Cluck, Muck & Cook

Baking & Foodie Blog From Sunny Brentwood Essex

bread

1 Bake with the kids

Vegan Biscoff Sweet Rolls

I have been inspired by a lot of vegan baking posts of late, especially the Little Blog of Vegan, whose bakes always look so delicious, so I committed to a weekend of Vegan baking, Alongside a vegan carrot cake for work and a vegan no bake Lotus Biscoff tart for home, I also wanted to develop something new. I love baking bread and also have a passion for Lotus Biscoff biscuits. So I set about trying to bring the flavour of speculoos, which is basically what a biscoff biscuit is, into a roll that had a little bit of sweetness but not too much and had to have those lovely spice flavours.

Biscoff Sweet Rolls

Biscoff Sweet Rolls

As always with anything Biscoff related, my youngest son volunteers as chief tester and he is a hard judge to please. A few attempts later I got the thumbs up, the rolls being the right consistency and they had enough spices to amp up the actual Biscoff spread also added to the dough.

Biscoff Sweet Rolls

Biscoff Sweet Rolls

These are easy enough to make and are delicious slightly warm but can also be stored in an airtight box for a day or two.

With the amount of Lotus Biscoff biscuits we get through in our house you would think we are sponsored by them, sadly not, we are just addicts 😉

Makes 9-10 rolls

INGREDIENTS
130g warm water
250g white bread flour
1 teaspoon dry yeast
25g soft brown sugar
60g Biscoff spread
1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
30g vegetable oil (I use rapeseed oil)
Icing sugar to dust

Method

  1. Whisk together the hand warm water with the Biscoff spread, brown sugar, vanilla extract and yeast.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix together the flour, salt and spices.
  3. Pour in the liquid mixture and add the oil.
  4. Knead for 7 minutes in the mix until the dough is smooth and elastic. If doing this by hand, knead for about 10 minutes.
  5. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 2 hours).
  6. Once risen, knead for a minute to knock the air out and divide the dough into 50g balls. You should get around 9-10.
  7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
  8. Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball and place them onto the baking tray giving them room to rise.
  9. Oil a piece of cling film and gently lay over the top of the rolls to stop them drying out.
  10. Allow to rise again until they are double in size.
  11. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C /160 degrees C Fan, and bake for about 15 minutes, until golden.
  12. Dust with some icing sugar on top.

Vegan Biscoff Sweet Rolls
 
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Delicious light and fluffy vegan Biscoff sweet rolls,a little bit of sweetness, but not too much and had to have those lovely spice flavours.
Author:
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 130g warm water
  • 250g white bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon dry yeast
  • 25g soft brown sugar
  • 60g Biscoff spread
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 30g vegetable oil (I use rapeseed oil)
  • Icing sugar to dust
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the hand warm water with the Biscoff spread, brown sugar, vanilla extract and yeast.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix together the flour, salt and spices.
  3. Pour in the liquid mixture and add the oil.
  4. Knead for 7 minutes in the mix until the dough is smooth and elastic. If doing this by hand, knead for about 10 minutes.
  5. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 2 hours).
  6. Once risen, knead for a minute to knock the air out and divide the dough into 50g balls. You should get around 9-10.
  7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
  8. Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball and place them onto the baking tray giving them room to rise.
  9. Oil a piece of cling film and gently lay over the top of the rolls to stop them drying out.
  10. Allow to rise again until they are double in size.
  11. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C /160 degrees C Fan, and bake for about 15 minutes, until golden.
  12. Dust with icing sugar

 

2 Blog

Easy Sourdough Recipe

I must admit that before the Great British Bake Off, bread was my nemesis. I am talking a basic white loaf. Sourdough was a world of wizardry that I thought I would never understand. Some of the bread gurus I met would talk about FDT (final dough temperature, I eventually found out), bakers percentages, autolyse times and the importance of bench rest. I will not baffle you with these terms but will give you the recipe in layman’s terms, as I wished someone would have done for me in the beginning.

Eventually I started to understand the terminology and coEasy sourdoughncepts which can be intimidating at first. Then I broke it down to plain English. Which soon demystified the process.

There is a scene in the “Wizard of Oz” where Toto finds the wizard working the controls of his machines from behind a curtain and when discovered, the less-than-wonderful wizard shouts into his microphone: “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”. Like this I hope to remove the fear of the mystery of making a decent loaf of sourdough and show you what’s behind the curtain. Which in reality is not scary at all. All you need is a bit of time and planning.

Hopefully making this simple but delicious loaf will give you the bug. Then when hooked, please do delve into the art and science of bread making if you want. Or just play around with this great basic recipe and be a bit of bread maverick like me.

