Bread Baking....

Greenthumb18

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Hi,
Here is some bread that i made recently. There's nothing like bread baking in the oven for the winter especially the rustic breads.
If anyone would like to bake some, i posted a recipe below i'll post a few more.

Enjoy!! ;)






Homestyle Bread (Portuguese bread called Pao Caseiro)

Makes 2 large or 4 small loaves


Day Ahead, make the sponge:

1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1 cup water (65 to 70 degrees F)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)


1. Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the water in a large bowl, set aside for 10 minutes. Mix in the flour, sugar (optional), and remaining water, stirring until well blended. Cover with plastic, let rise overnight (7 to 8 hours) or let rise for about 2 hours then cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before using to bring the sponge to room temperature. Don't be alarmed if the sponge has collapsed during its stay in the refrigerator; it will foam up again as it warms.

Make the Dough:

6 1/2 to 7 cups bread flour (12 percent gluten) or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon table salt
1 3/4 teaspoon dry yeast or 2/3 teaspoon fresh yeast
1/4 cup egg white (room temperature)
prepared sponge
2 cups water (room temperature 70 degrees F)
as needed
cornmeal as needed

1. Combine 6 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt in the bowl of a free-standing electric mixer. Using the dough paddle, mix to distribute the salt throughout the flour, 1 minute on low speed.
2. Using a fork, lightly beat the egg white in a small bowl until very frothy. Change the attachment to the dough hook. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in to the mixer bowl the yeast, the beaten egg white, the sponge, and the water. Mix on low speed long enough to fully incorporate the ingredients, then let the dough rest for about 10 to 15 minutes to give the flour time to take in the water. Increasing the speed to the maximum speed of your home mixer, continue to mix for 15 minutes. The dough will be of slightly sticky consistency.
3. Using a wet hand to keep the dough from sticking, reach deep into the bowl and scrape the bottom and sides. Mix for another 5 minutes. Remove the dough hook and set a kiychen towel rinsed in warm water under the bowl. Cover the bowl with a dry kitchen towel over the bowl. Let rise until double, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Dough temperature should be about 75 to 84 degrees F.
4. Using a wet hand, again reach down to the bottom of the bowl and lift the dough, folding it onto itself. Cover and let rise again until double, about 1 more hour.
5. Do not punch down. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Dust flour lightly over the top of the dough. Using a wet dough scraper or kitchen knife, divide the dough into 2, 3, or 4 equal parts. Using wet hands, gently shape into rounds or logs stretching gently and folding the dough over and onto itself. Let the dough rest again, about 1 hour, until it has risen to about a 3/4 rise (almost double). Meanwhile (with the stone in place, if using) preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Dust the sheet pans or wooden peel with coarse cornmeal and place the readied pan or peel close to the shaped dough. Carefully lift the loaves onto the sheet pan or peel. You might need a dough scraper to lift and support the unbaked breads. Lightly dust the tops with the flour. Make a couple of slashes across the top of the breads with a dough razor or very sharp knife.
7. Place a pan of hot water on the bottom oven rack. Slide the breads onto the preheated oven stone or place the sheet pan in the oven. Squirt the oven walls with water using a spray bottle and quickly close the oven door to trap the steam. You can even toss a few ice cubes onto the stone or oven floor. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Add another 5 minutes for larger loaves. The breads should feel fairly light and the bottom of the breads should sound hollow when tapped. Cool slightly before cutting.
 

journey11

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Looks yummy! Can you substitute any of the flour with whole wheat flour on this one?
 

Hattie the Hen

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:frow :frow

Hey Greenthumb!

That loaf looks picture-book perfect -- I can almost smell it from over here! :clap :clap
I bet it tastes good too!
Thank you for giving us the recipe. :bouquet

:rose Hattie :rose
 

Greenthumb18

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journey11 said:
Looks yummy! Can you substitute any of the flour with whole wheat flour on this one?
Thanks guys!! ;)

Sure you could substitute the flour with whole wheat, but you'll get a different taste & texture, if you really want that crisp exterior and chewy interior use the bread flour or unbleached all-purpose.


Hey Hattie! :frow

Thanks, after you start baking bread for awhile they start looking more perfect each time. Oh yes it sure was good maybe with some cheese or a little jam with it.

Hope you guys will try it!! :)
 

Greenthumb18

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;) Here's the recipe for the olive bread:

Rustic Italian Bread With Olives

Poolish (Sponge):

1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup water, lukewarm
1 teaspoon instant yeast

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mix until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 2-4 hours. The sponge is ready if the top falls when the bowl is tapped on the counter.

Bread:

Mature sponge
1/2 cup water, lukewarm
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup pitted olives, very coarsely chopped (I used kalamata olives which were very good but you could try any kind you like)

Add the water and the olive oil to the risen sponge and mix in thoroughly. Stir in the flour and salt until the dough comes together in a ragged ball. Knead until the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic, about 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. When the dough has doubled in volume, remove to a lightly floured surface. Flatten the dough into a rectangle. Scatter the olives across the surface. Roll up lenghtwise, creasing the dough frequently to seal in the olives. Place the dough in a well floured linen or place on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap to proof.

When the dough has increased in size be 1 1/2 times, place in the oven seam side down, either on a pan or directly on a bread stone. Bake until well browned and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom, approximately 30-40 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Slice and serve immediately.

Store at room temperature in a paper bag or wrapped in waxed paper to preserve the crust. If storing for longer than 2 days, wrap tightly in plastic and freeze. Bread should be thawed at room temperature.

Enjoy!!
 

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