While the book explains and offers recipes for a myriad of cakes, cookies, tarts and the like, I have been so fascinated by the bread chapter I haven't tried anything else. The thing I love most about this author is what an awesome teacher he is! He explains food science without losing me in a fifty-page tangent, all the while keeping it really interesting. The recipes are awesome and here are a few of my favorites.
I know I just posted our favorite sandwich bread the other day, but this one is- do I dare say it- possibly a bigger favorite. Simpler recipe, more time, so it's a toss-up which one I'll stick with or if I'll just use both on a regular basis. Amazing how great the texture is, though- YUM!
White Bread (Sponge Method)
4 c. flour
3/4 c. plus 1 Tbs. barely warm water
2/3 c. warm milk
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
oil for the pan
Making the Starter: Put 1 1/2 c. flour, the water, and milk in a bowl. Stir to combine with a whisk and sprinkle the yeast over. Wait about 3 minutes, for the yeast to moisten, and stir again until the mixture has the consistency of a thick batter. Cover the starter with plastic wrap and let rise for 1-2 hours, until doubled in volume, or even tripled.
Mixing: Combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour and the sugar with the sponge. Cut off one fifth of the dough to reserve for the next batch. You can save this for up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 1 month in the freezer. The next time you bake bread knead this into the milk/flour mixture just after you add the milk.
Kneading: Mix the dough by hand for 3 minutes or with a mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed for 2 minutes. If you're using a food processor, process the dough for 1o seconds. Cover the dough with a moist towel or with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes. Add the salt to the dough and knead again by hand or with the mixer on medium speed for about 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Turn the mixer to high speed if necessary to get the dough to slap against the side of the bowl. If using a food processor, process for 1 minute and then knead by hand for 1 minute to get the broken-up dough to come back together.
Fermentation: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a moist towel. Leave the dough for about 2 hours at warm room temperature for the fastest rise, or 30 minutes at room temperature and then overnight in the refrigerator for the slowest.
Shaping: Punch down the dough. Shape it into a loaf and place in an oiled 8-cup loaf pan.
Proofing: Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours at room temperature, or until about twice its original volume.
Baking: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place a sheet pan on the floor of an oven or on the bottom rack and pour in enough hot water to over the bottom of the sheet pan. Slide the loaf onto an oven rack over the pan of water and immediately spray the oven walls with water; wait for 30 seconds and repeat. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when you tap it. Let sit for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cake rack and let cool.
Makes 1 8-cup loaf, 2 baguettes, 1 boule, or 1 batard
Love, love, love this sourdough bread! I usually do the 'mixed method' and get a great rise out of my start. Perfect for panini, other sandwiches, and makes oh-so-delicious french toast.
Sourdough Bread
5 c. flour
1 1/2 c. water
2 c. expanded sourdough starter (explained below)
1 /4 tsp. active dry yeast proofed in 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. barely warm water (this is the 'mixed method')
1 tsp salt
Expanding the Starter: The night before you plan to make sourdough bread, begin by building the natural starter into a finished sourdough starter by adding flour and water. If your starter isn't as vigorous as you'd like- it takes longer than 8 hours to double in volume- consider adding a bit of yeast to help things along (mixed method). Combine 1 c. starter- don't use it all, you want to maintain some for future projects- with 1 c. flour and 1 c. water and allow to rise at room temperature for 24 hours. If you don't have a cool place for it to rise, let rise for 4 hours at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge for 20 more hours.
In a bowl, mix the flour, water, and sourdough starter. If using the mixed method, add the yeast and combine. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a moist towel and let rest for 20 minutes. Add the salt and knead by hand for about 12 minutes or in a standing mixer with a dough hook for 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Turn the mixer to high speed if needed to get the dough to slap against the side of the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 4-8 hours, until doubled in volume.
Shape the dough and allow to proof, covered with plastic wrap at room temperature or uncovered in a proofing box for 2-4 hours, until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 450 F. Slide a sheet pan on the floor or bottom rack of the oven and allow to heat for 10 minutes. Pour enough hot water to just cover the bottom of the sheet pan. Immediately spray water in the oven and close the door. Wait 30 seconds and repeat. Turn down oven to 425 F. Bake about 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a thermometer stuck in the bottom registers at least 205 F. Let cool on a cake rack.
Makes 1 8-cup loaf, 2 baguettes, 1 boule, or 1 batard
The walnut-raisin variation of this has become one of our favorite breads for toast in the morning. SO yummy- you have to try it!
Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread
2 1/4 c. stone-ground whole wheat flour
2 1/4 c. bread flour
1 1/2 c. barely warm water
2 c. expanded sourdough starter
1 tsp salt
oil for the pans
In a bowl combine the whole wheat flour and bread flour with the water and add the starter. Mix for 1 minute and then add the salt. Knead the dough with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 7 minutes or 12 minutes by hand, or until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Turn the mixer to high speed, if necessary, to get the dough to slap against the sides of the bowl. Allow to rise, covered with plastic wrap or a moist towel, at room temperature for about 6 hours or in the refrigerator for about 15 hours or until doubled in volume.
Form 2 loaves and put into 2 oiled 6-cup loaf pans or shape the loaf into a boule. Allow to proof, covered with plastic at room temperature for about 3 hours or until doubled in size. Score.
Preheat the oven to 500 F. Slide a sheet pan on the floor or bottom rack of the oven and allow to heat for 5 minutes. Pour enough hot water to just cover the bottom of the sheet pan. Immediately spray water in the oven and close the door. Wait 30 seconds and repeat. Turn down oven to 425 F. Bake about 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a thermometer stuck in the bottom registers at least 205 F. Let cool on a cake rack.
Variation--
Sourdough Whole Wheat Raisin Bread
Knead 1 c. coarsely-chopped walnuts and 1/2 c. raisins into the dough and allow to rise for about 4 hours, or until doubled in volume. Oil 6-cup loaf pans. Punch down dough, shape into 6 small loaves, and put into prepared pans. Allow to proof for 1-4 hours or until doubled. Bake at 450 F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on rack.
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