I am assuming you have a sourdough starter, you can buy them on line or make your own. If you are like me you will end up with a collection of them, they all have their own unique flavours. If you want to make one yourself I have made Paul Hollywood’s one in the past. Recipe here

Let’s start with planning. I normally start late morning on Saturday for the mixing and first proof. Then in the evening at least 3 hours before I go to bed I shape the dough and put it in a proofing basket. Then when I go to bed I stick it in the fridge. The timing all depends on the temperature in your house. I am assuming around 70 degrees.

Think of yeast in the sourdough starter as a reptile. If it is cold they are slow and just hang around not doing much. Warm them up a bit and they come to life. The speed your dough rises will be a combination of how strong your starter is and how warm the environment you are proofing the dough is.

The expression ‘wetter is better’ is so true in bread making, especially with sourdough. The downside to that is that shaping sourdough for the beginner is a pain.

Easy sourdough

My approach is that you shape the dough the best you can before putting it in the bread form. Let it rise until it doubles in size. Then my hack is to stick it in the fridge overnight, like a brioche dough it will firm up nicely, which is critical when you need take it out of the bread form before baking, otherwise it can be like wrestling a jelly fish into a string bag.

The other eureka moment was when Yanny and Chris explained what a difference baking a loaf in a Dutch oven makes. In English terms a cast iron casserole dish , think le Creuset or Van Chef. Looking on the internet I kept seeing recommendations for a 6 quart one in bread recipes. I had no idea what that size was, so I just got a big one, about 25-26 cm is perfect. This helps retain heat and steam, it’s like an oven in an oven and totally transformed my bread making. Failing that a pizza stone in the oven or heavy baking sheet to help retain some heat in the oven will also work well.

Easy sourdough

I have saved step by step photos and videos on my Instagram page under story highlights @cluckmuckcook

 

Ingredients:
150g active, fed starter
350g water, tepid, preferably filtered
500g strong bread flour
10g sea salt
fine polenta or cornmeal for dusting

Method:
In a large bowl, whisk together the water and sourdough starter, then mix in the flour and salt until it forms a rough dough. Cover with cling film and leave for an hour. This is the autolyse period. Basically this hydrates the flour and starts breaking it down and starts to build gluten.

For the next 2 hours, every 30 minutes, grab a portion of the dough, stretch and pull it upwards and then fold it over to the other side of the bowl and tuck under. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you have done it 4 times and the bowl has gone around 1 full turn, cover with cling film and repeat 4 times over the 2 hours.

On the final turn, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. Be patient, this will depend on the strength of your starter and how warm the ambient temperature is.

Once doubled in size, tip onto the work surface and gently fold it into a ball, pulling each side into the middle. Do not worry about knocking the air out before you do this. Flip the ball over, cup your hands either side of the dough and gently turn the ball a quarter of a turn, tightening the dough. Repeat 3 or 4 times to get a nice tension on the dough. Do not worry too much as the fridge trick will help later.

Liberally flour the bread proving basket and pop the ball of dough in it seam side up. Oil some cling film and lay it on top.

Allow to proof until double in size and pop in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, preheat the oven for at least 30 mins at 240c (220c Fan) with the Dutch oven in the oven.

When the oven has been preheated, remove the dough from the fridge. Cut a circle of baking parchment larger than the loaf and scrunch it up then flatten out.

Sprinkle the base of the loaf with polenta, lay the baking parchment on top, then place a tray on top of that.

Flip everything over carefully and allow the dough to gently release from the proving basket. Slash the top with a serrated knife.

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, remove the lid (carefully it will be red hot), pick up the loaf on the baking parchment and drop it into the Dutch oven. Replace the lid and put it in the oven for 20 mins. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and bake for a further 30-40 minutes, depending on how dark you like the crust.

Remove from the oven and carefully take the loaf out of the Dutch oven. I use a couple of spatulas and cool on a wire rack.

It is best to let it cool thoroughly before cutting.

