Green Olive Crostini

Green Olive Crostini

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 1/4 cups large green pitted olives, such as Sicilia (3/4 pound)
• 1 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large slices of crusty bread

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a food processor, process the garlic, olives, capers and olive oil to a coarse paste.
2. Toast the bread on the oven rack for 6 minutes, or until crisp and browned. Spread the olive paste thickly over the toasts and serve.

Perfect (4-hour!) Mini Baguettes

I have been looking for the perfect at-home baguette recipe for a very long time. Most of them are extremely complicated and require way more time than I usually have. The one I found on Fine Cooking is a very good recipe, but I tweaked it to make it easier and more do-able for the average home cook!

This is my go-to recipe for baguettes. They are chewy, soft, crispy, delicious-- perfect. 

WARNING: You may want to make a double batch since you'll probably be eating these right when they come out of the oven...

(Adapted from Fine Cooking)

(Makes six loaves)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. (3-1/3 cups) bread flour; more for dusting
• 2-1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 2 tsp. fine sea salt 
• 1 1/2 cups luke-warm water
• fine cornmeal for sprinkling on the baking sheet
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Combine 1-1/2 cups warm water with yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for ten minutes. The yeast should begin to foam/bubble. (The water should be neither hot nor cold. You want to wake up the yeast! If it's too hot, it'll kill the yeast!)
2. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and mix on low to combine.
3. Gradually add the yeast/water mixture to the flour mixture, mixing on medium-low.
4. Mix on medium-low speed for 1 minute. With a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and the dough hook; the dough will be very sticky. Mix, scraping down the bowl and hook every 2 minutes, until the dough looks smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes more. The dough will be sticky! 
   
5. Remove the dough hook and scrape any dough clinging to the hook into the bowl.
6. Scrape all the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the dough and your fingers.
7. Remove the dough from the work surface, using the bowl scraper to loosen it if necessary, and put it seam side down in a medium bowl. 
   
8. Cover with a linen or other flat-weave towel and let the dough rest in a draft-free spot until roughly doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours. 
   
9. Line a large (17-1/2 x 13-inch) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. 
10. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface, smooth top side down. Fold one side of the dough into the middle and press down firmly along the length of the seam. Fold in the opposite side and press again firmly along the length of the seam, forming a rectangle.
11. Turn the dough over so the smooth side is up. With the bowl scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces by making one lengthwise and two crosswise cuts. Weigh them; they should each be about 4-3/4 oz. Equal them out by cutting a bit off the heavier pieces and tucking it under the lighter pieces. 
12. Make a line of flour on your work surface to dredge the baguettes. Working with one piece of dough at a time, put it smooth side down on a lightly floured work surface.
13. Fold a long edge of the dough into the center, pressing firmly with your fingertips along the seam all the way down to the work surface, folding with one hand and pressing with the other, working from one end to the other. Fold the other long edge into the center in the same way. 
    
14. Continue to fold and press alternate edges until the baguette is 11 to 12 inches long, 5 to 6 folds.
15. Dredge the smooth side of the dough (the seam is on top) in the line of flour.
16. Set the baguette floured side up (seam down) on the baking sheet. 
17. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover with a linen or other flat-weave towel that has been dredged in flour and let sit until roughly doubled in size, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. 
    
18. While the dough sits, position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 500°F (if you have a convection oven, use it). Have ready a small spray bottle of water.
19. When the baguettes are ready, cut slits in the tops of them. With a thin, very sharp knife, make 4 to 5 slashes on a sharp diagonal, 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep, on the tops of each baguette.
20. Mix egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush the tops of each baguette with the mixture. 
21. Open the oven and quickly spray about 10 squirts of water into the bottom and sides of the oven to make steam. Put the baguettes in the oven, spray again into the bottom and sides of the oven, and quickly close the door to trap the steam. Reduce the oven temperature to 475°F. Bake the baguettes for 6 minutes and then quickly turn them over on their baking sheets. Swap the sheets’ positions and bake for another 5 minutes.
22. Remove the baguettes from their baking sheets and put them scored side up directly on the oven racks. Bake until the baguettes are dark golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Soft Brioche Hamburger Buns

I'm kind of a cheeseburger addict. I mean, I have actually had to make a pact with boyfriend to not eat cheeseburgers if I can help it. 

But when I mentioned that I'd be making them myself, and that they'd be served on homemade buns, he really couldn't argue.

And to be honest, I think this perfect brioche bun recipe will win my case every time I want a cheeseburger.

