Artisan Bread

Years ago I was introduced to this great and simple way to make bread. I love that you really can't mess it up. (You'll notice that I say don't worry a lot in the instructions below--seriously, don't worry, it will all work out and be delicious.)

I had forgotten about this bread until I got a huge box in the mail this fall. My dear friend, Kelly had returned the book along with my bread container by mailing them from the U.S. to the Middle East. I didn't even know she had them. And, just like that, my love of this bread, of the simplicity and deliciousness, has been rekindled. 

The recipe below will make 4 small 1-pound loaves or two larger loaves. 

ARTISAN BREAD 

• 3 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt 
• 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

Equipment Needed: 

• 5-quart plastic food container with a lid, but not air tight (something like this)
• baking stone 
• broiler tray (to hold boiling water for steam) 
• parchment paper 
• pizza peel (for transferring bread in and out of oven) 

In 5-quart container combine water, yeast, and salt. Don't worry about it being all dissolved. 

Mix in the flour. Add all of the flour at once, mixing with a wooden spoon. No need to knead. Keep mixing until everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. Use your hands if that's easier. 

Allow dough to rise. Cover with lid (not airtight). Allow to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, approximately 2 hours. Don't worry too much about paying attention to how much the dough rises. You can leave it for longer and it won't affect the result. 

Note: You can use the dough any time after this point, but I usually throw it into the refrigerator as doing so will produce a dough that is less wet and easier to work with. 

When you're ready to bake a loaf, sprinkle the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour. Pull out a hunk of dough and use a serrated knife to cut off a piece. 

Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all sides, rotating as needed. The bottom might appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but no worries, it will flatten out during resting and baking.  

Place the formed loaf on a piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel.

Let loaf rise for about 40 minutes, uncovered. Do not worry if it doesn't look like it rises very much.  

Twenty minutes before baking, turn on the oven to 450 F with the baking stone placed on the middle rack and the broiler tray for water on any other shelf that won't interfere. 

Sprinkle flour on top of the loaf. Using a serrated bread knife, slash a 1/4-inch deep pattern into the top. (See photo above or make your own design.)

After the oven has preheated for 20 minutes, put the bread in the oven onto the baking stone, using the pizza peel. Don't worry that the oven is not yet up to 450 F.

Quickly pour about 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and firm. Don't worry if the top gets a little dark, it will still be perfectly moist on the inside. 

Allow to cool completely, preferably on a wire cooling rack. 

Store leftover dough in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. 

Source: Artisan Bread in Five 

Buttermilk Potato Rolls

This is my last Thanksgiving post, at least for 2014.  I really wanted to enjoy some delicious homemade rolls for Thanksgiving this year. Especially since I had recently done a gluten free stint to try and figure out some minor health issues. It's good to have gluten back in my life and thank goodness that it's not the culprit.

These rolls were light and fluffy and not horribly labor intensive. They do require some cooked potatoes; I just threw a few in the oven and baked them while I was preparing other Thanksgiving dishes. Oh, also you'll need a potato ricer. Maybe buy your own and make it a good sturdy one instead of borrowing your friend's. You know, in case it ends up a mangled mess.

You might want to think about making these at some point this holiday season.

BUTTERMILK POTATO ROLLS

The potatoes should be warm when using them.  Either use freshly cooked potatoes or warm them slightly before using.  I used 3 medium-sized baked potatoes that were warm out of the oven, removed the skins and put them through a potato ricer.  You can try mashing them as much as possible if you don't have a ricer; be sure to get them as smooth as possible!

As with all yeast doughs, don't worry about the exact flour amount called for in the recipe; instead mix the dough until it clears the sides of the bowl and is soft and smooth without being overly sticky.  The original recipe called for bread flour and whole wheat flour.  I used bread flour (luckily I could find some!) and all-purpose and thought the result was really good.  

I used active dry yeast, but instant yeast can be used as well.  No need to activate the yeast as you would normally do when making bread.  Add it in with the other ingredients, just as the recipe states, and all should be just fine.  

• 1 1/2 cups mashed or riced cooked potatoes (see note above)
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, room temperature
• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature (use this make-at-home version if you so desire)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant or active dry yeast
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 
• 4 cups all-purpose (or whole wheat) flour
• 3-4 cups bread flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm potatoes and butter and mix until the butter is completely melted.  

Add the buttermilk, yeast, eggs, sugar, salt, and 2 cups of flour.  Mix well. 

Continue adding the flour (both all-purpose and bread) until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is soft and smooth.  It may leave a slight residue on your fingers, which is okay, but shouldn't be so sticky that you have dough covered fingers.  

Add more flour if needed, taking care not to over flour the dough.  It should give easily when pressed with your fingers.  

Place the dough onto a floured surface or a silpat and knead for 5-7 minutes.   

Place the dough into a large, lightly-greased mixing bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap.  

Let the dough rise until doubled, about 1-1 1/2 hours.  

