half whole wheat/half white and they turned out great – I would note that if you’re looking for a super tender and light bun, don’t go with 100% whole wheat as it tends to weigh these guys down.

It's always a good time for Granola

Nutty Coconut Granola

Oh, how I love granola.  It’s crunchy, nutty, super easy to make and, with a little imagination, can be used in so many different dishes.  In addition to being a breakfast staple, I like to make an extra sweet variety to use in desserts as well as savoury renditions to be scattered atop salads, fish, or anything else that can use a good “crunch”.  The moral of the story here is that I personally believe granola should be its own food group and be added to pretty much everything.

Here is my take on traditional breakfast granola.  It’s heathy, high in fiber, and oh-so-good on yogurt, with fruit, or just out of hand.

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Granola

Makes about 10 cups

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup cashews
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
¼ cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup ground flax seed
1 tsp salt
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup + 2 tbsp canola oil
½ cup hot tap water
1 cup dried fruit, optional

Preheat your oven to 300F and lightly grease two half sheet pans.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, cashews, almonds, shredded coconut, brown sugar, flour, flax seed, and salt.  Set the dry ingredients aside.

In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, vegetable oil, and water.  Quickly whisk and pour over the dry ingredients, stirring well.

Divide the granola mixture between the two prepared half sheet pans and spread into an even layer.  Pop into your preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking to ensure that your granola is perfectly golden brown all the way through.

Remove the granola from the oven and, if using dried fruit, distribute between the two pans now.  Allow the granola to cool on the sheet pans, break up a bit, and store in an airtight container to enjoy for breakfast or whenever you’re feeling a bit snacky.

Apple Tart

Apple Tart

I figured out at an early age that baking is always a good idea.  No matter the time of day or night, people welcome all manner of confections.  There were times in high school when an oh so weepy and just slightly angsty Mary would be found in the kitchen during the wee hours of the morning whipping up loaves, pies, cookies, and cakes.

This tart has been a go-to for me since those early high school days and has gotten me through many a broken heart, school induced anxiety, and the occasional sulk.

It's crisp & creamy, just sweet enough, and, no matter the time of year, reminds me of autumn which is always a good thing.

xM

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Apple Tart

Serves 12

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 tbsp milk

Vanilla Pastry Cream:

1 ½ cup milk
6 tbsp sugar
2 ½ tsp cornstarch
pinch salt
4 egg yolks
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla

Topping:

Apples*, cored and very thinly sliced
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

For the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine.
Add the butter and pulse to cut in.  You’re looking for the mixture to resemble very coarse bread crumbs with some chunks of butter about the size of a pea.
Mix the egg and milk, pour over the flour/butter mixture, and pulse to combine.
Dump the dough onto a piece of cling film, wrap, and press the dough together.
Place the dough in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
When ready to make the tart, take the dough out of the fridge and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.  This will make it much easier to work with without allowing the butter to soften too much.
While resting, adjust your oven rack to the upper third of your oven and preheat the to 400F.
Roll out your dough to ¼” thickness and place in a 10” removable bottom tart pan.
Dock the bottom of the crust by poking it about a dozen times with a fork, wrap the outer bottom of the tart pan with tin foil to avoid butter leaking out, and pop it back in the fridge for about 10 minutes to chill.
Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and continue to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the crust is evenly golden.
Remove from the oven and allow crust to cool.

For the pastry cream, in a medium saucepan combine milk with 3 tablespoons sugar and place over medium heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cornstarch and pinch of salt.
Quickly whisk in the egg yolks and set aside until milk is scalded (very hot and almost simmering).
Once milk is scalded, slowly pour it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the yolks.
After all of the milk has been combined, return the mixture to the pot and heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 3-5 minutes).
Once thick, remove pastry cream from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla until combined.
Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve to catch any cooked egg.
Cool the mixture to use in the apple tart.

To finish the tart, preheat the oven to 350F.
Evenly spread the cooled pastry cream into the cooled crust and arrange the thinly sliced apples on top in whatever fashion you fancy.
Mix up the cinnamon sugar and sprinkle on top.
Bake the tart for approximately 5 – 7 minutes to soften the apples.
Cool to room temperature or in the fridge and serve.

Fresh Citrus and Fennel Bruschetta with Burrata

Citrus and Fennel Bruschetta with Burrata

There are few things that go together as well as fennel and citrus.  The licorice-y bite of that fantastically frond'd bulb met its perfect match in the sweetness of an orange.  

This recipe, perfect for lunch, a light dinner, or served as a side, plays off of the fennel/orange affair with the welcome addition of tart grapefruit, fresh mint, subdued zucchini, and the musty sweetness of a syrupy balsamic reduction.

While Autumn is rearing its blustery head, this citrusy fennel bruschetta with creamy, oozy burrata is sure to invoke the summeriest of feelings.

xM

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Fresh Citrus and Fennel Bruschetta with Burrata

Serves 4 - 6

1/2 fennel bulb, including fronds
1 small green zucchini
1 small yellow zucchini
1 orange
1 grapefruit
3 tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped or torn
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped or torn
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Burrata*, tennis ball sized (1 if making enough for 4, 2 for 6 - or if you're a cheese lover like me)
4 - 6 thick slices of crusty fresh bread
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
Balsamic reduction, store-bought or homemade (recipe follows)

*fresh mozzarella or feta will work wonderfully if you cannot find burrata
 

Using a knife, trim the top of the fennel off of the bulb, reserving the fronds for later use.
Using a mandoline or a vegetable peeler, very thinly slice the fennel bulb and place into a large bowl.
Continue this method with the two zucchinis, thinly slicing each and placing in the large bowl.
Once the vegetables are sliced, move on to supreming the citrus!
Using a knife, carefully trim off the very top and bottom of the orange and grapefruit.
Next, place the orange and grapefruit on their ends and begin to remove the peel and pith with your knife, beginning at the top and slicing down along the curve of each fruit.
Finally, over the large bowl containing the fennel and zucchini, carefully cut out each segment of the fruit by inserting the blade of your knife between the flesh of the fruit and the membrane on both sides of each segment.  The wedges of grapefruit and orange should pretty much fall off the membrane into your bowl.
Squeeze the juice out of the remaining membrane into the large bowl - this will serve as the acid in your dressing.
Toss the mint and parsley into the mix along with salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil and gently fold everything together.
While the citrus and veg get to know each other, lightly toast your bread and rub the garlic clove on the toast as soon as it is golden and delicious.  This will impart some garlic flavour without knocking your socks off.

To plate, place a toast on each dish and top with a good helping of the citrus/veg mixture.  Grab your burrata and carefully tear it into pieces, being careful not to let too much of the creamy goodness on the inside escape.  Finally, drizzle the bruschetta and plate with balsamic reduction and finish with a bit of salt and pepper.

Balsamic Reduction

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

In a small pot, combine the above ingredients and place over medium heat.
Cook until reduced by about half.
Use straight or store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.