Basis Artisan Bread - An English Bloomer

I have to admit that I came across this bread quite by accident. I was doing something I do a lot. I mean, I DO THIS A LOT! Search for recipes, especially for bread. Only recently I found a recipe for a 'tartine-like' bread a la Chad Robertson. Not his recipe, but apparently close enough. I will need a bit more time to get up the courage to try this bread. In the meantime, with my 'research' I found this bread. An English bloomer, so-called because it expands on the slash lines as it bakes and so it 'blooms'.

As you can see by my latest offerings, I have entered a 'European' phase with breads and this one fits perfectly. It's origin is England. It is a peasant bread with a slightly chewy crust and a soft moist crumb. Very stable, not at all crumbly and so it makes great sandwiches and even better toast. Yum!

Here's What You'll Need:

• 500g/1lb 2oz strong white flour, plus extra for kneading
• 10g/¼oz salt
• 1 x 7g package of instant yeast
• 320ml/11½oz cold water
• 40ml/1½fl oz olive oil, plus extra for kneading
• extra oil and flour, for kneading
  
  
  Here's What You'll Need To Do:
  
  
  1. Mix together the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, then slowly, while mixing by hand, add the water. You may not need all of it. Mix just until you have a shaggy dough. It will be sticky.
  
  
  2. Remove the dough to a lightly-oiled surface (OLIVE OIL, PLEASE) and knead vigorously for 8-10 minutes. The dough will slowly become smooth and elastic.
  
  
  
  3. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover to rise until at least doubled. This could be up to 2 hours.
  
  
  4. Remove the dough from the bowl, punch down to remove the air, then shape into a tight 'torpedo shape. Spray with oil, lightly, then cover to rest and rise again, this time for about 45 minutes, until half again its original size.
  
  
  5. Preheat the oven to 400F/190C. Just before baking, spray the loaf with water. Sprinkle some flour over the top. Then slash the bread 3 or 4 times. 
  
  
  
  6. Bake with steam for 30 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350F/180C and continue baking for another 10 minutes. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when it's tapped on the bottom.
  
  
  7. Cool on a rack.
  
  
  
  
  

Second Home - Mediterranean Olive Bread

When you think of typical Mediterranean foods, certain images immediately come to mind. Salty white cheeses like the famous feta and its universal cousins. Olive oil and olives. Ripe, firm tomatoes. Fresh herbs like oregano, basil of course, thyme, rosemary.

And bread, two styles especially. There is the thick-crusted 'artisan'-style loaves. Basically a boule, baked at a high temperature until almost black. The interior remains soft and white while the crust is so crunchy you almost have to saw it open. Almost. Then there is the 'country' loaf. A softer crust with a white and fluffy interior. Almost heaven and made with only a few select ingredients. White bread flour, yeast, water and salt. To soften the crust just a little more add an egg. To brown the crust add some sugar. That's it.

This bread is from the second category. It has a robust crust but not at all crunchy or chewy. The interior is soft as soft can be. Fluffy. It is a variation on a bread found throughout the Mediterranean in one form or another. Another variant can be found in the wonderful baking book Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads. I have replaced the typical butter with olive oil to cut down on the saturated fats, and to add the flavor of the oil. Olive oil does not suit a lot of baked goods, but is perfect for Mediterranean bread. Also, just so you wouldn't mistake it's origins, I have added about 1 cup of roughly chopped green olives. The aroma in your kitchen will be unbelievable. And if you can manage to wait until it cools, you won't be disappointed.

Here's What You'll Need:
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour (or AP flour)
1 Tbs. dry yeast
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter (or Olive oil)
1 cup green olives, roughly chopped (or half black)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Here's What You'll Need to Do:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups of the flour and the other dry ingredients (yeast, sugar and salt). Mix thoroughly.

2. Make a well in the center, then add the water, while stirring, to form a thick-ish batter. Beat in the eggs, then the butter gradually. Or the olive oil if using it instead of the butter.

3. Stir vigorously until the batter is smooth and silky, then add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough 'cleans the bowl'. Continue to knead until the dough is smooth and shiny and only just barely sticky.

4. Place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let it rise until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Deflate the dough. Push it out with your fingers until it forms a rough rectangle. Sprinkle the drained olives evenly over the surface of the dough, then roll it up, jelly-roll style from the long side to form a 'log'. Tuck the ends underneath the log, and place it on a parchment -lined baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel, to rise a second time, about 45 minutes.

6. About 20 minutes before baking time, pre-heat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Brush the loaf with the beaten egg, then bake for about 35 minutes until it is a deep brown. It will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

7. Cool on a rack.

Oh, and it makes amazing toast!

Another Experiment - Barley-Wheat Batard

I admit it. I have a weakness for sandwiches of all kinds. I like cold cuts, especially salami, for instance. Oh, and pastrami. I love a good roast beef sandwich with a sharp mustard and a kosher dill on the side. I'm supposed to avoid things extra salty, btw, so you can see how that's working for me. (We 'll leave aside my snack weakness for potato chips, just for now). That said, I also love dairy sandwiches, especially a good sharp cheese like a Swiss Emmental  or a Gouda from Holland. Again with the same mustard. This is a way of explaining to you, dear readers, why I bring you another great sandwich bread. This time, I experimented with barley flour. The flavor is similar to rye but the color is not as dark, and it seems to rise a little more readily as well. The result is a strong bread, slightly 'grayish' in color that holds a big stack of filling without falling apart! I shaped this loaf in the classical 'batard' style which is to say a kind of 'boule' that is tapered at each end. Although this shape is sometimes used as an intermediate stage to making baguettes, it can be a final shape in its own right. What I like about it, is that the tapered ends get very, very crispy. I mean very, very crispy. Make an open-face sandwich and crunch away... BTW, this post has been submitted to Yeastspotting.

