Category Archives: Bread

Lemon Blueberry Babka

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Well, it’s the first of the month and Sally, of Sally’s Baking Addiction, posted her challenge for June. Below is her recipe slightly modified to suit my recipe format (i.e. weights are first and volume second and abbreviations as I like. I figure the recipe is for me to use, so why not?)

Sally’s pictures were much better than mine, but then, I bet she has made this before. Nice separate lemon and blueberry flavors.

Lemon Blueberry Babka


https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/lemon-blueberry-babka/

INGREDIENTS

Dough
• 160g ( 2/3 c) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
• 7g (2 ¼ tsp) yeast
• 75g (6 Tbl) granulated sugar, divided
• 71g (5 Tbl) RT unsalted butter, sliced into 1 Tbsp-size
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 large RT egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 358g (2 ¾ c) bread flour or AP flour, plus more as needed
Blueberry Filling
• 170-180g ( ¼ c) fresh blueberries (do NOT use frozen)
• 75g 6 Tbl) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Crumble Topping
• 24g (3 Tbl) bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 38g (3 Tbl) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 28g (2 Tbl) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Brush on Assembled Loaf
• 1 egg white, beaten
Lemon Icing (Optional)
• 120g (1 c) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 ½ Tbl fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbl whole milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half

METHOD

  1. Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes, until foamy and frothy on top. If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix the dough by hand using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.
  2. Add the remaining sugar, butter, lemon zest, egg, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup (130g) of bread flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add another 1 cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until relatively incorporated (there may still be chunks of butter). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add 1/2 cup of flour and beat on medium speed until the dough begins to come together. As the mixer runs, add another 2–4 Tablespoons of flour (up to 2 and 3/4 cups total) depending on how wet the dough looks. This should be a very soft and almost creamy-feeling dough. Do not add more flour than you need.
  3. Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if using the paddle) and beat for an additional 6–8 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.
  4. 1st rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with nonstick spray or butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl tightly and allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment until nearly double in size, about 3–4 hours.
  5. While the dough is rising, make the blueberry filling: Combine blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice together in a small saucepan with tall sides over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, pressing the blueberries against the sides of the pan (stand back in case they splatter!). Once the blueberries are mostly smashed and the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and allow to come to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. (If you have a candy or instant-read thermometer, the mixture should reach about 215–220°F.) You should have about 1/2 cup (around 160g). Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. The filling will thicken as it cools. You can transfer it to a shallow heat-safe dish and place it in the refrigerator to cool down quicker. Set aside.
  6. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter.
  7. When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out to a 9×15-inch rectangle. Note: Should it run over the sides of the dough, the blueberry filling can stain a work surface. If needed, transfer the rolled-out dough to a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Gently spread the blueberry filling mixture on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered. Using floured hands, tightly roll up the dough to form a 15-inch-long log. Place the log on its seam. Fold in half, then twist it to form a figure 8. Pinch the ends together. Place in the prepared loaf pan.
  8. Loosely cover shaped babka. Allow to rise until it’s puffy and nearly reaches the top of the loaf pan, at least 1–1.5 hours.
  9. Make the crumble topping: Mix the brown sugar and flour together in a small bowl. Add the cold butter and, using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers, cut the butter into the brown sugar mixture until pea-size crumbles form. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. (Cold crumbles are best!)
  10. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
  11. Brush the surface of the babka with egg white. Using a toothpick, poke 10–12 holes all over the top of the loaf; this helps prevent an air bubble gap in the interior layers. Sprinkle with crumble topping.
  12. Bake: Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top. The surface of the bread browns quickly, so I recommend loosely tenting the pan with aluminum foil around the 30-minute mark. To ensure the bread is done at 50 minutes, give the warm bread a light tap. If it sounds hollow, it’s done. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).
  13. Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before icing, or slicing and serving. A serrated knife is best for slicing.
  14. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and milk. Drizzle over the babka.
  15. Cover leftover babka tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
    Notes
  16. Freezing Instructions: Baked babka (without icing) freezes wonderfully. Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw wrapped loaf overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then unwrap and warm to your liking. You can also freeze the dough. After punching down the dough in step 7, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then punch the dough down again to release any air bubbles. Continue with the rest of step 7.
  17. Make-Ahead Instructions: Prepare the dough through step 3. Place into a greased bowl (use nonstick spray to grease). Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to come to room temperature, then let it rise until doubled in size, about 3 hours. Continue with step 6. You can prepare the blueberry filling and crumble topping ahead of time as well. Let the filling cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Refrigerate or freeze the topping for up to 1 week.
  18. Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer or Large Glass Mixing Bowl | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Rolling Pin | Pastry Cutter | Pastry Brush
  19. Yeast: Platinum Yeast from Red Star is an instant yeast. Any instant yeast works. You can use a 1:1 substitution of active dry yeast instead with no changes to the recipe. Rise times will be slightly longer if using active dry yeast. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
    Find it online:

