Breads
Irish Soda Bread
Rating: 
Ingredients:
6 cups all-purpose flour | 2 teaspoons sugar |
Note: No yeast is necessary in this dish… never has been in real Irish Soda Bread. Craig, my assistant, and I worked a long time on this recipe to get something that reminded me of the bread that I’d had while touring in Ireland as a student. I really believe that we are very close to the loaves offered the families in this country by our Irish immigrant grandmas. Also, baking powder and cornstarch are unusual in an "authentic" Irish Soda Bread be aware that in most recipes and sugar is considered optional.
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Add all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well. Pour all of
the buttermilk into the bowl at once and stir, using a wooden spoon, just
until a soft dough is formed. Do not try to make it smooth at this point. Pour the contents of the bowl out onto a plastic counter and knead for a minute or so until everything comes together.
Divide the dough into two portions and shape each into a round loaf, pressing the top down a bit to just barely flatten it. Place the loaves on a large ungreased baking sheet. (I like to use the nonstick kind.) Sprinkle some additional flour on the top of each loaf and, using a sharp paring knife, make the sign of the Cross in slashes on the top of each.
Allow the loaves to rest for 10 minutes and then bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and done to taste. Cool on racks.
Makes 2 loaves
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 06:03 PM | Comments (0)
Hot Cross Buns
Rating:
Ingredients:
1 cup scalded milk | ½ teaspoon salt |
Add butter, sugar, and salt to milk; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake, cinnamon, flour, and egg well beaten; when thoroughly mixed, add raisins, cover, and let rise over night. In morning, shape in forms of large biscuits, place in pan one inch apart, let rise, brush over with beaten egg, and bake twenty minutes; cool, and with ornamental frosting make a cross on top of each bun.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 06:02 PM | Comments (0)
Garlic Bread
Rating:
Ingredients:
½smilies pound butter | 8 to 12 cloves garlic, minced |
Soften butter and margarine to room temperature. Mix and fold in parsley, garlic and cheese. Spread on long loaf of French bread cut in thick slices. Place on hot grill until toasted.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 05:56 PM | Comments (0)
Cheese Blintzes
Rating:
Ingredients:
Shell: | ½ tsp. vanilla |
Filling: |
|
Roll out shell 4x6" about to an oval. Fill with large tablespoon 2" long, 1" wide. Keep dough dry or it will stick together.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 05:49 PM | Comments (0)
Focaccia Bread
Rating:
Ingredients:
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour | ½ teaspoon dried basil |
1 In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
2 When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
3 Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
4 Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Yields 1 focaccia/12 servings
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:48 AM | Comments (0)
Bagles
Rating:
Ingredients:
1 cup very warm water (110 to 115 degrees, not steaming) | 1 teaspoon salt |
1. Combine the warm water and yeast in a medium bowl and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Be sure the water is not too hot, or it may kill the yeast.
2. Add the corn syrup, molasses, and oil to the bowl and stir thoroughly. Add the salt.
3. Pour the 2 cups of bread flour into the bowl and incorporate it with the other ingredients.
4. Sprinkle a little of the reserved flour over the dough in the bowl and turn it out onto a surface that has been dusted with more of the reserve flour (depending on your climate you may not have to use all of the reserve flour, but you will surely use most of it). The dough should become very smooth and elastic, dry to the touch, and not tacky. You will have to knead for 6 to 7 minutes to get the right consistency.
5. Put the dough back into the bowl or another container, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes. The dough should double in size.
6. Punch down the dough and cut it into 4 even portions. Working with one portion of the dough at a time, form the dough into a ball. Turn the edge of the dough inward with your fingers while punching a hole in the center with your thumbs. Work the dough in a circle while stretching it out and enlarging the center hole so that it looks like a doughnut. The hole should be between 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place the 4 portions of shaped dough onto a greased board or baking sheet, cover (a clean towel works well), and allow the dough to rise for 20 to 30 minutes. The dough should nearly double in size.
7. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
8. Fill a medium saucepan 2/3 full of water and bring it to a boil. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar to the water.
