Tri-Colored Pull Apart Buns

The smell of freshly baked bread is one of the most comforting smells in the world for me. Homemade bread has recently become a personal weakness of mine. Up until a few months ago I’d never baked bread. Once I started, I can’t go back. I stopped buying bread from the bakery once I got the taste for eating warm, homemade bread straight out of the oven. Baking bread isn’t that difficult even though it might seem to be at first glance.

Store bought bread has any number of strange sounding ingredients such as dough conditioners, lecithin, dough strengtheners like DA TEM and SSL as well dough softeners.  Homemade bread usually has only four ingredients- flour, water, salt and yeast. I love bread too much to give it up and the best way to ensure that I’m only putting ingredients I recognize and trust in my body is to make it myself.

These colorful pull apart buns have a few more ingredients to make them more flavorful and pack them with additional nutrients. These ones here include kale, red pepper, tomato and fresh herbs. They’re great for dinner parties or when you’re in the mood for something more than just the plain loaf. They are soft and fluffy and taste great straight out of the oven with a little butter. Don’t let the process of making bread scare you. I promise you, once you bake a few loaves you’ll never go back to commercial bread again.

Ingredients:

White Dough

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp yeast

3/4 cup warm water

To make the dough, mix together flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add lukewarm water little by little to the dough. Remember, the amount of water you’ll need will vary a little based on the brand of flour you use and the temperature where you live. The dough should be sticky and will seem a bit too loose. Continue kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Once it stops sticking and becomes smooth, place it in an oiled bowl. Cover the top with cling film and allow to rest at room temperature until double in volume, about an hour.

Green Dough

1 cup flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp yeast

4 tbsp cilantro

10-12 basil leaves

1/2 cup chopped kale

1/4 cup warm water

Blend together kale, cilantro, basil and water until smooth in a blender. Mix together flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add the kale puree to the flour and mix together. Continue kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place it in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and allow to rise until double in volume. About an hour.

Red Dough:

1 cup flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp yeast

1/2 red bell pepper

1 small tomato

4-6 tbsp water

Blend red bell pepper, tomato and paprika with about 4 tbsp water in a blender until smooth. Mix together flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add the pepper puree to the flour and mix together. If the dough seems too dry, add water one tbsp at a time until sticky and no longer dry. Continue kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place it in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and allow to rise until double in volume. About an hour.

Forming the buns:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. After the dough has been rising for an hour and have doubled, deflate them lightly. Transfer the white dough to a floured work surface. Dust the top with flour and roll to a rough rectangle, until it is about half an inch in height. Transfer to a parchment paper. Transfer the red dough to the floured surface and roll to a rectangle of the same size. Place on top of the white dough. Repeat the same process with the green dough and place on top of the red dough. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, divide the dough horizontally into 6 strips. Roll each strip up to form a bun. Placed on a parchment lined baking tray, ensuring all the buns are slightly touching each other. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes brush the tops of the buns with milk. Place the buns in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until done.