Basic Dough Recipes

Steps:

• Combine sugar, water and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl.
• Combine flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
• Pour yeast mixture and oil in well and stir into dry ingredients until you have a soft dough.
• If dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
• Knead until smooth on a lightly floured surface.
• Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let rise until doubled.
• IF YOU HAVE A BREAD MACHINE skip the above steps and just put the ingredients in according to the machine's instructions and use the "dough" setting.
• Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Makes 1- deep dish or 2- 12-inch pizza crusts.
• To bake, top with your favorite sauce, cheese, etc., and bake at 450°F for about 15 minutes or until crispy and cheese is bubbling.

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

Steps:

• Place blade insert into bowl of food processor. Add 1 cup flour. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over flour. Add remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Cover. Pulse in short bursts on and off until butter is broken into small pieces and looks crumbly, about 1 minute. Drizzle in ice water. Pulse with longer pulses, on and off, until mixture turns pale yellow and looks like crumbs, about 10 to 12 seconds. Scrape down sides with spatula. Pulse once or twice more.
• Transfer mixture onto a work surface. Bring pieces together to form a tight round ball of dough. Flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before rolling out.

Steps:

• Scald milk in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to scalded milk. Remove 1/4 cup liquid; mix yeast into liquid when cooled to lukewarm. To liquid in saucepan, add salt, sugar, shortening, and eggs. Add dissolved yeast to saucepan. Mix well.
• Sift and measure the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and pour the liquids into the well. Stir with a large wooden spoon until liquid disappears.
• With one hand, mix dough in bowl using swinging rotary motion. Gradually form dough into smooth ball, then knead in bowl for 2 minutes. Brush top with melted shortening. Cover, and allow dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Use dough for any sweet bread recipe.

Steps:

• Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk sugar, oil, and salt into yeast mixture. Add flour and stir until a sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and brush top with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 1 or 2 times before using.
• Dough can be stored in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic, in refrigerator up to 2 hours. To freeze, wrap dough in plastic and freeze in a resealable freezer bag up to 3 months. If you plan to use it in a recipe that calls for half a batch, divide it before freezing.

Steps:

• Mix the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and briefly beat to combine.
• Sift over the flour and stir until the mixture is well combined - you might need to get your hands in at the end to give everything a really good mix and press the dough together.

Steps:

• Warm the milk and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan or in the microwave until very warm (110 degrees F). Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook; mix in the sugar, yeast and 1 cup flour until combined but still lumpy. Let stand until the mixture is very bubbly, about 30 minutes.
• Add the butter, salt and 2 cups flour; mix on medium speed until smooth and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs until combined, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl as needed. Add 1 1/4 cups flour and the mix-ins, if using; mix until the dough is smooth and starts to gather into a loose ball, about 4 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky; if it's too wet, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour.
• Lightly oil a large bowl; scrape the dough into the bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, shortening, egg, salt, and half of flour; beat at low speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Place dough in a well greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free of drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk, or cover and refrigerate up to 5 days. (if refrigerating, let return to room temp before proceeding).
• Punch dough down, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 4 or 5 times. Shape and bake as desired.

Steps:

• In a large, deep heavy pot or an electric fryer heat the oil to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, beat together the egg and sugar. Stir in the milk and the shortening. Sift together all of the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and stir to combine. Chill the dough for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough to 1/2 inch thickness with your fingertips or a rolling pin. Cut out the doughnuts using a doughnut cutter or two sizes of round cookie cutters. Transfer doughnuts to wax paper and allow to dry for 10 minutes. Using a spatula dipped in the hot oil, carefully transfer the doughnuts to the hot oil. Cook 2 - 3 doughnuts at a time, flipping them when they brown on a side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Dust with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm.
• Doughnut holes: Add dough to hot oil by the spoonful and fry until golden.
• Variations: Chocolate doughnuts: Combine the melted shortening with 1 ounce of melted chocolate before adding to batter.
• Glazed doughnuts: Combine 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar with 2 teaspoons hot milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Drizzle over cooled doughnuts.
• Jelly doughnuts: Stir 1/2 cup jelly of choice until smooth. Transfer jelly to a plastic baggie and snip off one corner to squeeze out jelly. Poke doughnut round with a chopstick And squirt in jelly.

Steps:

• Combine the water and yeast in a mixing bowl, and stir until the yeast dissolves. Stir in a cup of the flour; then, stir in a second cup and the salt. Sprinkle some of the remaining flour over a work surface and your hands. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto the work surface. Gradually knead in additional flour, until the dough no longer feels sticky.
• Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball, and rotate it in the bowl to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and knead it for about 1 minute. Return the dough to the bowl and let rise until doubled again, about 45 minutes. Punch down the dough.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle if making pizza or a 10-inch circle if making focaccia. Stop and let the dough rest for a few minutes when it becomes too elastic to roll. Sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal and slide the dough onto it. Top the dough as desired, and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cut into wedges, and serve hot.