9. Working with one bagel at a time, first enlarge the hole if it has closed up to less than 3/4 of an inch. Be careful not to overwork the dough at this point or it won't have the proper consistency. Drop the bagel into the water, cover the saucepan, and boil for 20 seconds. Flip the bagel over, and boil for another 20 seconds. Immediately take the bagel out of the water with a slotted spoon, let the water drip off for about 10 seconds, then place the bagel onto a baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal. Repeat for the remaining bagels. Be sure the bagels do not touch each other.
10. Bake the bagels for 26 to 30 minutes, or until they are light brown.
Makes 4 bagels.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:45 AM | Comments (0)
Dutch Apple Cake
Rating:
Ingredients:
1 cup scalded milk | ¼ cup |
Mix first four ingredients. When lukewarm add yeast cake, eggs unbeaten, and flour to make a soft dough. Cover, let rise, beat thoroughly, and again let rise. Spread in a buttered dripping-pan as thinly as possible and brush over with melted butter. Pare, cut in eighths, and remove cores from apples.
Press sharp edges of apples into the dough in parallel rows lengthwise of pan. Sprinkle with sugar mixed with cinnamon and sprinkle with currants. Cover, let rise, and bake in a moderate oven thirty minutes. Cut in squares and serve hot or cold with whipped cream sweetened and flavored.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:43 AM | Comments (0)
Health Food Muffins
Rating:
Ingredients:
1 cup warm wheat mush | ¼ teaspoon salt |
Mix first four ingredients, add yeast cake dissolved in lukewarm water, and flour; then knead. Cover, and let rise over night. In the morning cut down, fill buttered gem pans two-thirds full, again let rise and bake in a moderate oven. This mixture, when baked in a loaf, makes a delicious bread.
Date Bread Varient
After the first rising, while kneading, add two-thirds cup each of English walnut meats cut in small pieces, and dates stoned and cut in pieces. Shape in a loaf, let rise in pan, and bake fifty minutes in a moderate oven. This bread is well adapted for sandwiches.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:41 AM | Comments (0)
Date and Walnut Loaf
Rating:
Ingredients:
¾ pound pitted dates | ¼ teaspoon ginger |
Preheat oven to 350Âş F. If dates are not already chopped, chop them coarsely. There should be about 2 1/2 cups. Put dates in a mixing bowl. Blend baking soda and boiling water. Pour this hot mixture over the dates.
Sift together flour and spices and set aside. Put butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer and blend. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Start beating on low speed while alternately adding flour mixture and the dates with their liquid. Add walnuts and blend well. Butter a 9 x 5 x 2 3/4- or 3-inch loaf pan. Pour in batter and place in oven. Bake about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:39 AM | Comments (0)
Crepe II - Basic Crepe Recipe
Rating:
Ingredients:
4 eggs | ½ cup water |
Measure all ingredients in to blender jar; blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides. Blend for 15 seconds more. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. (This helps the flour absorb more of the liquids.)
Makes 12-14 crepes.
Recipe Variations
For a Sweeter crepe: add 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
For a Chocolate crepe: add 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce to sweet crepe recipe
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:38 AM | Comments (0)
Crepes
Rating:
Ingredients:
2 c Flour | 2 c Milk |
Combine the flour, sugar, eggs, and milk and beat until smooth. The resulting batter should be the consistency of thin cream.
dd oil to the batter and mix lightly.
Grease an 8-inch crepe pan or frying pan lightly with butter and heat until the butter is quite hot but not burned.
Ladle about 1/3 cup (or a bit less) of the batter into the pan and rotate the pan to spread the batter evenly. Cook the crepe until it looks firm and is lightly browned at the edges (about 1 minute) then turn the crepe over with a thin spatula or your fingers and cook the other side for about 30 seconds.
Grease the pan with a bit more butter about every other crepe, or when the crepes begin to stick.
Repeat until the batter is gone.
Serving Size: 12
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:36 AM | Comments (0)
Cream Scones
Rating:
Ingredients:
2 cups flour | 2 teaspoons sugar |
Mix and sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Rub in butter with tips of fingers; add eggs well beaten (reserving a small amount of unbeaten white) and cream. Toss on a floured board, pat, and roll to three fourths inch in thickness. Cut in squares, brush with reserved white, sprinkle with sugar, and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:34 AM | Comments (0)
Cranberry Bread
Rating:
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour | ¼ cup unsalted butter |
Into a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and soda.
Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add egg, orange zest and orange juice all at once. Stir just until the mixture is evenly moist. Fold in
the cranberries. Spoon the batter into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake
at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:33 AM | Comments (0)
Corn Bread
Rating: 
Ingredients:
¼ smilies cup sugar, sifted | ¾ teaspoon salt |
Note: Tommy Ryan credits the consistent excellence of Durgin-Park's corn bread to a women called "Cornbread Helen," who had worked in the kitchen for twenty-five years when he arrived in 1960. "She gave me the recipe, and I didn't change a thing," he says. "Although she used to make it in big stone crocks. Today we put the batter into baking pans to cook it." How does the batter get into the pans from the big vat in which it was made? Baker Martin Gonzales scoops it out with his hands and splashes it straight into the baking pan.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl mix the sugar and the beaten eggs. In a separate bowl sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Add the cornmeal, melted butter, and milk. Beat just enough to mix Pour into a 8x12x1/2-inch-deep baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes. This makes one pan full, which cuts into 20 squares.
Makes 20 servings
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:30 AM | Comments (0)
Core Pizza - The Crust
Rating:
Ingredients:
2 cups of all-purpose or unbleached flour | 1 tsp salt |
The grunt-work of mixing the dough is best done by a machine: a food processor, a bread machine on "dough" cycle, or (best of all) a KitchenAid Mixer, the holy grail of appliances. If none of these are available, roll up your sleeves and mix them in a large bowl by hand. Do the initial mix with the tail-end of a wooden spoon, or with a sturdy case knife. Then turn it out onto a floured board and knead until satiny smooth. In either case, allow one rising, then punch the dough down.
Once you have the dough punched, shape it into a pizza crust. Whether to bake on a stone or a lightly-oiled pan or baking sheet is a personal choice that I tend to take both sides on. Each have their charms; experiment and find which you enjoy most. Another decision: should the baking surface (the pan or stone) be preheated along with the oven, with the pizza slid onto it only as baking begins? Another matter of taste; neither answer is wrong. A preheated baking stone or metal pan will give you a crisper, more well-defined crust.
When shaping the crust, work the dough outward from the center. Optionally, you can make a circle of dough two inches wider than you actually want the pizza to be. Then, fold the outer rim under the pizza, taking up that slack inch around the edge. This "rolling" of the crust will give you a nice, breadlike crust that holds flavors well. Later on, we'll talk about seasoning it.
Notes: This recipe creates dough sufficient for a single pizza with a finished diameter of 12-13 inches. If you want a larger or smaller pie, multiply the desired diameter by itself, and divide the result by 72. That's the cups of flour you need (everything else scales proportionately). Thus, for a gigantic 20-inch pizza, you'd want about 5-1/2 cups of flour! I like to double the recipe given, and make two pizzas - one to eat, and one to slice up and freeze for bag lunches and so on later on.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:25 AM | Comments (0)
Coffee Cakes (Brioche)
Rating:
Ingredients:
1 cup scalded milk | ½ teaspoon extract lemon |
Cool milk; when lukewarm, add yeast cakes, and when they are dissolved add remaining ingredients, and beat thoroughly with hand ten minutes; let rise six hours. Keep in ice-box over night; in morning turn on floured board, roll in long rectangular piece one-fourth inch thick; spread with softened butter, fold from sides toward centre to make three layers. Cut off pieces three-fourths inch wide; cover and let rise. Take each piece separately in hands and twist from ends in opposite directions, coil and bring ends together at top of cake. Let rise in pans and bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven; cool and brush over with confectioners’ sugar, moistened with boiling water to spread, and flavored with vanilla.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:22 AM | Comments (0)
Cinnamon-Walnut Coffee Cake
Rating:
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour | 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract |
Note: Although this traditional, versatile coffee cake is a wonderful addition to any festive breakfast or brunch buffet, Mother makes it frequently both for bereavements and, decorated with colorful ribbons, as a gift for special friends - especially during the Christmas holidays. What's particularly appealing about this coffee cake is that it freezes beautifully (up to two or three months) and can be reheated in no time. As with most coffee cakes, I personally love to run a wedge of this one quickly under the broiler and eat it topped with homemade fruit preserves for breakfast.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch round baking pan and set aside.