Dutch Crunch Bread

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I never heard of Dutch Crunch Bread before our son, Dan asked me about it. Frances, our D.I.L., brought him a sandwich from San Francisco, made with this bread, one of his favorites.

I checked the internet (of course) and was pleased to see King Arthur Baking had both a recipe and video. I made it the same morning and was overjoyed at the result. A great crunch from the topping and a soft chewy crumb from the basic dough.

I made a nice roast beef sandwich for that day’s lunch and froze 3 rolls to make toast a couple or days later. Let the rolls warm to room temperature, then slice lengthwise I toasted it for breakfast.

Definitely a keeper!

Rolls with Topping
Finished Rolls
Rolls ready for sandwich or toast

Dutch Crunch Bread

INGREDIENTS
Dough
• 503g (4 c plus 3 Tbl) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
• 331g (1 1/3 c plus 2 Tbl ) water*
• 15g(1 Tbl plus ½ tsp) granulated sugar
• 2 Tbl (28g) butter or 2 Tbl (25g) vegetable oil
• 9g (1 Tbl) instant yeast
• 12g (2 tsp) table salt
*For cooler months (air and flour temperature around 65°F), use 85°F to 95°F water. In warmer months (air and flour temperature around 75°F), use 65°F to 75°F water.

Baking
• yellow cornmeal or King Arthur Semolina Flour, for dusting

Topping
• 113g (1/2 c) water, lukewarm
• 9g (1 Tbl) instant yeast
• 12g (1 Tbl) granulated sugar
• 1 Tbl (12g) vegetable oil
• 6g (1 tsp) table salt
• 107g (3/4 c) white rice flour

METHOD

  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large bowl, mix all the dough ingredients together until thoroughly combined and homogeneous. Knead briefly with a wet hand in the bowl, 1 minute or so. 

  2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then perform a bowl fold: Use a wet hand to grab a section of dough from one side, lift it up, then press it down into the middle. Give the bowl a quarter-turn (90°) and repeat 3 to 6 times, until you’ve circled the dough and it’s become resistant to stretching. (The dough will be rough at this stage.) Turn the dough seam-side down in the bowl. The dough temperature should be between 74°F and 78°F. Cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

  3. Knead the dough in the container or on a work surface to form a cohesive, smooth mass, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the dough seam-side down in the bowl and allow it to rise at room temperature until it feels marshmallow-y and light, 45 to 90 minutes.
  4. While the dough is still in the bowl, lightly sprinkle it with flour. Use a bowl scraper to release the sides of the dough so that it can come out of the bowl without pulling or tearing. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the top, then divide it into 8 pieces (about 113g each). For larger hoagies, divide the dough into 4 pieces (about 226g each). 

