I made this for Christmas gifts ... but you could make it for breakfast tomorrow because it's New Years and you have a little extra time on your hands and yummy bread would be a good way to head back to work. Or something like that.

It's not an exact replica of an english muffin. I think of english muffins is more dense and this is quite light, like a soft, white load of bread. But it's just a bit tangy and quite good. Just sweet enough for breakfast but not so sweet anyone need feel guilty - even with the cinnamon sugar butter you're sure to slather on top!

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin Bread

Taken from Averie Cooks

For the Bread

2 tablespoons cornmeal, optional

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce packet)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2+ teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup milk, warmed to 120°F to 130°F

1/4 cup water, warmed to 120°F to 130°F

1/2 cup raisins

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Topping & Cinnamon-Sugar Butter

1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon granulate sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 of one stick) unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

For the Bread - Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan. Optionally, add corn meal to the pan, shaking it around so cornmeal sticks to the sides and base of the pan, discard excess; set pan aside.

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 1/2 cups flour, yeast (not necessary to dissolve it first; just add it in dry), 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt, baking soda, milk, water and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Then beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. (To warm the milk and water, I poured them into a glass measuring cup and heated in the microwave for 1 minute on high power. I could comfortably stick my finger in the liquid after 1 minute; it was warm but not hot. If you don't have a thermometer this method will likely work. If you can't stick your finger in it, it's too hot; you will kill the yeast over ~140F)

Add the remaining 1 cup flour and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds; do not overmix. Batter will be gooey and sticky. Sprinkle in raisins and turn dough out into prepared pan without kneading it, leveling it in the pan as much as possible with your hands or a spatula. Cover pan with plasticwrap or a dish towel and allow dough to rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes, or until it has doubled in volume.

In the last 15 minutes of rising, preheat oven to 375F and make the cinnamon-sugar mixture, for both sprinkling over the top of the bread and for the butter.

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Topping & Cinnamon-Sugar Butter - Combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to combine. Before baking the bread, sprinkle a scant 1 tablespoon over the top of the loaf. Combine the remainder of the cinnamon-sugar mixture with the butter, stirring with a whipping motion until incorporated and fluffy.

Bake loaf for 28 to 32 minutes, or until golden and set; some say tapping on the loaf should produce a hollow sound. Immediately remove bread from loaf pan and place on a rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Bread may be served untoasted but toasting it is highly recommended. Bread will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container or in a ziptop food storage bag at room temperature. Extra butter will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Maybe you've been as in the weeds as I've been the past few months.  Maybe you feel like you've had not a minute to yourself and certainly not a handful of hours to come up with pretty plates of a variety of Christmas cookies.  Maybe.

But I failed to generate any Christmas goodies last year due to a certain life-altering, takes months to recover from event.  I couldn't fail two years in a row.  Which is how this Mocha Swirl Bread came to be.  Festive, indulgent and easy to wrap.  And in less than 20 minutes I was able to generate eight little breads and then pop them in the oven while I got on with the rest of my life!

It's deeply coffee tasting and simple to swirl.  The cornmeal lends a textural crunch, which I love but some could do without.  (My guess is there could be a simple flour swap if this isn't your thing.)  The bread itself is not overly sweet which means the glaze gives it a nice balance without sending it over the the top to saccharine.  And it wraps up so merrily to send out to friends.

Mocha Swirl Bread with Espresso Glaze

Taken from Portuguese Girl Cooks

1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder 1 tablespoon boiling water 3/4 cup greek yogurt 1/2 cup cornmeal 8 tablespoons (4 oz or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 3 large eggs 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons cocoa powder 

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder 2 teaspoons boiling water 1 tablespoon greek yogurt 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease and flour an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant espresso powder in the boiling water. Set aside and allow to cool. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add in the yogurt, cornmeal, butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until all ingredients are well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. 

Divide half the batter into another bowl and add in the dissolved espresso and cocoa powder. Mix until combined. 

