COARSE SUGAR CRYSTALS RECIPES

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In separate large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and sugar until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract until mixed, then beat in flour mixture just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten each piece into a disk. Wrap each disk with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from refrigerator. Place dough disk between two sheets of parchment paper, roll dough until 1/8-inch thick. With floured 3-inch to 4-inch cookie cutters, cut dough into as many cookies as possible; reserve trimmings. Place cookies, 1 inch apart, on two ungreased large cookie sheets. and sprinkle sanding sugar on top (if desired). Bake until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower oven racks halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Let cookies cool. Store in tightly covered container (with waxed paper between layers if decorated) at room temperature up to 2 weeks, or in freezer up to 3 months.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water in a small bowl; set aside to proof about 5 minutes.
• Combine the remaining 3/4 cup lukewarm water, the oil, sugar, salt, barley malt syrup or honey, and 1 egg white in a large mixing bowl.
• Stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Add 1-1/2 cups of the flour and mix until smooth; add yeast mixture and add in additional 1 1/2 cups flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky to the touch, adding only as much additional flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
• Transfer to a large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature to rise until doubled (about an hour).
• Punch the dough down, cover the bowl again, and let the dough rise a second time, for about 30 minutes.
• Return the dough to the work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces.
• Shape each piece into a smooth round, then flatten the rounds slightly.
• Place on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet, well spaced to allow spreading.
• Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F
• Combine the remaining egg white and the 1 tablespoons water in a small dish and blend.
• Brush the rolls lightly with the egg white wash.
• Score 4 crescent-shaped slits into each roll with a very sharp knife, radiating out from the center.
• Sprinkle the rolls with the coarse salt and caraway seeds and sprinkle with water.
• Bake for 5 minutes.
• Quickly open the oven door, sprinkle the rolls again with water, and close the oven.
• Bake the rolls for about 20 minutes more, until browned and crisp.
• Cool the rolls on wire racks.
• **For a Vienna Loaf:
• Follow the recipe directions for rolls with the following exceptions: After the second rise, divide the dough in half and shape each half into an oval with tapered ends.
• After the final rise, apply the egg wash and cut a 1/2" deep slit down the top of each loaf; omit the salt and caraway sprinkle, if desired.
• Bake in 400°F oven, baking for about 30 minutes more after the second spray with water (for a total of 35 minutes).
• **For Salt and Pepper Sticks: Follow the recipe directions with the following exceptions: Omit the second rise.
• Divide the dough into 13 equal pieces, roll each piece out into a 12" rope of even thickness, and space the ropes 1-1/2" apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• After the final rise, apply the egg wash, but do not make any cuts into the do dough; sprinkle with coarse sea salt crystals and coarsely ground or cracked black pepper instead of with salt crystals and caraway seeds.
• Do not spritz with water.
• Bake for about 18 minutes.