Shortcuts to: Yeasted Breads,Sourdough Breads
Results to look for in bread baking:
1. Elasticity of dough
2. Good rise
3. Even colour
4. Consistent crumb
5. Crunchy Crust
6. Good flavour
Yeasted Breads
Cottage Loaf
Variants of this loaf include the small top cottage loaf, the cottage loaf, and the brick - depending on how large the 'top' of the loaf is.Anecdotally, the strange two-tiered shape of this loaf of bread was believed to be a space-saving invention. In the days before ovens in the home, villagers may have taken their loaves to the local bakehouse where they were placed on top of each other - making them look like a dwelling. And so the name ‘cottage’ loaf was born.
Mrs Beeton in her eponymously named cookery book, first published in 1861, shows a drawing of a cottage loaf on a bread platter.
Ingredients
500 g organic strong white bread flour (option if you want a more authentic loaf: substitute 200 g of the strong white bread flour for a heritage flour such as Lammas Fayre's 'Victorian' flour)
8-10 g salt
15 g fresh yeast (or 1 x 7g sachet of dried yeast)
25 g grated lard
25 g grated butter
260 g lukewarm (90-100 F/32-38 C water)
4 g sugar
Method
Dissolve the fresh yeast into 50 g of the water. Add 4 g sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes until it starts to bubble. This shows that the yeast is active. If using dried yeast, add the yeast to the flour in the next stage.
Mix the flours and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add the water plus the yeasty water to the flour and mix together using your hand (shape it like a claw) or a dough whisk, if you have one. Add the lard and butter. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball by cupping your hands around it at the bottom and turning, and place into a lightly-greased bowl. Cover with a clean, slightly damp cloth and allow to rest for 1 - 1.5 hours (or until doubled in size).
Turn the dough out on to a lightly-floured surface and gently remove the gas which has formed by flattening the dough with your fingers. Cut 1/3 of the flattened dough away.
Take the largest piece of dough: take hold of the edge furthest away and fold it back on to the dough towards you. Turn 45° and repeat. Do this several times until the dough becomes a tight ball.
Taking each piece of dough in turn, create a little more surface tension by cupping your hands around the ball, turning and tucking under at the same time. Cup both hands at the back of the dough and drag the ball towards you. You will see the surface get tighter. Turn the dough over so that the folded-in ‘ends’ are on the bottom and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Repeat with the smaller piece of dough.
Place this round ball directly on top of the larger piece. Dust the dough balls with a little flour then using two fingers held tightly together - also dusted in flour - make a vertical hole straight through both dough balls. Now cover with a light, clean cloth and leave for 30-45 minutes until nicely puffed up, and while you are waiting, preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7.
Remove the cloth from the dough. Using a lame or a very sharp knife, cut the dough at intervals around the sides.
Place the tray with the loaf in the oven, towards the bottom of the oven. Put a tray on the very bottom shelf. Put 2 cups of boiling water in to the bottom tray and close the oven door immediately. This creates steam which will stop the crust from forming too quickly and help the bread to rise.
Bake for 20 minutes and then turn down the heat to 190°C/ 375°/Gas Mark 6. Remove the tray of water from the oven to ensure that you get a good crunchy crust on your loaf and bake for a further 15-20 minutes.
When it is golden brown, take it out and tap the base to check that it is ready. It should sound hollow.
Cool on a wire rack.
Traditional Small White Tin Loaves - soft and light (makes 2)
A freshly-baked loaf of bread is a treat in any household. This recipe is for a soft and lightwhite tin loaf - much maligned in recent years. But when you make it yourself, you choose exactly what goes into it. No preservatives; no environmentally-damaging palm oil; no emulsifiers; no reducing agent; no soya flour, no chlorine dioxide (bleach!) and no hydrogenated or fractionated fats. Just good wholesome ingredients. And this recipe uses fresh or dried yeast - so you can bake it any time.
Netherton Foundryasked me to develop this recipe for use with their copper loaf tin. The recipe makes two small loaves - the perfect size for 2-4 people for breakfast or lunch. Copper is the best metal for baking as it conducts heat so well. You would have found copper utensils in all the best Victorian kitchens and similarly today,youfind copper pansin all the top kitchens.
This recipe produces a lovely soft crumb - and has a syrupy twist.Be warned - one slice won't be enough!
Equipment
2 loaf tins (preferably copper)
1 large mixing bowl (c24cm diameter x 12cm height)
2 x smaller mixing bowls
1 x large spoon
1 x plastic dough scraper
1 bench knife
1 x light linen tea towel/cloth (to cover the bowl of dough)
1 x digital thermometer
Kitchen mixer (or you can mix by hand if you prefer)
1 x small saucepan bowls
1 x rolling pin (optional)
1 wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Step 1.
15 g fresh yeast(or 7.5 g active dry yeast or 5 g instant dry yeast)
50 g lukewarm (90-100°F / 32-38°C) water
Step 2.
250 g whole milk
60 g unsalted butter
50 g maple syrup
1 egg (55 g)
Step 3.
550 g strong white bread flour (I used 435g Canadian Manitoba bread flour and 115g stoneground white wheat flour)
8 g salt (2 tsps)
1-2 tsps of light olive oil (to coat the large mixing bowl)
Butter (for greasing the loaf tins)
Semolina flour (for dusting the top of the dough)
Method
Step 1.In a small mixing bowl, crumble the fresh yeast into the water. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of flour and mix in (this feeds the yeast). Allow to stand until the liquid thickens and little bubbles are visible on the surface. If using active or instant dry yeast, follow the instructions on the packet.
