Category Archives: Bread

Sally’s Sandwich Bread

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My previous sandwich breads,using recipes from bread experts, were good. However, Sally’s recipe, followed exactly as written, beats them all.

I made the bread this morning timing it to be ready for lunch. It was, but was still a little warm. Undaunted, I carefully cut four slices (it was very tender) and proceeded to make two sandwiches. The bread was so tender we each needed two hands to eat our lunches. Although the crumb was tender there was a nice crust, not a strong crust as is my typical artisan bread, but better than most other sandwich loaves.

The QC sampled end slice plus 4 slices for sandwiches used almost half the loaf. No worries about it going stale.

Sandwich Bread – Sally

INGREDIENTS
• 240g (1 c) water, warmed to about 110°F
• 60g ( ¼ c) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F
• 7g (2 ¼ tsp) yeast
• 25g (2 Tbl) granulated sugar
• 56g ( ¼ c) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 9g (1 ½ tsp) salt
• 420–430g (3 ⅓ c) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed

METHOD

  1. Whisk the warm water, warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the butter, salt, and 1 cup flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add another cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until relatively incorporated (there may still be chunks of butter). Add the remaining flour and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes.
  3. Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 5–8 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5–8 full minutes.
  4. 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1-2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter.
  5. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  6. Shape the bread: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 8×15 inches. Roll into an 8 inch log and place in the greased loaf pan.
  7. 2nd Rise: Cover shaped loaf with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise until it’s about 1 inch above the top of the loaf pan, about 1 hour.
  8. Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat oven to 350°F.
  9. Bake the bread: Bake for 32-36 minutes or until golden brown on top. If you notice the top browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil. (I usually add aluminum foil over the loaf around the 20 minute mark.) To test for doneness, if you gently tap on the loaf, it should sound hollow. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195–200°F.
  10. Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for a few minutes in the pan on a cooling rack before removing the bread from the pan and slicing. Feel free to let it cool completely before slicing, too.
  11. Cover leftover bread tightly and store at room temperature for 6 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Notes

  1. Freezing Instructions: Prepare recipe through step 6. Place shaped loaf in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan or disposable loaf pan, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. On the day you serve it, let the loaf thaw and rise for about 4-5 hours at room temperature. Bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked bread loaf. Allow the bread to cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then reheat as desired.
  2. Overnight Instructions: Prepare the recipe through step 6. Cover the shaped bread tightly and refrigerate for up to about 15 hours. At least 3 hours before you need the bread the next day, remove from the refrigerator, keep covered, and allow to rise on the counter for about 1-2 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can let the dough have its 1st rise in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the dough tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to fully rise for 2 more hours. Continue with step 5

Pugliese Bread, the Easier Way

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You can do this easy, or hard. It’s your choice. I decided to do it somewhere in the middle, the “Easier Way.”

Making pugliese can be a long, involved process. It can also be as easy as any artisan bread. I chose to use mostly traditional ingredients, but shorten the method. I didn’t have any fine semolina flour on hand so used only bread flour. Some pugliese recipes use mash potatoes, I did not.

I followed the method pretty closely but I used a stand mixer and like to do the second rise in a parchment paper lined banneton. This makes it easier to transfer from the banneton to the dutch oven. Remember to put the dough in the banneton seam side down so you can score the smooth side..

The final result is a tasty loaf with good crumb and very chewy crust, very much like a traditional pugliese.

Pugliese – Easier

INGREDIENTS
For the Biga:
• 260 g (2 cups) Bread flour
• 155 ml (2/3 cup) Water (room temperature)\
• ¼ tsp Instant yeast
For the Final Dough:
• All of the fermented Biga
• 260 g (1 ¾ c) Fine semolina flour (or additional bread flour if semolina isn’t available)
• 235 ml (1 c) Water (lukewarm)
• 15 g (1 Tbl) Fine sea salt
• 1 tsp Instant yeast

METHOD

  1. In a bowl, mix the flour, water, and yeast for the biga until a shaggy dough forms. Cover tightly and let rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours (or in the fridge for up to 2 days).
  2. In a stand mixer bowl, dissolve the biga and the yeast in the lukewarm water and beat on low for 5 minutes.. Add the semolina flour and salt. Mix thoroughly until you have a very wet, sticky dough.
  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it proof at room temperature for 90 minutes (or until tripled in size).
  4. Generously dust your work surface with semolina flour. Gently turn out the dough and shape it into a loose oval (batard) or round boule. Place it seam-side down into a parchment paper lined banneton.
  5. Cover and let it proof for another 90 minutes until it has grown significantly.
  6. Preheat your oven and a Dutch oven to 450°F for 30 minutes.
  7. Score the top with a sharp blade, and bake covered with the lid on for 25 minutes.
  8. Remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
  9. Cool: Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing.

