Water, simply the most overlooked but one of the most important ingredients in baking.

I recommend baking in a Dutch oven for every home baker desiring to bake hard crusted breads. It is just the easiest way to add steam to the bake, and you really don't add anything as a Dutch oven with a lid captures the natural moisture coming off the dough. Moisture in the oven during the beginning part of baking allows your bread to rise fully, deepens the crust color, and finally, adds a level of shininess to the exterior.Links to where I purchased my Dutch oven.Amazon.com:EDGING CASTING Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Pot With Lid, Dutch Oven forSourdough Bread Baking Round Pot Dule Handle, 6 Quart, Blue: Home & KitchenThanks for listening...happy baking! To best support this show, please subscribe to this podcast, share with another bread head, or make a review. For more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com.  To purchase the House of Bread recipe book,please visit https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/  To take an on line class, please visit https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/   If you’d like more information about thefranchise opportunity with House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbreadfranchise.com.   For our Utube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQ

Scones: the breakfast staple and perfect to bake for mom.    Get that perfect flaky rich buttery flavor.    Please subscribe and share this podcast with another bread head. For more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com. To purchase the House of Bread recipe book, please visit https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/ To take an on line class, please visit https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/ If you’d like more information about the franchise opportunity with House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbreadfranchise.com. . For our Utube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQDRIES4 cups white pastry or all-purpose flour1/3 cup of sugar1 Tablespoon and 1 tsp of baking powder1 ½ teaspoon of saltMix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large mixing bowl. Set aside.½ cup cold ButterCube cold butter and cut into flour mixture with fingertips until it resembles coarse cornmeal in texture or pea sized crumbles. If adding nuts, raisins, chips, or cranberries do so now, after the butter has been mixed in. NOT FROZEN BERRIES.WETS5 Eggs¾ cup of heavy cream, you can use half and half or regular milk but the scones won’t be as rich.Mix cream and eggs in large pitcher. If adding flavorings such as vanilla do so now. Pour cream mixture into dries and mix until lightly combined. Add berries (if using). Use hands to finish mixing the dough until combined. Dough should be stiff, like biscuit dough. Scoop onto baking sheet. Bake for 22 – 26 minutes.Suggestions:1. Cinnamon peach: 1 1/2 cups peaches (very well drained), 1 ½ tsp cinnamon2. Vanilla raisin: Add to eggs real vanilla extract 2 Tablespoons, 1 1/2 cups raisins.3. Blackberry: 1 1/2 cups fruit4. Cranberry Orange White Chocolate: 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup white chocolate, 1/2 cup orange juice (substitute for 1/2 cup cream). Optional: 1/2 cup pecans.5. White chocolate pecan 1 cups chips, 1 cup nuts.

WATER = warm 2 C- may end up being more depending uponsourdough starter thickness.DARK or whole RYE FLOUR       2  ½ CWHOLE GRAIN wheat flour    2 CSOURDOUGH STARTER 1CMolasses     ¼Cs YEAST            1Tablespoon dry yeast or 1 packetMix, thick sponge, let sit for 1.5 hours Add WHITE BREAD FLOUR 2C with the salt below incorporated into it. SALT              1 TKnead for 8-10 minutes adjusting by adding in more whiteflour or water if needed, thicker denser dough than traditional breads but itshould hold shape, and start out very sticky and then the water will get absorbed.  The whole grains take longerfor the water to absorb and rye is stickier than wheat.  So, it should be messy at first.   After you get a good dough, then add seeds.   We use caraway and sunflower seeds.CARAWAY SEEDS 1TSUNFLOWER SEEDS       1/2C, 1T for the top.  If you want a black bread then youcan add 2T of carmel color to the water.  It doesn’t add any flavor, just plenty of blackness.   Divide in two, and shape like a football, seam side down.Egg wash and add your seeds to the top. Let rest about 1/2 hour, then score down the middle and bake in a 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.Happy Baking! For more informationabout House of Bread, please visit https://houseofbread.com/ and for more information about franchising, please visithttps://houseofbreadfranchise.com/.  Youcan order a recipe book https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/.   If you want to take your bakingto the next level visually, we have on line video full baking classes that canbe found here https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/ 

