Basic Sweet Dough Recipes

MASTER SWEET DOUGH RECIPE

Steps:

• Warm milk to 110ºF. Add in 1 Tablespoon of your sugar and then the yeast and whisk to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Add your flour to your mixing bowl and then add in your milk/yeast mixture. Stir on low to combine
• While mixing on low, add in your sugar, eggs, butter and salt until combined
• Increase the speed to medium and let mix until the dough cleans the sides of the bowls and feels elastic and smooth. The dough should bounce back when you touch it with your finger. This can take 8 - 12 minutes *do the window test - see blog post for details*
• Shape the dough into a smooth ball and then place it into a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 90 minutes in a warm place ***optional***(I pre-heat my oven to 170ºF for five minutes then TURN THE OVEN OFF. It should be barely warm inside. Place a bowl of warm water in the back of the oven and your covered bowl of dough into the oven and shut the door)
• You can now shape the dough into rolls, make cinnamon rolls, sticky buns etc. See the blog post above for links to other recipes.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

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.

BEST BASIC SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and butter. Heat until slightly warm to the touch then remove from heat and stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Mix in the eggs, oil and the yeast mixture. Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn once to coat. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Use remaining oil to grease a cookie sheet or 9x13 inch pan. For plain rolls, punch down dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place them into the greased pan side by side. Let dough rise for 20 to 25 minutes, or until almost double. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until rolls are golden brown.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Dissolve 1 tsp.
• sugar in warm water in large bowl.
• Sprinkle in yeast.
• Let stand 10 minutes, then stir well.
• Heat milk to lukewarm.
• Stir in 1/4 cup sugar and salt.
• Add lukewarm milk mixture, butter,egg and 1 cup flour to dissolved yeast mixture.
• Beat for 3 minutes.
• Stir in about 3 cups remaining flour gradually.
• If necessary, add more flour to make a soft dough which leaves sides of bowl.
• Turn out onto lightly floured board.
• Knead dough, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky (about 5 minutes).
• Place in lightly greased bowl.
• Turn dough to grease top.
• Cover with greased waxed paper and tea towel.
• Let rise in warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).
• Punch down.
• Turn out onto lightly floured board and round up into a ball.
• Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Shape and prepare according to one of the following variations.
• (These variations can also be made with Basic White Bread dough).
• Dinner Rolls: Divide each portion of prepared dough into 16-24 equal pieces depending on size of buns desired.
• Shape into balls and flatten slightly.
• Place on greased baking sheet or in muffin cups.
• Cover with a tea towel and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 30 minutes) Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
• Brush with melted butter, if desired, for soft shiny crust.
• Pan Rolls; Divide each portion of dough into 16 equal pieces.
• Shape into balls.
• Place balls, almost touching, in rows, in a greased 8" square pan.
• Cover and let rise as above.
• Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes.
• or twin rolls, Cloverleaf rolls, Cresents, Parkerhouse Rolls, knots and posies.

BASIC SWEET BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• For the sponge: In a small bowl stir together water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in yeast and flour. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until bubbly and active, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the dough: In a large bowl, mix together all of the sponge, yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla or citrus zest. Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing until the dough comes away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until soft and pliable but not sticky. Let dough rest while you clean and grease the bowl. Finish kneading the dough until it's smooth, supple, and springy.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat all surfaces, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
• Gently deflate the dough and shape into desired shapes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 35 to 45 minutes.