Crusty Italian Bread

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This bread hadn’t made an appearance in a while and to find out why, I made a loaf this morning. Unfortunately (?) it was very good which didn’t help me remember why I hadn’t made it in a year or so.

It has a nice crust and tight crumb, perfect for sandwiches. It’s similar to my go-to artisan bread with the exceptions of using AP flour plus a little brown sugar and olive oil. It can be mixed and kneaded in a stand mixer and has minimal fermentation and rise times.

The resulting bread is tasty, firm and worth making more often,

Crusty Italian Bread

INGREDIENTS
• 314 g (1⅓ cups) warm water
• 7 g (2¼ tsp) yeast
• 16 g (1 Tbl) brown sugar
• 18 g (1 Tbl) salt
• 21 g (1½ tsp) olive oil
• 500 g (~4 c) AP flour
• 1 egg yolk for wash
• 1 Tbl sesame seeds

METHOD

  1. Combine warm water, yeast, and brown sugar in a stand mixer bowl, stir and let stand ~8-10 minutes until it begins activate
  2. Add olive oil and salt, mix well. (Mixing and kneading can also be done in a stand mixer.)
  3. Gradually add the flour and mix with a danish dough whisk until the sides and bottom of the bowl come clean.
  4. Knead knead by hand for ~8 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and not sticky. The dough should weigh ~865g
  5. Cover the dough and let rise until doubled, ~30 minutes.
  6. Punch it down, shape into an oval and book-fold into a boule
  7. Tension by rolling back and forth with a cupped hand. Pinch seams and roll to smooth out.
  8. Cover the loaf with a damp cloth and let it rise until doubled. ~20 min. Over-proofing will cause the loaves to flatten.
  9. Preheat oven to 375ᵒF degrees.
  10. Brush top of loaf with an egg wash (1 egg yolk and 1 Tbl water)
  11. Sprinkle top of loaf with sesame seeds (if desired)
  12. Score with a few, quick, cuts diagonally across the loaf.
  13. Pour 1 cup of hot water in a shallow pan on the rack underneath the bread in the oven.
  14. After 20 minutes put an oven-safe digital thermometer into the loaf.
  15. Continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes (internal temp reaches 190ᵒF) or until the loaf turn golden brown and produces a hollow sound when tapped.
  16. Remove from the oven and cool on racks.

Sally’s June 2026 Challenge

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Sally’s June 2026 Baking Challenges was Fluffy Cornbread Biscuits with the alternate being Pretzel Rolls. Sorry, but she had me a “PRETZEL!” I am a sucker for pretzels and these rolls are exceptional. (The biscuits will wait until late this week.)

I made a two changes to the recipe. When making pretzels I use baked baking soda. This converts the sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, a stronger alkaline (higher pH) compound.

I also added malt powder (the same kind I used to use when brewing beer) to increase flavor, color and larger air bubbles in the pretzels.

I made the Pretzel Rolls at 10 AM but felt uneasy opening a beer that early. I waited until after lunch to take the picture. I did not wait to eat my first roll.

Easy Pretzel Rolls – Sally

INGREDIENTS
• 360ml (1 ½ c) lukewarm water
• 7g (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
• 56g ( ¼ c; 4 Tbl) unsalted butter, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 4690599g (3 ¾ to 4 ) all-purpose flour
• coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Baking Soda Bath
• 4 Tbl baked baking soda
• 1 Tbl light malt powder
• 9 cups water

