MBread 2 main

Subzero Wind Chill Grips Midwest - MN endures tremendous amount of cold weather. So far this winter was a mild one, we had only one subzero low all winter!.But now Sunday through Tuesday is supposed to be the coldest days in the last four years.It’s about -15F/-19C now and going to be 3F/-16C tomorrow. I am looking outside my window and it is so sunny yet so chilly. Urgh!! The weather is so damn contradicting. How I wish Spring was here soon:(

Mbread 1 main
Baking is something that has been keeping me busy this season, atleast I get to take my mind of the bitter cold temperature. Mint has always been my favorite herb and that is what caught my attention when I came across this recipe. I have baked two versions of the same bread. First time was the exact recipe as mentioned below and the last time was a Savory one which you see in the pictures below. {For the savory one instead of 2 ½ cup bread/all-purpose flour – I used a cup of whole wheat flour along with 1 ½ cup of bread flour; added 2-3 minced thai green chilies; avoided the honey; added salt and 1 teaspoon butter}. As you can see in the pictures, due to the addition of wheat flour, the bread is light brown in color. Both the breads tasted great. However the savory one had a little hard crust, but was soft inside and turned slightly hard the next day. The original recipe yielded very flavorful and delicious bread which was very soft; I felt as though it had a brand new taste:)

MINTED YOGURT BREAD
Makes 1 medium (8 ½ x 4 ½”) loaf pan

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups bread/all-purpose flour
1 package dry yeast
1 cup plain yogurt, room temperature
3 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh mint
Zest of a lemon
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon butter,melted

Directions: In a mixing or mixer bowl of a stand mixer, measure 1 cup flour and the yeast ( if you are using whole wheat flour too, mix the flours and then measure). Stir to blend. Pour in the yogurt, mint, lemon zest and honey. Beat together with a wooden spoon or mixer flat beater until thoroughly mixed into a batter like dough. Add additional flour, ¼ cup at a time, first stirring with the spoon and then working with your hands, until a rough ball of dough has formed. This will be too thick for the beater blade, so attach a dough hook and stir with it. Knead for a minute. The dough may be somewhat sticky when turned out of the bowl, but a few sprinkles of flour as you shape the dough under your hands will make it less so.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise to double in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough. Shape into a ball; flatten the dough into an oval roughly the length of the pan. Fold in half lengthwise, pinch the edges into a seam and place seam down in the pan. Cover the loaf pan with a length of wax paper and leave until it has doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. The center should rise slightly above the edge of the pan. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake the loaf until it is lightly golden in color and tests done when tapped on the bottom crust with a forefinger, about 35 minutes. It should sound hard and hollow. Remove the pan immediately and brush with the melted butter. Cool on rack before slicing.

Particularly delicious toasted. Minty!

The above recipe was adapted from Bernard Clayton’s New complete book of Breads

Bon Apetite!

Nina

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