Blueberry Crumble Bread

My younger sister was married last weekend in a beautiful flora-filled, woodland-themed wedding. As the maid of honor, I spent the last couple weeks dedicated to last minute wedding planning. Along with throwing a bridal shower, my waking hours were filled with running errands, assembling welcome boxes, and crafting table decorations to minimize the stress on the bride. All the behind-the-scenes work was worthwhile, as the wedding day went by effortlessly and my sister and new brother-in-law never stopped smiling.

As a gift to the happy couple, I baked all of the cupcakes for the wedding—vanilla bean, chocolate, coconut, and dulce de leche. Even though I used to work in a bakery and could whip up large numbers of cupcakes in a few hours, it was a new experience doing so with the single-batch equipment of a home baker. Eighteen pounds of butter later, I breathed an audible sigh of relief that the recipes held up when quadrupled and hugged my KitchenAid mixer after it whipped Swiss meringue buttercream on high for a solid three hours. At the wedding, the cupcakes disappeared quickly, which is the best compliment a baker can receive.

After a busy couple of weeks, it feels good to take time for myself to relax. One of the benefits of being a teacher is the summer vacations, and I have been treating this week as a much needed holiday. Stretching out under the sun with a good book, and spending time in the kitchen playing around with new ideas has consumed my time. As an extension to these lazy mornings, I baked up this Blueberry Crumble Bread and have been enjoying a slice as I fill out Sudoku puzzles in the daily paper.

My productive side will come out soon, but for now I'm enjoying this rare slow, languid pace of life.

Blueberry Crumble Bread is a great addition to breakfast or served as an afternoon snack. A moist, vanilla-scented bread is bursting with fresh blueberries. The sweet crumble on top features ground cinnamon, which enhances the natural flavor of the berries. Serve the bread alongside a cup of coffee or tall glass of milk, and share with a good friend. 

One Year Ago: Scenes from NYC, Blueberry Oat Crumble Muffins, & S'mores Tarts
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Cacao Banana Bread, Chocolate Espresso Custard & Mixed Berry Quinoa Crumble
Three Years Ago: Boozy Margarita Lime Cake, Double Chocolate Muffins, Rhubarb Ginger Bars, Nutty Rhubarb Oatmeal, & Dill Dinner Rolls
Four Years Ago: Cherry Almond Granola, Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Cherry Cream Cheese Muffins, Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa, Vegan Brownies, & Banana PB Smoothie
Five Years Ago: Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast, Chocolate Almond Oat Bars, Tropical Vacation Cocktail, Dried Blueberry Granola, & Bizcochitos
Six Years Ago: Bittersweet Chocolate Sherbet, Rhubarb Jam, & Tapioca Pudding

Blueberry Crumble Bread

Yields 1 loaf

Blueberry Bread
1/2 cup (113 grams) butter
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) milk
2 cups (340 grams) fresh blueberries*

Crumble Topping
3 tablespoons (45 grams) butter
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (83 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

For the blueberry bread, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine. Stir in baking powder, salt, flour, and milk. Gently fold in blueberries. Transfer batter to the prepared pan and set aside.

For the crumble topping, beat together butter and sugar until well combined. Stir in flour and cinnamon. Crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until crumble topping browns and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15-20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

*Frozen blueberries can also be used, but note that the berries will dye the entire bread a shade of indigo.

Traditional Challah

March 20 marks the first day of spring. Though, as Henry Van Dyke said, the first day of spring and the first spring day often have different timing. I hope that today is the latter for you. The first spring day came nearly a month ago, which is unprecedented in the upper Midwest. To celebrate these fortuitous weather patterns, I am baking foods that remind me of the spring season. 

In partnership with King Arthur Flour, each month I want to challenge you with a new recipe to help you grow and develop as a baker. This month we're exploring challah. Challah is a Jewish bread that is served on the Sabbath and other Jewish holidays. The soft bread is enriched with eggs and olive oil to bring color and flavor. It is reminiscent of brioche, which uses fewer eggs and butter instead of oil. With a hint of honey for sweetness, challah is a mildly decadent bread—great for soaking up gravy and even better for making French toast.

To start, the liquid ingredients—water, yeast, olive oil, honey, eggs—whisked together. The flour and salt are gradually added and stirred in with a bowl scraper. I prefer to use all-purpose flour because it creates a loaf with a soft and tender interior. When the dough looks shaggy, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and bring it into a ball.

To knead, use the heel of your hand to push the dough downwards at an angle to stretch it away from you. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, fold it in half, and repeat the process. As the dough is kneaded, you will be able to feel the dough firm up as the gluten forms. After 5-10 minutes of kneading by hand, the dough will begin to feel elastic and spring back under your touch. When it has the appearance of the dough shown in the photograph in the top left, it is ready for the first rise.

