Bready or Not: Cheesy Fantail Rolls
If you know anything about me, you know I’m all about cheese. These Cheesy Fantail Rolls deliver all that good stuff with cheese in the dough and oozing from between the layers of dough.
I based this on a Bake from Scratch recipe for Parmesan-Gouda Fantails. I’m more flexible about the cheese. Just go with a good melter, or a combination of melters. I did a whole block of Roth Dill Havarti. Another firm cheese with herbs would be great. If you like spice? Go with a spicy blend. Have fun with it.
My other big recommendation is that you don’t use pre-shredded cheese, as it’s coated with preservatives and won’t melt as well. But if that’s all you have, well, it won’t end the world.
Do reserve a block of time for this recipe. Shaping the rolls isn’t hard, but it is fiddly, and it will make a mess on your counter or table. However, that effort is well worth it, because these rolls are gorgeous and delicious.
Bready or Not: Cheesy Fantail Rolls
Equipment
- stand mixer
- microwave
- 12-cup muffin pan
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 cup light beer room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon white sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and divided
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces cheese such as cheddar, havarti, or other good melter; shredded
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave 1/4 cup beer until it is 105-110-degrees Fahrenheit. (If it overheats, cool it for a few minutes.) Add sugar and yeast, stirring to combine. Let it sit about 5 minutes; it should become foamy. Stir in 6 Tablespoons of melted butter and the remaining 3/4 cup beer.
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix 2 cups flour, a healthy pinch of shredded cheese, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, and the kosher salt. Add yeast mixture and stir for a minute. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup flour, beating until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. That will be after 3 to 4 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel, and let it stand in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
- Apply nonstick spray to the wells in a 12-cup muffin pan.
- Punch down dough and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll a half into a 12-inch square. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over the dough. Use a bench knife or pizza cutter to slice dough into 6 equal strips. Stack strips, cheese side up, and cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Place each segment of 6 stacked mini strips into a muffin cup. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Slightly separate and stretch each piece of dough in the cups. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel to rise in a warm spot for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven at 375-degrees, then bake fantails for 20 to 24 minutes, until browned with visible melted cheese.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter. Add 1 minced garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, stirring to distribute. Use a pastry brush to coat each fantail with buttery goodness. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Leftovers should be refrigerated and will reheat beautifully in the coming days. Use an oven or toasted oven, and wrap up the rolls in foil. Add a touch of butter, if desired, to keep them from becoming extra crisp. Heat until warmed.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Comte Pull-Apart Rolls
Bread is awesome. Cheese is awesome. Combine them to achieve a special kind of awesome, especially in the case of these Comte Pull-Apart Rolls.
These rolls are tender, soft, and inherently savory. They are perfect to go along with roasts.
First of all, the cheese. If you live in a cheese-deprived area as I do, Comte may not be available (or is only available at Christmas, sigh) or is prohibitively expensive. Really, you can use any cheese you like here, but I advise using one with a savory note. Another alpine cheese or a bandage-wrapped cheddar would do the trick.
My recipe is based on one featured in the Nov/Dec 2018 issue of Bake from Scratch. I made significant modifications, the foremost being that I halved the recipe so that it would only produce 12 rolls.
This recipe isn’t as fussy as some homemade rolls, but it still takes some time and effort. I was very worried because my first rise was so low, but my rolls rose beautifully once they were formed. That’s the rise that really matters!
If you want to give your second rise a boost, use this trick: preheat your oven at 200-degrees. Shape your rolls or bread. Stick the dough in the oven without any plastic wrap or cover. Immediately turn the oven OFF. Set a timer for 30 to 40 minutes or longer; this will depend on the oven, so experiment. Once the bread has nicely puffed from the heat, remove it from the oven, then preheat it again for the full bake.
These rolls can be eaten at room temperature or warm, but for me, they really are far better hot. I want them to melt butter!
Bready or Not Original: Comte Pull-Apart Rolls
Equipment
- 9×9 pan
- parchment paper
- kitchen scale
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm milk (105-110 degrees F), can substitute half & half
- 1/2 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
- 1/2 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and divided
- 1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 3/4 cup bread flour
- 2 Tablespoons dried parsley or other dried herbs
- 4 ounces grated Comte cheese 100 grams
- flaked salt for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, place the warm liquids and yeast. Let stand for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is nice and foamy. Add the eggs, sugar, 2 Tablespoons of melted butter, and salt. Gradually beat in the flour, cheese, and parsley, until everything is well combined.
- Cover the bowl to let the dough rise for about an hour.
- Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper cut to crisscross and extend up all four sides. Apply nonstick spray.
- Lightly flour a surface. Turn out the dough onto it. Use the kitchen scale to weigh the dough. Divide it into 12 equal portions, forming each into a tidy ball. Place in rows within the prepared pan, each roll touching. Cover the pan to let rolls rise for another 40 minutes to an hour.
- Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Brush rolls with remaining 2 Tablespoons butter and add a sprinkle of flaked salt, if desired.
- Bake rolls for 13 minutes. Check them. If they are getting quite brown, cover the pan with foil. Bake for another 13 to 15 minutes.
- Serve rolls at room temperature or warm.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Let’s state a truth up front: a visit to Red Lobster isn’t about the seafood. It’s about those Cheddar Bay Biscuits they bring out as an appetizer.
I’ve used this recipe for about 10 years now. I posted it on my LiveJournal in the earlier iteration of Bready or Not, but now it’s time to share again with new photos and an easy-to-print format.
These biscuits are incredible. Cheesy, crisp, tender. Buttery. I mean, you baste them in butter and seasonings for the final step. You know they will be good.
Plus, these keep well in the fridge for days! In a pinch, you can heat them in the microwave, but they are far better warmed in an oven or toaster oven. That way the outside stays crisp and the interior texture stays just right.
I bet if you give these a try, they’ll be a reliable side dish bread in your recipe repertoire, too!
Bready or Not: Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Equipment
- parchment paper
- pastry brush
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup buttermilk or soured milk*
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, melted and cooled
Topping
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 475-degrees. Line a big baking sheet with parchment.
- In a big bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne. Fold in the cheddar cheese.
- Fold the buttermilk into the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter, scraping the bottom of the bowl well to make sure everything is mixed in. Grease a 1/3 cup and use that to scoop up portions of dough to place spaced out on the baking sheet.
- As the biscuits bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until golden brown, prepare the topping. Melt the butter and stir in the garlic powder and parsley. As soon as the biscuits are out of the oven, brush on the topping to cover the nooks and crannies of every biscuit on the pan.
- Eat right away. Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for days. They can be microwaved, but are best warmed in an oven or toaster oven.
OM NOM NOM!
Notes
Bready or Not Original: Prosciutto-Parmesan Palmiers
The holiday season is nigh, and these Prosciutto-Parmesan Palmiers are the perfect appetizer for a couple or an entire gang!
These really have three ingredients, plus some flour for dusting a counter. They take minutes to assemble. Stash them in the freezer for hours or days. They bake up fast. They make bellies happy.
Plus, I daresay, they are downright pretty. I love the layers in puff pastry! Here, those crisp buttery layers are fantastic along with shredded cheese and thin slices of prosciutto.
Honestly, these are dangerous. It’s hard to eat just one.
However, if you can exercise restraint, the leftovers are delicious. They can be eaten cold (the prosciutto is the prominent flavor then), but are better with a brief warm-up in the oven.
Make these your go-to game day, holiday event, or date night treat!
Bready or Not Original: Prosciutto-Parmesan Palmiers
Equipment
- parchment paper
- knife
Ingredients
- flour to dust surface
- 1 sheet puff pastry (half a box) thawed in fridge
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan packed
- 2 to 3 ounces sliced prosciutto
Instructions
- Hours or days before baking day: Sprinkle flour on a flat, clean surface. Roll out the puff pastry to make a 12-inch square. Cut in half. Sprinkle cheese over both halves. Place prosciutto slices to completely cover cheese; if there is extra meat, layer on the additional pieces. Roll the short sides of each piece of pastry together to meet in the middle–from the end, it will look rather like a number 3. Repeat this with the other half.
- Encase both logs in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least an hour, but as long as several days.
- Preheat oven at 400-degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pull out frozen logs to thaw for just a few minutes. While it is still mostly frozen, slice into 1/4-inch pieces and place spaced out on parchment. (Note that the end pieces may be sparse on filling and not presentable for company, but still worth baking up for private enjoyment.)
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until palmiers are golden brown and puffed. They are best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated. They are okay cold, but better toasted briefly again in the oven.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Pancetta Risotto
This Pancetta Risotto is a fantastic meal for two people, or a delicious side for a group. It’s time-consuming but very straightforward to make.
I confess, I spent years being intimidated by the very idea of a risotto. I would see it done on cooking shows. So much stirring! When I finally got up the gumption to give it a try, I found risotto wasn’t hard at all. It really is about lots of stirring.