Into a large mixing bowl, sift together 2 cups of the flour, 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, Crisco, and vanilla and beat for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and beat 2 minutes longer, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Distribute the walnuts evenly over the top.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup flour and ¼ cup sugar with the cinnamon, then add the butter and work it in with your fingertips till the mixture resembles coarse meal. Distribute the mixture evenly over the walnuts and bake the cake till a cake tester or straw inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let the coffee cake cool slightly, transfer to a round serving dish, and cut into wedges.
Yield: One 10-inch coffee cake; 8 to 10 servings
Martha's Sweet Note: Don't ask me why I use only Crisco shortening. All I know is that the few times I've tried (at Jimmy's instigation) other (cheaper) brands, the baking results have never been exactly right.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:21 AM | Comments (0)
Chili Corn Bread
Rating:
Ingredients:
3 eggs, beaten | 3 teaspoons baking powder |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees [F].
In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, butter, and corn and blend well.
Combine corn meal, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour liquid gradually, but quickly, into corn meal, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened; do not overmix. Turn batter into a greased 8-inch square cake pan. Sprinkle chilies and cheese over the top and bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 02:19 AM | Comments (0)
Boston Brown Bread
Rating:
Ingredients:
1 cup rye meal | 1 cup Graham flour |
Mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses and milk, stir until well mixed, turn into a well-buttered mould, and steam three and one-half hours. The cover should be buttered before being placed on mould, and then tied down with string; otherwise the bread in rising might force off cover. Mould should never be filled more than two-thirds full. A melon-mould or one-pound baking-powder boxes make the most attractive-shaped loaves, but a five-pound lard pail answers the purpose. For steaming, place mould on a trivet in kettle containing boiling water, allowing water to come half-way up around mould, cover closely, and steam, adding, as needed, more boiling water.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 01:59 AM | Comments (0)
Basic Muffins - Master Recipe
Rating:
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour | 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar |
Note: Remember, if you're short on time, you can melt the butter, mix it with the eggs, and stir it into the dry ingredients. When thoroughly mixed, beat in the yogurt and proceed with the recipe. To cinnamon-coat muffin tops, dip warm muffins in melted butter, then in mixture of one-half cup granulated sugar and two teaspoons cinnamon.
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in one-half of dry ingredients. Beat in one-third of yogurt.
Beat in remaining dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with yogurt,
until incorporated.
3. Spray twelve-cup muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray or coat lightly with butter. Use large ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and serve warm. Makes 1 dozen large muffins.
Mocha Chip Muffins: Follow Master Recipe, dissolving 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder in yogurt and folding 1 cup chocolate chips into finished batter.
Apricot Almond Muffins: Follow Master Recipe, creaming 1 ounce (3 tablespoons) almond paste with butter and sugar and folding 1 1/2 cups diced dried apricots into finished batter. Sprinkle each top with portion of 1/2 cup sliced almonds.
Raspberry Almond Muffins: Follow Master Recipe, creaming 1 ounce (3 tablespoons) almond paste with butter and sugar. Spoon one-half portion of batter into each muffin cup. With small spoon, make well in center of each cup of dough. Spoon 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons raspberry (or other flavor) jam into each well. Fill with remaining batter.
Cranberry-Walnut-Orange Muffins: Follow Master Recipe adding 1 teaspoon grated orange zest to butter-sugar mixture and folding 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts into finished batter.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins: Follow Master Recipe adding 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest to butter-sugar mixture and folding 1 1/2 cups blueberries that have been tossed in 1 tablespoon flour into finished batter.
Banana Walnut Muffins: Follow Master Recipe adding 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg to dry ingredients, substituting 1 cup packed light brown sugar for granulated sugar, and folding 1 1/2 cups finely diced bananas (about 3 small) and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts into finished batter.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins: Follow Master Recipe adding 3 tablespoons poppy seed to dry ingredients and 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest to butter-sugar mixture. While muffins are baking heat 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice in small saucepan until sugar dissolves and mixture forms light syrup, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush warm syrup over warm muffins and serve.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 01:55 AM | Comments (0)
Basic Tart Dough
Rating:
Ingredients:
1 egg yolk | 1/3 cup sugar |
In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk, water and vanilla; set aside.