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
Yield: 8 buns



Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons warm milk
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
1. In a glass measuring cup, combine one cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Meanwhile, beat one egg.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, well-floured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be on the sticky side so it can be a bit messy, but keep in mind that the more flour you knead in, the tougher the buns will get. Try to leave them tackier than you would a round loaf.

3. Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, one to two hours. (In my freaky, warm apartment this only took an hour.)

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange two to three inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap lightly coated in nonstick spray and let buns rise in a warm place for one to two hours. (Again, this only took one hour in my apartment and I suspect, you’ll also only need an hour for a second rise.)

5. Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with one tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Hoagie Rolls

When I first started Babybakes, I was brand new to bread making. There is a recipe for hoagie rolls on this blog from when the site first began, and I will keep it there for nostalgic and historical value. But if I'm being perfectly honest, that recipe is terrible.

I have been searching since then for the perfect authentic hoagie roll recipe, and baby, this is it.

(Adapted from The Kitchen Whisperer)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 3/8 cups warm water (110-115F degrees)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp cold butter, cubed

Instructions:

1. Add the yeast, sugar and 3/8 cup warm water in a bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Using a whisk or spoon, mix and set aside for 5-10 minutes or until the yeast has bubbled quite a bit.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (this would be the same bowl your yeast mixture is in) add in the flour and water. Start off on low.
4. Mix for 4 minutes.
5. Add in the salt and mix for 5-6 minutes until the dough is slack. At this point your mixer should be at medium speed.
6. Add in the butter and mix for 1-3 minutes or until the dough comes back together.
7. Remove from bowl and transfer to a greased, covered bowl until doubled in size. ~1 hour.
8. Divide into 8 pieces and shape.
9. Transfer to a sprayed, parchment lined tray and cover.
10. Allow to rise again. ~30-45 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 16-23 minutes or until golden brown.

Rosemary Gouda Beer Bread

I love beer. I love bread. I love rosemary. I love butter.

If you love all of those things, you'd better make this bread. 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread or unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 (12-ounce) can of beer
• 1 cup shredded gouda cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cover the bottom of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the sides; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to combine. Add beer; stir until just combined. Fold in 3/4 cup of the gouda cheese and rosemary.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Pour melted butter evenly over top of bread.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
5. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, until cheese is golden brown.
6. Serve warm.

Pain Au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants!)

Chocolate croissants are probably my favorite pastry. In fact, I'm pretty sure they're boyfriend's favorite pastry, too (He has told me stories of eating chocolate croissants at Whole Foods as a kid while his mom did shopping, and he's told me a thousand times that the best chocolate croissant he's ever had was in Paris, France.) I've been itching to try my hand at making them for years, but I wanted to do it right. I didn't want to buy puff pastry from the store-- I wanted to make it from scratch. I wanted to understand and master the skill behind that flaky, buttery pastry dough.

This was my first attempt, so the croissants aren't that pretty, but they were delicious! The dough was certainly complicated to make, but it wasn't necessarily difficult. It was just a long and tedious process. For that reason, I've included step-by-step pictures to show how it's done!

(Adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures)

Ingredients:

Dough

• 3 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cups cold whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Butter Square

• 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Other

• 8 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (Don't skimp on this part! Good quality chocolate is worth the money, believe me.)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash)

Directions:

1. To make the dough: 
1. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 3/4 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar and salt.
2. Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
3. Add the dry ingredients and turn to the mixer to low, beating until the dough comes together in a rough ball, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the pieces of butter and continue kneading until the butter is completely incorporated, about 5-6 minutes.
5. The dough will still be sticky, but should form a rough ball and mostly clear the sides of the bowl (if you make bread regularly, this dough will be more sticky than you're used to and won't clear the sides of the bowl as fully as a typical yeast bread). If it's too sticky, add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. 
   
1. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. 
   
2. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

1. To make the butter square: 
1. Place the pieces of butter on your work surface and sprinkle the flour over the top of them. 
   
2. Use a bench scraper to smear the butter/flour mixture back and forth against the work surface. 
   
3. Continue until the mixture is uniform and smooth.  Gather in a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a 7-inch square. 
   
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

1. Making the Puff Pastry:
1. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface.  Roll into an 11-inch square, lifting and turning as you go to make sure the dough isn't sticking.  Place the chilled butter square diagonally in the center of the dough. 
   
