Living without bread....NOT

Yes, I currently mix freshly ground wheat with regular (unbleached) flour, but only because I don't have an electric wheat grinder yet.    I've made the bread with all wheat and I prefer it with hard white wheat.   Hard red is good too, but a little dense for my family's taste.   

Thordwaggy

Thank you for your tips..

Please can we have that frend bread recipe.

I've never made bread without a bread machine and would love to try before I really have to..

I copied most of the recipes so thank you to all..

One of the recipe say.  I make a sponge with 1 cup of wheat bread

Glad that helps.  I use that trick for buttermilk pancakes too. 

French bread.  Don’t be intimidated by the length of this recipe.  It is really easy and good.  It is from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads.

Pain Ordinaire Careme (a daily bread)  (Four baguettes, boules or couronnes) 

Note from me:  I usually make 2 large long loafs or put them in two large bread pans. 

This excellent bread is made with hard wheat bread flour to give the dough the ability to withstand the expansion it undergoes when it rises more than 3 times its original volume.  Baking at high heat provides the oven –spring that makes possible the formation of a large cellular structure, the distinguishing characteristics of pain ordinaire.

Ingredients

6 cups bread or unbleached flour, approximately  (me: ways use bread flour)

2 packages of dry yeast or the same amount of the jarred yeast

2 ½ cups hot water (120 – 130 degrees)

2 teaspoons each of salt and water.

Baking sheet or pans (me:  I am trying a baking stone this weekend)

1 baking sheet, Teflon or greased and sprinkled with cornmeal, or 4 baguette pans.  (what is a baguette pan anyway?)

By hand or mixer 10 minutes

The early part of this preparation, beating a batter, can be done by an electric mixer.  However, don’t overload a light mixer with this thick batter.  If by hand, stir vigorously for an equal length of time.

Measure 3 or 4 cups of flour into the mixing bowl and add the yeast and hot water.  The mixer flat beater or whisk should run without due strain.  The batter will be smooth and pull away from the sides as the gluten develops.  It may also try to climb up the beaters and into the motor.  If it does, shoot it.  Oh, I mean push it down with a rubber scraper.  Mix for 10 minutes.  When about finished, dissolve the 2 teaspoons of water and 2 teaspoons of salt and add it to the batter.  Blend for 30 seconds or more.

Kneading

10 minutes

If the machine has a dough hook, continue with it and add additional flour, ¼ of a cup at a time, until the dodough has formed under the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl.  If it is sticky and clings, add sprinkles of flour.

Knead for 10 minutes.

If by hand, add additional flour to the beaten batter, ½ cup at a time, stirring first with a utensil and then working by hand.  When the dough is shaggy but a solid mass, turn onto a work surface and begin kneading with an aggressive push-turn-fold motion.  If the dough is sticky, toss down sprinkles of flour.  Break the kneading rhythm occasionally by throwing the dough down hard against the countertop – an excellent way to encourage the development of the dough.

First Rising

Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for two hours. (me:  our house is always cool so it takes 2 and a half or 3 hours to triple in size)  The dough will more than triple in volume – and may even be pushing against the plastic covering.  (yes)

Second Rising

Turn back the plastic wrap and trun the dough onto the work surface to knead briefly, about 3 minutes.  Return the dough to the bowl and re-cover with wax paper.  Allow to rise to more than triple its volume again, about 1 ½ hours (or more).

Shaping

The dough will be light and puffy.  Turn it onto the floured work surface and punch it down.  Don’t be surprised if it pushes back, for it is quite resilient.  Divide into as many pieces as you wish loaves.  One quarter of the recipe will a baguette 22 inches long and 3 inches to 4 inches in diameter.  Allow pieces of dough to rest for 5 minutes before shaping.

For boules or round loaves, shape the pieces into balls.  Place in cloth lined baskets or place directly on the baking sheet.  For baguettes, roll and lengthen each dough piece under your palms to 16  to 20 inches and 3 or 4 inches in diameter.  (me: or two HONKIN’ big loaves)

(me: I left out the instructions for making a crown loaf.  Let me know if you want it.  It involves twising some long lengths of dough together and making a round thing by circling it up to look like a bee hive.)

Third Rising

1 Hour

Cover the loaves with a cloth, preferably of wool (me: NOT!.  I use one of those light muslin towel things.  Cut open an old pillow case to use if you want.)  The cloth allows air to reach the loaves and to form a light crust.  Leave at room temperature until the dough has risen to more than double its size, about 1 hour (or more)

Preheat

Before preheating the oven to 450 degrees (very hot) 20 minutes before baking, place a broiler pan on the floor or bottom rack of the oven so it will be there later.  Five minutes before baking, pour 1 cup of hot water into the hot pan.  Watch out for splashes and steam. 

Baking

450 Degrees

25-30 minutes

Carefulling move the loaves in to the baking sheets and pans to the baking sheet if the bread didn’t rise on the baking sheet.  Make diagonal cuts down the lengths of the long loaves and tic-tac-toe designs on the rounds loaves.  (me: when I make two large loaves, I put 3 or 4 diagonal slits in the top)

Place on the middle rack of the oven.

The loaves are done when a golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.  Turn one loaf over and if the bottom crust sounds hard and hollow when tapped, the loaf is done.

Final Step (me: phew!)

Place on a rack to cool.  One of the exciting sounds in the kitchen is the crackle of French bread as it cools.  Crackle away!  (me: I had to stick my ear right next to the bread to hear anything.)

Now grab a stick of butter and rip off a huge hunk and have at it!

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