1 Dough – 3 Amazing Recipes

Recipes inspired by slow living.

Recipes & Photos: ROBERTA DALL'ALBA healthylittlecravings.com/en

The Dough

• Almond milk (warm), 87 gr

• Fresh yeast, 12 gr

• Honey, one teaspoon

• Applesauce (aka apple purée, at room temperature), 65 gr

• Organic white spelt flour, 270 gr – plus extra for dusting

• Extra virgin olive oil, 32 gr

• Water (at room temperature), one tablespoon

• Raw brown sugar, 20 gr

• Salt, 7 gr

HOW TO

You can make this dough with or without a stand mixer.

I’ve used my bread machine to knead the dough, but you can also use your hands (elbow grease never hurt!)

If using a stand mixer/bread machine:

Step 1: Combine almond milk, fresh yeast and honey and let the yeast melt. Activate the machine at low speed (choose dough setting if using a bread machine).

Step 2: Add the applesauce and gradually sift the flour into the machine’s pan.

Step 3: Drizzle oil and water and let them blend until fully absorbed.

Step 4: Add brown sugar and salt and let knead for 15 minutes, until you obtain a nice and smooth (slightly sticky) dough.

Step 5: Put the dough into a bowl and cover, let it rise in a warm place for 1.5/2 hours or until doubled.

Raspberry Cardamom Buns

METHOD: OVEN | SERVES 16 SMALL BUNS

Step 1: Prepare the dough as mentioned above. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to be about 30 x 40 cm.

Step 2: Spread the raspberry jam all over, and place some fresh raspberries on the surface (slightly flatten them).

Step 3: Combine cardamom powder and brown sugar, then sprinkle it onto the filling.

Step 4: Fold the dough in 2 or 3 lengthways. You should end up with a rectangle.

Step 5: Using a pizza cutter, cut 16 strips of dough (starting from the long side of the rectangle).

Step 6: Take one strip and spin it around a few times. Curl into a ‘knot’ and make sure both ends are tucked under so they do not open during baking.

Step 7: Place the knots spaced well apart on a baking sheet and let rise – covered - in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Step 8: Meanwhile preheat your oven at 200°C.

Step 9: After 30 minutes of rising, brush the raspberry cardamom buns with egg yolk + a drop of almond milk, and bake for 15 minutes.

Step 10: Check them frequently to be sure they do not burn (every oven is different).

Step 11: Let them cool and eat them immediately, or freeze them.

Hazelnut Babka

METHOD: OVEN | SERVES 10X22CM LOAF PAN

FILLING

• Hazelnuts, 120 gr

• Dark chocolate, 15 gr

• Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon

• Ground hazelnuts to sprinkle, 30 gr

HOW TO

Step 1: Prepare the dough as mentioned above.

Step 2: While rising, prepare the hazelnut spread: blend hazelnuts, chocolate and cocoa powder until nice and creamy (you’ll need a very strong blender for this as most regular ones aren’t strong enough to quickly make nut butter from the hazelnuts). Let it chill in the fridge to firm a bit.

Step 3: On a floured surface, roll out the dough to be approximately 30 x 40 cm.

Step 4: Spread ¾ of the hazelnut filling* leaving a border around the dough.

*eat the remaining hazelnut spread with bread or drizzle it on your oatmeal in the morning.

BABKA

Step 5: Roll it up from the bottom (the longer edge) to the top, until you get a long snug roll (make sure the end is tucked under)

Step 6: Chill the babka in the freezer for 20/30 minutes (make sure it doesn’t freeze).

Step 7: Using a bread knife, cut the log lengthwise.

Step 8: Take a piece and fold it onto the other, forming a braid.

Step 9: Pinch the edges together to seal the babka.

Step 10: Line a 10 x 22 cm (approximately 8 x 4 inches) loaf pan with parchment paper (if you use a silicon/ paper pan, you don’t need to line it).

Step 11: Place the babka into the pan and let it rise for 2 hours.

Step 12: Preheat the oven at 180°C.

Step 13: Brush the surface of your babka with egg yolk, sprinkle some roughly ground hazelnuts on top and bake for 30/35 minutes.

Step 14: Let it cool before removing it from the pan. Eat it or freeze it.

Pear & Feta Focaccia

METHOD: OVEN | SERVES 2-3 PEOPLE 26CM ROUND PAN

INGREDIENTS

• Williams pear, 1 small

• Red onion, 1 small

• Pine nuts, half a tablespoon

• Feta cheese, 20/30 gr

• Fresh rosemary sprigs, to taste

• Extra virgin olive oil, to brush

• Honey, to garnish (optional)

HOW TO

Step 1: Prepare the dough as mentioned above.

Step 2: Oil a 26-cm round pan.

Step 3: After the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to the pan and press it with your fingers, stretching it so it covers the bottom of the pan.

Step 4: Slice the pear and the onion thinly (about 2 mm thick), then cover the dough with the slices.

Step 5: Sprinkle some feta cheese, pine nuts and rosemary sprigs.

Step 6: Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.

FOCACCIA

Step 7: In the meantime, preheat the oven at 180° C.

Step 8: When leavened, brush the ‘cornicione’ (outer edge) with olive oil.

Step 9: Bake for 30/35 minutes.

Step 10: Serve with a drizzle of honey (optional).