Cinnamon Puff Pastry

Ingredients

1 8 1/2-oz sheet puff pastry dough
3 tbsp softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 oz chocolate candy coating
Crushed nuts for decorating,optional

Instruction

You need to start with puff pastry dough that is thawed but still cool, so take it out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you’re going to need it. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust your work surface with flour, then roll out the sheet of puff pastry until it is about 14 inches long by 10 inches tall. Cut the sheet in half lengthwise, so you’re left with two long rectangles. Spread the butter on one half of the pastry. Mix together 2 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon, and sprinkle it generously on the buttered dough. Spread the chocolate chips evenly on top of the cinnamon. Brush the second pastry half with the beaten egg. Carefully lift the dough and place it, egg side down, on top of the chocolate chips. Press along the edges, then lightly run a rolling pin on top of the dough to seal them together. Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut the dough crosswise into 24 strips that are each about 1/2-inch wide. Gently twist the strips several times, then set them on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Press the ends down so they stay flat on the sheet. Repeat until all of the dough is formed into twists. Brush the twists with the beaten egg, and sprinkle them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until they’re puffed and golden brown throughout. Rotate the trays halfway through baking so they bake evenly. Let the twists cool completely at room temperature. Melt the chocolate candy coating, then dip each end in the coating. If you want to add chopped nuts, sprinkle them on top of the coating while it’s still wet. 

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Pretzel Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or granulated)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup oil
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 6 cups water
• 3 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Mix brown sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl.
2. Combine oil and 1 cup water and add this to the sugar and yeast mix.
3. Add the flour and mix, dough should not be sticky.
4. Knead the dough for a few minutes.
5. Divide dough into 12 balls and shape into balls
6. Let rise on greased foil cover sheet for 20-30 minute until double in size.
7. Meanwhile, bring 6 cups water and baking soda to a simmer in a wide pan with straight sides and preheat oven to 375.
8. Place 4 rolls in the water for 1 minute on each side.
9. Drain and place on cookie sheet.
10. Repeat with remaining rolls.
11. Brush rolls with egg white and sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
12. Slash with a sharp blade on top to create a decorative look.
13. Bake until 'pretzel' brown, about 12-15 minutes.

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Cherry and Almond Breakfast Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz) pkgs refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1 (21) can cherry pie filling
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp milk, then more as needed
• 1 tsp almond extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to temperature listed on package of crescent roll dough (mine listed 375). Open, unroll and separate crescents onto two parchment paper or Silpat lined baking sheets.
• Spoon a slightly heaping 1 Tbsp of the pie filling near the large end of each of the crescents (you'll only use about 3/4 of the can of filling). Roll to opposite end and tuck the top corner under. Bake in preheated oven according to time listed on crescent roll package (mine listed 9 -12 minutes).
• Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar, milk and almond extract, adding more milk to thin about 1/2 tsp at a time as needed. Serve warm or allow glaze to set and store in an airtight container.

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Soda Bread Rolls

6 bread rolls

Ingredients:

150g | 1 1/4 cup plain flour, plus more for dusting
50g | 2/5 cup wholemeal flour
2 tbsp rolled oats
1-2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch cumin
Pinch turmeric
200 ml | 3/4 cup buttermilk
Handful mixed seeds (pumpkin, sesame, linseed, sunflower)
2 tbsp butter, melted to brush on rolls

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C | 400F.
2. Put all the all the ingredients apart from the buttermilk and seeds into a large bowl. Mix together to get rid of any lumps.
3. Make a well in the centre then add most of the buttermilk. Mix together with a spoon until a soft dough forms. If it's too dry add a little more buttermilk.
4. Dust some flour onto your work top and tip the dough on it. Gently pat it into a disk and cut into 6 equal pieces.
5. Form each piece into a roll and cut a deep cross on top. Place the rolls on a tray lined with baking paper. Brush the rolls with the melted butter and sprinkle with the seeds.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until nicely coloured and hollow sounding. If it's not ready after 30 minutes, turn over and cook for another 5 minutes. Best eaten on same day as baking.

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Spinach and Feta Chicken Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

4 – 5 chicken cutlets or boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)

coarse salt and fresh black pepper

2 cups fresh baby spinach

3/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/3 cup diced, roasted red peppers (jarred)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a roasting pan or baking sheet with sides. You can line it first with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
2. If using chicken breasts pound them to 1/4-inch thickness between two pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Skip this if using chicken cutlets.
3. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Starting on the smaller end of the chicken breast lay down 2 layers of spinach leaves followed by a 1/4 or 1/5 (depending on how many breasts you have) of the feta, olives and red peppers. Top with another layer of spinach.
4. Roll them up and secure with a toothpick.