Step 2.Heat the milk, butter and maple syrup gently in a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Pour into a small mixing bowl and allow to cool until the mixture is lukewarm(90-100°F /32-38°C). Once it has reached lukewarm temperature, add the yeasty liquid and stir together. Then whisk in one whole egg.
Step 3.Weigh the flours and salt into the bowl of a kitchen mixer, and stir together. Attach the dough hook to the kitchen mixer and turn on to a low setting (Kitchenaid 2). Slowly pour in the liquid from step 2 and mix until a dough starts to form. With the speed set to 2, mix for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. With wet fingers, try gently stretch out a piece of dough into a panel. It should hold together without tearing easily.
Tip: Different flours absorb liquid differently. If the dough looks too wet or dry after this step, adda small amount of liquid or flour until the dough comes together.
Using your dough scraper, turn the mixture out onto a lightly-floured surface, and knead by hand for a couple of minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape it into a ball, place in the large lightly-oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size (see photo).
Tip: If your kitchen temperature is less than 23°C, then place the covered bowl in your oven with the light turned on.
Shaping the Dough
Lift the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a dough cutter, divide the dough into two pieces; these should weigh approximately 500 g each. Shape each piece into a ball and rest for 15 minutes.
Taking each piece of dough in turn, flatten using the flat of your hand (or a rolling pin) and shape into a rectangle. Fold the top corners of the dough over onto itself and then roll into a log and seal the dough by pressing the dough edges together between your finger tips. Place into a greased 0.5 kg/1lb loaf tin, positioning the seam at the bottom and tucking the ends underneath. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
Cover both tins with a slightly damp cloth and leave to rise for another 60-90 minutes or until risen. The dough should reach the top of the tin (again, place the tins into your oven with the light on if your kitchen is cool). When they are risen, remove and finish the last part of the proofing on your kitchen counter.
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F/ Gas 3 (note the copper tins conduct heat very well so you don't need the oven to be as hot as with ordinary loaf tins).
Place a roasting dish on the bottom rack of the oven. Boil a kettle with water.Lightly dust the top of the dough with semolina flour or ordinary flour and score if you wish (although this is not necessary).
Place the tins in the oven above the tray. Pour the freshly boiled water into the roasting dish (covering the bottom of the tray). Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tray of water. Bake the loaves for a further 15minutes until the loaves looks golden brown on all sides and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
Turn the oven off, remove the loaves from their tins and placein the oven with the door ajar for 30 minutes to cure. Finish cooling on a wire rack for another 30 minutes.
Cornish Saffron Bread
Saffron comes from the plant Crocus Sativus, which is indigenous to the near East. Saffron these days is associated more with countries like Iran and Spain than with Britain. But it is grown in England, brought over originally by the Romans. Saffron growing was established in Cornwall in both the Bude and Mount’s Bay areas, and also in the east of England around Cambridgeshire and Essex (Saffron Waldon takes its name from it). This expensive spice was widely used in British cookery between 1600 and 1700. However, the emergence of other spices in 1700 led to the decline in saffron use - with the exception of Cornwall. It survived here due to its use in saffron-flavoured buns and recipes such as this wonderful sunshine-yellow loaf.
Ingredients
300 g strong white bread flour
40 g ground almonds
4 g salt
A few gratingsof freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspooncinnamon (optional)
40 g golden caster sugar
1 large pinch of saffron threads
200g milk (whole,full fat milk gives the best result)
5 g dry yeast or 10g fresh yeast (use fresh if you can get it)
75 g butter
40 g golden sultanas
40 g currants
Snow sugar for sprinkling
Muffin cases (I used cases which were 2 inches high and 2 3/4 inches in diameter)
Method
Heat the milk in a pan and remove when hot (don't let it boil). Pour ¾ of the milk over the saffron strands into a small bowl and leave to infuse for between 30-60 minutes (until you have a good yellow colour). Let the rest of the milk cool to lukewarm temperature (90-100°F / 32-38°C) and then mix in the fresh yeast and leave for 10 minutes until little bubbles appear. You can add a pinch of sugar to help it along. If using dried yeast, follow the instructions on the packet.
Heat the butter gently in a pan until melted but not brown. Allow to cool.
Mix the dry ingredients (excluding the salt and driedfruit and spices, if using) together in the bowl of your kitchen mixer (I use setting 2 on my Kitchenaid). Add the saffron infusion, the yeast mixture and the cooled melted butter and mix together until a sticky dough forms. Rest for 1 hour. Turn on the mixer ( I use setting 1 or 2 on the Kitchenaid)slowly add the salt and mix for 5 minutes. Rest for 30 minutes and check the dough for window pane. If you are not getting a window pane (the dough is tearing) rest for another 10 minutes and try again. When the dough is strong, mix in the dried fruit and the spices, if using.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and work in all the dried fruit. Shape into a ball,place the doughin to a lightly-oiled bowl and cover with a warm damp cloth. Leave in a warm place for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Prepare a baking tray with your muffin cases on it.Turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and press out the air using your fingers.Divide the dough into 80 g pieces (depending on the size of your muffin cases) and shape into balls (I get 9 ballsout of this quantity of dough).Place each ball into a case. It should fill about one of the case (see size above).When all the cases are filled, cover themwith a light cloth and leave for another 1 ½ hours or until the dough has risen tothe top of the cases.
Brush the tops lightly with milk or cream - or leave plain.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F / Gas Mark 4/5 . Place the tray of saffron buns near the bottom of the oven and bake for on 18-20 minutes until golden. Cover the top with foil if the buns start to get too brown.
Remove the buns from the oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with snow sugar.