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, alternating spoonfuls of the vanilla and mocha batter, creating a checkerboard pattern. Create 3 layers of this pattern. Run a knife or long skewer through the batter, using a swirling motion, to create the marble effect. 

Bake for about 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then remove from loaf pan, and cool completely on a cooling rack. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the espresso powder and boiling water until dissolved. Whisk in the yogurt. Then whisk in the sifted powdered sugar until smooth. If the glaze is too thick add in a few drops of water and mix. Spread the glaze onto the cooled cake.

I get a little bit crazy about Fall.  It's got so much seasonal food and for whatever reason, there seem to be more rules about not serving Fall flavors in off seasons than others.  So I have to take full advantage from the last days of August until early December.  

It makes Nate a little crazy.

Too much pumpkin makes him a bit batty.

That's when these scones come in.  They look like Fall.  They smell like Fall.  And they don't have a dollop of pumpkin.  

... But don't you worry because I'll be whipping up plenty'o'pumpkin treats too.

Flaky and buttery, lightly sweet, riddled with little crunches of nut, and swathed in a little maple bath.  I'm a little sad I shared them all.

Maple-Pecan Scones

Taken from Ree Drummond

Yields: 8 scones (I cut them all to half this size.  That would be 8 humONGous scones)

For the scones:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/4 cup pecans, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

For the icing:

• 1 pound confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Splash of strongly brewed coffee
• Dash of salt
• 2 teaspoons maple flavoring or maple extract

Happy Mother's Day to me!  Months go I promised you a better peek at these delicious rolls and the recipe behind it.  And then, well I had to get my house in tip top shape to have other people live in it for a month, get my daughter's passport and birth certificate done, film an episode of House Hunter's International, and pack four people up for a 2 and a half month adventure in the States.  The blog lost on that priority list.

But that doesn't mean these rolls shouldn't be your top priority now that you know about them!  They are soft and pillowy and tender.  And they're filled with nutella.  What's not to love.

Their decadent, beautiful, and wickedly rich.  Perfect for my kind of Mother's Day.

Nutella Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Dough recipe from Annie's Eats

Idea and adaptation from Chef in Training

Yields 12 large rolls

Ingredients:

6 ½ tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

5 ½ tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine

1 large egg, slightly beaten

3 ½ cups unbleached bread or all-purpose flour

2 tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast

1 1/8 to 1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature

1 cup Nutella

1 ½ c. powdered sugar

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Cream together the sugar, salt, and butter on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. Whip in the egg until smooth. Then add the flour, yeast and milk. Mix on low speed until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes, or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. (You may have to add a little flour or water while kneading to achieve this texture.) Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

Mist the counter with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Separate dough into twelve pieces.  Roll out each piece of dough with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top with flour to keep it from sticking to the pin. Don’t roll out the dough too thin, or the finished buns will be tough and chewy rather than soft and plump.  Spread the nutella over the dough, going to the edges on all but one long side.  Then roll the dough up jelly roll.  Cut each roll into three pieces, placing the three pieces cut side up in a greased muffin tin.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes.  Let cool five minutes and then remove from pan. 

Meanwhile beat powdered sugar, cream cheese and vanilla together.  Drizzle or dollop over slightly cooled rolls.  Enjoy!

She's beautiful, huh?

A beautiful loaf of soft and pillowy bread riddled with little bits of basil, parmesan, and pine nuts. Yum. Delicious with a little pat of butter but equally delicious without.

Made to go alongside a bowl of homemade, creamy tomato soup. 

 And the next day toasted and made up with your favorite sandwich toppings. 

 Pesto Bread 

Taken from Cooking Bread 

 Dough 

2 cups warm water 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1/2 cup skim milk powder 

1 tablespoon salt 

1 tablespoon instant yeast 

5 -5 1/2 cups bread flour 

Filling: 

2/3 cup pesto 

1 cup grated Parmesan

In a large bowl combine the water, olive oil, sugar, skim milk powder, salt and instant yeast. Mix till well blended. Add in a cup of flour and beat with a wooden spoon till smooth. Add in another cup of flour and do the same. 

