MmmmMmm!! This Guyanese classic will make your whole house smell like sweetened coconut! So flaky, soft, slightly sweet, simply delicious. My recipe caters to certain allergies - it is eggless & dairy free. Enjoy!
Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
Dough:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 packet yeast
- 1 cup warm Lactaid (can use milk if you want)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon apple sauce (this replaces the egg)
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon I Can't Believe it's not Butter, melted
Filling:
- 2 cups dried coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 spoons water
- 5-6 drops red food coloring
Recipe:
- Disolve the yeast in 1/4 cup water & the teaspoon white sugar.
- Place it in a dark warm area to activate for 10 minutes (I put mine in the microwave with it turned off).
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, salt, & cinnamon. Once the flour mixture is combined, cut the shortening in (until no chunks remain).
- After the yeast activates, add the warm Lactaid, yeast mixture & applesauce to the flour. Knead to form a dough.
- Place the dough in a greased basin (I used vegetable oil to grease mine) covered with foil for 1 hour. Dough will double in size.
- While the dough is rising, you can make the filling. Combine all of the filling ingredients and mix well so the food coloring is absorbed by all of the coconut. You may need to add more water, you don't want the filling to be very dry.
- Once the hour is up & the dough has risen, punch it in the middle so the air comes out. Then, split the dough into 2 equal parts (you'll be making 2 rolls).
- Use a rolling pin & a light dusting of flour to roll out each dough to a rectangle.
- Scoop half of the filling into each rectangle & spread to distribute evenly. Make sure the filling is all around the edges so you get a really good design!
- Bake on 350 for 10 minutes, then brush on some of your melted I Can't Believe it's not Butter, and bake again for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool completely before cutting into slices.
Crispy, fluffy, garlicky goodness! Naan seemed so untouchable before - the Indian bread that you can never replicate at home. But today I tried making it & I was pleasantly surprised! Really easy and really delicious!
Time: 1.5 hours total
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (plus additional for rolling out the naan)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 packet yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
Recipe:
- Put the warm water in a measuring cup with the packet of yeast & the sugar. Stir to combine, then set aside for the yeast to activate.
- Use a small bowl to melt the butter & combine with the minced garlic. Add parsley flakes also.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated garlic & some parsley flakes & mix to combine.
- Once the yeast is bubbly (~10 minutes), add the olive oil & yogurt to it. Stir until the yogurt dissolves.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl with the flour & start kneading. Take more dry flour if you need to.
- Once the dough is formed, cover the bowl with a paper towel & set it aside to rise. I put mine in a microwave (leave it off though). Leave it to rise for about an hour.
- Take the dough out & break pieces off a little larger than golf balls.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.
- Roll out the naan using a rolling pin.
- Pour a little vegetable oil in the skillet, then place the naan in the middle. Let it bubble up for about 30 seconds then flip.
- Once you flip the naan, brush on the garlic butter mixture. Use tongs to remove the naan once it's cooked on the other side.
- Repeat with all the other naan.
Enjoy with paneer makhani or your favorite curry!
This is my fool-proof recipe for delicious homemade bread that's ready in about an hour! It is so impressive to make your own bread but with the craziness day to day life, it is tough to find time. Not anymore! The best part is most of these ingredients are usually already on hand, so there's no need to lug yourself to the grocery store to create the perfect loaf. Try this out next time you're craving fresh bread!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (or 1/2 cup whole wheat + 1.5 cups all purpose)
- 1 packet fast acting yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon basil or Italian seasoning (or spice of your choice really, you can omit this step if you don't want a flavor)
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Additional warm water if needed for the dough
Recipe:
- Use a large measuring cup to combine the warm water, sugar & yeast. Stir to dissolve the yeast.
- Place the yeast mixture in the microwave (without turning it on!) so that it is kept in a warm dark place for at least 15 minutes. Yeast will be bubbly when you take it out.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large basin, mix the flour, seasoning, & salt together.
- Add in the olive oil & yeast, mix into the flour. Kneed until everything is combined. It's okay if you over-kneed for this dough, you want the gluten activated as much as possible.
- Sprinkle some extra flour on a cookie sheet to avoid the dough sticking to the pan.
- Add the dough on top of the flour & shape with your hands into a loaf. Hint: sometimes I need the bread to cook fast so I make 2-3 smaller loafs and use 2 cookie sheets to bake them in.
- Use a sharp knife to make 3 small slits on top of the loaf.
- Bake on 350 for about 20 - 30 minutes or until the top is crusty. Timing will depend on how tall / thick you made your loaf & how many loafs you split it into. This recipe can make 3 small/medium sized loafs in 15-20 minutes!
Garlic, olive oil & bread = happiness! It seemed a little ambitious to make my own garlic knots but it turned to be really easy! I used my standard pizza dough recipe & tweeted it to be more garlicky!
Time: 20 minutes + time for the dough to set Ingredients:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 packet yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
Recipe:
- Fill a measuring cup with 1 cup warm water, the packet of yeast & sugar
- Stir & set aside in a dark place for 15 minutes (I put mine inside the microwave & closed the door)
- Put the flour, garlic powder, salt, & 1/4 cup olive oil in a basin.
- After waiting 15 minutes for the yeast to rise in the measuring cup, pour the mixture into the basin.
- Mix with your hands & knead into a dough. You might need to add some more warm water.
- Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel & put a plate over it to keep it dark. Set it aside in a warm place for at least 1 hour so the dough can rise.
- After the dough rises, break 2-3 inch pieces of the it & roll it into a log with your hand, then tie it into a knot shape.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Place the knots on a greased cookie sheet, bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the garlic knots are baking, mix the 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic & dried parsley.
- Take the knots out of the oven & brush on the olive oil mixture.
- Sprinkle salt over the garlic knots if desired. Enjoy!
Craving olives today so I made some olive bread! Super easy to whip up with some active dry yeast. I enjoyed it with some warm tomato-basil soup!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup mixed olives, pitted
Recipe:
- Add the packet of yeast & sugar to the warm water, stir to dissolve then let it sit for 15 mins to bubble up.
- In a medium bowl, pour the flour, salt & Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Slowly mix in the yeast mixture & olive oil, mix with your hands slightly just to incorporate the ingredients.
- Chop the olives into smaller rounds, throw almost all of them into the flour mixture, leaving some for the top of the loaf.
- Knead the olive dough completely & form into a loaf with your hands.
- Set it on a cookie sheet & cut 4 small slits on the top.
- Garnish with the remaining olive slices, pressing them in so they stay put in the oven.
- Bake on 350 for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until golden brown on top, and cooked through the middle.
