Neapolitan Swirl Bread Recipes

THE NEAPOLITAN

Steps:

• Pour the strawberry liqueur into the bottom of a martini glass. Shake the bottle of white-chocolate liqueur; measure 1/2 ounce and pour it over the back of a spoon on top of the strawberry liqueur to make a separate layer.
• Shake the creme de cacao, heavy cream and chocolate syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice until frothy. Slowly strain into the glass over the back of a spoon to make another layer.

NEAPOLITAN SWIRL BREAD

Steps:

• Place the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed to combine. Add the milk and 3 of the eggs and mix on low speed until well combined. Increase the speed to medium high and mix until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the speed to medium and start adding the butter a little at a time, waiting until completely incorporated before adding more and beating for 7 to 10 minutes total. Increase the mixer to medium high and continue to mix until the dough is glossy and slightly tacky but not sticky, 7 to 10 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, bring 1/4 cup water to a boil. Put the dried strawberries in a spice grinder or mini chopper and pulse until finely ground (you should have a scant 1/2 cup). Add the strawberry powder and 7 teaspoons of boiling water to a small bowl and stir until combined into a paste (the texture should be like thick, sticky peanut butter).
• Add the cocoa powder and 5 teaspoons of boiling water to another small bowl and stir until combined.
• Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Add one portion of the dough back to the bowl of the stand mixer along with the vanilla bean paste. Knead with the dough hook on medium speed until combined and the dough is still tacky but not sticky, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Add another portion of the dough to the mixer bowl along with the strawberry paste and a few drops of the food coloring. Knead on medium speed, adding more food coloring as needed to get the desired shade, until combined and the dough is still tacky but not sticky, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a separate small bowl. Wipe the mixer bowl and dough hook clean.
• Add the last portion of dough to the mixer bowl along with the chocolate paste. Knead on medium speed until combined and the dough is still tacky but not sticky, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a third small bowl.
• Cover each bowl of dough with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
• To assemble, individually roll out the 3 pieces of chilled dough on separate sheets of parchment, dusting with flour as needed, into three 9-by-5-inch rectangles. Stack the pieces on top of each other with the chocolate dough on the bottom, vanilla in the middle and strawberry on the top.
• Roll out the stack of dough into a 17-by-8-inch rectangle, flipping the stack over now and then to keep the layers even and making sure to square off the ends (this will ensure that all the layers stick and bake together). With the chocolate layer on the bottom and starting from a shorter end, start rolling the dough into a tight spiral, like a jelly roll cake.
• Generously butter a 9-by-5-inch nonstick loaf pan and place the rolled dough inside, seam-side down. Generously butter a piece of plastic wrap large enough to cover the pan and place it butter-side down loosely over the pan. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it reaches 1 inch above the rim of the pan, about 3 hours.
• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the remaining 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the loaf is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle reaches 190 degrees F, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the loaf to loosen and turn the loaf out of the pan. Let cool completely top-side up on the rack.

NEAPOLITAN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° (325° for coloured fluted tube pan).
• Using solid shortening or margarine (not oil), grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan (non-stick finish pan, too).
• In large bowl, blend cream cheese and eggs until smooth.
• Blend in cake mix and milk.
• Beat 2 minutes at highest speed.
• Add strawberry milk drink mix to 2 cups batter; pour into prepared pan.
• Stir vanilla into 2 cups batter; pour over strawberry batter.
• Add chocolate milk drink mix to remaining batter; pour over vanilla batter.
• Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool upright in pan 45 minutes.
• Loosen edges; remove from pan.
• Cool completely.
• If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, butter, salt and 3 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Mix cinnamon and remaining sugar. Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each portion into an 18x8-in. rectangle; sprinkle each with about 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seam to seal. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans, seam side down., Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°., Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

NEAPOLITAN STYLE HOMEMADE BREAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast and sugar into 4 cups of warm water.
• Pour 5 lbs of flour into a 12-14 quart pot.
• When yeast bubbles up, add to flour with 3 additional cups of water, mixing in flour with a kneading motion.
• If a little sticky, add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time.
• After completely kneaded into a dough, rub entire dough with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Set in a warm place to rise, covered, for 2- 2 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk.
• After dough has risen, place on a floured surface and divide into four loaves.
• If dough is sticky, sprinkle some flour on your hands.
• Do not handle dough too much.
• Shape dough into 4 round loaves and cover.
• Let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Bake on either bread stones or cookie sheets that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal in a preheated 400° oven till a golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
• The loaf should have a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom with your knuckles.