Steps:

• Proof yeast in tepid water with the sugar for 5 minutes (see below), then stir in the cold water. Measure the flours and salt into the food processor fitted with a steel blade. With the machine running, rather slowly process in the yeast and water, adding driblets more cold water if needed, until the dough balls up on top of the blade. Let it revolve 8 to 10 times, then stop the machine and feel the dough. It should be reasonably soft and pliable. If damp and wet, process in a tablespoon or so more flour; if dry, add a dribble more cold water. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Process the dough another 15 seconds or so, then remove it to a floured board and let it rest 2 minutes. Knead it vigorously by hand a good 50 times, as described below.
• Preliminary Rise. Turn the dough into a 4-quart fairly straight-sided ungreased bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a towel, and set in a draft-free place-75°F is ideal. Dough will rise to 1 1/2 times its original volume, usually in about 1 hour.
• Second Rise. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Push and pat it into a 14-inch rectangle and fold it into 3, like a business letter. Repeat a second time, then return it to the ungreased bowl, cover, and let rise again. It will rise to 2 1/2 to 3 times its original volume, usually in 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When almost tripled, the dough is ready to form and bake.
• The very special movements here are designed to force the dough to develop a gluten cloak that holds as it bakes free-form into its characteristic loaf. Keep your work surface lightly floured at all times, so the gradually forming cloak will not tear. Set a smooth, lightly floured cotton or linen towel on a large rimless (or upside-down) baking sheet, to hold the formed loaves.
• Cut the dough in half, then fold each piece in half. Cover one; push and pat the other into an 8-by-10-inch roughly rectangular shape.
• Fold in half lengthwise. Press and pound firmly with your fist to seal the edges and flatten the dough to about its original shape.
• Roll the dough so the seam is centered on top, and firmly press a rough trench into the seam with the side of your hand.
• Using the seam as a guide, fold the dough in half lengthwise, and again press long edges together firmly to seal.
• Starting at its center, begin rolling this length of dough under your open palms, gradually moving your hands apart and stretching the dough as you roll. Elongate the dough to about 18 inches (no longer than the length of your baking surface!) and place it seam side up on the long half of the lightly floured towel. I now like to pinch the sealed long edges securely together, just to be sure. Cover loosely with another floured towel while you form the second loaf the same way. Make a pleat in the towel alongside the first loaf, to separate the two loaves, and lay the second in place.
• Final Rise Before Baking. Usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover both loaves with the floured towel and let rise until more than doubled in volume. Meanwhile, make everything ready for baking, so that you may proceed almost at once.
• To Bake 2 Loaves of French Bread. Slide the oven rack onto the middle or lower-middle level, set the baking stone or tiles upon it, and preheat the oven to 450°F. Sprinkle the sliding board lightly with cornmeal, and have your unmolding board and instant-read thermometer at hand.
• Remove the covering towel and place the unmolding board against the inside side of one loaf, lift the towel on the other side, and flip the loaf, its smooth side up, onto the board, then nudge the loaf onto one side of the sliding board. Repeat with the second loaf. Push the loaves so that the ends of each are at one end of the board.
• With a razor blade held almost flat, make 3 slightly angled slashes in the top of each loaf. Open the oven door. Poise the sliding board so that the ends of the loaves are about 1 inch from the back of the oven, then quickly snatch the board out from under the loaves, depositing them on the hot surface. Immediately pour 1/2 cup water onto oven floor or hot pan (see page 83). Close the door. Bake 20 minutes; reduce temperature to 400°F and bake 10 minutes more, until done (see below). Remove and cool on a rack.
• BAGUETTES. After the second rise, divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape, roll, and stretch each into a thin (2-inch diameter) rope; let rise until more than doubled. Bake as for fat loaves, but check for doneness 5 minutes after reducing heat to 400°F.
• ROUND COUNTRY LOAF (OR LOAVES). After the second rise, turn the dough out onto a floured surface; deflate as described in the master recipe. Use all the dough for 1 large loaf, or divide in half for 2 smaller loaves.
• Pat the dough into a disk. Lift one side and bring it almost over the other; rotate a quarter turn, and repeat 6 to 8 times, to make a thick cushion. Turn the dough over and rotate it between your palms, tucking the sides under as you go, to make a smooth, round loaf.
• Turn the dough over, smooth side underneath. Pinch the edges together, set on a floured towel, and cover with another towel. (Repeat with the remaining dough, if you are making 2.)
• Let rise until more than doubled. Prepare and preheat oven to 450°F as in the master recipe. Transfer the loaves smooth side up to the cornmeal-dusted sliding board. Slash the top with your razor in a decorative pattern, such as a crosshatch or a tree with branches. Slide into the oven, create steam, and bake as in the master recipe. Large loaves may need an additional 10 to 15 minutes at 375°F to finish baking.
• BAKING IN LOAF PAN. Butter a 2-quart loaf pan. Pat the dough into a rectangle slightly smaller than the pan. Fold in half lengthwise twice, as for long loaves, to form an even rectangle. Place seam down in pan, press flat into corners. Let rise until dough has doubled in volume.
• Meanwhile, slide rack onto lower-third level, and preheat the oven to 450°F. Slash top of loaf lengthwise down the center with a razor, and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 400°F. When done, turn out of pan and cool on a rack.
• HARD FRENCH ROLLS. After its second rise, divide dough into 12 pieces. Fold each in half. One at a time (or 2 when you are an expert), rotate the dough under the palm of one hand to form a ball. Pinch undersides to seal, and set smooth side down on a lightly floured towel. Cover with a second towel and let rise until more than doubled.
• Prepare and preheat the oven to 450°F, as in the master recipe. Arrange the rolls 3 or 4 at a time smooth side up at the end of your cornmeal-dusted sliding board. Slash each with a circular stroke around the side, or a cross on top. Slide onto baking stone and rapidly continue with the rest. Make steam as in the master recipe. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake a few minutes more until done.
• PIZZA. For two 16-inch tomato pizzas. Set rack on the lower-middle level and preheat the oven and pizza stone to 450°F.
• Form the dough into 2 smooth balls and let rest, covered. After 10 minutes, lightly flour a pizza paddle; flatten and stretch the dough into a thin disk on the paddle by rolling it out and pressing into shape with your fingers, or stretch and twirl it, professional-style, while supporting it on both your fists and twisting them apart-you'll have to see it done to do it!
• Brush the top of the dough generously with olive oil, dust with 1/2 cup of grated hard cheese, and spread over 2 cups of fresh tomato sauce (page 30). Drizzle on more olive oil, sprinkle on 1/2 cup or so of grated mozzarella cheese; a sprinkle of thyme, oregano, or Italian herbs; and a little salt and pepper. Drizzle on more oil and another 1/2-cup dusting of grated hard cheese.
• Slide onto hot baking stone and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until top is bubbling, edges have puffed, and bottom is crisped. Prepare second pizza while first is baking.
• It's always wise to make sure your yeast is really active. Stir a tablespoon of active dry yeast in a cup with 3 tablespoons of tepid water and a pinch of sugar. In 5 minutes it should begin to bubble. It's alive!
• If you overknead in the processor, the dough can heat up; in addition, the gluten strands can break down, preventing a full rise. To finish the dough, fold it over on itself, then, with the heels of your hands, push it out in front of you, roughly, rapidly, and vigorously. Repeat about 50 times, until it is smooth and elastic and when you stretch the dough it holds together. It should not stick to your hands unless you pinch and hold a piece.
• Flour contains both starch and gluten. The gluten holds the particles together and also allows the dough to hold its rise. However, gluten develops increasing resistance as the dough is worked, and it then becomes more and more difficult to manipulate. Whenever your dough won't roll easily, simply stop where you are and let it rest 10 minutes or so. The gluten will relax, and you can continue.
• Ideal temperatures are 70° to 75°F. Warmer, the rise is too fast and you miss out on flavor development. Colder is fine, even down to a refrigerator chill-you get flavor development-but it simply takes the dough longer to rise: the colder the environment, the longer it takes.
• French bread not only rises free-form, but it bakes free-form-not in a pan. It is difficult, even frustrating to attempt it without the proper equipment. Here is what you will need.
• A Hot Baking Surface. French bread does not cook properly when baked on a metal sheet. It must be slid upon a baking stone or a pizza stone, or line your oven rack with ceramic quarry tiles-available in some cookware shops or in building-supply stores.
• Unmolding and Sliding Boards. The risen loaf is unmolded from its floured towel and slid onto the hot baking surface. I use 3/8-inch plywood bought at the home-improvement store, an 8-by-20-inch board for unmolding and for sliding a single loaf, and a 20-inch board 2 inches narrower than the width of my oven for sliding several long loaves or rolls.
• Cornmeal. A light dusting of coarse cornmeal on the sliding board keeps the dough from sticking.
• Steam. To prolong the rise and set the crust, you need steam the first few seconds of baking. In an electric oven, toss 1/2 cup water into the bottom, just before closing the door. In a gas oven, set a hot cast-iron frying pan on the lowest level as you preheat, and toss the water into that when the time comes.
• If you prefer to make the dough entirely by hand, mix the ingredients in a bowl with a sturdy wooden spoon, then turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. For the first few minutes, pick it up with a scraper and slap it down roughly, and continue a number of times, until the dough begins to have body. Let rest 5 minutes. Then proceed to knead it with your hands as described below.
• The loaves should feel light, they should make a pleasant thump when tapped, but they are not done until an instantread thermometer, left in for several seconds, reads 200°F.