To review, Michelle over at Big Black Dog, organized a group to bake from the book by Dr. Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe François, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
I’m a day late and quite probably more than a dollar short, to get this post up with our assigned Red Beet Buns in honor of Valentine’s Day. And yes, I skipped the Chocolate Espresso Bread – I just couldn’t do another sweet after MJ said to me: “You’ve been baking sweets since November!” Not exactly part of our healthy diet plan.
And even though I hate beets, when presented with a couple of free ones from my friend’s CSA box, it was obvious that the fates conspired to force me to make the assigned Red Beet Buns. So I made a quarter recipe and decided to at least get a little creative with the shaping, in line with the theme. So I pulled out my hearts and roses mini-bundt pans and squooshed the dough into each of the little compartments.
Although the dough rose quite nicely in the container after mixing, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of rise in the finished, baked product.
Probably had something to do with all the squooshing I did to ensure that that the baked “buns” would acquire the detail from the forms. Although smaller than I’d hoped for, they did bake through properly.
I sliced the roses and left the hearts whole and toasted them for Valentine’s Day breakfast, which (to me) improved the flavor, and filled them with vegetable cream cheese. The indentations in the heart-shaped ones lent themselves particularly well for filling!
Okay, they didn’t taste beet-y, and although they were a hit with MJ, I probably won’t be making these again because, well, because, you know, beets.
Please visit our current Bread Braid and see what others have been doing with our latest assignment!
Elwood says
I thought your beet buns were beautiful, and to shape them like hearts and roses…great idea.
Michelle says
Great idea to bake the bread in the shaped pans. Love the roses!
Judy's Bakery & Test Kitchen says
Just beautiful! Love the shaped pans!!
Bonnie says
Who cares what they taste like when they look like that? They were beautiful.
Cristie says
Your breads are beautiful, what a wonderful pan you have. I'm sure it didn't taste the way you might expect something from those pans to taste . . . Look forward to your March post.
Joanne says
The thought of beets definitely still gives me shivers even though I really liked these rolls! I love the shapes that you used. Perfect for V-Day!
Danielle says
Such beautifully shaped rolls. I bet they were wonderful with the veggie spread
Cathy (breadexperience) says
They look gorgeous! Love the mini molds. I bet they tasted much better with the vegetable cream cheese. I probably won't make these again either, but I'm glad I tried.
Megan says
I love the shapes! I have a rose pan and it never even crossed my mind to use it. Your brilliant!
Jenny says
Those rose buns are so pretty! I'm not adding this recipe to my make again list, either!~Jenny~
petra says
stunning! I guess that word sums it up nicely! love those molds.
Di says
Great, another pan to add to my wishlist. =P Very brave of you to make these, considering your dislike of beets. It never would have occurred to me to put beets in bread. But the finished buns look really cool. =)
Mama Peck says
LOVE the pans and how clever of you to think to use them for this bread! They turned out so cute. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the flavor, but I'm sure glad you shared your idea. 🙂