 

Easy Sourdough Recipe
 
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This is a super easy recipe that hopefully demystifys making process of making a delicious sourdough loaf.
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • Ingredients:
  • 150g active, fed starter
  • 350g water, tepid, preferably filtered
  • 500g strong bread flour
  • 10g sea salt
  • fine polenta or cornmeal for dusting
  • .
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the water and sourdough starter, then mix in the flour and salt until it forms a rough dough. Cover with cling film and leave for an hour. This is the autolyse period. Basically this hydrates the flour and starts breaking it down and starts to build gluten.
  2. For the next 2 hours, every 30 minutes, grab a portion of the dough, stretch and pull it upwards and then fold it over to the other side of the bowl and tuck under. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you have done it 4 times and the bowl has gone around 1 full turn, cover with cling film and repeat 4 times over the 2 hours.
  3. On the final turn, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. Be patient, this will depend on the strength of your starter and how warm the ambient temperature is.
  4. Once doubled in size, tip onto the work surface and gently fold it into a ball, pulling each side into the middle. Do not worry about knocking the air out before you do this. Flip the ball over, cup your hands either side of the dough and gently turn the ball a quarter of a turn, tightening the dough. Repeat 3 or 4 times to get a nice tension on the dough. Do not worry too much as the fridge trick will help later.
  5. Liberally flour the bread proving basket and pop the ball of dough in it seam side up. Oil some cling film and lay it on top.
  6. Allow to proof until double in size and pop in the fridge overnight.
  7. In the morning, preheat the oven for at least 30 mins at 240c (220c Fan) with the Dutch oven in the oven.
  8. When the oven has been preheated, remove the dough from the fridge. Cut a circle of baking parchment larger than the loaf and scrunch it up then flatten out.
  9. Sprinkle the base of the loaf with polenta, lay the baking parchment on top, then place a tray on top of that.
  10. Flip everything over carefully and allow the dough to gently release from the proving basket. Slash the top with a serrated knife.
  11. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, remove the lid (carefully it will be red hot), pick up the loaf on the baking parchment and drop it into the Dutch oven. Replace the lid and put it in the oven for 20 mins. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and bake for a further 30-40 minutes, depending on how dark you like the crust.
  12. Remove from the oven and carefully take the loaf out of the Dutch oven. I use a couple of spatulas and cool on a wire rack.
  13. It is best to let it cool thoroughly before cutting.

5 Bake with the kids

Pecan & Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I fell back in love with banana bread over a lazy Sunday morning brunch with my two boys.  We decided to give Mum some peace and headed into one of our favourite local cafes ‘The Brentwood Kitchen’. The boys love the pancakes there . I fancied something different for a change and decided on a warm banana bread with Nutella . It was delicious. That spurred me on to develop my own recipe.

Banana bread

 

The one thing that slowed me down with receipe development is that my family love bananas and they never last long enough in the house to get nice, ripe, brown and spotty which is what you want for this recipe. I ended up having to hide them!

A warm slice of banana bread slathered in Nutella is delicious but I also like to drizzle over some caramel sauce as a lovely alternative. It goes brilliantly with the pecans in this recipe.

Ingredients:
285g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
110g butter, plus extra for greasing
225g caster sugar
2 large eggs
4 very ripe and mashed bananas
85ml buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g chopped pecan nuts
50g choc Chips

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 180c/160c Fan.
2 Mash up the bananas to a paste consistency.
3 Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, pecans, choc chips and salt into a large mixing bowl.
4 In a stand mixer or another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and pale.
5 Add the eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until well combined.
6 Fold in the flour mixture gently until just combined.
7 Grease a 2lb loaf tin and pour the cake mixture into it.
8 Bake for about an hour until golden-brown and if you insert a skewer it comes out clean.
9 Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes.
10 Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool. Serve warm or cold with a drizzle of caramel sauce or spread with Nutella .

 

 
Pecan & Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Cake
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 285g plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 110g butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 225g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 very ripe and mashed bananas
  • 85ml buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 50g chopped pecan nuts
  • 50g choc Chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c Fan.
  2. Mash up the bananas to a paste consistency.
  3. Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, pecans, choc chips and salt into a large mixing bowl.
  4. In a stand mixer or another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and pale.
  5. Add the eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until well combined.
  6. Fold in the flour mixture gently until just combined.
  7. Grease a 2lb loaf tin and pour the cake mixture into it.
  8. Bake for about an hour until golden-brown and if you insert a skewer it comes out clean.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes.
  10. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool. Serve warm or cold with a drizzle of caramel sauce or spread with Nutella .

10 Breads

Chelsea Buns

My inspiration to bake as a child was my dad. As my dad worked nights, we often baked together at weekends. I remember successes, failures, a lot of laughter and love. A passion that I am also passing on to my children who also love to join me in the kitchen is to make biscuits or cakes. My dad is also to blame for the families carb addiction. He could never walk past a bakery without popping in for a piece of bread pudding, Belgium bun or his favourite Chelsea bun.

CHELSEA BUNS

I have been wanting to make Chelsea buns for a long time. However I never seemed to have the time and if honest I have never been that confident in bread making or yeasted doughs, so have often put off making them.  I think this stems back to the first loaf I remember my dad and I making. It was so hard that archaeologists will find it in the back garden of our old house in a 100 years time and wonder why anyone would make a house brick out of flour and yeast, it was that solid and dense.

