Yeast Dough

Three in one! Basic yeast dough for three different flavors!

Yeast dough can be rolled, folded and baked within no time once the dough has been doubled in size. The prepared basic yeast dough can be used for different flavors. Spicy, sweet with berries or crunchy for nuts lovers only. The yeast basic recipe is like a chameleon, which can be shaped for each occasion. Mediterranean inspired as appetizer, sweet with fresh berries or filled with nuts and rosemary for breakfast. The voting within the Chef’s Handyman team had a clear result, all three variations made it.

Mediterranean bread with pesto and tomatoes

Mediterranean Bread

Chef’s Handyman Mediterranean Bread with Pesto and Tomatoes

To make the basic yeast dough, combine 500 g or 16 oz. of flour, 1 yeast cube, 2-3 tbsp. of sugar, 2 tbsp. of salt and 3-4 tbsp. of olive oil. Add lukewarm water (1-1.5 cups) one after the other. Knead the dough and place it into a bowl. Cover the dough with a humid tea towel. Allow the dough to double in size for one hour.

Meanwhile, cut the dried tomatoes into pieces. Add the pesto sauce. If needed, add pitted and chopped olives as well. Season the paste with salt, black pepper and chili. Add thyme and oregano.

Roll the dough out (1.5 inches), rectangle shaped. Prepare a baking tin (22 cm or 9 inches), with parchment paper. Place one part of the smaller side on the bottom of the baking tin. The other part will hang over the thin. Apply pesto sauce on top of the bottom part. Cover the sauce with the next part of the dough. Fill the dough into the tin with zigzag layers. Apply again pesto tomato sauce on on each surface. Continue until the whole dough will fill the tin. Close with the dough end. Apply olive oil on top. Sprinkle with grated pistachios.

Bake in oven at 200°C or 400°F for 40-50 minutes or baked through. Cool on wire rack.

Chef’s Handyman tip: The Mediterranean bread can be served with salad for lunch or as light dinner.

Shopping list for the basic yeast dough: 500 g or 16 oz. flour, 2-3 tbsp. salt, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 yeast 30 g or 1 oz. or liquid yeast, 3-4 dl or 1-1.5 cup of lukewarm water, 2-3 tbsp. olive oil

Shopping list for the pesto tomato sauce: 1 cup pesto sauce (ready to go), 1 cup dried tomatoes, salt, black pepper, chili, thyme, oregano, if needed 1 cup pitted olives, chopped pistachios for decoration.

Hearty yeast roll with nuts and dried fruits

Yeast Roll with Nuts and Dried Fruits

Chef’s Handyman Yeast Roll with Nuts and Dried Fruits

Prepare the basic yeast dough. To make the filling for the yeast roll with dried fruits, combine 200 g or 7 oz. of grated nuts, 4 tbsp. of sugar and 6 tbsp. of agave syrup. Place the mixture into a non-sticking-frying pan. Cut dried fruits into cubes. Add the the cubes to the mixture. Pour in 3-5 tbsp. of orange juice and 1 tbsp. of orange rind. Add chopped rosemary. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Prepare a 9 inch or 22 cm baking tin with parchment paper. Roll the dough out (rectangle shaped). Place one part of the smaller side of the dough on the bottom of the baking tin. The other part will hang over the thin. Apply the nuts mixture on top of the bottom part. Cover the mixture with the next part of the dough. Fill the dough into the tin with zigzag layers. Apply on each layer the nut mixture on top. Continue until the whole dough will fill the tin. Close with the dough end. Apply agave syrup on top.

Bake in oven at 200°C or 400°F for 40-50 minutes or baked through. Cool on wire rack.

Shopping list for the filling for the yeast dough with nuts and dried fruits: 200 g or 7 oz. grated nuts, 4 tbsp. sugar, 6-8 tbsp. agave syrup, 1 cup dried fruits, 1 orange, 1 bunch rosemary, 1 basic yeast dough.

Cinnamon nut roll cake with blueberries

Cinnamon Roll Cake with Blueberries

Chef’s Handyman Cinnamon Roll Cake with Blueberries

Prepare the basic yeast dough. To make the filling for the cinnamon roll cake with blueberries, combine 200 g or 7 oz. of grated nuts, 3-4 tbsp. lemon juice and lemon rind, 10 tbsp. of sugar, 6 tbsp. of agave syrup and 2 tbsp. of cinnamon. Place the mixture into a non-sticking-frying pan. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Add 1 cup of blueberries and 2 tbsp. of plum jam.

Roll the dough out. Apply plum jam on top. Spread out the nut blueberry mixture. Roll the dough. Then cut the dough roll into 8-10 pieces. Grease a round 9 inch baking tin with olive oil. Place the dough pieces with the cut surface on top and bottom into the tin. Apply jam on top. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake the cake in oven at 200°C for 40-50 minutes or until baked through.

Shopping list for the cinnamon nut rolls with blueberries  filling, 200 g grated nuts (almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts), 1-2 tbsp. cinnamon, 100 g or 3.5 oz. sugar, 4-8 tbsp. plum jam, 5 tbsp. agave syrup, 1 cup blueberries, 3-5 tbsp. poppy seeds, 1 lemon, 1 basic yeast dough, see shopping list

Chef's Handyman App

Chef’s Handyman iPhone/iPad app

A free cooking recipe will be published in the Chef’s Handyman app for iPhone/iPad. The cooking recipe can be downloaded in the e-cookbook ‘Free Trial Recipes’. Click on the update button (next to the shopping cart) on the bottom within the category screen in the free trial e-cookbook. Now the recipe and the book will be updated. Then check the icon breads. There you will find the new recipe. When the app will be downloaded the first time, the free cooking recipe will be already included. The Chef’s Handyman app can be found in the App Store.

Have a great weekend, yours Chef’s Handyman team.