Basic Sweet Bread Dough Recipes

SWEET BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Check the yeast: (see footnotes if you'd like to make this dough in the breadmaker)Dissolve 2 tsp of yeast with 1/2 cup milk and 1 tsp of sugar from the overall amount and leave in a warm location until frothy, about 10-15 minutes. If the mixture does not froth up and rise, discard the yeast and start over when you have a fresh batch of dried yeast.
• Combine all ingredients:Into a bowl of a mixer sift 3 cups of flour. Then add 1/3 cup sugar, remaining 1/2 cup warm milk, 4 egg yolks, 2 tbsp sour cream, 1 tbsp vanilla extract, and the risen yeast mixture. By hand, using a spoon or the hook of the mixer quickly mix the ingredients until a rough, shaggy mixture forms.
• Knead: Then, attach the hook back to the mixer and knead on low speed (speed 2 to 3 on a Kitchenaid mixer) for about 20 minutes or until the dough stops sticking to the side of the bowl, feels elastic, and is tacky to touch. If the dough is properly kneaded a small piece can be stretched into a see through "window" without tearing.Pro tip: Do not overknead past a point where the dough is elastic and stretchy. If the gluten is overworked it will tear, leaving you with a chunky dough that doesn't have the strength to hold a good rise of the dough.
• Add 3 oz of butter and 1/4 tsp of the salt and knead it into the bread until no streaks of butter are seen, (~5-7 minutes). Sometimes tearing the dough into chunks helps to incorporate the butter easier/faster.
• 1st Rise: Oil the sides of the bowl and the dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours. Boil a cup of water in a microwave for several minutes. Remove the cup with water. Place the bowl with the dough in the warm microwave for the dough to rise. This gives the dough a nice warm place without being too hot.
• Shape: This recipe makes one large braid. To make two smaller sweet yeast bread loaves divide the dough into two, then shape two separate braids instead of one like the recipe instructs.Once risen, divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Weighing the dough is the best way to divide the dough evenly. Next, roll each piece into a tight ball, then into a 20-inch log. If the dough is hard to stretch or it springs back too much, cover with a tea towel leave for 10-15 minutes. This will relax the gluten and make it easy to roll.Pinch the ends of the 3 strands together at one end, then braid them into a braid pinching the ends together as well. Now, tuck both ends of the braid underneath itself slightly to give it a better shape.
• 2nd Rise: Transfer the sweet yeast braids to a 12"x18" baking sheet pan. Space them evenly. Cover with a clean tea towel. Transfer to a warm place once again until the braid doubles in size.
• Prep before baking: Once doubled in size preheat the oven to 350F with the baking rack centered. Brush the braid with a whisked egg yolk and water and sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds if you wish. Applying the egg yolk mixture several times will give you a darker glaze once baked.
• Bake the braid for about 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. You can also check for doneness with a thermometer. The center of the thickest part should register 195°F. If the top starts to brown before the inside registers 195F, loosely tent the sweet yeast bread with foil.Once baked, remove from the oven to a cooling rack and cool completely before cutting or eating.

BASIC SWEET BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• For the sponge: In a small bowl stir together water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in yeast and flour. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until bubbly and active, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the dough: In a large bowl, mix together all of the sponge, yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla or citrus zest. Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing until the dough comes away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until soft and pliable but not sticky. Let dough rest while you clean and grease the bowl. Finish kneading the dough until it's smooth, supple, and springy.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat all surfaces, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
• Gently deflate the dough and shape into desired shapes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 35 to 45 minutes.

SWEET BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• Put butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat until you first see bubbles, stirring occasionally to keep milk from burning. Then remove from heat and add the cold water. [We're scalding the milk and then cooling it back down to not kill the yeast].
• Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast and warm water, then let sit for about 10 minutes.
• Once the yeast is activated and the milk mixture is under 130 degrees F, add the milk mixture to the yeast and also the sugar, egg, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until moistened and then mix on medium speed for two minutes. Then switch to a mixing spoon and add another 2 cups of flour. Finally, turn dough out on floured board and knead in additional flour to make a moderately stiff, soft dough. If you have a stand mixer, do all this mixing the easy way and use your dough hook.
• Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn once to grease surface, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size--about one hour.
• The next step is to shape according to your desired final product, then cover and let rise again for about 45 minutes, then bake.
• For basic dinner rolls, divide dough into 16 pieces, roll each between your hands to make a ball. These will need to bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-18 minutes. For the more sugary products, use your favorite methods and fillings and increase your baking time as needed, temperature should be fine for most.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Scald milk in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to scalded milk. Remove 1/4 cup liquid; mix yeast into liquid when cooled to lukewarm. To liquid in saucepan, add salt, sugar, shortening, and eggs. Add dissolved yeast to saucepan. Mix well.
• Sift and measure the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and pour the liquids into the well. Stir with a large wooden spoon until liquid disappears.
• With one hand, mix dough in bowl using swinging rotary motion. Gradually form dough into smooth ball, then knead in bowl for 2 minutes. Brush top with melted shortening. Cover, and allow dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Use dough for any sweet bread recipe.

MASTER SWEET DOUGH RECIPE

Steps:

• Warm milk to 110ºF. Add in 1 Tablespoon of your sugar and then the yeast and whisk to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Add your flour to your mixing bowl and then add in your milk/yeast mixture. Stir on low to combine
• While mixing on low, add in your sugar, eggs, butter and salt until combined
• Increase the speed to medium and let mix until the dough cleans the sides of the bowls and feels elastic and smooth. The dough should bounce back when you touch it with your finger. This can take 8 - 12 minutes *do the window test - see blog post for details*
• Shape the dough into a smooth ball and then place it into a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 90 minutes in a warm place ***optional***(I pre-heat my oven to 170ºF for five minutes then TURN THE OVEN OFF. It should be barely warm inside. Place a bowl of warm water in the back of the oven and your covered bowl of dough into the oven and shut the door)
• You can now shape the dough into rolls, make cinnamon rolls, sticky buns etc. See the blog post above for links to other recipes.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk, butter and water to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add egg and remaining flour; beat until smooth. Shape into a ball. Do not knead. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Use for Braided Coffee Cake or Coffee Cake Ring.

BASIC SWEET-ROLL DOUGH

Steps:

• Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

BEST BASIC SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and butter. Heat until slightly warm to the touch then remove from heat and stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Mix in the eggs, oil and the yeast mixture. Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn once to coat. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Use remaining oil to grease a cookie sheet or 9x13 inch pan. For plain rolls, punch down dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place them into the greased pan side by side. Let dough rise for 20 to 25 minutes, or until almost double. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until rolls are golden brown.