ISO: Crusty Wheat Bread recipes

[emilycat]

Ah, yet another request here -- gosh, how many bread threads have I started recently? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif I should just go to bread school or something.

I'm doing fondue (again http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ), I and want some bread for dipping that uses whole wheat flour -- it doesn't have to be 100% (I don't think that would go really well with the fondue, anyway), but I'd like something that's not completely refined, that I can make either completely by hand or in the bread machine dough cycle to later shape and bake on my stone. I'm planning to put some fresh rosemary and thyme in it, and I'd love a crusty, relatively light loaf. Any ideas?
Thanks!

Emily

[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 05-03-2001).]

[lorilei]

This is LONG -- but it's a great recipe that makes a hearty, crusty loaf of bread. This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe I got from S. John Ross at http://www.io.com/~sjohn/

I've made it many times in my bread machine with great results!

Whole Wheat Cornmeal Bread

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water (very warm)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Stage One, Mixing and Kneading: There are two general methods for making these ingredients into good bread - the "machine-mixed" method and the "mixed by hand" method. There is no real art to mixing - it's brute-force work best left to a machine. So, if you have a heavy-duty stand mixer (like a KitchenAid), a bread machine, or a food processor, I recommend the first method. Even if you have nothing more complex than a large bowl and a wooden spoon, though, you can make bread (it's just a little more tiring that way!)

Machine-Mixed Method: The best machine for bread mixing is a bread machine. They make lousy bread, but they're great for mixing because they mix, knead, and provide a warm place for the bread to rise, all in one. Simply assemble the ingredients in the machine's bucket, in the order listed, and use your machine's Dough cycle. When it's done, skip ahead to Stage Three, below. Mixing dough in a food processor or with a standing mixer is a lot like mixing it by hand - so read the instructions for that, but let the machine do all the work!

Mixed by Hand Method: In a mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar salt in the water, and sprinkle yeast on top. Stir to dissolve, and allow to stand for 10 minutes before stirring again (set the butter out to soften during this time). Add the butter, then about 2/3 of the flour to the mixing bowl, a half-cup at a time, and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Use the tail-end of a wooden spoon, or a sturdy case knife (the dull table-knives that a lot of folks call butter knives). Turn the dough onto a floured bread board or countertop and flour your hands (if you're using a machine for mixing, just leave it in the machine). With your fingers, gradually work in remaining flour while kneading the dough into a smooth mass (about fifteen minutes - or about half that with a machine). If at any point your hands start to get sticky, put flour on them!

Stage Two, The First Rising: If you're using a bread machine, this step is handled automatically by the Dough cycle, so you can skip ahead to Stage Three. Otherwise: Place dough in a bowl greased with 1/2 tsp. butter (turning once to butter the top). The best way to grease a bowl is to put the butter in a paper towel, and use the paper towel to rub the butter on all sides of the bowl. This gives a nice even coverage and doesn't get your hand greasy at all! Cover the bowl with a towel, and place it in a warm place. A sunny spot in your kitchen will do on a summer day, but I prefer a slightly warmed oven. Warm your oven by turning it to the very lowest setting. It should be noticeably warm, but cool enough so you can press your hand against the inside of the oven door without burning yourself. Turn the oven completely off before putting the bread in to rise. Keep the oven closed during the rising-time to keep in the warmth.

Allow about 60 minutes rising time (this can vary a bit with the climate, the yeast used, and other factors - allow for a 20 minute "fudge factor" in either direction); the dough should grow to twice its normal size. When a finger inserted into the top of the dough leaves a tunnel that doesn't begin to "heal," the dough has finished rising.

Stage Three, The Loaf: Punch the risen dough down completely (pretend it's somebody you're mad at) and give it a quick kneading on the bread-board or countertop. If it's too sticky at this point, add a dusting of flour. Shape dough into a fat cigar-shape about 12-13 inches long. Re-warm the oven if need be for the second rising.

The loaf should be placed on a flat cooking surface - a series of baking tiles, or a pizza stone, or a cookie sheet. Dust the surface with a light dusting of cornmeal, then gently place the loaf on it. If you like, slash the top of the dough once down the middle of the top, or in several short, diagonal slashes across it. This will help keep the loaf from splitting along the side, and it's attractive, too (it's a tradition from the Middle Ages, when the distinctive slashes helped French peasants tell their loaves apart, since bread was baked en masse in communal ovens owned by the lord of the land . . .)