Lightly punch down the dough and roll it into 24 equal balls (about 3.2 ounces per ball, depending on how much flour you used).  Place the dough balls evenly on a parchment or silpat-lined large, rimmed baking sheet, 4 across, 6 down.  Or use two 9 x 13 dishes with 12 rolls in each pan.  

Cover the rolls with greased plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled, about an hour.  

Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes until golden on top and baked through.  

Brush the tops with butter after removing from the oven.      

Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

Homemade Flour Tortillas

I've tried quite a few different versions of homemade tortillas and these, so far, are the winner!  The dough comes together nicely and is easy to work with.  They are soft and delicious and so much tastier than store-bought.

I used my Kitchenaid stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, but you could also use a food processor or mix them by hand.

HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup warm water

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook attached until well combined.  

Add oil and water with the mixer running at a medium speed.  

Mix for one minute, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl.  

When the mixture comes together and begins to form a ball, decrease speed to low and continue to mix for one minute more, or until dough is smooth.  

Transfer to a well-floured work surface or an unfloured Silpat.  

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.  

Flatten each piece of dough a bit and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Allow dough to rest for 15 minutes.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.  

Roll each piece of dough into a large, thin circle.  I try to roll them as thin as possible because they puff up quite a bit when cooked.  

When the pan is very hot, cook each tortilla for about 1 minute or until bottom surface is lightly browned in places and bubbles are forming.  

NOTE: Getting the pan the right temperature can be tricky.  If it is taking longer than a minute to see light brown spots, increase the heat.    

 

Flip to the other side and cook for 30 seconds more.  

Tortillas can be frozen for later use.  

Source:  The Cafe Sucre Farine 

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Greetings from New York City!  I've been here this last week attending Teachers College at Columbia University.  This probably doesn't mean anything to you unless you're one of my teacher friends.  Pretty much, it's the coolest literacy professional development taught by the best gurus in the country.  Plus, it's in New York, which makes it an even greater adventure!  So, I've spent the week figuring out the subway, attending classes, and eating too many delicious bakery treats.

 

I have to stop here and make a side note about some of my favorite treats and eats:

Have you heard about the banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery?  People are always raving about it.  I've made a version of it at home before and couldn't imagine that it would be that amazing, but, lo and behold, it was.  What is it about softened vanilla wafers that is so good?  It seems like a weird thing to taste good, but they do.  They really do.   

Second favorite treat thus far:  chocolate chip walnut cookie from Levain Bakery.  These are more like cookie mounds.  Typically I like cookies on the flat side and without nuts, and, actually, cookies aren't usually my treat of choice, but I'll make an exception here; the mound was substantial with an awesome texture and the nuts didn't ruin it at all.  It was very different from a typical cookie and I liked it.   

One more food fave:  Shake Shack.  Everyone and their brother has recommended this place and now I get it.  I went to the original location in Madison Square Park.  It was lovely: strung with lights, outdoor seating, just a cool vibe all around.  While I wasn't overly impressed with the fries (probably a good thing), the burger was one of the best I've ever had.  And I've sampled my fair share.  They are made with high quality beef and I feel like I could tell.  I also had a creamsicle shake which was fantastic. 

Here's a pic in Columbus Circle after a walk through Central Park.  I saw fireflies for the first time.  After I realized I wasn't hallucinating, I was amazed! Those things are magical.  Why do we not have them in Seattle?!

Didn't mean to make this a NYC post, but I just couldn't help myself.

OKAY, on to zucchini bread . . .

Or should I say bikini bread?  When my niece Grace (now 13), was much younger, she used to talk about the big 'bikini' they grew in the garden.  I can't help but think of her any time I make something with zucchini.  I found this recipe a few years back when I was the recipient of some of the 'bikini' from the garden.  So, if you're looking for another way to use up zucchini, make this yummy bread!  The orange zest really makes the recipe so don't leave it out.  Also, I've adjusted the recipe to include more zucchini.

 

Note on Zucchini:  When I first made this I wasn't sure if I should leave the peel on or not, so here's a tip for prepping the zucchini.  Wash, dry, cut off the ends, leave the peel on, and use a box grater to grate the zucchini. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon orange zest

 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.


Grease two loaf pans.

 

 

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

 

 

In a large bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy.

Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended.


Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, chocolate chips, and orange zest.


Stir in sifted ingredients.


Pour into prepared loaf pans.


Bake for 50 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.


Remove loaves from pans and cool.


Source:  Paula Deen

Green Pea Bread

Soooooo good with tikka masala. 

 GREEN PEA BREAD

• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems
• 1 cup flour
• pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 cup (or less) water

In a food processor, mix the peas and cilantro for 30 seconds. 


Add flour, pepper, and oil and mix until well blended. 


With the machine running, add the water and mix until the dough forms into a ball.  You may not need the whole 1/4 cup.  Add just what is needed, otherwise the dough will be too sticky.   


Process the dough for 30 seconds more, turning the machine on and off every 5 seconds. 


Divide the dough into 8 pieces. 


Roll each piece using a rolling pin until thin and flat. 


Cook in 1-2 inches of oil heated to 375 degrees until browned and puffy. 


Source:  Britney Porter