My bread over the last 6 months has improved greatly, due to some good tips from some bread guru friends. The main eureka moment in my bread making was when I was told the phrase “wetter is better for bread dough”. Historically my doughs were always firm and dry, which really limits the rise and gives a dense loaf. I now no longer fear wet dough and with some decent kneading it becomes beautifully smooth and elastic.

CHELSEA BUNS

So it was time to jump into the Chelsea buns. Those who know me know that I see candied peel as the devils food, so my fruit of choice was an even mix of sultanas, dried cranberries and sour cherries.

CHELSEA BUNS

These were a lot easier than I thought they would be to make and were absolutely delicious, I baked them on a Sunday so, when my parents popped in for a cup of tea, they could sample a lovely warm, sweet, fluffy, cinnamon and fruit filled bun. They went down a treat. They will now be a regular in my repertoire and a great base to tweak flavours with different fruits and spices.

Makes: 9
Oven Temp: Gas 5, 375F, 190C (170C Fan)

Ingredients:
500g strong white bread flour (plus some for dusting)
300ml full fat milk
40g softened butter (unsalted)
10g instant yeast
10g salt
1 egg (medium)

Filing:
25g melted butter (unsalted)
75g soft brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
210g dried fruit ( I used 70g sultanas, 70g dried cranberries, 70g dried cherries)

To Glaze:
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Icing:
100g Icing sugar
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions:
1. Warm milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter melts. Allow to cool to room temperature and beat in the egg.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
3. Add the yeast to one side of the bowl. Add the salt to the other side of the bowl. This helps stop the yeast being retarded by the salt.
4. Make a well in the centre and add the milk, butter and egg mixture.
5. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 7 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic.
6. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and cover with Clingfilm. Allow to proof until double in size (1-2 hours).
7. Line a deep sided roasting tin with baking parchment.
8. Gently tip the dough on to a lightly dusted work surface. Gently roll into a large rectangle about 5mm thick.
9. On the edge closest to you, squash the very edge of the dough all the way along so it sticks to the work-surface. This will help with rolling later.
10. Melt the butter and brush evenly over the dough.
11. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle all over the dough.
12. Spread the fruit evenly over the dough.
13. From the edge that is furthest away from you, tightly roll the dough , slightly pulling it away from you to keep tension against the edge that is stuck to the work surface.
14. Trim the ends so that you have a neat cylinder. Then cut into 9 equal slices.
15. Place the slices into the tin, leaving a little room for them to prove for a second time. Cover the tin with lightly oiled cling film and leave to prove for 30-60 minutes until double in size. Preheat the oven to 190c/170c Fan.
16. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush over the maple syrup whilst the buns are still warm.
17. Move the buns to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, mix the icing sugar and maple syrup to a thick pouring consistency and drizzle over the cooled buns.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Chelsea Buns
 
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Delicious and lovely warm, sweet, fluffy, cinnamon and fruit filled Chelsea buns
Author:
Serves: 9
Ingredients
  • 500g strong white bread flour (plus some for dusting)
  • 300ml full fat milk
  • 40g softened butter (unsalted)
  • 10g instant yeast
  • 10g salt
  • 1 egg (medium)
  • Filing:
  • 25g melted butter (unsalted)
  • 75g soft brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 210g dried fruit ( I used 70g sultanas, 70g dried cranberries, 70g dried cherries)
  • To Glaze:
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Icing:
  • 100g Icing sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
  1. Warm milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter melts. Allow to cool to room temperature and beat in the egg.
  2. Sift flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
  3. Add the yeast to one side of the bowl. Add the salt to the other side of the bowl. This helps stop the yeast being retarded by the salt.
  4. Make a well in the centre and add the milk, butter and egg mixture.
  5. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 7 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  6. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and cover with Clingfilm. Allow to proof until double in size (1-2 hours).
  7. Line a deep sided roasting tin with baking parchment.
  8. Gently tip the dough on to a lightly dusted work surface. Gently roll into a large rectangle about 5mm thick.
  9. On the edge closest to you, squash the very edge of the dough all the way along so it sticks to the work-surface. This will help with rolling later.
  10. Melt the butter and brush evenly over the dough.
  11. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle all over the dough.
  12. Spread the fruit evenly over the dough.
  13. From the edge that is furthest away from you, tightly roll the dough , slightly pulling it away from you to keep tension against the edge that is stuck to the work surface.
  14. Trim the ends so that you have a neat cylinder. Then cut into 9 equal slices.
  15. Place the slices into the tin, leaving a little room for them to prove for a second time. Cover the tin with lightly oiled cling film and leave to prove for 30-60 minutes until double in size. Preheat the oven to 190c/170c Fan.
  16. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush over the maple syrup whilst the buns are still warm.
  17. Move the buns to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, mix the icing sugar and maple syrup to a thick pouring consistency and drizzle over the cooled buns.
Notes
Makes: 9
Oven Temp: Gas 5, 375F, 190C (170C Fan)

 

0 Breads

Brioche

Those who know me well know that bread making has been my nemesis. However over the past year I have given it a lot more focus and one of the guys I used to work with is a bit of a legend in bread making and with his sage advice “wetter is better”, my bread making has turned a corner.

