sriracha cheese bread

Anyone who knows me knows how obsessive I am with sriracha. What better way is there to celebrate the best hot sauce on the planet than to make swirly cheese bread with it? That's what I thought.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups homogenized milk (3.25%)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp granulate sugar
1 (8g) package instant dry yeast
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup sriracha
1 cup (ish) shredded cheddar (or whatever kind, really) cheese
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
cooking spray

1. In a small saucepan, warm milk, butter, and sugar over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and remove from heat as soon as butter has completely melted. Liquid should be at ab.out 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or lukewarm to the touch.

2. Transfer to a medium sized bowl and add yeast. Gently and quickly stir to combine, and let proof for 10-13 minutes - until there is a layer of froth on the top.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. After the yeast has had time to proof, pour the milk mixture over the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is raggedly formed. Dump the bowl of raggedy dough onto a well floured surface and knead into a ball. (about 2-3 minutes of light kneading)

4. Transfer ball of dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough around inside the bowl so that it's completely covered in oil. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes.

5. Turn dough out once again onto a well floured surface, and knead for approximately 5 minutes. Repeat step 4, only this time, let it sit for 45 minutes to an hour.

6. Again, turn out onto a well floured surface, and flatten it out into a 9"x5" rectangle. Spread sriracha over top and sprinkle cheese over top of that.

7. Roll the dough the same way you would a cinnamon roll, forming a cheesy, sriracha-y swirl. Place the loaf in a greased loaf pan seam side down, cover with a damp cloth, and allow to rise again for another 20 minutes. This will just give the bread a little extra time to get to know all the flavours.

8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice a 1/4 inch deep slit in the top of the loaf, and then bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the loaf from the pan and place it back in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

9. Allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing, and enjoy!

Bread will stay fresh for up to 4 days in an air-tight container. Freezes well in air-tight containers, too!

double maple cupcakes

I took a four day trip out of Canada, and it was too much for me. I came back, ran to my fridge, grabbed the nearest jug of pure Canadian maple syrup, and fell to the floor in a heap of unbridled patriotism. I'll never leave you again, Canada. *weep*

Maple cake
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp maple extract
1 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1. Beat sugar and butter together completely. Add eggs in one at a time and beat until fluffy. Add both extracts, and beat until completely combined. That's a lot of beating, I know.

2.Sift in flour, baking powder, and sea salt and mix on low until roughly incorporated. Add milk and syrup and mix for approximately 2 minutes until batter is light and fluffy. Kind of like a bowl of clouds.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill 12 cupcake liners 2/3 of the way.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

5. Let cool completely before icing!

SUPER SIMPLE Maple frosting
4 tbsp pure maple syrup, loving
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp maple extract
tiny pinch of sea salt
1 3/4 powdered sugar

1. Combine all ingredients (except powdered sugar) in a glass bowl, and let them melt together over a pot of bowling water (like this). That's called using indirect heat, bro. Check yo'self. Whisk gently until completely combined.

2. Beat in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Feel free to add more maple syrup. AND THAT'S IT! I know, right?

You can also drizzle the iced cupcakes with a little extra maple syrup. Seriously, there's no such thing as too much maple syrup.

Enjoy!