Chocolate Marshmallow Cinnamon Rolls

 All my favorite flavors - in one delicious roll! This recipe from the 2021 National Festival of Breads was a big hit with my family. 

This year's contest was held virtually instead of the in-person event that is usually held in Manhattan every other year in June. It has been a popular learning and tasting experience for several years and something I've enjoyed helping with as a Kansas Wheat Commission spokesperson. This recipe was submitted by Marilyn Blankschien of Clintonville, Wisconsin and received an Honorable Mention in the Sweet Breads and Rolls category. 

Marilyn developed the recipe from a cake recipe of her mother's. I used pecan halves instead of English walnut halves because that is what I had and what we prefer. The finished product is very light, be careful not to add too much flour as it is a very sticky dough. Using the dough hook for the kneading then turning it onto a lightly floured surface and a few folds with bowl/dough scrapers were enough to get the dough to the rise stage. And it does become less sticky as it rises. 

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW CINNAMON ROLLS

 

Ingredients:

Dough – 

2 ¼  - 2 ½ cups all -purpose flour, divided 

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 ( ¼ oz.) package yeast

¼ cup water

½ cup whole milk

3 tablespoons salted butter

1 large egg, beaten

 

Filling – 

1 tablespoon salted butter, melted

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Topping & Icing –

6 large marshmallows, cut in half

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 tablespoon salted butter

¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips

12 English walnut halves (or pecan halves)

 

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle, combine 1 ½ cup flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and yeast. 

2. Heat water, milk and butter to 120 – 130 degrees F. Add to flour mixture along with egg. Beat at low speed 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. 

3. Using dough hook or by hand using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in enough ( ¾ - 1 cup) of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. The dough may appear sticky, but avoid adding excess flour. It becomes less sticky as it rises. 

4. Knead 8 – 10 minutes with dough hook or on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until almost doubled, 35-45 minutes. 

5. On a nonstick surface or very lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10”x12” rectangle. Brush with melted butter keeping it ½” from one 10” side. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the buttered area. Starting at buttered 10” side, tightly roll dough; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 even slices and arrange cut-side down on parchment-lined cookie sheets, keeping them at least 2” apart Flatten rolls slightly by pressing down, make them about5/8” thick. Cover; let rise in warm place until almost doubled, about 40-45 minutes. 

6. Near the end of the rise, preheat to 375 degrees F. Bake until rolls just begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately place one-half marshmallow, cut -side down, in center of each roll. Return rolls to oven 2 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and softened. 

7. Remove from oven and flatten marshmallows slightly with back of large, metal spoon. Remove rolls to cooling rack. 

8. For icing: In small saucepan combine sugar, milk and butter. Place over medium heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Add about ¼ teaspoon of water at a time until drizzling consistency; drizzle over warm rolls. Top rolls with walnut halves. 

Scones for Spring

Scones are a popular treat at bakeries and coffee shops now. Although they sound very English, Scones are believed to have originated in Scotland between 1505 and 1515, and are named for the Stone of Destiny (or Scone), the place where Scottish kings were once crowned. We in the U.S. are now enjoying this crusty and tender quick bread as a royal treat with our tea and coffee. Our local coffee shop makes a wonderful scone with white baking chips and dried cranberries, it is my favorite. 

Making scones is similar to stirring together biscuits. They have similar ingredients - flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, butter, and eggs. Scones can be loaded with add-ins for a boast in flavor. 

Some tips for scones are:
* Make sure the butter, eggs, and milk are cold. The cold fat gives baked products flakiness. 
* Work the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse sand with some larger particles, similar to pie crust dough. 
* Eggs add richness and help the dough rise. If your recipe doesn't include an egg, just add one and omit ¼ cup milk or cream in the recipe. 
* Juicy fruits can make the scones soggy. I like to use slightly frozen fruit and lightly dust it with flour. 
* Don't overmix, this can make the scones tough. 
* A new tip for me, and I tried it - Freeze the pan of scones for 30 minutes before baking to relax the gluten and enhance the flakiness of the fat. 

This recipe from the National Festival of Breads is good and can be adapted to be savory or sweet. I used ½ cup dried cranberries and ½ cup white chocolate baking chips. 