Here's What You'll Need:

about 2 1/2 cups AP flour
about 1 cup barley flour
1 Tbs. dry yeast
2 Tbs. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. milk powder
2 Tbs. oil
about 1 1/4 cup warm water

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer) add the barley flour and the yeast. Add 1 cup warm water, cover, them let the mixture sit at room temperature for about an hour.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt, and mix to form a rough dough. Adjust for dryness by adding a little water or white flour as necessary. Finally, add the salt mixing thoroughly.

3. Knead the dough vigorously for about 10 minutes until smooth and even. The dough will be slightly gray in color because of the barley flour. That's OK.

4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, covered and let it rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly taking care not to remove all the gases trapped inside. Form the dough into a 'batard' shape applying slightly more pressure on the ends so they become tapered. Place the shaped dough on a parchment covered baking tray and cover for the second rise. This should take about 45 minutes.

6. About 15 minutes before bake time, preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Spray water into the oven to create a steamy atmosphere and bake the bread for about 35 to 40 minutes, removing the steam for the last 15 minutes or so. Cool on a rack.

7. Enjoy!

OMG!! Really Good Bread - White Sandwich Bread with Fresh Herbs

Do you think the the headline is a little over the top? I don't know, maybe it is. But then this bread is over the top, too. So should I just lie and say something like. You'll like this bread, better try it. Nah!! Doesn't quite make it. This is bread that attacks practically all your senses at once. I mean, this bread not only tastes incredible, but also fills the house with an intoxicating aroma. And I mean that in a good sense. And if that wasn't enough, then, if you can, wait until it cools down, slice it open and the smallish hints of fresh herbs poking out at you, combined with the sense of feel when you eat it will completely convince you that this bread is a definite keeper. Oh, and it's great for all kinds of sandwiches. Cold cuts with a nice sharp mustard, for instance. Or a strong cheese (again with the aforementioned sharp cheese). Or even pan-seared veggies like eggplant or red bell pepper. You will make this one many times, I'm sure. So when you're slicing your fourth (or fifth) slice, don't say I didn't warn you.

Here's What You'll Need: for 1 loaf or about 12 rolls
2 1/2 to 3 cups AP flour
1/2 Tbs. salt
3/4 Tbs. sugar
1/2 Tbs. instant dry yeast
about 3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, thyme, oregano, dill, etc.)
1/8 cup olive oil
about 1 cup warm water

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients, (flour, salt sugar, yeast and herbs) together in a large bowl until evenly distributed.

2. Add the oil, then the water, mixing to form a rough dough.

3. Remove the dough to a lightly-floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth, and only very slightly sticky.

4. Place the kneaded dough in an oiled bowl, cover to coat(prevents drying out), then cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel to rise. It should about double in volume. This will take about 1 1/2 hours.

5. If making rolls, divide the dough into about 10 to 12 equal sized pices, round into rolls and place them on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Otherwise, form the dough into a ball (boule, in french), then cover again to rest and rise again, about 45 minutes.

6. About 15 minutes before the second rise is done, pre-heat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

7. Bake the rolls for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. The loaf will take longer, about 25 minutes.

Not a Joke - 'True' Apple Bread

I have touched on this subject before when trying to show the difference between cake and bread. I have also debated whether I should even include quick breads in the blog postings, are they cake or bread. Basically the same argument. And truly, the argument that they are baked in a loaf and eaten in slices seems like stretching it a bit - even to me. And I'm the one making the case. I should definitely stick to baking and stay away from lawyering (for lots of reasons, but that's another story for another time, maybe). But this apple bread, that I'm posting today, is truly bread, not some pseudo-bread-like loaf. It uses yeast, and rises!! So it's bread. Just look at the picture, is that a cake?

This bread makes a free-standing loaf of wonderfully textured, soft, yet firm, sandwich bread. It is flavored with fresh apples and cinnamon making it perfect for breakfast (it's great toasted, for example) or picnics, or even afternoon tea. Oh, and it's actually not difficult to make.

Here's What You'll Need: (one 23 by 13cm, or 9 by 5in loaf pan)
1/2 Tbs. instant yeast
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk (I used soy milk to avoid dairy)
3 to 3 1/4 cups AP flour
1 large tart apple peeled, cored and chopped coarsely
1/4 cup dried currants (or raisins)
1.4 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbs. oil
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 Tbs. salt

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a mixer) combine the yeast, water, milk, sugar and 1 cup of the flour. Mix to form a slurry, then cover and let it sit, at room temperature, for about an hour.

2. Add the apple, currants (or raisins), walnuts, oil, egg, spices and enough flour to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead for about 5 minutes in a mixer (or 10 by hand), adding flour as needed, to form a very smooth and slightly tacky dough.

3. Let the dough rise in a covered, lightly-oiled container until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

4. Gently deflate the dough, form it into a loaf, then place it in an oiled loaf pan. Cover to let it rise again about an hour. About 20 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 200 C (about 400 F).

5. Place the bread int he oven, reduce the heat to 180 C (350 F) and bake for about 30 minutes or until well browned. It will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack completely before slicing.

6. This bread freezes well (double wrapped) and will be good for several months. But honestly, will it make the freezer? I don't think so.