Brioche

The extreme end of the “wetter is better” mantra is the Brioche dough. The dough coming out of the mixer is more like a batter than a dough but a night resting in the fridge, not only adds a depth of flavour but also firms up the dough so it can be shaped.

For this attempt and to stop family arguments I went for a plain version, based on a Paul Hollywood recipe (but added a little more sugar). My wife was rooting for a choc chip and orange, I like a little lemon zest in mine. My youngest son Ethan, who is the bread connoisseur, likes it straight up when warm or with a little butter when it is cooled. If he has not snaffled the lot when it is warm that is.

Brioche

Bread can be a commitment but working it in around what you are up to is fine. I made the dough before I went to bed with every intention to bake it mid morning. By the time I had gone out for a run with the eldest son, done some work up the allotment and walked the dog, it ended up an afternoon/teatime treat. The extra time in the fridge does it no harm.

This heavily enriched bread with 5 eggs and lots of butter is deliciously rich but also amazing light. It is like eating a fluffy, buttery cloud.

Brioche

Makes: 1 round tin loaf
Oven Temp: Gas 5, 375F, 190C (170C Fan)

Ingredients:

500g strong white bread flour
7g salt
65g caster sugar
10g instant yeast
140ml milk
5 medium eggs
250g softened unsalted butter

Instructions:

1. Put the flour into the bowl of a mixer. Add the salt and sugar to the bowl and then the yeast, keeping it away from where you put the salt.

2. Warm the milk in a pan or in the microwave so it is tepid. Whisk the eggs into the milk and add to the dry ingredients.

3. With the dough hook attached, mix on a slow for 2 minutes, then speed up to a medium speed for 6 – 8 minutes until you have a soft, elastic dough. It will still be very wet.

4. Cut the butter into tablespoon size chunks and add to the dough and mix for another 5 minutes. Half way through, scrape down the sides of the bowl right down to the bottom, to ensure that the flour and butter is thoroughly mixed in. The dough will still be very soft.

5. Tip the dough into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge overnight. The dough will firm up and you will be able to shape it.

3. Grease a 23cm-25cm round deep cake tin. A springform tin makes it easier to get out (I used a 23cm as that was the largest I had).

4. Take your brioche dough from the fridge. Tip it onto a floured surface and knock it back. Divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Put 10 of the balls around the edge of the tin and two in the middle.

5. Cover with the clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 2 – 3 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

6. Heat your oven to 190°C (170°C Fan)

7. When doubled in size, bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If it is getting too brown place some foil loosely over the top.

8. Remove the brioche from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

 

Adapted from a Paul Hollywood recipe

0 Breads

Ciabatta

Back to a bit of bread baking this weekend. Bread has been my nemesis for most of my baking life, that is until this year when I had a eureka moment. I realised that I had always made my dough too dry and that produced bread with the same density of lead which would sink any duck we fed it to in the local park!

Ciabatta

This year my bread skills have improved greatly. My latest favorite bread being the “slipper”, the Italian retort to the French baguette. The fantastic ciabatta, a versatile light and open textured loaf.

Ciabatta

The dough is the polar opposite of the dense dry dough’s of old. The Ciabatta dough is very wet and loose. You really need a stand mixer to knead the dough to build up the gluten. Then you prove it in a square Tupperware box for a couple of hours before carefully transferring the dough to a heavily floured work surface. Cut into loaf shapes and quickly transfer them to baking sheets before the dough try’s to ooze off the workbench.

