Sweet Bread Dough (for KitchenAid)
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Yields all of the following:
1 coffee cake, 1 dozen sweet rolls, and 1 dozen buns
3-1/2 to 4 c. bread flour
4 c. whole wheat flour
2 T. vital wheat gluten
1-1/2 t. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
4 t. ground cardamom
(may substitute 1/2 t. EACH of nutmeg, ginger, and
cloves AND 1 t. cinnamon -- pick your favorite)
2 Tbsp. active dry yeast (I use rapid-rise)
3 c. lukewarm skim milk
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
With standard mixing attachment, thoroughly combine first six ingredients
into large mixing bowl. Add yeast and combine thoroughly. Add remaining
ingredients; mix only until dough starts to form a batter -- approximately
10-20 seconds. The dough will be very soft and delicate, and will not form
a ball.
Attach dough hook to mixer and knead dough for approximately 8-10 minutes.
Remove dough to greased glass container; cover loosely with tea towel or
plastic wrap. Set in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in bulk;
punch down. Repeat.
Divide dough into three equal-sized pieces.
For coffee cake: Lightly grease a coffee cake tin (I use one with a pretty
design imprinted in the metal, so that the resulting cake has this design)
and place one large piece into the tin.
For buns: Divide one large piece into 12 equal-sized pieces. Shape into
balls and place each in a lightly-greased muffin tin or molds.
For sweet rolls: On a floured surface, roll one large piece into a rectangle
approximately 1/4" thick. Cover with filling (see ideas below); roll up in
jelly-roll fashion and slice into 1" pieces. Arrange in a lightly greased
pan, slightly touching.
Place all in warm, draft-free location for the final rise. Cover loosely with
tea towel or plastic wrap until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 500F while dough is rising (With this many pieces it is helpful
to have two ovens available. If you do not, you may wish to place some of the
items into the refrigerator for baking later -- sweet rolls are ideal for this
as they can be baked fresh in time for breakfast).
OPTIONAL STEP: When the pieces have doubled in size, combine 3 egg whites
with 4 t. water. Mix well; then brush the tops of the pieces with the glaze.
Turn heat down to 350 (or 325 if using convection); immediately uncover
pieces and place into oven. Coffee cake will take approximately 35-40 minutes,
20-30 minutes for the buns and sweet rolls. Remove from oven when the crusts
have turned a nice golden brown; place on cooling racks.
For sweet rolls: these may be served plain or iced (see below). Serve after
cooling for approximately 10 minutes.
Buns should be allowed to cool for 10 minutes prior to serving; coffee cake for
15-20 minutes. Sweet rolls may be served after about 10 minutes of cooling.
If freezing for future use, allow all items to cool thoroughly before freezing.
Filling Ideas
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1) cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, honey
2) cinnamon, butter, pecan pieces, raisins that have been soaked
in rum or sherry
3) marmalade or jam, chopped nuts
4) cinnamon, butter, crushed almonds
5) pureed apricots, ginger, honey
6) chopped prunes, orange peel, crushed pecans
Icing
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1 c. sifted powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla or almond extract
3/4 T. milk or orange juice
Combine ingredients thoroughly. Stir in additional milk or juice, 1 teaspoon
at a time, until icing reaches drizzling consistency. Drizzle it over the
coffee cake, buns, or sweet rolls.
Makes: 1/2 cup
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