A Straightforward Bread with a Twist- Non-Dairy Sandwich Bread

OK, I admit it. There are plenty of great sandwich bread recipes, and they aren't (and don't have to be) complicated or difficult. Sometimes, however, you want a simple bread that has all the qualities of a sandwich bread: sturdy for holding the filling but not tough and dry, soft without being wet, and tasty (of course) without being too sweet. Especially if your sandwiches are on the savory side. You know, roast beef, cold cuts, smoked meat and fish, good sharp cheeses. You know. At the same time you don't want to compromise on healthy, nutritious bread. What to do? Here is a recipe that  uses some of the ingredients and techniques I have posted in my ever-growing series of basic breads, in combination. It uses soy milk instead of regular milk and 'light' whole wheat flour in combination with regular bread flour. The result is a sandwich bread that is tasty and sturdy, without the aftertaste you sometimes get with soy. The whole wheat supplies the fiber and the regular bread flour the gluten. It is soft like an egg bread (challah is the classic egg bread) but there's no egg! A great compromise that really delivers the goods. The only problem might be, that it doesn't have a long 'shelf-life'. Don't worry, it will disappear before it has time to spoil. Enjoy!

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/4 cups (about 300ml) unflavored soy milk
1 Tbs honey
1 tsp yeast
1/4 cup (about 60ml) warm water
3 cups (450g) light whole wheat flour
or
1 1/2 cups light whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp butter or oil 

Here's what you'll need to do: 
* If the soy milk is not super fresh, i.e., you bought it today or yesterday at the earliest) then bring it to a boil then let it cool completely. This will help remove the aftertaste that some people do not like from soy milk. 
1. Add the honey to the cooled soy milk, then the butter or oil. Stir to combine.
2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. 
3. Combine the dry ingredients (flour and salt), then, making a 'well' in the middle add the soy milk mixture and the yeast mixture. Combine to make a smooth dough.

4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes to make a dough that is slightly sticky and very smooth.
5. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise, covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap, until doubled. This will take about 1 1/2 hours at room temperature.
6. Gently de-gas the dough and shape into a loaf the length and width of a loaf pan.

Place the loaf in a lightly greased loaf pan and let it rise until it is even with the height of the pan.
7. Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and bake the bread for about 35 minutes until golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. 

* Some variations:
* Add sunflower seeds to the bread dough after the first rise. Roll it out into a rectangle, sprinkle the seeds then roll it up and knead it to distribute evenly.
* Roll the loaf in poppy seeds or sesame seeds before placing in the loaf pan.
* Add raisins or dried cranberries (the same way as the sunflower seeds).

The Basic Series Revisited - Deli Rye Bread

This is the third post in a series (more to follow) or recipes that exemplify the correct use of basic ingredients and simple techniques. The idea behind it all is that by learning the basics we can then apply what we learn, creatively, to truly attain great heights in baking.

This bread it especially close to my heart. It evokes in me all those best childhood memories, back in Nova Scotia with my grandparents, now long gone. It reminds me of cold mornings, breath steaming in the really, really crisp air waiting patiently outside for our turn to buy bread. Fresh, baked bread, still hot from the oven. Wrapped in paper, not plastic so it could cool without getting soggy. It was that fresh. When we arrived back home with our precious packages, everyone waiting impatiently, the rye bread was unwrapped and we all started the Sunday morning ritual. My grandparents, being from Eastern Europe, and blissfully unaware of things like cholesterol, high-salt diets etc. would slather schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) on the still warm bread. Maybe sprinkle a few pieces of raw onion, some salt and gulp it down. Believe me, two or three pieces of that and you're set for the day, or the week. Sometimes this was augmented with a slice of hard-boiled egg. But not always. Purists frown on such things after all.

Despite all this, and the fact that I wouldn't dare eat those things anymore, this bread makes a perfect sandwich bread for all things savory. In other words, it is great for deli sandwiches, and for sharp cheeses. It is attached at the hip with sharp mustard. There is nothing better for a steak sandwich. Nothing. You will love it I promise.

This bread uses rye flour (duh!) in combination with regular white bread flour. The rye flour is for the taste and contributes to the color. However, rye has very little gluten (but enough so that people with gluten intolerance cannot use it). So to provide the structure and volume, regular bread flour is blended in. Also, I have added gluten (available at health food stores). The caraway seeds are optional, I know not everyone likes them. I do. Enjoy!