Tear apart or slice and serve with cold butter. Wonderful when slightly warm and even better toasted the next day.
Sourdough Breads
Cube Tin Milk Loaf
This recipe makes 2 small sourdough milk loaves. At a size of 10cm x 10cm x 10cm, they are the perfect size for 2 people as an accompaniment to breakfast, lunch or tea. The bread is light and airy and has been described by all who try it as 'delicious'. It makes the most exquisite finger or tea sandwiches which I add a comment on here - only because I have been served some very crude, doorstop-size cucumber sandwiches in a number of establishments and upmarket hotels purporting to offer 'an English cream tea'.
To Make Finger Cucumber Sandwiches
Take your white milk bread and slice thinly using a large bread knife. Each slice of bread should be between 0.5-0.75cm thick. Remove the peel of a firm, fresh cucumber and slice thinly using a mandolin. I cut across the cucumber and keep the seeds as they are what make these sandwiches so refreshing. Butter the slices of bread up to the edge with a thin coating of butter. This helps to keep the cucumber in place and also prevents the bread from becoming soggy. Arrange the cucumber on the bread slice, overlapping the cucumber rounds. Sprinkle the cucumber with fine sea salt and place another slice of bread on top. Pressing the sandwich down, cut the crusts off, and then cut each sandwich lengthways into fingers of equal size (triangular sandwiches are also acceptable)! Serve immediately, with tea - preferably Earl Grey - served in bone China tea cups (tea tastes better in bone china).
A coating of cream cheese to one side of the bread is also very good.
There is nothing more delicious on a summer’s day, a Sunday afternoon, or when you need a little pick me up!
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 cube-shaped sourdough milk loaves
For the Roux
25g bread flour
100g whole milk
For the Dough
All 125g of the above roux
300g bread flour, sifted
20g caster sugar
1 egg (50-55g)
100g ripe sourdough starter (make sure you use your starterbefore it becomes overly ripe to ensure acidity is kept low)
4g salt
40g unsalted butter, fridge cold and cubed
100g whole milk
Special Equipment
2 x 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm Pullman tins
1 x food thermometer
Method
Making the Roux
Put the flour and milk together in a pan and heat gently, stirring all the time with a whisk. As soon as the roux starts to thicken (this happens when the mixture reaches 65c/150f) remove the pan from the heat. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the roux into a bowl and allow to cool. This will take around an hour.
If you are not going to use the roux after an hour or so, then cover it with a piece of cling film to stop it from forming a skin.
Making the Dough
In the bowl of a kitchen mixer, using a manual whisk, mixthe starter and milk together, add the roux and sugar and mix together. Add the egg and mix.
Using your kitchen mixer with speed on slow, add in the flour a spoon at a time until a sticky dough forms, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Add the salt and mix for 5 minutes.
Add the butter one cube at a time to start with, adding more as the dough and butter become combined. Once all the butter is in, mix on a slow to medium speed (Kitchenaid 2) for 15 minutes. Wet your fingers and check the dough strength by stretching out a piece of the dough gently. If it will stretch to a very thin pane of dough it is ready. If it tears easily, stop and mix for another 5 minutes and try again. This is an important stage so spend a little time getting this right.
Turn the dough out on to your work surface and using a bench knife, shape into a ball and place into a bowl (ideally a tall stoneware or pottery bowl as this keeps the dough temperature constant and you can easily monitor the growth of the dough ).
Leave the dough to rise until it has doubled in size. In my kitchen which is around 21°C at time of writing, this takes around 5 hours. When it has reached this point, cover the bowl with a food cover and refrigerate (5°C). Leave overnight.
Next Day
Divide the dough into two pieces which should weigh around 350g apiece.
Dust your work surface with flour. Take each piece of dough in turn and shape into a flat disc. Fold into a ball by taking the outer edge of the dough and folding into the centre. Take the corner edge formed by doing this and fold in towards the centre. Work your way around the dough, folding each corner edge in to the centre until you have a ball. Squeeze the centre dough edges to seal and roll on the counter with your hand to create a ball. Rest for 5 minutes.
Take a rolling pin and dust it with flour. ‘Ridge’ the ball of dough by pressing the dough at intervals using the pin so that you create a fat rectangle of dough. Slowly roll the dough away from you starting at the middle point. Then roll from the middle of the dough towards your body. Don’t press down. If the dough is very elastic and won’t let you roll it then allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes and try again.
When you have a piece of flat dough which is around 14 cm wide, fold the sides into the centre to create one long ribbon of dough. Ridge and roll again until the dough is about 1-1.5cm thick. Then starting at the end furthest away from you, roll the dough tightly working towards you. Seal the end with a little water.
Butter your Pullman tins thoroughly taking care with the corners. Place your dough, seam side down in the tin. Cover and leave at room temperature until the dough has grown in size. This will take a few hours.
When it has reached about 1 cm from the top edge of the tin it is ready to bake.About 20 minutes before this point is reached, heat your oven to 190°C / 375°F/ Gas 5.
You can bake these little loaves either with the Pullman lid on or off. Place the tins in the middle to lower part of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. When cooked the internal temperature should be about 90°C (190 - 200°F). Remove from the oven. Remove lid, if using. Bang the tins on the counter - once only - from a height of 10 cm and remove the loaves immediately from their tins.Rest on a wire cooling rack until completely cool.
Classic Light Rye Sourdough
Homemade sourdough is very much in vogue. And home bakers are now producing fabulous loaves which are tasty and healthier than their commercialcounterparts. It is believed that many people have become intolerant to gluten due to modern bread-making techniques and certainly the additives in a commercially-produced loaf are not appealing. The advantage of the sourdough baking process is that the long fermentation process makes the bread easier to digest and releases nutrients which our bodies absorb more easily.