2. Lift each of the four corners of the dough up and over the butter square. 
   
3. It's fine if they don't meet exactly, just pinch them together to seal completely.
4. Use your rolling pin to gently tap the dough, starting in the center and going outward, until square gets larger and the butter begins to soften slightly.  Roll the dough into a 14-inch square, flouring your work surface and rolling pin as necessary to ensure the dough isn't sticking. 
   
5. Fold one side of the dough to the center and then bring the other side up and over it - basically, you're folding the dough like you would a business letter.  This is also called a "turn" of the dough. 
   
6. Complete a second turn by folding the top half of the dough down to the center and then bringing the bottom up and over it. 
   
7. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
8. Repeat the process above (roll into a 14-inch square and fold like a business letter twice) to complete 2 more turns of the dough.  Again, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Making Pain Au Chocolat:

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface, and roll into a 20-inch square (flour as necessary to make sure it's not sticking).  Cut the dough into 4 equal 10-inch squares. 
   
2. Cut each of those squares into 3 rectangles (about 10 x 3 1/4-inches each) - you should have a total of 12 rectangles. 
   
3. Add about 1 tablespoon (about 1/2-oz) of chopped chocolate to the center of each rectangle.
4. Fold the top of the rectangle over the chocolate and down to the center, then lift the bottom up and over it (again, we're folding it like it's a business letter).
5. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, seam-side down. Try to keep the croissants horizontal as you move them so the chocolate doesn't spill out the sides. 
   
6. Loosely cover the croissant with plastic wrap and let them rise at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, or until they're puffy (they won't necessarily double in size).
7. While they're rising, preheat oven to 400 F with racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.
8. Brush the croissants with the egg wash then bake for 18-22 minutes, or until they are golden brown, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the halfway point.
9. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the croissants cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
10. They're best warm, but will keep for a few days at room temperature if tightly wrapped.

Makes 12 croissants

Jalapeño Cheddar Bagels

Ingredients:

• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, minced

Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour and yeast. Mix water, 3 tablespoons sugar and salt together, and add to the dry ingredients. Beat with a mixer for half a minute at a low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl clean. Beat at a higher speed for 3 minutes. Then, by hand, mix in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough.
2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes). Cover, let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Cut into 12 portions, shape into smooth balls. Poke a hole in the center with your finger, and gently enlarge the hole while working the bagel into a uniform shape. Cover, let rise 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, start a gallon of water boiling. Put 1 tablespoon of sugar in it, mix it around a bit. Reduce to simmering.
5. When the bagels are ready, put 4 or 5 bagels into the water, and cook 7 minutes, turning once. Drain them. Place on a greased baking sheet, Sprinkle with cheese and jalapeños, and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven, eat hot or cold.

Gorgonzola Garlic Bread

(Adapted from Thibeault's Table)

Ingredients:

• Long loaf of Italian Bread or long crusty rolls
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped finely
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Use a fork to mash the butter together with the Gorgonzola cheese.
2. Mince garlic and add to cheese mixture. 
3. Add chopped parsley, basil, and oregano, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Leave loaf whole, but cut slices so that the loaf stays together. 
5. Spread cheese mixture in between each slice and reshape loaf. 
6. Sprinkle top of loaf with Parmesan cheese and more basil if desired, and wrap in foil. 
7. Place in 400°F oven for 10 or 15 minutes and serve hot.

Perfect Pizza Dough

For a long time, I have been on the hunt for the perfect pizza dough recipe. One of my requirements for the perfect dough was that it couldn't take too long to rise. Usually, I make pizza on a whim, and I don't really have time to wait 8 hours for dough to rise. 

So you can imagine my excitement when I found this dough recipe on Annie's Eats, complete with a list of tips and tricks for the perfect dough. (Click the link and check it out! It's really helpful!)

If you don't have a pizza stone, you can also use a foil-lined cookie sheet in its place. We've used this method before, and it worked well enough. However, pizza stones can be quite inexpensive (Got mine at Walmart for 12 bucks!) and TOTALLY worth it. The hot stone allows the bottom of the crust to begin baking first so it becomes crispy without burning the rest of the pizza!

