breads and baguettes
Crusty French Baguette
(I have tried many baguette recipes and this is by far the best) What you need: 500 g bread flour (3 1/2 cups) 12 g kosher salt (2 teaspoons) 4 g instant dry yeast (1 teaspoon) 325 g slightly warm tap water (1 1/3 cup) What to do: * Food Processor: Put the flour in the bowl of the food processor. Add salt and yeast. Cover with the lid and begin to process at medium speed. Add the water through the feed tube as you begin counting 20 seconds. You’re going to see the dough starts to come together. Stop the machine after 20 seconds and see that it is not dry. It should be rough but make sure there are no spots of flour at the bottom. If it is dry, add 1 more tablespoon of tepid water. Cover the bowl and process for another 25 seconds. It should be 45 seconds in total. * Stand Mixer: Put the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl of the mixer. Whisk to combine. Add the water and mix on low with dough hook until ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides and mix for another 8 minutes. Next steps: Transfer the dough to a straight sided container, cover and put it in a warm place until dough raises by about 75% (up to 2 hours). Transfer to a lightly floured counter, and divide it into 3 pieces (about 280 g each). With each piece, make a rough bun by cupping them with both hands until you have a smooth surface. Cover them and let them rest for 20 minutes. Flatten each piece of dough on a lightly floured counter. Make a rectangle and roll it up with your hands like cinnamon rolls. Pinch the seams each time you roll the dough to keep out as much air as possible. Roll each into 3 long baguette shapes 13-15 inches long. Transfer them to a parchment lined baguette pan or heavy cookie sheet. Dust the bread pieces with a little flour. Cover and let stand for 40 minutes. About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450F. Put a cake pan on the bottom rack and carefully add 1 cup of water. This creates steam that is needed for forming that crackly crust. Make 5-6 slits in each loaf with a lame and immediately put them in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and they sound hollow if you lightly tap them. Internal temp should be at least 205F. Storing: Let bread cool for at least a half hour before serving. You can freeze this bread by double wrapping it and placing in a Ziploc. Adapted from: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/french-bread-recipe |
Bread Dipping Oil
What you need: 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1 1/2 teaspoon dried onion 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper extra virgin olive oil lemon juice (optional) Parmesan cheese (optional) What to do: Combine the spices and mix well. When ready to serve, place a teaspoon of the spice mixture in a shallow plate. Drizzle the desired amount of extra virgin olive oil over all. If desired splash with a few drops of lemon juice and sprinkle on some grated Parmesan cheese. |
One Hour Bread Recipe
Soft enough for sandwiches What you need: 6 cups all-purpose flour (1 pound 9.5 ounces by weight) 2 Tablespoons instant yeast 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt 2 cups very warm water about 120°F 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil What to do: Mixing the dough by Stand Mixer Combine flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of the stand mixer that has been fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. With mixer running, slowly pour in the water and olive oil at the same time. Continue mixing on low until the dough comes together and becomes smooth, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from the stand mixer, scraping any dough that remains on the dough hook into the bowl. Pull dough from bowl with your hands and form a smooth dough ball. Replace in bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes. To Shape the Loaves Turn dough out onto a clean surface and divide in half. Lightly grease two loaf pans. Form each half into an oval roughly the size of the loaf pan before easing them into the pans. Use a sharp knife to slash the top of the loaf about 1/4" of an inch deep. This allows the steam to escape the baking loaf. To bake the loaves: Arrange the racks in your cold oven so that one rack is on the very bottom and one is positioned in the center of the oven. Place the baking sheet with the loaves on the center rack and a bread or cake pan that is full of very hot tap water on the bottom rack. Close the oven and turn your oven on to 400°F. It is imperative that you start this in a cold oven! Set your timer for 40 minutes. That 40 minutes is all that stands between you and fresh bread. The crust should be a deep brown and quite firm when you remove the loaves from the oven. Transfer the loaves to a rack to cool completely if you wish to slice them, or you can do like I normally do and cool one loaf while tearing the second one into pieces and slathering with cold sweet cream butter. adapted from Foodie With Family |
Three Seeded Sandwich Bread
