Bread.... Rustic Delicious Crusty Bread...

I've finally got it down...warm delicious hearty rustic white bread with the perfect crust and chew...simple...basic and sooooo good that I don't feel like experimenting with anything else right now (though I promised my husband I'd activate the 150 year old SF sour dough starter). I enjoy passing it out to the neighbors..going down on the Boulevard and dropping some off to business owners right out of the oven with a stick of butter or a creating a compound butter to go with it....doing a balcony toss...infact...I might just have to start the bread toss...want a 1/2 loaf....get ready for the toss... What a fun, inexpensive and satifying way to create pleasure for myself and those around me.

I'm going to stress those three elements; FUN (always!!), INEXPENSIVE (in these times....let's face it...that helps) and SATISFYING (a must!!). I'm not even going to include that it has to be DELICIOUS, because for me, flavor is a given.

ANYONE and I mean ANYONE can make this bread...it does not take a brain surgeon and it does not take a lot active time...just a lot of waiting....in less than 5 minutes, you'll have a bowl or two of dough mixed and ready for rising. That's the hard part! With a few key elements...let the pleasure begin.

First off, I buy all my initial supplies (and gifts for others) at Breadtopia.com...Eric & Denyce Rusch are lovely people and very attentive to their customers needs. They're the main source for LA CLOCHE, which is the KEY to creating incredible infallible loaves of bread providing you get the dough right.

The recipe is simple and will take you less than 5 minutes to put together; just remember 4,3,2,1!! 

To start, you need a big bowl, a wire whisk, a danish whisk, a measuring cup, a tsp, Food Grade Plastic Wrap, a linen dish towel. Use a ceramic clay baker for the best results (I really like La Cloche) and a wire cooling rack. More about flour at the end of this...

Ingredients: 
4 cups flour (plus a little extra...I prefer the BLUE King Arthur
bread flour..but it's up to you what you use..experiment)
3 tsp salt (of your choice...I like a fine kosher salt)
1 tsp INSTANT yeast (not the packets in the store)
2 cups water (not tap..the chlorine kills the yeast)

Making bread is a tactile experience...so allow the sensitivity in your hands to grasp the concept of how you prefer your dough to be. I like mine on the wet side to start...I find that the flavor is better...and then I add a little more flour for the 2nd rising in the proofing basket.

I know you're supposed to weigh the flour...pastry/baking is supposed to be an exact science...but I'm just not an exact science sort of person...I like to do it by feel. You have to find what is right for you..my method might not be...but it's worth a couple of weeks of trying to see if its right for you. I also know you're supposed to take the flour in one cup and pour it into the other because the actual cup of flour can vary if you just shove it in the flour and pull it out...but..again..I'm all by feel.

So...here's what I do. I have a big bowl.......I add 4 cups of flour and the 3 tsp of kosher salt..and with a regular old whisk...I mix it up. Some people will say...I should be doing the whole thing with the danish whisk..I don't agree. Salt prohibits the yeast from rising..so I want to make sure all the dry ingredients are well incorporated and I find a regular whisk does a better job.
Once that's done, I add the yeast and again, using the whisk, mix it until it's all incorporated. Then..I just pour in the 2 cups of FILTERED water..and stir with the Danish Dough Whisk until ALL the flour is mixed in and forms a sort of wet ballish glob. I cover the bowl tightly with food grade plastic wrap and leave it for 18-24 hours. That's it….just walk away.

It’s the next day and time for the 2nd proofing (rising)...I take the proofing basket….spray or brush it with my favorite oil..in this case it's a Sicilian olive oil we were given as a gift while in Ragusa, by Olive oil producer, Fausti Occhipinti… or most often I use Mandranova Oil that I have flown in from Sicily by olive oil producers Silvia e Giuseppe Di Vincenzo.

Now it's time to remove the plastic...and toss it in the trash. Take your bread scraper and scrape down the sides of the bowl..give the bread a couple of little punches and leave it for a couple of minutes.

IF the dough is wet..I have more flour ready to scatter over the dough as I start to fold it and punch it in a couple of times until it's no longer sticky.

Then, holding it in my hands I turn the outer edge under and continue to keep folding the outer edge under until I have a nice smooth ball and place it smooth side down into the basket. It's going to get those nice rings on it. I cover it with a white towel and leave it for another 2-4 hours.

By this time...our mouths are watering, anticipating it's only another 50 minutes before we get to indulge ourselves.

I take the La Cloche Ceramic Baker (your preference whether you want the round or the rectangle...I prefer the round), and flip the proofing basket over placing the dough in the base and then covering it with the domed top.  I lightly sprinkle it with Fleur de Sel.

It goes into a COLD oven (unless this is your 2nd loaf...) at 475˚F for 15 minutes. Turn the temp down to 400˚ for 30 minutes. Remove the dome (make sure you put a towel or a pot holder over it so someone doesn't come by and touch it..that burn is NOT fun!)...and close the oven for another 10 minutes. You can smell when it's ready....it's heavenly!

