Category: bread

How the French Make French Toast

The French take their bread seriously. Perhaps more than any other food, bread holds the highest status—and greatest symbolism—in France. For centuries, it was a necessity for eating and feeding the family, being a daily staple food for 90 percent of French families up until the 20th century. In the 18th century, a bread shortage,…


These Fluffy Dinner Rolls Really Rise to the Occasion

The fancy French word for dough shaped in a ball is boule. Bread makers use the same technique to form a tight ball of dough for a large loaf of bread and for small individual dough balls such as these fluffy dinner rolls. While it takes two hands to form a large loaf into a…


This Pizza-Inspired Sausage Bread Is Stuffed With Cheesy Goodness

It’s hard to go wrong when it comes to filling bread with delicious meats. Say “hello” to another hearty home run: sausage bread. The name sausage bread is pretty self-explanatory, as it’s essentially ground sausage rolled inside bread dough before being baked. This recipe calls for fresh pizza dough, which can be easily found in…


The Family Table: 6 Generations of Siste Kage and the Universal Bread Maker

Submitted by Doris Richardson, Georgia One of my favorite memories and family traditions is that of making Siste Kage (Sosterkake) during Christmas. Actually, it’s my mom who makes it every year, without fail, and I help. She’s the expert, not really needing to follow the recipe exactly, and only checking to make sure she’s remembering…


The Family Table: The Norwegian Holiday Bread—and Hand-Cranked Bread Maker—Passed Down 6 Generations

Submitted by Doris Richardson, Georgia One of my favorite memories and family traditions is that of making Siste Kage (Sosterkake) during Christmas. Actually, it’s my mom who makes it every year, without fail, and I help. She’s the expert, not really needing to follow the recipe exactly, and only checking to make sure she’s remembering…


How to Store Bread to Keep It Fresher Longer

Bread has a certain shelf life, beyond which it can go stale, become moldy, and, in a short time, become inedible. It’s possible to extend its delicious lifespan, once you understand the ins and outs of how to store bread. It’s the starch in any baked goods that makes them become stale. Exposure to air…


Crostoni With Tuscan Kale and Beans

If there’s a favorite way to taste the olio nuovo in Tuscany, it has to be these Tuscan kale (cavolo nero) and cannellini bean crostoni, a real seasonal treat. When you know you’ll be bringing home the freshly pressed olive oil, prepare all the trimmings in advance. Have some good crusty country bread ready, soak…


This Garlic Bread Deserves a Seat at the Thanksgiving Table

Some type of bread, roll, or biscuit is absolutely essential to any Thanksgiving spread. After all, you need something to push the delicious sides together and to sop up every drop of gravy left on your plate. Of course, you might not want to bake from-scratch dinner rolls. We hear you. That’s where Thanksgiving garlic…


Barmbrack (Irish Fruit Bread)

Barmbrack is a dense, spiced bread that’s speckled with dried fruit. Raisins are traditional, but you can also add glacé cherries or candied citrus peel. Tea gives the bread a lovely flavor, but some bakers add a bit of whiskey in place of some of the tea for a little more complexity. Makes 1 loaf,…


One Step to Better Pumpkin Bread

Quick breads should be moist but not soggy, so we often need to get rid of extra liquid in the batter. In some recipes, like zucchini bread, we squeeze all the excess water out of the shredded zucchini to avoid a soggy loaf. We can’t squeeze our pumpkin puree (that would be messy!), but cooking…