Ciabatta

Ciabatta

Makes: 4 loafs
Oven Temp: Gas 7, 425F, 220C (200C Fan)

Ingredients
500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
10g salt
10g instant yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
400 ml lukewarm water

Instructions
1. Oil a 2 litre square plastic container.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
3. Add the yeast to one side of the bowl. Add the salt to the other side of the bowl. This helps stop the yeast being retarded by the salt.
4. Add the olive oil and water and begin mixing on a slow speed. As the dough starts to come together, turn the speed up to medium and mix for a further 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Tip the dough into the oiled container, cover with some plastic wrap and leave until at least doubled in size – a couple of hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 220°C and flour 2 baking trays.
7. Generously dust the work surface heavily with flour. Gently tip out the dough (it will be very wet), trying to keep a rough square shape. Handle it gently so you do not knock much air out of the dough. Dust the top of the dough with more flour.
8. Cut the dough in half lengthwise and divide each half lengthwise again. Place on prepared baking trays.
9. Leave the ciabatta dough to rest for 10 minutes, then bake for 25 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

 

Ciabatta
 
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My latest favorite bread being the "slipper", the Italian retort to the French baguette. The fantastic ciabatta, a versatile light and open textured loaf.
Author:
Serves: 4 loaves
Ingredients
  • 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 10g salt
  • 10g instant yeast
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 400 ml lukewarm water
Instructions
  1. Oil a 2 litre square plastic container.
  2. Sift flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
  3. Add the yeast to one side of the bowl. Add the salt to the other side of the bowl. This helps stop the yeast being retarded by the salt.
  4. Add the olive oil and water and begin mixing on a slow speed. As the dough starts to come together, turn the speed up to medium and mix for a further 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. Tip the dough into the oiled container, cover with some plastic wrap and leave until at least doubled in size – a couple of hours.
  6. Preheat the oven to 220 C (200 C fan) and flour 2 baking trays.
  7. Generously dust the work surface heavily with flour. Gently tip out the dough (it will be very wet), trying to keep a rough square shape. Handle it gently so you do not knock much air out of the dough. Dust the top of the dough with more flour.
  8. Cut the dough in half lengthwise and divide each half lengthwise again. Place on prepared baking trays.
  9. Leave the ciabatta dough to rest for 10 minutes, then bake for 25 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

 

2 Breads

Spooky Fougasse Bread

 

During botanical week of the Great British Bake Off, the technical challenge was to bake a fougasse. Traditionally a leaf shaped bread, quite similar to an Italian focaccia.  Tom Gilliford one of the contestants declared ‘I love fougasse. It’s actually my cinema snack !’. Which spawned a lot of amusement on Twitter and brought this little known bread into the public eye. Instagram and Pinterest have been flooded with everyone’s new favourite cinema snack.
Haloween fougasse bread

Staying on the Great British Bake Off theme, I also saw a previous contestant Richard Burr post a fougasse Halloween themed bread. So I thought it was time I gave it a go.  Historically bread has been my nemesis but these came out a treat. As always I like to tweak recipes a little and added some dried mixed herbs and also used some good quality Maldon sea salt (I am from Essex after all!).

fougasse halloween

Makes: 4 small loaves
Oven Temp: Gas 7, 425F, 220C (200C Fan)
Ingredients
500g strong white bread flour (plus more for dusting)
2 teaspoons salt
7g fast acting yeast (1 sachet)
375ml water
2 tbsp olive oil
Olive oil spray
Maldon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
2 large baking sheets

Instructions
1.Put all the dry ingredients into the bowl of a mixer. Keep the salt and yeast on opposite sides so that the salt does not retard the yeast.
2.Add the oil and the water to the bowl. Mix with a spoon to bring together the ingredients.
3.Mix with a dough hook for about 10 minutes. The dough will be very wet
4.Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and prove in a warm place for about a hour, until the dough has doubled in size.
5.Put plenty of flour onto the work surface and tip out the dough. I use a plastic dough scraper to make this easier. You want to keep as many bubbles in the dough as possible so treat it gently. Then sprinkle plenty of flour on the top.
6.Using a sharp knife, divide the dough into quarters.
7.Carefully lift each quarter onto the baking trays so there are two on each tray.
8.Cut eyes, a nose and a mouth into each piece of dough. This is tricky as the dough is quite wet. Open out these holes by gently pulling the dough into the shape you want.
9.Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for 20 minutes.
10.Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C.
11.Spray the dough with olive oil or gently brush some oil on. Then sprinkle with the sea salt
12.Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown

Adapted from a recipe by Richard Burr

Spooky Fougasse Bread
 
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Prep time
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During botanical week of the Great British Bake Off, the technical challenge was to bake a fougasse. Traditionally a leaf shaped bread, quite similar to an Italian focaccia. Tom Gilliford one of the contestants declared ‘I love fougasse. It’s actually my cinema snack !’. Which spawned a lot of amusement on Twitter and brought this little known bread into the public eye. Instagram and Pinterest have been flooded with everyone's new favourite cinema snack.
Author:
Serves: 4 Small
Ingredients
  • Oven Temp: Gas 7, 425F, 220C (200C Fan)
  • 500g strong white bread flour (plus more for dusting)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 7g fast acting yeast (1 sachet)
  • 375ml water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Olive oil spray
  • Maldon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
  • 2 large baking sheets
Instructions
  1. Instructions
  2. Put all the dry ingredients into the bowl of a mixer. Keep the salt and yeast on opposite sides so that the salt does not retard the yeast.
  3. Add the oil and the water to the bowl. Mix with a spoon to bring together the ingredients.
  4. Mix with a dough hook for about 10 minutes. The dough will be very wet
  5. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and prove in a warm place for about a hour, until the dough has doubled in size.
  6. Put plenty of flour onto the work surface and tip out the dough. I use a plastic dough scraper to make this easier. You want to keep as many bubbles in the dough as possible so treat it gently. Then sprinkle plenty of flour on the top.
  7. Using a sharp knife, divide the dough into quarters.
  8. Carefully lift each quarter onto the baking trays so there are two on each tray.
  9. Cut eyes, a nose and a mouth into each piece of dough. This is tricky as the dough is quite wet. Open out these holes by gently pulling the dough into the shape you want.
  10. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for 20 minutes.
  11. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C.
  12. Spray the dough with olive oil or gently brush some oil on. Then sprinkle with the sea salt
  13. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown
Notes
Active time is about 20 Mins but you will need to let this prove for about an hour

 

1 Breads

“Jimmy Gingers” Soft Burger Rolls

My good friend Jimmy Ginger tweeted me at the end of the week to see if I had any good soft burger bun recipes. My answer was let me have a play at the weekend and I will get back to you.

white roll board

Now Jamie aka “Jimmy Ginger” is a keen foodie, BBQ fanatic and more importantly a very good artisan chilli sauce maker. So I know the standard will need to be high.

whiterolldough

I have known Jamie all my life, even as kids we were foodies, a passion we inherited from our parents. We both ended up in the City working for financial institutions. However we let our creative sides run wild outside of our respective offices. Mine being generally focused on bakes, whereas Jamie’s is growing chilli peppers for his delicious artisan sauces but we both are passionate about BBQ.

So after a few attempts I have landed on the below recipe which are soft and delicious. They are only proved once, which is a great time saver if you are getting ready for a big BBQ.

These rolls are also made with plain (all purpose flour) rather than strong bread flour and use milk and butter in the mix. That combination makes a rich, soft and buttery roll, perfect for a BBQ’d burger.

whiterollbroken

Please pop along to Jimmy Gingers website to read his story and take a look at his store and chilli shop.

Makes: 12 rolls
Oven Temp: Gas 6, 400F, 200C (180C Fan)

Ingredients
600g plain flour
2 teaspoons salt
7g fast acting yeast(1 sachet)
2 tablespoons caster sugar
120ml water
230ml milk
40g butter
1 egg
Sesame seeds or poppy seeds optional
2 baking sheets
A little extra flour for dusting and a little oil or butter for greasing the baking sheets

Instructions
1. Sift flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
2. Add the yeast and sugar to one side of the bowl. Add the salt to the other side of the bowl. This helps stop the yeast being retarded by the salt.
3. In a small pan warm up water, milk and butter to around 120F/50C. Ensure the butter has melted (so it is quite warm to the touch). This will help kick start the yeast.
4. Make a well in the centre and add in the egg and most of the the warmed liquid ingredients. Reserve a little which can be added through the next step.
5. Mix together well and bring to a ball. You dont want an over dry dough or it will not rise well. I prefer my dough on the slightly wetter side at this point as when you start kneading you can add a little flour to bring it to a smooth and silky consistency.
6. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 7 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
7. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, gather into a ball
8. Split the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Slightly flatten the balls and place on a greased baking sheet, 6 to each sheet. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise until doubled. About an hour in a warm room.
9. Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan.
10. You can brush the risen rolls with a little milk and sprinkle with poppy/sesame seeds if using.
11. Bake for around 10-12 mins until golden brown . Once out of the oven I like to brush over a little melted butter to give them a shine. Cool on a wire rack.