Place the dough on a wire rack. Now, it's SUPPOSED to be on that rack for 2 hours..as the cooking process continues until it's completely cooled. You try to tell anyone that they have to wait for a piece of hot crusty delicious bread smothered in butter or olive oil...or a piece of gouda from a local cheese maker.

To repeat the baking process for another loaf...obviously then the La Cloche is hot and can go into a hot oven….

If you have all the tools...you'll see how quick and easy this is..truly. Jerry asked me to make him some bread a few days ago...we were going to watch a tv show...so I asked him to give me 5 minutes...ran down...mixed up a batch of bread and was upstairs ready to go in less than that. You know the first time with anything is the hardest or the scariest...and once you do it...you wonder why you were worried. 

Notes:

As for Flour...for a basic bread recipe...that gives it a slight sour dough taste, I use King Arthur Blue Label. If you have the option of using locally grown wheat...go for it...it's so delicious and you can play with the bread. Sometimes you need to use a little more water (if you find the dough is VERY dry...add a little water in at a time...better it be on the wetter side than the dryer side so it will rise properly...you can always add in a little more flour later on.

In some of my darker breads...I add in honey and during the SECOND rise, I use nuts, sunflower seeds...whatever you desire...be playful and experiment.

Lastly…a little bit about DELAYED FERMENTATION, the method of making bread by mixing the dough and refrigerating it overnight or longer which is also supposed to develop the enzymes more efficiently.   I use it for a different reason.  Sometimes, I just don't have time to make bread on a certain day but I want to have plenty of dough ready in case I’m having company or doing a bread toss. I leave the dough out for 24 hours and then I take the tightly covered bowl and pop it in the refrigerator.  I  leave it for up to 3 days before I've got to get it out for the 2nd proof and to bake. Try it.

©2009 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Roasted Flax Seed Almond Bread

Ingredients:
3 tsp or 2 package yeast (I use two different kinds)
2 cups water (approx 100˚F)
1 tsp sugar
3.5 cups all purpose or bread flour (or more if needed)
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup roasted Flax Seeds
1 TBSN Sea salt, fine
1 TBSN butter, softened

Roasted Flax Seeds
Almonds (chopped or slivered)

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl pour 1/4 cup water about 100˚F, sprinkle in yeast, stir in sugar. Allow to sit for 5 -10 minutes. Yeast will bubble and rise to double in size.
   
2. In a mixmaster with a paddle attachement or a mixing bowl by hand, combine flour and salt. Add in Almond Meal and Flax Seeds. Add yeast mixture and remaining warmed water and continue mixing to well incorporated.
   
3. If using the mixmaster, remove paddle attachment and replace with the hook attachment. Continue kneading for 15 minutes either by machine or by hand.
4. Remove dough from bowl and create a ball. Dough should be just slightly sticky. Coat hands with butter and just rub around the dough, place in metal bowl or a basket, cover with a linen towel and allow to rise for 2 hours.
5. Punch down the dough, remove from Bowl/Basket and knead for 5 minutes. Return to Bowl/Basket for another hour.
6. If using a ceramic top/bottom (like la cloche) put the dough into the ceramic container and sprinkle on Roasted Flax Seeds and Chopped or slivered almonds. Cover with top and place in a COLD oven, shelf should be on the lower 3rd. Turn the oven up to 475˚ for 15 minutes, turning down to 400˚ for 30 minutes and the last 8 minutes remove the top.
7. If using a regular oven, place dough on a cookie sheet or a ceramic tile in the oven and follow the same procedure as above for baking.
8. When done, remove from oven and immediately put bread on a cooling rack. Serve immediately with softened salted butter and strawberry Jam or peanut butter.
   

Country White Bread

Ingredients:
1.5 tsp or 1 package yeast
2 cups water (approx 80˚F)
1 tsp sugar
4 cups all purpose or bread flour (or more if needed)
1 TBSN kosher salt
1 TBSN butter, softened

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl pour 1/4 cup water about 80˚F, stir in sugar and yeast. Allow to sit for 5 -10 minutes. Yeast will bubble and rise.
2. In a mixmaster with a paddle attachement or a mixing bowl by hand, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and remaining warmed water and continue mixing to well incorporated.
   
3. If using the mixmaster, remove paddle attachment and replace with the hook attachment. Continue kneading for 15 minutes either by machine or by hand.
4. Remove dough from bowl and create a ball. Dough should be moist, not sticky. Coat hands with butter and just rub around the dough, place in metal bowl or a basket, cover with a linen towel and allow to rise for 2 hours.
5. Punch down the dough, remove from Bowl/Basket and knead for 5 minutes. Return to Bowl/Basket for another hour.
6. If using a ceramic top/bottom (like la cloche) put the dough into the ceramic container and place in a COLD oven, shelf should be on the lower 3rd. Turn the oven up to 475˚ for 15 minutes, turning down to 400˚ for 30 minutes and the last 10 minutes remove the top.
7. If using a regular oven, place dough on a cookie sheet or a ceramic tile in the oven and follow the same procedure as above for baking.
8. When done, remove from oven and immediately put bread on a cooling rack. Serve immediately.
   