I prefer to knead by hand to feel the texture of the dough change, but the dough can also be kneaded using a stand mixer on low speed with a dough hook attachment. Place in a bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

When the dough has risen, divide it into four equal pieces. Shape these pieces into logs. Then, using your hands, start in the middle of each log and apply pressure with the heels of your hands, rolling the dough back and forth. Gradually move your hands towards the ends of the log to stretch out the shape. The process should be repeated until each log is 16 inches in length and approximately 1 inch wide. Take the ends of the strands and pinch them together to start forming the loaf.

While challah can be braided into 3-, 4-, 5-, or 6-strand braids, I will be showing you the 4-strand braid. The extra strand gives the loaf a unique, braided appearance I enjoy. However, if you are interested in other strand braids, there are many tutorials available online. 

To help illustrate the process, the dough strands will be labeled 1 through 4, where 1 is always located on the far left. The numbers indicate the position of the strands; it will not be necessary to remember which number originally applied to each strand. Once the tops of each strand have been firmly pinched together, take strand 1 (far left) and place it between strands 3 and 4. Please note that all strands will cross over the top of the others; they will never cross underneath.

Strand 2 is placed between strands 3 and 4.

Strand 4 is placed between strands 1 and 2.

The process is then repeated. Strand 1 is placed between strands 3 and 4 again.

Keep following this pattern until the strands have been braided. Pinch the remaining ends of the strands together and tuck under the loaf.

The loaf is brushed with an egg wash, which will give it a deep golden color when baking. Sesame and poppy seeds are sprinkled heavily over the top for flavor and visual interest. The seeds stick well to the egg wash, keeping them firmly attached to the bread (especially while cutting and toasting and eating).

The bread bakes for approximately 35 minutes. When the bread has browned to your liking (around the 20-minute mark), tent aluminum foil over the bread to prevent further browning. This is one of the tricks for getting a perfectly golden loaf each time.

Challah is a classic Jewish bread enriched with eggs, olive oil, and honey. The loaf has a soft, tender interior with a browned crust. Often braided and sprinkled with seeds, it is a bread made to grace the dinner table. Challah is great as a side for soup and gravies, or simply spread with butter and jam. If your challah lasts several days, turn the remaining slices into French toast—trust me, it's divine. 

One Year Ago: Chocolate Orange Cake and Blackberry Coconut Scones
Two Years Ago: Almond Cake and Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosted Cake
Three Years Ago: Lavender Lemon Shortbread, Lemon Pudding Cake, Grapefruit Margarita, Chocolate Oat Muffins, & Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Four Years Ago: Cinnamon Sugar Muffins, Caramel Sauce, Rum Raisin Ice Cream, Butternut Squash & Spinach Tart, Chocolate Toffee Scones, Rosemary Crackers, Grapefruit Cake, and Chocolate Caramel Crispy Bars
Five Years Ago: Chocolate Coffee Cake, Meyer Lemon Curd, Lemon Chocolate Tart, PB Swirled Brownies, Coconut Cream Cupcakes, Yeasted Waffles, Italian Popcorn, and PB Chocolate Chip Cookies

Traditional Challah

Yields 1 large loaf

Dough
3/4 cup (177 mL) lukewarm water
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
1/3 cup (80 mL) olive oil
1/4 cup (85 grams) honey
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons (9 grams) salt
4 cups (480 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Topping
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
Black and White Sesame Seeds, optional
Poppy Seeds, optional

In a large bowl, whisk together the water, yeast, olive oil, honey, eggs, and salt. Gradually add the flour and stir with a bowl scraper until combined.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, or until elastic in appearance. Place into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Turn out dough onto a clean surface and divide into 4 even pieces and shape into logs. Using your hands, roll each log into a 16 inch- long rope. To create a 4-strand braid, pinch all four strands together at the top. From left to right, number the location of the strands 1-4. Cross strand 1 over strand 3. Cross strand 2 over strand 3. Cross strand 4 over strand 2. Repeat until you have reached the ends and pinch the loose ends together. Cover loaf with a clean towel and allow to rise an additional 30-45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

To create the egg wash, whisk together the large egg and water. Brush over risen loaf. Sprinkle with sesame and poppy seeds until covered.

Bake for 20 minutes. Tent aluminum foil over the loaf to prevent over-browning and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes. The loaf will appear golden brown and should reach an internal temperature of 195 degrees F (90 degrees C) when done.