Here's what you'll need:
2 Tbs (30g) butter, melted
2 cups (about 280g) white rye flour
3 cups (about 420g) bread flour
1 packet (7g) yeast
2 cups (500ml) water at 105 F (40 C)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Tbs caraway seeds (optional)
1 Tbs molasses


Here's what you'll need to do:
1. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. Lightly oil either two loaf pans, or a baking sheet if you want to make free-standing loaves. (I use loaf pans because afterwards the shape is better for sandwiches). If you use the baking sheet, sprinkle it with cornmeal after greasing.
2. Measure out the flours into a bowl. Add the extra gluten then stir to combine.
3. Using a mixer with a dough hook, place about 1/3 of the flour mixture in the bowl and add the yeast. Add the water and mix briefly to make a very wet slurry, then gradually add the rest of the flour along with the salt, the optional caraway seeds, the molasses and the melted butter.

4. Mix vigorously for 3 or 4 minutes until a soft, but not sticky dough forms. You may have to add some flour to 'dry' the dough a bit. Or water to dampen it. Be careful. Add flour or water 1 Tbs at a time so the dough remains soft and supple.
5. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl to rise until it doubles. This could take 1 1/2 hours.
6. Gently deflate the dough, then either make free-standing loaves or shape them into loaves for your prepared pans. 

Let the loaves rise this second time until doubled. They will be 'springy' to the touch.
7. About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Bake the bread for about 35 minutes. It will sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

8. Let the bread cool on a wire rack at least 30 to 40 minutes before slicing (if you can).

Yum!!

Sandwich Time - Kaiser Rolls

In my last post I talked about using a 'starter' to give an added punch, so to speak, to your bread. The idea is that by forcing the dough to rise really slowly (overnight) it acquires a tangy flavor like sourdough. In fact, sourdough bread is made exactly this way with a 'starter' that ferments overnight, usually at room temperature. Another advantage of slowing down the 'proofing' time is that the texture also improves. In this case the final bread is much 'chewier' than a regular sandwich bread. This is much closer in style and substance to a European bread than an American bread. American bread in general, tends to be softer and richer (added sugar or eggs or oil). Whereas European breads, especially artisan type breads are much more frugal in their ingredient list. The pate fermentee (literally fermented dough in French) required is really a recipe for French bread and can easily be made into a baguette. In fact, if you recall that's exactly what I did last time. I simply made one batch the day before and fermented it overnight then added 'fresh' dough to the fermented dough. This resulted in exquisite baguettes, IMHO.

However, sometimes we want the full tangy flavor we get with the fermented dough without all of the chewiness that characterizes a baguette. This recipe is for a sandwich roll. It is tangy and sturdy (without being too chewy). The sturdiness will allow us to pile it high with all good things you put on sandwiches, smoked meats and cheeses, veggies and, of course, condiments and pickles. Yum!!

Here's what you'll need for the starter:
1 1/8 cups ( about 150g) AP flour
1 1/8 cups ( about 150g) bread flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp yeast
about 3/4 cups warm water


Here's what you'll need to do:
1. Stir together the flours with the yeast salt and warm water until you form a 'shaggy' dough.
2. Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for up to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let it rest and rise, covered until doubled. This will take about 2 hours at room temperature.
4. Gently de-gas the dough. Then return it to the bowl. Place the bowl, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator overnight.


The next day...
1. Remove the fermented dough from the refrigerator and cut it into about 10 pieces. Leave the pieces covered at room temperature for about an hour to warm up. 

Then add the following to 1 1/2 cups (about 230g) of the fermented dough...


2 1/4 cups (285g) AP flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast
1 large egg beaten (this is what enriches the dough and reduces the chewiness)
1 1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
10 Tbs (about 150ml) warm water


1. Stir together the flour, yeast, and salt. Then add the fermented dough, the egg, oil and water. Mix to form a 'shaggy' dough,. It is right when you can easily form a ball of dough.

2. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until you have a smooth dough that is also soft and slightly elastic. This may take as much as 10 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and, covered, let it ferment at room temperature for at least two hours.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into about 8 or 9 equal sized pieces. Form them into balls of dough, lightly mist them with spray oil, then cover and let them rest for about 10 minutes. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper, also sprayed lightly with oil and then sprinkled with semolina flour or cornmeal.
5. Prepare each piece of dough by shaping it into a Kaiser roll shape. This is essentially a 'rosette' formed by making a snake of dough and then making a simple knot and wrapping the ends around the ring of dough.

6. Place the rolls on the baking tray, and let them 'proof', covered, for 45 minutes. Then, gently, flip them over, and let them 'proof' for another 30 to 45 minutes. They will double in size.

7. Preheat the oven to 425 F (about 220 C). prepare the rolls for baking by misting them with water. If you want to cover them with seeds now is the time, otherwise just spray with water.

