Workbasket #1 Vol. 48: American Regional Breads
Pub. October 1982
American Regional Breads
“Food critics, restaurateurs and gourmets alike are talking today about American Regional Cooking. The day of trendy, French foods has come and gone to make way for a rediscovery of wholesome foods with a local past. These American Regional Breads were collected from cookbooks across the country and updated for today’s American kitchen by the Text Kitchens of Fleischmann’s All-Natural Yeast.”
The Eastern Heartland: Spicy Yeast-Raised Doughnuts are today’s version of the old-fashioned classic. These delicious treats are baked, not fried, and are delicious when served with fresh apple cider!
(id: a photo of a black and white picture from the original craft book. it’s a big pile of donuts on a platter. behind them is a plate of various nuts and seeds, some apples, and two glasses of what is probably water.)
Spicy Baked Raised Doughnuts
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ cup Fleischmann’s Margarine
½ cup warm water (105℉ to 115℉)
2 packages Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast
2 eggs, beaten (at room temperature)
4 ½-5 cups unsifted flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) Fleischmann’s Margarine, melted
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Scald milk; stir in ½ cup sugar, salt, and ⅓ cup Fleischmann’s Margarine. Cool to lukewarm. Measure warm water into large warm bowl. Sprinkle in Fleischamnn’s Active Dry Yeast; stir until dissolved. Add lukewarm milk mixture, eggs, 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg; beat 2 minutes on medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 50-60 minutes.
Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly floured board. Roll out to ½ inch thickness; cut into doughnut shapes with floured doughnut cutter. Place on greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.
Brush doughnuts with melted Fleischmann’s Margarine. Bake at 425℉ for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from sheets and cool slightly on wire rack. Dip in remaining melted margarine. Combine remaining 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon; coat doughnuts with sugar mixture and serve warm. Makes about 2 dozen.
The Midwest: These sweet Cinnamon Rolls were a classic favorite of the midwest.
(id: a photo of a black and white picture from the original craft book. it’s of a bunch of vaguely-triangular cinnamon rolls on a wooden platter. they’re drizzled with white frosting.)
Ninety Minute Cinnamon Rolls
½ cup warm water (105℉ to 115℉)
1 package Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Fleischmann’s Margarine, softened
1 egg (room temperature)
2-2 ½ cups unsifted flour
Melted Fleischmann’s Margarine
⅓ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup dark seedless raisins
Confectioners’ sugar frosting
Measure warm water into large warm bowl. Sprinkle in Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast; stir until dissolved. Add 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, 2 tablespoons, Fleischmann’s Margarine, egg and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead about 2 minutes, until smooth. Roll dough out to an 18 x 9 inch rectangle. Brush with melted Fleischmann’s Margarine. Combine with ⅓ cup sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle dough with cinnamon sugar and raisins. Roll up from long side as for jellyroll. Pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Arrange, cut side down, in a greased 8 inch round pan.
On the bottom rack of cold oven pour boiling water into a large baking pan to a depth of 1 inch. Place rolls on a wire rack over a pan of water. Cover. Close oven door and let rise 30 minutes. Uncover rolls and remove wire rack and pan of water. Turn oven to 375℉. Bake 25 minutes, or until done. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Frost with confectioners’ sugar frosting. Makes 1 dozen.
The West and Northwest: Sourdough breads of the Old West were made with yeast “starters,” spongy blend of flour, sugar and water that naturally fermented to form a wild yeast mixture. Today’s sourdough breads are made with similar “starters” but today’s starter contains active dry yeast for better, more consistent flavor and performance. Try this delicious Sourdough Bread and see!
(id: a photo of a black and white picture from the original craft book. it’s of two bread loaves on a round platter. one of them is whole, the other has a few slices lying next to it. behind the bread are labeled jars of various flours- whole wheat, cracked wheat, and white. the other jar is labeled “sourdough”)
Three Wheat Sourdough Bread
3 ½-4 cups unsifted white flour
1 cup unsifted whole wheat flour
½ cup cracked wheat
2 teaspoons salt
1 package Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast
1 ¼ cups milk
¼ cup water
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons Fleischmann’s Margarine
1 ½ cups sourdough starter
Combine 2 cups white flour, whole wheat flour and cracked wheat. In a large bowl combine 1 ½ cups flour mixture, salt and undissolved Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast. Combine milk, water, honey and Fleischmann’s Margarine in saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are very warm (120℉ to 130℉). Margarine does not need to melt. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add starter and 1 cup flour mixture. Beat at high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour mixture and enough remaining white flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top, Cover; let rise in a warm place free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each piece to a 12 x 8 inch rectangle. Shape into 2 loaves. Place on greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch loaf pans. Cover; let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Bake at 375℉ for 30 to 35 minutes, or until done. Remove from baking sheets and place on wire racks to cool. Makes 2 loaves.
Sourdough Starter
3 ½ cups unsifted strong, bread-type flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast
2 cups warm water
Combine flour, sugar and undissolved Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast in a large bowl. Gradually add warm water to dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Cover with transparent wrap; let stand in warm place for 2 days.
To use in recipe: Measure out amount called for in recipe and use as directed.
To replenish starter: To remaining starter add 1 ½ cups strong, unsifted bread-type flour and 1 up warm water. Beat until smooth. Store covered in warm place. Stir before using. If not used in one week, remove 1 ½ cups starter and follow directions for replenishing.
New England States: Oatmeal and brown breads date back to Colonial New England where they were staple foods. Today’s version is made with nutritious whole wheat flour, honey and cottage cheese, for extra richness and protein.
(id: a photo of a black and white picture from the original craft book. there are oval-shaped slices of bread fanned out on a round platter, with a bowl of dip in the middle. the bread ingredients are artfully placed behind the platter, alongside the second, intact, loaf.)
Honey Oatmeal Bread
3 ½- 4 cups unsifted white flour
2 cups unsifted whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast
1 cup water
½ cup honey
¼ cup (½ stick) margarine
1 cup cream style cottage cheese
2 eggs (at room temperature)
¾ cup chopped oats, uncooked
¾ cup chopped pecans
Combine 3 cups white flour and whole wheat flour. In a large bowl thoroughly mix 1 ½ cups flour mixture, salt and yeast.
Combine water, honey, margarine and cottage cheese in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are very warm (120℉ to 130℉). Margarine does not need to melt. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and ½ cup flour mixture. Beat at high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in quick oats, remaining flour mixture and enough additional white flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover bowl, let rise in warm place free of draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto lightly floured board. Knead in pecans.
Divide dough in half. Shape each into a loaf and place in two greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch loaf pans or into balls and place in two greased 8 inch layer cake pans. Lightly greased tops of loaves. Let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake at 375℉ for 35 minutes to 40 minute, or until done. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves.