Nana's Bread

Yesterday I decided to bake Nana's bread. Growing up I thought her bread was the best in the world, but during the last 10 years it simply became the best toast in the world, but untoasted it was just ordinary. Making her bread 3 times in the past week has helped me figure out what happened. The original recipe (from my great grandmother) calls for melted shortening. After my Papa's heart attack and subsequent surgery 6 years ago she started using olive oil instead and replaced the sugar with honey. She also started baking the bread longer, why I don't know. I've tweaked it a bit and last night the loaves where moist and delicious. I made 3 loaves of bread and used the last quarter of dough to make what just might be the best cinnamon rolls of all times.

Nana's White Bread

3 tsp dry yeast

2 1/2 c warm water

4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 c olive oil

1/3 c melted butter

6 Tbs sugar

6 tsp salt

2 c warm buttermilk (use the real thing, not powder)

7 to 9 c all-purpose flour

Sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water and add a pinch of sugar. Let sit until yeast has proofed and risen considerably. Meanwhile combine 4 cups flour and baking soda in a very large bowl. In a smaller bowl combine the olive oil, melted butter, sugar, salt, and buttermilk. When yeast has proofed add along with buttermilk mixture to the flour and baking soda. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Continue to add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When dough becomes too difficult to stir, knead in the remaining flour. (Don't add too much and don't add too little. With practice you'll figure out just how much to add.) Knead the dough 100 times, adding more flour as needed, until dough is smooth and satiny. Shape into a ball, rub top with olive oil, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Set in a warm spot to rise. (This can take 2 to 3 hours.) When dough has doubled in size punch down and cover and let rise a second time. When dough has again doubled punch down and divide into fourths. Grease 4 bread pans (or 3 if you want to make cinnamon rolls). Flatten each quarter of dough, removing all of the bubbles, and roll up to make a loaf, being sure to pinch the seam and the ends. Place in pan, seam side down. Repeat with remaining dough and once again cover and let rise until doubled. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in pans (about 3 minutes) and then remove from pans and let cool completely on cooling rack.

***Cinnamon roll variation

You can obviously use all of the bread dough to make these cinnamon rolls rather than just a quarter, but it will make a lot!

If you like raisins, combine 1 c raisins with 1 c boiling water and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Let sit until they absorb some of the liquid, then drain and set aside until ready to use. This is very good!

Before flattening dough knead in:

zest of 1 orange

1 vanilla bean, scraped

2 T sugar

until mixed into dough. Flatten as much as possible and brush with melted butter. Generously sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. (Be generous!) Add raisins if using. tightly roll up into a long log and cut with string or floss every 1/2 inch. Place rolls into greased 9x13-inch pan and cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly then cover with glaze.

Glaze

1 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 T melted butter

2 to 6 T milk

Stir until combined. Adjust milk/sugar proportions to reach your desired consistency.

I firmly believe cinnamon rolls should be eaten warm. Simply pop one in the microwave for 20 seconds and prepare to become addicted.