8. Place the bread in the oven then spray the oven walls with water and close the door. After 10 minutes rotate the tray for even baking. Lower the oven temperature to 400 F (about 200 C). Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes. 

Cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Classic French Bread - A Baguette (kind of...)

OMG!! I'm sitting here at the keyboard chewing on a baguette (or as close as I've ever gotten) stuffed with really spicy salami and slathered with hot Dijon mustard. The bread doesn't really get bitten off but more like torn. It's that chewy. I'll try not to get saliva on the keyboard. It's that good. Really.

This is not one of your usual breads that take 3-4 hours start to finish. This bread is a two-step process using a starter, called pate fermentee (literally fermented dough, in French). Don't despair. It really is not ac complicated as it sounds. Just remember that one of the tools we have at our disposal to bring out even more flavor from the dough is time. By increasing the time it takes to proof the dough we can bring out lots and lots of flavors trapped in the flour even when we have the simplest ingredients. This dough, for instance has no sugar at all. No oil (except in the oiled bowl used for proofing). No nuts or seeds. Nada.

I have been reading a lot lately about 'starters' used to enhance flavor in bread dough. Essentially there are three main types called poolish, biga and pate fermentee, used here. It is actually dough that is nade up the night before and allowed to ferment slowly (in the refrigerator) overnight. After that the recipe is fairly easy.

Here's what you'll need for the starter:
1 1/8 cups (5oz or 150g) AP flour
1 1/8 cups (5oz or 150g) bread flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp yeast
3/4 cup warm water


1. Mix the flours, yeast and salt together then add the water. Mix to form a 'shaggy' dough.
2. Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let is rise, covered, until doubled in bulk.
4. Gently de-gas the dough. Then form it into a ball and place it back in the bowl, covered.
5. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight.


The next day...
Here's what you'll need for the bread:
3 cups of the starter (all of it actually)
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1 1/4 cups bread flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp yeast
3/4 cups warm water


By now you've noticed its the same recipe except the dough from yesterday has fermented overnight.

1. Remove the pate fermentee from the refrigerator, cut it into about 10 equal-sized pieces and leave it, covered to come to room temperature.
2. Mix together the flours, yeast, salt and pate fermentee with the water until it is evenly distributed and a nice soft, pliable smooth dough is formed. Knead it for a few minutes to achieve this.
3. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl and let this mixed dough ferment at room temperature, covered for 2 hours.
4. Gently remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured surface being careful to de-gas the dough as little as possible.
5. Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces then, gently roll the dough to the desired length and thickness. 

6. Place each piece on a floured baking peel or a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover and let it rise, at room temperature until about 1 1/2 times in size.
7. In the meantime, about 30 minutes before baking time, pre-heat the oven for hearth baking, to 500 F (230 C) or as close as you can get in a home oven. Place an empty loaf pan in the oven for steam.
8. When the oven reaches the temperature (it will be more stable if you have a baking stone), quickly open the oven door and pour about a cup of boiling water into the loaf pan and close the door. After about 1 minute, use a spray bottle to spray the sides of the oven with water and close the door quickly. Be careful not to spray the glass!!. Do this twice more a minute apart so that steam builds up in the oven. 
9. Only after this place the dough in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 F (220 C). After 10 minutes turn the bread 180 degrees to ensure even baking and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. 

10. Cool on a rack waiting at least 40 minutes before slicing open to eat. (If you can manage to wait that long). The crust will be chewy and the crumb will be soft with nice sized holes. And the flavor... the tang is incredible!

This is a little intensive but believe me, well worth the effort!

Convenience and Style- The New York Water Bagel

Truth be told, bagels don't necessarily come from New York. Or at the very least, they don't only come from New York. That said, most people associate the very best bagels with the Big Apple. And the secret to the bagel's popularity isn't really much of a secret, after all. Bagels are boiled in a water bath before baking. This is what gives them their characteristic super thin crust (flavored) and the chewy texture. Probably they originated in Eastern Europe and came to New York at the turn of the 20th century with the millions of immigrants coming by the boatload. I remember eating great bagels in Nova Scotia baked in the famous (at least to me) Bernie's Bakery I spoke about in previous posts. And that is very far indeed from New York, in both body and soul, so to speak.

Bagels are first cousins to bialys (or pletzel) also from previous posts. Yet, there is something special about the bagel. The hole in the middle is part of it, of course. Still the combination of the texture and its supreme utility as a platform for smoked salmon, cream cheese, butter or really just about anything, is what makes the bagel so very popular. It is in some ways, the ultimate bread-based snack food. Small, convenient and oh, so tasty!