Stage Four, The Second Rise: This one's real easy. Cover the loaf lightly with paper towels and stash it in the warm place again. Let is rise for another 45 minutes or so, until the loaf is doubled in size and ready to bake.

Stage Five, Baking The Bread: Place the loaf in the oven (if it isn't already there, rising) and turn the oven to 350
degrees Fahrenheit. Do not preheat the oven! Bake the bread for 30-45 minutes, until it turns a deep golden brown. Baking time varies because all ovens are different. Check your bread first at 30 minutes, and again every five minutes until it looks done. The finished loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom with the flat of a wooden spoon.

Remove the bread from the oven and brush the top and sides lightly with olive oil or melted butter. Cool on a rack for one hour; the bread is then ready to serve or store (if you don't have a rack, any improvised surface that allows a little air to circulate under the bread will do - if you're completely stuck, cool it on a pile of kitchen towels!)

______________________________

Note that flour given is approximate; flour varies in absorbency and slight adjustments may be necessary. The dough should be smooth and elastic while kneading; sprinkle on just enough additional flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking (if it's sticky at all, it's too moist and needs a sprinkle of flour).

Preheat, Or Not Preheat, That Is The Question: For most purposes, I'm an advocate of "cold oven" baking, where the baking temperature is moderate, and the oven is not preheated. This style of bread-baking was in vogue decades ago, but gave way to preheated, hotter ovens in attempts to imitate bakery bread. I don't usually try to imitate bakery bread, so cold-oven baking works best for me - it gives the loaf an extra rise as it begins to bake, and makes for a more pleasant, even texture. If you want a crisper bread, or a chewy one, increase the temperature by 50 to 100 degrees, and experiment with pre-heated baking. This is essential for French-style breads.

Crusts: If your preference is for soft bread, brush the top and sides of the loaf with oil or melted butter immediately upon removing it from the oven. If you prefer a crunchier, harder crust, brush the crust with nothing at all . . . and a dusting of flour on top at the beginning of Stage Four will give a nice "old world" look to the bread, too. For a chewy, French-style crust, use a hotter, preheated oven (see above), brush the loaf just before baking with ice water, and mist water into the oven (aim away from any heating elements - go for the oven walls) every 15 minutes or so throughout the baking.

Crusts can be glazed by brushing an egg-wash on them: Whisk a single egg with a teaspoon of water to create the egg-wash; brush it on just before baking (use milk instead of water for a slightly softer crust). A wash made of lemon juice and sugar will give a pleasantly light and fruity air to a bread. A wash made of honey or sugar and water will make a glossy and sweet glaze. Topping any of the above with a dusting of caraway or other seeds can add a nice touch, too - especially if you've shaped the loaf into a fancy braid!

Shapes: This recipe can be used to make all manner of breads and rolls. Dividing the loaf into 8 equal parts in Stage Three will make excellent sandwich rolls (perfect for hamburgers, or as the basic roll for guinea grinders). Flatten the rolls into a hamburger-patty shape, and arrange them on the baking surface to rise (for hot dog rolls, divide the bread into 12-16 pieces and shape them into hot-dog shaped loaves!) By dividing the bread into 36 balls, dipping each one in melted butter, and putting three each into muffin tins, you can make cloverleaf rolls. Dividing the bread into three long ropes and braiding them makes lovely braided bread, and so on . . . Be creative. Keep in mind that the more you divide the dough, the shorter the baking time will be . . . from 20 minutes for kaiser-rolls or hamburger buns down to 15 or even 10 minutes for small rolls (parkerhouse style or others).


[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 05-03-2001).]

[emilycat]

Lori http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif,

How rude of me to not thank you for this yesterday! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif
I didn't have the vital wheat gluten on hand, so I just made CL's Rosemary French Bread with half whole wheat flour (turned out pretty well, too). This looks delicious, though, so next time I'll be prepared with all the ingredients! Thanks again!

Emily

[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 05-04-2001).]