  5. To preshape the dough: Use lightly floured hands to pat each piece of dough into a rough square. Fold the left and right sides in to meet in the middle, then press to gently seal. Starting at the top, fold the rectangle towards yourself in 3 motions, pressing gently after each fold, to create a 5″ cylinder with the seam-side down. The entire time you work, apply flour as needed to make sure the dough is moving easily on the work surface. Cover and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Let the preshaped dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal or semolina.
  7. To shape the rolls: Starting with the first piece of dough you preshaped, flip it over so the seam is up. Pat it into a rectangle with the long side facing you. Fold the top long edge into the middle, then fold the bottom edge into the center to meet it. Fold the top of the dough down to the bottom edge and press to seal with the heel of your hand. Roll the log against the surface to make an even tube about 7 1/2″ to 8″ long. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the shaped rolls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly.
  8. Loosely cover the baking sheets and set aside to rise for 30 minutes. While the rolls rise, make the crunch topping.
  9. To prepare the crunch topping: In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients until homogenous. Set aside until the dough completes the 30-minute rise; no need to cover it. Before use, stir to deflate and check the consistency: It should be thick but not tight, somewhere between pudding and ketchup. Adjust with additional water or rice flour as necessary. 

  10. To apply the crunch topping: Portion 1 tablespoon of the crunch topping onto the center of the rolls. (If making the large hoagie-sized rolls, use 2 tablespoons of crunch topping per roll.) Use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently distribute the crunch topping evenly over the surface and down the sides, stopping just shy of where the roll meets the pan.
  11. After applying the topping, allow the rolls to rise for an additional 45 to 75 minutes, until jiggly and wobbly. (No need to cover.)
  12. Towards the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 450°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
  13. Put the rolls in the oven and immediately drop the temperature to 425°F.
  14. Bake the rolls for 18 to 24 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, or until the tops are deeply colored and mottled in appearance and the sides are golden. Cool briefly and enjoy.

Storage information: Dutch crunch rolls are best eaten fresh. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days and reheat or toast before using; freeze for longer storage

Sandwich Bread

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After reading a new recipe for sandwich bread I realized it was very similar to my “go to” artisan bread. The differences are two tablespoons of sugar are added to the water and yeast and allowed to rest for 10 minutes before adding the bread flour and salt, and the bread is baked in a greased loaf pan instead of a Dutch oven

The result is a very soft loaf with a softer crust than the artisan bread and perfect sandwich crumb. It’s amazing what such a small change can make in character of a bread. There is a time and place for everything.

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)

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 1 ½ 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 15 minutes.
  4. Using lightly floured 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, bake for 12 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

Krustenbrot

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Thanks to my semester of college German (barely passed) and Google Translate, I knew this would be a crusty bread. I saw this recipe and method in YouTube and decided to give it a try. It’s not terribly different from other breads I make, but did you and overnight room temperature proof (12-18 hours) to develop flavor and structure.

This morning it was evident the dough over proofed during the night. I could see on the bowl how high the dough rose on the glass and was down ~20% this morning. I shaped it and let it sit for 30 minutes as the oven pre-heated, hoping it would recover.

I baked it as directed and it did exhibit some oven spring and resulted in a nice, small flavorful loaf, but was wet, dense, and disappointing. Some possible remedies would be to use much less yeast (1/2 – 1/4 teaspoon,) or refrigerate the proofing overnight. Either should retard the proof and make the 12 hours not over proof the dough.

I have another recipe that the author claimed she learned from an Italian restaurant bake and will give that one a try next week. I have other fish to fry… or rather bakes to bake before then.

No-Knead Artisan Bread -Krustenbrot


https://www.quick-german-recipes.com/artisan-bread-recipe.html

INGREDIENTS
• 390 g (3 c) AP flour
• 5 g (1½ tsp) active dry yeast
• 360 g (1½ c) warm water
• 6 g (1 tsp) salt
• extra flour for dusting

METHOD

  1. Mix the first four ingredients together in a large bowl with a Danish whisk. The dough will be sticky and look a mess!
  2. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and rest it on the counter (at room temperature) for at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours. The dough will rise and the top will be bubbly and sticky.
  3. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside of Dutch oven. Place paper on counter and sprinkle lightly with flour.
  4. Lightly sprinkle flour on counter. Gently put the dough on it. Sprinkle a bit of flour on top pat into a rough rectangle and fold the dough over on itself twice, shaping it into an elongated ball.
  5. Gently place onto parchment paper. Cover with a large bowl that doesn’t touch the dough.
  6. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and put your Dutch oven into the oven to heat for about 30 minutes.
  7. Slash the top of the dough with a sharp knife or lame blade.
  8. Remove preheated Dutch oven and, using oven mitts, gently lift parchment paper with dough into it and cover with lid. Return to oven.
  9. Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown.
  10. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool for about 1 hour before slicing.