METHOD

  1. Whisk yeast and warm water together. Allow to sit for 1 minute. Meanwhile, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter (reserve the rest for step 7). Whisk in salt, brown sugar, and melted butter. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon or dough hook attached to a stand mixer until dough is thick. Add 3/4 cup more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If it is still sticky, add 1/4–1/2 cup more, as needed. Poke the dough with your finger—if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
  2. Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise.
  3. Rise: Place in a large greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a proofing oven for 1 hour or until nearly doubled in size.
  4. Once risen, punch down dough to release any air bubbles. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and, with a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into (900g ÷12) = 75g sections. You should have about 12 pieces. Shape into balls.
  5. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat OR line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  6. Bring baking soda and 9 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Drop 1–2 pretzel rolls into the boiling water for 20–30 seconds. Any longer than that and your pretzels will have a metallic taste. Using a slotted spatula, lift the pretzel roll out of the water and allow excess water to drip off. Place pretzel rolls onto prepared baking sheet or close together in the baking pan.
  7. Melt the remaining butter. Lightly brush each roll with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Using a sharp knife, score a couple slits into the top of each.
  8. Bake for 22–26 minutes or until deep golden brown on all sides.
  9. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Pretzel rolls may be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 days (they lose a little softness over time).

Olive Bread Sticks

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I don’t know what prompted my desire for olive bread sticks, but here we are again. These bread sticks are SO good. They are a bit of a pain (the forming and cutting and placing on the cookie sheet) to make, but worth it.

Learning from my previous bake I cut the whole, pitted olives in half as the previous ones were just too big.

The pain part
The payoff part

AND… as long as the oven was on, I used a long, thin Dutch oven to make a nice sized artisan loaf for sandwiches, (and to eat slathered with butter.)

Olive Bread Sticks

(Paul Hollywood Method and Recipe)

  • INGREDIENTS
  • 500g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 10g salt
  • 10g instant yeast
  • 400ml tepid water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
  • 500 g/1 lb jar pitted green olives in brine, drained fine semolina, for dusting (optional)
  • 6g (4 Tbl) finely chopped rosemary (optional)
  • 3g (2 Tbl) capers (optional)


METHOD

  1. Oil proofing bucket
  2. Put the flour into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add three-quarters of the water and begin mixing on a slow speed. As the dough starts to come together, gradually add the remaining water.
  3. Mix for a further 5-8 minutes on a medium speed. The dough should now be wet and stretch easily when pulled. Add the olive oil and mix for a further two minutes. Add the olives, (rosemary and capers, optional) mix until well-distributed.
  4. Put the dough into the oiled containers and leave until it has at least tripled in size – for approximately an hour.
  5. Line two baking trays with parchment or silicone paper and preheat the oven to 425F Convection. My oven automatically drops the temp to 400F when using Convection.
  6. Dust the work surface heavily with flour – add some semolina too, if you have some. Carefully tip the dough onto the surface. It will be very loose and flowing – but don’t worry. Rather than knocking it back, handle it gently so that you keep as much air in the dough as possible.
  7. Heavily dust the top of the dough with flour and then stretch it out gently to a rough rectangle. Starting at one long edge, cut the dough into approximately 18 strips. Stretch each piece out until 8-10in long. Place the strips onto the prepared baking trays, spacing them apart to allow for oven rise.
  8. Bake the dough sticks for 10-15 minutes until the tops are a golden brown.
  9. Cool on wire rack. I use a brush to remove some of the excess flour.

30 Minute Rolls

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I watched a woman on a FB reel make “30 Minute Rolls.” (Sorry, I don’t remember her name). I required two or three viewings of the reel before I was confident that I accurately transcribed the ingredients and method. (I did.) As is my preference, I converted the volume measurements to weights,.

Today, we wanted chicken salad sandwiches for lunch but the artisan bread I made a few days ago is now perfect for french toast or grilled cheese sandwiches but not un-toasted sandwiches. Anyway, any excuse to bake bread is a good excuse.

As per the FB reel instructions I made 90g rolls which yielded eight 4” diameter rolls. For hamburger rolls I would probably try six 123g rolls.

Unfortunately, I didn’t note the exact time I started baking, but I estimate the rolls were out of the oven and cooling in about 45 minutes.

Besides requiring only 30-ish minutes… they are soft, fresh and fantastic!!

30 Minute Rolls

INGREDIENTS
• 236g (1 c) warm water
• 6g (2 Tbl) yeast
• 12g (1 Tbl) sugar
• 1 egg
• 50g (1/4 c) vegetable oil
• 6g (1 tsp) salt
• 360g (3 c) AP flour
• 1 egg for egg wash
• 2 Tbl butter for brushing

METHOD

  1. Mix yeast, water and sugar in a stand mixer with paddle attachment for 3 minutes until it’s mixed and the yeast is activated and foamy.
  2. Add egg, oil and flour and mix using dough hook until it comes together
  3. Dump dough onto counter and knead until it it a bit smoother
  4. Cut into desired portions, suggesting 8 (92g) for ~4” rolls and 6 (123g) rolls for a larger (~5”) hamburger rolls.
  5. The dough was very sticky so I floured the bench top and patted each piece of dough in it before the next step.
  6. Stretch and fold each portion into a ball, pinch the seam together and roll on the counter
  7. Cover with a warm tea towel.
  8. Preheat oven to 400⁰ F as the dough is resting
  9. Move rolls to a parchment paper covered baking sheet and brush with egg wash
  10. Bake 12-14 minutes, until the tops are nicely browned. Internal temperature should be 195⁰ F
  11. Remove from oven and brush with butter while still hot.

Artisan “French” Bread

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I made my usual artisan bread but with a twist today. To make more of a “French” loaf I added olive oil and sugar to the dough. I also baked it on a stone rather than a Dutch oven. Because it is fairly high hydration (80%) it spread a little too much (for me) in the french bread pan and on the baking stone. Next time I will put one loaf in a long narrow Dutch oven without the lid. This may keep the shape without imparting a strong crust.

Great Crumb and Air Spaces
Narrow Dutch Ovn

Artisan Bread

INGREDIENTS

  • 450g (3 ¾ c) bread flour divided (For Italian Bread use AP flour))
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
  • 10g (1 ¾ tsp) kosher salt 
  • 360g (1 ½ c) warm water between 120°F and 130°F (360 grams)

For French Bread

  • 18g (1 ½ Tbl) sugar
  • 12g (1 Tbl) Olive Oil

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, (and sugar and oil if making French Bread) stirring with a dutch dough whisk to combine. Stir in water until the mixture is very sticky, and no lumps of flour remain, or use a stand mixer with paddle on low for 3 minutes.
    1. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
    1. 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. For French bread place baking stone on lower rack in the oven.
  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.
  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 or cloth lined banneton and sprinkle it with flour. (Alternatively, divide dough in half and form each into a small batard, place in a parchment paper lined 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 covered for 12-15 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 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

 

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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What is a great alternative for those of us who are not fans of corn beef and cabbage?

Irish Soda Bread!!

We love this bread, and it’s so easy to make. We like it with equal parts raisins and dried cranberries. Slathered with butter… what a treat.

Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS

  • 420g (1 ¾ c) buttermilk*
  • 1 large egg (optional, see note)
  • 531 (4 ¼ c) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled),
  • 38 g (3 Tbl) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 71 g (5 Tbl) unsalted butter, cold and cubed*
  • optional: 150g (1 c) raisins or craisins

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake in a seasoned 10–12-inch cast iron skillet (no need to preheat the cast iron unless you want to).
  2. Whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Mixture is very heavy on the flour but do your best to cut in the butter until the butter is pea-sized crumbs.
  4. Stir in the raisins. Pour in the buttermilk/egg mixture. (*Adding all of the mixture yielded an overly wet dough. Try reserving ½ cup, adding more as necessary.) Gently fold the dough together until dough it is too stiff to stir.
  5. Pour crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can, then knead for about 30 seconds or until all the flour is moistened. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.
  6. Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet. Using a very sharp knife or bread lame, score the dough with a slash or X about 1/2 inch deep. (“Score” = shallow cut.)
  7. Bake until the bread is golden brown, and center appears cooked through, about 45-55 minutes. Loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil if you notice heavy browning on top. The bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F.
  8. Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted with desired toppings/spreads.
  9. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. We usually wrap it tightly in aluminum foil for storing.

NOTES

  1. Freezing Instructions: Baked and cooled bread freezes well up to 3 months. Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then reheat as desired.
  2. Baking Pan: There are options for the baking pan. You can use a lined large baking sheet (with or without a rim), a seasoned 10-12 inch cast iron skillet, or a greased or lined 9-10 inch cake pan or pie dish. I don’t recommend a loaf pan because the loaf may not bake evenly inside. This dough is best as a flatter loaf.
  3. Buttermilk: Using cold buttermilk is best. Buttermilk is key to the bread’s flavor, texture, and rise. The bread will not rise without it. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make a homemade “DIY” version. Whole milk or 2% milk is best, though lower fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch. Add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add enough cold milk to make 1 and 3/4 cups. Whisk together, then let sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
  4. Egg: 1 egg adds richness and density. Feel free to skip it to make a slightly lighter loaf. No other changes necessary, simply leave out the egg.
  5. Cold Butter: The colder the butter, the less sticky the dough will be. Make sure it’s very cold, even frozen cubed butter is great.
  6. Smaller Loaves: You can divide this dough up to make smaller loaves. The bake time will be shorter, depending how large the loaves are. An instant read thermometer will be especially helpful. Bake the loaves until an instant read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).

