Taste of Tuesday: Basic Bread/Roll recipe

Okay, I'll admit it. I've been holding out a bit. I've had this recipe for many many years. I think I've had it since the Summer I graduate high school. Possibly the next one after that. I haven't actually used the recipe in 3-4 years because it's become second nature to me. This is probably the most versatile recipe you will ever make.

I got this recipe at a Relief Society super Saturday thing. My mom wasn't able to attend, so she asked me to go and take notes for her in this class. To this day, I don't know if she's ever actually made it, but I know I sure benefited from going that day. There are some hints I remember from the initial workshop, and others I've figured out myself along the way.

(1) You can do just about anything with this recipe. Except scones. I've never tried them -- that's just what I was told. I've also learned that it's not ideal for just plain bread. It ends up being a little too dense for just bread, and it doesn't ride the way you're used to with bread. The flavor is good (the sugar makes it just a little sweet), but the texture isn't great.

(2) Make sure you do not use active dry yeast. I cannot emphasize that enough. Rapid rise yeast is an absolute MUST in this recipe. As I came to make it more often, I got tired of buying strips of three packets, and I now buy jars of "bread machine yeast" which works the same as the rapid rise.





(3) You cannot "kill" this yeast with water too hot. In fact, for this recipe, you want your water pretty darn hot. There's no need to microwave it or boil it -- the hottest water you can get straight from your tap is adequate.

(4) The bread will come out fine without eggs, but I find that the eggs give an extra lightness and take away a little from the heavy density. In short, try it both ways, but I prefer it with eggs.

(5) The dough has a good flour-to-water ratio when it begins to pull away from the edge of the bowl after each kneading.

(6) A full recipe makes a lot of dough. You can make a full savory dish, a full dessert dish, and likely still have some leftovers at the end. I usually only make about half a recipe, and still do two separate batches. I've put my own measurements in italics in parentheses in the recipe, after each ingredient.

(7) Almost all of the sample ideas listed with this recipe are ones that came with the recipe. I actually haven't done a whole lot with it. On the sweet side, I've made cinnamon rolls. That's about it. On the savory side, I make taco rolls and pizza rolls pretty often. I've made taco rolls with ground beef, shredded chicken, and thin steak strips. Everything it really personalizable. I've also made BBQ chicken rolls and broccoli & spinach rolls. Usually I just roll the dough out flat, spread the toppings on, and then roll them up and slice them like cinnamon rolls. Sometimes I roll the dough out flat, spread the toppings on the center third of the dough, then use a pizza cutter to slice strips in the sides, and criss-cross them in a braid pattern. Sometimes I make pockets, but I'm not crazy about them, because by the time they bake up in the oven, it's way too much bread, and not enough filling. I've also made just plain dinner rolls, brushed with butter on top.

(8) This is not your mom's all-day bread. Once you get the hang of it, you can do it in under an hour. It takes me about 50 minutes from start to finish to make the dough, let it rise for 10 minutes, roll it out, fill it, roll it up and cut it, and bake it. It's totally doable.

(9) If you like a more sour flavor, the dough will freeze well, or even refrigerate overnight. I prefer to use it all on the same day. Finished products (depending on the fillings) freeze pretty well, though. I've frozen plain dinner rolls, taco rolls, and pizza rolls with great success.

(10) Be creative! I made up the broccoli and spinach rolls myself one day. The possibilities with this recipe are just about endless. Don't be afraid to experiment!

Basic Bread/Roll Recipe

7-8 cups flour (3.5-4 cups)
1/2 cup sugar (1/4 cups)
2 packets (or 2 tbsp) rapid rise yeast (1 package or 1 tbsp)
2 tsp salt (1 tsp)
3/4 cup oil (about 1/3 cup)
2 1/4 cup hottest tap water possible (a scant 1 1/4 cups)
2 eggs (optional) (1 egg)

In large bowl, combine 4-5 cups flour, sugar, dry yeast, and salt; mix well. While stirring, add oil and water. When moistened, add eggs; mix well. Add enough additional flour to make a soft workable dough. Knead in bowl 2-3 minutes. Let dough rest, covered with a clean kitchen towel, for 10 minutes. Shape as desired, and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes for rolls. Thicker items, like braids, may require longer baking times.

Sweet rolls

• Cinnamon rolls (melted butter spread on dough with fingers, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon to taste) (or, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 cube butter, and cinnamon to taste, whipped together and spread on dough)
  
• Shaped sweet rolls (animals, hearts, etc.)
• Fruit-filled butterfly rolls (don't use jam -- pie filling only)
• Swedish tea ring
• Cinnamon raisin bread (it's heavy and it cracks on top)
• Elephant ears/fried bread (a good save-all for bad dough -- deep fry in one inch of oil)
• Orange rolls (butter, white sugar, orange zest)
• Sticky caramel rolls (brown sugar, butter, water, nuts)
• Pull-aparts (little sweet balls squished together)
• Cinnamon twists
• Braids (fill three strands individually, then braid together)
• Fruit pockets (circle shape, place pie filling on half, then fold over and vent with fork)
• Chocolate rolls (butter, sugar, chocolate chips)
• Christmas tree rolls (cinnamon rolls positioned in the shape of a tree)

Dinner rolls

• Chili rolls (canned chili, onions, cheese, garnish with sour cream)
• Taco rolls (refried beans, salsa, meat, cheese)
• Pizza rolls (pizza sauce, toppings, shredded Mozzarella cheese)
• Tuna rolls (cream of mushroom soup, tuna, celery, onions, cheese)
• Rueben rolls (corned beef, sauerkraut, 1000 Island dressing, Swiss or Gruyere cheese)
• Pockets (pizza, BBQ pork, etc.)
• Wiener wraps (pigs-in-a-blanket)
• Pizza crust (will turn out like a deep dish or breadstick crust)
• Cabbage & beef-filled rolls (hamburger, onion, cole slaw mix -- steam together and stuff dough)
• Chicken or turkey rolls (stuffing, berry sauce, meat; serve with leftover mashed potatoes & gravy)
• Broccoli & spinach rolls (chopped broccoli, loose-leaf spinach, Provolone)
• BBQ chicken pizza rolls (BBQ sauce, shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, carmelized onions, Monterey Jack cheese)