Pesto Babka | Eggless Bread Recipes

I've been posting Bread recipes back to back..apologies.It is just that I'm on a bread baking spree and I cannot wait to share with you guys whenever I bake something and it comes out super delicious.

I have made Pesto rolls before and posted it here years back.I wonder why I don't make it more often.Pesto is a flavor bomb I tell you!Every time I make Cinnamon rolls and roll it to cut into small even rolls,I am always tempted to try this Babka method of cutting the roll into half and then shaping it.It never happened though and I always kept telling to myself,next time for sure!

Today was the day.I got hold of some freshest Basil leaves harvested from a friend's balcony garden.Combined that with some leaves in my garden as well and made a super simple pesto.No fancy ingredients but absolutely no compromise on the taste,how about that.Finished my lunch hurriedly and went about making it.

Making the dough takes hardly 5 minutes as I knead my dough in the food processor.While the dough was proving,made the pesto.By tea time we had warm pesto Babka ready :)

Pesto Babka

Ingredients

Maida/Flour - 1 1/2 cups

Milk powder - 1 tbsp(optional)

Sugar - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Yeast - 1 tsp

Italian seasoning - 1 tsp

Warm milk - 1/2 cup (plus 1 or 2 tbsp)

Butter - 1 1/2 tbsp (or oil)

For the filling

Pesto - 1/4 cup

Shredded Mozzarella - 1/4 cup

Method

Into the bowl of your food processor bowl-add flour,milk powder,sugar,salt and yeast and seasoning.Pulse for 10 seconds.

Add the milk through the spout and pulse simultaneously till a dough is formed.

Mix in the butter and pulse for 30 -45 seconds.

OR

Into a bowl add all the dry ingredients and mix well.Mix the milk and knead to a smooth dough(7-10 minutes).Mix in butter and knead again for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and let it double(about 1 hour).

Meanwhile make the Pesto.I made a super simple version today with just a handful of basil leaves,few cashewnuts,2 cloves of garlic,pepper,salt and olive oil.Grind everything together to a smooth paste.

Once the dough is double,punch it down and shape into a rough rectangle.

Roll it thin and maintain the shape of a rectangle.

Brush some olive oil and then apply an even layer of pesto all over.

Top with some shredded mozzarella and roll into a tight roll.

Keeping an inch intact,run a knife right in the middle of the roll cutting it into two.

Now make a small braid by overlapping one piece over the other and shape into a round(or any shape of your choice)

Place on a lined baking tray,cover with a cling wrap and let it double for 20-35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Once the Babka is doubled,remove the cling wrap,brush some olive oil on top generously and bake it for 25-30 minutes or until it turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Immediately brush some melted butter on top and cover loosely with a kitchen towel.

Serve warm :)

Step by Step Tutorial

Into the bowl of your food processor bowl-add flour,milk powder,sugar,salt and yeast and seasoning.Pulse for 10 seconds.

Add the milk through the spout and pulse simultaneously till a dough is formed.

Mix in the butter and pulse for 30 -45 seconds.

OR

Into a bowl add all the dry ingredients and mix well.Mix the milk and knead to a smooth dough(7-10 minutes).Mix in butter and knead again for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and let it double(about 1 hour).

Meanwhile make the Pesto.I made a super simple version today with just a handful of basil leaves,few cashewnuts,2 cloves of garlic,pepper,salt and olive oil.Grind everything together to a smooth paste.You can grind it coarse too if that's your preference.

Once the dough is double,punch it down and 

shape into a rough rectangle.

Roll it thin and maintain the shape of a rectangle.

Brush some olive oil and then 

apply an even layer of pesto all over.

Top with some shredded mozzarella 

and roll into a tight roll.

Keeping an inch intact,run a knife right in the middle of the roll cutting it into two.

Now make a small braid by overlapping one piece over the other and shape into a round(or any shape of your choice)

Place on a lined baking tray,

cover with a cling wrap and let it double for 20-35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Once the Babka is doubled,remove the cling wrap,brush some olive oil on top generously and bake it for 25-30 minutes or until it turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Immediately brush some melted butter on top and cover loosely with a kitchen towel.