During the mixing stageof the process, gluteninand gliadin in the flour are activated when water is added and start to form gluten strands. The addition of salt adds strength to the gluten structure as well as adding flavour. As the dough ferments,microorganisms of lactic acid bacteria and wild yeast break down the starch in the flours into sugar. The yeast then converts this sugar intocarbon dioxide and ethanol. The carbon dioxide gets trapped in the gluten net and this causes thebreadto rise. The lactic acidbacteriaadds the characteristic 'sour' flavour to the finished bread.
This recipe is for a classic light rye sourdough loaf.Rye flour is low in gluten so this bread doesn’t rise in the same way. Thisloaf uses strong white bread flour mixed with rye so you will get a nice rise.
Ingredients
300 g strong white bread flour (look for a high protein level of between 13-15 grams)
50 g rye flour
260 g filtered water
75 g rye starter, or rye and wheat starter (at peak)
8 g salt
Brown rice flour or fine semolina flour to sprinkle onto the work surface and dough when you need it
Method
Step 1. 'Autolyse'
Mix all the flours with 260 g water. You can do this by hand or using a kitchen mixer (use the dough hook provided). Leave for 1 hour.
Step 2. Add sourdough starter
Using your dough attachment, add the starter to the dough and mix on speed 1 for 5 minutes. Alternatively, if you wish to make this loaf by hand, mix using the Rubaud. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3. 'Bassinage'
Dissolve the salt in the remaining 10 g water and mix slowly into the dough. Then mix on speed 1 for about 5 minutes. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 4. Laminate
Using a scraper dipped in cold water, tip the dough out on to the wet surface of your kitchen counter (or onto a wet marble pastry board). With wet hands, gently stretch the dough outwards from the centre, putting your fingers underneath and slowly pulling outwards. The objective is to create a thin sheet of dough. Then starting at one end, lift a quarter of the sheet and fold it over on to itself. Repeat on the right. Fold the sheet in half vertically. Then fold the top quarter of the sheet over onto itself in a downwards direction, the bottom quarter over onto itself in an upwards direction and finally roll up the dough. This process helps the dough to build strength. Place the dough into a square glass or ceramic dish. Cover it loosely with a damp, clean linen cloth and leave for 30 minutes.
Step 5. Coil Folds
Every 45-60 minutes perform a 'coil' fold on the dough. This involves lifting the dough at the neck (ie a quarter of the way down) and allowing it to coil underneath itself. Do twice at one end and then turn the dish and perform twice at the other end. Then coil over onto itself. Repeat this 4 times.
Initially the dough will spread and fill the bowl but with each successive coil fold it will start to hold its shape. When the dough is holding its coiled shape well, then it's time to move on to the next step.
Step 6.Rest
Leave the dough to rest in the dish for 1 hour. It will bulk up during this time and start to look puffy or 'proofy'.
Step 7.Pre-shape
Gently lift the coiled dough out of the dish onto your lightly-floured surface. Using a dough scraper gently push a little flour under the edges of the dough (use brown rice flour here). Shape the dough into a ball by gently pushing your scraper under the dough. Do this from different angles: use a sweeping movement, for example from 4 o'clock up to 12 o'clock and down - pushing against the dough to form a tighter ball. Take care not to push out any of the gas which has been created.Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
Step 8. Shape
Using a floured scraper, gently lift the dough and turn it over and gently jiggle it into a rectangular shape. Fold it like an envelope, starting by creating flap at the from the bottom, then fold the left and right flaps towards the centre and finally the top flap down.
Step 9. Add tension
Starting at the top, 'stitch' the dough by taking a piece of the dough from the left and a piece of dough from the right and gently stick them together. Create a vertical line of stitches down the dough. This creates tension in the skin of the dough. Gently lift and place into an oval well-seasoned banneton (use rice flour for this). Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Step 10. Retard
Refrigerate over night for 10-12 hours.
Next Day
Step 11. Preheat the oven to 240°C / 475°F/ Gas 9. Put a lidded dutch oven or glass (Pyrex) casserole into the oven.
Step 12. Score
Remove the banneton of dough from the fridge and cover it with a piece of baking parchment. Turn the banneton over and place on your work surface. Gently remove the banneton. Flour the surface of the dough lightly. Using a lame (a very sharp knife especially for cutting dough), cut a line down one side. This will allow for the growth of the dough during baking known as 'oven spring'.
Step 13. Bake
Place your dough into the hot cast iron casserole or glass casserole, keeping it on the baking paper. Cover it with the casserole lid. Bake for 20 minutes at 240°C / 475°F/ Gas . Then remove the lid of the casserole and turn the temperature down to 220°C / 425°F/ Gas 7 and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Step 14. Remove from oven and cool
Check that the bread is done: it should look golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 1 hour.
Classic Light Wholemeal Sourdough
Homemade sourdough is very much in vogue. And home bakers are now producing fabulous loaves which are tasty and healthier than their commercialcounterparts. It is believed that many people have become intolerant to gluten due to modern bread-making techniques and certainly the additives in a commercially-produced loaf are not appealing. The advantage of the sourdough baking process is that the long fermentation process makes the bread easier to digest and releases nutrients which our bodies absorb more easily.
