Slow Cooker Recipes, breads

Slow Cooker Breads from your crock pot

Herbed Whole Grain Dinner Rolls

Ingredients 

1 T active yeast

1 1/2 cup warm water (110-115F)

1/4 cup honey (or other sweetener such as molasses or maple syrup)

1/4 cup coconut oil (may use butter)

1.5 tsp himalayan salt

1 T flax seed, ground

1 T Italian herb blend (oregano,thyme,basil)

1 tsp garlic powder

4 cups whole wheat or white wheat flour

Directions:

To create a bread sponge, beat together yeast, water, honey, salt.  Add oil and flax and continue beating, adding in 2 cups of the flour to create a smooth, aerated batter.  Cover and let rest 4 hours or overnight (but not over 12 hours) in a warm place (about 75-78f)

When batter has risen to 4-5 times it’s original volume, mix in herbs.  Add remaining flour, one half cup at a time, until dough is not sticky.  This is the time to adjust your flour, as the humidity and even individual flour texture will affect the amount of flour needed.  You want a smooth, elastic dough that is easy to knead, but not heavy nor sticky.  If dough seems heavy, sprinkle with a little water and knead in.  If it is sticky, dust with flour and knead.

Knead for 5-8 minutes, until very smooth and elastic.  Cover and let rest in warm area about 30 minutes, until doubled in size.  Punch down and shape into rolls.  Oil your crockpot with coconut oil.  Place rolls in crockpot and allow to rise about 60 to 90 minutes.  Cook on high for about one hour, until they are fluffy and no longer sticky.

These Herbed Crockpot rolls take a little longer than traditional yeast rolls, but are well worth the time.

Helpful Hints:

To further increase the light, fluffy texture, you may add one egg, well beaten, into the sponge batter before beating.

Increase the amount of flax seed for added protein

You may choose to eliminate the 30 minute rise time between kneading and shaping rolls.  The resulting rolls will still be light, but perhaps a little less so.

These rolls can be made the same way, but baked in a pre-heated 375f oven for 12-15 minutes, if you prefer.  The steam from the crockpot adds to the airiness, but they are wonderful from the oven, too!

For more information about creating yeast rolls and other breads, see Crockpot Dinner Rolls.

More information about whole wheat benefits can be found at Healthy Facts.

 

 

Crock Pot Bread

This basic bread yields a medium sized loaf of delicious bread with crisp, moderately browned sides and a golden brown top.  The directions given will yield a light, airy bread but you can also use the alternate directions to save time.  This recipe is easily converted to a vegan version, using the substitutes in parenthesis.   Flavor variations are easy, too.  Add Italian herb blend, garlic, or perhaps dill.

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 T yeast

½ cup warm water (75-78f)

1 cup warm milk (or non-dairy milk)

½ cup oats

1 tsp Himalayan salt

3 T coconut oil

3 T honey (or other sweetener)

1 T flaxseed, ground

¼ cup wheat germ

3 cups whole wheat flour

 

DIRECTIONS

This requires a crock pot, plus a deep glass bowl that will fit inside the crock.

1. Dissolve yeast in ½ cup water. .
2. Mix remaining ingredients, except for the flour, into the yeast.
3. Beat until well blended.
4. Add 1.5 cups of the flour and beat well, about 2 minutes.
5. Cover and let your sponge batter rest for 4-8 hours.
6. Add remaining flour, knead until smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes
7. Oil deep glass bowl. Put bread into bowl and cover loosely with foil.
8. Put ½ cup water in bottom of crock pot and add crumpled foil as a base.
9. Place bowl onto the crumpled foil and cover crock pot.
10. Bake on high about 3 hours until lightly browned and soft, but not doughy on top.

ALTERNATE  DIRECTIONS:

1. Dissolve yeast in ½ cup water.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients, except flour.
3. Mix in flour, ½ cup at a time.
4. On a lightly floured board, knead dough until smooth and elastic.
5. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
6. Punch down, reshape.
7. Follow the above directions, 7-10 to complete the recipe.