Zoë François and
Jeff Hertzberg took the baking world by storm when they proved that homemade yeast dough could be stored in the refrigerator to use whenever you need it, launching a movement of new bakers in their first book,
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
Now they've done it again with their new book,
Holiday and Celebration Bread in Five Minutes a Day, a cookbook with savory, sweet, healthy, and decadent recipes for every occasion. This book includes Christmas loaves from Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia; Hanukkah doughnuts from Israel, Ramadan pita from Turkey; and Easter breads from the British Isles and the Czech Republic, to name a few. The book is chock-full of fragrant, yeasted treats made for celebrations and special occasions.
Help us celebrate the new book, Holiday and Celebration Bread in Five Minutes a Day by entering our giveaway!* Be 1 of 3 winners to win the prize pack below by commenting on this post and letting us know your favorite Holiday or Celebration Bread!
We're giving a prize pack that includes all the basics you'll need to get started this holiday season. 3 lucky winners will win 1 copy of
Holiday and Celebration Bread in Five Minutes a Day, 1 - 5lb bag of
Organic Whole Wheat Flour, 1 - 5lb bag of
Organic Unbleached White All Purpose Flour, 1 - 5lb bag of
Artisan Bread Flour, 1 - 8oz bag of
Active Dry Yeast, and 1 - 24oz bag of
Potato Flour.
We're also sharing one of our favorite recipes from the book, courtesy of the authors.
Mallorca Buns
Mallorca buns are a treat from Puerto Rico by way of Majorca, Spain. The coiled shape of these sugar-dusted buns is inspired by the Majorcan ensaïmada, a savory pastry with pork. By the time this bun was incorporated into Puerto Rican culture, however, it had become a sweet, egg-enriched bun, suitable for breakfast or accompanying an afternoon café con leche. They are at their very best served warm from the oven and eaten slowly. The heavenly lightness and fluffiness are made to be savored.
“These became a morning pilgrimage when I was in Puerto Rico with my family. Every morning we’d walk 1½ miles to the public road, call a cab, and drive into the village to our favorite bakery. By the end of the trip, the shop owner would place a dozen in a box for us as we got out of the cab. A few would never make it past the door.” —Zoë
Makes 12 buns
Ingredients:
2 pounds (cantaloupe-size portion) Amish-Style Milk Bread dough (recipe below)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water), for brushing the buns
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting the buns
Method:
- Dust the dough with flour and roll it out to a ¼-inch-thick rectangle, about 10 × 18 inches. Using a pastry wheel, cut 12 even strips.
- Stretch each strip to be 12 inches long and roll the ends between your palms to taper. Coil each strip to make a spiral bun, tucking the end under the bun.
- Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure they have enough room to rise without touching. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack placed in the center of the oven.
- Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until light golden in color and firm to the touch.
- Allow the buns to cool.
- Sift a generous layer of confectioners’ sugar over the top of buns. They’re excellent with a cup of coffee.
Amish-Style Milk Bread
Adding an extra starch like potato flour gives bread a lift and lightness that you’d not expect from a lowly spud. This dough is one of our favorites for its rising power and flavor. After you make this dough, cruise through the book and find a world of possibilities.
Ingredients:
Method:
Makes two 2-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.
- Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the milk, eggs, yeast, salt, and sugar in a 6-quart bowl or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
- Mix the flours and butter with the milk mixture without kneading, using a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle), a Danish dough whisk, or a spoon.
- Cover (not airtight), allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours, and then refrigerate.
- The dough can be used as soon as it’s thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours. Refrigerate the container and use over the next 5 days. To freeze dough, see page 42.
- On baking day, grease an 8½ x 4½-inch nonstick loaf pan. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 2-pound (large cantaloupe-size) piece. Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Elongate the ball into an oval and place it in the loaf pan.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 90 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack placed in the center of the oven.
- Brush the top crust with egg wash.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the loaf is browned and firm.
- Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a rack before serving.
Recipe and images copyright © 2018 by Jeff Herzberg M.D., and Zoe Francoise in Holiday and Celebration Bread in Five Minutes a Day and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Griffin.
Help us celebrate the new book, Holiday and Celebration Bread in Five Minutes a Day by entering our giveaway!* Be 1 of 3 winners to win the prize pack below by commenting on this post and letting us know your favorite Holiday or Celebration Bread!
*We’ll choose our winners from all who comment between now and 11:59 pm on 11/11/2018. Contest open to US residents, 18 and older. No purchase necessary to enter or win. 
We're also sharing one of our favorite recipes from the book, courtesy of the authors.
Makes 12 buns
Ingredients:
2 pounds (cantaloupe-size portion) Amish-Style Milk Bread dough (recipe below)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water), for brushing the buns
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting the buns
Method:
Method:
Makes two 2-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.
Thanks,
Romi
Can't wait to see all the goodies in this book.