This post is sponsored through a partnership with King Arthur Flour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rosemary Olive Bread

The season of comfort foods and warm stews is upon us. Along with the holiday table classics, my dinner table features homemade breads for soaking up gravy and mashed potatoes. In years past, I have filled the bread basket with soft honey rolls, sweet cranberry orange brioche buns, and lightly spiced pumpkin rolls. As my love for crusty bread grows ever stronger, this year's table will feature a loaf with a thick crust and soft interior—a texture perfect for mopping the plate clean.

In partnership with King Arthur Flour, each month I want to challenge you with a new recipe, filled with explanations and fresh techniques to help you grow and develop as a baker. This month we're tackling the crusty loaf and learning how to create it in your own kitchen. The recipe may appear long or complicated at first glance, but these are many details to make the new techniques easier for you. The recipe is at the same difficulty level and takes the same amount of active time as a traditional loaf of bread.

The bread starts with a poolish, which is a French term for a pre-ferment. A pre-ferment is exactly as it sounds— dough that has been fermented before baking. The poolish is created the evening before by mixing together flour, water, and a pinch of yeast. Covered tightly with plastic wrap, it is left to rest overnight at room temperature for 12-18 hours. The ideal time for this poolish to be ready is roughly 15 hours, but bread is incredibly forgiving and the poolish will adjust to your own schedule. 

The poolish has a dual purpose: the fermentation adds a greater complexity of flavor to the bread and it helps the baked bread keep for a longer period of time. When ready, the poolish will have a uniform bubbled appearance, shown above.

When the remaining ingredients have been added to the bread, the dough will be very sticky. Contrary to popular belief, this is exactly what we want. A "wet dough" will yield a loaf with an open crumb, which results in a tender interior, and a firmer crust. Although you will have a strong temptation to add more flour, don't do it. Instead, we will knead the dough using wet dough techniques.

The use of a bench knife will be incredibly helpful for the next few steps.

Turn the dough out onto a clean, flourless surface (wooden cutting boards work best, but I have used a clean counter top with no issue). To knead the wet dough, form the dough into a log shape with your bench knife and, starting at one end, cut the dough at roughly a 45 degree angle. Continue the cutting motion, slicing the dough into 4-5 pieces. Use the bench knife to slide the dough pieces back together, rotate the loaf a quarter turn, and repeat the slicing process. Continue kneading in this manner for 3-5 minutes.

The process of cutting the dough helps the gluten to form quickly. After a few repetitions of the kneading process, you will notice the dough change texture. It will go from soft and lax to holding itself together in a tighter formation. When the dough has visibly changed textures (less sticky) and becomes difficult to slice, it is time to change kneading techniques.

The second kneading technique will strengthen the dough and give it elasticity. Using the bench knife, bring the dough into a log shape. The long edge should be facing you. About 1/3 of the way in, pick up the dough with the tips of your fingers (no palms). Imagine picking up a cat under the front paws; the motion is similar. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and slap the bottom of the dough against the surface, pulling the top half of the dough back with your fingers to stretch it. Fold the dough back onto itself by bringing your hands down over the top of the dough, touching the surface, and pulling your hands out sideways to break free. This will help minimize sticking. Every few motions, scrape the surface clean with a bench knife to keep the dough together. 

Be aggressive and move quickly with the dough or it will stick to the table and be more difficult to work with. Don't be afraid of kneading incorrectly; you'll pick up the technique quickly when you can feel how your motions affect the dough. After 3-5 minutes of kneading, the dough will be ready. It will have a smooth appearance, lose much of its stickiness (you should be able to poke the dough without it sticking to your finger), and feel like a muscle (elastic). 

To clean your hands of sticky dough while kneading, rub them with a small amount of flour. The dough will come off easily, making it faster and less messy than using water or a towel. 

Place the kneaded dough into a bowl, cover, and let it to rise until it doubles in volume. This will take anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of the room. I recommend putting the dough into a container with volume measurements (like the dough doubler pictured above)—it makes it easy to see exactly how much your dough has risen and how much farther it has left to go.

When the dough has doubled in volume, turn it out onto a very lightly floured surface to prevent any sticking. (1) Take the corners of the dough and pull them into the center of the loaf. (2) This will create a square or rectangular appearance. (3) Then, take two adjacent corners and fold them in to form a triangular end. (4) Starting on this end, roll the dough into itself tightly, forming a loaf shape. Place the loaf seam side down onto parchment paper, cover with a towel, and let it rise until doubled in volume (30-40 minutes).