Bagels as bread may seem even more complicated than regular yeast breads but that is not the case. Actually, there is only one real rise so they take less time than regular bread. By the way, the dough, when made into a regular loaf of bread is also supremely delicious. Enjoy!

Here's what you'll need: (for about 30 medium bagels)
1 or 2 large potatoes (about 3/4 pound - 350g - total)
2 1/2 cups water
2Tbs yeast
1 1/2Tbs sugar
1 1/2Tbs salt
7 to 7 1/2 cups bread flour or AP flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
Egg glaze plus some seed toppings if desired


Here's what you'll need to do:
1. Peel the potato, cut into chunks, and boil in water until soft. Drain off 2 1/2 cups of the water, let it cool to 120F (55C). The potato can be used for something else.


2.Mix the yeast, sugar, salt and about 2 cups flour in a large bowl. Add the potato water and the oil then mix together. If using an electric mixer mix at medium speed for about 2 minutes, then add 1 more cup of flour and the eggs and beat for another 2 minutes. 


3. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until you have a soft, smooth dough that 'cleans the bowl' is formed. Remove it from the bowl to a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes to develop the gluten and make the dough very smooth.


4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until roughly doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.


5. Now for the fun part, forming the bagels. Deflate the dough, gently and remove it to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into quarters, then each quarter into 6 or 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball, then flatten into a disc. Poke your thumb through the disc, making the hole, then gently widen the hole (without breaking the circle of dough). Don't worry if each bagel looks slightly different, or if they slightly misshapen. These are homemade bagels after all. If you want factory-made, go to the grocery store!!

6. There is another school of thought on shaping bagels (of course!). The second method involves taking each piece of dough and forming a 'snake'. Pinch together the two ends to form a loop then roll the seam on a surface to unite them into one piece. 

You choose, they both seem to work just fine for me! Either way, the dough does not now need a second rise.

7. Preheat the oven to 425F (220C). While the oven is heating, boil several quarts (liters) of water in a large pot. For New York bagels, add two tablespoons of either salt or sugar to the water. This gives the traditional taste to the ultra-thin crust formed by the boiling. In Montreal, they add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the water, equally delicious I assure you.

8. Using a slotted spoon, lower a few bagels at a time into the water after it comes to a gently rolling boil. They will sink, so don't panic. When the rise in a few seconds, flip them over and let them boil for about 2 minutes, then flip over again and let them boil for 1 minute more. When they are done, remove them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. At this point they can be 'painted' with egg glaze and seed coated.


9. Bake then for about 25 minutes until a rich golden brown. Let them cool on a rack.

Happy New Year - A Special Post for Rosh HaShannah (Jewish New Year)

This year Rosh HaShannah, the Jewish New Year falls on Wednesday night, September 8. This is a two day holiday which both celebrates the new year (5771-according to the traditional count) and brings in a period of reflection and introspection that lasts until Yom Kippur (September 18). There are many, many, traditional foods associated with these holidays depending on the regional backgrounds of various groups world-wide. However, one theme is common among all groups. This is the universal symbol of the circle as a metaphor for life. This concept, of life as a continuous circle (cycle?) of events, without beginning or end, is not unique to Judaism but is actually quite a common theme in the Far East, especially in countries where Buddhism is practised. I make no claim to be an expert on either Judaism or Buddhism. Still, when you look around you, at the many, many circles that make up our lives, you can't help but be in wonder at the intricacy of it all. Years, of course. But also periods much longer including entire lifetimes. And much shorter like days continue quite undisturbed by the deeds of humankind. A delicate balance we should be careful not to upset and to treat with respect.

In Jewish tradition, foods associated with the holidays are round, reflecting the cyclical nature of life itself. So, too, with bread made especially for the holidays. In a previous post I presented my challah recipe, justly famous IMHO. It is not quite a brioche but, surprisingly, has little oil or sugar. Normally, during the year I make it as a braided loaf (usually 3 strands). For Rosh HaShannah it is made as a boule, a round ball reflecting the season. In the Balkans, breads and other baked goods for the holidays are made in a snail-like format, rolled into a 'snake', then coiled up into a round shape. Whatever your preference, it is wise, I think, to take the time, at least once a year, for serious reflection on how we can make ourselves better people, and how we can make our world a better place.

Here is a special challah recipe for the holiday. It is adapted from a recipe from a wonderful cookbook A Blessing of Bread: The Many Rich Traditions of Jewish Bread Baking Around the World. It uses apples, for two reasons at least. One. they are delicious and paired with the bread make a real winning combination. And, they are, of course, round.