During the mixing stageof the process, gluteninand gliadin in the flour are activated when water is added and start to form gluten strands. The addition of salt adds strength to the gluten structure as well as adding flavour. As the dough ferments,microorganisms of lactic acid bacteria and wild yeast break down the starch in the flours into sugar. The yeast then converts this sugar intocarbon dioxide and ethanol. The carbon dioxide gets trapped in the gluten net and this causes thebreadto rise. The lactic acidbacteriaadds the characteristic 'sour' flavour to the finished bread.
This recipe is for a classic light wholemeal sourdough loaf.
Ingredients
300 g strong white bread flour (look for a high protein level of between 13-15 grams)
50 g wholemeal flour
270 g filtered water
75 g rye starter, or rye and wheat starter (at peak)
8 g salt
Brown rice flour or semolina flour to sprinkle onto the work surface and dough when you need it
Method
Step 1. 'Autolyse'
Mix all the flours with 260 g water. You can do this by hand or using a kitchen mixer (use the dough hook provided). Leave for 1 hour.
Step 2. Add sourdough starter
Using your dough attachment, add the starter to the dough and mix on speed 1 for 5 minutes. Alternatively, if you wish to make this loaf by hand, mix using the Rubaud. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3. 'Bassinage'
Dissolve the salt in the remaining 10 g water and mix slowly into the dough. Then mix on speed 1 for about 5 minutes. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 4. Laminate
Using a scraper dipped in cold water, tip the dough out on to the wet surface of your kitchen counter (or onto a wet marble pastry board). With wet hands, gently stretch the dough outwards from the centre, putting your fingers underneath and slowly pulling outwards. The objective is to create a thin sheet of dough. Then starting at one end, lift a quarter of the sheet and fold it over on to itself. Repeat on the right. Fold the sheet in half vertically. Then fold the top quarter of the sheet over onto itself in a downwards direction, the bottom quarter over onto itself in an upwards direction and finally roll up the dough. This process helps the dough to build strength. Place the dough into a square glass or ceramic dish. Cover it loosely with a damp, clean linen cloth and leave for 30 minutes.
Step 5. Coil Folds
Every 45-60 minutes perform a 'coil' fold on the dough. This involves lifting the dough at the neck (ie a quarter of the way down) and allowing it to coil underneath itself. Do twice at one end and then turn the dish and perform twice at the other end. Then coil over onto itself. Repeat this 4 times.
Initially the dough will spread and fill the bowl but with each successive coil fold it will start to hold its shape. When the dough is holding its coiled shape well, then it's time to move on to the next step.
Step 6.Bulk proof
Leave the dough to rest in the dish for 1 hour. It will bulk up during this time and start to look puffy or 'proofy'.
Step 7.Pre-shape
Gently lift the coiled dough out of the dish onto your lightly-floured surface. Using a dough scraper gently push a little flour under the edges of the dough (use rice flour here). Shape the dough into a ball by gently pushing your scraper under the dough. Do this from different angles: use a sweeping movement, for example from 4 o'clock up to 12 o'clock and down - pushing against the dough to form a tighter ball. Take care not to push out any of the gas which has been created.
Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
Step 8. Shape
Using a floured scraper, gently lift the dough and turn it over and gently jiggle it into a rectangular shape. Fold it like an envelope, starting by creating flap at the from the bottom, then fold the left and right flaps towards the centre and finally the top flap down.
Step 9. Add tension
Starting at the top, 'stitch' the dough by taking a piece of the dough from the left and a piece of dough from the right and gently stick them together. Create a vertical line of stitches down the dough. This creates tension in the skin of the dough. Gently lift and place into an oval well-seasoned banneton (use rice flour for this). Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Step 10. Retard
Refrigerate over night for 8-12 hours.
Next Day
Step 11. Preheat the oven to 240°C / 475°F/ Gas 9. Put a lidded dutch oven or glass (Pyrex) casserole into the oven. Place a tray underneath the level that you will be baking on.
Step 12. Score
Remove the banneton of dough from the fridge and cover it with a piece of baking parchment. Turn the banneton over and place on your work surface. Gently remove the banneton. Flour the surface of the dough lightly. Using a lame (a very sharp knife especially for cutting dough), cut a line down one side. This will allow for the growth of the dough during baking known as 'oven spring'.
Step 13. Bake
Place your dough into the hot cast iron casserole or glass casserole, keeping it on the baking paper. Cover it with the casserole lid. Bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid of the casserole, turn the temperature down to 220°C / 425°F/ Gas 7 and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Step 14. Remove from oven and cool
Check that the bread is done: it should look golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 1 hour.
Classic Light Spelt Sourdough with Pearled Spelt Grains
Homemade sourdough is very much in vogue. And home bakers are now producing fabulous loaves which are tasty and healthier than their commercialcounterparts. It is believed that many people have become intolerant to gluten due to modern bread-making techniques and certainly the additives in a commercially-produced loaf are not appealing. The advantage of the sourdough baking process is that the long fermentation process makes the bread easier to digest and releases nutrients which our bodies absorb more easily.
During the mixing stageof the process, gluteninand gliadin in the flour are activated when water is added and start to form gluten strands. The addition of salt adds strength to the gluten structure as well as adding flavour. As the dough ferments,microorganisms of lactic acid bacteria and wild yeast break down the starch in the flours into sugar. The yeast then converts this sugar intocarbon dioxide and ethanol. The carbon dioxide gets trapped in the gluten net and this causes thebreadto rise. The lactic acidbacteriaadds the characteristic 'sour' flavour to the finished bread.
This recipe is for a classic light spelt sourdough loaf with addedpearledspelt grains.
