Sweet ‘n Savoury Bakes
Owner/Baker Suzanne Gessler
The Pennyloaf Bakery
In two short years, Suzanne has created a joyful neighbourhood bakery. Her goods are made with only high quality and locally sourced ingredients and baked in a wood-fired oven (custom-built by masons from Russia and Ukraine) giving each product a dimensional crust and a light, airy texture inside. Consistently delightful and always delicious!
Christmas on the Prairies
This tender and sweet-yeasted bread has been adapted from the recipe Christmas in Vermont credited to King Arthur Flour. The only accompaniment necessary is a coffee – with a splash of Baileys.
INGREDIENTS
Dough
1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk
6 Tbsp unsalted butter (room temp)
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
2 tsp dry yeast
1/4 tsp rum extract or 2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk (reserve the whites)
Filling & Topping
1/2 cup maple sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup almond meal
4 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
Glaze
1/4 cup maple sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
METHOD
Dough
1. In saucepan, melt butter in milk. Let cool to lukewarm.
2. In a bowl, combine all dough ingredients.
3. Mix by hand, or using mixer, until dough is soft, shiny, and slightly sticky.
4. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours or until it doubles in size.
Filling
1. Stir together all ingredients until coarse crumbs are formed. Set aside.
2. Grease large tube pan. Scoop half of the dough into greased pan. Sprinkle 2/3 of filling on top of dough. Add remaining dough.
3. Beat reserved egg white until foamy. Brush over dough, sprinkle with remaining filling/topping. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until it doubles in size.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Bake bread 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto rack to cool while prepping glaze.
Glaze
1. Mix ingredients. Heat in saucepan or microwave until sugar dissolves.
2. Place loaf onto serving plate. Brush with warm glaze. Cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.
Yield 1 large tube cake pan