To make the dough by hand, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.
To make the dough in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar and salt in the mixer bowl. Add the butter and beat on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and beat just until the dough pulls together.
Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. Use the dough immediately, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.
To roll out the dough, on a lightly floured board, flatten the disk with 6 to 8 gentle taps of the rolling pin. Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn. Lightly dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as needed, then roll out until the dough is about 1/8 inch thick. Use a small, sharp knife to cut out a round or rounds 2 inches greater in diameter than your tart or larger tartlet pans. Use a small, sharp knife or a cookie cutter to cut out rounds 1/2 to 1 inch greater in diameter than your miniature tartlet pans. If using a rectangular tart pan, cut out a rectangle 2 inches larger on all sides than the pan. Makes enough dough for one 9 1/2-inch tart, six 4-inch tartlets, twelve 2-inch miniature tartlets or one 13 3/4-by-4 1/4-inch rectangular tart.
Nut Dough Variation: Add 2 Tbs. ground toasted pecans, walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts to the flour mixture and proceed as directed.
Make-Ahead Tip: The tart dough may be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze, place the dough round on a 12-inch cardboard circle and wrap it well with plastic wrap. Alternatively, use the round to line a tart pan and wrap well.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 01:53 AM | Comments (0)
Basic Quiche and Tart Dough
Rating:
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour | ¼ cup vegetable shortening |
In a bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the butter and shortening and, using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut them in until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle in the water, 1 Tbs. at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition and adding only enough of the water to form a rough mass.
Using floured hands, pat the dough into a smooth, flattened disk. Use immediately, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Makes enough dough for one 9-inch quiche or tart shell.
Use this easy recipe to make the pastry shells for brunch quiches and for fresh fruit tarts.
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 01:53 AM | Comments (0)
Basic Bread
Rating:
Ingredients:
1-1/3 cups very warm water | 2 tbsp. butter (vary as needed; see below) |
Stage One, Mixing and Kneading: There are two general methods for making these ingredients into good bread - the "machine-mixed" method and the "mixed by hand" method. There is no real art to mixing - it's brute-force work best left to a machine. So, if you have a heavy-duty stand mixer (like a KitchenAid), a bread machine, or a food processor, I recommend the first method. Even if you have nothing more complex than a large bowl and a wooden spoon, though, you can make bread (it's just a little more tiring that way!)
Machine-Mixed Method: The best machine for bread mixing is a bread machine. They make lousy bread, but they're great for mixing because they mix, knead, and provide a warm place for the bread to rise, all in one. Simply assemble the ingredients in the machine's bucket, in the order listed, and use your machine's Dough cycle. When it's done, skip ahead to Stage Three, below. Mixing dough in a food processor or with a standing mixer is a lot like mixing it by hand - so read the instructions for that, but let the machine do all the work!
Mixed by Hand Method: In a mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar salt in the water, and sprinkle yeast on top. Stir to dissolve, and allow to stand for 10 minutes before stirring again (set the butter out to soften during this time). Add the butter, then about 2/3 of the flour to the mixing bowl, a half-cup at a time, and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Use the tail-end of a wooden spoon, or a sturdy case knife (the dull table-knives that a lot of folks call butter knives). Turn the dough onto a floured bread board or countertop and flour your hands (if you're using a machine for mixing, just leave it in the machine). With your fingers, gradually work in remaining flour while kneading the dough into a smooth mass (about fifteen minutes - or about half that with a machine). If at any point your hands start to get sticky, put flour on them!
Stage Two, The First Rising: If you're using a bread machine, this step is handled automatically by the Dough cycle, so you can skip ahead to Stage Three. Otherwise: Place dough in a bowl greased with 1/2 tsp. butter (turning once to butter the top). The best way to grease a bowl is to put the butter in a paper towel, and use the paper towel to rub the butter on all sides of the bowl. This gives a nice even coverage and doesn't get your hand greasy at all! Cover the bowl with a towel, and place it in a warm place. A sunny spot in your kitchen will do on a summer day, but I prefer a slightly warmed oven. Warm your oven by turning it to the very lowest setting. It should be noticeably warm, but cool enough so you can press your hand against the inside of the oven door without burning yourself. Turn the oven completely off before putting the bread in to rise. Keep the oven closed during the rising-time to keep in the warmth.