Sally’s March Challenge – Fougasse

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A new month, a new challenge, a new bread. I had not made Fougasse before this challenge, Fougasse is the french version of Italy’s focaccia bread. Its crust cracks when you bite it and the extra holes in the bread provide more crunchy crust.

Follow the recipe exactly and enjoy the result.

Shaped and cut
Shaped, cut and spice and salt added
Fresh from the oven

Homemade Fougasse – Sally

INGREDIENTS
Biga/Preferment
• 130g (1 c) bread flour
• 1/8 tsp instant or active-dry yeast
• 120g (½ c) room-temperature water (about 70°F)
For the Fougasse
• 195g (1½ c) bread flour
• 65g (½ c) whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp instant or active-dry yeast
• 1 tsp table salt
• 120g ( ½ c) RT water
• 28g (2 Tbl) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• optional, for topping: flaky sea salt and herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, or Herbes de Provence

METHOD

  1. Day 1: Make the Biga/Preferment: In a medium bowl, whisk together the bread flour and yeast. Add the water and mix with a silicone spatula until combined. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 8–24 hours.
  2. Day 2: Make the Dough: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the bread flour, whole wheat flour, yeast, and salt. Add the biga, water, and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. If you do not have a stand mixer, mix the dough together by hand with a silicone spatula.
  3. If using a stand mixer, knead with the dough hook on medium-low speed for 3–5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. If mixing by hand, turn the dough out (all the shaggy bits!) onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3–5 minutes, until smooth. The dough should be sticky but workable. If it’s very sticky, lightly flour your hands or the dough as needed. Avoid adding too much extra flour; the dough should remain slightly tacky.
  4. Drizzle or brush a little olive oil around the inside of the mixing bowl you were using. Place the ball of dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides of the dough in the oil.
  5. 1st Dough Rest: Cover tightly and let the dough rest for 45 minutes, and up to 2 hours. (See make-ahead instructions if you want to extend this time.)
  6. Stretch and Fold (1 Round): Visualize a clock on top of your dough. You’ll be folding it at the 12 o’clock mark. With an olive oil-greased spatula or lightly oiled hands, lift up the dough at 12 o’clock and gently stretch it up and pull it toward the opposite side of the bowl (6 o’clock), folding it down over the dough. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this until you’ve gone around the bowl once, for a total of 4 folds. Flip the dough over so it’s seam side down.
  7. 2nd Dough Rest: Cover tightly and let the dough rest for 45 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
  8. Shape the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and use your fingers to press it into a rounded triangle or egg shape, (roughly) 12 inches long by 6 inches wide at the base.
  9. 3rd Dough Rest: Cover lightly and let rest for 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
  10. Cut the dough: Using a sharp knife, pizza wheel, or kitchen shears, cut the dough lengthwise down the center, stopping about 1 inch from each end. Then make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts on each side of the center cut. To create a leaf-like appearance, use your fingers to gently stretch out each cut until the holes are about 2 inches wide.
  11. 4th Rest: Cover lightly and let rest for 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). If you have a baking stone, preheat it on the center rack. Otherwise, place a large flat baking sheet, or a rimmed baking sheet upside down, on the center rack to preheat.
  12. Brush the fougasse with olive oil, and sprinkle with herbs and/or sea salt, if using. Carefully slide the fougasse, along with the parchment paper, onto the preheated baking stone or baking sheet.
  13. Bake the fougasse until golden brown, about 20 minutes. If you give the top of the bread a tap, it should sound hollow. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the internal temperature as 190–200°F (88–93°C). I raised the oven temperature to 500°F for 3 minutes after the internal temperature reached 200°F to increase the browning.
  14. If desired, egg wash the warm bread. The egg wash will help adhere any herbs or salt to the bread. Serve warm with dipping oil and balsamic vinegar, alongside soup or salad, or as part of a cheese board.
  15. Fougasse is best the day it’s baked. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. If desired, reheat in a 350°F (177°C) oven, uncovered, for 5–8 minutes to crisp back up.
    Notes
  16. Make-Ahead Instructions: There are a few ways to get ahead. First, the biga (step 1) can sit at room temperature for up to 24 hours before using. Second, after the first 45-minute dough rest in step 5 (before the stretch-and-fold), you can cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. When ready to continue, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30–60 minutes before proceeding with the stretch-and-fold and shaping.
  17. Freezing Instructions: The best way to freeze this is to freeze the baked bread. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 350°F (177°C) oven, uncovered, for 5–8 minutes to crisp it back up.
  18. Special Tools (affiliate links): Kitchen Scale | Glass Mixing Bowls | Stand Mixer | Silicone Spatula | Baking Sheet | Pastry Brush | Instant-Read Thermometer | Cooling Rack
  19. Flour: For absolute best flavor and chewy texture, I strongly recommend using bread flour. You can use a 1:1 substitution of all-purpose flour in a pinch with no other changes to the recipe; however, the dough may not be as strong, and may not hold shape as well.
  20. Whole Wheat Flour: This small amount adds depth of flavor and subtle nuttiness without making the bread dense. You can replace it with additional bread flour if needed; the texture will be slightly lighter and less hearty. I don’t recommend increasing the whole wheat flour beyond 1/2 cup, as too much can make the fougasse dry and dense.
  21. Yeast: You can use instant or active-dry yeast, but I highly recommend an instant (aka “rapid rise” or “quick rise”) yeast. If using active-dry yeast, there are no changes needed to the recipe. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
  22. Optional Add-Ins: In step 2, when you mix the preferment with the dough ingredients, you can add up to 3/4 cup of chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or shredded cheese. Avoid adding too much, which can weigh the bread down and affect shaping. You can also add 2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs, or 1 teaspoon dried herbs.

