Mary Molt's Sweet Yeast Dough as featured in the Aprils 2023 issue of KANSAS! Magazine

Dr. Mary Molt and K-State's dining halls were the perfect fit for the latest issue of KANSAS! Magazine, (vol 79, issue 3, 2023) with a theme related to the state's record setting. Both Dr. Molt and K-State have a an impressive list of accomplishments and accolades. Since this article appears in the Taste section, Mary provided this recipe that was shared with her by a student. 

Caramel-Pecan version of this Sweet Yeast Dough. The dough is so a dream to work with and I look forward to trying other versions. 

Sweet Yeast Dough

 

Ingredient	Amount	Procedure
Milk	2 cups	Warm milk to about 115oF.  Pour into large mixing bowl.
Eggs, slightly beaten Sugar ** Instant Potato Flakes Oil Instant Yeast   Salt Flour	2 eggs ½ cup ½ cup ½ cup 2 packets  [or 1 Tbsp + 1 ½ tsp]       2 tsp 2 cups	Add ingredients listed at left to warm milk.   Using a flat paddle (mixer) or spoon, beat until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.    Replace flat paddle with dough hook and proceed as described below.
Flour	3 - 3 ½ cups	Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time.   Note:  Dough should be soft. Adjust flour amount slightly as/if needed for a soft dough.   Use mixer to mix and knead (or knead by hand) until smooth and elastic.  Knead approx. 10-11 min in mixer or knead on a floured surface about the same time (until a piece of dough can be stretched very thin, i.e. window pane test.)   Grease top of dough and cover bowl.  Let stand in warm place until double in size, 40-min. or so.
SHAPE AS PREFERRED   Cinnamon Rolls -- Roll dough into a rectangle approximately 15 x 12-inches.  Brush with 2 Tbsp softened butter and sprinkle with mixture of 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon.  Roll tightly, jelly roll fashion, starting with short side, pinch edge to seal.  Cut into slices.  Place cut side down into greased 9 x 13-inch pan or pan with pecan-caramel mixture (recipe follows).  Let rise until double in size (30-45 min) and bake at 350-375oF for approximately 30 minutes until done.  If using pecan-caramel mixture let rolls cool for 10 minutes then turn out.  Pecan-Carmel mixture:   In the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan, mix together ½ cup heavy whipping cream, 1 ½ cups brown sugar,  ¼ tsp cinnamon.  Sprinkle with pecans or walnuts (optional.)   Yield: 12 cinnamon or pecan rolls + dough for a small loaf.   **Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls -- Using buttered hands, form dough into 1 – 1½ inch balls and put balls into greased pan with rolls touching.  Brush dough balls lightly with melted butter.  Let rise until doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.  Bake at 375oF for approximately 20 min until browned and registers an internal temperature of 190-1950F.  When done, brush with melted butter.   **Note: For a less sweet dinner roll reduce sugar by a third to a half. Yield: 18-24 dinner rolls.   Kolaches -- Form dough into 1½ inch balls and put on greased cookie sheet.  Leave space to rise without touching.  Brush dough balls with melted butter.  Let rise until doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.  Make an indention in the middle of each ball, leaving ½ - 1-inch outer rim.  Fill indented area with fruit filling or jam.  Bake immediately after filling at 375oF - 400oF for 12-15 min until browned.  When done, brush with melted butter.   Dough may be rolled to about ½ to ¾ inch thick and cut with at 3 ½” cutter.  Yield: 15-18 kolaches.

 

I made the Pecan-Caramel Rolls and they were outstanding. A hit with everyone that tried them. So soft, tender and utterly delicious—ewwy, gooey and oh, so good.! I took photos of the process. 

Mixing the dough

Kneading the dough.

Kneaded dough just added to a greased bowl for the 1st rise.

Proofed and risen dough, ready to shape.

Rolled dough sprinkles with brown sugar and pecans  

Rolls after 2nd rise, ready to bake. 

Ewwy, gooey Caramel-Pecan Rolls. 

Oh, so GOOD! 

