Category Archives: Bread

Chocolate Babka

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I needed a treat for QC’s Mah Jongg group today, luckily I saw contestants on GBBO make a chocolate babka and remembered I made one once or twice before.

The question is, what is a babka, a cake or a bread? The internet says it is a cake-bread hybrid, spanning the gap between breakfast bread and dessert. Call it what you like, just call me when it’s ready!

After this bake I modified the recipe to include tenting the babka about half way through the bake to protect the exposed chocolate on the top from over baking. Next time for sure.

Chocolate Babka

INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
• 3¾ cups (530 g) all-purpose flour , plus extra for dusting
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (10g) instant yeast
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup (120 ml) water
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ⅔ cup (150 g) unsalted butter , at room temperature, cut into small cubes
• Neutral oil (sunflower, canola) for dressing
For the chocolate filling:
• ½ cup (50 g) powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 130 g dark chocolate , melted*
• ½ cup (120 g) unsalted butter , melted
• ⅔ cup (120 g) chocolate chips or chunks OR 1 cup (100g/3.5oz) pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)
For the sugar syrup:
• ½ cup (120ml) water
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

METHOD
Making the dough:

  1. Place flour, sugar, and yeast in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed until combined. Add eggs and water, and mix on medium speed until dough comes together, 2-3 minutes. Add salt, then butter, adding a few cubes at a time, mixing until incorporated. Continue mixing for about 10 minutes on medium speed, until dough is completely smooth, elastic, shiny, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. During mixing, you will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  2. Place dough in a large bowl brushed with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for at least half a day or overnight.
  3. Grease two loaf pans (9×4 inch) with oil and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Divide dough in half and keep one half covered in the fridge.
    Making the filling:
  4. Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate, and butter until you have a spreadable paste.
  5. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle measuring 15×11 inches. Position dough so that a long side is closest to you. Using an offset spatula, spread half of the chocolate mixture over the rectangle, leaving a ¾ inch border all around. Sprinkle half of the pecans or chocolate chips on top of the chocolate.
    Shaping the dough:
  6. Use both hands to roll up the rectangle like a roulade, starting from the long side closest to ]’’]you and ending at the other long end. Press to seal the dampened end onto the roulade, then use both hands to even out the roll into a perfect thick cigar. Rest the cigar on its seam.
  7. Trim about ¾ inch off both ends of the roulade with a serrated knife. Then use the knife to gently cut the roll in half lengthwise, starting at the top and finishing at the seam, essentially dividing the log into two long even halves, with the layers of dough and filling visible along the length of both halves. With the cut sides facing up, gently press together one end of each half, then lift the right half over the left half. Repeat this process, but this time lifting the left half over the right, to create a simple two-pronged plait. Gently squeeze together the other ends so that you are left with the two halves, intertwined, showing the filling on top. Carefully lift the cake into a loaf pan. Don’t worry if there are gaps in the pan since the cake will rise and will eventually look fine, even if you feel like it’s messy at this point. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a wet tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours. Repeat to make the second cake.
  8. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C, making sure to allow plenty of time for it to heat fully before the cakes have finished rising. Remove plastic wrap or tea towels, place cakes on middle rack of oven, and bake for about 25-30 minutes, (tent the cakes about half way through to protect the chocolate from burning) until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean with no dough attached. (190°F)
  9. While the cakes are in the oven, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from heat and set aside to cool. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, brush the syrup over them. Use all of the syrup, even if it looks a lot. Let cakes cool until they are warm, then remove from pans and let cool completely before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  10. Babka will stay fresh for 24 hours in an airtight container at room temperature. Don’t place in the fridge.
  11. Babka freezes well for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave on counter or overnight in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

  • To melt butter and chocolate, place them in a heat-proof bowl, and heat in the microwave in 20 second-intervals, stirring in between each interval, until melted and smooth (or alternatively, set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally).

In The Bakery or Ina Garten

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I love John Kanell’s Artisan Bread and make it at least once a week. It has a soft chewy crumb and crunchy/crispy crust. Perfect.

However, I recently discovered Ina Garten’s Sandwich Loaf on FaceBook and although a totally different bread it is now part of my rotation. It’s not a chewy and crispy as the artisan bread but is every bit as easy to make and is a perfect sandwich loaf (not that the artisan bread isn’t .)