Before forming the loaf, turn on the oven to preheat the baking stone in the middle rack of the oven. It takes much longer than the oven to come to full temperature and should be given plenty of time to heat. I heat the oven while the bread completes its second rise. The use of a baking stone helps the loaf bake evenly by dispersing the heat evenly and helps the bottom of the loaf become crusty without burning. If you don't have a baking stone, a thick baking sheet can be used as a substitute. Place a cast iron pan (or edged broiler pan) on a different rack below the baking stone to heat as well; this will be used to create steam.

Just before baking, slash the loaf no more than 1/4" deep with a lame (or sharp knife) in a decorative pattern (I made a leaf). The slashes allow the loaf to rise evenly, with no breaks along the sides or top.

Use parchment paper to slide the dough onto the heated baking stone in the oven without disturbing the shape. Next, pour 1/2 cup water into the cast iron pan on the rack below. Quickly shut the oven door to trap the steam. The steam helps the bread rise and helps create the firm crust on the final loaf. The bread is ready when it has a well caramelized appearance and firm crust on all sides. Allow the bread to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This will allow the moisture to distribute evenly and set the interior texture.

Rosemary Olive Bread is a hearty, full bodied bread to serve with warm dinners and stews. The fresh rosemary lends a subtle flavor, breathed in with each bite; the olives have a pleasant, salty flavor. Even though the olives are pervasive throughout the loaf, only the larger pieces provide strong flavor. These quiet flavors do not overpower, making this a versatile dinner loaf, whether it is served with a spread of butter or used to soak up a hearty stew.  

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Pie (Dairy-Free)
Two Years Ago: Stovetop Popcorn and Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Pear Caramel Glaze
Three Years Ago: Marbled Butternut Squash Bread, Chai Pear Scones, Hot Bourbon Apple Cider, and Pumpkin Pie Espresso Bars
Four Years Ago: Banana Muffins, Cranberry Orange Brioche Rolls, and Cranberry Sauce
Five Years Ago: Cranberry Cocoa Cinnamon Rolls, 30 Second Sangria, and Raspberry Vanilla Creme Brulee

Rosemary Olive Bread

Yields 1 loaf

Poolish
1 cup (120 grams) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
3/4 cup (177 mL) water
1 pinch (approximately 1/16 teaspoon) active dry yeast

Final Dough
2 cups (240 grams)  King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour*
1/2 cup (118 mL) water
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
1/3 cup (50 grams) Kalamata black olives, chopped and patted dry
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt

To create the poolish, stir together the flour, water, and a pinch of yeast the evening before baking. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 12-18 hours at room temperature. The poolish will have a bubbled appearance when ready.

To create the final dough, add the remaining ingredients to the poolish and fold until uniform. The dough will be sticky; resist the temptation to add any additional flour. Turn the dough out onto a clean, flourless surface. To knead the wet dough, form dough into a log and, using a bench knife, cut the dough at an angle into 4-5 slices. Use the bench knife to bring the dough back together into the log shape and repeat the slicing process. Continue kneading for another 3-5 minutes. The dough will gradually change texture as the gluten forms.

When the dough easily holds together, form the log shape and, using your hands, pick up the dough 1/3 from the top of the log. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and "slap" the bottom of the dough onto the surface while pulling the top half of the dough towards you. This will stretch the dough. Fold the dough back onto itself by bringing your hands down over the top of the dough, touching the surface, and pulling your hands out sideways to break free. Repeat the process. This step must be completed quickly or the dough will stick to the surface. Use a dough knife to clean the surface as needed. Continue kneading for another 3-5 minutes. The dough will become easier to work with and have a smooth, elastic appearance when ready.

Place dough into a bowl and cover, allowing it to rise an additional 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven and baking stone (or cookie sheet) to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place a cast iron pan (or edged broiler pan) on the bottom rack.

Turn out dough onto a very lightly floured surface and bring all four corners of the dough together until it resembles a rectangular shape. Take the two bottom corners together and fold them in again, creating a triangular shape on the edge. Begin rolling the dough from this end onto itself, placing the roll seam side down to create a loaf shape. Place on parchment paper and cover with a clean dish towel. Allow to rise an additional 30-40 minutes.

Using a lame (or sharp knife), slash a design into the top of the loaf. Slide the parchment paper onto the baking stone in the oven and quickly pour 1/2 cup water into the cast iron pan before closing the oven. This will create steam; do not open the oven door. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the loaf is well caramelized and the edges are very firm. Cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

To restore the "crustiness" of the crust after the loaf has been stored, reheat in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for 5-10 minutes, or until crusty.

*If using all-purpose flour, use only 1/2 cup water in the poolish instead of 3/4 cup. Bread and all-purpose flour absorb different levels of water and the recipe needs to be adjusted to accommodate this.

This post is sponsored through a partnership with King Arthur Flour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.