Carrot cake is one of my all time favorites.  So why not make it into bread, right?  When I came across the recipe for this bread, there were two things that caught my eye, in addition to the carrots, of course.  I thought that the addition of coconut was a nice touch.  It adds a little extra crunchiness without using nuts.  I’m not a big fan of nuts in my breads, cakes, muffins, etc.  Whenever a recipe calls for them, I generally leave them out.  The second thing that caught my attention was the simple cream cheese glaze topping.  These three things together make the perfect combination.  The end result was a tasteful and moist bread that made a beautiful presentation.  This recipe is great to enjoy anytime at home, or wrap it up with a pretty bow and give it away as a small gift! [Read more...]

English muffins were never something that I thought about making at home.  I imagined the process as a difficult one, and really didn’t think that it’s characteristics could be replicated.   But after finding a recipe and giving it a shot, it really couldn’t be more simple.  There’s just something satisfying about accomplishing something like this… even if it was easy! [Read more...]

I was surprised how tasty these croutons are and they are a breeze to make.   I don’t think I’ll be buying croutons from the store any longer.  As the ending of their baking time neared, I taste tested them, as I do most things, and kept going back for more.  The recipe makes a large amount, so I was planning on storing them in an airtight container to save for future use.  However, my husband kept snacking on them and saying how good they were.  I barely had enough left before the end of the night to take a picture.  Seriously… they’re really good! [Read more...]

I’ve wanted to make mini sliders for quite some time, so I’ve been looking around for mini sized buns at both grocery and specialty stores.  My search, however, has come up empty.  So I took this recipe for hamburger buns from Annie’s Eats and turned them into minis.  I think these are so adorable!  The bun is moist and delicious too.  I’ll share my recipe that I put in the middle of them tomorrow. 

Mini Slider Buns {print recipe}
Dough:
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoon instant yeast
2½ tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2½ tablespoons butter, softened
Topping:
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon. water, for egg wash
Sesame seeds

Add the milk to water that’s heated to about 115 to 125 degrees.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the milk, water, yeast, sugar and salt.  Mix briefly to combine and then add the egg until incorporated.  Add the flours to the bowl, and mix until incorporated.  Mix in the butter. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for about 6 to 8 minutes.  The dough will be somewhat tacky, but you want to avoid adding too much extra flor which will create tough buns.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap {I cover mine with a plate} and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Using a dough scraper, divide the dough into 24 equal parts.  Gently roll each portion of dough into a ball and place on the baking sheet, 2 to 3 inches apart.  Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise again, 1 to 2 hours, until puffed up and nearly doubled.

Set a large metal pan of water on the lowest rack of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the center.  Brush the tops of the buns lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Bake the buns about 14 to 18 minutes rotating halfway through baking, until the tops are golden brown.  Transfer to a rack to cool.