Sandwich Bread – Ina Garten

INGREDIENTS
• 440g (3 ½ c) all-purpose flour
• 360g (1 ½ c) warm water
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) instant yeast

METHOD

  1. In a bowl, mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Add flour and salt, then stir until combined. The dough will be sticky—that’s okay!
  3. Cover and let it rise, covered for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
  4. Transfer to a greased loaf pan, smooth the top, and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
  5. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°F.

Light Rye Bread – KAB

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We love a good rye bread with soft, chewy interior and crisp, crunchy crust. If you do also, this breads for you.

It’s simple to make, it’s the first overnight rise that takes time. Combining the ingredients takes 15-20 minutes, then rise for 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight and the next day let it rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours, then bake for ~30 minutes.

Light Rye Bread – KAB

INGREDIENTS

• 340g (1 ½ c) lukewarm water
• 280g (2 ⅓ c) bread flour
• 163g (1 ½ c) light rye flour
• 28g ( ¼ c) nonfat dry milk
• 1 ½ tsp table salt
• 1 ½ tsp instant yeast
• 1 ½ tsp Deli Rye Flavor, optional
• 25g (2 Tbl) vegetable oil
• 1Tbl caraway seeds

METHOD

  1. Place the water in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  2. Combine the flours with the remaining ingredients with the warm water. Mix until there are no dry spots and all of the flour is moistened. The texture of the dough will be soft and sticky due to the pumpernickel flour.
  3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Then refrigerate overnight, or for up to 48 hours.
  4. Grease your hands, and scoop the dough out onto a lightly greased or floured work surface. Shape it into a ball or boule and place it, smooth side down, in a floured brotform. Let the dough rise, covered, for 2 to 3 hours.
  5. About 45 minutes before the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F with an appropriate Dutch oven.
  6. When the loaf is fully risen, remove the hot Dutch oven bottom from the oven, carefully grease it, and tip the risen ball of dough into it. Make several slashes in the dough. Cover with the lid, and place it on a middle rack in the oven.
  7. Bake the bread for 25 minutes. Check the interior temperature with a digital thermometer. When fully baked it should register at least 195°F. If not, remove the lid and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the loaf should be lightly browned.
  8. Remove the bread from the oven and turn it out of the crock onto a rack. Cool for several hours before slicing.

Another Day, Another Bread

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Every time I make this no-knead artisan bread I confirm it is the best loaf I ever made, and this mornings bake is no exception. There are only 4 ingredients and they come together, including weighing, in 10 minutes, then an hour ferment, followed by a stretch and fold and shape for 10 minutes and baked for 20 minutes. (10 minutes with Dutch Oven cover on and ~10 more minutes uncovered to brown and create a great crust) until internal temperature is 190-200F.

Chicken Salad Sandwich, with… with…

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There is nothing exciting about a simple chicken salad sandwich, unless the bread was fresh from the oven and the lettuce was picked in the backyard minutes before eating, then it is exciting and special.

The bread is my standard artisan boule. I planted the lettuce in early September and it’s ready for harvest. Gotta love it.

Crusty No-Knead Pizza Bread

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It’s been a while. I was on whatever retired people call an extended trip, when “vacation” seems wrong somehow. To me, vacation is an excused absence from work, even if you are self employed.

Anyway, it’s a new month and Sally has a new challenge. This month it is the above mentioned bread with savory fillings. This is my first attempt at a savory bread, but am a huge pizza fan.

I will admit I was skeptical about this bake. I thought “PIzza Bread” was a bit of a stretch, but, WOW, was I wrong. It is delicious and the texture is perfect AND it tastes like pizza. This is both and winner and keeper.

Vacation Photo (not part or the contest)
Pizza Bread
Sliced Pizza Bread

Crusty No-Knead Pizza Bread with Hot Honey Butter – Sally

INGREDIENTS
• 40g (3⅓ c) bread flour, plus more as needed for shaping and pan
• 2 tsp instant or active dry yeast
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 135g (~1 heaping c) 43g chopped pepperoni+ 34g sun-dried tomatoes, and 52g + 52g olives + 2 Tbl grated jalapeños
• 113 (1 c) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 360g (1 ½ ) water, close to room temperature at about 70°F (21°C)
Optional Hot Honey Butter
• 113G ( ½ c; 8 Tbl) unsalted RT butter
• 63g (3 Tbl) honey
• 1 Tbl confectioners’ sugar
• ⅛–¼ tsp flaky sea salt or coarse salt
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