[Jewel]

Emily, something I read in CL regarding baguettes came back when I read your post. Lori's response touched on it, but CL says for a crustier loaf pour 1/4 cup of water onto the floor of your oven just before putting the loaf in. The steam will help make a crunchier crust. Obviously, dodge the heating element! The above recipe suggests misting the oven throughout the baking process, and I'm not sure which one is better. Maybe combine both? Start with 1/4 cup and mist throughout to keep the steam going? It's something I'm definitely going to try next time! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[funnybone]

I have heard about misting the crust while baking as well. Not sure where I read it though.

[lorilei]

Actually, if any of you are interested, there is an excellent book which explains how to make great peasant breads with your bread machine (using the bread machine for mixing and rising and then baking in the oven). She uses misting techniques as well as other tricks to keep breads crusty and delicious.

It's Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine by Linda West Eckhardt

I've used this book with great success! The ease of using the bread machine, but still getting my hands "dirty" is wonderful. It has given me a chance to bake more often, even when I'm busy!

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 05-04-2001).]

[emilycat]

Thanks for the recommendation, Lori; I'll definitely check that book out http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Grace]

Ummm, Em? Are you subconsciously thinking about me?!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (That would be scary!)....anyway, Lorilei was the kind soul who posted all that good stuff for you above - not me....although I'd love to take credit! The recipe looks awesome (thanks for posting, Lori!)

[emilycat]

Grace,

Did I mention that I only got about 5 hours of sleep last night? Gosh, I'm such a flake -- I have edited my message so my folly is not up there for everyone to see.
And Lori, if you did already see my error, I'm so sorry! I was having a brain fa*t http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Curleytop]

Use a little plant sprayer to mist your bread before placing in oven. Then open the door a few times and repeat the misting!
You get the best crust using a clay cooker, because the pot is wet and the bread gets a natural misting. Then (with a clay pot) you uncover the bread and brown it for about 10 minutes. Since I have and electric oven, I don't have enough room under the coils to wet the floor of the oven. You could also place a flat pan of water on the bottom rack.

[lorilei]

emily - brain f*rts are perfectly acceptable. I really took no offense http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I was just hoping Grace wouldn't be insulted!

[Mamasue]

I read some where that to get a crusty bread is to use your black cast iron skillet. When you preheat your oven slip your skillet on the lowest bottom shelf. When oven and skillet is hot, add some water to skillet. I guess the steam from hot skillet helps to form a crusty crust. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like it would work.

Thanks Lori for the recommendation on the Bread Machine book. I love bread, especially rustic ones. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[funnybone]

I have seen Betsy Oppenneer on "Cooking Live" in the past and she has a website www.breadworksinc.com (http://www.breadworksinc.com) . I found the following bread recipe which might interest you as I believe you were looking for a rustic, german bread in the past.

WHOLE WHEAT SEED BREAD

Makes 2 Loaves

This is a very dense, but moist loaf with a lot of seeds. It is very reminiscent of the German breakfast-style bread that is so popular there today. For those who have traveled to Germany and liked the bread, this is a lovely reminder. Take care not to add too much flour or the bread easily becomes too heavy.

2 scant tablespoons or 2 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 105 to 115 degrees)
21/2 cups warm milk (about 105 to 115 degrees)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup flax seed
1/4 cup caraway seed
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups unbleached flour (approximately)

1. In a large bowl, stir the yeast into water to soften.

2. Add milk, brown sugar, oil, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, flax seeds, caraway seeds, salt, whole wheat flour, and 1 cup unbleached flour to the yeast. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Cover the mixture with a tightly woven towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. This gives time for the seeds to absorb some of the liquid which helps prevent a dry bread later.

3. Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface.

4. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth elastic dough.

5. Put the dough into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about one hour.

6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 10 by 14-inch rectangle. This removes the excess gases and gives a more uniform texture to the finished loaves. Roll the dough into a 10-inch cylinder, and pinch the loose end to the loaf. Fold the ends of the loaf like a package by bringing each side into the center of the end then bringing the bottom layer of dough to the top and pinching it to the top. Repeat with the other end of the dough and place, pinched-side down, into well-seasoned loaf pans.

7. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

9. Bake for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees.

10. Immediately remove bread from pans and cool on a rack to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.