Ingredients
250 g strong white bread flour (look for a high protein level of between 13-15 grams)
100 g spelt flour
250 g filtered water (plus 10 g water added with salt)
75 g rye starter, or rye and wheat starter (at peak)
8 g salt
40 g pearled spelt (pre-soaked for 2-3 hours)
Brown rice flour or semolina flour to sprinkle onto the work surface and dough when you need it
Method
Step 1. Wash and soak the pearled spelt in freshly boiled water. Leave until soft to the bite (around 2-3 hours) and then drain and leave to dry.
Step 2. 'Autolyse'
Mix all the flours with 250 g water. You can do this by hand or using the dough hook of a kitchen mixer mixer (I do everything by hand). Leave for 1 hour.
Step 3. Add sourdough starter
Add the starter to the dough and mix by hand using the Rubaud method (a scooping action underneath the dough as you mix), or a kitchen mixer on speed 1 or 2 for 4 minutes or so. Leave to rest for 45 minutes.
Step 4. 'Bassinage'
Dissolve the salt in the reserved 10 g water and mix slowly into the dough by hand using the 'Rubaud' method (or in your kitchen mixer on speed 1 or 2) for about 3-4 minutes. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 5. Laminate
Spray your work surface with a mister. Using a scraper dipped in cold water, tip the dough out on to the counter. Spray your hands with a mister and gently stretch the dough outwards from the centre, putting your fingers underneath the dough and slowly pulling outwards. The objective is to create a thin sheet of dough without tearing it. Take your drained pearled spelt grains and scatter them evenly over the sheet of dough. Then starting at one end, lift a quarter of the sheet and fold it over on to itself. Repeat on the right. Fold the sheet in half vertically. Then fold the top quarter of the sheet over onto itself in a downwards direction, the bottom quarter over onto itself in an upwards direction and finally roll up the dough. This process helps the dough to build strength. Place the dough into a square glass or ceramic dish. Cover it loosely with a damp, clean linen cloth and leave for 45-60 minutes.
Step 6. Coil Folds
Every 45-60 minutes perform a 'coil' fold on the dough. This involves lifting the dough at the neck (ie a quarter of the way down) and allowing it to coil underneath itself. Do twice at one end and then turn the dish and perform twice at the other end. Then coil over onto itself. Repeat this process 4 times.
Initially the dough will spread and fill the bowl but with each successive coil fold it will start to hold its shape. When the dough is holding its coiled shape well, then it's time to move on to the next step.
Step 7. Rest
Following the last fold, leave the dough to rest in the dish for 1 hour. It will bulk up during this time and start to look puffy or 'proofy'.
Step 8.Pre-shape
Gently lift the coiled dough out of the dish onto your lightly-floured surface. Using a dough scraper gently push a little flour under the edges of the dough (use rice flour here). Shape the dough into a ball by gently pushing your scraper under the dough. Do this from different angles: use a sweeping movement, for example from 4 o'clock up to 12 o'clock and down - pushing against the dough to form a tighter ball and shaping it with your spare hand. Take care not to push out any of the gas which has been created.Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
Step 9. Shape
Flour your surface lightly. Using a floured scraper, gently lift the dough and turn it over and gently jiggle it into a rectangular shape. Fold it like an envelope, starting by creating flap at the from the bottom, then fold the left and right flaps towards the centre and finally the top flap down.
Step 10. Add tension
Starting at the top, 'stitch' the dough by taking a piece of the dough from the left and a piece of dough from the right and gently stick them together. Create a vertical line of stitches down the dough. This creates tension in the skin of the dough. Gently lift and place into an oval well-seasoned banneton (use rice flour for this). You can stitch again to add a little more tension to the skin of the dough and help to create a better shape. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Step 11. Retard
Refrigerate over night for around 12 hours.
Next Day
Step 12. Preheat the oven to 240°C / 475°F/ Gas 9. Put a lidded dutch oven or glass (Pyrex) casserole into the oven and let heat for an hour.
Step 13. Score
Remove the banneton of dough from the fridge and cover it with a piece of baking parchment. Turn the banneton over and place on your work surface. Gently remove the banneton. Flour the surface of the dough lightly. Using a lame (a very sharp knife especially for cutting dough), cut a line down one side. This will allow for the growth of the dough during baking known as 'oven spring'.
Step 14. Bake
Place your dough into the hot cast iron casserole or glass casserole, keeping it on the baking paper. Cover it with the casserole lid. Bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid of the casserole, turn the temperature down to 220°C / 425°F/ Gas 7 and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Step 15. Remove from oven and cool
Check that the bread is done: it should look golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 1 hour.
Pumpkin Sourdough
You may think that Pumpkin bread is for autumn only. But by using tinned puree of pumpkin you can make this any time.
The result is a light, fluffy sourdough which is perfect with salads or soups whether it be winter root veg or a light cream of celery soup.
Ingredients
300 g strong white bread flour (look for a high protein level of between 13-15 grams)
50 g wholemeal flour
200 g filtered water + 10 g water for salt
75 g sourdough starter (at peak)
8 g salt
80 g tinnedpuree of pumpkinFine semolina flour to sprinkle onto the work surface and dough when you need it
Method
Because pumpkin puree is used, the mixing of the dough is easier using a KitchenAid (or similar).
