Bread Day
Yesterday was bread day and boy was it wonderful. A little painful on the stomach, carbohydrate-comma inducing, and way too long, but wonderful. I am a bit of a glutton for punishment, so even though I knew I couldn't eat anymore, I just had to keep trying the new and different varieties of bread the class was making. We made bagels, a number of different herbed dinner rolls, pita bread, challah bread, raisin swirl bread, olive loaf, whole wheat poppy seed bread, semolina bread, spelt bread, apple ring, etc. Basically, we turned the upstairs of the school into a full-fledged bakery.
To begin, a few notes on bread. The basic components of bread are:
-Gluten: The structure of bread. It is an elastic network that holds in the carbon dioxide gas created by the yeast when it consumes the sugars. A note on gluten-free bread-it is a quick bread that is risen with chemical leaveners instead of yeast.
-Flour: Bread is usually composed of 15-25% of high gluten flour (sometimes called strong, hard, or bread flour). The remainder is usually all-purpose or other low gluten flour, such as whole wheat pastry. At least a small amount of wheat gluten is necessary to make a great bread because it helps the bread to rise and puff up.
-Sugar: The food for the yeast. It adds both flavor and tenderness to the bread.
-Yeast: There are three types of yeasts 1. active dry yeast, 2. compressed fresh yeasts, 3. sourdoughs. Yeasts grow and thrive at temperatures between 70 and 100 degrees.
-Warm water: used to proof the yeast and provide the liquid needed to create the dough.
Below are two of my favorite recipes from yesterday's class. We made a lot of great ones, so an encore of bread recipes later in the week might be necessary.
Olive, Rosemary and Walnut Bread: Yields 2 loaves
2 cups warm water
1 tsp warm maple syrup
1 Tbsp + 1 and 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 cup pitted, chopped olives
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (1 tsp if using dried)
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 Tbsp sea salt
2 cups bread flour
up to 4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (you will probably not need this much)
1. Heat oven to 475. If you have access to a pizza stone, place it in the oven to warm. In a small bowl, combine water, maple syrup and yeast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, or until foamy.
2. Add 1/3 cup olive oil, olives, rosemary, walnuts, salt and bread flour. Mix in pastry flour cup by cup until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and starts to make a ball.
3. Knead dough on a table for about 10-15 minutes, using remaining pastry flour, or until the dough is smooth.
4. Place dough in a large lightly-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.
5. Punch down dough, form into a ball again, and place back in the bowl, covered. Let proof again for 25-30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Repeat if time permits, cutting proofing time in half again.
6. When done proofing, cut dough in half, form into two balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
7. Brush with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with additional sea salt. Bake on parchment paper on a pizza stone or on the baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch and golden. (When done, the bread will also not have a yeasty aroma and will sound hollow when thumped with your knuckle) Let cool completely before cutting.
Challah: Yields 2 loaves
2 and 1/4 cups warm water
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
2 Tbsp sea salt
7-8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you will not use all of this)
Egg wash: 3 eggs beaten with 2 Tbsp water
1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine water, honey and yeast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add eggs, butter, salt and just enough flour to create a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
2. Knead dough on a table for about 10-15 minutes, using remaining flour, or until the dough is smooth.
3. Place dough in a large lightly-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.
4. Punch down dough, form into a ball again, and place back in the bowl, covered. Let proof again for 25-30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Repeat if time permits, cutting proofing time in half again.
5. Divide dough into two equal portions. Divide each half into three, and roll into logs. Pinch the ends of the three logs and braid, pinching the ends. Repeat with other loaf. (Instructions for creating braids with more strands are available online) Place each on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise for 30-40 minutes, or until they have doubled in size.
6. Bake loaves for 30-40 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch. Brush with egg wash a few minutes before the bread has finished baking. Cool completely before cutting.
There is something so satisfying about making your own bread from scratch. Hope you enjoy making these! I'm making a tasty meal tomorrow night, so I hope to post the recipe soon!
