Peanut Butter Turtle Rolls

You know how most products you buy usually have a recipe idea printed on them, or at least a website to go to with many recipes that use the product? I don’t think I’ve ever bothered to even glance at one of these. I’m not sure why, after all, there’s an entire blog dedicated to making recipes printed on food packages. But the other day I bought a new packet of yeast and happened to notice the website on the back, so I decided to check it out. Lo and behold, it had about a million bread recipes, most of which were things I didn’t even think possible to make with yeast. I think I bookmarked about a million recipes to try, but the one that I had to make immediately was for peanut butter turtle rolls – they looked so adorable! The recipe was filed under the category “bake with kids” and I had no intention of baking these with or serving them to any children, but Ryan is like a big kid, and he loooves peanut butter, so I knew he would love these!

The directions sound somewhat complicated, but these were actually surprisingly easy to make, and much more fun than a regular old loaf of bread! I was a little hesitant about the idea of using peanut butter in a yeast bread, but Ryan and I both loved these. You can definitely taste the peanut butter but it’s still fairly subtle. They’re great eaten just on their own for breakfast or a snack, or warmed up with a little nutella in the middle! If you’re not a peanut butter fan though, you could still use the turtle shaping technique with your favourite bun recipe.

The only problem with these is that they’re almost too cute to eat! I felt horrible ripping off the poor little guys’ heads – I’d recommend you do this part first to get it over with, the other parts aren’t quite as guilt-inducing. I wanted to keep one as a pet and name it Leonard, but Ryan ate him. He can be so cruel sometimes!

I think all bread I make from now on is going to be in the shape of an animal. I think little mice or fish would work well, although maybe I should stick to only the mean animals like snakes or spiders so that I don’t have to feel as bad about eating them!

The recipe is below, followed by some step-by-step photos in case the directions aren’t clear. Please excuse the quality of those photos, I was in a dark kitchen and haven’t quite mastered shooting in low-light conditions yet!

By the way, don't worry if they don't all come out identical - that's what gives them each personality! The guy above ended up with an interesting scar across his eye, and the guy below had a frown that I thought was hilarious. Both of these were unintentional, but have fun thinking of ways to make them each different! I think if you were making these for kids they would enjoy having ways to tell them apart. If they want to play with their food before eating it (which I would highly recommend in this case), just warn them that the legs are a little fragile, I may have accidentally amputated a few of my turtles.

Peanut Butter Turtle Rolls

Slightly adapted from Bread World

Makes 8 Turtles

Ingredients:

4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 envelopes instant yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

a few chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt.

Heat milk and water until very warm (120^o to 130^oF) and stir into flour mixture. Stir in peanut butter and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Knead the dough on a floured surface (or mix with dough hook) until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Grease 2 large baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Divide dough into 8 equal portions.

To make one turtle from each portion:

1. Break off 1/4 of portion and reserve.
2. Shape remaining (larger portion) dough into a smooth ball for the body. Place on greased baking sheet.
3. Divide the reserved (smaller) portion into two pieces.
4. With one of the pieces, divide it into two; roll one half into a small rope for the tail, and form the other half into an oval shape for the head. Attach the head and the tail to the body by placing underneath the body and pinching to seal.
5. With the second piece, divide it into four; shape each piece into an oval for the legs and attach to the body, pinching to seal.

Repeat with remaining dough to make 8 turtles. (I found it easier to do these steps on all the turtles simultaneously, rather than one-by-one).

Cover turtles with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375^oF.

Use scissors to make small snips in the shell of each turtle (1/8 inch deep), pulling up with the scissors as you snip to make bumps in the shell.

Make 2 small cuts at the end of each foot to make webbed feet.

Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash; brush over the shell of each turtle.

Bake at 375^oF for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove turtles from baking sheets.

While turtles are warm, use chocolate chips to rub small chocolate dots onto the head for eyes (the chocolate should melt as it touches the bread).

Let cool on wire racks.

Step-By-Step Photos for Shaping the Turtles

*Note: I halved the recipe, so there are only 4 turtles in the pictures

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat milk and water until very warm (120^o to 130^oF) and stir into flour mixture. Stir in peanut butter and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface (or mix with dough hook) until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Grease 2 large baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions (I divided into 4 because I halved the recipe)

To make one turtle from each portion:

Break off 1/4 of each portion and reserve.

Shape remaining (larger portion) dough into a smooth ball for the body. Place on greased baking sheet. Divide the reserved (smaller) portion into two pieces.

With one of the pieces, divide it into two; roll one half into a small rope for the tail, and form the other half into an oval shape for the head. Attach the head and the tail to the body by placing underneath the body and pinching to seal.

With the second piece, divide it into four; shape each piece into an oval for the legs and attach to the body, pinching to seal.

Repeat with remaining dough to make 8 turtles. (I found it easier to do these steps on all the turtles simultaneously, rather than one-by-one).

Cover turtles with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375^oF.

Use scissors to make small snips in the shell of each turtle (1/8 inch deep), pulling up with the scissors as you snip to make bumps in the shell. Make 2 small cuts at the end of each foot to make webbed feet.

Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash; brush over the shell of each turtle.

Bake at 375^oF for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from sheets.

While turtles are warm, use chocolate chips to rub small chocolate dots onto the head for eyes (the chocolate should melt as it touches the bread).

Let cool on wire racks. Enjoy!