Serve warm :)

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Rose Milk with Sabja seeds | Summer Drinks Recipe

Rose milk evokes quite a few nostalgic memories for me.Though we loved drinking milk as kids,the flavored,cool milk drinks which we were treated to every once in a while held a very special place in our hearts.So many flavors to choose from and each were as good as the other,but almost always my choice remained the pink,sweet milk which was fondly named as Rose milk.

I am not amazed that it still holds a special place in my heart even now.I mean,what's not to love.Come summer and I always have a chilled jug of milk inside my fridge with which I could churn out a glass of rose milk any time of the day.I keep trying different concentrates/powders and feel that you have to experiment with the right brand to choose your favorite.I loved this famous Kalathi kadai concentrate but right now,my favorite is this brand(Guruji Rose Sharbat)

While you can have the rose milk as it is,how about the addition of Sabja seeds which make it even more delicious and refreshing?

Sabja seeds,also known as Tukmaria seeds or Falooda seeds are the seeds of Sweet basil.The seeds expand as much as 30 times their size when soaked in water and are full of fiber and packed with nutrition.It also has cooling effects on the stomach and helps in healing acidity and heart burns.

Rose milk with Sabja seeds

Ingredients

Milk - 2 cups,chilled
Rose syrup/sharbat - 2 tbsp
Sabja seeds - 1 tsp
Ice cubes

Method

Soak sabja seeds in about 3/4 cup water for 10-15 minutes.
In a jug add rose syrup and mix in the milk-the concentrate I use has sugar hence I did not add any extra sugar.
Add a tbsp(or more) of soaked sabja seeds and mix well.
To serve,add few ice cubes into a glass and top with the rose milk.Add some more sabja seeds on top if you like.

Step by Step Pictorial

Soak sabja seeds in about 3/4 cup water for 10-15 minutes.

In a jug add rose syrup and mix in the milk-the concentrate I use has sugar hence I did not add any extra sugar.

Add a tbsp(or more) of soaked sabja seeds and mix well.
To serve,add few ice cubes into a glass and top with the rose milk.Add some more sabja seeds on top if you like.

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Focaccia Caprese-Focaccia Bread topped with Tomato,Mozarella&Basil~We Knead to Bake#13

I love a good Focaccia.With a crisp crust and the deep flavours of olive oil and garlic in every bite.I have tried a few recipes for Focaccia myself and loved it.Moreover Focaccia recipes are pretty forgiving,there are no hassles involved and you can personalize the toppings according to your taste.

Focaccia is a type of flatbread from Italy,thought to have originated in ancient Greece but now associated with the north eastern part of Italy. Today however, it is a flatbread that is found all over Italy and baked in a variety of ways.The name Focaccia originates from the ancient Roman "Panis Focacius" which was originally a flatbread that was baked on the hearth.

Focaccia Caprese is a basic focaccia dough topped Caprese style."Caprese" refers to something that comes from or is in the style of Capri, an island off the Italian coast near Naples. Capri is famous mostly for its villas, grottos and jutting limestone towers, and also for the salad named after it – “Insalata Caprese” whose signature is fresh tomatoes, basil and fresh buffalo mozzarella (Mozzarella di Buffala).This means that the topping of the Focaccia Caprese is sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, in addition to the usual olive oil and herbs that are typically used in this flatbread.

I halved the recipe and added some wheat flour/atta to the dough.The bread was still very soft and chewy,with a deep flavor from the herb oil.My basil plant is still in growing stages,so I had to make do with dried basil.I didn't add too many tomato slices as that's how we prefer and the cheese melted so much that the slices started to slide down the bread:)

It's been a joyous one year since my first WKtB post,time sure flies.Though I have skipped a couple of breads in the group,the ones which I tried were spectacular,my favorite has to be the Hokkaido bread,the softest and best bread I've baked so far(aside from 'the' cinnamon rolls!)This year,we have some new entrants to the group and I am so happy to continue my bread baking journey.