Step 1. 'Autolyse'
Mix the flours with 200 g water in a kitchen mixer. Leave for 1 hour. The dough will be quite dry but try to incorporate all the flour
Step 2. Add sourdough starter
Add the ripe starter to the dough and mix on speed 1 for 5 minutes. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3. Add pumpkin
Add the pumpkin and mix in. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 4. 'Bassinage'
Dissolve the salt in 10 g water and mix slowly into the dough. Mix on speed 1 for about 5 minutes. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 5. Laminate
Using a scraper dipped in cold water, tip the dough out on to the surface of your kitchen counter (spray it lightly with a mister beforehand). With wet hands, gently stretch the dough outwards from the centre, putting your fingers underneath and slowly pulling outwards. The objective is to create a thin sheet of dough. Then starting at one end, lift a quarter of the sheet and fold it over on to itself. Repeat on the right. Fold the sheet in half vertically. Then fold the top quarter of the sheet over onto itself in a downwards direction, the bottom quarter over onto itself in an upwards direction and finally roll up the dough. This process helps the dough to build strength. Place the dough into a square glass or ceramic dish. Cover it loosely with a damp, clean linen cloth and leave for 30 minutes.
Step 6. Coil Folds
Every 45 minutes perform a 'coil' fold on the dough. This involves lifting the dough at the neck (ie a quarter of the way down) and allowing it to coil underneath itself. Do twice at one end and then turn the dish and perform twice at the other end. Then coil over onto itself. Repeat this 3-4 times.
Initially the dough will spread and fill the bowl but with each successive coil fold it will start to hold its shape. When the dough is holding its coiled shape well, then it's time to move on to the next step.
Step 7. Rest
Leave the dough to rest in the dish for 1 hour. It will bulk up during this time and start to look puffy or 'proofy'. Look for a 30% increase in the dough size.
Step 8.Pre-shape
Gently lift the coiled dough out of the dish onto your lightly-floured surface. Using a dough scraper gently push a little flour under the edges of the dough (use rice flour here). Shape the dough into a ball by gently pushing your scraper under the dough. Do this from different angles: use a sweeping movement, for example from 4 o'clock up to 12 o'clock and down - pushing against the dough to form a tighter ball. Take care not to push out any of the gas which has been created.Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
Step 9. Shape
Using a floured scraper, gently lift the dough and turn it over and gently jiggle it into a rectangular shape. Pick one edge dough and fold it in to the centre. Take the outer 'corner' which has been created and fold it in to the centre. Work your way around the dough repeating this action. Turn over and shape into a ball.
Step 10. Add tension
Drag the whole ball towards you to create some surface tension. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Step 11. Retard
Refrigerate over night for 8-12 hours.
Next Day
Step 12. Preheat the oven to 240°C / 475°F/ Gas 9. Put a lidded dutch oven or glass (Pyrex) casserole into the oven.
Step 13. Making the Pumpkin Shape and Scoring
Place 4 pieces of string across a round piece of baking paper (see photo). Turn your dough out onto the centre of the baking paper on top of the strings. Tie each of the strings gently (leave enough slack for the dough to rise in the oven). Using a lame (a very sharp knife especially for cutting dough), cut an ear of wheat on each segment of the 'pumpkin' dough. This will allow for the growth of the dough during baking known as 'oven spring'.
Step 14. Bake
Place your dough into the hot cast iron casserole or glass casserole, keeping it on the baking paper. Use a peel or similar. Cover it with the casserole lid. Bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid of the casserole, turn the temperature down to 220°C / 425°F/ Gas 7 and bake for another 15 minutes.
Step 15. Remove from oven and cool
Check that the bread is done: it should look golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 1 hour. Finally gently remove the strings from the bread and insert a stick of cinnamon in the centre to create the stalk (you will need to wiggle it to get it in).
50:50 Rye Sourdough
Rye bread has always been associated with the colder Nordic countries, the high valleys of the Alps and of course Germany. It is very popular today for its health properties. It is high in lysine, a good source of zinc, copper, manganese and selenium, and a very good source of dietary fibre.
Rye flour is low in gluten so this bread doesn’t rise in the same way as a loaf made with a strong wheat flour. This recipe therefore uses a high proportion of rye mixed with some strong white bread flour and is boosted by a hybrid mix of a little fresh yeast and sourdough starter.
The bread is delicious with salad, cold sliced beef and fish, especially smoked salmon and trout
Ingredients:
250 g light rye flour
250 g strong whitebread flour
5 g fresh baker’s yeast
10 g salt
150 g sourdough starter (see new baker’s notes)
350 g lukewarm water
Method:
Dissolve the yeast in some of the water.
Mix all the ingredients in an electric mixer (Kitchenaid or similar) for 10-15 minutes using the dough hook.
Put the sticky dough in a square or rectangular glass bowl. Leave at room temperature for 4 hours.
Turn out onto a lightly-floured surface. Fold the outer corners into the middle of the dough, turning the dough as you go. Turn the dough over and shape into a ball with your hands.
Flour the top lightly and put into a well-floured banneton (seam facing upwards). Leave to proof for 2-3 hours (oruntil the dough has risen to the top of the banneton). Alternatively, you can put the covered banneton into the fridge overnight to proof more slowly.
Next day
Preheat the oven to 230°C / 425°F/ Gas 7. Put a bread stone or similar into the oven to heat. Place atray underneath it (for water).
Turn the dough out from the banneton directly onto a round of baking paper. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. There's no need to score this loaf.
Taking a bread peel, slide it under the baking paper andtransfer thedough straight onto the stone.
Put 1-2 cups of boilingwater into the bottom tray. Close the oven immediately to contain the steam.
Bake for 20 minutes at 230°C. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes at 200°C degrees, until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
Cool on a wire rack, slice and enjoy!
Sourdough Brioche
What better to lift the spirits than a slice of sunny brioche. French toast with banana, blueberry and maple syrup? Or 'eggy' bread with pancetta and maple syrup (the maple syrup is obligatory). This bread works equally well with a sweet or savoury topping.