Now, sprinkle a half cup of flour onto a flat surface and pour out the dough on top. Begin to knead and slowly add in more flour till the dough no longer sticks to the table. Knead for about 8 - 10 minutes. Add a little olive oil into a large bowl ( about a tablespoon ). Place dough into the bowl and turn over a few times to lightly coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour or till double in bulk. 

Pour out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Cut in half. Using your fingers flatten out one of the pieces. Roll out to a 9 x 14 rectangle. Spread half the pesto and 1/4 of a cup Parmesan on top. Bring in the side by a half inch and then roll the dough like a jelly roll. Pinch the seam closed. Take a sharp knife and cut down the center length wise. Open the jelly roll exposing the inside of the roll.Take the two cut pieces and braid them together with the cut side always facing up. 

Place the bread into a greased 4 1/2 X 8 inch loaf pan. Now, repeat this whole process with the second piece of dough. Then cover both loaves with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour or till double in bulk. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining Parmesan cheese and place into a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 - 35 minutes. Check the bread about 10 minutes before they are finished to see if you need to cover with tin foil if they are getting to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Sometimes a pastry crust feels like a lot of work EVEN when you own a food processor.  Mostly because you don't feel like dirtying a bunch of attachments but also maybe because you live in a country where you have to measure out or weigh your butter every time since it doesn't come in a nice wrapper with tablespoons measured out.

But for these (really minor) inconveniences I happen to be surrounded by all sorts of delicious, fresh bread that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  In which case, making your quiche in a bread bowl is a fantastically easy idea and a fun presentation.  We tried it for Easter and you should try it ... tomorrow.  Because you can!

Quiche or Omelet in a Bread Boule

Idea taken from Pink Parsley

I am not going to post the recipe because basically I liked the bread bowl idea and adapted it.  I can't speak to the flavors of the omelet used by Pink Parsley because I realized I was missing some  of the ingredients (ricotta mainly) so I came up with my own.  But the thought is that you could take any omelet or quiche recipe and bake it in a bread boule instead of a classic crust.

What do you do when you take out a mini-loaf of snickerdoodle bread to serve for game night and discover it still on your counter, uncovered the next morning?  Woops.  Guess I forgot to serve that one.  

Well, what you do with dried out bread that was formerly good is turn it into french toast I think.  Let it soak up some new moisture through an egg and milk custard.  And why not snickerdoodle bread french toast?  After all, this delightful little breakfast joint in Wheaton serves pumpkin bread french toast and cinnamon roll french toast.  Surely if they'd thought about it, snickerdoodle french toast would be on the menu too.  

For those of us with a wicked sweet tooth.

And if not, well, you could always just make this snickerdoodle bread because it's simple and moist and perfect for all those tea parties that you have, right?!  Or you could just eat it standing at your kitchen counter with your toddler signing "More" over and over again like I do.

Snickerdoodle Bread

Taken from Lilluna

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4 mini loafs

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. sour cream

1 pkg. Hershey’s cinnamon chips (I omitted since they don’t exist here)

TOPPING:

3 T. sugar

3 t. cinnamon

Cream butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well.

Add vanilla and sour cream and mix well.

Mix flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add to wet ingredients and mix until all combined.

Add cinnamon chips and stir into batter. Set aside.

Spoon batter into 4 mini loaf pans until about 2/3 full.

Mix 3 T. sugar and 3 t. cinnamon in a bowl and sprinkle over the batter in each loaf pan.

Bake at 350 for 35-38 minutes. Let cool before removing from pan.