Classic Bruschetta

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It’s nearly time for another QC Cadre gathering. We welcomed new neighbors last month and will introduce them to the Cadre in a couple of weeks. The menu is under development and practice bakes are underway.

Yesterday I made baguettes in anticipation of today’s bruschetta. I made baguettes several times in the past, but none recently. (They came out great this time too.)

This morning I made the marinated tomato topping (along with an artisan bread for sandwiches etc.) It was delicious. Next time I will chop the browned garlic. I changed the recipe to reflect this alteration.

Classic Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE TOMATOES
• 2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 c. (2 Tbl) thinly sliced basil
• 1 Tbl balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

FOR THE BREAD
• ½ large baguette, sliced ¼” thick on the bias
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
• 1 clove garlic, halved

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, heat oil. Add garlic and cook until lightly golden, 2 to 4 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool, then chopped.
  3. In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, basil, vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add garlic and oil and toss to combine. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, toast bread: Brush bread on both sides lightly with oil and place on large baking sheet. Toast bread until golden, 10 to 15 minutes, turning halfway through. Let bread cool for 5 minutes, then rub tops of bread with halved garlic cloves.
  5. Spoon tomatoes on top of bread just before serving.

Daniels recipe: fresh basil and tomatoes, olive oil, salt, good quality balsamic, toasted baguette with olive oil, topped with fresh Parmesan

White Sandwich Bread

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It’s been a while since I made any basic, traditional sandwich bread, but that ended this afternoon.

At 3:30 we decided to have BLT’s for dinner, except we didn’t have any bread. In her infinite wisdom QC said, “It’s only 3:30. Can’t you make bread before dinner?” Usually I start baking around 6am, but in a crisis I can be flexible.

We bought some “B” at the market this noon, and had one “T” left over from our favorite roast beef wraps. (Flour tortillas, mayo, lettuce, tomato, roast beef and in QC’s case, cheese and in mine pickled jalapeños.) My garden lettuce is starting to bolt and grew very tall over the last week, so it needs to be eaten right away, hence the “L” in our sandwich. (I gave “stalks” of lettuce to the QC Cadre.) The head lettuce has another week or two.

I used to make this bread as my standard, until I found the artisan breads that have nicer crust and crumb.

Bread – White Gold Medal Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 Loaves
Bread flour • 6 to 7 cups
Sugar • 3 Tbl
Salt • 1 Tbl
Shortening • 2 Tbl
Yeast • 4 ½ Tsp
Warm water • 2 ¼ cups (120° to 130°F)

METHOD

  1. In large bowl, stir ½ of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
  2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 30 to 40 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
  3. Grease bottoms and sides of 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
  4. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18×9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface.
  5. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf.
  6. Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 20 to 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
  7. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
  8. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped and internal temperature is 195 deg. (Tent the bread with aluminum foil if the brown too soon.) Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.

New Bread Recipe to Try Today

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If you know, or follow me, you know I am always looking for new recipes, even if I already use a great one. Case in point is the No-Knead Artisan Bread I found a PreppyKitchen.com. It’s wonderful bread with a nice crunchy crust and soft, chewy interior and excellent flavor. Plus it is easy to make, uses few dishes and only takes a couple of hours. However, I do often find alternate recipes and occasionally give one a try. Hence, today’s experiment.