The luck of the Irish, wasn't about their cuisine but rather the propensity for miners of Irish decent during the gold rush to strike it rich.  At House of Bread, we added our "lucky" ingredients to Irish Soda Bread to make one feel lucky to enjoy.   Traditional Irish Soda Bread is made with flour, baking soda, soured milk, and salt-that's edible but just doesn't taste very good.   At House of Bread, we took tradition and added, butter, buttermilk, raisins, caraway seeds for a full bounty of delicious flavor.   This recipe will yield two loaves.2 ½ cups of white all purpose or pastry flour (can use gold whole wheat for Irish Brown Soda Bread)3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar1 tsp of baking soda1 tsp of baking powder1 tsp of salt1 tsp of caraway seeds (optional)Measure out dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix them thoroughly together.¼ cup of cold butterCube butter into small pieces and cut into dry ingredients with fingertips until it resembles pea size crumbles. Add in raisins and mix together:1/2 cup of golden raisins (may substitute regular raisins or currants)In large pitcher or use well method.1 cup of buttermilk. Can not substitute milk, well you can but you have to add a T lemon juice. The acid found in buttermilk reacts to bases — most commonly baking soda — creating carbon dioxide gas. 2 eggsWhisk the egg/buttermilk together and then add in your dry ingredients. Using your hands, mix until flour holds together like a biscuit or scone dough, not a cookie dough. Cut dough into two equal parts.  Place on well sprayed cookie sheet and cut a cross shape on top. Egg wash the top, by scrambling one egg and brushing it on top. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes at 350 degree oven.Happy Baking everyone!  If you wish to learn more about the scone method of baking that is used to make Irish Soda Bread, then here is a link to the muffin/scone baking class.  Baking Class – Quick Breads, Muffins and Scones – House of Bread   For more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com. To purchase the House of Bread recipe book, please visit https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/ To take an on line class, please visit https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/ If you’d like more information about the franchise opportunity with House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbreadfranchise.com. For our Utube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQ.

Chocolate Babka. Easy to make, use Challah dough, fill, cut twist, top, bake and deliciousness awaits. Challah recipe: (two medium sized loaves)   2 1/2 cups of warm water (approximately 100 degrees) 2 packages or one and 3/4 Tablespoons of active dry yeast 6 cups of unbleached flour (approximately 1 1/2 pounds) 1 1/2 cups of whole-wheat flour 1/2 cup of butter that is very soft but not melted 1/2 cup of sugar 1 1/2 Tablespoons of salt 2 large eggs at room temperature Filling: COCOA-2 T SALT-pinch CHOCOLATE SYRUP-1/2 C FLOUR=1/4 C SUGAR=1/4 C STREUSEL: COCOA 1T, PASTRY FLOUR ¾ C, SUGAR 3/4C, BUTTER 1/3C. Other versions: Almond Filling1 can (8 ounce size) almond paste1/4 cup ground blanched almonds4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 tablespoon sugar1 egg Cheese Babka Filling1 1/2 cup dry cottage cheese or ricotta1/3 cup sugar1 1/2 tablespoon sour cream 1 1/2 tablespoon flour1 egg1 lemon, grated zest only1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract3 tablespoons currants, plumped in2 tablespoons rum or cognac for 1/2 hour Thanks for listening and here is a video for the shaping.   https://youtube.com/shorts/SM2EPU3iGM0?si=7J1E98_ssSV3PArb Please subscribe and share this podcast with another bread head.   For more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com.  To purchase the House of Bread recipe book, please visit https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/  To take an on line class, please visit https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/   If you’d like more information about the franchise opportunity with House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbreadfranchise.com.   For our Utube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQ.         Here is a Utube video link https://youtube.com/shorts/SM2EPU3iGM0?si=x07AJ5FRzXSrvnzm