King Arthur's Potica #ExtraordinaryBread #kingarthurbaking

King Arthur Baking Company's #ExtraordinaryBread contest has prompted me to try all sorts or new recipes—from ethnic to unusual. It has been a baking and taste treat and today's bake is one of my favorites, definitely a SPECIAL OCCASION bread! (We are eating one and freezing the other for Easter.) Another feature of this dough is that it can be refrigerated overnight, dividing the work over two days. King Arthur's website says this about Potica: Slovene families bake these traditional loaves using recipes handed down through generations. This is a rich bread for special occasions, filled with an abundant sweet filling of ground nuts and spice. It's so good you'll want to keep both loaves! 

Did not achieve as many swirls as is typical but the bread is so tasty so
now I'll have to make it again to perfect the technique!

Changes I'd make if doing this again: Instead of rolling the dough out to a 26" x 18" rectangle, adding filling and then cutting it into 2 loaves, I'd divided the dough and roll each half to a 12 x 18" rectangle, fill each, leaving a 1" margin on all sides—then roll it starting from the 18" long side. The reason: one the long, rectangle is cut, the filling oozes out of the cut end and is hard to contain! 

Potica  Yield: 2 loaves

PREP - 50 mins / BAKE - 50 to 55 mins / TOTAL 4 hrs 10 mins

 

INGREDIENTS

Dough

4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon (6g) salt

3/4 cup (170g) milk

2 large eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups (361g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 c1/2 cup (46g) dried potato flakes

Filling

4 1/2 cups (510g) chopped walnuts or pecans

3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons (15g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

1/4 cup (57g) milk

1/4 cup (78g) maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons grated orange rind (zest), optional

Topping

1 large egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup (28g) finely chopped walnuts or pecans

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the dough: Place the butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Bring the milk to a simmer on the stove or in the microwave and pour over the ingredients. Stir briefly, then let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
   
3. While the mixture is cooling, weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
4. When cooled, whisk in the eggs, yeast, and vanilla. Whisk about 1 cup of the all-purpose flour with the potato flour (or potato flakes) and stir into the wet ingredients. Add the remaining flour, mixing to form a soft dough.
   
5. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, until shiny and smooth. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour, then refrigerate it for at least 1 hour, and as long as overnight.
   
6. To make the filling: Put the nuts, sugar, flour or Instant ClearJel, salt, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process in short bursts to grind the nuts.
7. With the food processor running, add the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the orange zest and pulse to incorporate.
   
8. To assemble: On a greased work surface, roll the dough into a 26" x 18" rectangle, with a long side facing you. 
   
9. Spread the filling evenly over the surface, leaving 1" of one long edge uncovered.

   

   Barry is using a offset spatula to spread the filling.

10. Roll the dough toward the uncovered edge, pinching to seal the seam and the ends to enclose the filling.

    

    I'm using a dough scrapper to assist in the rolling process.

    
11. Grease two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans and line with parchment. Cut the rolled-up dough in half, so that you end up with two logs about 13" to 14" long.
    
12. Working with one piece at a time, bring the ends of the log together to make a ring shape, pinching and sealing the spot where they meet to enclose the filling. Flatten the ring gently (it'll shape itself into a 6 1/2" to 7" oblong). 
    
13. Settle the ring into the bottom of the pan with its two sides next to one another (not on top of each other), and the original long seam facing down. Press the ring gently to spread it over the bottom and into the corners of the pan.  
    
14. Repeat with the second piece of dough and the second pan.
15. Cover the loaves and let them rise until puffy, up to 1 1/2 hours. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
    
16. When the loaves have risen, brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the finely chopped nuts.
17. Bake the loaves for 50 to 55 minutes. Check the tops after 20 minutes, tenting with foil if necessary to keep them from over-browning. The breads are done when the centers read 190°F when measured with a digital thermometer.
    
18. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans on a rack for 20 minutes before tipping out of the pans and returning to the rack to finish cooling completely. Store bread, well wrapped, on the counter for up to three days; freeze for longer storage.

