Review: Olive Bread, March '02

[goldilocks]

I didn't see a review on this yet, so maybe I'll be the first. I thought it was excellent and impressive! I will be making again for sure. It was so easy to put together and delicious (and I am bread making impaired). I thought 40 minutes on 375 was too high though as the bread browned quickly. I had to tent with foil and reduce the temperature a bit. So just watch it closely when you bake it. I made it to take to work with salads this week. It's tuna and white bean salad today and Greek salad tomorrow. This would be good with any pasta dish/italian meal or with the Wine Braised Chicken from February '02.

After this experience, I really like working with the frozen bread dough as a base. Anyone have any other recipes that start with the frozen bread dough?

[gertdog]

Thank you for the review! I have had my eye on this recipe.

As for other recipes that call for frozen bread dough... CL's Monkey Bread calls for 2 lbs. I had actually planned to buy a 3 lb. package of dough, use 2 lbs. for Monkey Bread and 1 lb. to try the olive bread.

The Monkey Bread is easy and really yummy. Great for a weekend breakfast or casual brunch.

[Peggy]

I made this bread last night to go with the Quick Coq au Vin recipe. This was my first experience using frozen bread dough. I had alittle trouble incorporating the olives and rosemary into the dough. The dough was kind of rubbery and the olives were slippery. I had my doubts about how it was going to turn out. However, it rose beautifully and the end product was wonderful! It looked perfect coming out of the oven...golden brown and very "rustic" looking!. My DH was impressed. I am thinking about making this again with the Bouillabaisse. Excellent and easy bread recipe!

Peggy

[Missi]

Originally posted by goldilocks
After this experience, I really like working with the frozen bread dough as a base. Anyone have any other recipes that start with the frozen bread dough?

Try this one--- it is amazing!! :)

* Exported from MasterCook *

Apple-Brie Braid With Almonds

Recipe By :Cooking Light Magazine. December 1999. Page: 178.
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Bread

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 loaf (1-pound) frozen white bread dough
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, divided
4 cups finely chopped peeled Granny Smith apple
(about 1-1/4 pounds)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
3 tablespoons chopped slivered almonds
Cooking spray
4 ounces Brie cheese
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Directions.
If Brie isn't the cheese for you, substitute your favorite kind. Cheddar, smoked gouda, or Swiss also would be nice.

1. Thaw dough in refrigerator 12 hours.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples; saute 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in almonds.

3. Roll dough into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spread apple mixture lengthwise down center of dough. Remove rind from cheese; cube. Arrange cheese on top of apple mixture. Make diagonal cuts, 1-1/2 inches apart, on opposite sides of filling to within 1/2 inch of filling. Fold strips alternately over filling from each side, overlapping at an angle. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl; cut in 1 tablespoon butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until combined. Sprinkle over top of loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).






- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 1 Calories; trace Fat (2.5% calories from fat); trace Protein; trace Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; trace Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch).


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Peggy C.]

looked a little dry in the CL picture. Was it? I wanted to give this a try.

[Peggy]

Peggy,

I didn't think it was dry at all. It formed a very nice brown crust on the outside, but the inside was moist. I had a piece the day after I made it and it was still fine. It was so good that I'm going to make it again this weekend!

Peggy

[goldilocks]

I agree with Peggy's comments, I did not think it was dry at all.

Peggy, did you keep it on 375 for the entire time? My bread browned so quickly that I had to turn the heat down and tent it with foil. Maybe that's why it was moist? Did you use the entire egg white to glaze the bread?

[Peggy C.]

Thanks for the replies, I'll give it a try!

[Love to Run]

I made the olive bread yesterday and we loved it. It also gave me a chance to use my newest gadget from Williams-Sonoma, an olive pitter (worked very well by the way). I left the frozen bread dough in the refrigerator for nearly 16 hours and it was not tightly covered so the dough was slightly dry and rubbery and it was very difficult to incorporate the olives and rosemary. I would highly recommend using fresh rosemary because it tasted so much better. I didn't use all of the egg white; and my new oven seems to be hotter than my old one. After 32 minutes the bread was very brown and I took it out. It was moist and delicious--my husband pronounced it the best olive bread he has ever had. We served it with rack of lamb (more rosemary and garlic), the lemon asparagus risotto, and Caesar salad. It's a good thing there are 2 more frozen loaves because this loaf won't last long.
Carole

[Gwendolyn]

Thanks for your post, and welcome to the CL bb! I've been meaning to try the olive bread recipe, and your review has inspired me even more. Now I just have to get to a grocery store to get all the ingredients.

[Peggy]

Originally posted by goldilocks
I Peggy, did you keep it on 375 for the entire time? My bread browned so quickly that I had to turn the heat down and tent it with foil. Maybe that's why it was moist? Did you use the entire egg white to glaze the bread?

I baked my bread at 375 for about 40 minutes. It was quite brown with a nice crust but didn't have to tent it with foil. I don't think I used all of the egg white but I did use most of it. Wonderful recipe!

Peggy

[Curleytop]

When it comes to Rosemary Olive bread, I GO TO COSTCO!
I can buy 2 loaves of wonderful LaBREA bakery bread for $3.99.
THIS IS COMING FROM A BREAD BAKER! I make my bread from scratch, usually sour dough (dough method) then put it in clay bakers for 2nd rising and baking! I WON'T BUY FROZEN BREAD DOUGH!

[HUNGRY!]

I made this last night and we loved it. It was yummy with pork picatta (Oct 01) Pineapple spice upside down cake (CL Complete) and some suateed mushrooms, spinach, green beans and tomatoes.

I made the dough in my bread machine just using the basic white bread recipe from the manual (but ran out of bread flour and had to use half all purpose--still turned out okay). I just added the olives and rosemary (actually I substituted Penzey's Italian herbs for this) when the five minute warning thing beeped. It was easy and very good. It made a nice sized loaf too.

[Tiger]

I too made the dough in my bread machine. Only because I forgot to take out the frozen dough. I was confused about the rosemary. leaves or crushed? I used leaves.
Anyway I did think this was very good but will only make it for company. My DH wouldn't even try it! I made my Dad take some home with him.