Bake from Scratch Bread 2018

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN DRAWN TO BREAD-BAKING. It offers a unique sensory experience unlike any other baked good—from kneading the dough to inhaling its heavenly aroma filling the kitchen as it bakes to tearing off and tasting the first piece of a still-warm loaf fresh from the oven. In celebration of this ancient craft, we assembled our all-star sweet and savory bread recipes into one special issue. With over 100 pages of bread inspiration, stunning photography, and unbeatable recipes, this issue is packed with a variety of yeast breads and quick breads to revamp your breadbasket. It’s the ultimate guide for the home baker passionate about bread from scratch. With ingredient and procedure breakdowns, helpful professional tips from our test kitchen, and step-by-step visual tutorials, we walk you through every aspect of the…

STRAWBERRY CUCUMBER BREAD Makes 1 (9x5-inch) loaf Ripe strawberries and fresh cucumbers are stirred into the batter to create a bread that’s light enough for a morning snack but sweet enough to be an afternoon treat. ½ cup (160 grams) strawberry preserves1 tablespoon (8 grams) cornstarch1 tablespoon (15 grams) fresh lemon juice½ cup (113 grams) clarified butter, softened1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar2 large eggs (100 grams)1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract¼ teaspoon (1 gram) almond extract2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt2 cups (250 grams) grated and well-drained cucumber½ cup (57 grams) chopped walnuts½ cup (85 grams) sliced fresh strawberries, divided 1. In a small saucepan, cook strawberry preserves, cornstarch, and lemon juice over medium heat until slightly thickened,…

COCONUT BUNS Makes 12 Recipe by Ben Mims Forget cinnamon—these buns are the best breakfast treat around. Enriched with coconut milk and oil in the dough and filled with a sweetened, toasted coconut butter, this recipe is for the serious coconut lover. Make the dough and assemble buns the night before you plan to bake them for breakfast. Their flavor deepens with a long, slow rise in the refrigerator, but if you don’t have the spare hours to wait, you can let them rise at room temperature for an hour and a half. 1¼ cups (300 grams) warm unsweetened canned coconut milk (120°F/49°C to 130°F/54°C)⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar2 tablespoons (28 grams) unrefined coconut oil, melted1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt1 large egg (50 grams), lightly beaten4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour3½ teaspoons…

BANANAS FOSTER MONKEY BREADS Makes 9 Everyone loves monkey bread. Everyone also loves bananas Foster, a decadent dessert created at New Orleans’ Brennan’s Restaurant in the early 1950s. We simply put two and two together. The result? This magic mess. ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter1 cup (220 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar½ cup (120 grams) heavy whipping cream, warmed2 tablespoons (30 grams) bourbon⅛ teaspoon kosher salt4 ripe bananas (493 grams), slicedBasic Pull-Apart Bread Dough (recipe below)¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar1½ teaspoons (3 grams) ground cinnamon 1. Spray 9 wells of 2 (6-cup) jumbo muffin pans with cooking spray. 2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is amber colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in warm cream, bourbon,…

PANE DI PASQUA Makes 1 (12-inch) wreath or 8 individual twists Literally translated from Italian as "Easter Bread," this sweet bread with its iconic brightly colored eggs (we used blue) can be found well beyond the borders of Italy as a symbol of the Easter season. 3 cups (720 grams) boiling water½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) liquid royal blue food coloring1 tablespoon (15 grams) distilled white vinegar5 to 8 large eggs (280 to 448 grams), in shellSweet Bread Dough (recipe follows)1 teaspoon (5 grams) whole milk1 large egg (50 grams), lightly beaten 1. Place a wire rack on top of a sheet tray lined with paper towels. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups (720 grams) boiling water and food coloring. Stir in vinegar. Gently lower eggs (5 [280 grams] for wreath or 8…

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS Makes 10 Our recipe for pillowy Buttermilk Biscuits creates a fine-crumbed and crisp-crusted biscuit that would be a treasured addition to any dinner table, Southern or otherwise. 3½ cups (438 grams) all-purpose flour1½ cups (187 grams) cake flour¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar3½ tablespoons (52.5 grams) baking powder4 teaspoons (12 grams) kosher salt1½ cups (340 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed2 cups (480 grams) whole buttermilk, chilled2 tablespoons (28 grams) salted butter, melted 1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Gradually add cold buttermilk, stirring just until combined. 3. Turn out dough onto a heavily floured surface, and roll to 1-inch thickness. Using a 3½-inch round cutter dipped in…