PopPop bread and rolls (and pizza!)

This was one of my dad's recipes with handwritten modifications.  It took me a bit to figure out which one was his favorite (and therefore, our favorite).  We mostly use this recipe for onion rolls and occasionally for baguettes for appetizers.  It doesnt have the super light interior of an artisan bread but you can create a nice crust.  It's a wetter dough that doesnt allow for fancy scoring but that's just fine with us.  The best part?  It makes a lot of dough and it is happy to sit in the fridge for days until you want to bake again.  It scales down quite nicely if you're unsure about making so much dough.  

I usually make a half recipe as it makes plenty of rolls for us and we use another recipe for bread baking.  I also add in a little sourdough starter sometimes (mostly for flavor).

2025 update: we tried it as pizza dough tonight.  I made it a little thicker than a usual crust and it was a hit! 

PopPop bread and rolls (and pizza!)

(makes a lot, a half recipe makes 14 rolls with some bigger for burgers and others smaller)

2 Tablespoons yeast

2 Tablespoons salt

4 cups water

5 1/2 cups flour (we like King Arthur all-purpose)

1 1/2 cups bread flour (again KA)

2 cups whole wheat (again KA)

2 Tablespoons diastatic malt powder (optional, helps with browning)

In a large bowl or your stand mixer, mix yeast, salt, and water, then add the flours.  Mix by hand or with your dough hook until the flour is all incorporated.  It's a wet dough, so it will be sticky (not marshmallow smooth).  Cover loosely and let rise at room temp for 2-5 hours (I usually have to split it into 2 bowls since it will rise a lot).

You can choose to shape now or fridge it, tightly covered, for up to 2 weeks.  We usually bake some and fridge the rest.  If you are baking now, get a little bowl of water ready to keep your hands wet (update: I use floured hands and a floured work surface now).  Put a sheet of parchment on your cookie sheet/baking pan.  Rip off a chunk and shape it into your desired shape.  If you prefer to work on the counter, then get the counter a little wet.  Put your shaped dough on the prepared pan and let rest for 40 minutes covered (let rest for a full hour if you're using dough that has been in the fridge).  If you want to add a little dried onions to the top for onion rolls or some seeds or salt, wait until after the 40 min rest.  You can spritz them with a little water then top them.

20 minutes prior to baking, heat up your oven to 450 (with a baking stone if you have).  Slide the parchment onto your baking stone or just put your baking pans on the rack.

Bake until well browned, depending on size, 20-30 minutes or until about 190 degrees inside.  Let cool completely.

Variations: my dad has notes on making this recipe with different flours and most he declared "good" so if you're out of bread flour or dont like whole wheat, then try it your way.  We have made them with milk instead of water, with only all purpose flour, with a few spoonfuls of sourdough starter, and with a few pats of butter.  It's always delicious.

Bagels (Pop Pop's recipe)

My Dad loved to bake breads, bagels, and biscotti (he died in December of 2020 from a brain tumor).  Thankfully, we have his recipes.  Delilah has been making bagels for us with this recipe and they are just amazing.  It's a very similar process to pretzel making.  Give it a try!  My cousin makes these with his kids in honor of my Dad and they call them "Jaygels" as my Dad's name is Jay.  It's pretty awesome to hear how many people loved my dad and how many are staying connected through baking his recipes.  I will definitely share more recipes soon.

Bagels

makes 10-12 medium sized bagels for a single recipe OR 14-16 medium sized bagels for a recipe and a half

(ingredients for a recipe and a half are in parentheses)

DOUGH

1/3 cup (1/2 cup) Pumpernickel, Rye, or Whole Wheat Flour

3 3/4 cups (5 1/2 cups) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

1 1/4 cups (generous 1 3/4 cups) warm water

2 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) salt

1 tablespoon (1 1/2 tablespoon) non-diastatic malt powder

1 tablespoon (1 1/2 tablespoon) instant yeast

WATER BATH

2 quarts/8 cups (12 cups) water

2 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) non-diastatic malt powder or brown sugar

1 tablespoon (1 1/2 Tablespoon) granulated sugar

TOPPINGS, optional

everything bagel seasoning

kosher salt

dried onions

dried garlic

poppy seeds

sesame seeds

Combine the dough ingredients in a stand mixer on medium-low speed for 10 minutes. The dough will be quite stiff.

Remove the dough from the bowl with one hand and grease the bowl with the other.  Place the dough back in the bowl.  Let it rise, covered, 60 to 90 minutes.

Divide the dough into pieces (10-12 for a single batch, 14-16 for a batch and a half). Roll one piece at a time into a smooth ball. Let the balls rest, covered, for 30 minutes; they'll puff slightly.

Bring the water, malt powder, and sugar to a very gentle boil in a wide-rimmed pot. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut or poke a hole through the center of each ball. Stretch the hole with your fingers until it's 2" in diameter. Place the bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Transfer bagels, four at a time, to the simmering water. Cook for 2 minutes on one side, flip over gently, and cook for another minute.

Remove the bagels from the water and return to the baking sheet, immediately sprinkling optional toppings on one side and flipping to repeat on the other. Repeat with the remaining bagels.

Bake the bagels for 20-25 minutes, until they're set and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of one registers at least 190°F.

Remove the bagels from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Bagels are best eaten the day they are made but they are ok the next day.  If you know that you wont eat them fast enough then slice and freeze them.  They toast up perfectly directly out of the freezer.

Waffles and Pancakes and Oven Pancakes

I love to have waffles and pancakes in the freezer for easy weekday breakfasts.  This recipe is so versatile, easy, and sugar free.  It was originally my Dad's recipe from who knows where but I've made a few changes (he used all butter).  I use it often.  Today's version was with half ricotta, half lemon yogurt.  The lemon flavor was really faint, but we enjoyed it.  I might try it again but with lemon zest and ricotta.  I also like it with apples and cinnamon, but most of the family likes fruit free waffles and pancakes.

UPDATE: why stand at the stove, when you can make one giant pancake in the oven? I use a large sheet pan, 12 x 16 for this double recipe.  You could use the same sheet pan for a 1 1/2 recipe too, but if you make just a regular batch then you'll want a smaller pan.  Preheat your oven to 350-375. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper then grease the paper with a little butter or oil.  This isn't strictly necessary but it helps to crisp up the bottom a little. Pour in your batter and smooth it out.  Bake till lightly browned on the top and a knife comes out clean.

Basic Waffle and Pancake Batter
(this is a double recipe, you can easily half it, it makes 8 large waffles.  we usually make 4 large waffles and about a dozen small-ish pancakes)

8 T butter (that's one stick)
4 T coconut oil
2 cup sour cream, yogurt, or ricotta (ricotta makes them really light and fluffy)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (we tried subbing in a half cup of almond flour and it was great!)
4 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
milk to thin (optional, it's a THICK batter though)

Melt butter and coconut oil in large bowl.  Add in the dairy, then the eggs, and then the rest of the ingredients.  Mix well.  Use for waffles or pancakes.