Ruth from Oshkosh, WI (2018 Week 7: Sweet Dough)

Baker

Ruth

Location

Oshkosh, WI

Baking Challenge

24 Sweet Buns

Give your creation a name – and tell us about your recipe.

Grandma's Pecan Rolls, Chocolate Surprise and White Bogs -The bread recipe was my Grandmother's recipe. I used her traditional honey/caramel/pecan recipe for one, then went a bit creative with the other two fillings. I decided to try a shredded zucchini and chocolate filling for one with a chocolate glaze. The third choice was to combine ginger, white chocolate and cranberries with a white chocolate glaze.

Now that you’ve survived this challenge, what words of wisdom can you share?

This challenge was one of my favorites so far. I grew up with my Grandmother baking her Pecan Rolls every time there was a guest over. She would get up around 3 or 4 am and start baking bread. I would usually join her an hour or two later. There are so many good memories surrounding both the making and eating of the traditional recipe. If she was making a double or triple batch she would sometimes leave the pecans off one tray, which I didn't learn to like until a few years ago. In keeping with variety, I decided to try a couple of other flavor combinations as well as the original. Though zucchini and chocolate seemed like a reasonable combination, my son compared the texture to 'chocolate covered celery' but said that he only tasted chocolate. So, no more sweet rolls stuffed with zucchini. The cranberry/ginger/white chocolate were good but they ended up being too spicy for the kids (ginger) and too sweet for me (white chocolate).

Tell us about how you added a Wisconsin twist.

There is WI honey in the pecan filling. The zucchini was from Olden Organics. The cranberries, eggs, butter, and milk were all WI. And thank you once again Penzey's…But the biggest thanks has to be to my Grandmother. She embraced WI and raised me to appreciate the land as well.

How did you do?

Absolutely lovely.