Lemon Glazed Easter Bread

Yesterday, my neighbor, an old dashingly handsome, retired actor, turned 80. Pat is from a Sicilian family of 9 and grew up as a first generation American in Chicago. His partner passed away a few months ago and crushed his heart. She took care of him the past few years during his illnesses and they'd known each other since their 20's; great friends they were. I knew he missed her cooking aside from her companionship. I pop in at least once a week to visit, pay his bills and on occasion, bring him some homemade baked treats. I'd been experimenting with recipes using lemon, for another friend and decided upon a Lemon Glazed Bread...don't ask me why. I guess I felt like making bread and the my other friend LOVES lemons. I decided to test it out on Pat...and brought him almost to tears. He couldn't believe I had recreated something he had as a child. He informed me I had baked a typical Sicilian bread made that his mother used to make every Easter . The only thing it needed was more candied citrus zest as the grated zest I had put in was to small to notice, but not too small to give it flavor. That was easy to remedy. Next time around, I added the candied zest. It really is delicious.

Sicilian Lemon-Glazed Easter Bread
by Rebecca Dru
Ingredients
Dough
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
1 cup sugar
3 TBSN (packed) grated lemon peel
4.5 cups (or more) bread flour, divided
1 envelope instant or rapid-rise yeast
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 TBSN Cognac
2 TBSN Fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
2 tsp salt
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup apricot preserves
Glaze
1 1/2 cups (or more) powdered sugar
3 TBSN strained fresh lemon juice
Preparation
For dough:
1.Pour milk into small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 20 minutes. If necessary, rewarm milk until instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers between 105°F and 115°F before continuing.
2.Blend sugar and lemon peel in processor.
3.Mix 1 1/2 cups flour and yeast in bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Discard vanilla bean and add warm milk to bowl; beat to blend. Let stand until slightly puffed, about 15 minutes.
4.Add 3 cups flour, eggs, and brandy to yeast mixture; beat on medium speed until smooth and slightly firm dough forms, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky or adding water (or lemon juice) by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry, about 6 minutes.
5. Add sugar-lemon peel mixture and salt. Beat on medium speed 5 minutes.
6.Add butter and beat until absorbed and dough is smooth and soft, about 5 minutes longer.
7.Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
8.Generously butter 12-cup Bundt pan. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead gently into ball. Using fingers, make hole in center of dough, creating doughnut shape. Transfer to prepared pan, pushing hole in dough over center tube in pan. Cover pan with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight (dough will rise to top of pan).
9.Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until dough no longer springs back when gently pressed with fingers, about 1 hour 30 minutes (dough will rise above pan by 1 to 1 1/2 inches).
10.Meanwhile, position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350°F.
11.Bake bread until well browned on top, about 20 minutes. Wrap sheet of foil loosely over top and sides of pan to prevent overbrowning.
12.Continue to bake bread until deep brown on top and tester inserted near center comes out clean, rotating pan occasionally for even baking, about 40 minutes longer. Immediately invert bread onto rack.
13.Stir preserves in small saucepan over medium heat until melted. Brush preserves all over warm bread. Cool completely, at least 3 hours.
For glaze:
Sift 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar into small bowl. Add lemon juice and whisk to blend. Add more powdered sugar by Tablespoonfuls if glaze is too thin to adhere to bread. Drizzle glaze over cool bread and let stand until glaze sets, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap loosely in foil and store at room temperature.)

note: optional - add additional larger sized candied lemon zest to Step 5 to be more typically sicilian.
CANDIED LEMON ZEST
INGREDIENTS:
3 Lg Lemons Zested in long strips
1/2 cups Water
1 Cups Sugar A little extra for coating
Directions:
1. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Using a zester,remove zest from each lemon in one continuous strip, working your way around the lemon from one end to the other in a spiral. Place peels in the cold water, and soak for 1/2 hour.
2.Place zest strips in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Strain, reserving zest. Repeat process (boiling and straining) two more times.
3.Return zest to saucepan. Pour 1/2 cup water and the sugar over zest. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat, and simmer until zest is almost translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain, gently shaking zest to remove as much syrup as possible, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Zest will be very sticky.)
Fill a bowl with sugar. Toss zest in sugar to coat, then shake off excess. Place on a wire rack to dry, about 5 minutes.. Shake off any remaining excess sugar, and continue to dry on rack until hardened, about 30 minutes more. Candied zest can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.