I found a recipe called “Homemade 25 Minute Bread” and made a loaf exactly following the instructions (even though I knew they were wrong.) At this point I am an experienced bread baker and am comfortable with my abilities to distinguish what will work and what will not, but you never know. I bake to learn.

I modified the published recipe, and for expediency used a stand mixer rather than kneading by hand. I enjoy hand kneading, (when I have the time,) but I was making 2 sequential loaves this morning, before I made a batch of rough puff pastry, and watched the RBC Heritage Golf Championship.

The basic difference in the two breads involves handling the dough. The original specified a 5 minute hand knead until the dough was “smooth and elastic.” I increased the kneading time to 8 minutes so it would just about pass the windowpane test. It also only had a 10 minutes “rise” rather than a full “normal” proof, which was 45 minutes at ~90°F. It also did not suggest a lame or sharp knife slash. This gives the dough someplace to expand rather than burst through the sides of the loaf during baking.

The published recipe resulted in a very dense, not very pleasant loaf. ( I see French toast in my future.) The altered recipe was much lighter. While the crumb was very similar it was light and soft with a good crust. The final result is, back to PreppyKitchen!

I renamed the recipe “Homemade 45-Minute Bread – Dede’s Version. It’s slightly more accurate. (The time does not include proofing time.)

Original on the right, “improved” on the left
Original with torn sized on the front left, “improved” without tears on the back right.

Homemade 25-Minute Bread

INGREDIENTS :
• 360g 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 15g 1 tablespoon sugar
• 15g 1 tablespoon salt
• 11g 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 236g 1 cup warm water (110°F)
• 23g 2 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Mix well.
  2. Add the warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir until a dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  5. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let it rise for 10 minutes.
  6. After the dough has rested, punch it down and shape it into a loaf or divide it into smaller rolls.
  7. Place the shaped dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  9. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Homemade 45-Minute Bread – Dede’s Version

INGREDIENTS :
• 360g 3 cups all-purpose flour – Divided
• 15g 1 tablespoon sugar
• 15g 1 tablespoon salt
• 11g 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 236g 1 cup warm water (110°F)
• 23g 2 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

  1. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour (less 4 Tbl) , sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Whisk well.
  2. Add the warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a dough hook until a dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough is very sticky. Add the reserved flour one tablespoon at a time until the sides of he bowl begin to clean.
  4. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let it rise for 45 minutes. The dough weighs ~684g at this point
  5. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  6. After the dough has rested, punch it down and shape it into a loaf or divide it into smaller rolls.
  7. Place the shaped dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Slash with a lame or knife
  9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is ~195⁰F and bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  10. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Seven-Strand Plaited Wreath

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Mostly I followed Paul Hollywood’s recipe. I wanted a larger wreath so I extended each strand by a few inches. I plan to add some Easter eggs to the center for our brunch next Sunday. Hopefully there is room enough for an egg for each kids in attendance.

Paul Hollywood’s Seven-Strand Plaited Wreath

INGREDIENTS
• 500g bread flour
• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• 10g fine salt
• 340ml of water
• 1½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 1 egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

METHOD

  1. Make the dough. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and salt, and stir to mix.
  2. Pour three-quarters (225ml) of the water into the flour mixture. Add the olive oil and mix by hand until combined, then mix in the rest of the water to form a dough.
  3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes, until the dough looks silky and stretchy. Place the dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
  4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface again and knead it to knock it back. Shape the dough into a ball. It should weigh ~930 g. Divide the ball into 7 equal pieces, (~133g each) then roll each piece into a strand about 80cm long.
  5. Make the plait. Lay out the strands on a lightly floured work surface like an octopus, with the legs fanned out from a central, top point, stretching towards you. Stick all the ends at the central point to the work surface with your thumb. Take the outside strand on the right and cross it over 3 strands towards the middle while gently stretching it, then take the outside strand on the left and cross it over 3 strands towards the middle. Stretching the strands makes a slightly tighter braid.
  6. Repeat this process, always taking the outside strand (first on the right and then on the left) and crossing it over 3 strands into the middle until you have plaited all of the strands.
  7. Shape the plait. Trim each end of the plait to neaten, then form the plait into a wreath, pinching the ends together to join them and tucking the join underneath to give a neat finish. Trim enough off so the join is about the same diameter as the rest of the plait. Optionally put a small oven safe bowl in the center of the wreath to maintain the size and shape. As a treat roll the end trimmings into a ball and bake on the same sheet as the wreath. Don’t forget to egg wash it.
  8. Place on the parchment paper lined baking tray, then into a proving bag and leave the shaped loaf to prove for 45 minutes, until almost doubled in size.
  9. Heat the oven to 425°F. Brush the top of the loaf with the beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown, and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