The first cuts from the bread did not have as defined a pattern as those cut from the center that are displayed above 

Recipe without photos . . .Potica  Yield: 2 loaves   PREP - 50 mins / BAKE - 50 to 55 mins / TOTAL 4 hrs 10 mins

INGREDIENTS

Dough

4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon (6g) salt

3/4 cup (170g) milk

2 large eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups (361g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 c 1/2 cup (46g) dried potato flakes

Filling

4 1/2 cups (510g) chopped walnuts or pecans3/4 cup (149g) sugar

2 tablespoons (15g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

1/4 cup (57g) milk

1/4 cup (78g) maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons grated orange rind (zest), optional

Topping

1 large egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup (28g) finely chopped walnuts or pecans

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the dough: Place the butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Bring the milk to a simmer on the stove or in the microwave and pour over the ingredients. Stir briefly, then let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
3. While the mixture is cooling, weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
4. When cooled, whisk in the eggs, yeast, and vanilla. Whisk about 1 cup of the all-purpose flour with the potato flour (or potato flakes) and stir into the wet ingredients. Add the remaining flour, mixing to form a soft dough.
5. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, until shiny and smooth. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour, then refrigerate it for at least 1 hour, and as long as overnight.
6. To make the filling: Put the nuts, sugar, flour or Instant ClearJel, salt, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process in short bursts to grind the nuts.
7. With the food processor running, add the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the orange zest and pulse to incorporate.
8. To assemble: On a greased work surface, roll the dough into a 26" x 18" rectangle, with a long side facing you. 
9. Spread the filling evenly over the surface, leaving 1" of one long edge uncovered.
10. Roll the dough toward the uncovered edge, pinching to seal the seam and the ends to enclose the filling.
11. Grease two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans and line with parchment. Cut the rolled-up dough in half, so that you end up with two logs about 13" to 14" long.
12. Working with one piece at a time, bring the ends of the log together to make a ring shape, pinching and sealing the spot where they meet to enclose the filling. Flatten the ring gently (it'll shape itself into a 6 1/2" to 7" oblong). 
13. Settle the ring into the bottom of the pan with its two sides next to one another (not on top of each other), and the original long seam facing down. Press the ring gently to spread it over the bottom and into the corners of the pan.  
14. Repeat with the second piece of dough and the second pan.
15. Cover the loaves and let them rise until puffy, up to 1 1/2 hours. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
16. When the loaves have risen, brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the finely chopped nuts.
17. Bake the loaves for 50 to 55 minutes. Check the tops after 20 minutes, tenting with foil if necessary to keep them from over-browning. The breads are done when the centers read 190°F when measured with a digital thermometer.
18. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans on a rack for 20 minutes before tipping out of the pans and returning to the rack to finish cooling completely. Store bread, well wrapped, on the counter for up to three days; freeze for longer storage.

King Arthur's Cinnamon Star Bread . . . an extraordinary bread!

Another bread I can cross of my “to-make bucket list” — such an interesting technique that creates an eye-catching bread. Today’s effort is  also a chance to participate in King Arthur’s  #ExtraordinaryBread contest. Their original pull-apart style sweet bread recipe can be found at their site. 

Cinnamon Star Bread   Yield:1 star loaf, about 8 to 12 servings

PREP - 20 mins / BAKE - 12 to 15 mins / TOTAL - 2 hrs 42 mins

INGREDIENTS

Dough:

2 cups (241g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/2 cup (46g) dried potato flakes or 1/4 cup (46g) potato flour 

1/4 cup (28g) nonfat dry milk or Baker's Special Dry Milk 

3/4 cup + 2 to 4 tablespoons (198g to 227g) lukewarm water, enough to make a soft, smooth dough

4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons instant yeast 

2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon (6g) salt

Filling:

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar*

1 tablespoon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons Vietnamese Cinnamon or substitute 1/2 cup(100g) Cinnamon-Sugar Plus 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
2. Next, sift the flour, potato flour, and dry milk through a strainer; this is an important step to prevent lumps in the dough. (If you're using instant mashed potatoes rather than potato flour you can skip this sifting step.)
3. To make the dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough.
   
4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 60 minutes, until it's nearly doubled in bulk. 
   
   
   
   
5. To shape the loaf: Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, cover the balls, and allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
6. On a lightly greased or floured work surface, roll one piece of dough into a 10" circle. Place the circle on a piece of parchment, brush a thin coat of beaten egg on the surface, then evenly sprinkle with 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar, leaving 1/4" of bare dough around the perimeter.
   
