Summer has been hanging on by it's fingernails here, with a few days of temps in the high 70s and low 80s here and there, but in my mind, fall is here. We've been apple-picking and cider-drinking, we've gotten pumpkins and funny-shaped gourds, and I'm already thinking about my Thanksgiving menu. So while it might not feel like pumpkin cinnamon roll weather, it is just that time of year.
These are delicious, and ridiculously easy for how impressive they are. The bread is surprisingly light, and the filling is almost tooth-achingly sweet, which goes just perfectly with a cup of slightly bitter coffee.
No-Knead Pumpkin Rolls with Maple-Brown Sugar Glaze
from the Kitchn
What's in them:
For the dough:
2 Tbsp warm water
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (1/2 package)
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 c pumpkin puree
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 1/2-3 c all-purpose flour
For the filling:
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
For the icing:
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 c milk
1/2 c brown sugar
2 Tbsp real maple syrup
pinch salt
1 1/4-1 1/2 c powdered sugar
How to make them:
Stir the yeast and water together and let sit a few minutes until the yeast is dissolved.
While the yeast sits, warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan on the stove top just until the butter is melted. Combine with the sugar in a large heat-proof mixing bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Let the milk mixture cool until it is just warm to the touch, then stir in the yeast and the pumpkin. Add the salt and two and a half cups of the flour all at once, stirring until all the flour has been absorbed. Squish it between your hands if you’re having trouble incorporating the last of the flour. The dough will be sticky, but should come together in a shaggy ball. If it's still more like cookie batter, work in an additional quarter to half cup of flour.
Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled, about 1-3 hours. Punch the dough down and refrigerate it for at least an hour, or overnight. You can skip the refrigeration, but the dough will be harder to work with.
To shape the rolls, dust your work surface with a little flour and turn the dough out onto it. Pat it down into a rough rectangle and then use a floured rolling pin to roll it into a rectangular shape about a half an inch thick, longer than it is wide. If the dough gets sticky, sprinkle a little more flour on the dough’s surface and on your hands.
Melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the brown sugar and the spices. Spread this over the rectangle of dough, leaving an inch of bare dough at the top. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder and pinch it closed at the top.
Grease or butter the bottom of and 8"x8" baking dish or a 9" cake pan. Cut the roll into eight or nine individual rolls 1 - 1 1/2" thick. Place them into your baking dishes so they have a bit of space on all sides to rise. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise until they fill the pan and look puffy, 30 minutes for already-warm dough and 1 hour for dough that’s been refrigerated overnight. Rolls can be refrigerated again overnight, and removed from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before you're ready to bake them.
About 20 minutes before baking, begin heating the oven to 375°. When the rolls are ready, bake them for about 25 minutes, until the tops are golden and starting to look toasted around the edges.
While the rolls are baking, mix the icing. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and butter. When the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and salt. Stir until the brown sugar has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar. This should form a thick but still pourable glaze.
Let the rolls cool for a minute or two, then pour half of the icing on top. Eat them immediately, with an extra dollop of icing on each so that the sides get some too.
Leftovers (if you have any) will keep for several days and are best reheated for a minute in the microwave.
I knew I would love these savory scones as soon as I saw them adapted from The Pastry Queen on Annie's Eats. I like sweets as much as the next girl, but I love savory baked goods. Goat cheese and black pepper in a quick bread? I'm sold. Jalapenos and cheese to cornbread? Yes, please. Cheese, bacon and scallions to a scone? I must have them now!
I made mine mini this time around since they were for an evening cocktail get together with friends and finger foods always go faster there. I also added a little maple syrup for a touch of sweetness. Light and fluffy, but with some sturdiness from the bacon and cheese, a couple of them with a dab of jalapeno jelly and a cup of tea also made for an indulgent afternoon snack.
Mini Bacon-Cheddar Scones
What's in them:
3 c all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp ground black pepper (depending on your preference)
8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1½ c grated cheddar cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped or crumbled into small pieces
1 c buttermilk
2 Tbsp real maple syrup
½ c milk for brushing
How to make them:
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper; mix briefly to combine. Add the cubes of butter and mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are about the size of small peas. (Alternatively, this can be done in a regular mixing bowl, using a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.) Add in the grated cheese and mix just until incorporated.
Mix in the green onions, bacon, buttermilk and the maple syrup into the flour-butter mixture. Stir by hand just until all the ingredients are incorporated. If the dough is too dry to come together, mix in a little of the milk a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough can be formed into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into an 8-inch square. Slice the dough into nine squares, then slice diagonally for 18 wedges.
Brush each wedge lightly with milk. Transfer the scones to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If you'd like to make these ahead and keep them on hand in your freezer (and I really think you should), place the baking sheet into the freezer instead of the oven. When the scones are completely frozen, place them in a freezer bag. Bake as needed, adding a minute or two to the baking time above.
Despite my best intentions to pull together a Superbowl party this year, travel and other commitments nixed that plan. Instead, my parents brought chili, and I supplied the toppings and sides. While I had originally intended to make cornbread, Kira at Cook, Pray, Love reminded me how much I had liked Homesick Texan's Jalapeno Cheddar Bread a couple of years ago when I was first starting out with yeast breads. I did sub cornmeal for the semolina to give it some heft, and reduced the amount of peppers since my dad's chili is always super spicy. The bread was great with the chili, and has made excellent toast for breakfast and BLTs since then.
Jalapeno-Cheddar Bread
What's in it:
2 1/4 teaspoons
1/4 cup of warm water
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg
2 1/2 cups of bread flour plus more if needed
1 cup of yellow cornmeal
3 jalapenos, stemmed and seeded, diced
2 cups of cheddar cheese, grated.
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt (can add more to taste)
How to make it:
Mix together the yeast and water. Mix together the melted butter, egg and buttermilk and add to yeast and water. Add the salt, sugar and bread flour to the liquids and mix well. Then add the cornmeal to the dough and mix well. If the dough is too wet, gradually add more bread flour 1/4 cup at a time. I did end up adding nearly a cup of flour, I'm guessing because the cornmeal doesn't absorb as much water as the flour.
Place dough on a floured surface and knead for five to ten minutes until dough is smooth. Form dough into a ball and place into a bowl greased with butter. Cover the bowl, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size—about an hour. Turn out dough on a floured surface, and slowly knead into the dough the jalapenos and cheese, a little bit at a time. When cheese and jalapenos are incorporated into the dough, place dough into a greased bread loaf pan (8-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 2-3/4).
Cover the pan and let dough rise until doubled in size (it should be at the top or a bit over the top of the pan)—about an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 40-45 minutes on a center rack (when you thump the top and it sounds hollow, the bread is done). Let cool for ten minutes, and then slide it out of the pan, slice and serve with your favorite chili, barbeque, or sandwich, or just toast and drizzle with honey!
