Quick Wheat Hamburger Buns

I decided to make Veggie Bean Burgers for dinner tonight, but didn't have any buns or enough time to make rolls that require multiple risings. After a quick Google search, I came across this recipe that doesn't require any rising time at all, just a short rest before baking.

Quick Wheat Hamburger Buns
from One Frugal Foodie, who adapted it from Recipezaar

2 T. active dry yeast
1 c. plus 2 T. warm water
1/3 c. oil
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. salt
2 c. all-purpose or white bread flour
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the oil and sugar, and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

2. Add the egg, salt, white flour, and 1 1/2 cups of the wheat flour, combining until it forms a soft dough.  Add the additional 1/4 cup of wheat flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands (if you need a little more, that is okay too). Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes or so.

3. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, shape each into a thick disc, and place them on baking sheets about 3 inches apart.

4. Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Lightly cover the balls of dough and let them rest for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish). Pop them in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Tuscan Whole Wheat-Herb Bread

For whatever reason, this weekend I decided I wanted to try making a new kind of bread. Browsing through my cookbooks, I stumbled across this whole wheat bread that sounded good and looked really easy to make. Aside from the fact that wheat bread is healthier than white, I'm not a fan of white bread and never have been (thanks Mom and Dad for feeding me whole grains as a kid!). This bread has a crusty outside and soft and chewy inside, just how I like it. I'll definitely make it again.

I used my KitchenAid for mixing the ingredients and kneading the dough so I can't say much about how accurate the kneading time is in the recipe. If you don't like sage, pick any other herb you like or leave the herbs out all-together.

During the winter, my house is typically somewhere between 65 and 70 degrees, which is not ideal for making yeast breads. Ideally, you want dough to rise in a draft-free spot between 75 and 85 degrees, but I don't think many houses are quite that warm in the winter, at least in Wisconsin. I place the dough in a bowl on the top rack of an unheated oven with a large pan of hot water on the rack underneath and let the dough rise in the closed oven. There are a few other methods out there for creating a warm spot for your bread to rise, but this is the one I like best.

Tuscan Whole Wheat-Herb Bread
from the Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book

1 1/3 c. warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 t.)
1 T. olive oil
2 t. snipped fresh sage or 1/2 t. dried sage, crushed
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. sugar
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 to 2 1/2 c. bread flour or all-purpose flour

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the warm water, yeast, oil, sage, salt, and sugar. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes.

2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the whole wheat flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the bread flour or all-purpose flour, a little at a time; stir until most of flour has been absorbed and the dough begins to form a ball. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining bread flour or all-purpose flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape the dough into a ball. Place into a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease the surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (45 to 60 minutes).

3. Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a baking sheet. Shape dough into a 8x4-inch oval loaf. Place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional flour. Cover; let rise until almost double (for 30 to 45 minutes).

4. Using a sharp knife, slash top of loaf several times, making each cut about 1/2-inch deep. Place in a 425 degree oven. For a crisp crust, spray or brush the loaves with cold water every 3 minutes for the first 9 minutes of baking. After 9 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees; lightly sprinkle bread with additional flour. Bake about 20 minutes more or until bread sounds hollow when you tap the top (if necessary, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking). Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.