Make Some Batter Bread – FUNDAMENTAL FACTS – PART II

Make Some Batter Bread

Make Some Batter Bread – FUNDAMENTAL FACTS – PART II

You will be delighted with the delicious flavor of the batter bread and rolls. They are quick and easy to make.

Batter, as the name implies, is not so stiff as kneaded dough. Yeast batter bread is ready to serve in about 2 hours from the time they are started.

The batter bread has a slightly more open grain and thinner crust than the bread from doughs that are kneaded.

BASIC BEATEN BATTER

1 yeast cake softened in 1⁄4 cup lukewarm water 85°F, or 1 package (1 tablespoon) active dry yeast softened in 1⁄4 cup warm water 110°F.
1 cup milk
1⁄4 cup sugar
to 1⁄2 cup softened shortening
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
21⁄4 to 23⁄4 cups enriched white flour, part whole wheat if desired
(1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind if desired) Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Scald milk. Add sugar and salt.

Cool to lukewarm. Add 1 cup flour and beat well. Add yeast and eggs. Beat well. Add shortening. Mix well. Add flour to make a stiff batter. Add flavoring. Beat thoroughly until smooth and elastic.

Cover and let rise until bubbly. Stir down and add 1⁄2 cup currents, raisins, chopped dates, or fruit cake mix if desired.

Drop by spoonfuls into oiled muffin pans or spread into two oiled 8-inch cake pans. Sprinkle with the desired topping.

Let rise until dough is doubled in bulk. Bake in moderate oven 375°F for 20 to 30 minutes. Yield 21⁄2 dozen 2-inch puffs (or muffins) or 2 coffee cakes, 8 inches in diameter.

TOPPINGS FOR BEATEN BATTER AND FANCY BREAD

 Salted Peanut Topping

Crush 1⁄2 cup salted Spanish peanuts. After the batter is in the baking pans, brush the top with milk. Then sprinkle the crushed nuts over the batter. Use a scraper to pat nuts into the surface of the batter.

Streusel Coffee Cake Topping

1⁄4 cup butter
1⁄2 cup sifted flour
1⁄4 cup sugar
3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix and sprinkle over the top of the beaten butter.

Crumble Topping

1⁄4 cup sifted flour
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
Mix flour, bread crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Rub the butter into this mixture until crumbly.

Almond Topping—for almond puffs

1⁄2 cup sliced almonds
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 cup sugar
Mix and sprinkle over beaten batter in muffin tins.

Cake Trim of different colors makes an attractive topping for fancy bread. You find it at your grocers as very tiny, colored candy balls.

Orange Sugar

1⁄4 cup grated orange peel
1 cup sugar
Use a fine grater and grate the yellow peel from the oranges.

Do not take off any of the white portions of the skin. Keep the grated peel free from orange juice. Rub the grated orange peel into the sugar.

Orange sugar will keep indefinitely in your refrigerator if it is covered tightly and if the peel is kept free from the juice.

Grate the peel from all the oranges you buy. Make it into orange sugar immediately and store it for future use.

Orange sugar makes a delightful topping for fancy bread. It also is very good on toast. Make the orange sugar toast the same as you would cinnamon toast.

Egg Yolk Topping

1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
Beat together. Brush over the top of the rolls before baking.

Read more:

• Know-How the Dough Ferments – FUNDAMENTAL FACTS – PART I
• Practice Easy Kneading – FUNDAMENTAL FACTS – PART I
• Watch All the Temperatures – FUNDAMENTAL FACTS – PART I
• Collect the Right Ingredients – FUNDAMENTAL FACTS – PART I
• Let Good Equipment Help You – FUNDAMENTAL FACTS – PART I