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!

Something for the Upper Crust (pun intended) - Batch Bread

In my last post I talked about the 'peasant bread' called Crusty Cob. This was a 'bottom bread', baked on the bottom of the oven, a place reserved for the poorest of the poor. In Georgian England (most of the 18th century), the leading elements of society, the 'upper crust' so to speak, ate a sweet white bread. Sugar, produced in the colonies, was a luxury and reserved for the upper classes. In colonial times, in Nova Scotia, this bread would have been eaten in Halifax in the governor's mansion on Citadel Hill. In England, this bread would have been eaten by the nobles and royals. Today, we know to praise the added nutrition of a whole wheat bread but white bread was highly praised then, and usually reserved for the 'upper crust'. This bread is a little sweet and delicious. It is especially appropriate for breakfast or brunch, eaten with jam.


Here's what you'll need:
500g (1lb 2oz) bread flour
1 1/2 tsp (7g) salt
30g (1oz) yeast
60g (2 1/2oz) butter at room temperature
75g (3oz) powdered sugar
300ml (1/2 pint) water

Here's what you'll need to do:
1. Place all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix them together vigorously for a few minutes until they come together and form a shaggy dough, and the flour is fully hydrated.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Afterwards, place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and let it rest for about an hour.
3. Punch down the dough and knead for a minute or two. Then, shape into a ball and place on parchment paper on a baking tray. Gently flatten the ball of dough until it is about 20cm (8in) in diameter. Let the dough rise, covered for about an hour, or until doubled in volume. This could be two hours also.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Bake the loaf for about 15 to 20 minutes then place on a wire rack to cool.
5. Delicious and soft, you will love this bread.