This recipe here is my fancy occasion recipe, especially when I have some good pancetta on hand, such as the kind carried by Smoking Goose Meatery out of Indianapolis.
As for the wine, I’ve tried this with fancier Sauvignon Blanc from Total Wine (Cloudy Bay from New Zealand) as well as a $6 Trader Joe’s Coastal Sauvignon Blanc. Both versions turned out great! You don’t need to go all-out, but get something that is (hopefully) drinkable with the finished meal.
Bready or Not Original: Pancetta Risotto
Equipment
- large stock pot
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 8 oz pancetta diced
- 1 Tablespoon dried shallots or fresh shallot, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc works well
- 4 cups chicken broth or chicken stock, equal to a 32 oz box or 2 cans
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano, plus more to top rice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, cook the pancetta for 10 to 12 minutes, until it starts to turn brown and crispy. At the same time, on another stove burner, use a medium sauce pan to bring the chicken broth to a very low simmer.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Add dry shallots and garlic to the fat in the big pot. Sauté for two minutes. Add the Arborio rice and a pinch of salt. Sauté another 2 minutes, until the rice looks glossy with translucent edges.
- Add the white wine and stir until it is absorbed. Add chicken broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring well after each addition until it is absorbed. After about 12 to 15 minutes, when most of the broth has been added, begin to taste the rice. The goal is a chewy, al dente consistency. Add more broth as needed, and remember to turn off the burner for the broth pot when it is empty.
- When the rice is creamy and al dente, stir in the pancetta and cheese. Taste the risotto again, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Serve with the remaining white wine.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Honey Oat Pie with a Cinnamon Pie Crust
This is a pie like none I have made before: like a gigantic chewy oatmeal cookie with a spiced crust, embodied with a refreshing zing of whiskey.
This Honey Oat Pie in a Cinnamon Pie Crust will blow your mind in the best of ways. Texture wise, it is moist and chewy without being soggy (be sure to use old-fashioned/rolled oats!).
Flavor-wise, you taste the toasted oats, a wonderful mix of warm spices, and the freshness of the whiskey. There’s only a tablespoon and a half in there but the flavor of the whiskey still comes through.
I used Jameson Irish Whiskey, in keeping with the origins of the original version of the recipe: the July/August issue of Bake from Scratch Magazine, my favorite food magazine these days.
I imagine you can omit the whiskey from the recipe without it being detrimental to the taste or texture, but I haven’t tried that myself.
This is a great pie to have for breakfast (the alcohol’s effect burns off in baking), or snack, or dessert.
Bready or Not: Cinnamon Pie Crust
Equipment
- food processor
- pie plate
- plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, cold, cut into chunks
- 3 Tablespoons ice water plus more if needed
Instructions
- In a large food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter pieces. Pulse until they are almond-sized, then add the ice water. Pulse until mixture can form a ball, adding a touch more water if needed to make it cohesive.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead to shape into a disk. Tightly encase in plastic wrap and let chill in fridge for at least an hour, or up to a few days. Dough can also be frozen for up to two months.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Honey Oat Pie
Equipment
- pie plate
- parchment paper
- pie weights
Ingredients
- single-layer pie crust
- 1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats also called rolled oats
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Irish whiskey such as Jameson
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 400-degrees
Prepare pie crust
- Let pie dough soften at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Lightly flour a surface and roll out dough to a 12-inch circle and transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Press into plate to shape, crimping edges as desired. Freeze crust until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Drape a large piece of parchment paper over pie crust. Fill to the top with pie weights.
- Bake crust until edges are turning golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove weights and parchment paper.
- Bake crust an additional 10 minutes to set. Cover the edges with foil if it is getting brown too quickly. Set aside on rack to cool while the filling is assembled.
Prepare filling
- Reduce oven temperature to 350-degrees.
- Line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Place oats in pan.
- Bake them until they are lightly toasted, about 10 minutes, giving them a stir or two during. Set them aside to cool.
- Lower oven temperature again, this time to 325-degrees. Move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.
- In a big bowl, mix together the brown sugar, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the corn syrup, melted butter, honey, whiskey and vanilla, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition, and end by incorporating the oats until they are coated. Pour everything into the parbaked crust.
- Bake until the filling is set and slightly puffed, about 40 minutes. Check on the pie about halfway and cover the edges the foil if they are getting too brown. The done pie will register at 200-degrees if checked with an instant thermometer.
- Let pie cool completely on rack before slicing in. Store covered by foil in the fridge or at room temperature. Keeps for several days.