"Jimmy Gingers" Soft Burger Rolls
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A rich, soft and buttery roll, perfect for a BBQ'd burger.
Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 600g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 7g fast acting yeast(1 sachet)
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 120ml water
  • 230ml milk
  • 40g butter
  • 1 egg
  • Sesame seeds or poppy seeds optional
  • 2 baking sheets
  • A little extra flour for dusting and a little oil or butter for greasing the baking sheets
Instructions
  1. Oven Temp: Gas 6, 400F, 200C (180C Fan)
  2. Sift flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
  3. Add the yeast and sugar to one side of the bowl. Add the salt to the other side of the bowl. This helps stop the yeast being retarded by the salt.
  4. In a small pan warm up water, milk and butter to around 120F/50C. Ensure the butter has melted (so it is quite warm to the touch). This will help kick start the yeast.
  5. Make a well in the centre and add in the egg and most of the the warmed liquid ingredients. Reserve a little which can be added through the next step.
  6. Mix together well and bring to a ball. You dont want an over dry dough or it will not rise well. I prefer my dough on the slightly wetter side at this point as when you start kneading you can add a little flour to bring it to a smooth and silky consistency.
  7. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 7 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
  8. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, gather into a ball
  9. Split the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Slightly flatten the balls and place on a greased baking sheet, 6 to each sheet. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise until doubled. About an hour in a warm room.
  10. Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan.
  11. You can brush the risen rolls with a little milk and sprinkle with poppy/sesame seeds if using.
  12. Bake for around 10-12 mins until golden brown . Once out of the oven I like to brush over a little melted butter to give them a shine. Cool on a wire rack.

 

1 Breads

Basic Soft White Bread

Nothing beats the smell of a fresh loaf baking in the oven. In my opinion you cannot beat a soft white loaf covered with poppy seeds, slathered in butter and jam or toasted as big doorsteps the day after making it.

basicwhitecooked

My first childhood memory of baking was with my dad. I was probably around 7-8 years old and he had decided to start bread making. As this was well before the internet, I to this day have no idea where he got the recipe from. I would guess by the outcome it was from the local brick maker! The loaf that came out of the tin had the same density of lead. We decided to offer it to the birds, even they struggled to break through the impenetrable crust. Our dawn chorus for weeks after was birds tweeting with lisps whilst their poor little beaks recovered!

A good few years later I am glad to say we can now bake a lovely soft and light loaf.

basicwhitedough

Makes: 1 small loaf
Oven Temp: Gas 6, 400F, 200C (180C Fan)

Ingredients
225g white bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fast acting yeast
1 teaspoon caster sugar (or honey)
150 ml luke warm water
30g butter (melted) or olive oil
A little extra flour for dusting
A little oil for greasing the loaf tin
1 egg to glaze
Poppy seeds optional
1 loaf tin

Instructions
1.Sift flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
2.Add the yeast and sugar to one side of the bowl. Add the salt to the other side of the bowl. This helps stop the yeast being retarded by the salt.
3.Make a well in the centre and add in the water and cooled melted butter.
4.Mix together well and bring to a ball. You do not want an over dry dough or it will not rise well. I prefer my dough on the slightly wetter side at this point as when you start kneading you can add a little flour to bring it to a smooth and silky consistency.
5. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 7 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
6. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, gather into a ball and put it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a bag and leave it to rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
7. Once doubled in size it is time to ‘knock it back’ Basically just punch all the air out of it and knead for 30 seconds.
8. Shape the dough to fit your loaf tin. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise until doubled again.
9. Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan.
10. Carefully egg wash the top of the loaf and sprinkle with a little salt (or poppy seeds if using). Do not let the egg wash touch the tin as that will make removing it very hard.
11. Bake for around 30 mins until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

Basic Soft White Bread
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A small lovely soft and light loaf.
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 225g white bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fast acting yeast
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar (or honey)
  • 150 ml luke warm water
  • 30g butter (melted) or olive oil
  • A little extra flour for dusting
  • A little oil for greasing the loaf tin
  • 1 egg to glaze
  • Poppy seeds optional
  • 1 1lb loaf tin
Instructions
  1. Oven Temp: Gas 6, 400F, 200C (180C Fan)
  2. Sift flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
  3. Add the yeast and sugar to one side of the bowl. Add the salt to the other side of the bowl. This helps stop the yeast being retarded by the salt.
  4. Make a well in the centre and add in the water and cooled melted butter.
  5. Mix together well and bring to a ball. You do not want an over dry dough or it will not rise well. I prefer my dough on the slightly wetter side at this point as when you start kneading you can add a little flour to bring it to a smooth and silky consistency.
  6. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 7 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
  7. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, gather into a ball and put it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a bag and leave it to rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
  8. Once doubled in size it is time to 'knock it back' Basically just punch all the air out of it and knead for 30 seconds.
  9. Shape the dough to fit your loaf tin. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise until doubled again.
  10. Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan.
  11. Carefully egg wash the top of the loaf and sprinkle with a little salt (or poppy seeds if using). Do not let the egg wash touch the tin as that will make removing it very hard.
  12. Bake for around 30 mins until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe adapted from Leiths Baking Bible.