METHOD

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, oregano, basil, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper (if using). Using a silicone spatula, mix in the chopped add-ins (pepperoni, sun-dried tomatoes, olives) and mozzarella cheese. Pour in the water and gently mix together using a Dutch whisk. Shape into a ball.
  2. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set on the counter at room temperature. Allow to rise for 3 hours. The dough will just about double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and have a lot of air bubbles. Place the risen dough, still covered, in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. The dough will puff up during this time, but may begin to deflate after 2 days. That’s normal.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using generously floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper. (Large enough to fit inside your pot and one that is safe for high heat. Place the ball of dough with parchment paper, seam side down, inside a medium-size banneton so the dough doesn’t spread out as it rests. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  4. During this rest, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Place a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven (with the lid) or heavy-duty pot in the oven for 30 minutes so that it’s extremely hot before the dough is placed inside.
  5. After 30 minutes, using a very sharp knife or bread lame (some even use kitchen shears), score the dough with an X, about 1/2 inch deep. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the scored dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and placing it all—the parchment paper included—inside the pot. Cover with the lid.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for around 10–15 minutes more until the bread is golden brown. The bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).
  7. Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Because of the heavy add-ins and cheese, this bread is flatter than most boules. But this just means a higher crust to interior ratio! Slice and serve with homemade hot honey butter, if desired.
  8. Make the hot honey butter: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, starting with only 1/8 teaspoon of salt and a small pinch of red pepper flakes. Beat on medium-high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula and beat again as needed to combine. Taste. Add more salt and/or crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
  9. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Tightly cover leftover hot honey butter and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 months.

Bag End…. No Bag Uette

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Bilbo and Frodo lived in the Shire, in the village of Hobbiton, in their home called Bag End. For those who don’t know their last name was Baggins and Bag End was a play on their name. While I love both the books and movies, I actually prefer Bag Uette. No one lives there, but everyone loves them anyway.

These are classic French Baguettes made with AP flour for the soft interior and baked hot for the crisp crust. They require at lease 12 hours of fermentation so it’s best to start it the night before you plan to devour them.

Baguettes Classic French

INGREDIENTS

• 500 g all purpose flour
• 360 g water
• 10 g salt
• 3 g instant yeast about 1 tsp
• 25 g honey about 1 Tbsp

METHOD

  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
  2. Over a period of 1½ hours, do 3 sets of stretch and folds, flipping the dough upside down after each set.
  3. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight for about 12-14 hours.
  4. Turn the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 3 equal parts and shape into rectangles each ~10 inches long. Cover and let rest for 45-60 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven to 500F, with a baking stone positioned in the upper half the oven and a bread pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack.
  6. Stretch each dough rectangle slightly and fold into a cylinder, sealing the seams as you roll. Using your hands, roll the cylinders gently stretching them from the center towards the ends to desired length, about 14-15 inches.
  7. Place on a lightly floured couche, seam side up. Cover and proof at a room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, or until the dough has sufficiently proofed. Press dough with a finger. If it springs back slowly it is sufficiently proofed.
  8. Transfer the baguettes to a piece of parchment paper, seam side down and dust off excess flour. Using a bread lame, a sharp knife or a razor blade, make 5 diagonal scores on each baguette. When scoring, use a swift and firm motion to ensure nice and clean cuts.
  9. Open the oven, taking caution not to get burned by steam, and slide the baguettes and parchment paper off onto the baking stone. Close the oven and reduce temperature to 475F. Bake for 15 minutes.
  10. Remove the water pan, rotate the baguettes, drop the temperature to 450F and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Artisan Italian Bread

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This is my basic Artisan Bread recipe from PreppyKitchen with modifications to make it Italian Bread. This bread substitutes AP flour for the bread flour, reducing the protein and gluten resulting in a softer, finer, more delicate crumb. Rather than using a dutch oven, it is baked on a stone with boiling water added to a pan in the oven to provide steam.

The final product is a soft, flavorful crumb with a nice crackling crust.

