Recipe: Seasoned Bread Circle

SEASONED BREAD CIRCLE

1 cup lowfat milk
2 tablespoons margarine
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
vegetable cooking spray
1/4 cup poppy, sesame, caraway and/or celery seed

Heat milk and margarine in small saucepan until hot but not boiling.

Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, oregano, basil, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually add milk mixture and egg to dry ingredients and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes at medium speed, scarping bowl occasionally. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups flour and mix in with hands to form soft dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes. Additional flour may be needed. Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes.

Spray 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray. Mix seeds in small bowl; set aside.

Punch down dough and divide into 30 pieces. Roll each dough piece into smooth balls, spray with vegetable cooking spray and roll in seeds (or put seeds in a ziploc bag, spray 4 balls at a time and shake in bag). Arrange balls around pan in layers, lightly pressing each in.

Once bread is formed, cover pan and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, abut 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake for 35 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until brown.

Cool and slice or just pull individual balls off.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
Once bread is formed, cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove pan from refrigerator, uncover dough and let stand for 10 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for 35 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until brown.

Source: The Sugar Association