We Have A Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

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Sorry, no chicken or dinner here,

FB posted this Rustic No Knead Rosemary Garlic Bread by Jacques Pepin. I made a few changes to the method (as if I know more than M. Pepin.)

I followed the ingredients as published and the bread was fantastic, but next time I will increase the amount of garlic. All changes have been incorporated in the recipe below.

I did a stretch and fold before shaping the loaf, This is a 100% hydration bread and has little structure before baking, i.e it is very soft, wet, and hard to handle.. There was no reference to scoring the bread, but on reviewing the published photo realized it was scored with large cross cuts. (Next time, which will be very soon.)

My baking time was also much longer (nearly double) what was published. My modifications are incorporated below.)

Rustic No Knead Rosemary Garlic Bread – Jacques Pepin

INGREDIENTS
• 360g (3 c) AP flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 355g(1 ½ c) warm water (about 105-115⁰ F)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• 1 Tbl chopped fresh rosemary
• ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast.
  2. Add the warm water, minced garlic, and olive oil to the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 12-18 hours.
  4. Preheat oven and prepare dough: Preheat oven to 450⁰ F .
  5. Sprinkle a light coating of flour around the edge of the bread and use your fingers to lightly tuck the flour into the edge of the dough. With floured fingers (you may need to re-flour your fingers after each time you touch the bread) stretch and fold the bread, turning 90⁰ and repeat a total of 10-12 stretch and folds to make the dough firmer and easier to handle. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into a loaf.
  6. Lightly oil a 10-inch cast iron skillet or coat with nonstick spray, sprinkle with cornmeal. Score a large cross in the bread with a lame or sharp knife.
  7. Place the loaf in the skillet for 30-40 minutes, checking the internal temperature every 5 minutes after the first 20, or until golden brown and cooked through.
  8. While the bread is still warm, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped rosemary and Parmesan cheese.
  9. Let the bread cool slightly before slicing and serving. Try this with an oil and vinegar dip.

You Can Take The Boy Out Of Vermont…

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I saw this recipe on FB and was, of course, compelled to make a loaf.

It’s a pretty easy bake and results in a very nice tasting bread with a good whole wheat crumb and texture. Next time will double the amount of maple syrup (costly, but worth it) or add the maple sugar to the top (I didn’t have any.)

Vermont Maple Oatmeal Bread


INGREDIENTS
• 1 ¼ cups boiling water
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup (78g) maple syrup or ½ cup maple sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon maple flavor optional
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
METHOD

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine boiling water, oats, maple syrup (or maple sugar), butter, salt, cinnamon, and maple flavor if using. Stir and let cool to lukewarm.
  2. Once cooled, add yeast, whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour. Stir until a rough dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes by hand or 7 minutes with a machine.
  4. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 60 to 90 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
  5. Gently deflate the dough and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place in a lightly greased 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan.
  6. Cover and let the loaf rise until it crowns about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 60 to 90 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  8. If desired, brush the top with water and sprinkle with maple sugar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting with foil after 15 minutes to prevent over-browning. The interior should reach 190°F (88°C).
  9. Remove from the oven, let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
    NOTES
  10. For a more pronounced maple flavor, increase the maple syrup slightly and reduce the water accordingly.
  11. This bread is excellent toasted with butter or cream cheese. – Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or freeze for longer storage.