Only in NY
Have you ever noticed how people are unable to listen to the YMCA and not sing along with hand motions? This could happen anywhere, but in a restaurant full of aspiring actors and day-drunk patrons, it is a very common occurrence. I never get tired of playing along myself. :)
To begin, a few notes on bread. The basic components of bread are:
-Gluten: The structure of bread. It is an elastic network that holds in the carbon dioxide gas created by the yeast when it consumes the sugars. A note on gluten-free bread-it is a quick bread that is risen with chemical leaveners instead of yeast.
-Flour: Bread is usually composed of 15-25% of high gluten flour (sometimes called strong, hard, or bread flour). The remainder is usually all-purpose or other low gluten flour, such as whole wheat pastry. At least a small amount of wheat gluten is necessary to make a great bread because it helps the bread to rise and puff up.
-Sugar: The food for the yeast. It adds both flavor and tenderness to the bread.
-Yeast: There are three types of yeasts 1. active dry yeast, 2. compressed fresh yeasts, 3. sourdoughs. Yeasts grow and thrive at temperatures between 70 and 100 degrees.
-Warm water: used to proof the yeast and provide the liquid needed to create the dough.
Below are two of my favorite recipes from yesterday's class. We made a lot of great ones, so an encore of bread recipes later in the week might be necessary.
Olive, Rosemary and Walnut Bread: Yields 2 loaves2 cups warm water
1 tsp warm maple syrup
1 Tbsp + 1 and 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 cup pitted, chopped olives
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (1 tsp if using dried)
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 Tbsp sea salt
2 cups bread flour
up to 4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (you will probably not need this much)
1. Heat oven to 475. If you have access to a pizza stone, place it in the oven to warm. In a small bowl, combine water, maple syrup and yeast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, or until foamy.2. Add 1/3 cup olive oil, olives, rosemary, walnuts, salt and bread flour. Mix in pastry flour cup by cup until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and starts to make a ball.
3. Knead dough on a table for about 10-15 minutes, using remaining pastry flour, or until the dough is smooth.
4. Place dough in a large lightly-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.
5. Punch down dough, form into a ball again, and place back in the bowl, covered. Let proof again for 25-30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Repeat if time permits, cutting proofing time in half again.
6. When done proofing, cut dough in half, form into two balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
7. Brush with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with additional sea salt. Bake on parchment paper on a pizza stone or on the baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch and golden. (When done, the bread will also not have a yeasty aroma and will sound hollow when thumped with your knuckle) Let cool completely before cutting.
Challah: Yields 2 loaves2 and 1/4 cups warm water
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
2 Tbsp sea salt
7-8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you will not use all of this)
Egg wash: 3 eggs beaten with 2 Tbsp water
1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine water, honey and yeast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add eggs, butter, salt and just enough flour to create a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
2. Knead dough on a table for about 10-15 minutes, using remaining flour, or until the dough is smooth.
3. Place dough in a large lightly-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.
4. Punch down dough, form into a ball again, and place back in the bowl, covered. Let proof again for 25-30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Repeat if time permits, cutting proofing time in half again.
5. Divide dough into two equal portions. Divide each half into three, and roll into logs. Pinch the ends of the three logs and braid, pinching the ends. Repeat with other loaf. (Instructions for creating braids with more strands are available online) Place each on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise for 30-40 minutes, or until they have doubled in size.
6. Bake loaves for 30-40 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch. Brush with egg wash a few minutes before the bread has finished baking. Cool completely before cutting.
There is something so satisfying about making your own bread from scratch. Hope you enjoy making these! I'm making a tasty meal tomorrow night, so I hope to post the recipe soon!
Only in NY
Have you ever noticed how people are unable to listen to the YMCA and not sing along with hand motions? This could happen anywhere, but in a restaurant full of aspiring actors and day-drunk patrons, it is a very common occurrence. I never get tired of playing along myself. :)
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