I kept seeing photos all over the internet for this Cinnamon Pull-Apart.  Essentially you make the same dough used for cinnamon rolls.  The only difference is the methodology in which the rolls go in the pan.  It looked cute and I kept hemming and hawing over making it, but decided that cinnamon rolls themselves just couldn't be beat because there is more center and less edge.

But then someone posted a spin-off of this new recipe which involved pumpkin and I knew I was a goner.

When you live in a country that celebrates different holidays and doesn't have four seasons, sometimes you just have to do things like this to make it seem like home.  And so I broke out one of my two precious cans of pumpkin filling my mom had sent me from the US and got to work forming and shaping this dough into a thing of love.

And love it I did.  The notes of pumpkin were subtle amidst the gooey, cinnamon-spice center and just right for my tastes.  I succeeded in baking it perfectly, which is to say totally underbaked because that's the way my dad, my sister, and I love things.  And I definitely succeeded in eating it quickly!

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Pumpkin Bread

Taken from Sunny Side Up in San Diego

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour


1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black). Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk, return to stove and heat through.  Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool so it is no longer hot but also not cool (about 100-110 degrees F). Once it has reached a warm but not hot temperature add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy). Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well.  Making sure sugar evenly absorbs the butter. Set aside. Next, grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20x12 inch rectangle.  Evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares (cut in half then each half into thirds). Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.

In the meantime preheat an oven to 350 degrees. After rising in the pan bake for 30-40 minutes (mine took 37 exactly) or until top is a very deep golden brown.

You can skip making your guests coffee if you serve them this for breakfast.

Well, really you probably can't because people are SERIOUS about their coffee and adding a couple tablespoons of coffee to breakfast probably isn't going to make a dent into their caffeine-hangover.  So maybe serve them coffee and this french toast and then they'll feel really, really nice to you for doubling them up.

One of my greatest achievements in life is the fact that I am not a caffeine addict.  I know, I like to achieve big!

I like the taste of coffee but I just don't drink it on principle.  Which makes something like coffee-spiked french toast just fun for me.  It's like having your cake and eating it too.  Or something. 

Tiramisu French Toast

Adapted from How Sweet Eats

1 loaf challah or brioche bread

4 whole eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons butter

maple syrup for serving

Sliced one loaf of challah bread into 1-inch thick slices. In a large baking dish, combine eggs, cream, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 tablespoon instant coffee powder and whisk together. Lay bread in dish and let soak in the egg mixture for about 30 seconds each side.

Heat a skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add french toast and fry until golden brown. Flip (adding more butter if needed, use your judgement) and fry on other side. Repeat with remaining slices of bread and tablespoons of butter.

Mix mascarpone cheese with honey and remaining coffee powder and spread on french toast slices while warm. Sprinkle with cocoa powder and serve with syrup.

I haven't had an english muffin since we landed in Ecuador!  I've heard that you can buy them here but I dunno.  I guess I've just gotten used to making some of our favorites from scratch.  So when Brown Eyed Baker listed her english muffin recipe in her "Top 10 Best Breads" list I thought I'd love to give it a whirl.  

My only complaint?  Not doubling the batch.  What was I thinking?  We plowed through these in a meager two days.  Slathered with a dollop of butter and a dab of jelly they are just too fresh, too soft and pillowy to pass up.  Or use a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar along with your butter and you'll be taken straight back to MY childhood!

English Muffins

Taken from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Peter Reinhart

Makes 8 muffins

2¼ cups (10 ounces) unbleached bread flour
½ tablespoon (.25 ounce) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon (.19 ounce) salt
1¼ teaspoons (.14 ounce) instant yeast
1 tablespoon (.5 ounce) shortening or unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ to 1 cup (6 to 8 ounces) milk or buttermilk, at room temperature
Cornmeal for dusting

1. Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Stir in (or mix in on low speed with the paddle attachment) the shortening and ¾ cup milk until the ingredients form a ball. If there is still loose flour in the bowl, dribble in some of the remaining ¼ cup milk. The dough should be soft and pliable, not stiff.