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cookie

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I was going to photograph these cookies next to a margarita in honor of National Margarita Day, but then considered the pairing and propriety of such an image, and chose milk instead.

Sally’s post explains that these cookies being, flourless and butter-less, provide a healthier treat than traditional chocolate cookies. I can attest they do not have less taste.

Sally provided the basis of this bake. I modified the recipe slightly as with only one egg the mixture would not come together into a dough. This likely made the dough stickier than the original recipe but the cookies are still delicious and a great texture. Definitely returning here soon.

Also I used light brown sugar and coconut sugar in equal proportion to make the 90g.

And finally, as I only have Dutch Processed Cocoa I substituted 2 tsp of baking powder for the 1 tsp of baking soda. Natural cocoa is more acidic than Dutch Processed and using baking powder provides the additional acidity required to make the cookies rise.

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cookie

Makes about 12 cookies
INGREDIENTS
• 2 large egg
• 250g (1 c) creamy almond butter, at room temperature*
• 90g ( ½ c) lightly packed light or dark brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 2 tsp baking powder (If using natural cocoa powder use 1 tsp baking soda)
• 21g ( ¼ c) Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
• 180g (1 c) dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until beaten. With a big spoon or silicone spatula, or using an electric mixer, mix in/beat on medium speed the almond butter, then the brown sugar, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Beat/mix everything together very well. Depending how thick your almond butter is, you’ll have to use some arm muscle! Fold in the chocolate chunks until combined.
  3. Scoop about 2 Tbl of dough each onto prepared baking sheets and arrange 3 inches apart. The dough is very sticky. I wet a tablespoon as needed to scoop and place on the cookie sheet. I shaped the cookies with wet fingers to avoid sticking.
  4. Gently press down on the dough mounds with the back of a spoon. If you find the cookie dough balls are a little oily from the almond butter blot each with a paper towel.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and that’s expected. For firmer cookies, bake for 12 minutes.
  6. Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. During this time, I like to press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies. (This is optional and only for looks.) Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
  7. Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
    Notes
  8. I modified Sally’s recipe by adding another egg. The mixture did not come together with only one. The second egg allowed the mixture to turn into a dough, but likely made it stickier.
  9. Freezing Instructions: Cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature, if desired, before enjoying.
  10. Natural cocoa delivers a more intense, bright, fruity chocolate flavor. It’s used in traditional American recipes like chocolate cake, devil’s food cake, or chewy cocoa cookies.
  11. Dutch-processed cocoa is darker, smoother, and more mellow. It is used in European-style cakes, dark chocolate sauces, where you want a rich, almost black color. It effortlessly mixes into liquids and fat-rich batters like buttercream, ganache, or pudding.