Signature Scones 

(makes 12 scones)

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup chopped dried or chopped fresh fruit

2 tablespoons granulated sugar or agave nectar

½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt, any flavor

¼ cup vegetable oil or olive oil

¼ cup 2% low-fat milk

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Directions: 

1.   Heat oven to 350 degrees

2.   In large bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring just until dough clings together. (Mixture will be sticky; if using fresh fruit, extra tablespoons of flour may be needed)

3.   On lightly floured surface, knead gently for a few turns. Divide dough in half; pat dough into two 6-inch circles. 

4.   Cut each circle into six equal wedges. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Brush surface with milk; sprinkle with sugar. 

5.   Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until lightly golden. The interior will be fully baked but not doughy, just a bit moist. Transfer to a wire rack; serve warm or at room temperature. 

Bacon Mac & Cheese Sprouted Wheat Rolls - NFOB Special Award

   

 I got so many new recipes from the National Festival of Breads last month that my family is enjoying fresh bread often! The unique ingredients of many of the recipes are sometimes surprising but always good. Patrice Hurd of Minnesota says "While listening to someone rave about Bacon Mac & Cheese, I wondered if I could incorporate those great flavors and textures into a yeast bread." She did and it was a special award winner for the Best Recipe Using Pork, sponsored by the Kansas Pork Association.
     These rolls are soft and tender with a fragrant unique appearance. When I took them to a covered dish lunch last week - with a label to explain the ingredients - they were a hit!
     Sometimes the contest recipes send me searching for ingredients I haven't used before or looking for a substitute. However, these new ingredients are fun to learn about and tasty to try. This recipe has a few I'll explain here.
     Vital Wheat Gluten is extra gluten that helps the bread product rise and stay high. It is especially helpful in whole grain breads. It isn't that hard to find in the grocery store, both King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill are popular brands.
     Many older recipes for bread use mashed potatoes. Today's recipes may call for potato flakes, or instant potatoes, since modern cooks probably aren't making mashed potatoes every day. The potato starch works well with the gluten in bread dough. It forms an outer casing on the gluten bubble to strengthen it. Again, useful in whole grain doughs because the bran of the whole grain is coarse and could pop the gluten bubble. The potato starch helps made a lighter bread.
     Adobo sauce wasn't in my cupboard, or my local store. Luckily my daughter had some, but a google search gives a recipe for making it with chile powder, water, garlic cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, oregano, apple cider vinegar, and salt. It gives a sweet earthy flavor to foods.
     All paprikas are not the same! Paprika is made from grinding various kinds of red peppers and the usual paprika is neither sweet or hot but makes a good garnish with a bright color. Smoked paprika is made from peppers that have been dried and smoked over and oak fire. It gives a smoky flavor to dishes.

     So, now that you've gathered these special ingredients, I think you'll see that this recipe is a good addition to your collection. We served it this weekend with steaks and it is a good compliment to a special meal.

BACON MAC & CHEESE SPROUTED WHEAT ROLLS      

Dough (made in a bread machine)

⅔ cup lukewarm water, 80°

1 large egg yolk, reserve white for egg wash

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons instant potato flakes

2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk

1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten

1 cup King Arthur unbleached bread flour

1 cup King Arthur 100% whole grain sprouted wheat flour

1 (¼ oz) package Red Star Platinum Superior baking yeast

Filling

6 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, chopped in ½” squares

¼ teaspoon liquid smoke

2 teaspoons adobo sauce

1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

1 cup prepared macaroni and cheese, deli or refrigerated, room temperature

Directions:

1.     Place all dough ingredients into a bread machine pan in order listed and set on DOUGH cycle. Add additional water or flour if needed to form a soft dough.

2.     Cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon using a wire mesh strainer; return bacon to skillet and stir in liquid smoke. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon for topping.

3.     Place macaroni and cheese on a cutting board; using a knife, cut through macaroni a few times and set aside.

4.     Grease cups of a standard size 12-cup muffin pan, 2¾” wide x 1¼” deep.

5.     Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; deflate and roll into a 12’ x 12’ square. On the bottom half of the square, spread adobo mixture (adobo sauce with smoked sweet paprika) to within ½” of edges, spread macaroni and cheese, then bacon over adobo. Fold top of dough down over filling; seal edges.