Focaccia Caprese - Focaccia Bread topped with Tomato,Mozarella & Basil
Recipe source - The Kitchen Whisperer;Adapted from Aparna

Ingredients

For the Dough:

2 tsp instant yeast

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

3 1/2 cups bread flour*

1 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil (preferably olive oil)
1 to 1 1/2 cups warm water

A little more olive oil for brushing dough

For the Topping:

4-5 larg-ish tomatoes, sliced thin
1 6-7” round piece of fresh buffalo mozzarella, cut into1/4” slices**
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

For the Herbed Oil:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
1/2 tsp finely minced garlic/ paste
Salt to taste 

Fresh basil leaves for garnishing 

Note:

* If you cannot find bread flour, you can add 1 tbsp of Vital Wheat Gluten to 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and mix together well. Otherwise just use 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour.

**I don’t get fresh buffalo mozzarella where I live. So used Amul Mozarella cheese instead and it worked out fine.

Method:

First make the herbed oil
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together. Keep aside till required.

Then make the dough.
The dough can be mixed and kneaded by hand or machine. Put the yeast, sugar flour, salt and oil in the bowl of the processor and pulse a couple of times to mix well. Then add 1 cup of warm water (and as much more as you need) and knead until you have a soft elastic dough that is just short of sticky.

Remove the dough from the processor bowl, shape into a round and place in a well oiled bowl turning the dough around so it is coated. Cover and let it rise till almost double in volume. This should take about an hour.

You can make this as 2 medium sized Focaccia or 4 smaller ones. For the rectangular Focaccia, take two rectangular pans/ jelly or Swiss roll pans (I used an 11" by 7" tin) and oil them well. Then divide the dough into two equal portions and lightly roll them (or press out) out into approximately 11” by 7”. If making 4 Focaccia, then divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion out (or press out) evenly into approximately 5” by 7”. It alright if it’s an odd shape because Focaccia is really a “rustic” bread.

Transfer the dough to the baking tins. The dough will shrink a little. Use your fingers and push it out a bit making sure it’s evenly thick throughout. Let it rise for 20 minutes. Lightly oil your finger tips and press into the dough creating evenly spaced “dimples” in it. Generously brush the surface with oil

Bake at 210C (410F) for about 18 to 20 minutes till it is almost done and is beginning to turn golden brown. Take the Focaccia out and turn up the heat of your oven to 230C (450F).

Lightly drizzle some of the Herbed Oil over the Focaccia and then evenly arrange some slices of mozzarella over the bread, leaving very little space between them. Arrange the tomato slices over this and a little sprinkle the chopped basil over this. The topping should cover most of the surface of the bread.

Drizzle some more Herbed Oil over the topping and return the bread to the oven. Bake the Focaccia for 5 to 8 minutes or until the cheese has just melted. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Yeastspotted
Cut the Focaccia into slices and serve while it is still hot. This recipe should serve 4 if served alone or 6 if served with a side.

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Bell Pepper Calzones

I love watching cooking videos on the net.I have some favorites and I keep watching it again and again so much so that the recipe and even the background music is imprinted in my mind.Saee's cooking videos are a beauty by itself.Irrespective of whether you try the recipe or not,I can assure you'll fall in love with it,for sure.

I don't know how many times I've watched her bread video.I keep looking for a difficult step somewhere,I mean there has to be right?How can someone make bread baking look so easy?After baking with yeast for a while now,I am a little bit more confident than I was before when I attempt a recipe.

Yeastspotted
When I saw her Calzones video,I knew right there that this was one recipe I could see myself baking again and again.Ajay is a total savories person and he is only too happy that I am trying out savory bakes he could gorge on and this one was a sure shot winner.Crunchy bell peppers with a slight tang from the tomatoes along with cheese,I am in love with this one!

Bell Pepper Calzones
Recipe source - Saee's My Jhola

Ingredients

Instant Dry Yeast - 1 1/2 tbsp (I used Mauripan)
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Warm water - 3/4 cup + 3/4 cup
All purpose flour/maida - 3 cups
Salt - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the filling

Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves - 2,minced
Onion - 1 big,finely chopped
Tomatoes - 3 medium,finely chopped
Bell peppers - 3,1 each of red,green and yellow-cubed
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
Dried Basil - 1/2 tsp
Mozzarella cheese - 100 gms,grated
Egg - 1,beaten(optional)

Method

 
Mix together warm water,yeast and sugar in a bowl.Let it rest for 2-3 minutes till frothy.
 