Allow about 45 minutes rising time (this can vary a bit with the climate, the yeast used, and other factors - allow for a 20 minute "fudge factor" in either direction); the dough should grow to twice its normal size. When a finger inserted into the top of the dough leaves a tunnel that doesn't begin to "heal," the dough has finished rising.
Stage Three, The Loaf: Punch the risen dough down completely (pretend it's somebody you're mad at) and give it a quick kneading on the bread-board or countertop. If it's too sticky at this point, add a dusting of flour. Shape dough into a fat cigar-shape about 12-13 inches long. Re-warm the oven if need be for the second rising.
The loaf should be placed on a flat cooking surface - a series of baking tiles, or a pizza stone, or a cookie sheet. Dust the surface with a light dusting of cornmeal, then gently place the loaf on it. If you like, slash the top of the dough once down the middle of the top, or in several short, diagonal slashes across it. This will help keep the loaf from splitting along the side, and it's attractive, too (it's a tradition from the Middle Ages, when the distinctive slashes helped French peasants tell their loaves apart, since bread was baked en masse in communal ovens owned by the lord of the land . . .)
Stage Four, The Second Rise: This one's real easy. Cover the loaf lightly with paper towels and stash it in the warm place again. Let is rise for another 45 minutes, until the loaf is doubled in size and ready to bake.
Stage Five, Baking The Bread: Place the loaf in the oven (if it isn't already there, rising) and turn the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not preheat the oven! Bake the bread for 30-45 minutes, until it turns a deep golden brown. Baking time varies because all ovens are different. Check your bread first at 30 minutes, and again every five minutes until it looks done. The finished loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom with the flat of a wooden spoon.
Remove the bread from the oven and brush the top and sides lightly with olive oil or melted butter. Cool on a rack for one hour; the bread is then ready to serve or store (if you don't have a rack, any improvised surface that allows a little air to circulate under the bread will do - if you're completely stuck, cool it on a pile of kitchen towels!)
Notes and Variants
This basic recipe can be altered in dozens of simple ways to change the texture, flavor, appearance and aroma of the bread. I've also included a few notes here on why our recipe is like it is.
Water or Milk: For a richer, slightly softer bread, use whole milk instead of water. For a few added nutrients but no real difference in flavor or texture, use reduced-fat or skim milk.
Herbs and Spices: Just a pinch of basil, or black pepper, or cayenne, or any of a hundred other herbs and spices added to the mix along with the sugar and salt will give a distinct flavor and character to your bread. The only rule is don't overdo it . . . Even the tiniest amount can have a dramatic effect on the flavor and aroma of your bread. Also, keep in mind the ultimate purpose that the bread will serve: If you're serving it sliced hot with a hearty meal, a little black pepper or oregano will make it taste great (especially if the bread is served with a little soft butter). But if you're going to be making peanut-butter-and-jelly for the kids' lunches tomorrow, that black pepper is a bad idea. When in doubt, leave it out.
Butter and Other Fats: The amount of fat given - two tablespoons - will produce bread of pleasant texture and flavor. But, so will nearly double that amount, and half that amount, and no butter at all! Experiment to find your taste. I often enjoy my bread entirely fat free (like French bread), but many dislike a hearty, solid crust and prefer their bread softer. Fat is the single most important factor in the softness of bread (see "Crusts," below). Note that other fats, from lard or baconfat to vegetable shortening and even oils; can substitute for the butter. Every fat, and every amount of that fat, will give you a different flavor and texture. Experiment!
Flour: Either all-purpose flour or unbleached white flour can be used in this recipe, but you'll find you get better texture and flavor from the unbleached (sold as "better for bread" and so on at the supermarket, for a few pennies more than all-purpose). By replacing up to half of the flour with whole-wheat flour, the recipe can be used to make a nice wheat bread.