7. Roll out a second circle the same size as the first, and place it on top of the filling-covered circle. Repeat the layering process — egg, cinnamon sugar, dough circle — leaving the top circle bare.
 
   
8. Place a 2 1/2" to 3" round cutter in the center of the dough circle as a guide. With a bench knife or sharp knife, cut the circle into 16 equal strips, from the cutter to the edge, through all the layers.
 
   

   

   Note: Next time I will NOT press so hard on the cutter—it should make an imprint without cursing the surface!

9. Using two hands, pick up two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice so that the top side is facing up again. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough so that you end up with eight pairs of strips.
 
10. Pinch the pairs of strips together to create a star-like shape with eight points. Remove the cutter.
 
    
11. Transfer the star on the parchment to a baking sheet. Cover the star and let it rise until it becomes noticeably puffy, about 45 minutes.
12. While the star is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.
13. Brush the star with a thin coat of the beaten egg. Bake it for 12 to 15 minutes, until it's nicely golden with dark brown cinnamon streaks; the center should register 200°F on a digital thermometer.
14. Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Store any leftover bread, well wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage. To reheat bread for serving, place it on a baking sheet and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Place in a preheated 350°F oven, and warm for about 15 minutes, or until it's as hot as you like.

Tip: To reheat bread for serving, place it on a baking sheet and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Place in a preheated 350°F oven, and warm for about 15 minutes, or until it's as hot as you like.

Recipe without photos . . .

Cinnamon Star Bread   Yield:1 star loaf, about 8 to 12 servings

PREP -20 mins / BAKE - 12 to 15 mins / TOTAL - 2 hrs 42 mins

INGREDIENTS

Dough:

2 cups (241g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/2 cup (46g) dried potato flakes or 1/4 cup (46g) potato flour 

1/4 cup (28g) nonfat dry milk or Baker's Special Dry Milk 

3/4 cup + 2 to 4 tablespoons (198g to 227g) lukewarm water, enough to make a soft,

smooth dough

4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons instant yeast 

2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon (6g) salt

Filling:

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar*

1 tablespoon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons Vietnamese Cinnamon or substitute 1/2 cup(100g) Cinnamon-Sugar Plus 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
2. Next, sift the flour, potato flour, and dry milk through a strainer; this is an important step to prevent lumps in the dough. (If you're using instant mashed potatoes rather than potato flour you can skip this sifting step.)
3. To make the dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough.
4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 60 minutes, until it's nearly doubled in bulk. 
5. To shape the loaf: Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, cover the balls, and allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
6. On a lightly greased or floured work surface, roll one piece of dough into a 10" circle. Place the circle on a piece of parchment, brush a thin coat of beaten egg on the surface, then evenly sprinkle with 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar, leaving 1/4" of bare dough around the perimeter.
7. Roll out a second circle the same size as the first, and place it on top of the filling-covered circle. Repeat the layering process — egg, cinnamon sugar, dough circle — leaving the top circle bare.
 
8. Place a 2 1/2" to 3" round cutter in the center of the dough circle as a guide. With a bench knife or sharp knife, cut the circle into 16 equal strips, from the cutter to the edge, through all the layers.
 
9. Using two hands, pick up two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice so that the top side is facing up again. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough so that you end up with eight pairs of strips.
 
10. Pinch the pairs of strips together to create a star-like shape with eight points. Remove the cutter.
 
11. Transfer the star on the parchment to a baking sheet. Cover the star and let it rise until it becomes noticeably puffy, about 45 minutes.
12. While the star is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.
13. Brush the star with a thin coat of the beaten egg. Bake it for 12 to 15 minutes, until it's nicely golden with dark brown cinnamon streaks; the center should register 200°F on a digital thermometer.
14. Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Store any leftover bread, well wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage. To reheat bread for serving, place it on a baking sheet and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Place in a preheated 350°F oven, and warm for about 15 minutes, or until it's as hot as you like.

Tip: To reheat bread for serving, place it on a baking sheet and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Place in a preheated 350°F oven, and warm for about 15 minutes, or until it's as hot as you like.