What you need: 416 g bread flour (3.25 cups) 5 g kosher salt (1.5 teaspoons) 7 g sugar (1.5 teaspoons) 5 g instant yeast (1.5 teaspoons) 40 g sunflower seeds (1/4 cup) 40 g pumpkin seeds (1/4 cup) 35 g sesame seeds (1/4 cup) 340 grams lukewarm water (1.5 cups) 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/4 c cup sesame seeds for coating the loaf What to do: In a straight sided container, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Add the seeds and whisk to combine. Add the water, followed by 1 tablespoon of the oil. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. You may have to knead briefly with your hands to get it to form a dough ball. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or a cloth bowl cover or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough has doubled in volume. Preheat the oven to 375F. Generously grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. When the dough has doubled, drizzle the tablespoon of olive oil over the top and use your hand to rub the oil over the surface to coat. Use your hand again to release the dough from the container, then flip it over so that the oil side is down. Shape the dough into a loaf shape, then transfer to the prepared pan seam side down. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Let the dough rise on the countertop in a warm, draft-free spot for 45 minutes to an hour or until the dough has risen significantly — it should be doming above the rim of the pan by about one inch. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned and at least 205F. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack. Let the loaf cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. adapted from: https://alexandracooks.com |
One-Day Rye Bread
What you need: 3 cups bread or all-purpose flour (384 g) 1 cup rye flour (96 g) 2 teaspoons kosher salt (10 g) 2 teaspoons instant yeast (10 g) 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (9 g) 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (395 g) 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (42 g) 1 tablespoons What to do: In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, instant yeast, and caraway seeds. In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and the honey until the honey is dissolved. Add to the flour, followed by 1 tablespoon of the oil. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or a cloth bowl cover or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough has doubled in volume. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease an 8.5×4.5-inch (or 9×5-inch) loaf pan. When the dough has doubled, drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top and use your hand to rub the oil over the surface to coat. Use your hand again to release the dough from the sides of the bowl, then flip the ball over so that the oil side is down. Roll the dough into a coil or into a loaf shape, then transfer to your prepared pan seam side down. Let the dough rise on the countertop (preferably in a warm, draft-free spot) for 45 minutes to an hour or until the dough has risen, doming above the rim of the pan by about one inch. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack. Let the loaf cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. adapted from: https://alexandracooks.com |
One Hour Guinness Beer Bread
What you need: 6 cups all-purpose flour (1 pound, 9.5 ounces) 2 Tablespoons instant dry yeast (24 g) 2 Tablespoons sugar (25 g) 1 Tablespoon kosher salt (18 g) (or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt) 16 oz Guinness Beer (warm liquid to about 120°F) 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil What to do: Mix the dough in a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook): Combine flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer). Mix in the beer and olive oil until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for about 4 minutes until the dough comes together and seems smooth (or mix 4 minutes with a dough hook in a stand mixer). Remove the dough from the bowl to a floured surface and grease the bowl with a little olive oil. Shape the dough into a ball, return it to the bowl, and cover with a tea towel. Let rise in a warm place for 15-20 minutes. (if you house is chilly, preheat the oven for three minutes then turn it off and let the dough rise in the warm oven) Turn dough out onto a floured surface and divide in half. Form each into a ball or oval shape and place 5-6 inches apart on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or has been lightly greased. Alternatively, you can bake it in lightly greased loaf pans. Brush olive oil on the top of each loaf. Use a sharp knife to slash the top of the loaves about ¼ of an inch deep. This allows the steam to escape the baking loaf. Place the loaves on the center rack of a cold oven. Place a pan of hot water on the bottom rack. Close the oven and turn your oven on to 400°F. It is important that you start this in a cold oven. Check your bread after 32 minutes, if the top and bottom of the loaves are a nice deep golden brown they are done. They might need 5 additional minutes. Transfer the loaves to a rack to cool completely. |