Set up a dredging station:

5. In a wide, shallow bowl whisk the eggs and mustard together with a dash of salt and pepper. In a separate wide, shallow bowl combine the panko, bread crumbs and Parmesan.
6. Dip the chicken in the egg then into the bread crumbs, patting them on with your hands. Place on the baking sheet.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Internal temperature of the chicken (not the filling) on a meat thermometer should register 165 – 174 degrees F.

Enjoy!

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Black Olive Bread Rolls

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups semolina flour
• 3 teaspoons instant yeast
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1½ cups pitted oil-cured, broken up coarsely with your hands
• ½ cup water
• ½ teaspoon cornstarch

INSTRUCTIONS

To Mix Dough By Hand:

1. Add all ingredients except for olives, cornstarch and ½ cup of the water to a large mixing bowl and stir together with a sturdy wooden spoon until you form a shaggy but cohesive dough. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, covered with a clean towel. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter top and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to a clean bowl, cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

To Mix Dough By Stand Mixer:

1. Add all ingredients except for olives, cornstarch and ½ cup of the water to the work bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Turn mixer onto the lowest setting and mix until a shiny, elastic dough forms. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

To Mix Dough By Bread Machine:

1. Add all ingredients except for olives, cornstarch and ½ cup of the water to the pan of your bread machine that has been fitted with the dough paddle(s). Set the bread machine on the dough setting and press start. When the cycle is completed, proceed with shaping…

To Shape the Rolls:

1. Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Turn the dough out onto a clean and very lightly floured surface or silicone mat. Roll it out into a rectangle that is about 12-inches by 18-inches. Scatter the olives over the surface of the dough, leaving about an inch clear of olives on the side farthest from you.
3. Gently lift the edge closest to you and fold away from yourself over the olives.
4. Continue to carefully lift and roll the dough away from you until you have a long tube. Pinch the seam closed.Use a bench knife or serrated knife to cut the dough into 16 equally-sized pieces.
5. Hold a piece of dough with the cut sides out. Use your thumbs to pull the top of the dough over the cut sides toward the bottom. Push that up under the roll toward the center, rotate the dough ball a half turn and repeat. Put the dough ball on the counter and cup your hand around it, rotating in one direction until the top of the dough is taut. (See the video in the blog post for an example of how to do this.) Place this on your lined baking sheets. Repeat, leaving plenty of room between the rolls for expansion in rising and baking.
6. Cover the rolls with a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 30 minutes, or until they look a little puffy.
7. While they rise, use a fork to whisk a small amount of the water into the cornstarch in a microwave safe container or a small saucepan, forming a paste. Use the fork to whisk in the remaining water and microwave on HIGH for 30-60 seconds or boil until it is glassy.
8. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the rolls with the cornstarch glaze and use a sharp knife to make three to four cuts of about ⅛-inch deep each to the top of the roll. I like to do a scallop pattern, but you could also do a tic-tac-toe pattern. This allows the roll to expand while baking without tearing that beautifully taut top you worked so hard to create.
9. Bake for 23-26 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

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Avocado Bacon Egg Rolls

Ingredients

·         Oil

·         2 large avocados; perfectly ripe, peeled, pitted, and sliced

·         ½ lime

·         Salt

·         6-7 slices pepperjack cheese

·         12-14 bacon slices, cooked

·         12-14 egg roll wrappers

·         1 tablespoon flour

·         Water

Instructions

1.    Heat about 2" of oil to 350 degrees F in a large frying pan.

2.    Place avocado slices on a place or large bowl. Drizzle with lime and then sprinkle with salt as desired. Place flour in a small bowl and add water to make into a watery/thin paste.

3.    Place one egg roll wrapper on your work surface, with one corner pointing towards you, forming a diamond on your surface. Lay ½ of a slice of cheese in the middle. Lay 1 slice of avocado on top of cheese, and then one slice of bacon, broken in half. Finish with another slice of avocado.

4.    Fold the part of the wrapper pointing towards you over the stack of avocado, etc. Fold the left and right points over the middle and roll up egg roll nearly all the way, taking care to fold tightly with no openings for ingredients to fall or leak out. With finger tip, dab a bit of the flour mixture on the remaining corner at the top and then seal this corner onto the egg roll to close it.

5.    Repeat steps with remaining ingredients. Carefully place a few egg rolls into hot oil and cook until golden brown, turning them over once during the frying. Remove from oil and allow to drain and cool on a place lined with paper towels or napkins. Serve whole or cut in half at an angle with dip of your choice (if you wish).

*I don’t recommend making these too far in advance. I generally create them just before the party and then cut them in half right before serving.

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