Note that flour given is approximate; flour varies in absorbency and slight adjustments may be necessary. The dough should be smooth and elastic while kneading; sprinkle on just enough additional flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking (if it's sticky at all, it's too moist and needs a sprinkle of flour).
Yeast: Note that this recipe uses a lot less yeast than most recipes . . . Many recipes using as little as 3 cups of flour call for "one package" of active dry yeast - and that's about double the yeast we use (a package is 2-1/4 tsp.). This is mostly a matter of convenience, since yeast is traditionally sold in "packages" that were designed decades ago, scaled for an era when home-baking meant larger batches (usually two or three loaves at a time, at minimum). If you're doubling the basic recipe given here for a two-loaf batch, then using "a package" will be just fine . . . But using that much for a single loaf is wasteful, and can give your bread an unpleasantly yeasty aftertaste and smell. The best way to buy yeast is in jars. They cost about $5, and contain enough yeast to make more than thirty loaves of bread (despite the claim on the label that they just contain enough for 16 . . .) Also, note that jars labeled "bread machine yeast" contain ordinary fast-rising yeast (yeast with ascorbic acid added to make rising faster) that will give you identical results to any other - the labeling is just the companies cashing in on the current popularity of bread machines.
Scale: This recipe scales easily in any direction. For a smaller loaf (one that won't go to waste if you're a light eater living alone, for instance) use 1 cup of warm water, 3 rounded cups of flour, and either adjust the other ingredients microscopically or just leave them as they are (it won't make much difference). Doubling the recipe will make two big beautiful loaves, or a batch of rolls fit for a family reunion (see "Shapes," below).
Note that the 3-cup version will fit in a standard loaf pan, if you prefer square-base bread to freeform loaves. Grease the pan lightly, and otherwise follow the recipe normally.
Preheat, Or Not Preheat, That Is The Question: For most purposes, I'm an advocate of "cold oven" baking, where the baking temperature is moderate, and the oven is not preheated. This style of bread-baking was in vogue decades ago, but gave way to preheated, hotter ovens in attempts to imitate bakery bread. I don't usually try to imitate bakery bread, so cold-oven baking works best for me - it gives the loaf an extra rise as it begins to bake, and makes for a more pleasant, even texture. If you want a crisper bread, or a chewy one, increase the temperature by 50 to 100 degrees, and experiment with pre-heated baking. This is essential for French-style breads.
Crusts: If your preference is for soft bread, brush the top and sides of the loaf with oil or melted butter immediately upon removing it from the oven. If you prefer a crunchier, harder crust, brush the crust with nothing at all . . . and a dusting of flour on top at the beginning of Stage Four will give a nice "old world" look to the bread, too. For a chewy, French-style crust, use a hotter, preheated oven (see above), brush the loaf just before baking with ice water, and mist water into the oven (aim away from any heating elements - go for the oven walls) every 15 minutes or so throughout the baking.
Crusts can be glazed by brushing an egg-wash on them: Whisk a single egg with a teaspoon of water to create the egg-wash; brush it on just before baking (use milk instead of water for a slightly softer crust). A wash made of lemon juice and sugar will give a pleasantly light and fruity air to a bread. A wash made of honey or sugar and water will make a glossy and sweet glaze. Topping any of the above with a dusting of caraway or other seeds can add a nice touch, too - especially if you've shaped the loaf into a fancy braid!
Shapes: This recipe can be used to make all manner of breads and rolls. Dividing the loaf into 8 equal parts in Stage Three will make excellent sandwich rolls (perfect for hamburgers, or as the basic roll for guinea grinders). Flatten the rolls into a hamburger-patty shape, and arrange them on the baking surface to rise (for hot dog rolls, divide the bread into 12-16 pieces and shape them into hot-dog shaped loaves!) By dividing the bread into 36 balls, dipping each one in melted butter, and putting three each into muffin tins, you can make cloverleaf rolls. Dividing the bread into three long ropes and braiding them makes lovely braided bread, and so on . . . Be creative. Keep in mind that the more you divide the dough, the shorter the baking time will be . . . from 20 minutes for kaiser-rolls or hamburger buns down to 15 or even 10 minutes for small rolls (parkerhouse style or others).
Posted by Phoxxe at March 30, 2005 01:51 AM | Comments (0)