Here's what you'll need:
14g (about 2 Tbs) instant yeast
5 cups (675g) bread flour
1 cup (225g) warm water
3 large eggs
1/3 cup (85g) vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp. (13g) salt
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
3 large or 4 medium baking apples (sweetish apples like Golden or Red Delicious, not tart ones) (about 1125g) for 4 1/2 cups (660g) of cut up apples


Here's what you'll need to do:
1. Mix together the yeast with one cup of the flour and the warm water to make a slurry. Let it stand for 20-30 minutes until it begins to ferment and get bubbly.
2. Mix into the is fermented slurry the eggs, oil, salt and sugar until it is all mixed well and the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. 
3. Now add all the remaining flour all at once and mix into a ragged ball of dough. Then remove it from the bowl to a lightly floured surface and knead it until it becomes nice and smooth, about 10 minutes or so. The dough should be only slightly sticky, almost tacky. If it is too 'dry' add water 1 Tbs. at a time to the dough while kneading. If it is too 'slack', then add flour the same way.
4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover for the first rise. Let it rise and ferment for about 1 hour. It will be only slightly puffed at this stage. In the meantime...
5. Prepare the apples. Peel, core and cut the apples into largish, squarish chunks. No exact measurements here, so don't worry if they are rounded instead of squared. They will still be delicious. Measure about 4 1/2 cups of cut-up apples. If the apples are too sweet, they may over-brown. So if this is a concern, you can toss them with a little lemon juice, otherwise leave it out.
6. Remove the dough from the bowl, cut into 2 equal pieces and cover one piece while you work with the other. Roll out the dough to about 16 inch square (41cm) and 1/8 inch (3mm) thick.
7. Pour about 1 cup of apples over the center third of the dough, then fold the left side over the apples to cover. Try to press the dough into the apples to try to seal them into the dough. Then pour another cup of apples over the sealed portion of the dough and fold the remaining third over the second batch of apples. Try to seal this over the apples as best you can. You now have a 'letter-fold' of dough and apples. Starting from the short side, roll this up into a rough ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise for at least an hour. (The longer the better-up to 24 hours in the refrigerator to enhance the flavor). 
8. Repeat with the second piece of dough, placing it in a second oiled bowl to rise and ferment.
9. Oil two round 8in (20cm) cake pans or two loaf pans. Using dusting flour, if you need, roughly shape each piece of dough into a round (or loaf) shape deflating as much as possible . You won't be able to deflate much because of the apples. Let the loaves rise, covered until they rise just past the edges of the pans (about 30 minutes or 1 1/2 hours if refrigerated).
10. About 30 minutes before baking preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Just before baking, brush each loaf with oil and then sprinkle sugar (or sugar and cinnamon) over each loaf for a sugary crust. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until richly brown. 
11. Let the bread cool completely on a rack. 
These are exceptional loaves of bread for celebrations. Enjoy them all year for special occasions. Yum!

Combining Flours - Basic Buttermilk Cornbread

There are lots of different cornbread recipes and of all different types of cornbread. It seems like everyone has their favorite. But essentially, there are two main types with countless variations. There is the cornbread made without flour altogether, using eggs and milk to hold it all together. Then there is the cornbread using equal amounts of wheat flour and cornmeal that is 'breadier' in texture. This recipe falls into that category. It is sweetened with honey and brown sugar and then 'baked' in an oven-proof skillet. To give it the extra tangy flavor, the cornmeal is soaked overnight in buttermilk, almost like a pseudo-sourdough bread. The extra flavor that develops is truly amazing.

This recipe is the second in a series I am posting using flour combinations to demonstrate basic recipes. You can go anywhere from here using them as a basis for millions of your own favorite creations.

Here's what you'll need:
the night before baking:
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 cups buttermilk


the next day:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. baking powder
3 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. honey
3 Tbs. melted butter
16oz whole kernel corn (drained if from a can, or thawed if frozen)


Here's what you'll need to do:
1. The day before baking, mix the cornmeal and buttermilk together and let it stand, covered, at room temperature.


the next day...
2. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). In a second bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda) together. In a third bowl mix together the wet ingredients (eggs, sugars, melted butter - whisk together then add the corn).
3. Mix the wet ingredients into the cornmeal and buttermilk mixture stirring to combine. Then, one-third at a time add the dry mixture until absorbed. (You may need to adjust the 'batter' a little with flour or water to keep the batter consistency). 
4. Melt 2 Tbs. of butter in an oven-proof skillet until VERY hot. Then pour in the batter. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for about 35 minutes until well browned and the bread is springy. Allow this bread to cool in the pan. (This is a moist cornbread).
5. Careful don't overeat!! Yum!