Perfect Pizza Dough 

Yield: enough dough for 2 medium pizzas or 4 calzones

Ingredients:

• ½ cup warm water
• 2¼ tsp. instant yeast
• 4 cups (22 oz.) flour (preferably bread flour), plus more for dusting
• 1½ tsp. salt
• 1¼ cup water, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Measure the warm water into a bowl.  Sprinkle the yeast over the top.  Stir until combined and allow it to sit for about five minutes, or until yeast begins to foam.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the bread flour and salt, mixing briefly to blend.  
3. Measure the room temperature water into the measuring cup with the yeast-water mixture.  With the mixer on low speed, pour in the yeast-water mixture as well as the olive oil.  
4. Mix until a cohesive dough is formed.  
5. Switch to the dough hook.  Knead on low speed until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
6. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 1½-2 hours.
7. Press down the dough to deflate it.  
8. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.  
9. Divide the dough into two equal pieces.  Form each piece of dough into a smooth, round ball.  (If freezing the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze at this point.)  Cover with a damp cloth.  Let the dough relax for at least 10 minutes but no longer than 30 minutes.
10. To bake, preheat the oven  to 500˚ F.  Place your pizza stone in the oven and allow it to heat up for 15-30 minutes.
11. Transfer the dough to your shaping surface, lightly sprinkled with cornmeal.  Shape the dough with lightly floured hands.  Brush the outer edge lightly with olive oil.  Top as desired.  
12. Bake until the crust is golden brown, and cheese is bubbling, 8-12 minutes.

Cheddar and Chive Guinness Bread

Cooking with alcohol is one of my favorite things to do.

Why?

A: Because I have a legitimate excuse to drink while I cook.
B: Because being a barista and learning how to taste and pair food and beverages has made me fall in love with pairings.
C: Because it's delicious.

Guinness is my favorite beer. I've spent a lot of my life searching for the perfect pint of Guinness, and have found only a few places that can do on-tap Guinness right (My favorite is Tiernan's Irish Pub in San Francisco!). Suffice to say, food infused with Guinness makes me happier than anything else in the world.

I came across this recipe around St. Patrick's Day this year, when PunchFork posted it from their Facebook page. This was around the time that I was stranded in NorCal, so I completely forgot about it until tonight.

I got a concussion at work this week, and it's been harder than usual for me to eat, so Boyfriend took me to the store to find something for dinner. I saw Irish Cheddar, and remembered how much I wanted to make this bread. I suggested it to Boyfriend, who, of course, didn't need much convincing.

I also must have been feeling extra discombobulated due to my head injury, because I suggested that Boyfriend make it for us...with my supervision, of course!

And you know what? He did a pretty damn good job.

Shit, I wish I could eat this for every meal every day.

(Adapted from The Kitchn)

Cheddar and Chive Guinness Bread

Ingredients: 

• 2 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle Irish stout beer
• 4 ounces grated Irish cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1/4 cup Irish butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, or coat with butter. (I HATE buying extra stuff, but parchment paper is so much easier and cleaner!)
2. In a mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the beer and mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Set aside 1/3 cup of the cheese and fold the remainder into the dry ingredient/beer mixture. Fold in Chives. Transfer the batter to prepared pan. 
3. Pour the melted butter evenly over top of the dough. Bake about 30 minutes then scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over the top. 
4. Return the loaf to the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean. 
5. Cool in the pan for 5-8 minutes.
6. Remove from pan, slice, and serve warm!

Parmesan Garlic Basil Focaccia Bread

I may have mentioned the magic in the heavenly smell of fresh baked bread.

I may have also mentioned the story of moving into the house I'm in now, where the only kitchen item I owned was a jar of yeast.

To say the least, I like bread.

And I really like focaccia bread.

My favorite focaccia can be found at a little hole in the wall sandwich shop  in Big Bear called Amangela's. The focaccia bread there is literally melt-in-your-mouth to-die-for. Every time I get the chance, I go there and get a french dip on the garlic basil focaccia and I enjoy three minutes of heaven as I inhale the whole thing by myself.

I did my very best to recreate the experience for myself in the comfort of my own home, and I think I came pretty close.


Parmesan Garlic Basil Focaccia Bread


Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast (1/4 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine yeast, sugar, and lukewarm water in a large bowl. Allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes. It will be foamy.
2. Add flour, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil, and and salt. Knead until well combined.
3. Form dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover. Put it in a warm area and let rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size. 
4. Knead dough down and cut it into eight equal-ish sections.
5. Form sections into balls.
6. Preheat oven to 375 F.
7. Place balls on lightly oiled baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
8. Poke small dimples into the dough with your fingers, and drizzle dough with olive oil.
9. Sprinkle dough with parmesan, fresh garlic, fresh basil, and sea salt.
10. Bake 15-25 minutes.
11. Serve warm or use as sandwiches