Artisan Bread

INGREDIENTS
• 450g (3¾ c) bread flour divided (For Italian Bread use AP flour))
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 10g (1¾ tsp) kosher salt
• 360g (1½ c) warm water between 120°F and 130°F (360 grams)

As an alternate add 2 tsp sugar, mix the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and let set 10 minutes. Thoroughly mix in the flour and salt, cover with a towel and let sit for ~1 hour until doubled in size. Bowl fold as in step #4 below. Shape the dough, place into a greased loaf pan, slash the top, and let rise an additional 30 min. Bake 30-35 minutes at 375°F until the top is a golden brown or internal temperature is 190°F.
METHOD

  1. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, yeast, and salt, stirring with a dutch dough whisk to combine. Stir in water until the mixture is very sticky, and no lumps of flour remain.
    a. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1½ to 2 hours.
    b. Alternatively, for an overnight rise: After mixing the dough, cover and refrigerate until doubled in size. This will take about 8 hours but will keep in the fridge up to 24 hours total.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a large dutch oven with a lid in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
  3. If refrigerated, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  4. Using wet hands, reach down one side of the dough to the bottom of the bowl, pull up, and stretch the edge of the dough over the center toward the opposite side. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the folding and turning, working in a circle around the dough until the dough starts to hold its shape, about 8 to 10 rotations. Pinch any seams together at the center of the dough ball.
  5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, placing it seam side down. Shape into a boule or batard, depending on the intended use. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper lined banneton and sprinkle it with flour. (Alternatively, divide dough in half and form each into a small batard, place in a parchment paper line French bread form) Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel for 10 minutes while the oven heats to 450°F. Place a large dutch oven with a lid in the oven while it preheats.
  6. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, cut a slit about ¼-inch deep across the top of the dough. Very carefully place the dough with the parchment paper directly into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes. (If making 2 smaller loaves shaped in french bread forms, slide the loaves from the bread form directly only the baking stone and bake for ~20-25 minutes, on an oven rack positioned in the upper third of the oven then check internal temperature.) Remove the lid and bake until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature is about 195°F (~11 to 12 minutes more.) Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper to help, and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing

Quick Artisan Rolls

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I saw this recipe on YouTube while listening to my favorite podcaster Sean Carroll, Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins, and theoretical physicist and cosmologist, which has nothing to do with this post!

This bread is lower hydration than I usually bake, but the video looked so good I couldn’t resist. The percent bread hydration determines the gluten development, higher hydration equals more gluten development which yields more open and airy crumb structure in the final product. My pain de cristal is 100% hydration (equal parts water and flour,) while my standard artisan bread is 80% (360g water divided by 450g flour) and this bread is 69%.

This recipe called for a large, lidded baking pan, which I don’t own. (I know thats hard to believe there is some baking equipment I don’t have.) I do have two 16” round cake pans and used one for the bottom and one for the top. I attached binder clips around the perimeter of the upper pan and used the clips to center and hold it in place on the lower. (I am quite proud of my Yankee ingenuity.)

These rolls, while delicious with a wonderful crunchy crust were a bit small for a hearty sandwich. I will probably scale the recipe up by 50% rather than only make 3 per bake. They are too good to only have 6 small rolls.

Quick Artisan Rolls

INGREDIENTS
• 220g (1c) water
• 2g (½ tsp) instant dry yeast
• 320g (2 ½ c) bread flour
• 6g ( 1 tsp) salt

METHOD

  1. Mix water and yeast, let rest 5 min.
  2. Add flour and salt and mix until there’s no more dry flour
  3. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
  4. With a wet hand do 4 bowl folds then lift and slap the dough back into the bowl 6 times
  5. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
  6. Repeat the bowl folds and lift and slaps
  7. Repeat the bowl folds but perform a gentler lift and slap. The dough is now much more elastic and smooth.
  8. Let the dough rise about 2 hours until it has doubled in size.
  9. Dust work surface and surface of the dough, (especially the perimeter) with flour
  10. Gently transfer the dough onto the floured work surface and fold it into a log then divide in 6 equal parts
  11. Brush off any excess flour, gently flatten and fold it tightly into a ball
  12. Pinch to seal then roll against work surface with cupped fingers to tighten the surface of the dough
  13. Let the balls rest for 10 minutes uncovered
  14. Roll the dough into a longer shape with your palm
  15. Place it on the baking pan
  16. Lightly sprinkle flour over the bread
  17. Smooth the flour with your hand
  18. Score the bread with a sharp blade or knife
  19. Sprinkle a little water around the bread to make steam
  20. Cover with another tray of the same size
  21. Bake at 430°F (220°C) for 20 minutes
  22. Remove the top tray
  23. Bake for 10 more minutes until the tops are a nice light brown and the internal temp is 195 F.