This week we have been back in the kitchen, well given the temporary (we hope) return of the wet stuff to the garden it seemed like a nice warm place to be and it is a secret avoidance of the editing awaiting our attention following a weekend of video shooting...more on that later.
So this week we have been playing with the bread recipes we know and love and have found yeast types truly do affect success rates. We have for a long time now been fans of the convenience of fast acting dried yeast and the way other bread making types suggest just throwing it in with the dry ingredients then slap in some warm water to mix to a soft dough...a soft dough...what is one of those?
Ok so no complaining we have had a range of successes with different bread types using this quick cook method...but the truth of it is you cannot expect to take an age old craft that requires love attention and time and crush it into a one hour slot without expecting to lose something in the process...and you do lose texture, taste and quality.
So re-enthused by the Hairy bikers tour of Europe and memories of the aromas of French, Spanish and Austrian villages during the morning bake we went back to the old recipe book, creaked open the pages still dusted in flour and set about re-examining our practice here. The motto "the wetter the dough the better the bread" ringing in our ears from European bakers repeating it to two Hairy northern blokes (thanks Hairy Bikers, loving your work), we decided to apply the rustic style to all our breads by mixing the dried yeast with 40 degree water (warm is such a wide margin for error) letting it bubble away for 10 mins or so before we add it to the mix. Kneading in our house is done courtesy of Kitchen Aid and again we employ a little trick suggested on French bakery of needing for 10 mins, then let the dough rest for 3 mins, then need again for 5 mins. Something to do with allowing the gluten to rest then stretching it again...not entirely sure but it works.
Now this seems to be the crucial bit, the dough when it starts being kneaded is wet, really wet, sticky and almost sloppy, but as the machine does its magic the dough holds together, starts to stretch out and become a smooth elastic consistency. Sometimes you will even think no way is this ever going to pull together, just have faith, be patient and keep watching it will get there. Of course there is the outside chance that if a real novice you have supplied a swimming pool of flour batter to your mixer and yes maybe too wet is not best, but panic not as you can always add a little flour at a time until it does start to hold.
My final addition as seen on Lorrain Pascale is to spray 3 shots of water from the flower sprayer into the oven just prior to baking your bread to ensure a top crust...make sure you dont have insecticide in the sprayer though first...just clean water.
Now I am not about to regurgitate a list of our favourite bread recipes here, I am sure everyone has their own of those, but these key tips will see you right in the bread making kitchen and give you the pleasure of hot fresh bread for any occasion. Oh and here is my final tip from Mrs Ingles on Little house on the Prairie, storage of bread once cooled is best kept wrapped in a clean tea towel. If you have never heard of Mrs Ingles you are a young baker which is brilliant but check her out on youtube search LHOTP and I'm sure she will be baking in any episode you choose.
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