Pretzels

4 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ¼ cups warm water
3 ½-4 ½ cups bread flour
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 cups water
½ cup baking soda
kosher salt for sprinkling

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes.

2. In your KitchenAid bowl, combine 3 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar and 1 ½ tsp. salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix with dough hook. Add more flour if dough is too sticky. Knead 3-4 minutes.

3. Cover dough with plastic wrap, and set in on a greased plate in proofing oven to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 30 minutes.

4. Gently punch down dough. Before shaping, start preheating the oven to 425 degrees, using convection bake setting.

5. Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each one until it’s about 15-inches long and the thickness of your finger. Twist each into a pretzel.

6. Mix water and baking soda in your largest stock pot. Bring to a boil.

7. Dip each pretzel in boiling soda water for 5 seconds. Place on greased baking sheet, lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cut each pretzel in half before serving. Serve with mustard.

Calzones

2 ½ cups very warm water (120˚ to 130˚)

2 tablespoon yeast

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

6-7 cups bread flour

3 c. part skim Ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

12 oz. finely chopped cooked ham
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

2 green peppers, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 jar (28 oz) spaghetti sauce for dipping

1. In your Kitchen Aid bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

2. Add sugar, salt and 6 cups flour, using flat beater.

3. Mix to form dough. If more flour is needed, add enough until dough no longer sticks to bowl. Mix about 3 minutes, using dough hook. Let dough rest for 10 minutes on a greased plate, loosely covered with plastic wrap in proofing oven.

4. Meanwhile, mix cheeses, ham and oregano in a bowl.

5. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and onion and sauté until soft and onion becomes translucent.

6. Form dough into 11 balls. Roll each ball into a circle.

7. Place a portion of cheese filling and vegetable mixture in center of circle.

8. Fold circle and seal with water and fork.

9. Place on a baking sheet. Continue to form remaining calzones. Pierce each calzone once on top with a fork for venting.

10. Let rest another 10 minutes in proofing oven.

11. Bake at 375 degrees on convection setting (lower oven) for 20 minutes. On the convection bake setting, you can bake all pans in the same oven at the same time; just place on separate racks.

12. Cut calzones in half for serving, heat spaghetti sauce and serve with warm calzones.

Focaccia Bread

2 ½ to 3 cups bread flour

1 tbsp dried rosemary leaves, crumbled

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp)

5 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 cup very warm water (120° F to 130° F)

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Cornmeal

2 tsp. olive oil for dipping in each kitchen

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar for dipping in each kitchen

Preheat large oven to 400 degrees.

1. In KitchenAid bowl and with flat beater, mix 1 cup of the flour, the rosemary, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add 3 tbsp oil and the warm water. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves sides of bowl, switching to dough hook near the end.

2. Using dough hook, knead 5 to 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large plate with shortening. Place dough on plate, turning to grease all sides. Cover plate loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in proofing oven about 20 minutes or until dough has almost doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentations remain when touched.

3. Generously sprinkle a cookie sheet with cornmeal.

4. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 6- to 8-inch round (about 1” thick) piece on the cookie sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray and let rise in proofing oven about 10 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

5. Gently make ½-inch deep depressions about 2 inches apart in dough with fingers. This is done to add a decorative surface to the top of your bread. Carefully brush with 2 tbsp oil; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Have each kitchen set out a small ramekin on their table to serve with a 2 tsp. of olive oil and 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar for dipping.

Chocolate Cake Roll with Whipped Cream Filling

4 eggs, separated 1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 C. sugar, divided 1/4 C. cocoa

1/2 tsp. vanilla 3/4 C. cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Fresh strawberries to cut into fans and use as a garnish.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°

2. Line a 10 ½ X 15” jellyroll pan with waxed paper. Grease the paper.

3. Separate eggs. Put egg whites in a mixing bowl and whip until they begin to hold their shape. Continue beating, and gradually add 1/2 C. sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Whip until stiff, but not dry.

4. Put yolks in a bowl and whip until lemony yellow. Add 1/4 C. sugar and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes more.

5. Fold egg yolk mixture into the egg whites.

6. Using your wire whip, thoroughly stir the dry ingredients together. Using your rubber scraper, gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture.

7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until set and no longer doughy.

8. Lay out a clean dish towel. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

9. Remove cake from the oven. Immediately turn onto the prepared towel. Remove the waxed paper and roll up from one long end to another, in the towel. Cool completely (freezer works well for quick cooling).

Filling (2 cups):

1 C. heavy whipping cream 3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla 2 C. mini marshmallows

½ c. mini chocolate chips 3 crushed peppermint candy (place peppermint candy in Ziploc bag and crush with rolling pin),

1 pt. strawberries (for garnish)

1. Whip the chilled cream until billowy.

2. Add vanilla and gradually add powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time. (stabilizes too).

3. Stir marshmallows, crushed peppermint candy, and mini chocolate chips into whipped cream.

4. Unroll cooled cake, and trim off the edges (if desired).

5. Spread with the whipped cream mixture, and re-roll the cake.

6. Frost the cake roll with the chocolate frosting. Check with your instructor if you are unsure of the consistency. Chill 2 to 3 hours. Show the cake roll to the class, then slice and enjoy.

Frosting (about 1 cup)

¼ C. butter or margarine 2 C. sifted powdered sugar

2 ½ tablespoons milk ¼ C. cocoa

½ tsp. vanilla

1. Beat butter until creamy.

2. Add other ingredients, and beat until smooth.

Note: For thinner frosting, add milk, for thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar.

Strawberry Fan Garnishes:

Slice the strawberries from tip to stem in thin slices. Keep the stem and the top of the strawberry intact. Fan the strawberry out and garnish the cake with the strawberries.

Peaches and Cream Spiced Cream Puffs

Puff Pastry:

1/2 C. margarine 1 C water

1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ginger 1/8 tsp. salt

1 C. flour 4 eggs

1. In a medium saucepan, combine margarine, water, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Bring to a boil.

2. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook until a ball forms that won’t separate.

3. Remove from heat. Cool 10 minutes.

4. Add eggs one at a time, stirring with a sturdy wooden spoon until smooth after each addition. The dough will be very thick and difficult to stir.

5. Drop by heaping tablespoons, 3” apart, onto a greased baking sheet (make enough for everyone in your lab section).

6. Bake at 400° for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Remove puffs to a cooling rack and turn your oven off.

7. Let puffs cool in the turned-off oven for 10 minutes (this will dry them out). Let puffs cool on a rack in the dispensary freezer.

8. When cool, cut 1/4 off the top of each puff. Scoop out any soft dough inside.

Filling:

1/2 C. whipping cream 2 Tbsp. peach preserves

1/4 C. powdered sugar 1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese 1 1/3 cup canned peaches, drained and finely chopped or 2 med. peaches, peeled and chopped

1. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 C. powdered sugar.

2. Add the cream cheese, almond extract, and peach preserves. Continue beating until smooth. Stir in chopped peaches.

3. Fill each cream puff with peach mixture. (You may fill up to 1 hour before serving.)

4. Replace tops. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.