6.     Cut into twelve 1” strips. Hold one edge of strip down and twist 3 times. Coil into a roll, tucking ends under and place into muffin cup. Repeat with remaining strips. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

7.     Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon water; brush over rolls and sprinkle with reserved bacon. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden; cool in pan 5 minutes then run knife around edges. Remove from pan; serve warm.

Yield: 12 rolls

I need practice to get the rolls the same size! That tiny one on the
left is my little Cook's Helper's.

Seeded Corn and Onion Bubble Loaf - National Festival of Breads

     "And the winner is...." After a full day of baking, tasting, hearing baking presentations, viewing exhibits, and other activities that made the National Festival of Breads a spectacular event, it was time to announce the winner at the awards dinner. We all held our breath, which would be the winning entry? They all seemed exceptionally good this year. When the bread box was opened, it was Ronna Farley's Seeded Corn and Onion Bubble Loaf.

     Ronna was a second time finalist at the contest. Her entry then was Crunchy-Topped Coconut Almond Bread. Ronna is from Rockville, Maryland and besides baking, she also works as a cashier at a grocery store. Here she gets inspiration for recipes by seeing what people are buying and thinking of how to include it in her baking. Her family's love of corn pudding sparked the idea for this recipe.(http://nationalfestivalofbreads.com/recipes/crunchy-topped-coconut-almond-bread).

    The Kansas Corn Commission was a new sponsor for the National Festival of Breads this year and several recipes rose to that challenge with a corn ingredient in their entry. I've made the 3 recipes of the contest which include corn and it adds a good flavor and texture to the breads.
 

SEEDED CORN AND ONION BUBBLE LOAF  (25 servings)   

Ronna's just baked entry

Ingredients:

¼ cup milk    

1 (1 ¼ oz) package Red Star Platinum Superior Baking yeast

½ cup unsalted butter

¾ cup finely diced yellow onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup cream0style sweet corn

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, divided

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, divided

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, divided

2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour, plus extra for kneading

2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

¾ cup frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1.     Heat milk until it reaches 110°-115° F. Stir in yeast and wait 5-10 minutes for mixture to foam (proof).

2.     Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes.

3.     In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle, combine skillet mixture, cream-style sweet corn, sugar, 2 eggs, salt, black pepper, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, and 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds. Exchange paddle for dough hook. Stir in white whole wheat flour, bread flour, and yeast mixture, mix on low speed to blend ingredients.

4.     Knead dough until smooth and elastic, 8 minutes. If needed, add in additional white whole wheat flour, if dough is very sticky. Stir in thawed corn; mix on low speed 1-2 mintus or until incorporated in dough.

5.     Place dough in greased bowl. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Generously grease a 12-cup (10-inch) Bundt pan.

6.     Deflate dough. Cut into 25 even pieces. Using lightly floured hands, shape dough into uniform rolls, layer in pan rounded sides up. Cover, let rise until doubled, 40-50 minutes.

My dough balls weren't as even. Ronna scaled (weighed)
each of hers to be sure they were the same size. 

7.     Near the end of the rise, preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush on dough, sprinkle with remaining seeds.

8.     Bake 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. Tent the bread with foil after 25 minutes. The bread is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted registers about 200°F. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes; loosen edges of bread with knife and transfer to rack to cool.

Out of the oven - it has a lovely brown color. 

And it came out of the pan intact!

          Notes from my baking experience with this recipe: This is a soft and slightly sticky dough. But that is what makes a nice moist product. I couldn't get to the stage where the dough would form a ball around the dough hook and clean the sides of the bowl without adding a lot of flour. So I took the dough out and did the final kneading by hand, adding just a bit more flour. It is a wet dough to shape. 
          Our family enjoyed the Bubble Loaf with an early 4th of July lunch at my son's house. The menu of beef kabobs, pasta salad, and corn on the cob went well with this bread. We sliced the bread like a cake, the dough balls bake together making a solid loaf, not a bubble bread like the K-State Crown. 

Besides kabobs, veggies, corn and salad we also had stuffed mushrooms
as an appetizer. Little hands (and big ones too) can hardly wait
to start eating! 

The chef does beef well. 

Fruit pizza - a slice of watermelon spread with cream cheese/brown sugar
and topped with sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate
chips and toasted shredded coconut. Just right.