In a big mixing bowl add flour and mix in salt.Pour the yeast mixture and start kneading the dough.Add more lukewarm water as required till you get a smooth dough.
 
Mix in the oil.
 
As an additional step,I kneaded the dough for around 5 minutes on my counter top till the dough was smooth and shiny,but this step is optional.
Smear some oil on the bowl in which the dough was mixed and place the dough in it to rise.It took an hour in my kitchen for the dough to rise double its size.

Make the filling

 
In a kadai add oil and saute the minced garlic and onions till golden brown.
 
Mix in the chopped tomatoes followed by the bell peppers.
Add red chilly powder,salt and tomato ketchup and saute for 2-3 minutes.
 
Mix in the dried basil and switch off the flame.

 
Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions.Flour the counter top and roll the dough into a round shape approximately 7-8' diameter.
 
Place the filling-about 2 tbsp and top with the grated cheese and fold over.
Seal the edges using a fork.Brush the top of the calzones with the beaten egg,if using.
 
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 200C for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

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Eggless Pesto Rolls with Homemade Pesto

There was a time when the Yeast monster gave me nightmares,not anymore.I started baking with those uneven granules of Yeast which required heaps of luck,more than a warm atmosphere to rise.Now good quality yeast is available aplenty in our part of the world too and you just need a good recipe,some time in hand(bread baking is time consuming!)and confidence.

One recipe which never NEVER fails for me is this Garlic Pull-apart bread rolls.I still remember when I baked it,it was too much of a success to me.I just couldn't believe that the soft and so-bakery-like bread could be baked at home,just like that!

When Nags posted a Pesto version,I bookmarked it to try immediately.Only,there was no Pesto at home.I haven't tried making/eating pesto but had heard so many people raving about it.Decided to harvest my basil pot and made a batch of Homemade Pesto.Though I didn't like it initially(probably because of the taste of raw garlic)it tasted delicious when baked as a filling for this bread.

If you are scared of yeast and are intimidated at the thought of baking bread,I'd suggest you start with this one.It gives perfect results every single time!

Eggless Pesto Rolls with Homemade Pesto
Recipe source - Nags;Original recipe - Suhaina

Ingredients

Maida/All purpose flour - 1 cup
Atta/Whole wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Vital wheat gluten - 1 1/2 tsp(optional)
Salt to taste
Warm water - 1/2 cup
Instant Yeast - 1/2 tbsp(I used Mauripan)
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Basil Pesto - 1 cup
Amul Cheese cube - 1,grated(optional)

Method

 
Mix together warm water,sugar and yeast in a bowl and let it proof for about 5-7 minutes.It should bubble and froth up within minutes,if not start afresh.
 
Mix together both the flours,gluten,salt and yeast mix till you get a slightly sticky dough.
 
Add oil and knead for 5-7 minutes till you get a smooth dough.
Cover the dough with a cling film or a kitchen towel and allow to proof for 40-45 minutes.
Grease a baking pan or a loaf tin with butter.

 
Knock down the air in the dough and divide the dough into two equal portions.
Roll one half of the dough on a floured surface using a rolling pin to a rough rectangle.

Spread about half of the pesto on one side.Add grated cheese on top(if using)

 
Roll from one end as you would for a swiss roll.

Cut the roll into half and further into two making it four rolls.

 
Now place the rolls with the cut side up in the greased pan. 
Repeat the same procedure for the remaining dough. 

Allow to rise for another 20 minutes. In the mean time preheat the oven to 180C / 375F.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or till the top has become golden brown.

Yeastspotted!

Notes

• The recipe is a very simple one,perfect for beginner yeast bakers.Of course,it all depends on the quality of the yeast you use.Make sure you use a fresh batch of yeast.I use Mauripan Yeast sachets.
• The yeast granules can be directly added with the flour,but I always take the tried and tested route of proofing the yeast first and then kneading the dough.
• Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes to develop gluten.This creates soft and fluffy rolls.
• Every oven is different so baking times may vary.

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