Happy New Year! 1. Embrace the fact you will have failures, and it is all part of the journey.    2. While embracing the learning curves you still want to set yourself up for success by using the right type of flour.     3.  Recognize the correct moisture content needed to produce a loaf of bread.    4. Understand it is not an exact science and embrace the fact that there is no set rising time as it all depends.  5.  Just as all environments are different producing different fermentation times, same with ovens.  They produce variations in the product while baking at the same temperture setting. Focus effort on getting the product properly baked.    Have fun and relax you’ll get it right and above all else make sure you are Happy Baking!     Sheila Please subscribe to this podcast, and share with your friends on social media. To purchase the House of Bread recipe book, take an on line baking class or purchase a box of fresh bread, please visit   eStore   If you’d like more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com.   For our Utube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQ.    

Show Notes: STOLLEN Two loaf yield. I know I said I was Irish in my intro, I’m also half German. My Grandma McCann was German and her Stollen, was delicious. The bread is shaped like how you would wrap a baby in a blanket. The baby would be Jesus. I don’t make this stuff up.  One day before you make the sponge and the fruit soak in two separate containers. Let sit out at room temperature. SPONGE   FRUIT SOAK 1 cup of flour  Raisins 1 cup 1 cup of water Dried Cranberries ½ cup 1 Tablespoon of yeast Walnuts ½ cup Vanilla ¼ cup Sponge: Measure the flour, water and yeast in a bowl. Combine thoroughly and cover with a towel to let the mixture breath. Fruit soak: Put the raisins, cranberries, walnuts and vanilla in another bowl, combine them to make sure the fruit will be soaked, cover in any type of cover as the fruit doesn’t need to breath. The next day you make the dough, with the sponge and after the good dough stage, you knead in the fruit and nut mixture. Dough: 1/4 cup Milk (whole milk preferred but not necessary). Warm it to the point it is hot but not boiling. 1/4 cup sugar 2 T vanilla 2 T yeast 2 tsp. of lemon extract ¼ cup of butter softened to the point half of it is liquid 1 egg 1 T Salt 4 cups white bread flour 1 lemon zested 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp each of cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Please subscribe and share this podcast with another bread head. For more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com. To purchase the House of Bread recipe book, please visit https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/ To take an on line class, please visit https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/ If you’d like more information about the franchise opportunity with House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbreadfranchise.com. For our YouTube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQ

Understanding the portion of water in bread baking, helps guide the baker in knowing how to shape the dough, proof the dough and bake it. Want to learn about a particular subject, recipe or just a bread head idea for a podcast? Send me your ideas and if selected, I'll send you a pdf of my recipe book. Happy Baking and happy Halloween! Sheila McCann Please subscribe and share this podcast with another bread head.   For more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com.  To purchase the House of Bread recipe book, please visit https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/  To take an on line class, please visit https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/   If you’d like more information about the franchise opportunity with House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbreadfranchise.com.   For our Utube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQ.        

Sheila covers how to make the calaveras skull type bread and the pad de muertos which are the more traditionally shaped loaves.    The base is a sweet egg bread with a hint of citrus.  The topping is festive as it is in celebration to honor the spirit of a departed loved one.    We also have a Youtube channel that has  short video on the bread found here https://youtu.be/QMS74rbSJ8E.    The base dough for three medium sized loaves or four smaller one pound size. 2 1/2 cups of warm water (approximately 100 degrees or think hot tub water) Zest of one orange, and avoid the white bitter part of the orange-then squeeze in the juice 2 packages or one and 3/4 Tablespoons of active dry yeast 6 cups of unbleached flour (approximately 1 1/2 pounds) 1 1/2 cups of whole-wheat flour 1/2 cup of butter that is very soft but not melted 1 cup of sugar 1 1/2 Tablespoons of salt 2 large eggs at room temperature Caramel Color-Combine granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Boil until sugar colors-this is how you make caramel. But don't stop here. Continue cooking until sugar turns black and starts to smoke. Remove from heat and carefully add 1/4 cup water, then return to heat and stir until liquid. Pour into glass jar and use as needed. Please subscribe and share this podcast with another bread head. For more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com. To purchase the House of Bread recipe book, please visit https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/ To take an on line class, please visit https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/ If you’d like more information about the franchise opportunity with House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbreadfranchise.com. . For our Utube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQ

I know a long title, but I wanted you to pause on passing on this amazing recipe because it is both gluten free and vegan. I'm neither and this is one of the few pastries I eat on a regular basis due to the flavor, texture and how it makes me feel afterwards. If you are willing to try making this and you don't love it, then email me [email protected] and I'll send you an online baking class of choice or a download pdf version of my recipe book. GLUTEN FREE VEGAN BLUEBERRY WALNUT COFFEE CAKE 1. CREATE THE FLAX EGG MIXTURE. GRIND 1 CUP OF FLAX SEEDS IN A VITAMIX BLENDER ALONE BEFORE ADDING IN THE WATER. 2.    PUT GROUND FLAX SEEDS IN A LARGE PASTRY MIXING BOWL AND ADD 2 1/2 CUPS OF WATER, MIX TOGETHER WITH YOUR HAND.  LET SIT FOR 15 MINUTES. 3. CREATE WALNUT BUTTER.  PUT 6 1/2 CUPS OF WALNUTS ON A SHEET PAN.  BAKE FOR 10 MINUTES. 4. PUT 1/2 CUP OF CANOLA OIL AND 1/2 CUP OF WATER WITH WALNUTS IN A FOOD PROCESSOR. MIX TOGETHER. 5.     ADD 3 CUPS OF THE WALNUT BUTTER MIXTURE TO THE FLAX SEED BOWL.  THERE WILL BE REMAINING WALNUT BUTTER LEFT OVER FOR THE TOPPING. ADD THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS TO THE BOWL. MIX ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER UNTIL INCORPORATED. VANILLA      1 T                                                                    BAKING SODA      ¾ T                                                                 BAKING POWDER    1 T                                                                   SALT                              1 T                                                                  BROWN SUGAR      1 CUP                                                              WHITE SUGAR        2 CUPS                                                           7.    ADD 4 CUPS OF GLUTEN FREE FLOUR THAT HAS XANTHAN GUM.  WE RECOMMEND BOBS RED MILL ONE TO ONE FLOUR. MIX TOGETHER.  8. ADD 1 CUP OF BLUEBERRIES AND PUT IN A WELL SPRAYED SHEET PAN.  9. MAKE TOPPING. USE THE REMAINDER OF THE WALNUT BUTTER AND ADD 1/2 CUP OF OATS AND 1 CUP OF BROWN SUGAR.  COMBINE FOR A STREUSEL TOPPING THAT YOU PUT ON TOP.   Amazon.com : Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, 22 Ounce (Pack of 4) : Grocery & Gourmet Food Cheaper at webrestaurant but check the shipping costs. Bob's Red Mill 4 lb. Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour (webstaurantstore.com) Please subscribe and share this podcast with another bread head.   For more information about House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbread.com.  To purchase the House of Bread recipe book, please visit https://houseofbread.com/recipe-book/  To take an on line class, please visit https://houseofbread.com/product-category/online-baking-class/   If you’d like more information about the franchise opportunity with House of Bread, please visit www.houseofbreadfranchise.com.   For our Utube channel, please go here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCXH5NgT8vpnAuSuZN5AxEQQ.                                                                              10.  BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR ABOUT 60 MINUTES UNTIL INTERNAL TEMPERATURE REACHES 200 DEGREES OR FIRM ON TOP.