My very easy sourdough brioche uses a normal starter and is enriched with eggs and full cream milk to create a light, airy crumb.
Ingredients
120 g ordinaryripe starter (or fresh discard). 65g whole milk, cold
2 large eggs (110 g), room temperature 300 g strong whitebread flour
40 g golden caster sugar
5 g salt 60g unsalted butter, cold but slightly soft, cut into very small pieces
For the egg wash use1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp cold water, milk or cream
Pearl sugar (I used Dan Sukker sourced from Totally Swedish in London), or sprinkle with snow sugar
Method:
In the bowl of a kitchen mixer, place the starter (or fresh discard) with the milk and whisk; add the eggs one at a time.
With the mixer on, add the dry ingredients (flour, salt and sugar) a little at a time, and mix on a slow speed until a dough forms (about 5 mins).
Keeping the mixer on a slow speed (speed 1 or 2 on a Kitchenaid), add the butter, one piece at at a time.
Mix on a slow-medium speed for about 15 mins and then do a window pane test. If the gluten looks strong then stop. If it tears easily, mix for another 5 minutes. On this occasion the gluten looked good after 20 minutes. If the dough gets too warm, put the bowl in the fridge to cool down and then mix again.
Turn the dough out onto your kitchen surface and shape into a ball. Place in a stoneware/ironstone/ceramic mixing bowl and cover. Rest (ferment) until the dough has doubled in size (this took about 5 hours at 23C in my kitchen). Refrigerate overnight (for about 10 hours). This cools the butter content of the dough and makes the dough easier to shape.
Next Day
Shaping the dough
Place the dough onto the bench; divide into 8 balls (weigh otherwise you get an unevenness in the final bread). De-gas and shape each piece of dough into a ball. Place the 8 balls into a loaf tin (18cm x 12cm) which has been greased with butter and lined with baking paper. The easiest way to do this is to put two balls together on the bench and put them in to the loaf tin 2 at a time. Cover and rest until the dough balls have risen to the top of the tin.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F/Gas mark 4.
Egg wash the dough and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes on the bottom to middle part of the oven until brown. Don’t shorten this time even if the bread looks brown before this, otherwise the brioche may not be done - the sugar in the dough makes it brown easily. Tap underneath to check for doneness (it should sound hollow).
Cool completely before slicing or tearing in to pieces .
Marbled Hazelnut Sourdough
A gorgeously seasonal hazelnut sourdough, marbled with rich dark cocoa.
This is a beautiful bread which goes well with your preserves: blackberry jam ordamson jelly, for example. It is also the perfect accompaniment to cold hams and cheeses, particularly ewe's cheese and goat's cheese.
Ingredients
270g Swiss ruchmehlflour (or high extraction wheat) (please email if you need details)
80g bread flour
245g water (left standing overnight)
75g ripe starter
8g salt dissolved in 10g water (salt water)
2 tspsunsweetened cocoa
30g hazelnuts,chopped finely
Method:
Stir the flours together, add the water and autolyse for 1 hour
Add starter and rest for 90 mins.
Add salt water and rest for 30 mins.
Cut off 60g dough, place it in a separate bowl and work the cocoa into it (I added a splash of water to make this easier). Rest for 30 minutes.
Stretch and fold the main dough and rest for 30 mins.
Spray the work surface lightly with water. Wet your hands and stretch the cocoa dough out thinly into a small sheet of dough. Turn the main dough out on to the work surface. Stretch the dough out thinly into a rectangle, working from the centre outwards. Laminate with the cocoa dough and chopped nuts. Fold 1/3 of the dough and then another 1/3 and roll up. Place in a square high-sided bowl and rest.
During the next 90-120 mins perform 2 coil folds.
Preshape and rest for 20 minutes.
Shape into a batard and place in a lined banneton. Rest until proofed (do the 'poke' test to check this).
Place in fridge and retard for at least 12 hours.
Next Day
Place a lidded iron casserole into your oven and heat for 1 hour at 250°C/480°F/Gas mark 9.
Turn your dough out onto a piece of baking paper. Flour lightly with rice flour. Score the dough using a lame. Transfer the dough on the baking paper to your casserole, and put 3 ice cubes under the paper. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the oven down to 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7. Bake for a further 15 mins. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.
The 'Marching' Spelt Loaf
Spelt is an ancient grain which has been grown in Somerset, England since the start of the Iron Age. It is a cross between Emmer wheat and goat grass. It has a unique gluten structure which makes it easier to digest than modern wheat. It is high in protein, rich in fibre and has more minerals and vitamins too. It is a good source of slow release energy, so much so that the Roman Army called it their ‘marching grain’.
Ingredients
500g spelt flour
300 g filtered water
100 g active ryestarter (at peak)
8 g salt
Method
The evening before:
Mix the sourdough starter with the water.
Put the flour into a mixing bowl and stir in the liquid.
Add the salt.
Cover and leave out overnight or for about 8 hours (do not put in the fridge).
Next morning:
Tip out the dough onto a lightly-floured surface.
Fold the corners of the dough in to the centre until you have created a ball shape which has some surface tension.
Put into a well-floured banneton and leave to rise for 1-2 hours until nearly doubled in size.
Heat the oven to 230°F. Get a cast iron casserole and put greaseproof paper on the upturned lid. Turn out the dough carefully on to it and cover with the casserole bowl.
Put a cup of water in the tray at the bottom of the over to create steam. Place the casserole in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the casserole bowl and cook for a further 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the loaf over and tap the bottom. If cooked it will sound hollow.
Leave to cool completely on a wire rack and then wrap in a thick linen cloth and store in a bread bin.
